KUALA LUMPUR — The Cathedral of St John the Evangelist or the Mother Church as it is commonly referred to, officially welcomed home her parishioners with a re-dedication Mass on December 27, 2023, the feast day of St John the Evangelist, the parish patron.
Hundreds of parishioners and friends joined the celebrations to witness the momentous occasion. Concelebrating with the main presider Archbishop Julian Leow were parish priest Fr Gerard Theraviam, current assistant Fr Gnana Selvam Berentis and 12 members of the clergy.
In his homily, the archbishop asked the congregation to think about the type of disciples they would have made if they lived in the time of Jesus. While all the disciples broke bread with Jesus, spoke to Him and even learnt from Him — in the end, he questioned how many of them were with Jesus at the foot of the cross? He also went on to state that the days following Christmas were full of symbolic meaning.
The feast of St John the Evangelist is sandwiched between the feasts of St Stephen who was martyred for his faith and the Holy Innocents, the bloodshed of hundreds of innocent children. This is intentional, to remind us that sacrifice is essential to faith. The most loved disciple of Jesus as John was referred to, was not a term of vanity but one of assurance. John knew just how much God loved him and how much he loved God in return.
In addressing the congregation, before inviting everyone to join in the fellowship after Mass, Fr Gerard reminded the congregation that the church is not just a building but more importantly the people. While the church building is beautiful, we need to remember that the church is made up of living stones, and we are meant to build ourselves as individuals and as a community.
The rite for the dedication of the church is considered among the most solemn liturgical services, and it truly was encapsulated throughout the mass. It was a beautiful celebration for all the sacrifice this parish has gone through to get to this point.
On February 10, 2023, part of the ceiling in the cathedral collapsed due to a termite infestation. This forced the cathedral to close its doors temporarily. For months Sunday Masses were held at the Convent Bukit Nanas Chapel, while weekday Masses were held at the parish house. Seeing that the church was closed for extensive repair work, the already planned renovations were also hurried along during this time.
The reopening of the church was very exciting for many different reasons — one of it being the physical changes that were made. While there were added ambiance lighting, an upgraded sound system, a new ambo, warmer paint colours (even on the original doors), to name just a few, the most significant change seen is that of the sanctuary. Beautifully adorned in gold, with the words Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus standing out from afar, hand painted vines on the tabernacle, makes it truly the crowning glory of the Cathedral. Elegance and simplicity. It is the hope that the aesthetic beauty of the Cathedral will allow for a more enhancing encounter with Christ for those who worship within these walls.
If you did not already know, the Church of St John the Evangelist started off as just a long wooden hall with some windows. Over the years it morphed into the big, proud and tall structure we see today, nestled in the heart of Kuala Lumpur City Centre. It’s grand white exterior could once be seen from miles away as it sits majestically on Bukit Nanas Hill. Today, it is surrounded by high rise buildings and developments. On January 8, 1962, the status of the church was elevated to that of a Cathedral. The Cathedral of St John the Evangelist is now the seat of our Archbishop and the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.
