OMPH Church Appreciation Dinner 2019

Fr Joseph Stephen receiving his lucky draw prize from Parish Secretary Cindy Gough. Looking on is MC for  the night Terrence Yeoh 

The parishioners of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church gave their outgoing Parish Priest Fr Joseph Stephen and assistant Fr Paul Michael Kee an appreciation dinner recently.

Each of the Bahasa, Chinese and Tamil Apostolate Ministries rendered performances during the dinner and there were impromptu performances from other individuals such as the incoming Parish Priest Fr Patrick Massang which contributed to a wonderful evening.  

The Bahasa and Tamil Apostolate ministries (above) 

'Guest artists' Fr Patrick Massang, Peter Fernandes and the Harmonica Amigoes 

Fr Joseph who is 69 this years has been appointed the Vicar of the Redemptorist Congregation. The term of office lasts for four years.

In his speech he said that he won’t be coming back as a Parish Priest as he won’t have the ability to carry out this very challenging work. He advised the parishioners to pray for a young priest with great passion and dedication to come forward.

The packed hall decorated with balloons

...and OMPH parishioners

He added that “the Holy Father refers to the Church as a Field Hospital a word that conjures an dirty and ugly image and attends to all kinds of difficult problems.

We never ran a perfect Parish. That is the responsibility of the Parish Priest to work with some in pain, others in difficulty and endless challenges which we have to respond and serve.

I have tried to do that over the years though I did not leave a clean Parish for the next Parish Priest. There will be problems and challenges all because this is a Field Hospital”.

Fr Joseph first came to OMPH Parish in 1984 and served as the acting Parish Priest. Since then till his last posting as Parish Priest in 2016 he has journeyed with this Parish and was instrumental for upgrading the Church to include air conditioning and a host of  other facilities.

He acknowledged that installing physical structures such as air conditioning for the church are easy, you source for money and eventually you achieve your objective.

It is easy to change policy but to build a Parish of people is hard work and challenging because you have to change peoples mindset and the way the community thinks. We decided to do that with lots of generous men and women in our parish.”

The Chinese Apostolate ....

The Youth Group and the Twist...

                      

In my time there were 375 lay ministries and it has grown. Whatever they did however small like the challenge of getting up for morning mass to read and sing or go around soliciting for funds to help feed the poor was for the good of the Parish.

There are a lot of ministries that lay people carry out who without them the Parish cannot carry out one tenth of the ministry.

Incoming Parish Priest Fr Patrick poses with the youth 

He thanked the Parish Council, an excellent body of people who worked with the priest tirelessly to implement things for the good of the Parish, the religious of this Parish, the parish finance committee, my dedicated staff for their endless help and all the ministries of this parish and parishioners.

JAG

Another Reason To Preserve Bukit Kledang – Waterfalls,Flora and Fauna

Participants of the 2016 HHH Malaysian Nash Hash

Last week when interviewing Foo Wan Thot he mentioned that Bukit Kledang should be preserved for future generations because it possessed more than jogging trails that included waterfalls and streams.

Back in 2016 the ladies Ipoh Hash House Harriets Association held their 11th Malaysian Nash Hash (MNH) Ipoh and Kledang was the venue of their run.

 

An international event

Over 1500 Hash members were present from internationally and all over Malaysia. The run was divided into long, medium and short.

The short run started at 3pm from SJK ( C) Wan Hwa 2 Menglemu.

 

Above..the short run 

The long run, 23 km and through 4 hills of the Kledang Range

The long run over 23 km called the Ballbreaker Run started 6hrs earlier at 9am  from Jelapang and ended at Menglembu. Over 60 hashers took part but the last 3 runners who came out described the trail as “grueling but scenic”

One of the 3 runners Biliwi Singh said the trail traversed over four hills of the Kledang Range and the run was interspersed with waterfalls, fruit trees and lovely scenery.

 

It was scenic , the waterfalls ...

...we took a dip ....

Biliwi added one of the reasons for being late was due to the trio taking a dip at the Buntong waterfall while the others took photos of musrooms and lychee fruits along the trail.

..and took photos of mushrooms ...

One more worthwhile reason to preserve Bukit Kledang, for sport and recreation purposes and not be developed, we think so.

