Vocation Mission in Bukit Mertajam, Malaysia: 27 & 28 June 2026

Two banners to introduce the Redemptorsistine Order were displayed at the Church Foyer to greet the parishioners at the Church entrance.

Prayer cards on the 9 Virtues promoted by foundress Bl. Celeste Crostorosa, and Rosaries made by the Sisters, were handed out. The 9 Virtues are: 1) Union of Hearts and Mutual Charity, 2) Chastity, 3) Poverty, 4) Obedience, 5) Prayer, 6) Recollection and Silence, 7) Conversion and Repentence, 8) Humility and Gentleness of Heart, 9) Self-Denial and Love of the Cross. 

The people listened intently to the explanation on the founding of the Order.

Many Parishioners attending the Mass met with the Sisters at the Meet-the-People sessions.

A friendly and hospitable couple became good pals.

Sr. Elenita Tonogbanua, O.Ss.R., inviting the parishioners attending Mass to come and meet the Nuns and attend the talks in the evening. 

Not too many attended the 1st Talk. But those who came showed much interest in getting to know the Redemptoristine Order which was virtually unknown to them.

More turned up on the 2nd evening. They stayed on till the end for the Question-and-Ansewer session.

A group photo of the attendees at the 2nd Talk, with the 3 Sisters and 2 helpers of the Mission.

Sr. Karine, Prioress, introducing the attendees to the Redemptoristine Order, its Foundress - Blessed Maria Celeste Crostarosa, and "Viva Memoria" - the foundational charism pf the Order of the Most Holy Redeemer (O.Ss.R.).

Sr. Elenita taking the attendees through the spread of the Order globally and particularly in SE Asia and the Philippines.

Sr. Alice elaborated on the Life of a Redemptoristine and took the attendees through the 9 Virtues promoted by the Foundress under "Viva Memoria". An example on the basics of praying - having a relationship with God - touched those with difficulty praying. Click here for YouTube video on "Being with Jesus".

The instrumental song "Viva Memoria" was played during the Meditation session. Click here for the YouTube video.

The QR Code for PPT slides for Talk 1 was made available to the attendees for reference on the 1st night.

Similarly, the QR Code for PPT slides for Talk 2 was made available to the attendees for reference on the 2nd night.

The Sisters outside the Minor Basilica of St. Anne, Bukit Mertajam. On their right is the new modern Church of St. Anne.

This is the original Church of St. Anne built in 1888. It is called the Shrine of Harmony.

"This Grotto was opened on October 1, 2006, at the base of St. Anne's Hill. The Grotto is a symbol of faith, a beacon of hope, and a testament to the power of prayer." (from QR Code of Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto)

A key feature of the Altar of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, located at George Town, Penang, Malaysia, is the sacred relic of Blessed Nicholas Bunkerd Kitbamrung, Thailand's first martyred priest, which is permanently embedded within it. The Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Penang, currently Cardinal Sebastian Francis.

The wall behind the Altar of the Cathedral features a centrepiece mural depicting the biblical Pentecost scene, meticulously crafted using intricate Byzantine tiles, with two pillars of wood on either sides, cut from the trunks of the Durian tree.

A lock of hair from St. Carlo Acutis, the Patron Saint of Internet, is preserved in a sealed golden reliquary (specialized container) in the Cathedral's Chapel for veneration.

The Church of Divine Mercy was completed in 2010 and notably houses the sacred relics of many Saints.

The church is the first in Malaysia to house in 2014 the sacred relic of Saint John Paul II (seen in above picture, right) in the form of the Saint's drop of blood. It was brought over by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the former personal secretary to the Pope and the retired Archbishop of Krakow, Poland.

The sacred relic of Saint Faustina Kowalska (seen in above picture, centre), brought over from Poland by the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Krakow and given to the Church of Divine Mercy in Penang in 2014, was a tiny piece of the Saint's collar bone. A simillar relic from the Sisters was given to the Church of Divine Mercy in Singapore on its opening in 2010.