These are the young pilgrims (pic below) from the Church of the Visitation, Seremban together with Fr. Lawrence Ng, CDD, who are part of the overall 289 pilgrims from the Malaysian contingent who will be heading to Krakow, Poland next week for the 31st edition of the World Youth Day (WYD). The contingent also includes KL Archbishop Julian Leow and accompanied by ten (10) Priests and three (3) religious Sisters.
From top left clockwise : Aaron, Ashvin, Audrey, Cassie, Daniel, Jason, Gabriel, Fr.Lawrence Ng CDD, Theresa, Soloman, Ronnie, Raymond,
Justin and Jimi.
The commissioning of the 14 WYD delegates were held on 10 July 2016 (Sunday) during the 9.00am English mass. During the ceremony, parish priest Fr. George Harrison prayed over them and handed the Jalur Gemilang flag and the Pilgrimage passports and witnessed by the congregation.
Prior to the commissioning day, on 9th July 2016 (Saturday), the pilgrims made a 16km long "Pilgrimage" walk from the Cahaya Kristus chapel in Kg. Sebir to Bonda Maria chapel in Kg.Tekir. Both these kampongs are the orang Asli settlements located in the state of Negeri Sembilan where a number of it's small population are Catholics. History is created becasuse 2 of the 14 pilgrims are the orang Asli youths - Jimi from Kg. Tekir and Daniel from Kg. Sebir. According to Jason Lim, the purpose of the pilgrimage walk was for them to mix and adapt with the orang asli. Also to help them envision being in Poland, where they will be walking from their place of stay to the venue where hundreds of thousands of other pilgrims from all overall the world will gather during the WYD proper and a lifetime opportunity to meet the Holy Father Pope Francis.
Jason also shared some of other activities/events in which the pilgrims undertook as part of their WYD preparation. They attended the WYD formations held in different places like St.John's Cathedral (KL), St.John Vianney (Tampin), Holy Rosary Church (KL) and Church of Divine Mercy (Shah Alam). They went to the streets to talk to the public especially the homeless and casually asked them about their life and what happiness meant to them. They did a gotong royong in St.John Vianney, Tampin and visited some parishioners there and mingled with them. They also walked through the "Holy Door" of Mercy at St.John Vianney and Church of Divine Mercy, Shah Alam. Upon arrival in Poland, the 14 of them together with delegates from the Malacca Johor Diocese will reside in the Diocese of Sosnowiec located north of Krakow, said Jason.
We wish our young pilgrims and Fr. Lawrence Ng, CDD, a joyous and spirit filled pligrimage trip to Krakow, Poland under the maternal love, care and guidance of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
A word of thanks and gratitute to Fr. Lawrence Ng, CDD who provided the photos above and Jason Lim for providing the information.