
By Tadika Shan Tao
KOTA KINABALU – Shan Tao Kindergarten Kota Kinabalu held a Thanksgiving Mass Apr 25, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral to celebrate its Patron Feast Day, the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel (Apr 26). The Eucharistic celebration aimed to nurture the young students with a spirit of gratitude and to joyfully celebrate Easter in a sacred atmosphere, thanking the risen Lord for the salvation and new life bestowed.
The children participated in the choir, dressed neatly in their school uniforms and white robes, sang hymns that filled the church with warm and touching melodies. The Mass was presided by Fr Paul Lo, who shared that the name of Shan Tao came from the title of Our Lady of Good Counsel. He said that the Mass was not only celebrating the feast day but also a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ which brings us the fullness of joy.
Parents expressed their appreciation for the event and commented that it is heartening to see the children’s participation in the Thanksgiving Mass in such an orderly manner. That was not only an experience of faith but also an expression of gratitude in life.
The kindergarten extended its heartfelt thanks to Fr Paul Lo for celebrating the Mass. A special thanks to the board members, parents, teachers and students from St Francis Convent Kindergarten, and all participating teachers and children of Shan Tao Kindergarten, whose involvement ensured the smooth running of the Mass.
In addition, during the Easter season, the school organized various Easter-theme activities such as Easter eggs decoration, watched videos telling Easter story, sang songs, danced and played games so that the children could feel the joy and significance of Easter.