Public procession of St Anthony draws thousands

After a hiatus of eight years, a public candlelight procession was held on June 14 in honour of St Anthony of Padua, right after the evening multi-lingual Mass presided over by Fr Peter Anthoney from Banting and con-celebrated by Church of St Anthony Parish Priest Fr Terrance Thomas and visiting Indian priest Fr Anthonysamy.

Jun 26, 2014

By Bernard Anthony
After a hiatus of eight years, a public candlelight procession was held on June 14 in honour of St Anthony of Padua, right after the evening multi-lingual Mass presided over by Fr Peter Anthoney from Banting and con-celebrated by Church of St Anthony Parish Priest Fr Terrance Thomas and visiting Indian priest Fr Anthonysamy. Some 3,800 faithful were present for the evening Mass.

The hour-long procession proceeded slowly with the clergy and faithful walking whilst reciting the Rosary. It started from the back of the church at the APC building and headed towards Jalan Hang Isap, Jalan Galloway, Jalan Pudu and back to the Church in Jalan Robertson.

“St Anthony carries three things: lilies, the Scripture and Baby Jesus. These symbolize how he lived his life as a great preacher, a great saint for the lost and found, a miracle worker of Jesus.” Fr Peter Anthony expounded on this during the feastday celebration at the Church of St Anthony.”

“Many of us have lost three very important values required of us as Christians: purity of our lives, dependence on the Word of God, and not sharing the Word of God.” Fr Peter preached on the sub-theme Sent To Love. He said many were drawn to this feast because St Anthony of Padua walked and lived for Christ and worked many miracles. He asked the assembly to pray for the parish and the congregation to be like St Anthony, that is, to live and to walk with Christ in their lives.

Fr Peter invited all to be empowered by God once again and through the intercession of St Anthony, to go to confession. “We need to change our ways, be filled with the love of God in our hearts and feel the presence of God.” He said that we need to bring the Scriptures back into our lives and to carry Jesus in our hearts, to have a profound relationship with Him who came down from heaven to redeem us.

“We are called to be Christians, we must live in Christ. Love means sacrifices,” asserted Fr Peter. “Look at the Crucifix. Jesus has given His life for all nations and all people. ‘Send to love’ means sacrifice,” he said.

St Anthony lived a life of love, not for himself, but as a missionary for Christ, a great preacher and worker for God. Fr Peter asked the assembly to emulate him, to live a real Christian life and surrender their all to God.

The annual parish feast attracted several thousands from June 6 till June 15.This included three days of Reflection at BEC level.

Preachers included Fr Edward Rayappan from Melaka, Fr Phillips Muthu from Kuala Terengganu and Fr George Packiasamy. On June 13, the actual feastday, Fr William Michael from St John’s Cathedral preached in Bahasa Malaysia on the sub-theme Chosen to Glorify God. We are called to glorify God’s Holy Name, and to be disciples of Christ through our baptism. As a Christian community, we give thanks to God first, pray daily, be faithful to His teaching to love God and others, and to serve God wholeheartedly as His followers as we glorify Him.

Let our prayers, work and life bring glory to God, just like St Anthony of Padua’s did. Wherever we can, Fr William asked all to live in unity and harmony in the face of the many challenges we are encountering today.

Fr Edmund Raja from India preached in English. He said that we are born, not just called, to glorify God. How do we glorify God? Through our prayers and at Mass, we glorify God. In personal, family and community prayers, we glorify God. He said that God has tasked each and everyone of us to do His work. The priest called the assembly to glorify God in our work by being honest and sincere. Fr Anthonysamy also from India, preached in Tamil.

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