Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1935)
3972 Jalan New Ferry, 12100 Butterworth, Penang
T: 012-5227233, 04-3249635
F: 04-3243067
Email: nbvmpg@yahoo.com
Parish Priest: Fr. Victor Louis
Sunday Masses :
8.30 am (English)
5.00 pm (1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays in Tamil)
5.00 pm (2nd & 4th Sundays in Mandarin)
(Cp) Chapel of Sts Jacques Chastan & Laurent Imbert (1995)
106A Jalan Kurau, Taman Chai Leng,
13700 Perai
T: 04-3249635
Sat. Sunset Mass : 6.30 pm
Monday: 6.30 pm
Wednesdays :6.30 pm
============================================================
Children receive Jesus for the first time |
| Posted by Diocese of Penang (pgdiocese) on Dec 10 2007 |
2 December 2007
BUTTERWORTH: The Mission Sunday Eucharistic celebration took on a special meaning for 45 children in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as they received the Lord Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time.
At the start of the three-language Eucharistic celebration, Fr Francis Andrew, reminded a packed congregation of their obligation to be missionary and to spread the Good News of God’s love and mercy.
The first Holy Communicants amazed the congregation when they did the readings of the day in Mandarin and Tamil. Grace Ann, a parishioner, said of Calvin Francis who sang the responsorial psalm, “I’ve never before heard the Responsorial Psalm sung so confidently and prayerfully by one so young.”
In his homily, Fr Francis Andrew spoke of the importance of intercessory prayer in the work of evangelisation. To drive home his point Fr Francis told us the story of what happened in a diocese where a Christian family was designated to walk with whoever wanted to become a Christian. The Christian family would pray unceasingly for him and live by word and example the values of the Gospel. What happened was that the person would come to know Christ. Fr Francis believes that to spread God’s Word, we must live as Christians and pray, which is an expression of a relationship with God. He quoted that “Great things happen when God mingles with men” as in the case of Moses who prayed unceasingly and God intervened bringing victory to the Israelites. As the Church is by nature missionary, he called on all present to be the leaven wherever they are and to pray unceasingly for those seeking to know Christ.
Before he ended his homily he spoke to the 45 First Holy Communicants that "today is a very important day in your life. You are receiving Jesus for the first time. Pray he will give you all the graces you need to be his missionaries. Know that God loves you and live to tell others of God’s love for each of them.” Finally he urged all parents to keep this faith alive in their children by being true disciples of Christ.
After the Communion, the first communicants presented the hymn Father, I thank you.
The first communicants were treated to some light refreshments after the Mass.
— By Anne Marie Teh
Last changed: Dec 10 2007 at 4:43 PM
Back