No. 7
The Mill Hill
For Private Circulation
From the Editor Fr John McAulay
Welcome to our first Suara magazine of 2022. The big difference between this year and last is many of the COVID restrictions that we have been operating under for the past two years have been lifted. Happily, this means that we are much more pastorally involved this year than the previous two years. This also has the benefit of having more things to share with our friends through this magazine We have many new articles for this edition of the Suara. I have contributed an article I wrote for the St Joseph’s Advocate in Scotland, just a few months after I arrived in Malaysia, as I thought it would be nice to compare those early impressions in Lapok to where I am just now on my Sarawakian journey. We also have a couple of very nice articles from Fr Liam and his recent exploits in Miri, including the celebration of St Joseph Cathedral’s golden jubilee celebrations. Sandwiched between Fr Liam’s articles is an article from our Society Representative, Fr Philip Odhiambo, reflecting on his 11 years in Sarawak. Fr Philip will soon be leaving us and I am sure he is going to look back on his time here with great affection. Also, in this edition we have Fr Herman’s first impressions of Cambodia, as well as articles from our two remaining Malaysian Mill Hill students We finish the magazine with the usual official pages, including all the necessary bank details to help our Friends of Mill Hill continue their tremendous support for the work that we are doing here.
Lastly, don’t forget the Friends of Mill Hill day on July 11th, beginning at 3:00pm in Taman Tunku.
My First 8 months in Sarawak Fr John McAulay
It is hard to believe I have been here for nearly 8 months, not because time has flown by but rather the opposite, it seems I have been here for much longer. Please do not interpret this as negative, because I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here thus far. It is just that I have never applied myself so determinedly to a task as I have since I came here. I have invested an enormous amount of effort to get up to speed as quickly as I possibly can. This involves learning the language, learning the parish, learning the people. Perhaps it is because I am older and I realize that I need to use the years I have left as best I can, or perhaps it is because I want to be in a position whereby I am fit and ready to take over a parish should the bishop decide to appoint me (NB this latter point later proved prophetic). The key to all my pastoral goals is the language and I feel I am making progress. My language is still halting rather than fluent, and I still struggle to understand what people say to me, but compared to when I arrived, I would say I have climbed a few rungs of the language ladder. With regards to the parish, I am now visiting longhouses for the second and third times. To put this into context we have around 100 longhouses in Lapok parish. I am happy to say I am beginning to know people by their names and faces.
(Lapok Church)
I am also beginning to know the different character and feel of the various longhouses. I am also beginning to identify areas that need pastoral care, areas where more education and dialogue are required. Part of getting to know the parish is simply getting to know the geography of the parish and where each place lies in relation to every other place, and I believe I am making progress with this. I am even beginning to know the tribal identity of each longhouse. With regards to getting to the people, I want to get to know them both individually as well as collectively. This means understanding their culture, including their religious and socio-economic background. I am happy that I am getting to know more and more individuals, and for their part the people are friendly and easy to get to on with. They have also been, and continue to be, patient with me as I get up to speed with the language.
I believe my previous experience, both in Cameroon and Pakistan, has equipped me well to quickly get on top of my new surroundings.
I love asking questions about their old religions, and I try to see how they have, perhaps unconsciously, merged this with their Christian faith. I believe this is important because before a faith can develop, we really must know where it is to begin with. Also, before a people, or individuals within a people, can truly become witnesses of the Gospel message, they need to be free of anything that blocks or hinders their understanding. Correct religion is important for any society, if it truly wishes to be happy, good and productive. So, I am at the beginning of things, but I am trying very hard to be a veteran as quickly as I can. I believe I can do it and I am really enjoy working at it. Overall, I feel I am making good progress in getting used to my life here. NB: Since this article, I have been appointed Rector of St Francis Xavier parish in Belaga, where I have been for 5 years now. I am fully involved in the pastoral ministry of the parish and I believe I have achieved all the goals I set out for myself at the beginning of my time here. It has been a great journey so far… (Belaga Church)
In Solidarity Fr Liam Durrant
A few years ago when I was working in the Philippines, I was called to the Accident and Emergency Department in the local Government Hospital. When I arrived, I was lead into a room where a young woman of twenty-one years of age, a university student was on a ventilator. I was informed that she had attempted to take her own life by consuming embalming fluid. The doctors could do nothing for her except keep her sedated. She died three days later. What I remember most about this incident was the reaction of her parents, especially the mother when confronted with the sight of her dying daughter. It was heart rendering to watch the mother collapse in sheer agony and disbelief when she saw the condition of her only child. This incident invoked memories of the scene in the film “Jesus of Nazareth” when Mary witnessed the death of her Son and held his broken body in her arms after He had been taken down from the cross. Mary could not prevent His death and was in deep agony.
