69th Anniversary Parish Feastday 2019

Friday, 4^th October 2019

            The Church of Our Lady of Fatima of the Holy Rosary Kota Bharu celebrated her 69^th Anniversary this evening beginning with Rosary and Novena at 5.00 pm. The Eucharist was concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Patrick Masang, C.Ss.R. and Fr. Francis Andrew. The theme for today’s celebration was “Loving your mission”. Fr. Patrick Masang had been invited by the parish for this year’s Parish Feastday celebration.

            On the First day of the Triduum, Wednesday, 2^nd October, Fr. Masang preached on the theme: “Finding your mission” reminding us that we need to know our mission in life – our vocation. On the second day, he preached on the theme: “Living Your Mission” – giving examples of great men and women throughout history such as Mother Teresa,and Nelson Mandela. He taught us an African word -“UBUTU” –  which means ‘coming together as one in community.’

            In all his homilies during the Triduum, Fr. Masang reminded us that Mary, who embraced her call by God to be the mother of Jesus, our Saviour, living and loving her mission daily and at the crucifixion, Jesus gave her to be our mother. We were reminded that each  of us has also been given gifts and talents for building up the church.

            After the mass, all parishioners and a busload of pilgrims from KL and PJ led by Mr. Clement Chan from St. Ignatius Church, PJ, joined in a prayerful procession following a beautifully decorated float with a statue of Our Lady of Fatima round the church compound. This year, there was no street procession as the state of Kelantan was in mourning on the demise of the late Sultan.

            The celebrations concluded with Benediction and speeches by the Feastday Committee chairman, Mr. Joseph Wang and the parish priest, Fr. Francis Andrew.

            Finally, guests and parishioners were treated to a real ‘feast’ of  kambing golek’ or Roasted lamb – sponsored by the pilgrims and beef rending and other dishes.

            Our thanks to Fr. Patrick Masang for his beautiful, spirited homilies imbued by the Holy Spirit, touching the hearts of his listeners. And Thank you to every member of the 69^th Paish Feast day committee who gave their best to make this year’s celebration a joyful and successful one.

By Joseph Wang

(Photo credits :Billy Teoh)

Beautifully decorated Our Lady of Fatima

The beautifully decorated Altar

First Day of Parish Feastday Triduum, - Wednesday 2nd October 2019

Our guest preacher, Fr. Patrick Masang, C.Ss.R. 

Second  Day of the [parish Feastday Triduum, Thursday 3rd  Oct - Theme: Living Your Mission"

69th Anniversary Parish Feast Day Celebrations

Friday, 4th October 2019

The fully packed church

The Celebration of The Eucharist

Gina Sanchez Lai, First Lector

Nicholas Narin  Martin

Agnes Lee, Commentator

Daniel Chan, pianist and David Pereira - organist and the choir

Consecration of the Eucharist

The Procession of Our Lady of Fatima

Benediction after the procession

Speech by Parish Feastday Committee 2019 Chairman, Joseph Wang

Gerard Yeo, PPC chairman presenting a gift to Fr. Patrick Masang

Muscians - Drummer and pianist Daniel Chan and organist David (below)

More relaxing way of feasting !

Alter Servers group photo

Kambing Golek or Roast Lamb

Parishioners helping themselves to the feast!

Pilgrims from St. Ignatius Church, PJ attend mass at Fatima

Two busloads of pilgrims from St. Ignatius Church, Petaling Jaya, came all the way to attend Sunday mass this evening. It was Good Shepherd Sunday. Mass was concelebrated by Fr. Francis Andrew and Fr. Thomas Koo. They were happy to celebrate mass with us and praise the musicians and choir for the beautiful hymns sung. Earlier, they were in Kuantan visiting St. Thomas Church and stayed a night there. Tomorrow, they will be leaving for home. May God bless the pilgrims making the long journey to Kota Bharu. 
- JW

Group photo of the Pilgrims from SIC in PJ 

Entrance procession 

Good Shepherd Sunday Mass concelebrated by Fr. Francis and Fr. Thomas Koo

The pilgrims in devout prayer

Recessional Procession

Farewell to Sr. Caroline Gan

With fond memories and not a few tears, we bid farewell to our beloved Sr. Carol, who has been with us for a record 15 years. I never realized how long she has been with us!

