By Fr Alvin Ng, SJ
KUCHING — Kuching Archdiocese’s celebration of this year’s World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, was marked with the gathering at the Carmelite Chapel, Kuching, of some 50 persons who are living the consecrated life.
They include the religious men and women from the Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCD), Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak (SSFS), Claretian Missionaries (CMF), Disciples of the Lord (CDD), Marist Brothers (FMS), Order of Friars Minor (OFM), Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) and Society of Jesus (SJ). Also included are members of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCDS).
The celebration on 2 February 2023 was greatly anticipated as this was the first physical gathering after the 2-year pandemic hiatus.
The evening began with sharing by Marist brothers, Bro Robert Teoh, FMS and Bro John Emil Alada, FMS on their order’s history and experience of coming to start a community in Kuching in 2015. They have since been running St Joseph’s International School under the umbrella of the Catholic St Joseph’s Family of Schools.
The sharing was followed by the blessing of candles at the main door of the Carmelite Monastery by Archbishop Simon Poh. Thereafter, all proceeded into the chapel to begin Holy Eucharist.
In his homily, His Grace reminded the religious of Pope John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation, Vita Consecrata (On the Consecrated Life) wherein the late Holy Father stressed the importance of Community, Communion and Mission; the three pillars that define the role of religious persons in the church.
Wherever they find themselves, these men and women of the consecrated life enrich the local church with their respective charisms. In this regard, Archbishop Simon noted that the Archdiocese of Kuching is blessed with the presence and contributions of each of the nine religious bodies who support the diocesan priesthood in making the church a truly synodal one.
The final hymn of the Mass was a piece dedicated to the occasion. Entitled “By His Wounds”, it was the composition of Fr Alvin Ng, SJ. Sung for the first time by all present, with Ms Florida Law accompanying on the keyboard, the lyrics of the hymn exhorted the call to follow Christ by whose wounds all are healed.
A simple fellowship followed the Mass with packed meals provided for all present. Some have not met physically for the past two years and a visit to the monastery parlour to meet and chat with the OCD nuns added to the merriment and a pleasant closure to the celebration.
