Celebration of the Immaculate Conception

It is often noted that pregnant mothers have a certain radiance and 'glow' about them, physically attributed to the extra flow of blood around their bodies. But of course, it is well to think that this is a beautiful external sign of the inner joy that an expectant mother experiences in her spirit as new life grows and develops within her womb. During Advent, the Church focuses her attention on several persons, and one of these is a pregnant mother, who is not just aglow with joy and her pregnancy, but also beautiful and radiant with divine grace. This person, of course, is the Blessed Virgin Mary.

During this advent season, this coming Saturday we will be celebrating the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception is a dogma of the Catholic Church maintaining that from the moment when she was conceived the Blessed Virgin Mary was kept free of original sin and was filled with the sanctifying grace normally conferred during baptism.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is universally celebrated on December 8, nine months before the feast of the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated on September 8. We will be celebrating this wonderful feast day tomorrow during Mass as well as other Catholic Church around the world.

As you can see the top part of my church,Our Lady of Lourdes, which written : 

'I am the Immaculate Conception'

My Church, which name as Our Lady of Lourdes, is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary invoke by Roman Catholic in honor of the Marian Apparition in Lourdes, France. 

Most prominently among these is the apparition of February 11, 1858, when Saint Bernadette Soubirous, a 14-year-old peasant girl admitted to her mother that a "lady" spoke to her in the cave of Massabielle, (a mile from the town) while gathering firewood with her sister and a friend. Bernadette Soubirous was later canonized as a Saint.

On 11 February 1858, Bernadette Soubirous went with her sisters Toinette and Jeanne Abadie to collect some firewood and bones in order to buy some bread. After taking off her shoes and stockings to wade through the water near the Grotto of Massabielle, she said she heard the sound of two gusts of wind (coups de vent) but the trees and bushes nearby did not move. A wild rose in a natural niche in the grotto, however, did move. From the niche, or rather the dark alcove behind it, "came a dazzling light, and a white figure." She was dressed all in white, apart from the blue belt fastened around her waist and the golden yellow roses, one on each foot, the colour of her rosary. Bernadette, knowing the local area well, managed to visit the barricaded grotto under cover of darkness. There, on 25 March, she said she was told: "I am the Immaculate Conception"

On Easter Sunday, 7 April, her examining doctor stated that Bernadette, in ecstasy, was observed to have held her hands over a lit candle without sustaining harm. On 16 July, Bernadette went for the last time to the Grotto. I have never seen her so beautiful before, she reported. 

St.Bernadette in-corrupt body. 

 Our Lady of Lourdes with St.Bernadette.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,

Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

This is the sharing of me today. I hope it benefited those(particularly some of my friends )who  keen to know about the Catholic Faith. 

Sources: Wikipedia, Catholic Resources (many thanks )

Wonderful Gift

2 days before 17 of November, I received a call from a parish priest from Holy Family Church, Kajang. He is one of the wonderful and nice priest that I ever met, He is Rev.Father George Harrison. He called me and say, I am chosen to represent the university to attend a training at St.Anthony Church which located in KL.

Thanks to this wonderful opportunity that I got from the Lord. This is what I wish to learn and deepen my faith throughout this YEAR OF FAITH.

It was a great gift for me before Christmas.

On the 17 of November, planned to got up around 5.00 am to prepare myself and attend the mass with my friend and the nun, Sister Margaret. The sadness part of it is that I couldn't wake up on time and letting the nun and my friend to waited for me for almost 1 and the half hour. That feeling is super bad for me on that day. Well, it does not really affect me much. Both of this wonderful children of God didn't even put the blame on me for being late. both of them are just patiently waiting for me to wake up and hope that we can just be on time at the church. Thank God, I manage to wake up before it.

I learned a lot and it was just really great.

Sherena, Archbishop, Thomson Emmanuel

throughout this wonderful session, manage to meet up with Rev. Tan Sri Datuk Murphy Pakiam, Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur (Picture above). He is so kind and lovely. For me, He is the role model of all. We should learn his humbleness and kindness to help one and another in the society. 

It was just 5-6 hours course. Had a wonderful sessions with the priest in St. Anthony Church as well as various students from different university. 

Just after the session ended, My friend and I manage to walk around inside the church compound. 

                                                                Altar in St.Anthony Church

 Saint Anthony

 Mother Mary

Grotto of our Lady (Mother Mary)

This church is just great and great. My friend and I plan to visit this church again in the near future. 

Hope everything can just go on smoothly.

Thank to the Lord, He is good.