Monday, November 10, 2008

Catholic Priest, Fr. Paulino Miranda detained by police

Fr. Paulino Miranda

Fr. Paulino Miranda, parish priest of the Church of the Divine Mercy in Shah Alam was detained by the Malaysian police (the Federal Reserve Unit and the Special Branch) who broke up a peaceful gathering held for the abolition of the Internal Security Act which allows for extra-judicial detention without trial at the Amcorp Mall. The people were apparently singing the Malaysian national anthem, the Negaraku whne police in full riot gear charged them.


3 Opposition elected representatives including MP Tony Pua, Selangor State exco Ronnie Liu and Selangor rep Lau Weng San were also arrested with 20 others. More here.

Public gatherings, including Masses at Penang's Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and in my own parish of the Immaculate Conception, have been ongoing as the people have risen in support of the abolition of the ISA.

Do pray for their release of those arrested and for my country, Malaysia.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rather unnecessary I say ....

the flock need more Catechism of the Catholic Church and not politics....

Anonymous said...

was he wearing his roman collar or clerics ...

Andrew said...

According to one report, he was wearing his cassock. I don't know as this is 2nd hand info.

Anonymous said...

In one of your pictures of the pope, he is carrying a bent down cross. You ought to do a search about what a bent cross or upside down cross means.

Mean time, here is a news tit-bit. The CHURCH should NOT be involved in politics of any country. You claim everything about Jesus, then learn his words well. Pay Caesar his his dues and to God, HIS.!!! ie leave politcs alone and do as told. But concentrate efforts on God.

Rather than rally about ISA, go preach to the muslims of your country, the promise Jesus will bring to them... FORGIVENESS and HOPE in death.

Islam offers no guarantees in a path to God even despite being "good". The only 100% guarantee is by Jihad, killing for the religion.

This is where the Church, your church ought to focus its energy!.

God bless.

From a Born Again Christian.

Rita said...

I'm praying for my home country...This is all very ugly and worrying.

God Bless

Anonymous said...

I agree with anoymous..the parishioners of shah alam need u more ....

let have more rosaries , more devotions than you getting involved in a public rally ....

pleaselah no need for liberation theology here ...

Anonymous said...

I believe the priest being there had nothing to do with politics per se. He was just doing as he is called to do. To do the right thing. He was not there to make political speeches or propaganda. The flock needn't worry as God protects his own. If he hadn't been involved, would there have been such a reaction from the parish? I think not. Always there is a silver lining.

Aaron Alammalay said...

Its insulting really esp when we get caught in a non-violence act. Tis true a Christian does not bombard their enemies, but neither will they stand down if injustice is done.

We do not kill others for our faith, we die for it...

It is also a sad thing that the term martyr is missused nowadays

Anonymous said...

to do the right thing ...ohh come on....

why dont u ask the parishioners of divine mercy what answer do they get when they want a priest to bless their homes...

what answer do they get when they want an extra mass since it few nowadays ...

what answer do they get when the dying need the extreme unction as they lay dying

politics no but lead your flock in faith ...

charity begins at home and for this matter in this parish

©NutDave® (大卫) said...

I remember very well what Rev. Fr. Ignatius Huan told in one of the retreats I attended. In "our church" there will always be "ghost" who complains, whining sending "flying letters" condemning people and even priests who does the right thing being servants of servant. If you have anything to bring up, bring it up the proper channel. Arrange a meeting with the office. Make the feedback constructive instead of complain blindly without knowing the reason why things are done. Peace be with all of you who read this and God bless.

Anonymous said...

mr.nut,

for your information the proper channels are already being used...so what is next ..defrock the priest ....

come on ...they (the bishops )would only suspend a priest if he said the mass in Latin or even worse the tridentine ...

Fr.Paulino is a beautiful priest ...he says mass with reverence but in this case being only human ...he got his priorities wrong ....

Brandon

Anonymous said...

We never know the truth of the incident except for Fr Paulino himself, It's true that church need him but he himself feel that he is responsible for his nation, being arrested will never put his faith down i bet you.

Fr Paulino is a "live" priest and not only talking thru his sermone but also thru his action, I myself never blame him for doing that, you people will never know how the urban people are suffer, chattering here will never expose you to the real life of people, talking nonsense are pointless here, to me, Fr Paulino has his own charisma and I am adore his spirit for peoples like us!

Urban Village

Anonymous said...

of course he would never put his faith down ....and of course chattering here would never end matters like you ...

but then the parishioners need him more ....the Shah Alam Catholics need him more ...

charity starts at home ...lets do it in our church first ..he after all has the pulpit ....let him do it there...

Brandon

Anonymous said...

Brandon,

Fr Paulino will never turn down if the if any requests for him to do house blessing or visiting his parishioners... we will always need him, That's for sure, and all the massess in CDM also celebrated as scheduled.

You know, I am belongs to another parish in KL diocese but my parish only have 3 masses on sunday and no sunset mass, but CDM has thousand parishioners and Fr Paulino celebrated more than my own parish priest did, without any asistant priest.Besides, he is visiting his parishioners over the weekends and always being there when he is needed. So your comments which saying he put his priorities wrong is not only wrong, but you're totally wrong! God bless.

Urban Village

Anonymous said...

Dear Urban,

Of course the mass is celebrated in full because he was not arrested ...how about if he was arrested ...he should think of the consequences right ....

A priest should always think of the consequences ...for example e a priest cannot or should not be alone with a woman because of fear of a scandal ...the consequences u see...

So far in my comments , I have never commented on his reverence for his vocation and all respect to him as the alter christus...

what i am saying is that he should be somewhere else better than at a rally ...if he wants to talk politics ..do it at sermon(which) he does anyway)but not supposed to ...

we must be militant but for our faith and Catholic tradition ..

