By JJ/SoccomSMPP
PENAMPANG – Apostolic Nuncio to Malaysia Archbishop Wojciech Załuski is expected to attend the 20th Archdiocesan Harvest Festival Celebration at St Michael’s Church, May 1, 2025. He is scheduled to concelebrate with Archbishop John Wong who will preside Eucharistic celebration at 9.30 am.
This was announced by Parish Priest Fr Wilfred Atin who is also the co-chairman of the organizing committee during the final meeting on the Mar 2, at St Michael’s Church Function Room, Penampang. Also present at the meeting was Msgr Nicholas Stephen, the permanent chairperson of Archdiocesan Harvest Festival celebration.
The biennial church program is one of the major events that often attracts huge attendance of the local Catholics besides Christmas and Easter celebrations. This statewide popular official government annual holidays is a colorful multi-ethnic cultural practice honoring harvest festival of bountiful rice.
The local organizing committee has prepared various activities to enlivening the occasion including the symbolic cultural performances to usher the processional entry for the Eucharistic celebration. After the Mass, congregations are to adjourn at the Msgr Wachter Hall for festivities including feasting of multiple popular local traditional delicacies, song and dance from various community performances.
As always, the traditional sports competition will take place before the main celebration. These past memorable community type sporting events including ‘Rampanau’ (walking on stilts), ’Mipulos’ (arm wrestling) and many more are to be held on the Apr 26 at the sporting field of St Michael’ Secondary School, just a stone throw distance from the church vicinity.
Attendance is expected to be around 800 to 1000 crowd, hence visitors especially from outside Penampang district are advised to have their own proper planning on travel schedule or place of stay to ensure smooth and memorable journey.
