Parents play a role in nurturing the faith of their children

May 25, 2019

IPOH: Parents play an important role in communicating and nurturing the Catholic faith in their children, so that there will be more priestly and religious vocations in future to lead the Church forward.

St Michael’s parish priest Fr Anthony Liew, said this during his homily on Vocation Sunday on May 12.

“Have you nurtured your children to come closer to God, and have you been praying for the will of God to be done for your children?”

It is also important to pray for the priests and religious, for their safety, spiritual and bodily health, so they can lead others to Jesus Christ, he said. “Our priests are getting older and only a handful are in the seminary, so there must be renewed enthusiasm among young Catholics who will be receptive to God’s call to the priesthood,” he said.

Due to a shortage of priests and religious, many chapels, hospitals and missionary schools have closed. Some parishes have visiting priests to celebrate Mass each week. If the situation continues, it is questionable whether daily Mass can be celebrated.

Fr Liew said young Catholics especially must put God’s will in first place, and ask themselves if they find life meaningful and happy. “If you feel called by God, you can journey with any priest and religious to discern your calling. Priests are not born as priests, but come from the community.”

Fr Liew shared his vocation story and his response to God’s call. Growing up in Sg Siput, he went to Mass but kept a distance from the priests and religious because he could not fully understand them as they spoke in English.

“It was only when I joined the disciple group organised by St Michael’s church that I found God was calling me to the priestly vocation. I felt blessed because the formation was in Mandarin and I felt Jesus so close to me.

“One of the ways Jesus called me was to make me realise the shortage of priests, especially Mandarin-speaking priests. How blessed are those parishes who have priests who can celebrate Mass in their language. Some chapels have Mass once a month or once a year, and I realised I could no longer take priests and religious for granted.

“Another way Jesus called me was the emptiness I felt inside. I questioned myself if that was all there is to life.” It was then that he prayed to God for direction to discern God’s purpose for him. After that, he was able to embrace with love the call to the priestly vocation.

He journeyed first with Fr Edmund Woon, before entering the seminary to begin his discerning journey.

“We thank Jesus for his goodness as we pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious, and thank God for sending us priests and religious to guide us.

“We also thank God for our mothers, who care for us in our growing years.” He said many people take their mothers for granted, as they do priests and religious. “When was the last time you thanked your mother, and prayed for her?”

After Communion, the Sunday school children performed Butterfly Song, thanking God for their moms.

Afterwards, the children distributed lapel pins in the form of a cross, which were specially chosen for all mothers.

Fr Anthony Liew then gave a special blessing for all mothers.