The Potluck-Monday 29th October 2012

Brother Co-ordinator Steven Raj

Peace !!

Potluck night on Monday 29th ,culminated the Rosary month of Oct 2012. It was  also the return date of my mother who was called home 30 years ago. And how much more memorable and prayerful it was with   BEC Rosary !!.

The Anxiety: 7.00p.m.-it started to pour..and my heart was like..oh dear, will anyone turn up at all??!!!

The Happiness & Grace: Lo and behold, at 8.00p.m., the  rain stopped. An hour of cleansing of the air and the atmosphere!!  . Elizabeth  who was the first to arrive told me. .must be the Holy Mother loves you...the rain stopped ..Indeed ..she must have prayed for me..grateful thanks Blessed Mother!!.

The Sharing of Joy: What a great array of food! They  came laden with pots & trays of delicious food for the sharing...a sharing of joy...a giving from the heart of each and everyone, a gathering to celebrate the continuous prayers and graces of the Holy Mother.. Wow! Sumptuous..and in such abundance... Hei, Guys, despite the "pack away" , my fridge is still full ..hope I do not end up eating everything myself!!

Yum! Yum! Yummy!!

What a night it was! Wonderful support! Beautiful, beautiful rosary recitation...and  my heart was so gladden!! Thank you guys!!  

Peace: It was a joyous sharing of peace after the rosary... and we sure need plenty of peace and goodwill in this human world of ours!!.

The Announcements: Brother Co-ordinator-Steven Raj made the announcement....coming up next -is the Christmas  carolling  activity....and the ..BEC animated mass- it's coming Sunday at 8.00a.m. guys and the call went  out for workers of the Lord to come forward...

Appreciation:    A real blast of a night!! Again thanks guys!!

St.. Jude Rawang

St. Jude Rawang -Healing Mass

26th October 2012 @ 11.00a.m.

A Pilgrimage organised by HRC Klang

Father VA Michael is a powerful charismatic priest, he creates awareness,  churns up the healing process, leads you out of the dirty river of baggages and make you realise that healing  involves a critical  decision...your decision
 Ask Thyself, do you really, really want to be healed??? Are you willing to empty yourself and put full trust and faith in the Lord Jesus, in the power of God - be totally immersed in the power and grace of  God ??? It is your decision whether you want to remain paralysed  ,bed ridden  or get up and walk away a free man- released and healed!!!

Healing is in the power of the Eucharist, regular conversion,knowing the Beautitudes ...

The year of Faith calls for faith in the voice of the church...listening to what the  church tells us to do ...be committed and faithful in carrying out her teachings. 

The day started with the 44 pilgrims  assembling at HRC at 8.00a.m. As is the norm, Uncle in charged lead his charge into the church building where God's grace and blessings were sought before the group started on their journey.

Since when was this lovely
grotto built?? 

At the shrine of St, Jude
doesn't the cross looked
like it was up in the clouds??

Ain't she lovely??

New bus, mighty comfortable too. We were going to St. Jude's church Rawang for a pilgrimage, young uncle said, so let's start the journey and the day right. Acknowledge God's presence with praise and worship.  He is here, yes, even in this bus, we are travelling in. No  golden oldies of yesterday, please guys, this is about appreciating and thanking God...Let's tell God, how wonderful He is....Yeah! God is good...all the time...

Mass in Chinese was on when the youngsters arrived.....we were there for the 11.00a.m. healing mass, so there was time to do the extras- what we needed to do.. praying at the shrine of St. Jude..the petition counters, mass offerings...the cute little grotto of the Holy Mother...and Look what Yours Truly found at the back of the church...the lotus bloom.

This Year, St. Jude's Church offered plenty of good food....they offer and you pay ......No complaints there, all for a good cause- Church Building Fund. Pretty delicious too...couldn't resist,  so we dug into our pockets and indulged like nobody's business.That was in the morning.  

Anointing, -register and get a place inside the church.But it was only for the very sick and those 60 years and above ..sick not counted. YT said...I'm sick, I would like to register for anointing and they told her, you are not sick auntie..you are very well...BUT thank God, Grace was on her side and she got her anointing after all.

Familiar faces were around...Out of the twelve co-celebrants,YT recognised three...from Port Klang, Kepong and St. Pio, Ulu Tiram??. Of course most people know all of them..and they were quite a presence

Recognise him??

