4 days ago
We need to be an evangelising Church
The Church of St Paul the Apostle celebrated its parish feast on a grand scale this year, with a four-day celebration from June 26 to 29 that drew over 1,200 faithful from near and far. Jul 18, 2025
The faithful in prayer during the feast day celebration.
By Bernard AnthonyThe Church of St Paul the Apostle celebrated its parish feast on a grand scale this year, with a four-day celebration from June 26 to 29 that drew over 1,200 faithful from near and far. Themed Masses, praise and worship sessions, and moments of fellowship marked the celebration, which culminated on the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul. The outdoor feast day Masses were held in the church grounds to accommodate the crowd — 700 attended the Tamil Mass at 8.30am and 500 at the English Mass at 11.00am. Parish priest Fr VA Michael who turned 68 on June 29, led the celebrations with the message that the Malaysian Church must move from maintenance to mission, echoing the spirit of the parish patron, St Paul. 'We need to be an evangelising Church,' he urged in his homily. 'Enough of just talking about synodality — if we don't proclaim the Good News, we risk ending up like Turkey, where the Christian presence has nearly vanished.' The cleric highlighted the lives of saints Peter and Paul as powerful witnesses of faith who spread the Gospel despite trials. 'Peter was a simple fisherman, yet Jesus saw greatness in him. Paul travelled far and wide, proclaiming Christ boldly. We are called to do the same,' he said. Quoting 1 Corinthians 9:16, 'Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel,' he called for a revival of missionary zeal. 'We can't just sit in faded pews. It's time to walk out and share the faith, especially with those who are wounded, lost, or have drifted away.' The celebration began on June 26 with Fr Michel Dass preaching on St Paul, Proclaimer of the Gospel of Hope, followed by Fr Jonathan Rao on June 27 with the theme Sacred Heart of Jesus, Giver of Hope. Both young priests engaged warmly with parishioners during post-Mass fellowship. On the feast day itself, a praise and worship session, the Litany of St Paul, and a symbolic presentation of the Bible and a globe during the Offertory reminded participants of the Church's global mission and the importance of God's Word in evangelisation. In his closing remarks, Fr VA Michael thanked parishioners and the many guests from the Church of Divine Mercy (Shah Alam), Our Lady of Lourdes (Klang), Our Lady of Fatima (Brickfields), and others for contributing to the liturgy, music, and preparations. Novena leaflets and books on the Gospel were also made available.
'This may be a small parish, but God provided everything we needed for a beautiful celebration,' he said. 'Let us, like Paul, proclaim Christ to the ends of the earth.'
