St Martha Kampung Garung celebrates feast day

Last Sunday, July 19, 2009, St. Martha’s Chapel, Kampung Garung, Jalan Puncak Borneo, Padawan marked a milestone of sorts, its 38th anniversary. The faithful came early,filling up the chapel to the delight of the Rector of St. Ann’s parish, Friar Gerard Victor, OFM.
The Catholic community of Kampung Garung had every reason to be proud for from a humble beginning of only five families in 1971, the community has grown to its present number of 65 families.
Friar Gerard Victor, OFM reminded the community to emulate Saint Martha who was always mindful of the need of the family. When Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed,” he was not scolding Martha. Mary’s attention to hear what Jesus said was an example that we should emulate in seeking after Jesus. Thus, the community must support one another in their work and prayers.
Later, after the Mass, Friar Gerard Victor and the Chairman of the parish council, Mr. Robert Josem,joined the community with the cake cutting ceremony.
At the dialogue session, Friar Gerard thanked the community for their past support of St Ann’s fundraising parish sale and hoped that they would continue to support all the activities organized by the parish. After the dialogue session, the community and guests joined in a fellowship meal.

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ST. ANN YOUTH APOSTLATE NEW GENERATION

St Ann Feast-day 2009

You are invited to join us for our St Ann celebrations on 26 July 2009 at St Ann Baruk. The celebration will begin with the feast-day Mass at 9 am, presided by Bishop John Ha. Some parishioners from St Mary of the Angels parish in Singapore will also join us in the celebrations.

Besides the feast-day Mass, we will also hold the annual Parish Sales at St Lucas center. There will be lots and lots of things to buy from Jungle produce to food to clothes to Religious Articles.

So make a date with us and come celebrate this feast-day together with us. May the good Lord continue to bless the parishioners of St Ann abundantly in our efforts to make God’s kingdom a concrete reality in today’s times.

There will be a special 9-day Novena at St Ann Baruk at 8 pm beginning from 14 July 2009 until 23 July 2009.



What is background to the story of St Ann?

According to the ancient story, Ann the mother of Mary, was born in Bethlehem, where, years later, Jesus would be born. She married Joachim from Nazareth in Galilee. Their marriage was blessed in many ways. They loved each other very much and over the years their love only grew stronger. The couple prospered when they moved to Jerusalem.

Joachim, a shepherd who owned a large herd of sheep, was given the task of supplying the temple in Jerusalem with sheep for its sacrifices from his flocks, which grazed in the hills nearby the city.

Unfortunately, after twenty years of marriage Ann and Joachim had no children. They prayed and prayed, and even vowed to dedicate to God any child they would have. Year after year they entered the Temple to plead with God for help. But no child came.

Once, when Joachim went to the Temple for the feast of Dedication, he overheard someone ridiculing him for not being able to father a child. Stung by the remark, he went out into the hill country near Jerusalem where shepherds tended his flocks and cried to God over his disappointment of so many years.

After many days there alone, pouring out the sadness in his heart before God, an angel appeared to Joachim in dazzling light. The vision frightened him, but the angel said:

"Don't be afraid. I have come to tell you the Lord has heard your prayers. He knows how good you are and he knows your many years of sorrow for having no child. God will give your wife a child just as he did Sarah, the wife of Abraham, and Anna,the mother of Samuel. Your wife Ann will bear you a daughter. You shall call her Mary and dedicate her to God, for she will be filled with the Holy Spirit from her mother's womb."

"I will give you a sign", the angel continued. "Go back to Jerusalem. You will meet your wife at the Golden Gate, and your sorrow will be turned into joy."

Meanwhile, Ann, not knowing where her husband had gone, grew anxious and afraid. She, too, was hurt that she had no children and felt as though she were being punished by God. Going into the garden, she noticed some sparrows building a nest in a laurel tree, for it was springtime, and she began to cry:

"Why was I born, O Lord? The birds build nests for their young yet I have no child of my own. The animals of the earth, the fish of the sea are fruitful, yet I have nothing. The land produces fruit in due season, but I have no infant to hold in my arms."