Healing comes with love and care...give and ye shall  receive... give happiness, before you  receive happiness...how appropriate that needy children were invited to lunch...Hei, Revs..the Lord and the Holy Mother with St, Jude...the impossible becomes possible. 

After a very powerful mass and  healing session.. pilgrims headed for pre-arranged lunch   at  one of the eateries in Rawang....AGAIN..very satisfying, and more than enough. We even had to tell one another...eat up..it is a sin to waste food. Think of the people who are starving....

Believe it or not, back on home grounds, in the evening, there was a Charismatic healing mass in HRC with invitee priest Father Alex (just returned from New Zealand) leading the healing session. So it was a double healing day for seniors who participated in the pilgrimage to St. Jude in the morning. 

The BEC of Bandar Puteri Klang, welcomes Father Michael Chua

BEC MASS

The Dialogue session

The gathering for Mass

Friday, 19th October 2012-the happening event at our BEC!  BEC Bandar Puteri   Klang celebrated community mass,  at brother Arul's house!!! And the Parish Priest arrived early...rosary was still on..

Echoing the words of the BEC Co-ordinators James Surin , Steven Raj and team mates... A warm welcome and gracious thanks   for your presence at Bandar Puteri to celebrate mass with the families here Rev!!

BEC togethereness

Despite the rain and flooded homes, around thirty five people turned up for the mass, which was preceded by a dialogue session  followed later by an array of good food...prepared by the active BEC team....for  the "makan, makan" (eat, eat) fellowship.

After the food was blessed
they  called out....Father start first..
hei, not the  one in red,
he wore a brown!!!

If  you thought mass at BEC level  would be  a shadow of  the weekend masses in  church, ...think again  guys, ...Father Michael was   his usual walking computer self,,  dispensing valuable knowledge and information- in addition to celebrating the Holy Communion .

The coordinator and his team did not fail either...a good  venue with the required tech set up etra... I bet you,  those guys worked overtime to transform the venue  into what it was last night. We had a good gathering in Jesus's name plus the important ingredient - the parish priest celebrating .the presence of God in our midst last night. Mass is all about worshipping God, His Presence...it is about the Holy Cross-the Cross of Jesus..he proclaimed , indeed-else why do we congregate for our regular masses if not  to honour and  revere our God.??  That makes God, our main purpose,our focus, the  Objective of each and every Eucharistic gathering..the celebration of His actual Presence in our midst!

A light moment with Fr. Michael Chua
during the fellowship

Guess what?? Something extra ... partaking of both the bread and wine.. the body AND blood..of the Lord Jesus.and that happened at our BEC mass!! Somehow, it makes the celebrations more complete, when we sacramentally  receive both into our  bodies.. That's purely my feelings lah!!.

Prawn dish- in Chinese it sounds
like plenty of laughers. 

This is the Year of Faith, the Rev. said..if you have not been giving....start this year...if you have never attended any formation...do it this year....do more...the road to heaven is paved with good deeds..the ACTIONS and not mere intentions!!

Afterwards, the BEC community enjoyed light moments...just chatting and getting to know the parish priest...Plenty of har har siew!! That's laughter for the uninitiated.

HRC-Celebrations of Seniors Day-Sunday 14th Oct 2012

Pure opinion and views

The Amazing Greys did it again!!!Simply delightful and joyous, that's the international seniors day celebrations of HRC @ the Toh Yuen Restaurant- Klang Executive Club, Sunday afternoon.Top marks guys- the afternoon was one pure  swinging fun satisfying food, good entertainment, devoid of formalities , care free..the kind that you could relax and be comfortable ...just being with the good company and  enjoy...

Doreen with Parish Priest, Father Mari Arokiam & invitees

Peter Chan-no introduction needed

My favourite was the Sing Along with Billy and the Gang..awesome! I asked them..how long  their band were in existence, and they told me...a week...that's all the time they took to practice, to serenade the 150 Amazing Greys who turned up for the International Seniors Day lunch and celebrations... and I thought they were together for 40 years or more., the ease with which they belt out golden oldies spoke of seasoned entertainers .....Just shows seniors can do anything if they were given the task and boy, were they brilliant ! They got most of the lunching  group.....especially YT clapping and singing without reservations to the lyrics of evergreen favourites! Hope no one was video taping...but heck, what do I care??? It was fabulous and I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Dance, dance, little ladies dance!!

