Fr Joe Attends Funeral of Fr John Martin

Rev Fr Joseph Stephen attended the funeral of Fr. John Martin. The funeral was held at the Redemptorist Monastery, North Perth, Australia.

Fr Joe who said that he represented the Redemptorist community of Malaysia and Singapore departed for Perth on Tuesday 13 was back at OMPH Church by Friday 15^th.

"Fr. John Martin was sent to the parish of Ipoh in Malaysia in 1970 to begin his missions to both the Tamil and English speaking communities. Dave Anthony and Eugene Fernandez CSsR. became his lifelong friends. He was appointed Leader of the Ipoh Community at the age of 32.

John's ability to accompany younger students in their vocational journey was noticed and from 1974-75 he was appointed the Prefect of Students in the major seminary in Singapore.

Upon completing that special appointment, he returned to the missions and parish work for the next 14 years in both Singapore and Ipoh.

From 1986 - 1989, John was appointed the leader of the Redemptorist Vice-Province of Malaysia-Singapore, as well as the Regional Superior of the Redemptorist communities in Sri Lanka.

It was a challenging task offering leadership and vision to a community that spanned three countries, several languages and many cultures, and it was a struggle that formed and shaped much of the next half of his life.

In the last 15 years of his life, John carried an illness which he knew would one day claim his life prematurely.

May Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help, Mother of Christ, pray him home.

(adapted from "His Story")