Ignatian Online, Website of St Ignatius Church, Petaling Jaya

First of September 2016 marked the one-year anniversary of the call by Pope Francis for Catholics to observe the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. All the faithful are invited to join the Pope to pray for the care of creation, united with our Orthodox and Christian sisters and brothers of other denominations who already celebrate this day. Pope Francis has further designated the observance of the Season of Creation for 2016 i.e. between 1 September and 4 October (Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi – patron saint of animals and ecology). St Ignatius Church (SIC) is participating in the Season of Creation this year commencing with offer of prayers on 1 September. Over the next four weeks, specific prayers of the Faithful for Creation shall be offered during Masses.

Incorporating a Season of Creation into our Liturgical Calendar during September is one way to structurally help implement the vision of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ (On Care for Our Common Home). As a pastoral initiative, the four-week long liturgical season would help believers become aware of and address the ecological challenges of the 21st century. Click on Creation to read the Pope's letter on the establishment of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. More information are available at Season of Creation and Resource. Click on Laudato Si'  to watch the video screened at SIC over the weekend of 3-4 September. Click onto read the Christian Prayer in Union with Creation by Pope Francis. 

by Leonard Pasqual

It was a long drive but a rewarding and fruitful one for nine members of BEC SS3 St Catherine when we ventured out of our comfort zone to reach out to our less-fortunate Orang Asli brethren in Bandar Muazzam Shah in Pahang on Saturday 23 July 2016. Led by Kenny Lee, our day started at 7 am, stopping at Kuala Pilah about 1½ hours later for a quick breakfast of wantan mee and coffee. Then it was an hour’s drive to a supermarket in Bandar Muazzam Shah where we bought provisions like rice, sugar, salt, instant noodles and biscuits to distribute to several Orang Asli families. These families live in separate settlements deep in secondary jungle and oil palm plantations, and we were lucky we were in Kenny’s 2WD vehicle and Raphael and Michelle Jeremiah’s 4WD SUV as they could negotiate the clearing leading to the Orang Asli. 

Given the twists and turns in the jungle, we would have been lost if not for Kenny leading the way. Our indigenous friends were happy to see Kenny, a regular visitor who has been reaching out to them for some time now, including helping them build wells so that they can gain access to better drinking water. The families are living in appalling conditions without electricity, depending on streams and the rain for water. Their homes are nothing but ramshackle wooden and zinc structures. Besides the food items, we also handed out used children’s clothes which the Orang Asli families had especially asked for.

When leaving one settlement, Kenny’s 2WD got stuck in a small mud pool, and we thought the worst – that we would be stranded in the middle of the jungle for who knows how long! For about 30 minutes we tried in vain to rev the stuck tyre out. A few of our Orang Asli friends came to help, filling the tyre depression with earth, and with a little muscle power, the vehicle came unstuck. Praise the Lord! It was a four-hour drive back to SS3 which we reached at 7 pm. It was a long day but one which we cherished. 

As Reeta Gomez put it: “It was an eye-opener. Here we are all trying to outbeat each other...and here is a group of people fighting for survival. It was heartbreaking. Makes us realise the joy of giving and sharing.” The BEC thanks all donors who contributed in cash and kind towards this outreach for your care and concern for our poor Orang Asli. Also, we thank and praise God for a safe journey.

Families representing both English- and Mandarin-speaking Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) processed into church 20 minutes before 8 pm on Thursday 28 July 2016 to kick-off this year's Triduum. After reciting together the Novena to St Ignatius of Loyola, Mandarin-speaking parishioners made their way to Costantini Community Centre for Mass celebrated by Fr Paul Hu. Fr Michael Raymond OFM was the main celebrant at the English Mass while SIC Parish Priest Fr Andrew Wong was the concelebrant. As was done last year, this year's Triduum is also anchored by the parish pastoral theme for 2015-2016 – To be a Worshipping, Welcoming & Caring Community – with the first day focusing on SIC as a Worshipping Community.

In his homily, Fr Michael explained that the vibrancy of a worshipping community depends ultimately on the invididual. It is the invididual's prayers, thirst and desire for & experience of God which will affect his/her family, BEC and the parish. Fr Michael also shared that BECs can be worshipping communities by acting as instruments or channels of prayer by lift up those who are broken or lonely or lost or ostracised to Almighty God. He shared his powerful experience of living for a month with the nuns of the Missionaries of Charity in Australia and their dedication to prayer – kneeling for an hour before the Blessed Sacrament early in the morning and in the evening, every day. 