Over the centuries, as people reflected on the sorrowful passion of Jesus they also began to focus on the suffering of Our Blessed Lady. The sorrowful experience of Mary touched the hearts of the faithful as it spoke to them of their own personal experiences. Devotion to the Sorrowful Mother gained momentum and popularity. Finally, in 1913 Pope Pius X officially established the 15 th September as the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, the day after the Exaltation of the Cross.
With the many tragic news items that we are confronted with in the media, images of great suffering, the Covid Pandemic, the fall of Afghanistan, the war in the Ukraine, our thoughts and prayers go out to the countless people who are powerless and suffer greatly in these situations. We can place all these situations, as well as our own experiences, in the hands of Almighty God and Our Lady, the Sorrowful Mother. The devotion to the Sorrowful Mother takes the form of a Chaplet or Rosary in which a person reflects on the sufferings of Mary and prays for those who suffer greatly in life. The Chaplet/Rosary of the Sorrowful Mother comprises of seven decades. Each decade begins by reciting the Our Father, followed by reciting seven Hail Mary's, and concludes with the Glory Be to the Father. The Seven Decades are as follows: 1. The Prophecy of Simeon that Mary would suffer seeing her son rejected and Crucified. 2. Mary together with Jesus and Joseph forced to flee to Egypt. 3. Mary separated from Jesus for three days, after the Holy Family’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem. 4. Mary meets her Son on the road to Calvary and sees Jesus fall under the weight of the cross.
5. Mary watches her Son die on the cross. 6. Mary receives the dead body of Jesus in her arms. 7. Mary witnesses the burial of her Son in the tomb. Returning to the story of the experience with the parents and the young woman, there was only one thing I was able to do in that situation and that was to pray and place them in the merciful hands of God. Prayer helps us to be in solidarity with others. When we pray the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, Our Lady stands in solidarity with us in all our sufferings and helps us to be in solidarity with others, as we walk together the road of Christian discipleship.
Contagious love Fr Philip Odhiambo
Needless to say but the past two years have been tough for many of us. The Covid-19 pandemic has posed challenges on every aspect of human life. The impact is still with us. Nonetheless, with the situation getting better, I believe the Lord’s resurrection truly reminds us that, “there will always be sunshine after rain”. Yes, our unwavering hope, born through the Lord’s resurrection, prompts us to move from the heart-breaking contagious virus to the heart-warming contagious love of Christ. Our Lord’s sacrificial love for us is boundlessly contagious and it irresistibly begs to be shared. We are called to spread it far and wide in all seasons. I am reminded of a wise African saying, “Eat and drink together; talk and laugh together, enjoy life together; but never call it friendship until you have wept together”. I believe that precisely describes our life here on earth. In the spirit of “Synodality”, we walk together celebrating the gift of life, listening to one another and supporting each other. I have truly experienced this in Malaysia, particularly in Sarawak.
I have enjoyed my mission journey in Malaysia! I first stepped on Malaysian soil in August 2009 as a student on missionary experience program. After two years I went back to Kenya to complete my remaining 2 years of formation. I was ordained on April 25 th, 2013, and in answer to my prayers, I was sent back serve in Malaysia. I feel so enriched because of my 11 years in Malaysia. I have learnt so much! The friendship, the hospitality, the generosity, the love and care I experienced has touched me deeply and transformed me. I join our Blessed Mother in her praises to God, “the Almighty works marvels for me. Holy his name” (Lk 1:49).
Obviously, it has not been a bed of roses! The inevitable challenges of every kind and magnitude have helped me to grow in many aspects of my life, enabling me to mature. I am grateful for the privilege I have had in learning to live our Mill Hill Missionaries’ motto “Amare et Servire”, “to Love and to Serve”, among the amazing people of Sarawak in particular and Malaysia as a whole. I will definitely miss Malaysia and her wonderful people. It is time however, to open a new page in my life and to continue sharing the contagious love of Christ wherever I am sent. To God be glory and praise forever!
Golden Jubilee of St Joseph’s Cathedral Fr Liam Durrant
On Saturday the 22nd May, Bishop Richard Ng, the Priests of the diocese, the Religious of the diocese, and the faithful, gathered at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral, Miri to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Cathedral Church. The present Cathedral was built by Bishop Anthony Galvin, Mill Hill Missionary, in 1972, and it replaced the previous wooden structure (see below), which was constructed on the site of the first Catholic Chapel built in Miri town in 1912 by Fr. Henry Jansen, Mill Hill Missionary. As the years rolled by, the Catholic population in Miri Town and the rural areas expanded. Saint Joseph’s Chapel became a parish church and the administration Centre of Catholic life in this part of Sarawak. Eventually, Fr Anthony Galvin was appointed Apostolic Administrator and later became the first Bishop of Miri Diocese and the parish church became the cathedral. Bp Galvin then initiated the construction of the present Cathedral, incorporating traditional ethnic designs with modern architecture, keeping in mind the liturgical renewal of the Second Vatican Council.
