I accidentally saw him in C15 on Friday. I semi-clerked him, and he told me the merry-go-round he went sent through that morning. He had rode his motorcycle to the hospital himself, short of breath.
He was booked for a scan yesterday.
This afternoon, I received a call... "Uncle Franco died this morning".
I was shocked, everyone was shocked...
He had had a reaction before his CT scan, and it worsened this morning before he passed on...
I am amazed at the amount of people he has touched through his music, and his life... the great amount of people who attended his wake, and more to come tomorrow is a testimony to his humble influence in our lives...
Rest in peace Uncle Franco.
Showing posts with label Catholic Church in Malaysia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Catholic Church in Malaysia. Show all posts
Thursday, June 18
Monday, May 25
Behind the Scenes
When someone dies, you usually offer your condolences to the deceased's family and loved ones who have been taking care of him throughout his life and especially during his time of sickness.
So when a priest dies, who do you offer your condolences to? Sure, throngs of people come to pay their respects to his lifeless body, and comment of how good he was, but who do you console?
Surely, even they have loved ones and family sometimes, and even close friends who become part of their family, to mourn them...
A lot of time, these people go unnoticed, and people utter their words of sorrow to the bishop, or whichever brother priest of his they meet, but what about those people who lived and worked with him in other situations of life?
If he suffered a long illness, surely someone must have brought him to hospital, visited him there, cooked his meals, fed him, bathed him, and maybe even watch him at night... surely, it was the laity rather than the clergy who performed these works of mercy?
SO here's an acknowledgment of the love and care of Bruno and Jean, Josephine, the Little Sisters of the Poor, and various other young men and women who were companions of a truly great man, and who were with him through it all... thanks very much and god bless.
So when a priest dies, who do you offer your condolences to? Sure, throngs of people come to pay their respects to his lifeless body, and comment of how good he was, but who do you console?
Surely, even they have loved ones and family sometimes, and even close friends who become part of their family, to mourn them...
A lot of time, these people go unnoticed, and people utter their words of sorrow to the bishop, or whichever brother priest of his they meet, but what about those people who lived and worked with him in other situations of life?
If he suffered a long illness, surely someone must have brought him to hospital, visited him there, cooked his meals, fed him, bathed him, and maybe even watch him at night... surely, it was the laity rather than the clergy who performed these works of mercy?
SO here's an acknowledgment of the love and care of Bruno and Jean, Josephine, the Little Sisters of the Poor, and various other young men and women who were companions of a truly great man, and who were with him through it all... thanks very much and god bless.
Sunday, May 24
RIP
This past month, two of dad's classmates have passed away...
1. His best friend, passed away from a parotid gland cancer, after a 2 year battle.
2. A GP, who met with a motor vehicle accident, was discharged from hospital, only to fall into a coma because of a subdural haemorrhage.
Another significant person in my life to have passed on is Rev Fr Benedict Nieukey , who passed away this morning at 11.40am.
I must say that I was very privileged to have visited him this morning, and left about 30 minutes before he breathed his last.
I remember visiting him before leaving for Ireland, and him telling me stories of his time there. He was a student in Dublin too once upon a time when the IRA were still active, and when the spire was still a clock tower.
And of course the letter I received while I was still in Dublin from this man, asking me about how I was settling in there...
I am sure that the many people whose lives he has touched from far and near will be converging on the LSP in the coming 3 days to pay their respects to lifeless remains of this very humble and wise man.
1. His best friend, passed away from a parotid gland cancer, after a 2 year battle.
2. A GP, who met with a motor vehicle accident, was discharged from hospital, only to fall into a coma because of a subdural haemorrhage.
Another significant person in my life to have passed on is Rev Fr Benedict Nieukey , who passed away this morning at 11.40am.
I must say that I was very privileged to have visited him this morning, and left about 30 minutes before he breathed his last.
I remember visiting him before leaving for Ireland, and him telling me stories of his time there. He was a student in Dublin too once upon a time when the IRA were still active, and when the spire was still a clock tower.
And of course the letter I received while I was still in Dublin from this man, asking me about how I was settling in there...
