Alleluia! Jesus is alive!

My dearest friends, wishing a holy and blessed Easter.

May the Risen Christ who light up the world be the source of peace and comfort in your lives.

How was your Easter Celebration?

Over here at Kuala Terengganu(KT), the diocese had send a priest to celebrate the Easter Triduum while our parish priest Fr. Fedinand Magimay who runs 3 parishes in Terengganu went to Dungun. So we are blessed with Fr. Gerard Theraviam. Celebration here was pretty simple but complete. On Easter Vigil, we had no baptism and had only 3 readings (minimum requirement), therefore, it’s pretty short. Then we had makan session after that. I particularly appreciate the get together as it was a very good opportunity for me to pick up courage to get to know and interact with parishioners.

Throughout the Easter Triddum, I kept comparing with the ‘grand’ celebration I always had in Singapore. I had difficulties accepting the way things were done and I became like the liturgical police woman (in my heart lah… didn’t say anything out). I had to keep reminding myself that I’m in KT and not IHM.

I realised that I should be appreciative that I am able to celebrate Easter Triddum together with the rest of the world rather then at another timing which some mission land would have had. I also realised that although celebration was simple, everyone was participative and importantly (I think), no one complaint about any Boos Boos made. Ai ya… Still I miss the ‘grand’ and full liturgy I always had…. I miss IHM. Sob! Sob!

During the Easter Triddum, there was also a funeral wake at our formation house. Funeral service was on Holy Saturday. What a timing!!! There are hardly any funeral here. This one was special. The deceased lives at Dungun but was hospitalized here in KT and the family are very close to many here including the sisters and the priest. It’s also difficult to transport the body back to Dungun. There was no Christian funeral parlour and so the best place is our formation house. How blessed are we in Singapore that big hospitals are all over our little island.

I asked the sisters a question 2 days ago: “Where does the Catholics here gets their spiritual food?” The replied was, through homily, Herald News and own reading. I was thinking how blessed are we, Singaporean who have endless choices of courses to choose from and having the pastoral institute just beside IHM. (double blessing for IHM parishioners). I am deprived of attending course too… sigh…. But thank God, I’m under formation so at less there’s something. So… considering that there’s not much spiritual inputs here, KT as a mission land, I think it’s really very good. I shouldn’t be complaining.

Ok… it’s getting very very long…. I think that’s about I would like to share with you. I’m still doing well, not being challenged yet, still in honeymoon stage. I still miss the active ministry life but I have to keep reminding myself that I have to focus on formation….. but sometimes I’m a little bored.. hee hee.. But it’s ok lah… I find things to do and learn…. Like reading books, newspaper, helping in the kitchen, housework and enjoying doing nothing with God.

Ok…really that’s all… please write to me to keep me updated about your lives too. I’m KayPo about your business too… hee hee.. no lah.. so at least when I think of you… I can imagine better lah…. Help me lah..