CATHOLIC today’s
A monthly publication of the Archdiocese of Kuching, Sarawak
Permit No PPK 148/01/2013(031378)
Inside...
Vol 29 No 8 November 2017
“I am with you always” St. Ann’s youth affirmed
P14
“Jesus said: ‘Stay awake, for you do not know either the day or the hour.” Mt 25:13
今日教友 第十六至二十二頁
A fond farewell
to Fr Terry Burke, MHM
TILL WE MEET AGAIN ... (Left) Fr Matthews Olili, MHM incensing the urn containing the ashes of the late Fr Terry Burke; (Right) Faithful at the columbarium at St Peter’s Church, Padungan where Fr Terry is laid to rest. KUCHING — After a 24 hour has been his first love,” he said. ordination Mass. Those same hymns and priesthood but also in their personal prayer vigil, more than two thousand Ever since his passing, prayer readings were used in the requiem Mass lives. “This is what Fr Terry had done parishioners, seminarians and friends sessions were held at St Peter’s College, that evening. for us”. of the late Fr Terry Burke MHM came where he lectured, and St Peter’s Church, “He ended his life with his ordination In August, Fr Chin and the priests to bid farewell to their pastor and friend Padungan where he regularly preached. reading, to express that his ministry received a text message from Fr Terry and to pray for the repose of his soul on “Tonight we will have a closure. It has here on earth is basically a ministry that requesting for prayers as “the cross is the evening of 16 October. been almost seven weeks preparing and comes from God, and it is to God that getting too heavy” for him to carry. The requiem Mass was presided waiting. Tonight we fulfill Fr Terry’s he is returning, with joy, confidence and That text message was a proof that Fr over by Archbishop Simon Poh. Also wish to come back to Kuching,” said the courage,” Fr Chin continued. “That is Terry believed that “prayer will be able present were the Mill Hill priests from Archbishop. “Welcome home, Terry”. why I can sense that he was at peace with to help him face this difficult moment”, Kuching, Sibu and Miri. During the homily, Fr Vincent Chin himself because he knew that death is not and he did not intent to “run away from Archbishop Simon Poh, in his recounted the conversation he had an end. [It was] not just head-knowledge, suffering but to accept that suffering as opening address at the requiem Mass, with the late Fr Terry in April. He said but he lived it out by embracing his own part of God’s will for him”. thanked Mrs Margaret Joslin, Fr Terry’s although Fr Terry found out that the death”. As he ended his homily, he urged elder sister, for taking care of Fr Terry cancer relapsed and it was terminal, “he “This is what I admired about him,” everyone to live out what Fr Terry had in her home. “No matter how we talk did not sound sad” and was “very open he said, for Fr Terry practised what he taught, and not to continue mourning about facing death, but when death in facing his death”. “Death, for Fr Terry, preached. for him, “so that we may be able to comes we realised how unprepared is definitely not an end,” said Fr Chin. Fr Vincent Chin, Fr Michael Lee and reach out to many others who are still in we are, for death brings a sense of loss “When I talked about cremation, he could five others were the first students of the need of God’s message,” Fr Chin told and a vacuum in one’s life especially even joke about it. He said ‘Wait till I die, late Fr Terry in the seminary. He recalled the congregation. “This is Fr Terry’s when you have loved Terry dearly,” he I still have to die first!’” that as they began their seminary life, desire”. said. The Mass was broadcast live on Fr Terry even prepared his own Fr Terry challenged the seven of them After the Mass, Fr Terry’s ashes YouTube. funeral. “When I opened his funeral to put the two words ‘generosity’ and and urn was brought to St Peter’s The Archbishop also thanked booklet in Reading, I could see traces ‘initiative’ into practice, so that they Church, Padungan to be interred at the Margaret for assisting in the preparation of what he had done in preparing his could experience true fulfilment and columbarium. Fr Vincent Chin presided of the documentations so that the ashes own funeral booklet,” Fr Chin shared. happiness in their priesthood. “Believing at the Committal rites and interment. of the late Fr Terry could be brought to The hymns were of his choice and the in the two words that he left us,” he said • Continued on p2 Kuching. “[Terry] told me that Sarawak readings were the same ones during his they have since lived it out not just in their Website: http://www.todayscatholic.com.my
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