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How St. Francis Preached To the Moslems

How St. Francis Preached To the Moslems

It is a little known fact that St. Francis journeyed to the Middle East and witnessed to Islamic leaders. He was willing to undergo martyrdom, and even sought it, in order to preach Christianity to the Moslems.

Compiled by Frank Rega, of "Frank M. Rega's Home Plate"

Contemporary and early source documents indicate he probably traveled to Egypt or Syria, visited the Holy Land, and also attempted to reach Morocco, and possibly other Moslem countries. Passages from three ancient sources are presented here, plus an excerpt from Butler’s Lives.


Brother Thomas of Celano wrote the first biography of St. Francis, and was his contemporary. It was written soon after the saint’s death in 1226, and it was commissioned by Pope Gregory IX to be the official biography.

from Thomas of Celano, First Life. Excepts from chapters 56 and 57:

Still, though the branch of the Gospel produced an abundance of the choicest fruits, the sublime purpose of attaining martyrdom and the ardent desire for it in no way grew cold in him. After a not very long time he started on a journey toward Morocco, to preach the gospel of Christ to Miramamolin and his people. He was carried along by so great a desire, that at times he left his companion on the trip behind and hurried to accomplish his purpose, drunk, as it were, in spirit. But the good God, whom it pleased in his kindness to be mindful of me and of many others,withstood him to his face (Gal. 2; 11), when he had traveled as far as Spain; and, that he might not go any farther, he recalled him from the journey he had begun by a prolonged illness.

But he was not able to rest without following even more fervently the impulse of his soul. Accordingly in the thirteenth year of his conversion, he set out for Syria, at a time when great and severe battles were raging daily between the Christians and the pagans; he took with him a companion, and he did not fear to present himself before the sultan of the Saracens. But who can narrate with what great steadfastness of mind he stood before him, with what strength of spirit he spoke to him, with what eloquence and confidence he replied to those who insulted the Christian law? For before he gained access to the sultan, though he was captured by the sultan’s soldiers, was insulted and beaten, still he was not frightened; he did not fear the threats of torture and, when death was threatened, he did not grow pale.

But though he was treated shamefully by many who were quite hostile and hateful toward him, he was nevertheless received very honorably by the sultan. The sultan honored him as much as he was able, and having given him many gifts, he tried to bend Francis’ mind toward the riches of the world. But when he saw that Francis most vigorously despised all these things as so much dung, he was filled with the greatest admiration, and he looked upon him as a man different from all others. He was deeply moved by his words and he listened to him very willingly. Still, in all these things the Lord did not fulfill Francis’ desire for martyrdom, reserving for him the prerogative of a singular grace.


St. Bonaventure, Doctor of the Church, was Minister General of the Franciscans in 1260, when the General Chapter of the Friars Minor entrusted him with the task of writing a life of St. Francis based on all the texts then in existence.

from "Major Life of St. Francis" by St. Bonaventure, Doctor of the Church. Excepts from Chapter IX:

When he left the coast Francis went on a missionary journey about the countryside, sowing everywhere the seed of salvation and reaping an abundant harvest. However, the prize of martyrdom still attracted him so strongly that the thought of dying for Christ meant more to him than any merit he might earn by the practice of virtue. Therefore, he took the road towards Morocco with the intention of preaching the Gospel of Christ to the sultan and his subjects, hoping to win the palm of victory in this way. His desire bore him along so swiftly that even though he was physically weak he used to leave his companion behind and hurry ahead, as if he was enraptured in his anxiety to achieve his purpose. When he had traveled as far as Spain, however, he fell sick by God’s design, because he had other plans in store for him. Prevented by his illness from gaining martyrdom, Francis realized that his life was still necessary for the family he had founded, even though he was convinced that death was a prize to be won, and so he returned to tend the flock which had been committed to his care.

Still his passionate love urged him on, and a third time he set out to preach faith in the Trinity among the pagans by shedding his blood. In the thirteenth year of his religious life he made his way to Syria where he courageously surmounted all dangers in order to reach the presence of the sultan of Egypt. At that time fierce fighting was taking place between the Christians and the Moslems, and the two armies were drawn up opposite each other at close quarters in the field, so that there was no means of passing safely from one to the other. The sultan had decreed that anyone who brought him the head of a Christian should be rewarded with a Byzantine gold piece. However Francis, the knight of Christ, was undaunted and had high hopes that he would soon realize his ambition. The thought of death attracted him, instead of frightening him, and so he decided to make the journey. He prayed and was strengthened by God, as he chanted the words of the Psalmist, "What though I walk with the shadow of death all around me? Hurt I feel none, while you are with me" (Ps 22, 4).

