by Vanessa Premala Patrick and Chan Leh Na
KUCHING – “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious, boastful, arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things”.
These were the points Fr Gregory Tan, SJ a Jesuit from Singapore, spoke about during his talk which focused on the theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Love. His session was for the pilgrims from Sarawak Catholic Teachers’ Guild (SCTG) during their pilgrimage to Gethsemane Pilgrimage Centre Bunan Gega Serian on 8 February 2025.
There were over 50 pilgrims who participated in this pilgrimage organised by the Sarawak Catholic Teachers’ Guild of Sarawak under the leadership of Mdm Stella C Biscop. The theme for the Jubilee Year’s celebration is “Pilgrims of Hope on the Way of Peace”.
The pilgrimage was led by the SCTG committee and facilitated by Fr Stanley Goh, SJ and Fr Gregory Tan. The pilgrimage focussed on the meaning of hope in our lives while building communion during this time together.
Hope dwells with the desire and expectation of good things to come. However, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. Therefore, the need to recover the joy of living, since men and women, created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26), cannot rest content with getting along one day at a time, settling for the here and now and seeking fulfilment in material realities alone.
This, on the other hand, leads to a narrow individualism and the loss of hope; it gives rise to a sadness that lodges in the heart and brings forth fruits of discontent and intolerance. These were the points that the pilgrims reflected on as they spent time around Gethsemane in quiet prayer and reflection.
The pilgrimage continued with Mass at the Chapel of Divine Mercy presided by Fr Stanley Goh and concelebrated by Fr Gregory Tan. During his homily, Fr Stanley talked on the importance of silence and prayer in the midst of our busy life.
After lunch, the pilgrims prayed the Way of the Cross together, led by the SCTG committee. It was a fulfilling pilgrimage where pilgrims experienced a day of peace and personal reflection.
The programme helped revitalise their faith, as it helped them to discern how to help the community while improving their relationship with God. It was a great event to “stop and to take a step back” from the hustle and bustle of life to nurture and nourish their faith as educators.