His Grace, Bishop Richard Ng’s sermon at the Jubilee Mass emphasized that the Christian community is firmly established on Christ and the Apostles’ profession of faith in Jesus as the Risen Lord. It is through their apostolic zeal that the message of the Gospel spread throughout the known world of their time. In subsequent years, the Gospel message has continued to spread throughout the whole world. The Bishop in his sermon traced the history of the arrival of the first missionaries in Miri and the work of Fr. Henry Jansen, who established the first Catholic Mission in Marudi and then the Chapel in Miri Town. He paid tribute to the Mill Hill Missionaries for all their work over the years in Miri Diocese. Fr. Liam Durrant, Mill Hill Missionary, represented St Joseph’s Missionary Society, i.e., the Mill Hill Missionaries, at the celebration. The Diocesan Communication Office has produced a video tracing the history and the present day pastoral activity of the Cathedral parish. The presentation also shows an artistic impression of the new St. Joseph’s Cathedral, along with an up-date on the progress of this project. We continue to pray for the pastoral life and mission of Miri Diocese and ask the blessing of Almighty God on the construction of the new St. Joseph’s Cathedral.
Are We Needed? Fr Herman Menjuan
In truth I was a little concerned when I received my appointment to Cambodia. The first question in my mind was am I needed in Cambodia? I was asking this because in Cambodia predominantly Buddhist. However, despite the Covid-19 problem I finally travelled to Cambodia in March of this year (2022). My first duty in Cambodia, as it would be with any mission appointment, is to learn the language. This is no easy task as I am not a natural linguist and on top of this, they use a Sanskrit alphabet, which makes reading the language difficult. However, I will keep trying.
In fairness we have been given 3 years to learn the language and become conversant so I imagine I will manage.
Christianity is a minority religion here, especially in my diocese which is Kampong Cham where I am working. Nonetheless we do remain busy. Every Sunday we go to different churches even though we are all still learning the Khmer language. Sometimes when I go to a
church there will only be 10 to 15 Christians in attendance, hence why I ask myself whether we are needed here or not. However, this question was answered when I saw their faith and their need to celebrate their Christianity. We are dealing with FAITH. So even when I am celebrating mass with just 3 or 4 people, I can feel the Lord Jesus present among us. This makes me reflect on our Mill Hill motto which is to Love and to Serve. I pray that God will show me the way to be a good shepherd to the people under my care .
Experience In India Cristiano Sumbat, Mill Hill Student in Pune India
On 1st June this year, I arrived in India through Chennai International Airport. The atmosphere was different from when I first arrived in Kenya. The airport staff were not friendly. Security not allowed me to enter the departure zone because my plane was still more than twelve hours before departure. Not knowing anyone at the airport, and feeling both sleepy and sad, I had no option but to wait until the airport security allowed me to go through.
It was very different when I arrived at Pune. The complete opposite from what I had experienced at Chennai Airport. The airport staff were very friendly and helpful. I was welcomed at Pune Airport by Rev. Tomvenki. The next day I started the tasks of getting a visa, of enrolling into the University, and of enrolling into the Pune Seminary. It was two weeks before I completed all these tasks. So far, I have found it easy to settle into my new environment.
Everybody has been very helpful. On a cautionary note, I always tell myself to ‘expect the unexpected’.
We have four Indians, three Kenyans, two Ugandans, two Cameroonians, one Pilipino, and one Malaysian in the seminary at present. A total number of thirteen students. We do our theological studies at a nearby university, which we travel to by bicycle. At last, I should stay healthy in body, mind and soul. I am grateful being sent here to India.
My Experience of Mission in Pakistan Elvost Lunchi, Mill Hill Student in Nairobi, Kenya
I touched down in Pakistan in August 2019 to begin my two-year Mission Experience Program, as part of my ongoing formation with the Mill Hill Missionaries.