Suddenly, the angel of the Lord came to her and said,

"Ann, the Lord has heard your prayer. You shall conceive a child whom the whole world will praise. Go to the Golden Gate in Jerusalem and meet your husband there."

So she quickly went to the city gate. The two met there and embraced, and joyfully shared the news the angel had given them. Returning home, Ann conceived and bore a daughter, and called her Mary.

The schedule for the Novena at St Ann is as follows:

14/7 (Tue), 15/7 (Wed), 17/7 (Fri), 18/7 (Sat), 19/7 (Sun), 20/7 (Mon), 21/7 (Tue), 22/7 (Wed) and 23/7 (Thurs). There will be no Novena on 16/7.


You are most welcome to join us and be part of our celebrations leading to the Feast day of St Ann

Ground Blessing for St Vincent de Paul’s Chapel at Kpg Chupak

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to visit Kampung Chupak, a Bidayuh village at Mile 24, old Serian Road, famous for paddy cultivation in Kuching Division. My visit was to join the local Catholic Community for the Ground Blessing Mass and Ceremony for St Vincent de Paul’s Chapel.

The journey started at 7.30 AM from the Friary at 10th Mile and we made a short stop at Siburan Bazaar, Mile 19 where we had our breakfast. I accompanied the Rector of St. Ann’s Parish, Friar Gerard Victor, OFM and Mr. Francis Satim, the Chairman of the parish Family Life Ministry for the trip.

We arrived at the village at about 8.30AM. On hand to welcome us was Mr. Anthony Aton, the representative of the community and the person instrumental in the formation of the Catholic Community at Kampung Chupak.
Many other visitors from kampung Peraya, Kampung Sira, Kampung Simpok and other areas also came to show their support for the community at Kampung Chupak. Notable were Deacon Desmond, Catechist Emily Ayu, and Catechist Stephen Jawum.

The celebration of the Mass, the first ever for the village, was at the Village Community Hall in view of the large number of visitors. The members of the parish youth ministry from the Chapel of St Martin de Porres of Kampung Sira rendered marvelous support during the Mass with the music, commentator and readers.

In his homily, Friar Gerard Victor offered words to ponder when he said, "God gives us gifts and talents so help one another.” He expressed his gratitude to the leaders of the villages who have pledged their support in cash and kinds to help build the chapel. The villages that had pledged their support were Kampung Simpok, Kampung Peraya, Kampung Sira, Kampung Mesaan, Kampung Tijirak and Kampung Seratau. For this, he said there was reason to celebrate. He said, “Let us to-day celebrate with the community in Kampung Chupak as witnesses of Christ. It is indeed a happy day for the Archdiocese of Kuching.”

Immediately after the Mass, the congregation witnessed a simple but meaningful ceremony- the handing over of the land for the Chapel by the owner, Mr. Jirud anak Nayup to Friar Gerard Victor, the Rector of St. Ann’s Parish. Both parties signed and exchanged the agreement documents. After that, Mr. Richard Lubiam of Kampung Sira and Mr. Juni of kampong Simpok, as Chairman of their respective village handed over the donations to the representative of the new Chapel.

We made our way to the site for the proposed Chapel, about 250 meters away from the Community Hall, for the ground blessing ceremony. A slight drizzle during the blessing did not trouble us in any way and for some they came well prepared with umbrellas.

After that, we had a hearty fellowship meal before bidding good-bye.

Robert Josem

Charity Golf Tournament-update

The Organisers informed that the tournament, scheduled to be held on 25th July, 2009 is postponed to 29th August, 2009. The change of date was unavoidable, as the management had to give way for a State held function in conjunction with the Rulers Conference.

The tournament venue is the Sarawak Club Golf Resort at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Kota Samarahan.

With the change of date, interested golfers could still register to participate in the tournament. Please contact Mr. Dominic Josip h/p No. 013-8019392.