| TITLE : In His Service,John Lee |
TEXT : Dear Friends,
I am not sure if this is news of good tidings. I have finally managed to retrieved information from my computer which crashed early this year.
It is with great joy that we learnt of the appointment of the chaplain of the Malaysian Catholic Doctors Guild as the new Archbishop for the Archdiocese of Malaysia. For those of us who were at the FIAMC Congress in Taiwan last year, Archbishop Pakiam Murphy gave the homily at the mass celebrated at the Shrine of the Martyrs.
I also learnt from Dr Waris Khan that the Pakistani doctors despite great persecution have decided to form an association.
Please pray for them as well as for Archbishop Pakiam.
Finally I have included an appeal from Cardinal Sham to pray for an end to the SARS epidemic which has I am sure affected all of us. This is one area which I think that we can cooperat. For example we could share what advice we have given to the bishops and priests regarding how to prevent the spread of SARS in the church although it might or might not be pertinent depending on the situation in your own country but it is good to be prepared.
Cardinal Paul Shan has issued a pastoral letter to the people of Taiwan,
saying that they are "living a new Lent" with their struggle against the
SARS epidemic.
The cardinal, who is president of the Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference,
pointed out that the word "quarantine" refers to "a pause or period of
isolation of 40 days." During that period-- as in Lent-- "freedom is
limited, life is difficult," he observed. And just as the people of Taiwan
observe the quarantine to avoid passing along the SARS virus, Christian
limit themselves in Lent to counteract the "virus" of sin.
As SARS forces new restraints on activities, therefore, the cardinal
encouraged believes to "once again have the spirit of Lent," and thus gain
spiritual benefits from their struggles.
Cardinal Shan's pastoral letter urges Christians to comply fully with
public-health restrictions. He also asks believers to examine their
consciences, practicing fast and abstinence, and praying fervently while the
epidemic lasts. He encourages them to maintain their hope for the future,
because "after the darkness there will be light."
In His Service,
John Lee |
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