By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — Association of Churches Sarawak (ACS) Chairman Archbishop Simon Poh, has expressed his gratitude to UNIFOR and SDMC for granting all Churches in Sarawak permission to open up for Masses and Services during the Holy Week.
In a letter dated 26 March, the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) stated that Churches in green and yellow zones can open to 50 percent maximum church capacity.
However, Churches in red and orange zones which, under current CMCO SOPs are not allowed to open, have been granted a special concession to celebrate Mass, but are limited to “20 assigned persons only”. This means, without congregation.
Holy Week is the week leading up to Easter and commences on Palm Sunday. It is the most sacred week in the Church calendar.
Archbishop Simon Poh, who is the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching said: “By allowing priests to celebrate Palm Sunday, the Lord’s Supper on Thursday, commemorate Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Masses, priests are able to exercise the sanctifying office of their ministerial priesthood during this most Holy Week.”
With the opening of these Churches, priests can “stand in the gap to intercede, mediate, pray and offer the sacrifice of the Mass on behalf of the people of God, and especially the flock they have been entrusted with in the parish, together with Jesus’ sacrifice to the Father,” the Archbishop added.
He likened this action to Moses pleading for his people as he stood before God’s wrath. He said priests are also called to do the same during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Archbishop Simon urges all Churches to comply with safety SOPs to ensure the containment of COVID-19 in Sarawak, and on behalf of ACS Church leaders, sends greetings of peace and blessings of the Holy Week and Easter, to all Christians and people of goodwill.
The Archdiocese of Kuching will be live-streaming Holy Week Masses from St Joseph’s Cathedral as follows:
EASTER TRIDUUM SCHEDULE
Holy Thursday Mass (1 April)
Mandarin – 5.30pm
Bahasa Malaysia – 6.45pm
English – 8.00pm
Good Friday Mass (2 April)
Mandarin – 1.30pm
English – 3.00pm
Bahasa Malaysia – 4.30pm
Easter Vigil (Saturday) Mass (3 April)
Mandarin – 6.00pm
Bahasa Malaysia – 8.00pm
English – 10.00pm
EASTER SUNDAY MASS (4 April)
English – 8.00am
Mandarin – 9.15am
Bahasa Malaysia – 10.30am
The faithful can access these Masses by going to the Archdiocese of Kuching YouTube channel / Facebook channel
