“My parents’ greatest gift to God is to give birth to me in Simanggang in 1963” ...Archbishop Simon Poh
By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — The Funeral Mass for the mother of Kuching Archbishop Simon Poh was held at St Joseph’s Cathedral on 26 December 2023. The presider was the Archbishop himself with Archbishops Emeriti Peter Chung and John Ha and priests from the Presbyterium of Kuching Archdiocese concelebrating.
Geraldine Tay Huang Siew, aged 86, passed away peacefully at the Sarawak General Hospital at 5.12 am on 23 December 2023.
Archbishop Simon Poh was visibly emotional when he welcomed the people who came to pray and to bid farewell to his mother. He has presided over many funerals, “but this one is very close to my heart and I would consider the most difficult Mass,” he confessed.
In his homily, the prelate shared a brief history of how, because of an invitation from his mother’s Catholic friend, his whole family became baptised Catholics in 1979-1980. He recalled how she broke down in tears when he informed her of his wish to respond to God’s call to be a priest. Being the eldest of five siblings, he was expected to take care of them.
Trust the Lord to Provide
His parents gave their support and with their blessings, young Simon entered the Seminary after finishing his Form 6, instead of going to Australia for further studies. However, his father’s business experienced a financial crunch just as he was about to be ordained a deacon. He was faced with the choice to get a job to help support his family or go ahead with his ordination.
He opined, “My parents’ greatest gift to God is to give birth to me in Simanggang in 1963.”
His mother’s faith in the Lord prevailed over the family hardship and his parents gave their blessings for his diaconate ordination. This “trust the Lord to provide” faith of his mother is testimony of God’s providence, Archbishop Simon pointed out. “The Lord has unceasingly provided for my family until today.”
Her Life belonged to God
According to the Archbishop, his mother Geraldine Tay was “easy-going”, “ever ready to forgive past hurts” and possessed a “motherly kindness” and “welcoming nature”. She was the chairlady of the Padungan Ladies Guild in the 1980s.
“Today, I present her as a faithful humble servant of the Lord in the very Cathedral of the Lord where she and my dad offered me to the Lord 35 years ago.”
He encouraged all grandparents and parents to “teach your family to give faith to Jesus” and “your family will be blessed by the Lord in generations to come.”
Believing in Jesus Christ makes the Difference
Archbishop Simon told the congregation that “we have everything we need when we have Jesus.” Even in the face of death we are able to hope and live our life with meaning because “God will always make a way where there seems to be no way.”
After closing with the Word of God from John 17:24, he said, “Mum, rest in the embrace of the Lord.”
The late Geraldine Tay Huang Siew was cremated after the funeral Mass and her ashes now interred at St Peter’s Columbarium, Padungan.
Heartfelt Gratitude from Archbishop Simon Poh
Archbishop Simon Poh would like to express his heartfelt gratitude to Archbishops, Bishops, priests, religious, Catholics and the various lay organisations, relatives, friends, politicians, and the medical response team from SGH, for the invaluable assistance rendered, and especially for coming together to pray with the Poh Family at the funeral and wake prayers of his beloved mum. “May the Lord bless all of you this New Year 2024.”
