Fr Wilfred Atin delivering his speech during the 2-in-1 celebrations at St Augustine’s Church Hall, Kinarut
By JJ / Soccom St Michael Penampang
May 29 2023
KINARUT – The huge turnout of parishioners at the joint Easter celebration and Divine Mercy Sunday at St Augustine Church was a combination of joy and farewell, Apr 16. Joy, for being able to be together again as a community after being apart a long time due to the movement restriction order. Farewell, as the Church is now a parish, elevated recently in Feb 2, and is no longer under the care of St Michael Penampang parish but manage its own physical and financial development. Fr Wilfred Atin remains as parish priest for St Augustine.
Other new parishes elevated by Archbishop John Wong were St Thomas Kepayan, Good Shepherd Manggatal and the Church of Mary Immaculate Bukit Padang (CMI).
The joint celebrations started at the significant hour of Divine Mercy at 3.00 pm, with procession by Divine Mercy Apostolate (DMA) representatives in each zones; ushering Fr Wilfred Atin into the Church where he blessed the Holy Images of the Divine Mercy.
Thereafter, lunch fellowship and stage performances including dance and music were held at the main hall. In his address, Fr Atin said they joy and all that the people experienced today is the manifestation of the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His unfathomable mercy and resurrection.
DMA Kinarut Parish Coordinator Liza Stephen presenting a souvenir T-shirt to Fr Atin
“Today we are gathered here and may these celebrations truly bring us to understand and appreciate His Mercy because our Lord Jesus Christ has risen for our salvation,” he said. Other clergy present were Fr Lawrence Kim, Friar Cruzender and Friar Arul Mariadass.
The meaning of God’s Divine Mercy
The Chairlady of the organizing committee, Liza Stephen, who is also the Divine Mercy Apostolate Parish Coordinator, in her welcoming speech said, “Today, we are grateful to be able to gather and celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy together. There are two reasons why we have gathered in this place. Firstly, we are here because we are one big apostolic family under the Lay Associations and Movement consisting of apostolic groups such as DMA, CFC, LOM, CCR and EMMAUS under the St Michael Parish in Penampang.
“Secondly, we are here to express our gratitude to Jesus for His immense Divine Mercy, and for the grace of salvation and liberation from sin that He has bestowed upon us on this second Sunday of Easter, which is the Feast of Divine Mercy. As one family in Christ, let us all learn from the spirit of cooperation and brotherhood that we have shown in this celebration, and allow God’s love and mercy to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood in Christ among us. I would like to share the message of Jesus from the Diary of St Faustina #1074, “Tell , that I am Love and Mercy itself.
“When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls. At the heart of our celebration is the message of Divine Mercy, a message that is both powerful and transformative. It is a reminder that God’s love and mercy are always available to us, no matter how lost or broken we may feel.
“When we approach God with trust and faith, we are filled with an abundance of graces that overflow from our hearts and radiate out to others. As we reflect on this message, let us take a moment to consider the ways in which we can share God’s love and mercy with others. Let us strive to be vessels of grace, pouring out the love of Christ onto all those we encounter.
“May our gathering today be a source of spiritual renewal and growth, strengthening the bonds of brotherhood in Christ and deepening our faith and devotion to God. Jesus, I trust in You, have a blessed feast of Divine Mercy and a blessed Easter,” she ended.
Stage performance, dance and drama
A number of spiritual stage drama and dances from various zones of both parishes of St Michael’s Penampang and St Augustine’s Kinarut were presented. Plenty of food and drinks in a colorful Easter fellowship were served to close to 300 crowd attendance.
