By Cecilia Grace
KUALA LUMPUR — The World Day of Prayer for Sanctification of Priests takes place every year on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, the celebration was held on June 16 at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Mass was presided over by Archbishop Julian Leow. Concelebrating with the archbishop was Archbishop Emeritus Murphy Pakiam, ten members of the clergy and assisted by Deacon Gnana Selvam Berentis.
Archbishop Julian, in his homily, spoke about God’s love. He explained that God’s love is unlike the conditional secular love we are familiar with, it is unconditional. Every pain of rejection and betrayal is magnified because of true love. The prelate concluded that God’s model of steadfast and unconditional love is our perfect model of true love.
Many faithful came to honour and pray for the priests who dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The Church is invoked to pray for all priests to stay faithful to their vocation.
During Mass, the elderly and infirm were brought forward for anointing.
As we continue to pray for vocations and religious life, we also thank the priests who have walked with us on this journey to those who have prayed with us, celebrated and, wept with us, forgiven us, uplifted us, hoped with us and those who have told us again and again, “God loves you”.
May the love of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary be our models of love as we carry our wounds and heartaches to continue our pilgrimage life to heal our brokenness.