JAG

“Keep Bukit Kledang Development Free” Says Running Club HHH

The Hash House Harriers Club Ipoh, the social running club that has been running all round the Kinta Valley for over 50 years has said they want to keep Bukit Kledang free of any development.

The members expressed their sentiments recently during their Chinese New Year Run of the Hog at Kledang Permai. It was in response to the “suspicious land-clearing activities” on Bukit Kledang highlighted earlier by NGO SAM.

Foo Wan Thot

Former Grand Master of HHH Foo Wan Thot said Bukit Kledang should be preserved for sport and recreation purposes and not be developed. 

Foo, 84 has been a member with the club since 1966. 

During his younger day he used to run but nowadays  he walks on an average 1 hr 10 minutes daily which by his standard would average 3.8 - 4Km.

“Exercising in Kledang is an economical and healthy past time. You change into your sports shorts, put on your socks and shoes and you can jog or walk

  

Foo (centre)  with his son Foo En Lin and long time friend Liew Chee Tat at Kledang Permai

Just go to Menglembu and you will see joggers there every morning and evening going up and coming down.  

According to Foo the distance from the car parking area to the top Telecom tower is 6km or an elevation  of 888 meters. However i notice most joggers go halfway and then turn around return.

He said that Bukit Kledang is more that jogging trails as there are also waterfalls and streams.

The other members of HHH doing their normal run

... at Kledang Permai. On on.

“By right the entire area stretching from Menglembu to Jelapang should be preserved for future generations” said Foo.

Ipohites wholeheartedly agree with him. 

JAG   

The Marriage Of The Year – Liew Swee Fong Marries Joseph Michael Lee

The marriage of Liew Swee Fong and Joseph Michael Lee, looking back, seems like the Marriage of the Year and was one of a few firsts.

Liew is the the first Principal of the Ave Maria Convent to have her wedding reception held in the school hall. It probably was the first time too the school had consolidated the co-curricular groups to provide an astounding and entertaining night for the guests.

Liew, 56 and Michael Lee 59 got to know each other on social media. As their relationship developed they upgraded their chat room to Whatsapp which led to a proposal in just four months and they were married five months later. 

As I entered the Dato’ Chin Pek Soo hall the bride and groom were present and taking photos with their guests at a photo booth.

Liew wore a maroon dress with a huge floral motif. She would change to two more dresses that evening each one equally resplendent. 

From the time the reception started which saw the couple walk into the hall through a bevy of beautiful flowers girls and again at half time through an arch of the schools Cheerleaders the evening was a wonderful event.

Beautiful flower girls 

The couple of Lee and Liew were married just 3 months ago but still looked so much in love. In her speech Liew said she was a Tiger and Michael Lee a Boar.  

“I have put on weight because Michael cooks so well and he feeds me well too. We are in our 50’s and too old to fall in love. But now going home to a piping hot home cooked meal, I can say that we are deliciously in love”.

From Liew to Lee "You are the Love of my Life the Heart of my Soul"

Michael performed with the dancers

when Swee Fong joined him 

he stole a kiss, while hidden behind the bouquet of flowers, much to the glee of the young dancers

Liew thanked the staff and students who practiced very hard for her reception saying that she and Michael may be the main stars but those behind the scenes they (students and staff) were the real heroes.

The staff presented two love songs one accompanied with a dance while the wonderful students delighted the guests with their talent.

So much of talent on display .... 

 .......the School Band

..Dancers 

Choir 

 Team Titan cheerleaders

The school band, choir, dancers and their cheerleader Team Titans wowed the audience with performances that every minute of the evening was filled with joy.

They couldn't go wrong with the bride and groom watching the performances, chairs turned around from their dinner tables towards the stage.

The Wedding of the Year .... with Staff

Families

Friends

Michaelians

Undoubtedly it was the wedding of the year what with the whole school of Ave Maria Convent participating to cheer Swee Fong and Michael on. 

JAG

MBI Service Team At Ipoh Garden South

The MBI Service team cleaning the drains fronting the shop lots along Lebuh Taman Ipoh. About time too since this is the dry season and the odour tends to travel further.

Similarly too at the back lane. 

Hoping that MBI Service team and Councillor Wong Kar Keat will monitor this area as this area is regularly notorious for habitual and indiscriminate dumping of waste.

JAG