Online celebration attracts thousands

Sep 19, 2020

By Bernard Anthony
Sent With Joy To Heal was the anchored theme for this year’s feast of Our Lady of Good Health focusing on Mental Health (Holistic Wellness). Held from Sept 4 to Sept 13 at the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Health, this year’s celebrations was held without the congregation, but instead was live streamed online via YouTube @ sacredheartkl.

Despite this, the online celebrations managed to attract several thousand daily who faithfully followed the Rosary, Novena and Mass. The first four days were preached by Fr Edwin Peter who is the Chapel’s Administrator and his assistant, Fr Simon Lau. They are also the priests of the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Archbishop Julian Leow preached on Day 5, followed by Fr Joseph Stephen CsSR from Ipoh for the remaining days.

Nonetheless during the ten day celebrations, the chapel’s main door were open to those who wish to come at the designated hours for their private prayers, with SOPs adhered to.

On Sept 8 (Day 5), the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Archbishop Julian Leow was the main celebrant and preacher, with sub-theme God Has Found Favour In You. The prelate posed this question to all: “Has God found favour in you? As God has found favour in Mary, the Mother of Jesus. He said God has found favour with Mary, right from the beginning. The angel Gabriel said to Mary, she has already found favour with God. It was already given, God has already found favour with Mary, because she has been that faithful, true and perfect disciple, the one that carried Jesus already in her womb, and the one that was faithful right from the conception, His Birth, His agony, and right up to the Cross and beyond. Mary was there by Jesus’ side throughout His life.

“Mary reached out to Elizabeth who was with child (John the Baptist) to respond to her needs. What  about us? Are we sensitive and compassionate to those around us or do we live in fear?,” the prelate added. ‘Perhaps it is good for us to reflect “Am I feeding the flock? (as in Micah in the First Reading). Am I cooperating with God? (as in Romans Reading today). All of us have been called according to God’s purpose. Have I discovered what is God’s will for me, as Mary did? Mary said ‘Yes’ to being the Mother of Jesus, the Mother of God. Do I exult for joy in the Lord? Am I responding to the call to imitate Jesus daily in my life?’.

Archbishop Leow said as we celebrate this feast of this chapel and of Our Lady’s Nativity, let us pray for the grace of God to continue to empower us, to reach out to those in need, as Mary did and be that perfect disciple as Mary was and let us not lose sight of Jesus daily in our lives. And like Mary, may we always find favour and may God find favour in us as faithful disciples.

After the Mass on Sept 8, Fr Christopher W. Soosaipillai led in an hour of Intercessory Prayer, with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The theme was Say The Word And I Shall Be Healed.

In conjunction with the feast of Our Lady of Good Health, there were also short online sessions by the Archdiocesan Mental Health  Ministry. On Sept 9, Fr Philip Chua shared on Understanding Trauma. This was followed with session on Grief and Bereavement by Xavier Chung on Sept 10. Sept 7’s Talk was on Family Wellness and on Sept 11 was Addiction.

Fr Edwin in his speech at the end of the feast said this has been a painful experience, painful in the sense that we could not celebrate as we usually do owing to the pandemic situation. As you follow the celebration of Mass, Rosary and Novena from your homes, it is a little surreal because here in the chapel, you are seeing the altar, the servers, the lectors and the con/celebrants but unknown to you, there is a team (supporting crew) who is behind the camera making this feastday possible to you at home via live streaming.

The diocesan priest also thanked all those who are following the feastday Masses from the comfort of their homes. He said perhaps a lesson we can learn from this is that although you cannot come to Chapel in the usual manner in a large crowd; you can still treasure your family, as they are your ‘domestic church’. You have the Word of God with you, use it; and you have the Rosary. Hold on the Rosary that you recite. Pray for the end of this pandemic, for the world, for your family, and for healing.