Unassuming, straighforward, always with a smile on her face, she has worked tirelessly as a pastoral worker in the parish since 2004. She started the RCIA way back in 1993 (during Fr. Anthony Chong's first term) during her first time in the parish. Later she took over the Kindergarten from Sr. Catherine Choong. During her sabbatical, she went for a 3 month's course in Sabah to brush up her Bahasa Malaysia and prepare for her pastoral work with the Sabahan and Sarawakian parishioners at Kem Desa Pahlawan.

She has served the parish in many ways, as commentator, as communion minister, as sacristan and preparing couples for marriage, and catechumens for baptism. She was in charge of the RCIA in BM. Last year, she attended a 5-day seminar on 'Evangelization for Catholic Leaders' in Johor Baru at Majodi Center. At the seminar, she realized that she needed to share her own personal encounter story with Jesus whenever she meet people interested in the Catholic faith. She has been instrumental in bringing a number of people to the Catholic faith.

As a FMM, ( Franciscan Missionary of Mary), she will be going on a year's formation  course in Catechetics in Bangalore, India after she leaves Kota Bharu on 8th May 2019. We wish her a fruitful mission as she continues to share her life and her work in the future. May God be with you wherever you are, Sr. Carol!

by Joseph Wang

Sr. Carol, giving her farewell speech

Fr. Francis paying tribute to Sr. Carol

Anne Hong, MC for the farewell dinner

Gerard Yeo, PPC Chairman, giving his speech

Sr. Regina, Sr, Enid, and Sr. Nora help Sr. Carol to cut her cake

Fr. Francis, Sr. Carol, Gerard Yeo pose for a photo

Joseph Wang, Sr, Carol, Celestine, Rosalind, Teoh Bin Koun, Michelle Poh 

One of the many tables of parishioners who came to bid farewell to Sr. Carol

Pilgrimage to Kuala Krai's St. Joseph's Chapel 2019

St. Joseph The Worker's  Feastday

Early this morning, about 40  parishioners, young and old, boarded a chartered bus to make a pilgrimage to Kuala Krai to St. Joseph's Chapel. We started about 8.30 am and reached our destination at about 9.45 am. A few families went in their cars. This was the first time after many years (5 years in fact) since the December 2014 floods  (when the Chapel was flooded almost up to the ceiling) Mass was being celebrated here. Only about 3 - 4 families are staying in Kuala Krai, the families of Dr. Mary Abraham, Mr. Clarence and Mr. Jason Kam and one from Manik Urai.
The chapel has been renovated after the floods and is now available for mass and other activities.
Parishioners from Kota Bharu were introduced and later, treated to s sumptious lunch. Fr. Francis  hopes that  this pilgrimage will be an annual affair.

A Brief History of St. Joseph's Chapel
I have since learnt a bit of St. Joseph's Chapel's history. According to uncle Anthony Lee, he was born in Kuala Krai and his father, then a municipal clerk with the British Administration, had in fact drawn up the plan of the bungalow which is now the Chapel. The first owner was a Policeman who later sold it to a Dr. Hughes who later donated it to the Catholic church. Later, I found out from Mr. Michael Tang, who lived in Kuala Krai until he got married, that his father owned a dispensary which hired some British doctors to operate their clinic. His father rented the said bungalow to use as the doctor's quarters. Dr. Hughes later built his own clinic and donated it to the Church. According to my records, the Kuala Krai St. Joseph's Chapel was established in November 1961. Fr. Jean Caset MEP, stayed there as Priest in Residence from 1963 - 1973. (There was another parish priest in Kota Bharu -Fr. Robert Chan (1968-72) and Fr. Michel de Gigord (1973 - 78). There were two Parish councils at one time. In 1985 -86, during the time of Fr. Ben Nieukey, we had cordial meetings with the Parish Council of Kuala Krai. Initially, there were about 20 families in the parish, which later dwindled to the 3 families. Mr. Jerome Fernandez a former headmaster in Kuala Krai and once a PPC chairman has written a brief history of  St. Joseph's Chapel.
(If any reader has any recollection or photos of St. Joseph's Chapel, Fr. Jean Caset , you are welcome to write to me: email jowang1953@gmail.com )

by Joseph Wang

The chartered bus that took us to Kuala Krai

Passengers on the bus

Group photo of The parishioners of Kelantan (Kota Bharu & Kuala Krai)

The Statue of St. Joseph newly installed after the floods

Fr. Francis Andrew celebrating the first Mass after the floods

Some of the parishioners of Kuala Krai

Mr. Jason Kam, whose father was a caretaker of the Chapel, was introduced to the congregatiopn

Mr. Prismus, chairman of the POHD being introduced to the congregation

A sumptious lunch was shared by all