He took with him as his companion a friar named Illuminatus who was an enlightened man of great virtue, and as they set out on their way they met two lambs. The saint was overjoyed at the sight of them and he told his companion, "Place all your trust in God, because the words of the Gospel will be fulfilled in us, ‘Remember, I am sending you out to be like sheep among wolves’ (Mt 10, 16)." When they had gone farther, they were met by men of the sultan’s army who fell upon them like wolves upon sheep and seized them fiercely. They ill-treated them savagely and insulted them, beating them and putting them in chains. Then, exhausted as they were by the ill-treatment they had received, they were dragged before the sultan by God’s providence, just as Francis wished.

The sultan asked them by whom and why and in what capacity they had been sent, and how they got there; but Francis replied intrepidly that they had been sent by God, not by man, to show him and his subjects the way of salvation and proclaim the truth of the Gospel message. He proclaimed the triune God and Jesus Christ, the Savior of all, with such steadfastness, with such courage and spirit, that it was clear the promise of the Gospel had been fulfilled in him, "I will give you such eloquence and such wisdom as all your adversaries shall not be able to withstand, or to confute" (Lk 21, 15).

When the sultan saw his enthusiasm and courage, he listened to him willingly and pressed him to stay with him. Francis, however, was inspired by God to reply, "If you are willing to become converts to Christ, you and your people, I shall be only too glad to stay with you for love of him. But if you are afraid to abandon the law of Mahomet for Christ’s sake, then light a big fire and I will go into it with your priests. That will show you which faith is more sure and more holy." To that the sultan replied, "I do not think that any of my priests would be willing to expose himself to the flames just to defend his faith, or suffer any kind of torture" (he had just caught a glimpse of one of his priests, an old and highly esteemed man, who slipped away the moment he heard Francis’ proposal). Then Francis continued, "If you are prepared to promise me that you and your people will embrace the Christian religion, if I come out of the fire unharmed, I will enter it alone. But if I am burned, you must attribute it to my sins; on the other hand, if God saves me by his power, you must acknowledge ‘Christ the power of God, Christ the wisdom of God’ (cf. 1 Cor 1, 24) as true God, the Lord and Savior of all." The sultan replied that he would not dare to accept a choice like that, for fear of a revolt among his people.

Then he offered Francis a number of valuable presents, but the saint was anxious only for the salvation of souls; he had no interest in the things of this earth and so he scorned them all as if they were so much dust. The sultan was lost in admiration at the sight of such perfect disregard for worldly wealth and he felt greater respect than ever for the saint. He refused, or perhaps did not dare, to become a Christian, but at the same time he implored the saint to take the gifts and give them to the Christian poor or to churches, for his salvation. Francis, however, did not want to be bothered with money and besides he could see no sign of a genuinely religious spirit in the sultan, and so he absolutely refused to agree.

Francis now realized that there was no hope of converting the Moslems and that he could not win the crown of martyrdom, and so by divine inspiration he made his way back to the Christian camp. So it was that by the disposition of God’s merciful providence and by the merits of his holiness, Christ’s lover longed to die for him with all his heart, but never succeeded; he was saved from death to be afterwards decorated with an extraordinary privilege, and yet he had the merit of martyrdom for which he longed. The fire of divine love burned the more perfectly in his heart for all that it only became clearly visible in his flesh later on in his life. It was well for him – his body never fell by the tyrant’s sword, yet it was marked with the likeness of the Lamb that was slain; he was doubly happy – "he did not lose his life in persecution, but he was not deprived of the martyr’s palm" (cf. Breviary, Office of St. Martin of Tours, ant. at Vespers).


The Fioretti, or The Little Flowers of St Francis, was written by an Italian Franciscan, Brother Ugolino, about 50-60 years after the saint’s death. At the time of its writing all of the original companions of St. Francis had passed on, but Ugolino was able to interview many brothers who had known some of these first companions. His work was probably the result of a call by the General Chapter of 1276 to gather additional material on the life of St. Francis.

from the Fioretti, or Little Flowers of St. Francis: excerpts from chapter 24.

Spurred on by zeal for the faith of Christ and incited by a desire for martyrdom, St. Francis at one time went beyond the seas with twelve of his very holy companions, planning to travel right to the sultan of Babylonia.

