By Ivy Chai
The Carmelite Monastery of the Immaculate Heart of Mary celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Religious Profession of Sister Mary John of the Cross on 8 December 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic had limited the Diamond Jubilee celebration to the attendance of only a small group of family members, relatives and close friends of Sr Mary John.
The Thanksgiving Mass celebrated at the Carmelite Chapel coincided with the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was presided over by Kuching Archbishop Simon Poh, with Archbishop Emeritus John Ha and Fr Larry Tan concelebrating.
Archbishop Simon described Carmelite nuns as religious sisters committing their lives to God to the very end. They live a life of obedience, poverty, chastity; living and dying within the walls of the monastery. He called on the congregation to pray for Sr Mary John and all the Sisters in Carmel, adding “they also pray for us.”