Tons of lucky prizes for the picking but believe it or not,  YT didn't even get to smell one...sigh! the elusiveness of luck! BUT there were plenty of +++++++ in that celebrations -lively atmosphere and lovely company, the presence of an amicable parish priest.And the children from a Girls Home-St. Bernadette Girls Home in Taman Melawis ..they were extraordinary! Talented bunch...they sing and dance so engagingly!! Credit to good teachers-me think.  

ISD cake cum Oct birthday
celebrations - and that
includes the Parish Priest

Parish Priest Father Mari seemed to have captured the hearts of the HRC senior parishioners...He was mighty popular. Certainly plenty of friendly exchanges between priest and his flocks....no awkwardness .....no barriers there.. The ears also picked up plenty of "Likes" too! Touching to see seniors on standby and protective mode...."taking care of their parish priest"..making sure..he's well looked after. Guess that's the plus points when you're with Seniors-they think of everything.  

Wonderfully fun!! Great stuff guys!! The day cannot begin and end without God., without gratitude and mention of God......hei did I share??? At the 11.00a.m. mass, Seniors were blessed, with good doses of prayers dedicated for their well-being ...as one of them..I felt blessed  Those prayers were a reinforcement of what we ourselves are asking  of God at this stage of our lives... YT received  a generous dose  of holy water....If you believe in its powers as I do........ it  always gives the extra oomph!!! Thanks & God Bless!!

T

Officiating the Year of Faith - the Sunset Mass

The light of Faith sprung up and shone bright in the dark of the night! The parish,..the community is ready to walk the paths of an evangelising church which not only spell getting to know the person of the Lord Jesus Christ a lot better, deepening and preservation of belief and faith but what He personifies - LOVE -acts of love and charity...care for fellow human beings. This is a year calling  for Action to speak louder than words!!

                   We are now officially into the Year of Faith!!

Unveiling the Faith Year symbol at parish level...journeying into the year of Faith

The simple powerful video message from  HG Arch Bishop Murphy Pakiam  officiating the Year of Faith  was very much -in one heart with the call of the Pope to begin a new journey ,  a new evangelising and caring  church..one empowered and motivated by deeds and acts of love and care. Everyone is part of  God's mighty  evangelising army. Everyone has  a part to play. From young to old, we have all been called from inert, passive and dormant state to vitality.....living the action of love, doing deeds of love .... care of neighbour  ...comforting people who reach out in need.....spreading and reinforcing our faith- the Christian Faith  through  distinct acts of love & charity. Action starts from  within..deepening ..re-fortification and bolstering of  faith from self, the  base-the church,  and then reaching out to include others..the world, into its warmth. And he so beautifully acknowledged that he could not possibly have done it without the efforts of God's people in his Diocese...  

Rather Catchy video too....  Churchie but certainly not  of the dry and boring kind....an open invitation...for people to open their hearts....join in the action walk and leave a visible footprint in the year of faith which will connect and blossom fruitfully  into the future ... interesting, yeah, quite interesting indeed!! Did you hear the voice of that little boy in the video? Do not let the light of the candle flicker out....else...you would be leaving the little ones...the future of the world in total darkness!!! 

Seniors Fun Walk cum Treasure Hunt/International Day for Seniors-Celebrations

Dos and don't s

gosh! what's what  & where???

Come on..let's get going

Wanna go on a Treasure Hunt?? Make a beeline for the Seniors Group of Our Lady of Lourdes Klang! Oops!  That  event was yesterday morning  Guys! And if you had miss the fun, fret not, there's always another time and another activity, JUST  ....what a pity...you miss out  on a happening that was  about activity, fun , great physical exercise and of course great bridging of friendship!!!

Committee at work!!

Frankly, that was the first time YT took a walk through  the recreational "nature park" just opposite the church building...hmm..Cool and inviting with a great view. You get to see some really fantastic old trees. Nature's  at its developed best.over here.  I had a great time...but of course the mosquitoes had a greater time! We, or was it only me(?) was heaven sent for their early morning feast! Needless to say....I had fun whacking the life out of them!!

