By ABRAHAM SEBASTIAN​

KAMPAR – The Catholic Student Society of UTAR celebrated a mass on campus for the third time on the 13th of June, bringing Catholic students together.​

There were two presiding priests at the mass, including Fr. David Lourdes, the local parish priest in Kampar. The other priest present was Fr. Dominic Santhiyagu, the Director of the Penang Diocese Youth Network (PDYN) as well as its subsidiary Campus Ministry Office (CMO) which journeys with college and university students in their faith.

Both priests have been actively involved with the society; helping and encouraging in events and collaborations with the local church community and the diocese youth community.

Leon James Gautier, newly elected chairperson looks at the society as a place for brothers and sisters of his faith gathering together to support and encourage each other’s growth.

Society member, Sheldon Tam, echoes the chairperson’s feeling as he describes the society as his home away from home. He says that he has a lot of friends in the university, but the society is like a second family to him.

The society has been gathering and supporting Catholics ever since its establishment in 2010.

The event held at IDK3 started at 7.30pm, giving some time for the attendees to have their penitential rights with the priests, followed by the mass at 8pm fully conducted by the students and priests.

A choir equipped with a keyboard and guitar led the guests in hymns of praise and a select students served as a cantor and lectors.

After the mass and some light refreshments, the society saw the dissolvement of the executive committee members in their Annual General Meeting. They then proceeded to the election of a new set of executive committee members for the society.

The event not only involved students, but also lecturers and representatives from Kampar’s Church of Sacred Heart including Sister Marie Heng, a nun in the parish and Mrs. Rowland, a member of the Parish Pastoral Council.

Another guest invited to the event was a member of the Penang Coordinating Council; Kevin Eruthianathan. He was present to promote the Penang Diocese Youth Day to encourage the involvement of the students of UTAR.

The annual event being held for the second time will call together youths from the entire Penang Diocese to celebrate their faith.

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