I am sure that the many people whose lives he has touched from far and near will be converging on the LSP in the coming 3 days to pay their respects to lifeless remains of this very humble and wise man.
Wednesday, June 4
Does this spell the end for Latin in Malaysia???
Pope learns of diversity of Malaysian Church
(02 June 08 - RV) Bishops from the South East Asian Nation of Malaysia begun their Ad Limina pilgrimage to Rome Monday.
There are around 800,000 Catholics in Malaysia - approximately 3% of the total population. The country is divided into nine dioceses including three archdioceses, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. We spoke to the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur MURPHY PAKIAM about his meeting with the Holy Father:
“The Church in Malaysia is diverse, it has four races, four languages four cultures. The Holy Father was happy to hear that we are forming them into a community of God’s people and bringing them to well beyond their racial, linguistic, cultural barriers to form one community of God’s people. Then he was surprised and happy to know that our priests have to speak at least three languages to preach the World of God to the people. He understands very well when I said that we have no time to teach them Latin and that this great move that is in Europe to bring Latin back does not work for people in the small young Church in Malaysia. He was surprised to hear of missionaries coming as far as Malaysia in the attempts to bring the Tridentine rite here. He was happy to learn also that we are moving a lot with inter-religious dialogue, more than dialogue of coming together of religious leaders because we are Hindus, Sheiks, Buddhists Muslims and so forth and he was happy that I had gone for a trip to China and that there was more than just talk of building relationships of friendships among the different religious leaders, because it is a good way of proceeding to put into action the Churches teaching in Nostra Aetate”.
(02 June 08 - RV) Bishops from the South East Asian Nation of Malaysia begun their Ad Limina pilgrimage to Rome Monday.
There are around 800,000 Catholics in Malaysia - approximately 3% of the total population. The country is divided into nine dioceses including three archdioceses, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. We spoke to the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur MURPHY PAKIAM about his meeting with the Holy Father:
“The Church in Malaysia is diverse, it has four races, four languages four cultures. The Holy Father was happy to hear that we are forming them into a community of God’s people and bringing them to well beyond their racial, linguistic, cultural barriers to form one community of God’s people. Then he was surprised and happy to know that our priests have to speak at least three languages to preach the World of God to the people. He understands very well when I said that we have no time to teach them Latin and that this great move that is in Europe to bring Latin back does not work for people in the small young Church in Malaysia. He was surprised to hear of missionaries coming as far as Malaysia in the attempts to bring the Tridentine rite here. He was happy to learn also that we are moving a lot with inter-religious dialogue, more than dialogue of coming together of religious leaders because we are Hindus, Sheiks, Buddhists Muslims and so forth and he was happy that I had gone for a trip to China and that there was more than just talk of building relationships of friendships among the different religious leaders, because it is a good way of proceeding to put into action the Churches teaching in Nostra Aetate”.
Friday, January 25
A new Auxillary for the Diocese of Sibu
NOMINA DI AUSILIARE DI SIBU (MALAYSIA)
Il Santo Padre ha nominato Ausiliare della diocesi di Sibu (Malaysia) il Rev.do Joseph Hii Teck Kwong, Parroco della parrocchia "Immacolata Concezione" di Kapit, assegnandogli la sede titolare vescovile di Castel mediano.
Rev.do Joseph Hii Teck Kwong
Il Rev.do Joseph Hii Teck Kwong è nato il 25 giugno 1965 a Sibu. Dopo la scuola elementare e secondaria a Sibu, è entrato nel St.Peter’s College (Seminario Maggiore) a Kuching, nel 1986, per gli studi filosofici e teologici. È stato ordinato sacerdote il 25 marzo 1993 ed incardinato nella Diocesi di Sibu.
Dopo l’ordinazione ha svolto i seguenti incarichi: 1993: Vicario parrocchiale di "St. Anthony’s Church", Sarikei; 1993-1997: Vicario parrocchiale di "St.Herbert’s Parish", Song, e "Mary Immaculate Conception Church", Kapit; 1997-1999: Studi per la Licenza in Teologia Spirituale al Teresianum, Roma;
Dal 1999 è Parroco di "Mary Immaculate Conception Church", Kapit.
