By Janet Brodie
KUCHING — St Joseph’s Cathedral Parish Ladies Guild, Kuching made a trip to Penang/ Bukit Mertajam on the Feast of St Anne.
The Ladies Guild was led by their Spiritual Directress Sr Stella Tan and the visit was from 24-28 July 2026.
25 members joined many Pilgrims and visitors to celebrate the annual tradition of Catholics and others united in faith and hope, to honour the mother of the Virgin Mary.
The Guild members spent a full day of Sunday at Bukit Mertajam, attended the 9.00am Mass at the minor Basilica of St Anne Church, prayed the Holy Rosery, participated in the Stations of the Cross outdoor, and spent quiet moments in prayer.
For some members, it was their first trip to this Feast of St Anne, as well as Penang Island. Places visited were Church of Assumption and the Church’s Museum which is very well presented and rich in the history of the Church in Penang.
The group also made a day trip to Ipoh and Taiping with visits to a charcoal factory, learned the process of making charcoal from Mangrove logs to finished kiln baked charcoal exported mostly to Japan and other countries. A boat ride to see eagles feeding in open sea opened their eyes to God’s creation and its beauty in ecology and nature.
