FATIMA K.B. NEWS : January 2014

Friday 24 January 2014

PONGGAL - TAMIL HARVEST FESTIVAL CELEBRATION

Mary Martin, Christina Lasar and a friend pouring milk into the rice pot during the start of the Ponggal Celebration

Ponggal (Tamil Harvest Festival) was celebrated after mass at 10.00 am with Fr. Robert blessing the fire to start cooking the pot of sweetened rice. Several of our ladies then poured milk into the rice pot, until it was overflowing with milk. This festival is a Thanksgiving for a good harvest in the old days when farming was an important occupation. This was the first time for many parishioners to witness Ponggal. Although the Tamil speaking community consisted of a few families, they were still able to decorate the church beautifully with banana leaves, flowers and colourful 'kolam' drawings ( made from coloured rice) at the entrance of the church and the Fatima Hall. Thanks to Mary Martin who initiated the celebration and to all members of the Indian Community for making this celebration a meaningful one. The guests were treated to a delicious vegetarian brunch of ponggal sweetened rice and other Indian delicacies such as putu mayam, dahl curry, cakes and jelly.

This is the 2nd time Ponggal (Tamil Harvest Festival) was celebrated in the parish . The First time was about 14 years ago, when Fr. Francis Xavier Selvarajoo was here. He was a professor of Liturgy, and organised courses and para-liturgical celebrations during his short stay here in Kota Bharu.

The beautifully coloured 'Kolam' drawings made with coloured rise at the Church entrance

The beautiful and wonderfully dressed ladies wishing all a Happy Ponggal!

The rice pot with rice and milk cooking the Ponggal rice.

"More hands make light work" and "United we stand'

Adding more milk till the pot is overflowing is one of the highlights of the celebration

Looking on the cooking of Ponggal Rice

Noel Clement and his family helping out at the Ponggal Celebration

The Ponggal dancers of Fatima led by Roseanna Martin

Beautifully decorated Kolam

Banana leaves and flowers decoration for Ponggal

Monday 20 January 2014

MCCBCHST VISITS OLD FOLKS HOME

As one of its activities this year, the Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hiduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) Kelantan Branch, made a Goodwill visit to Rumah Kenangan (Old Folks Home) in Taman Kemumin, Pengkalan Chepa. 15 MCCBCHST members which included 6 of our parishioners, brought some cheer to the 135 inmates of the home with gifts of cakes and a sarong which would be useful. The visitation group was led by the present chairman, Rev. James Ming, pastor of St. Martin's Anglican Church, Mr. Gormok Singh, deputy Chairman, Alex Yeap vice-chariman (Buddhist) and other exco members.
We were well received by the staff of the Rumah Kenangan, who gave us a briefing on the old folks home and the gifts were distributed and the old folks posed for a group photo with the visitors.

THe MCCBCHST is an umbrella body for all the main non-Muslim religions with the following aims:
1. To promote understanding, mutual respect and cooperation between people of different religions.
2. To study and resolve problems affecting all inter-religious relationships.
3. To make representations regarding religious matters when necessary.
4. To advance and promote rhe religious, cultural, educational and social rights and interests of the religious bodies.

One of the officers at the Rumah Kenangan giving a briefing

Mr. Gormok Singh, Deputy Chairman of MCCBCHST giving his speech

Members mingling with the inmates

Inmates and visitors pose for a group foto

Rev. James Ming and other exco members distributing the gifts to inmates

Sr. Carol, FMM and V. Ngasegere, our Treasurer

Members of MCCBCHST with the old folks.

FMM Sisters, Sr. Carol and Sr. Stella distributing gifts at the home

A view of Rumah Kenangan

Sunday 5 January 2014

EPIPHANY: The Story of the Fourth Wise Man

THE OTHER WISE MAN

(Introduction by Henry Van Dyke)

You know the story of the Three Wise Men of the East, and how they travelled from far away to offer their gifts at the manger-cradle in Bethlehem. But have you ever heard the story of the Other Wise Man, who also saw the star in its rising, and set out to follow it, yet did not arrive with his brethren in the presence of the young child Jesus? Of the great desire of this fourth pilgrim, and how it was denied, yet accomplished in the denial; of his many wanderings and the probations of his soul; of the long way of his seeking and the strange way of his finding the One whom he sought--I would tell the tale as I have heard fragments of it in the Hall of Dreams, in the palace of the Heart of Man..........

You can read the Story of the Other (or Fourth) Wise Man) by clicking on the following link:

http://www.classicreader.com/book/593/1/