One thousand attend opening of Jubilee year in Limbahau

Feb 07, 2025

LIMBAHAU: One thousand Catholics stood under the scorching sun, waiting for Msgr Nicholas Stephen to officially open the Jubilee Year for the Church of the Holy Rosary on January 18. The opening took place at the football field, below the hilltop parish.

Some of the pilgrims arrived early including those from neighbouring parishes in Papar, Kinarut, Penampang, Kota Kinabalu and Membakut.

Upon arrival, they were warmly greeted and directed to the reception table where they purchased ‘pilgrim cards,’ which were stamped as a token of participation. Along with the pilgrim cards, many bought Jubilee Year merchandise such as car stickers and keychains to commemorate the occasion.

Msgr Nicholas then began the Pilgrim Walk with a brief catechesis on the Jubilee Year stone and the Jubilee Year. He explained that the stone, initially abandoned and rejected, was now transformed into a symbol of hope. “Before us stands a man-made stone, carved with the Jubilee Year logo, and hidden within it are the faces of Mary and Jesus. This stone was once rejected, but now it serves a meaningful purpose. Likewise, in our lives, we may sometimes feel abandoned or rejected, but God never gives up on us. He has great hopes for us. Let us enter this Jubilee Year with hope and faith in God,” he said.

Following this reflection, Msgr Nicholas blessed the Jubilee Year stone, and the pilgrims began their walk along the designated path. Accompanying him were Fr Lasius Gantis, altar servers, and banner bearers. Among the crowd were also Fr Aloysius Fidelis, chaplain of the Holy Family Old Folks Home, and the FSIC sisters.

The walk was conducted at a slow, contemplative pace, allowing pilgrims to pause and reflect at seven stations along the route. Each station featured Bible verses from the Book of Genesis, focusing on the theme of creation. This year, the Limbahau parish will emphasize ecology as a central theme in its catechesis for all pilgrims.

The walk concluded at Fr Amandus Hall, where a Bible enthronement ceremony took place, followed by the reading of the Gospel and a short reflection by Msgr Nicholas. Pilgrims then watched video presentations on the history of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu and the parish of the Holy Rosary.

A day earlier, the Church of St Michael in Penampang parish, another pilgrimage site, had a dry run to familiarise their committee with the processes for receiving pil- grims, who will begin visiting the parish starting in February.