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Il Santo Padre ha nominato Ausiliare della diocesi di Sibu (Malaysia) il Rev.do Joseph Hii Teck Kwong, Parroco della parrocchia "Immacolata Concezione" di Kapit, assegnandogli la sede titolare vescovile di Castel mediano.
Rev.do Joseph Hii Teck Kwong
Il Rev.do Joseph Hii Teck Kwong è nato il 25 giugno 1965 a Sibu. Dopo la scuola elementare e secondaria a Sibu, è entrato nel St.Peter’s College (Seminario Maggiore) a Kuching, nel 1986, per gli studi filosofici e teologici. È stato ordinato sacerdote il 25 marzo 1993 ed incardinato nella Diocesi di Sibu.
Dopo l’ordinazione ha svolto i seguenti incarichi: 1993: Vicario parrocchiale di "St. Anthony’s Church", Sarikei; 1993-1997: Vicario parrocchiale di "St.Herbert’s Parish", Song, e "Mary Immaculate Conception Church", Kapit; 1997-1999: Studi per la Licenza in Teologia Spirituale al Teresianum, Roma;
Dal 1999 è Parroco di "Mary Immaculate Conception Church", Kapit.
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Tuesday, January 15
Lead Kindly Light
After possibly the most disastrous start I have had to any exam, I found some consolation in this, one of my favourite songs...
Lead, kindly Light, amid th'encircling gloom,
lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
the distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou
shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
lead thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
pride ruled my will: remember not past years!
So long thy power hath blessed me, sure it still
will lead me on.
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
the night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!
JOHN HENRY NEWMAN, 1833
There had also been news recently in the past week about the possible beatification of Venerable John Henry Newman this year, raised by the Prefect for the Congregation of Saints' Causes, Cardinal Martins...
Hopefully I will still be in Dublin to witness the founder of my parish being declared a blessed...
Lead, kindly Light, amid th'encircling gloom,
lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
the distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou
shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
lead thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
pride ruled my will: remember not past years!
So long thy power hath blessed me, sure it still
will lead me on.
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
the night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!
JOHN HENRY NEWMAN, 1833
As a young priest, John Newman became sick while in Italy and was unable to travel for almost three weeks. In his own words:
- Before starting from my inn, I sat down on my bed and began to sob bitterly. My servant, who had acted as my nurse, asked what ailed me. I could only answer, "I have a work to do in England." I was aching to get home, yet for want of a vessel I was kept at Palermo for three weeks. I began to visit the churches, and they calmed my impatience, though I did not attend any services. At last I got off in an orange boat, bound for Marseilles. We were becalmed for whole week in the Straits of Bonifacio, and it was there that I wrote the lines, Lead, Kindly Light, which have since become so well known.
This song was reportedly sung on the Titanic by Marion Wright before it sank in a service led by Reverend Ernest Courtenay Carter.
You can also watch a version of it here:There had also been news recently in the past week about the possible beatification of Venerable John Henry Newman this year, raised by the Prefect for the Congregation of Saints' Causes, Cardinal Martins...
Hopefully I will still be in Dublin to witness the founder of my parish being declared a blessed...
Tuesday, July 17
A new diocese for Malaysia
This morning, I awakened to some good news, or more likely, some surprising news sent via SMS, that a new diocese had been erected in Malaysia- the Diocese of Sandakan.
Here is the unofficial English translation which I am offering:
Erection of the Diocese of Sandakan (Malaysia) and Nomination of the first Bishop
The Holy Father has erected the diocese of Sandakan (Malaysia), with territory taken from the diocese of Kota Kinabalu, making it suffragan to the metropolitan church of Kuching.
He nominated Rev. Fr. Julius Dusin Gitom, priest of the diocese of Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia), as first bishop of Sandakan (Malaysia).
Bishop-elect Fr. Julius Dusin Gitum
And here is the Official note published this morning by the Vatican, plus a little biography of the new bishop-elect:
EREZIONE DELLA DIOCESI DI SANDAKAN (MALAYSIA) E NOMINA DEL PRIMO VESCOVO
He must have impressed the Roman officials during his time there in 1998-2003.
