Over the past two weeks, two Redemptorists from the Vice-Province of Malaysia–Singapore, Fr. Patrick Massang, CSsR., and Fr. Antony Prabhu, CSsR., conducted a parish mission at St Anthony’s Parish, Kuala Lumpur, in conjunction with the parish’s 115th anniversary. The mission was guided by the theme drawn from John 17:21, “that they may all be one,” inviting the parish community to deepen its lived experience of unity within the life of the Church.
From the very beginning, pastoral outreach to the sick and the elderly formed a central focus of the mission. Almost every morning, the missionaries made personal visits to elderly and homebound parishioners, especially those who had been unable to come to the parish for a long time. These visits began with simple human encounters, listening to their stories, sharing moments of prayer, celebrating the Eucharist in their homes, and administering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. For many parishioners, these visits were deeply consoling, offering not only sacramental grace but also the assurance that they are remembered, valued, and remain an integral part of the parish family.
Alongside this pastoral outreach, the missionaries conducted formation sessions for various parish groups, including the RCIA groups, leaders of parish ministries, and coordinators of the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs). A strong emphasis was placed on servant leadership, inviting parish leaders to reflect on leadership as service marked by humility, attentive listening, and collaboration, in the spirit of Christ. These sessions were conducted in English, Bahasa Malaysia, and Tamil, enabling the parish’s diverse linguistic and cultural communities to participate meaningfully.
“The grace of being present with the people evangelized me yet again. My gratitude to my fellow confrere for his constant encouragement to go to the peripheries and never get tired of proclaiming God’s plentiful Redemption.” — Antony Prabhu CSsR
Each evening, the mission unfolded at the level of the BECs, as the missionaries visited different neighborhoods and gathered with families in their homes. These gatherings included faith sharing, formation, preparation for the 115th parish anniversary, and the celebration of the Eucharist. Celebrating Mass in homes fostered a strong sense of closeness and belonging, reminding the faithful that the Church is a living community rooted in everyday life and relationships.
On the final day of the mission, one of the closing homilies offered a reflective synthesis of the entire experience. The homily invited the parish church building itself to become a voice of memory and witness and affirmed that the Church is not merely the physical structure, but the people who gather, pray, and live their faith together. As the reflection unfolded, the parish was invited to imagine the church building speaking gently to its people:
“I am now 115 years old. I have watched generations walk through my doors. I have seen babies carried in for Baptism, children running in for catechism, young couples standing here—trembling with joy—on their wedding day, and elders brought in slowly for their final farewell at funeral Masses. I have heard laughter and singing. I have also carried countless tears to Jesus—tears of gratitude, tears of repentance, and tears of grief. Many of those tears have fallen quietly onto this ground, soaking into the soil of faith. I have stood here silently, holding not only fans, cameras, and equipment, but far more importantly, your prayers, your struggles, and your hopes.”
In many ways, this reflection captured the heart of a faith-filled parish living at the Centre of a very busy city.
“May we never lose our missionary zeal for the most abandoned. Many are found even in the city.”
— Patrick Massang CSsR
On one occasion, one of the missionaries visited an elderly couple without realizing that it would be his first and last visit to them together. Despite physical pain, the husband participated attentively in the celebration of the sacraments, speaking with faith and affection. A few days later, he passed away, and the missionary was given the grace of celebrating his funeral Mass just a day before the mission concluded. Accompanying this parishioner, together with the parish priests, in the final days of his life through the Holy Eucharist became a humbling privilege.
At its heart, the mission was about being with people where they are—listening attentively to their lived experiences and walking with them in faith. It strengthened relationships within the parish, renewed the life of the BECs, and echoed the prayer of Jesus in John 17:21, calling the community to grow in unity expressed through love and service. The mission theme, “that they may all be one,” was not merely spoken about, but sincerely lived in this beautiful parish through concrete efforts to include and care for all, across age, circumstance, and ability.
In many ways, the mission reflected the Redemptorist charism of proclaiming the Good News to those most in need—not through grand programs alone, but through simple encounters, shared prayer, and genuine pastoral care.
Fr. Antony Prabhu, CSsR.
