Why I became......a lay missionary

Aug 26, 2022

I say that my heart is full, my heart is filled with two things: adoration and thanksgiving — Adoration to Jesus and thanksgiving to the Lord, for three things in particular - for His faithfulness; for His Divine Connection and His promises.

His faithfulness
In 2009, I contracted a one-in-a-million disease that rendered me bed-ridden and paralysed on the right side of my body. I experienced involuntary spasms on the whole right side of my body, including my throat. Doctors all across Malaysia and Singapore could not pinpoint the root of the problem nor treat the disease effectively. In 2010, I almost died in the Intensive Care Unit which was the lowest point of this bed-ridden span. God brought me out from the brink of death, and I continued to seek treatment. On October 13, 2011, the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, my maternal grandmother passed away and this was huge blow to my entire family. Little did we know that this was part of God’s greater plan, just as He states in Romans 8:28 and Genesis 50:20.

On Christmas eve 2011, the professors and doctors told my family that I would never walk again. This news, coupled with the fact that it was the first Christmas without my Nana (maternal grandmother) made it a truly blue Christmas for me. In hindsight, God was truly faithful in carrying me and my family forward for, on New Year’s day 2012, a little over a week after the news that I would never walk again, God showed us all that He had other plans! Around 3:05pm, I closed my eyes as I was feeling tired and I saw this bright divine light which was Jesus. In front of Jesus was my late grandmother who laid her hands on me. I opened my eyes and the miracle had begun! My clawed hands opened up, the pain I constantly had for close to three years just lifted off me and I stood up and walked!

From almost dying in 2010, to being told I would never walk again in 2011, to experiencing a miraculous healing in 2012, and now, in 2022, accepting the Lord’s call to be a full-time Catholic lay missionary, my mind is blown away by the goodness and faithfulness of God.

His Divine Connection I thank God for Bishop Sebastian, my shepherd in the Penang Diocese for endorsing and confirming this call from the outset as well as always supporting me in many ways. I also thank God for Fr Joachim Roberts, my parish priest in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, for endorsing this call, offering advice, and spiritually feeding me ever since I came to Penang. I thank my parents for giving me their full blessings as I take up this call and for always praying and interceding for me. The prayers and intercessions of parents truly go a long way (we’ve seen that work, even building up to the miracle in 2012).

I also thank God for the Seeds Ministry, a wonderful Charismatic Young Adult Ministry that I have been a part of since 2016. The Seeds have always pushed each other to respond to the Lord with a “full yes”. Big thanks as well to God for my spiritual family in Penang who have been an amazing support up to this commissioning/ installation day – thank you Aaron Xavier, Sharon Cornelius-Xavier and Mary Voon.



Apart from that, I also thank God for all those who have, in one way or another, been a part of my journey thus far. Last but not least, I would like to thank those who have gone before us, especially my Nana and Andre Ong who was a great spiritual leader and influence during my first three years in Penang.

His Promises
I thank God for His promises of eternal life. Just as Jesus returned to Heaven to prepare a place for our Blessed Mother whose Assumption into Heaven we celebrate today (Aug 15); Jesus is preparing a place for all of mankind. Jesus truly desires the salvation of all souls and as I take up this call, I hope to lead this generation to rise as missionary disciples who form other spiritual disciples in a kind of domino effect. May all of us strive unto sainthood in the Lord. We were made for greatness; we were made to be saints for Jesus! As I begin life as a full-time Catholic lay missionary evangelist, I ask for your prayers daily that I may be faithful to the Lord. I also ask for your prayers that the Lord will send more labourers into the vineyard, more full-timers who are on fire for the Lord.

For more information on my full-time ministry services do check out my website a at pauljulianose.com.