ERLC discusses liturgical issues ahead of bishops' conference
By Dr Chan Lek LinThe 27th meeting of the Episcopal Regional Liturgy Commission (ERLC), under the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, was held on June 26. It was attended by representatives of Liturgy Commissions of the Archdioceses of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, Dioceses of Penang, Malacca Johore, Sibu, Miri and Keningau. As the ERLC President, Cardinal William Goh was unable to attend in person, an online zoom session was arranged for a dialogue with him. Some pertinent issues concerning the liturgy affecting the region were discussed. Among them were the All Saints Mass, that is a day of obligation and All Souls which is not obligatory and yet widely attended by the lay faithful. These two solemnities are celebrated on Saturday and Sunday respectively. The other celebration that was debated at length was Chinese New Year 2026. The second day of this festival coincides with Ash Wednesday, that marks the first day of Lent. The ERLC will give their views to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei at its meeting in July. It will deliberate on the afore mentioned matters and issue an advisory. Some other subjects were also discussed vis-à-vis, the New Jerusalem Lectionary and English Standard Version-Catholic Version (ESV-CE) Lectionary, Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) and the Mass with Children. Delegates had the opportunity of visiting the archives of the Archdiocese of Kuching, the new St Peter's Church with gothic architecture as well as part of Kuching City and savouring the special delicacies of Kuching. Archbishop Simon Poh of Kuching made time to meet delegates and joined them for one of their dinners. At the end of the ERLC meeting, delegates were invited to attend the consecration of the new St Peter's Church on the Feast of Sts Peter & Paul on June 29 as well as the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the priestly ordination cum 70th birthday of Fr Vincent Chin, Rector of St Peter's Church on June 30.
The next ERLC meeting will be hosted by the diocese of Malacca Johore from June 16-18, 2026
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Herald Malaysia
12-07-2025
- Herald Malaysia
ERLC discusses liturgical issues ahead of bishops' conference
The 27th meeting of the Episcopal Regional Liturgy Commission (ERLC), under the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, was held on June 26. Jul 11, 2025 By Dr Chan Lek LinThe 27th meeting of the Episcopal Regional Liturgy Commission (ERLC), under the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, was held on June 26. It was attended by representatives of Liturgy Commissions of the Archdioceses of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, Dioceses of Penang, Malacca Johore, Sibu, Miri and Keningau. As the ERLC President, Cardinal William Goh was unable to attend in person, an online zoom session was arranged for a dialogue with him. Some pertinent issues concerning the liturgy affecting the region were discussed. Among them were the All Saints Mass, that is a day of obligation and All Souls which is not obligatory and yet widely attended by the lay faithful. These two solemnities are celebrated on Saturday and Sunday respectively. The other celebration that was debated at length was Chinese New Year 2026. The second day of this festival coincides with Ash Wednesday, that marks the first day of Lent. The ERLC will give their views to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei at its meeting in July. It will deliberate on the afore mentioned matters and issue an advisory. Some other subjects were also discussed vis-à-vis, the New Jerusalem Lectionary and English Standard Version-Catholic Version (ESV-CE) Lectionary, Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) and the Mass with Children. Delegates had the opportunity of visiting the archives of the Archdiocese of Kuching, the new St Peter's Church with gothic architecture as well as part of Kuching City and savouring the special delicacies of Kuching. Archbishop Simon Poh of Kuching made time to meet delegates and joined them for one of their dinners. At the end of the ERLC meeting, delegates were invited to attend the consecration of the new St Peter's Church on the Feast of Sts Peter & Paul on June 29 as well as the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the priestly ordination cum 70th birthday of Fr Vincent Chin, Rector of St Peter's Church on June 30. The next ERLC meeting will be hosted by the diocese of Malacca Johore from June 16-18, 2026
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Borneo Post
25-06-2025
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Week-long celebration to mark consecration of new St Peter's Church in Padungan
Chin (centre) shows an aerial photo of St Peter's Church and the surrounding parking areas. He is flanked by event organising committee members Brendan Chin and Sonia Soen. – Photo by Roystein Emmor KUCHING (June 25): The new St Peter's Church in Padungan here is set to usher in a significant chapter in its history with a week-long consecration celebration from June 28 to July 5, marking its official debut as one of Kuching's latest architectural and spiritual landmarks. St Peter's Church Rector Rev Vincent Chin said the celebration will begin with the official opening ceremony on Saturday (June 28) where around 1,500 visitors are expected to be present. 'The ceremony will be officiated by a senior representative of the Sarawak government and witnessed by Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuching Datuk Dr Simon Poh, government dignitaries, religious leaders, benefactors, and parishioners. 'We will also witness the formal handover of the new church building by contractor Perbena Emas Sdn Bhd to His Grace Archbishop Datuk Dr Simon Poh, followed by a commemorative coffee table book launch and a light reception,' he told a press conference at the church today. He said that the ceremony will feature music played by an 11-year-old pianist on the church's custom-built Allen digital organ, which was specially imported from the United States. Chin said on Sunday, Poh will preside over the consecration mass at 7pm. 'The liturgical service is expected to last up to three hours and we are honoured to have the Bishop of Penang Cardinal Sebastian Francis; Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Archbishop Julian Leow; Bishop of Melaka-Johor Diocese Bishop Bernard Paul; as well as Archbishop Emeritus Dato Sri Peter Chung and Archbishop Emeritus Datuk John Ha joining us during the service. 'St Peter's Church is more than a place of worship; it is a beacon of heritage, spirituality, and community for the city of Kuching. We are honoured to invite the faithful and the wider community to witness and be part of this milestone,' he said. The church will have a seating capacity of approximately 6,000, including the outdoor areas. 'Marquee tents have been set up to accommodate overflow guests, while the old church building will also be opened to provide additional seating. 'Live feed screens will be made available to ensure all attendees can follow the proceedings,' he added. In addition to the opening and consecration events, a series of special events and services will be held during the week namely the 4070 Celebration in honour of Chin's 40th anniversary of priestly ordination and his 70th birthday; Echoes of Love – An Evening of Music, a concert featuring local and visiting musical talents; eucharistic celebrations which will be conducted in various languages across the week; and sunset mass to be led by St Joseph's Cathedral. Due to the anticipated large turnout, particularly during the opening and consecration events, Chin strongly advised the public to park at designated public parking areas near the church. 'Parking within the church compound is limited to invited guests only. 'The public is encouraged to park at nearby areas such as Yun Phin Commercial Building, Bangunan Binamas & DUBS Carpark, Dewan Masyarakat Kuching, Hokkien Garden Carpark, Jalan Ang Cheng Ho Commercial Area, MBKS Building & MBKS Boulevard, Travillion Commercial Centre, Jalan Padungan Commercial Area, Song Kheng Hai Hawker Centre, Song Kheng Hai Rugby Field, and Jubilee Ground Carpark. 'We also highly recommend carpooling and the use of e-hailing services to ease congestion and ensure a smoother arrival,' he stressed. He said for the consecration mass on Sunday, guests are to enter the church compound via designated entrances. 'For the general queue for seats at the tents, guests can enter from the gate next to Gate C and Gate B whereas invited guests are to enter from Gate D. 'Gates A and C will be closed during this event.' He also advised the public to use alternative routes in the vicinity in view of the anticipated high volume of traffic flow from noon onwards this coming Sunday. On a related matter, Chin said the construction of the church, which cost approximately RM38 million, is still short of RM1.5 million in funding. For the full programme of events and updates, visit St Peter's Church Padungan Vincent Chin