Following the same pattern as for opening night, coordinators of ministries formed a procession into church to start the second night of the Triduum on Friday 29 July 2016 followed by recitation of the novena to SIC's patron saint. A Welcoming Community was the focus of the second day of the Triduum Mass with Fr Michael as the main celebrant. Fr Michael highlighted the Parable of the Sower in asking attendees what type of soil are they for the seed (Word of God) to grow: Soil along the path or hard soil or soil with thorns or good soil. Referring to the Parable of the Good Samaritan, he surmised that only someone who has experienced the pain of rejection will know what it means to reach out to someone who is rejected. That is why the Samaritan (who were ostracised by Jews) reached out to the man who had been beaten & left half dead. Another example of reaching out was when Jesus showed mercy to the woman caught in the act of adultery – a willingness to go down to the level of sinners, the broken & unloved, and meet them where they are.

On the final day of the Triduum, Fr Michael was the main celebrant with Fr Paul, Fr Andrew and Fr Philip Tan CDD as the concelebrants at the bilingual Mass which started at 6 pm. Fr Michael gave a brief recap of points he highlighted over the past two days and reminded parishioners of the importance of letting go in order to serve God & His Church. An important message he repeated was that we cannot give what we do not have – not just material possessions but virtues like compassion, forgiveness & understanding. Fr Paul, who was the main celebrant at the Triduum Mass for the Mandarin-speaking community on the corresponding Thursday & Friday, then gave the homily in Mandarin. Fr Andrew presented Frs Michael and Paul with love offerings in appreciation for making the Triduum a success. Priests joined parishioners for a fellowship dinner after Mass.

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Photography: John Ari Ragai, Matthew Soo & Peter Law 

Eight hundred parishioners of St Ignatius Church (SIC), as well as several priests and nuns, filled the Dynasty Dragon Seafood Restaurant, Damansara Jaya, on 10 July 2016 in appreciation of the contributions of Fr Lucas Ng in building up the parish over the past six years as Parish Priest. The dinner was also to welcome Fr Andrew Wong and Fr Lawrence Ng who assumed the posts of Parish Priest and Assistant Parish Priest respectively from 1 July 2016. Fr Andrew has been serving as Assistant Parish Priest in SIC since 1 December 2011 while Fr Lawrence was Assistant Parish Priest at the Church of the Visitation, Seremban, for the past 11 months prior to his appointment. 

Starting at 8.10 pm, the occasion featured song items, ‘handing over the torch’ gestures, pledge led by heads of ministries, a slide show on and speeches by Frs Lucas, Andrew & Lawrence. Priests in attendance included Fr Philip Tan (CDD Provincial for Malaysia), Fr Francis Ng CDD, Fr Stephen Ng CDD, Fr Martin Then CDD and Fr Gregory Chan. Fr Lucas said he cherished his tenure in SIC while Frs Andrew & Lawrence will do their best to serve the SIC community. It was also a double celebration for Fr Lucas on occasion of his 57th birthday. Among those who entertained the large gathering with song and wit were Frs Lucas, Philip and Gregory, and parishioners from both the English- & Mandarin-speaking communities. After much banter and good cheer, the event ended with a final blessing by Fr Lucas.

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Photography: Matthew Soo

by Geoffrey Fong

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is a programme to welcome and assist adults who want to discover more about God and Christianity, and to prepare them for baptism into the Catholic Faith. On Tuesday 14 June 2016, the RCIA Class of 2016/2017 began its journey with an opening night filled with inspiring insights from SIC Parish Priest Fr Lucas Ng and RCIA Coordinator Agnes Loh. In his welcome speech, Fr Lucas emphasised that the purpose of RCIA is to help and guide enquirers along as they seek to know more of the Catholic Faith through the RCIA journey. He stressed the importance of attendance each week but said the choice to become a Catholic ultimately rests with the enquirers themselves.

Thereafter, newly-baptised Gary Liu and Teresa Lo gave their testimonies followed by an introduction to the team of facilitators for this new journey. The night ended with some light refreshments and fellowship among enquirers (more than 40) and facilitators. RCIA meets every Tuesday evening from 8-10 pm at Room 1-1, Constantini Community Centre. Click on RCIA for more information.

Fr Andrew Wong will succeed Fr Lucas Ng as Parish Priest of St Ignatius Church (SIC) from 1 July 2016. Fr Lawrence Ng will assume the post of Assistant Parish Priest at SIC on the same day. The above appointments have been approved by Kuala Lumpur Archbishop His Grace Julian Leow. View the Chancery Notice of the Archdiocese of Kuala Kumpur detailing the appointments.

A Welcome & Farewell Dinner will be held at Dynasty Dragon Seafood Restaurant on Sunday 10 July 2016 in appreciation of Fr Lucas' six years service as Parish Priest to the SIC community and to welcome Frs Andrew and Lawrence on board as our new chief shepherds.