By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — The Archdiocese of Kuching’s live-telecast of the Chinese Lunar New Year Thanksgiving Mass from St Joseph’s Cathedral, was celebrated with a congregation of about 360 parishioners adhering to full pandemic SOPs on 1 February 2022.
The Mass to usher in the year of the Tiger was presided by Archbishop Simon Poh with Archbishop Emeritus John Ha, Fr Galvin Ngumbang, Fr Mark Bonchol, Fr Alvin Ng and Fr Stanley Goh concelebrating.
At the mixed Chinese and English language Mass, Archbishop Simon Poh in his homily, likened the Chinese New Year to a season of Spring with the growth of new life. “We use the character 春 Spring to celebrate new life,” he said.
The prelate explained that the thanksgiving Mass was “to give thanks to God, seek the Father’s will and his blessing that we may receive the true blessedness that comes from our Father.” He added that to find true everlasting happiness that our Father wants to give us, we have to follow the teachings of Jesus in the Beatitudes.
Parishioners were pleasantly surprised to find red packets ‘ang pow’ and oranges placed at the pews for everyone. At the blessing of oranges, they held up their oranges so they could be blessed by the Archbishop.
The celebratory Mass concluded with a dance performance to the music “Give Thanks”, presented by the Chinese youth. Online viewers were treated to a lion dance video from St Joseph’s Private School lion dance troupe.
Meanwhile, all other parishes in the Archdiocese of Kuching also celebrated CNY Thanksgiving Masses for their communities. Some churches offered Masses on the eve of Chinese New Year so they could have separate English and Chinese language Masses for their English and Chinese speaking congregations.
