Parishioners of the Church of the Risen Christ marked New Year’s Eve with a prayerful celebration that included Eucharistic Adoration, a Thanksgiving Mass, and a farewell for their parish priest, Friar Esmond Chua, OFM, who has served the parish since 2023.
Parishioners of the Church of the Risen Christ marked New Year’s Eve with a prayerful celebration that included Eucharistic Adoration, a Thanksgiving Mass, and a farewell for their parish priest, Friar Esmond Chua, OFM, who has served the parish since 2023.
The evening began with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, led by Friar Esmond, featuring periods of silent reflection alongside Scripture readings and litanies of adoration, mercy, thanksgiving, trust and supplication. This was followed by a Thanksgiving Mass, with Friar Esmond as main celebrant, and Fr Michael Raymond, OFM Cap, Friar Crispus Mosinoh, OFM, and Friar Cosmas Francis, OFM, concelebrating.
In his homily, Friar Esmond reflected on the transition into the new year, calling on the faithful to “pause, praise and press on” as they move from 2025 into 2026. He encouraged parishioners to reflect on God’s presence and faithfulness before looking ahead.
Referencing the First Reading from 1 Kings 8:55–61, he highlighted King Solomon’s blessing of the people and his emphasis on God’s unfailing faithfulness. The Responsorial Psalm from 1 Chronicles 29:10–12 reinforced this theme, proclaiming God’s greatness and sovereignty over all creation. In the Gospel reading from Luke 17:11–19, Friar Esmond drew attention to the healing of the ten lepers, noting that only one returned to give thanks to Jesus, underscoring the importance of gratitude in the life of faith.
Following the Mass, Parish Pastoral Council chairperson Nicholas Chin paid tribute to Friar Esmond’s leadership, describing him as a warm and dedicated pastor who played a key role in reviving parish ministries. He noted Friar Esmond’s emphasis on serving with zeal and humility, often reminding parishioners that Church service is voluntary and rooted in faith, not obligation.
During his nearly three-year tenure, Friar Esmond was actively involved in several parish development projects, including the construction of Our Lady’s Grotto, St Joseph’s Centre, Fr Peter Shyu Hall, the installation of solar panels, and The Oak Tree, a special room for catechism children.
In his farewell remarks, Friar Esmond expressed gratitude for the strong support he received from parishioners and thanked his fellow friars for their prayers and assistance.
Friar Esmond will assume his new role as parish priest of St Mary of the Angels Church in Singapore. Friar Crispus Mosinoh will continue as parish priest of the Church of the Risen Christ, assisted by Friar Cosmas Francis, with Friar John Soh appointed as pastoral assistant.
The celebration concluded with a parish dinner and a countdown to welcome the New Year 2026.
Source: Herald Malaysia
0 Comments