A photo of Bishop-elect Julius (R) recently concelebrating at the Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese level Borneo celebrations together with Archbishop Murphy Pakiam (Centre) and the Parish Priest of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Cheras, Fr. Valentine Gompok, OFM Cap. (L).
Here is the unofficial English translation which I am offering:
Erection of the Diocese of Sandakan (Malaysia) and Nomination of the first Bishop
The Holy Father has erected the diocese of Sandakan (Malaysia), with territory taken from the diocese of Kota Kinabalu, making it suffragan to the metropolitan church of Kuching.
He nominated Rev. Fr. Julius Dusin Gitom, priest of the diocese of Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia), as first bishop of Sandakan (Malaysia).
Bishop-elect Fr. Julius Dusin GitumAnd here is the Official note published this morning by the Vatican, plus a little biography of the new bishop-elect:
EREZIONE DELLA DIOCESI DI SANDAKAN (MALAYSIA) E NOMINA DEL PRIMO VESCOVO
Il Santo Padre ha eretto la Diocesi di Sandakan (Malaysia), con territorio dismenbrato dalla diocesi di Kota Kinabalu, rendendola suffraganea della Sede Metropolitana di Kuching.
Il Papa ha nominato primo Vescovo di Sandakan (Malaysia) il Rev.do Julius Dusin Gitom, sacerdote della diocesi di Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia).
Rev.do Julius Dusin Gitom
Il Rev.do Julius Dusin Gitom è nato il 14 ottobre 1957, a Kampung Loltos, Diocesi di Kota Kinabalu. Ha frequentato la scuola elementare ed ha compiuto gli studi superiori nel 1977. Ha lavorato per due anni come assistente di laboratorio per la "Tobishima Construction". In seguito, ha svolto tre mesi di studi propedeutici prima di entrare nel Seminario Maggiore "St. Peter’s College" di Kuching, per gli studi filosofici e teologici.
E’ stato ordinato sacerdote il 19 novembre 1989 ed incardinato nella Diocesi di Kota Kinabalu.
Dopo l’ordinazione ha ricoperto i seguenti incarichi: 1990-1994: Vicario parrocchiale di "St. Dominic’s Parish", Lahad Tuaran; 1994-1995: Parroco di "St. John’s Parish", Tuaran; 1995-1998: Studi per la Licenza in Teologia Morale presso l’Alphonsianum e per il Master in Spiritualità all’Angelicum, a Roma; 1998-2003: Insegnante nel Seminario Maggiore "St. Peter’s College" di Kuching; 2004-2007: Studi per la Licenza in Diritto Canonico presso la Pontificia Università di San Tommaso a Manila, nelle Filippine.
Dati statistici
La nuova diocesi di Sandakan (nom. lat. Sandakanan/us/), comprende due divisioni amministrative nello Stato di Sabah, Sandakan e Tawau ("East Coast Division") ed è suffraganea dell’arcidiocesi di Kuching.
Di seguito i dati statistici:
| Sandakan | Kota Kinabalu (dopo la divisione) | |
| Superficie | 43.657 kmq | 11.558 kmq |
| Popolazione | 1.000.000 | 2.000.000 |
| Cattolici | 64.000 | 140.000 |
| Parrocchie | 4 | 15 |
| Sacerdoti Diocesani | 6 | 28 |
| Religiose | 2 | 17 |
| Seminaristi maggiori | 1 | 5 |
| Catechisti | 16 | 30 |
La chiesa parrocchiale di Sandakan dedicata a "St. Mary" diviene la Chiesa Cattedrale della neo-eretta diocesi.
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Now that is some news which you don't get everyday, a pretty impressive record for the bishop-elect, with Licentiates in Moral Theology and Spirituality as well as Canon Law.He must have impressed the Roman officials during his time there in 1998-2003.
A photo of Bishop-elect Julius (R) recently concelebrating at the Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese level Borneo celebrations together with Archbishop Murphy Pakiam (Centre) and the Parish Priest of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Cheras, Fr. Valentine Gompok, OFM Cap. (L).
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