The hunt for octopus

The trail for gold ...was plain sailing at the beginning ......but oh! how mind boggling as one wanders into the maze....for instance...what the devil was "big foot"? The effects of a cannon shot was a difficult one...I was with a participant....She scratched her head and I scratched mine....to set records right.....I was there just  to fun walk and enjoy  nature and the good company......exercising the mind was the extra and it helped to clear the cobwebs in the knowledge corner. But others really put in a great deal of  effort....With each treasure they find...joy shone on their faces.....I watch the married seniors going about their treasure hunt...the bonding...the shared excitement of going about a common task....something different from their jaded routine....harvesting treasures, with friends...and I bet you, they went away with greater treasures in their relationship, after that exercise .... For YT..it was a fruitful morning...I  not only exercise my lazy bones...I witnessed fostering of friendships and bonding. And, I also got to know many of my senior friends better ...many I had just nodded and acknowledged..in the silent manner of Hi, and Bye, whenever we meet...hell...I don't even know their names......now with the start up of  conversation...I'm sure .more conversations will follow ....the law of communication works that way... 

Guardian angels taking a breather
thanks guys!!

Lone ranger

Guess what.??  The committee thought of everything....even guardian angels....to safe guard the treasure hunters- we had guardian angels in the name of the maintenance and technical team of the parish. for the entire treasure hunt...six strong men with walkie talkies...eyes fixed intently on   the young ducklings as they waddle through the treasure route.. We were in   good hands. 

Wait, wait,wait......watch the cars....the trail is that way...auntie.....need a hand getting down those steps uncle??? Stop please!! Treasure Hunters are crossing the road!!.....If that is not enough..there were plenty of signs showing you the way...committee members and volunteers were stationed at strategic  points... JUST in case.....someone like YT get lost in the mini jungle....Hei, there may be only twenty four participants...but really, in total, close to forty or more were at the scene this morning...the additional presence of  helpers, committee members and  guardian angels..

The Dinner @ the Royal Klang Club

Father Michael and Father Lawrence.
with invited guests from HRC

door gifts

Without God...no event could be complete...

In the evening..seniors animated mass...before they headed for the  Royal Klang Club to enjoy a sumptuous dinner, entertainment plus lucky draw     lined up for them.There were even  prizes for the best dressed individual for the evening.- man and woman.

Parish Priest...Father Michael Chua....had only words of encouragement and praise for all Seniors, You are close to God.. calling them valuable members of the Lord's vineyard..and active in all ministries... including their BECs.....teaching others to appreciate the presence of God in everyday living..Senior citizen ministry, he said were normally the most active in every parish..because of the commitment put in by golden parishioners . So, we are good eh, folks?? The Rev. I must say...was really approachable at the event...going round, greeting..his flocks...cordial in every respect...truly..as the Lord says..if you want to be first...you have to be last...humble, friendly  and very human..

  

Father Lawrence-powerful grace

Food was lovely, we had great emceeing by Donald Johnson..ex-Deputy GM of the club...great band...fabulous entertainment...great words from SCM President-Daniel Chacko, plenty of  laughters for the crowd......a lovely video show of the morning's event ....well received by the crowd xtra..Great work Alan Goh...gushed the President and Emcee...Indeed! Indeed! That really liven up the evening!.........

Lucky draw with Father
Michael Chua

For YT what made the evening even more special and memorable was- more than the food and fun happenings.....It was  Father Lawrence bringing  God's presence  into the dinning hall- leading the diners into grace-,blessing and thanksgiving of the food ....definitely, one of the most powerful ....I have experienced.....it was ...I am not able to put it in words...so powerful...it touches the heart.....I guess..it had a lot to do with the way it was expressed..arising from his heart.....you know the kind that drew you involuntarily.into prayer and one  start to repeat the words of the uttered prayers and at the end of it, you  say a big AMEN.. let it be done as we pray Lord!!

HEI, Guys, I am finding constraints - time etc.. resulting in important happenings left out in a blog such as this....perhaps we should catch up in Face book ..yes, I believe so, .check out your pics there... ..pictures speak a million words.......give me a day or two...OK GUYS:
FaceBook:-: please click on this link for your pics:- http://www.facebook.com/ollseniorcitizen (ollseniorcitizen@gmail.com) and add this account as your friend to get updates and to make post to the page.