Archbishop John Wong conferring Confirmation on a candidate
By JJ/Soccom Penampang
Sep 1 2022
SUGUD, Penampang – A total of 235 confirmands and 32 communicants received their respective sacraments Aug 15, on the feast day of the Assumption of Our Lady.
Archbishop John Wong, who coincided his pastoral visit with the patronal feast day of the Assumption of Our Lady parish, presided the Mass, with parish priest, Fr Wilfred Atin and Fr Gilbert Markus concelebrating.
After conferring on the candidates the sacraments, the prelate urged the candidates not to put the gift of the Holy Spirit and the gift of the Real Body and Blood to rest, but to grow in the faith.
Growing in faith can be effectively realized by active involvement in the parish’s ministries and community activities, besides the attending the weekly Eucharistic Celebration.
The prelate asked, “Think of what you have received today… does it change your life? If not then it is just history, If yes, then you need to move forward and grow in the faith”.
Fr Wilfred earlier praised the Sugud zone for the coordination and good preparation for this year’s celebration, including the procession with the statue of Our Lady, marking the parish’s patronal feast day.
It has been the parish’s practice to rotate among the zones to organize the respective saints’ feast days to encourage a wider participation of the clergy with the faithful.
Zone chairman, Cat Athanasius Ebol, who was also the organising chairman, acknowledged the Archbishop’s pastoral visit at the special three-in-one celebration, which made it a memorable occasion.
The fully packed attendance was invited to the feast fellowship at the adjacent hall after the Mass.