Now when he arrived in a certain country of the Saracens, where such cruel men guarded the roads that no Christian passing through there could escape being killed, by the grace of God they were not killed, but were taken prisoners, beaten in various ways and very roughly bound and then led before the Sultan.

In his presence St. Francis preached under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in such a divine way about the holy Catholic faith that he offered to enter the fire for it. As a result, the Sultan began to feel great devotion for him both because of the unshakable conviction of his faith and because of his contempt of the world – for though he was utterly poor he would not accept any gifts – and also because of his fervent longing for martyrdom. And thereafter the Sultan willingly listened to him and asked him to come back to see him many times. Moreover, he generously granted permission to him and to his companions to go anywhere and freely preach wherever they wished in all his empire. And he gave them a certain little token so that no one who saw it should harm them.

After receiving that generous permission, St. Francis sent those chosen companions of his, two by two, into various lands of the Saracens to preach the faith of Christ. And with one companion he chose a certain district, and he went into an inn where he had to rest overnight.

At last, seeing that he was unable to gather the fruit which he desired in that country, St. Francis, as a result of a revelation from God, prepared to return to the lands of the faithful with all his companions, and he assembled them together again. Then he went back to the Sultan and told him that he planned to leave.

The Sultan said to him: "Brother Francis, I would willingly be converted to the faith of Christ, but I am afraid to do it now, because these Saracens, if they heard about it, would immediately kill me and you, with all your companions. And since you can still do a great deal of good, and I have to do many important things for the salvation of my soul, I do not want to bring about your premature death and mine. But show me how I can achieve salvation, and I am ready to obey you in everything.

Then St. Francis said to him: "My Lord, I am leaving you now, but after I have returned to my country and at the call of God, gone to Heaven, after my death, through Divine Providence, I will send you two of my friars from whom you will receive the baptism of Christ and you will be saved, as my Lord Jesus Christ has revealed to me. And meanwhile free yourself from all that may hinder you, so that when the grace of Christ comes to you, He may find you well disposed in faith and devotion".

The Sultan gladly agreed and promised to do so, and he faithfully obeyed.

After saying good-by to him, St. Francis went back to the lands of the faithful with that venerable group of his holy companions. And after some years St. Francis gave up his soul to God by the death of the body.

And the Sultan grew ill. But awaiting the fulfillment of the dead Saint’s promise, he stationed guards at the gates with orders to bring quickly to him two friars in the habit of St. Francis if they should show up.

At that time St. Francis appeared to two of his friars and ordered them to travel without delay to the Sultan and to obtain for him the salvation which the Saint had promised him. Those friars set out immediately and devoutly to fulfill his command. And after going over the sea, they were led to the Sultan by his guards. When he saw them, the Sultan was filled with intense joy and he said: "Now I know indeed that the Lord has sent his servants to me for my salvation, as St. Francis promised me through a divine revelation."

And after receiving instructions in the faith of Christ and holy Baptism from those friars, he died reborn in that illness, and his soul was saved through the merits of St. Francis.

To the glory of Christ the Blessed. Amen.

A footnote to this chapter of the Fioretti states: St. Francis’ interviews with the Sultan of Egypt, Malik al-Kamil (1180-1238), during a lull in the Crusaders’ siege of Damietta in the Nile Delta in September 1219, are documented by contemporary writers. The Sultan was a cultured Moslem with a taste for mystical poetry, which explains his liking for Francis.


The above three selections from Celano, St. Bonaventure, and the Fioretti, are taken from St. Francis of Assisi, Writings and Early Biographies. English Omnibus of the Sources for the Life of St. Francis. Edited by Marion A. Habig. Third Edition. Franciscan Herald Press, Chicago Illinois 61609. Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur, December 5, 1972.


From Butler’s Lives of the Saints, St. Francis, October 4.

St. Francis sent some of his friars from this chapter on their first missions to the infidels, to Tunis and Morocco, reserving to himself the Saracens of Egypt and Syria. Innocent III’s appeal at the Lateran Council in 1215 for a new crusade had resulted only in a desultory attempt to bolster up the Latin kingdom in the East: Francis would wield the sword of the Word of God.

He set sail with twelve friars from Ancona in June 1219, and came to Damietta on the Nile delta, before which the crusaders were sitting in siege. Francis was profoundly shocked by the dissoluteness and self-seeking of the soldiers of the Cross. Burning with zeal for the conversion of the Saracens, he desired to pass to their camp, though he was warned that there was a price on the head of every Christian. Permission was given him by the papal legate and he went with Brother Illuminato among the infidels, crying out, "Sultan! Sultan!" Being brought before Malek al-Kamil and asked his errand, he said boldly, "I am sent not by men but by the most high God, to show you and your people the way of salvation by announcing to you the truths of the gospel".

