By Martina Juan & Diana Marie
KUCHING — This year, the 21st Worldwide Children’s Eucharistic Holy Hour (WWCEHH) at the Blessed Sacrament Church was celebrated on Friday 13 October, presided by the parish rector, Fr Leonard Yap.
The event commenced at the Grotto with the lighting of the Unity Candle. Blessed with good weather, the procession that evening was led by the line-up of Cross bearer, altar servers with candles, flower girls, statue bearers, Fr Leonard, altar servers with the Unity Candle carrier, petitions bearer, student presenters, rosary leaders and the rest of the congregation holding lighted candles that brightened up the place.
Beautiful processional hymns were sung by the Sunday School children’s choir as the procession proceeded to the main entrance of the church including an Entrance Hymn to welcome Our Lady of Fatima as the procession continued until the statue of Our Lady of Fatima was placed at the Sanctuary.
The intentions of WWCEHH included:
- To repent for offences against God due to the sins of men and women.
- To pray for the families of the children present and all the families of the world.
- For the Holy Father, for his protection and the success of his mission on earth.
- That mankind learns to love our environment, to work hard to restore the damaged environment, and for God’s help to reverse climate change.
- For the long-awaited hastening of the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.
- To pray for the intentions placed in the Petition Basket.
This was followed by a prayer to Saints Jacinta and Francisco Marto for protection against all that plagues the world, the crowning of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima accompanied by the crowning song “Salve, Regina” (Hail Holy Queen) and the theme song “We are the children of the World” by the Sunday School’s choir, and Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
The Rosary was recited by 10 students dressed in five different colours representing the five (5) continents: Africa, America, Europe, Oceania and Asia.
To conclude, a final hymn, “Praise Her with a Flower” was sung whilst the children presented five stalks of roses to Our Blessed Mother. The roses in five different colours represented the five continents.