Opening Ceremony of the Malaysia Pastoral Convention 2026 10 September 2026, Thursday, 9:00AM
Unification of the Perjalanan Salib & Opening Mass Malaysia Pastoral Convention 2026 9 September 2026, Thursday, 6:00PM Location: Pintu Gerbang, Sibu, Sarawak
Over the weekend, a spirit of prayer, community, and love for creation permeated the Church of St John Marie Vianney in Tampin. Approximately 190 parishioners and friends, representing 22 parishes from across the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, convened for a special outdoor Mass at the grotto. This gathering was held to commemorate the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. The Mass was presided over by Fr Andrew Manickam, Ecclesiastical Assistant of the KL Archdiocesan Creation Justice Ministry, with concelebrants Fr Albet Arockiasamy, Fr Xavier Andrew, Fr Edwin Peter, and Fr Anthony Robert. During his homily, Fr Andrew stressed the importance of ecological conversion and the recognition of ecological sin. He encouraged attendees to undertake simple actions such as collecting plastic waste and planting trees. The festivities concluded with a walk around the church grounds, prayers at the Stations of the Cross, a youth skit, and the presentation of potted plants to the representatives from the 22 parishes.
For two decades, 70-year-old PAS activist Abdul Rahman Kassim has dedicated himself to fostering harmony between Islamists and northern Catholic communities. He has achieved this through dialogues, shared meals, and cultural visits. Despite deep theological differences, Rahman's steadfast optimism and warm hospitality earned the trust of church leaders, most notably Sebastian Cardinal Francis, who even attended Rahman's daughter's wedding. Determined to culminate his long-standing outreach before Cardinal's mandatory church retirement, Rahman invited the prelate to PAS's annual general assembly in Kota Bharu. The cardinal's unprecedented attendance marked a historic milestone in Muslim-Christian relations. This visit strategically established open lines of communication with top party figures, while delightful surprises fostered mutual goodwill among attendees.
