By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — A special Mass to celebrate the anniversary of Perpetual Profession of Consecrated Life of five Franciscan Sisters was held at Blessed Sacrament Church (BSC) on 22 September 2024.
Family, friends and Sisters from the Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak (SSFS) were there to join the Religious Profession Jubilees of Sr Sylvia Cheong and Sr Paula Foo who celebrated their 60 years’ Diamond Jubilee, Sr Lidwina Choo and Sr Maria Goretti who celebrated 50 years (Golden Jubilee) of consecrated life, and for Sr Diana Butau’s 25 years’ Silver Jubilee. They had chosen the theme: ‘All praise be to You, my Lord, through all You have made’, a quote from St Francis of Assisi.
Kuching Archbishop Simon Poh presided over the Mass, concelebrated by Archbishop Emeritus John Ha, BSC rector Fr Leonard Yap, and all the priests who were present to join the celebration.
Also present was Friar Mathew Purayidathil OFM, from Jaffna, Sri Lanka, who was in Kuching to conduct a retreat for the Sisters, and priests from outside Kuching whom the Jubilarians had served and journeyed with.
Sisters seen as Consecrated Religious in their habits
Archbishop Simon Poh thanked the families of the Jubilarians for offering them as religious sisters. He recalled how Bishop Joseph Hii of Sibu, at the recently concluded Sarawak Regional Pastoral Assembly held in Sibu, had described religious life of the Sisters as “radical discipleship, being the ones called to be a testimony right up in front of the community.”
As priests are confined to their parishes and religious are not, the Sisters are out among the communities in their habits and seen as consecrated religious, drawing people to their faith by their commitment to the Lord.
Archbishop Simon also reminded all clergy and religious present on the authority of servanthood after the five Jubilarians renewed their vows before SSFS Superior General, Sr Rose Wong. They are to “renounce personal ambitions and pride so as to serve others.” He asked the congregation to pray for the Sisters and for religious vocations.
The celebration for the Jubilarians concluded with some entertainment and a dinner at a local restaurant. Archbishop Simon in his address, described the event as a “celebration of God’s blessings for the Archdiocese of Kuching and the Dioceses of Sibu and Miri,” as the Jubilarians had travelled and served throughout Sarawak and beyond.
The prelate thanked Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung for initiating the setting up of SSFS, and the Christian community for the gift of the Sisters.