Discussion followed, and other audiences. The sultan was somewhat moved and invited him to stay with him. Francis replied, "If you and your people will accept the word of God, I will with joy stay with you. If you yet waver between Christ and Mohammed, cause a fire to be kindled, and I will go into it with your priests that you may see which is the true faith." The sultan answered that he did not believe any of the imams would be willing to go into the fire, and that he could not accept his condition for fear of upsetting the people. After some days Malek al-Kamil sent Francis back to the camp before Damietta. Disappointed that he could do so little either with the crusaders or their opponents, St. Francis returned to Akka, whence he visited the Holy Places. Then, summoned by an urgent message of distress, he returned to Italy.

From Butler’s Lives of the Saints, Complete Edition. Edited by Herbert J. Thurston, S.J. and Donald Attwater. 1987. Christian Classics, Westminster, Maryland. Originally published 1756-9. Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur, 1953. Permission to reproduce is pending depending on ability to contact the publisher.

Cancer Killer Fruit


Cancer Killer Fruit..! (dpb)

Please read about this miracle fruit that can kill cancer cells 100,000 times,more effective than chemo that gave you side effects.

Guyabano,...The Sour Sop Fruit




The Sour Sop or the fruit from the Graviola tree is a miraculous natural cancer cell killer 10,000 times stronger than Chemo.
Why are we not aware of this?

Its because some big corporation want to make back their money spent on years of research by trying to make a synthetic version of it for sale.

So, since you know it now you can help a friend in need by letting him know or just drink some sour sop juice yourself as prevention from time to time.

The taste is not bad after all. It’s completely natural and definitely has no side effects.

If you have the space, plant one in your garden. The other parts of the tree are also useful.

The Next Time You Have A Fruit Juice, Ask For A Sour Sop.


How many people died in vain while this billion-dollar drug maker concealed the secret of the miraculous Graviola tree?

This tree is low and is called Graviola in Brazil , Guanabana in Spanish and has the uninspiring name "Soursop" in English.

The fruit is very large and the subacid sweet white pulp is eaten out of hand or, more commonly, used to make fruit drinks, sherbets and such.

The principal interest in this plant is because of its strong anti-cancer effects.

Although it is effective for a number of medical conditions, it is its anti tumor effect that is of most interest.

This plant is a proven cancer remedy for cancers of all types.

Besides being a cancer remedy, graviola is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent for both bacterial and fungal infections, is effective against internal parasites and worms, lowers high blood pressure and is used for depression, stress and nervous disorders.


If there ever was a single example that makes it dramatically clear why the existence of Health Sciences Institute is so vital to Americans like you, it's the incredible story behind the Graviola tree.

The truth is stunningly simple:

Deep within the Amazon Rainforest grows a tree that could literally revolutionize what you, your doctor, and the rest of the world thinks about cancer treatment and chances of survival.

The Future Has Never Looked More Promising.

Research shows that with extracts from this miraculous tree it now may be possible to:
* Attack cancer safely and effectively with an all-natural therapy that does not cause extreme nausea, weight loss and hair loss
* Protect your immune system and avoid deadly infections
* Feel stronger and healthier throughout the course of the treatment
* Boost your energy and improve your outlook on life


The source of this information is just as stunning: It comes from one of America 's largest drug manufacturers, the fruit of over 20 laboratory tests conducted since the 1970's!

What those tests revealed was nothing short of mind numbing...

Extracts from the tree were shown to:

* Effectively target and kill malignant cells in 12 types of cancer, including Colon , Breast, Prostate, Lung and Pancreatic cancer..
* The tree compounds proved to be up to 10,000 times stronger in slowing the growth of cancer cells than Adriamycin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug!
* What's more, unlike chemotherapy, the compound extracted from the Graviola tree selectively hunts down and kills only cancer cells.

It Does Not Harm Healthy Cells!

The amazing anti-cancer properties of the Graviola tree have been extensively researched-- so why haven't you heard anything about it?

If Graviola extract is as half as promising as it appears to be--

why doesn't every single Oncologist at every major hospital insist on using it on all his or her patients?

The spine-chilling answer illustrates just how easily our health-- and for many, our very lives are controlled by money and power.

