MERDEKA

'Merdeka' is a word in the Malay language meaning 'independence' So Hari Merdeka (INDEPENDENCE DAY) is a national day of Malaysia commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya from British colonial rule. In a wider context it is to celebrate the formation of Malaysia!

And 31st August 2007 marks the 5oth year of this country's indepence!!!!
Every year mumsie's church will hold a mass on this day asking parishioners to pray for peace and justice ect ect ect...This year our Cathedral in conjunction with this celebration gave some of her parishioners a 'MAKAN' ...The church gave us a 'sumptious ' lunch at Tai Son Restuarant as a 'thanksgiving' and 'appreciation 'do...for all those who has helped in the church 'in some way or other' as Shirley Howe the 'chief'' of the Parish Council puts it....And Mumsie and Daddy was invited..!!!!
So the service started with some of the parishioners marching in with the flags of the different states that make up Malaysia...
The church encouranges all its parishioners and all those who take part in the ceremony to wear the 'national' costume...and so as each flag was brought in they were put on the altar....

'Uncle ' Whyner who works in the church (and he happens to be mumsie's boys's Godpa) was there to help them to place the flags on the flag poles

The church and its proud Malaysians...ooops they were quite a few Singaporeans and Singaporean PRs and Philipinos...

Most of the parishioners came in colourful national costumes...wonder if mumsie can suggest to the Parish Council that next year to give a prize for the best and most pretty national costume!!!

The last flag to be brought into the church is of course our 'Cemalang' national flag......then we sang our National Anthem..

Wonder if these youths will appreciate Merdeka Day???

All ins all 5 priests and one deacon were present to say today's mass.....with Father Peter being the main celebrant....

Father Peter...ajusting the National Flag

Then he 'blesses' it

then he blesses the altar

The whole mass was in BAHASA..even the liturgy was read in BAHASA....(mumsie is a bit loss here)

All the readers were dressed in national costumes

All readers read in Bahasa... Wonder if you have ever heard the Usual prayer of our Lord...the Our Father ever said in BAHASA?? It goes something like this......

Bapa kami yang ada di syurga, (OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN)

Dimuliakanlah nama-Mu (Holy be your Name)

Datanglah kerajaan -Mu (Your kindom come,)

Jadilah kehendak-Mu (Your will be done)

di atas bumi seperti di dalam syurga ( on earth as in heaven)

Berilah kami reziki pada hari ini (Give us today our daily bread)

DAN AMPUNILAH KESALAHAN KAMI (forgive us our sins)

SEPERTI KAMIPUN MENGAMPUNI (as we forgive those who shin against us.

YANG BERSALAH KEPADA kami

Dan janganlah masukkan kami ke dalam percubaan, (Do not bring us to the test)

tetapi bebaskanlah kami dari yang jahat (but deliver us from evil)

See all those flags behind the priests....

Except the priests most of the parishioners were quite patriotic...most of them came in national costumes....

5 priests and one deacon....(priest to be) and today @ the restuarant Father Peter anounces that Brother RYAN will be ordained as a priest on October 1st this year.....

The Altar 'Servers' we used to call them Altar Boys....now they allow girls to take part so gotta call them Altar servers!!!

The Chinese choir......

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These are the 'communion' ministers....the people who distribute 'the body of Christ'..to us... They too came in batek shirts!!

The church is 'full' and I'm sure Father Peter is very happy....normally the attendance for 'Merdeka Day ' mass is 'luke warm' but today it is full!!!

The General Intercession or "prayers of the Faithful" presenting some intention for prayers...today were prayed in 7 languages....English, Bahasa, Tamil, Philipino, Sabahan, Sarawak, and Chinese....

Recently our Cathedral 'created' a fountain for babtism and today Father Peter the 'boss' of the Cathedral invited our 'Bishop Emeritus' (retired Bishop Chan) -as our present Bishop is in Thailand attending a meeting...to bless this fountain

Nothing is wrong with mumsie's photography.. Bishop Emeritus..'s face is covered with smoke...that's why it's a bit 'blur'

The whole service was in Bahasa.... and with the help of this overhead projector...mumsie was able to follow the mass quite 'comfortably' but had to admit that when it comes to the reading of the day (liturgy) and the Gospel....mumsie dunno what it was all about...There are times when the church has'multi-lingual' services ie BAHASA, CHINESE TAMIL AND ENGLISH all at once but mumsie has never attended mass in only BAHASA......Every thing was in BAHASA today except a few hyms and part of todays's homily

(sermon given by the priests...during mass...that draws upon some aspect of the readings or the liturgy of the day though some priests use this part of the service to 'lecture' us...some to 'scould' us, but today Father Peter read part of ArcBishop Pakiam's homily...asking us to pray for peace and justice....and hope yes hope that our govt. will continue to give us 'freedom' in worship and 'transparency ' in jurisdiction......ect ect .

Young and old, they came in their national outfits...

Mumsie like this outfit

After the service (mass) we ajourned @ the restaurant...for our lunch ... About 50 tables....

Daddy met some of his "patients" there ...Wency, Michael and Migale...one of Daddy's babies...ya he delivered her a few years ago! Quite a few of daddy's 'babies' were there too....

Shirely Howe the chairperson of the Parish Council making a speech before the makan......AND the 'lucky draw' hampers...

The first dish of the day...sorry too busy eating so forget to take photos of the rest of the dishes.....Any way daddy didn't get to taste any of the dish cos he was 'called out' to deliver a baby...before the first dish was served and didn' t get back when the last dish was served...so mumsie gotta take a lift back home..........(sigh)