Apostolic Nuncio celebrates Carmelite feastday Mass

Aug 07, 2014

By Eddie Joseph
The celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16 this year drew a large number of pilgrims and worshippers both from the Seremban parish community as well as from outstation parishes, making their way to the hilltop Carmelite Monastery in Kampung Pasir in Seremban.

The 6.00pm Eucharistic celebration was presided over by His Excellency Archbishop Joseph Salvador Marino, the Nuncio to Malaysia.

Concelebrating with Archbishop Marino were Visitation’s Parish priests Fr John Gnanapiragasam, Fr Gregory Chan and Fr Raymond Pereira, Parish Priest of St Teresa’s Parish, Nilai.

“The Blessed Virgin Mary unites Catholics all over the world” said Archbishop Marino in his homily. “We all have a faith attachment to Mary our Mother. She is indeed the revelation of God’s love for us. She realized that her Son did not belong to her alone but was born for the salvation of the world. She became the first disciple and is the example of true discipleship. We need to emulate her. Let us allow ourselves to be drawn to the Virgin Mary and to follow in her footsteps by being humble and pure in spirit and being simple-minded. There are those who think they do not need God. Blessed are those who think about God, who search for God and who want to be with Him and who want God to be with them.”

Touching on the Scapular of Carmel, Archbishop Marino said that the feast each year is also to commemorate the anniversary of the Scapular which many are seen to wear. “It is staying in the Spirit towards a deep spiritual life with Mary. I invite all Christians everywhere to a spiritual renewal and a personal encounter with Jesus Christ – and do it unfailingly.”

The Carmelite Order of religious nuns came about as early as the thirteenth century. They live as an enclosed community and devote themselves entirely to prayer. There are presently ten resident nuns at the monastery here.

Parish Priest Fr John, in a brief concluding address, thanked His Excellency for having made time to be with the Catholic fraternity here on the occasion of the Feast and expressed the hope that he would come again some time in the future.

In a final gesture conveying the joy of the Holy Father Pope Francis to the people of the parish and the people of Seremban, the Archbishop gave the Apostolic Blessing.

Enrolment into the Scapular of Carmel followed immediately after the blessing. The conferment ceremony was conducted by Fr Chan in the sanctuary of the chapel.