Brandon

Aaron Alammalay said...

I don't understand why would a bishop suspend a priest if the priest were to celebrate a Tridentine Mass? His Holiness has already given the 'Green Light' Thr's no need to write in to Ecclesia Dei, if a priest is trained to celebrate in this rite (unfortunately none that I know of)they should be encouraged to celebrate the extraordinary form. Even... Summorum Pontificum has given hope for those who wish to celebrate in this ancient rite, a primate of the Catholic Mass.... Sad to say that in the Archdiocese of KL, there's only 2 priests who were ordained and celebrate the Tridentine Rites, but unfortunately, both of them aren't getting any younger, and their limitations could not allow the celebration... I'm sure you know who...

Can. 928 The eucharistic celebration is to be carried out in the Latin language or in another language provided that the liturgical texts have been legitimately approved.

here's more info @ http://www.ecclesiadei.org/Information.htm

Anonymous said...

donna,

totally agree with you but then they would be threaten with disobedience and send far far away to kuala kubu bahru or rompin ...keke

Andrew said...

Eh... what's wrong with KKB? =) My friend Fr. Danny Matthews is there. And look what's there as well...

Anonymous said...

hahahaha...funnylah ...the Bishop with full clerics and Fr.Danny selamba with t-shirt only ...

the bishop never tell him off meh ...

anyway he is one of the best priest ...personally I like him ....great voice...nice for chants :)

Anonymous said...

As a parishoner of CDM, I stand fully behind my priest. He has taught us that being a Christian means living a life of prayer, Having a care for the underprivledged as well as standing for what is right and just. We need to stand up for people who are unable to stand up for themselves. Those held under ISA have no voice, so we have to be their voice. I only wish I had the courage of my convictions to stand for what is right publicly. But I don't and I thank Fr. Paulino for being in part my voice.

Anonymous said...

Of course it good to stand behind Fr.Paulino ...have i said anything bad about him along the way ...if yes point it out ...I personally like him too...

all i said that his priorities and the consequences if he was arrested ....if that happens many parishioners in shah alam would not have a priest..including you my friend ...

I want to see next is the priest preaching from the pulpit on the intriscic evil abortion....in which many female Catholics are doing to day ....

That is what u call defending the weak ...

Brandon

Anonymous said...

I am saddened by this. He was one of my favorite priests, his sermons so beautifully delivered. I will continue to pray for him.

Politics should not make its way to churches... sigh!

Anonymous said...

no to liberation theology

Anonymous said...

A priest is not only supposed to say mass and bless houses. it is more than that and i think that is what Fr Paulino is doing. you cant just hope for things to be right by standing by the corner and hoping. We are a minority so we have to stand up and be counted. Do you think if Christ was here today He will just stand by and hope someone else does the dirty job?

If Fr Paulino is arrested than i think we in CDm should learn to make do without a priest. With Christ with us we will learn to move on.

Anonymous said...

A priest is not only supposed to say mass and bless houses. it is more than that and i think that is what Fr Paulino is doing. you cant just hope for things to be right by standing by the corner and hoping. We are a minority so we have to stand up and be counted. Do you think if Christ was here today He will just stand by and hope someone else does the dirty job?

If Fr Paulino is arrested than i think we in CDm should learn to make do without a priest. With Christ with us we will learn to move on.

Andrew said...

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, according to the teaching of the Catholic Church because through Holy Communion, we partake of Christ Himself.

To perpetuate this giving of Himself as our spiritual food, Our Lord instituted the priesthood, men called to share His ministry as priest, prophet and king.

They are, first and foremost, called to minister the sacraments through which the Christian life is begun, lived, strengthened and perfected. They are called to teach the Word of God, to believe what they teach and practice it. They are called to lead the community of the faithful in living the Christian life in fidelity to God.

So, a community needs its priest so that it can have the Sacraments. You cannot live the Christian life without it.

Having said that, a priest also needs to lead, to be seen to lead and to fight against justice and oppression, to be a peace maker, not just to pray for peace. I seriously do not think that Fr. Paulino intended to get arrested and in so doing, deprive his people of the Sacraments which he was ordained to dispense and minister. This is an important point. I do not think he active sought arrest.

So some balance is needed is looking at the situation. But since the situation has turned out this way, we need to support our priests if their cause is just.

But finally, we need to remember that the City of Man, no matter how just or unjust, is transitory. Yes, we need to fight for change and for the betterment of our world when we can, but, sit transit gloria mundi. We are sojourners and it is the City of God which is our final destination for we are pilgrims and citizens of Heaven. It is there, with Christ as our Universal King that we will finally have authentic freedom, justice and peace.

Greg Lopez said...

What is politics?

What is democracy?

Democracy is a system of government for the people, of the people and by the people.

If we live in a democracy, then as citizens we do our duty through participation in the live of our country.

As Christians we hold certain principles - the main one being the sanctity of the individual.

while I respect the view of Christians that the Church (heirarchy) should not get involved in politics.

Once again I ask - what is politics?

When the Archibishop takes the Malaysian Government to court for a decision on the use of 'Allah' - is that being political?

When we ask why are respectable Malaysians being put behind bars without due process of law - are we being political or are we reflecting our faith?

Ultimately, Jesus was killed for political reasons - the Jewish hierarchy saw him as a threat.

Therefore, if we shun from engaging in polical issues that contravene our faith, it is my humble opinion that we do not do the will of the Father.

Of course, the Will of the Father, is not confined to political issues.

Anonymous said...

Omigosh...I am shocked! Father Paulino used to teach Cathecism in my old convent, and it is appalling to read that he was arrested. I will forward this article to all those who knew him personally and we will pray for his release.
God Bless us all.