Canon Justin Ong (right) with Archbishop Simon Poh at the Archbishop’s Office, ACCPC, Kuching on 13 September 2023. (Photo: Today’s Catholic / Shannon Wei)
By Canon Justin Ong
Oct 17 2023
From Engineer to Priest
I am Canon Justin Ong with the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP). I was born and raised in Kuching until I left for the United States at the age of 19 to pursue a degree in Chemical Engineering.
Baptised as a young infant, I was introduced to the Catholic faith through catechism at Sunday school and which later grew through the various youth activities through YCS. For the most part, my mother would insist that our family fulfil faithfully our Sunday obligations while I kept up with the regular recitation of my favourite prayers: the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be.
Due to the simplicity of the Faith of my youth, I was able to hold on to it throughout my time abroad. In a small town in Michigan, my life was mainly centred around the Music Ministry and through it, I made many friends.
During the breaks, our circle of friends would go down with a nun to Chicago to volunteer at a women’s shelter, situated next to the headquarters of ICKSP where I attended daily Mass. There was indeed something very special about the place.
After having completed my studies, I headed west to further my studies in the beautiful state of Oregon. Again, my faith life centred around music ministry and this time through Newman Club. Through the good work of priests from Argentina, my Faith grew and matured, especially in the Eucharist.
There was a Perpetual Adoration chapel which was always open for those who wanted to pay Our Lord a visit. It is truly wonderful to be in His True Presence—it is in silence that Our Lord truly speaks to us.
After completing my studies, I moved to work as an engineer in Portland which I found rather unfulfilling. Providentially, there was also another chapel for Perpetual Adoration in the Cathedral. I would spend a lot of time there, fleeing from the hustle and bustle of a big city. It was in this little chapel where I learnt about the possible call to the priesthood.
In my discernment, I remembered the place in Chicago—I gave the priest a call and arranged a visit. Somehow, I felt very much at home there and I decided to spend a few more months discerning with them.
After another year of discernment in various places in Europe where I learnt French, I began my priestly formation in our seminary outside Florence, Italy. There, in the beautiful hills of Tuscany, I spent seven years separated from the world receiving an excellent formation from my superiors.
On 2 July 2020, I was ordained a priest by His Eminence Cardinal Burke. Since then, I have spent two years as a chaplain of our secondary school (Brussels International Catholic School) in Belgium and I currently serve as the Vicar of Sacred Heart Church in Limerick, Ireland. There is much thirst for Christ in the world today, especially the grace from the sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist.
For those who are unfamiliar with the title “Canon”, we are secular Canons who live together in community following a rule and we also chant the Divine Office in common. Our life is centred around the Liturgy by which we live the Life of Christ. Having St Francis de Sales as one of our Patron Saints, we try to live the gentle Salesian spirituality and promote it to our faithful.
I would like to thank His Grace Archbishop Simon Poh for his constant paternal support and I thank God for the growth in our beautiful Archdiocese of Kuching. Let us remain united in prayers so that the Charity and Peace of Christ may always reign in our hearts. – Today’s Catholic
