By Jane Moh
SIBU (8 September) — Over 3,000 Catholics from the Diocese of Sibu flocked to Sacred Heart Cathedral tonight for the opening and blessing of the Shrine of Mary Immaculate.
Standing 18 feet tall, it is said to be one of the tallest statues of the Virgin Mary in the region.
In his homily, the Bishop of Sibu, Right Reverend Joseph Hii, hoped that the shrine could be a place for Catholics to witness their faith and salvation.
“Through Mary to Jesus. She is the one who can lead us to Jesus. We also ask the Lord to bless this Cathedral, and may we continue to use all kinds of ways to bring people to encounter God,” he said.
Sept 8 is also the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
He also said that one of the reasons he called the shrine the Shrine of Mary Immaculate is that the Legion of Mary in Sibu is among the strongest Catholic Marian movements in Malaysia.
He said that when the Legion of Mary was founded on Sept 7, 1921, in Dublin, Ireland, members served God and their neighbours through prayer and active works of service under the powerful leadership of Mary Immaculate.
“It is this image; Mary Immaculate – she opened her hands and her feet pressed against the head of the snake. This image is very meaningful,” he said.
The bishop hoped that the Legion of Mary in the Diocese of Sibu would continue to remain strong.
He further noted that the three bridges leading to the shrine served as a reminder of the wooden planks they used to walk on to reach the church in the olden days.
“For the older generation, if you remember, our church was on the opposite side, which is now Sibu Gateway.
“Before there were all these buildings, we had this wooden plank, only about four feet wide, that we always used to go to the church, school, and convent.
“So, in a way, it reminds us of our history, and history is important to know who we are,” he said.
He also thanked all those who contributed to the success of the shrine.
