News from Home, World and the Vatican

News selected by Catholic Lawyers Society Kuala Lumpur (CLS) for Catholics in Malaysia concerned about social justice and peace.

Includes CLS Internal News | CLS in the News | CLS Press Statements

First Red Mass 2015 Held In Malacca-Johor Diocese

Approximately 25 Catholic lawyers attended the inaugural Red Mass held at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Johor Baharu on Saturday, May 16, 2015.

The Red Mass being held for the first time in the Malacca-Johor diocese was presided by His Lordship Bishop Paul Tan.

Con-celebrants included Msgr James Rajendran, Rev Fr. Valentine Gompok OFM Cap, Rev Fr. John Baptist Yeow and Rev Fr. Michael Teng. Read more »

Viewpoint: Silence Not An Option For Us - By Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan

The sight of the youngsters in handcuffs and chains had a profound effect on many of us who saw them.

I remember trying to make them feel better by saying that I too had been arrested. But it sounded hollow.

I had a battery of lawyers and friends by my side. I was not handcuffed and chained. They were alone, and I will never forget the fear in their eyes. Read more »

Church Celebrates Saint Joseph The Worker

The devotion to St Joseph, the husband of Mary, and the foster-father of Jesus, has grown in popularity in recent times.

His is one of the most common names for boys and girls.

Today Joseph is the patron of families and of the universal Church, and is invoked in preparation for a happy death.

On May 1, we also celebrate St Joseph the Worker, a significant feast for the modern world. Read more »

Dato' Dr. Sir Peter Mooney Passes Away

It is with a heavy heart we announce that Dato' Dr. Sir Peter Mooney has passed away this morning.

Dato' Dr. Sir Peter Mooney was instrumental in the formation of the Catholic Lawyers' Society of Kuala Lumpur in 1992.

He was actively involved for many years in various charitable works as well as community service. His passing away is a great loss to the Catholic community, legal fraternity and Malaysia as a whole. Read more »

Pope Francis Presents Bull Of Indiction Of Jubilee Of Mercy

Pope Francis on Saturday afternoon proceeded with the presentation of the official Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, set to begin December 8.

The bull is the fundamental document for the Holy Year that outlines the overall spirit and intentions for the Jubilee, as well as the spiritual fruits that are hoped for.

It was read by Fr Leonardo Sapienza, Regent of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household, in a ceremony by the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica. Read more »

Pope Francis Announcement Of Jubilee Year Of Mercy

In St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis announced today, March 13, 2015, the celebration of an “extraordinary Holy Year.”

This “Jubilee of Mercy” will commence with the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, 2015, and will conclude on November 20, 2016 with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Read more »

On The Foot-Washing Rite

The foot-washing rite, called the Mandatum, was re-introduced into the liturgy by Pope Pius XII in 1955.

A circular letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship (CDW) explains its purpose: “The washing of the feet of chosen men which, according to tradition, is performed on this day, represents the service and charity of Christ who came ‘not to be served but to serve’ (Matt XX: 28).

This tradition should be maintained and its proper significance explained.” CDW, Paschales Solemnitatis (16 Jan 1988), n. 51. Read more »

Fr Paulino Freed Again

Fr Paulino Miranda and 20 others were again freed on 27 March 2015 when the Court of Appeal struck off the prosecution’s appeal for failing to serve the Petition within time to their solicitors.

Rev Father Paulino Miranda was charged with 20 others that included Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, Selangor DAP state assemblymen Lau Weng San and Tiew Way Keng for taking part in an alleged illegal assembly in front of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) building on October 9, 2008 between 9pm and 10.10pm. Read more »

Living the Joy of the Gospel

Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation EVANGELII GAUDIUM came to live at the Stella Maris Secondary School today.

Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Julian Leow presented the Holy Father’s exhortation to over 150 professionals, religious and laypersons.

The event was organised jointly by the Catholic Doctors Association Malaysia (CDAM), Catholic Lawyers Society, Kuala Lumpur (CLS) and Catholic Teachers Association Malaysia (CTAM). Read more »

Canada Supreme Court: Catholic Schools Have Right To Teach Church Views

Canada’s Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that Catholic schools in Quebec must be allowed to teach from a Catholic viewpoint during a state-mandated religion and ethics class.

“To tell a Catholic school how to explain its faith undermines the liberty of the members of its community who have chosen to give effect to the collective dimension of their religious beliefs by participating in a denominational school,” the Canadian Supreme Court wrote in its 7-0 March 19 decision. Read more »

Pope Criticizes Rigid Judges, Says Mercy Needed For Justice

Those who are corrupt, hypocritical and rigidly follow the letter of the law do not know what mercy is, and there can be no justice without mercy,

Pope Francis said at a morning Mass. "Corruption distanced them from understanding mercy, from being merciful. 

And the Bible tells us that the right judgment is precisely in mercy," he said at the Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae March 23. Read more »

Christ The Teacher: The Cleansing Of The Temple

The episode of the cleansing of the Temple is placed towards the end of Jesus’s public life in the Synoptic Gospels, and towards the beginning, in the Gospel of John.

The question of when it actually took place need not detain us here: what is important is to understand the meaning of what took place.

The story unfolds at two levels: the first is the corruption and commerce which greeted the devotee when he entered the Temple precincts. Read more »

Red Mass Celebrations In East Malaysia And Brunei

Whilst many celebrated Valentine's day and its eve with loved ones, the Catholic lawyers in Brunei, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching instead celebrated their vocation at the Red Mass.

The Red Mass was organised for the first time in the Apostolic Vicariate of Brunei on 13th February 2015 and at the Archdiocese of Kuching on 14th February 2015.

Coincidentally, the Red Mass at Kota Kinabalu was celebrated at the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu on 14th February 2015. Read more »

MCCBCHST: One Million Translated Copies Of Quran To Be Distributed To Non-Muslims A Cause For Concern

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) refers to a project organised by the Islamic Information and Services Foundation under which one million copies of the Quran will be produced and translated into Tamil, Chinese, English and Malay to be distributed to the public (STAR on 9/01/2015).

Tun Dr. Mahathir, who is the project's patron, said it was aimed at lessening misconceptions and alleviating the fear of Islam amongst Non-Muslims. Read more »

Bar Council: Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim - Prosecuted Or Persecuted?

The Malaysian Bar refers to the decision of the Federal Court on 10 February 2015 with respect to the appeal by Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim against his conviction and sentence to five years’ imprisonment by the Court of Appeal for a charge under section 377B, read together with section 377A, of the Penal Code.

The parties in the appeal were previously given a full hearing before the Federal Court between 28 October 2014 and 7 November 2014. Read more »

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