My destination was the parish of St. John the Baptist, Tando Allahyar in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The mission revolved around the Kutchi Kohli people. Here, I was exposed to the reality of mission, especially for the poor and suffering. Most of the Kutchi Kohli people are living in dire poverty. They have no land, no home, and yet they work on the land as serfs, at the mercy of their landlords. Oppression and manipulation from the landlords contributes much to their poverty and suffering. Nearly all of them are malnourished, many are sick, and the harsh Sindhi climate gives them no comfort, whether summer or winter
Our mission in Tando Allahyar is to evangelize the Kutchi Kohli people. This means visiting their villages and sharing their poverty and helping where we can. I have never encountered such suffering in Malaysia. The suffering of the Kutchi Kohli people has given me a new
appreciation of Christ’s suffering and has thus humbled and changed me as a person. I believe my experience in Pakistan has affirmed me in my vocation as a missionary, and made me realize that the message of Christ is the best message we could possibly give such a downtrodden people.
One of the main areas of my work among the Kutchi Kohli people was working with children. Through the generosity of so many of you back home, including many members of the Mill Hill Family, many more children have now received better access to education. We can only hope that through education the young among the Kutchi Kohli can look forward to a better life than that of their parents. We hope too that the education provided will also help them on their faith journey as disciples of Jesus. Has my missionary work in Sindh done anything to change the lives of the Kutchi Kohli people? I do not know, but I do know that I have changed, and changed for the better.
Working With Children in Kenya Elvost Lunchi, Mill Hill Student in Nairobi
My ongoing pastoral duties as a Mill Hill student brought me to the parish of Our Lady of Fatima, Rongai, Kenya. My duty was to the Pontifical Missionary Childhood (PMC), ministering to children from as young as five all the way to fourteen years old. This ministry took place every Saturday from 2pm to 5pm. I was involved in this ministry till May 2022. I had worked with children twice before: once in the parish of St. Mary’s (kenya), and again in Pakistan. Personally, I love working with children. They love to receive our care and attention and, as adults, we love to give them care and attention. The focus of my work with children is to concentrate on what is good for them. Obviously, our
hope is they will grow up to be good adults and good Christians. Jesus once said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Luke 18:16) The Parish of Our Lady of Fatima took the initiative to resume the PMC program after COVID 19 break. The number of children attending ranged from anywhere between 30 to 60. The aims of the PMC are to foster the Christian faith among them, encouraging them to take part in the full spectrum of the Church’s life. While working with the children I was involved with catechesis, singing, and many other fun and creative activities. Sometimes, I also supervised them while they were playing or partaking in liturgical celebrations. Without prayer and genuine love for Christ and all his people, it would be difficult to be a good pastor to children. I pray that I will always be a good and faithful servant, whether I am working with children or adults in the future.
UPDATES Comings and Goings Fr. Philip Obaso from Kenya, East Africa. He is leaving at the end of July, 2022 after his 10 years service in Malaysia. Fr Philip also served as a student in Sarawak while doing his MEP. 2. Fr. Pulagam Ravi from India. He was ordained this year and has been appointed to Sibu Diocese, Gereja St. Charles Bormeo, Selangau.
3. Fr. Forbi Blaise Manjong from Cameroon. He was ordained almost 2 years ago and has been appointed to Sibu Diocese, St. Francis Xavier's Church, Kanowit
Our new General Council: From Left to right: Fr Gerry Hastie, Fr Bernie Luna, Fr Michael Corcoran, Fr Philip Adede
The Mill Hill Family The Mill Hill Family is part of the love and service that lies at the heart of Mill Hill. They join with the Mill Hill Missionaries in the mission of preaching the Gospel message, not only in our own country, but in the many other countries where the message has not yet been heard or taken root. The Mill Hill Family helps in several ways: By praying for our missionaries and for the people among whom we work, especially in the more difficult and dangerous parts of the world
By praying for our Malaysian Mill Hill seminarians now in training By helping to make it all possible through donations, either via a Red Mission box or a direct offering
The Red Mission Boxes are a great way of supporting missionary work. You place whatever coins you wish in the box and when it is full, or after a period of six months, bring it to the local MHF treasurer. A direct donation which can be made via the Mill Hill accounts listed below:
Mill Hill Bank Accounts in Sarawak Bank Account for Sibu:
May Bank Acc. Name – Bishop of Sibu-Mill Hill Missionaries Acc. No. - 511216260473
Bank Account for Miri:
Public Bank (Pelita) Acc. Name – Liam Joseph Durrant, John Gerard McAulay, Ravindra Babu Kollabaihina Acc. No. - 6-4358329-05 (Plus Savings Acc.)
Contacts Mobile Fr Philip Odhiambo
+60105986486 (Soc Rep)
Mobile Fr Liam Durrant
+60132802199 (Consultor)
Mobile Fr George
+601114672928 (Consultor)
Mobile Fr John McAulay
+60136165138 (Editor of Suara)
Mobile Fr Albert Jacobse
+60168161914 (for Kuching)
Other Information Website:
www.millhillmissionaries.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/millhillmissionaries