Graviola- -the plant that worked too well


One of America 's biggest billion-dollar drug makers began a search for a cancer cure and their research centered on Graviola, a legendary healing tree from the Amazon Rainforest.

Various parts of the Graviola tree--including the bark, leaves, roots, fruit and fruit-seeds--have been used for centuries by medicine men and native Indians in South America to treat heart disease, asthma, liver problems and arthritis.

Going on very little documented scientific evidence, the company poured money and resources into testing the tree's anti-cancerous properties--and were shocked by the results. Graviola proved itself to be a cancer-killing dynamo.

But that's where the Graviola story nearly ended.

The company had one huge problem with the Graviola tree--it's completely natural, and so, under federal law, not patentable. There's no way to make serious profits from it.

It turns out the drug company invested nearly seven years trying to synthesize two of the Graviola tree's most powerful anti-cancer ingredients.

If they could isolate and produce man-made clones of what makes the Graviola so potent, they'd be able to patent it and make their money back.

Alas, they hit a brick wall. The original simply could not be replicated.

There was no way the company could protect its profits--or even make back the millions it poured into research.

As the dream of huge profits evaporated, their testing on Graviola came to a screeching halt.

Even worse, the company shelved the entire project and chose not to publish the findings of its research!

Luckily, however, there was one scientist from the Graviola research team

whose conscience wouldn't let him see such atrocity committed.

Risking his career, he contacted a company that's dedicated to harvesting medical plants from the Amazon Rainforest and blew the whistle.

Miracle Unleashed

When researchers at the Health Sciences Institute were alerted to the news of Graviola, they began tracking the research done on the cancer-killing tree.

Evidence of the astounding effectiveness of Graviola--and its shocking cover-up--came in fast and furious.....

....The National Cancer Institute performed the first scientific research in 1976.

The results showed that Graviola's "leaves and stems were found effective in attacking and destroying malignant cells." Inexplicably, the results were published in an internal report and never released to the public...

Since 1976, Graviola has proven to be an immensely potent cancer killer in 20 independent laboratory tests, yet no double-blind clinical trials- the typical benchmark mainstream doctors and journals use to judge a
treatment's value- -were ever initiated..

A study published in the Journal of Natural Products, following a recent study conducted at Catholic University of South Korea stated that one chemical in Graviola was found to selectively kill colon cancer cells at "10,000 times the potency of (the commonly used chemotherapy drug) Adriamycin..."

....The most significant part of the Catholic University of South Korea report is that Graviola was shown to selectively target the cancer cells, leaving healthy cells untouched.

Unlike chemotherapy, which indiscriminately targets all actively reproducing cells (such as stomach and hair cells), causing the often devastating side effects of nausea and hair loss in cancer patients.

...A study at Purdue University recently found that leaves from the Graviola tree killed cancer cells among six human cell lines and were especially effective against prostate, pancreatic and lung cancers...

Seven Years Of Silence Broken--it's Finally Here!

A limited supply of Graviola extract, grown and harvested by indigenous people in Brazil , is finally available in America .

The full Graviola Story--including where you can get it and how to use it--is included in Beyond Chemotherapy:

New Cancer Killers, Safe As Mother's Milk,

a Health Sciences Institute FREE special bonus report on natural substances

that will effectively revolutionize the fight against cancer

From breakthrough cancer and heart research and revolutionary Amazon Rainforest herbology to world-leading anti-aging research and nutritional medicine, every monthly Health Sciences Institute Member's Alert puts in your hands today cures the rest of America --including your own doctor-is likely to find out only ten years from now.

Asteroid explosion over Indonesia raises fears about Earth's defences

An asteroid that exploded in the Earth’s atmosphere with the energy of three Hiroshima bombs this month has reignited fears about our planet’s defences against space impacts.

Asteroid approaching Earth. Asteroid exploded over Indonesia with force of three Hiroshimas
The asteroid was around 20 meters across and hit the Earth's atmosphere at 45,000mphPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

On 8 October, the rock crashed into the atmosphere above South Sulawesi,Indonesia. The blast was heard by monitoring stations 10,000 miles away, according to a report by scientists at the University of Western Ontario.

Scientists are concerned that it was not spotted by any telescopes, and that had it been larger it could have caused a disaster.

The asteroid, estimated to have been around 10 metres (30ft) across, hit the atmosphere at an estimated 45,000mph. The sudden deceleration caused it to heat up rapidly and explode with the force of 50,000 tons of TNT.

Luckily, due to the height of the explosion – estimated at between 15 and 20 km (nine to 12 miles) above sea level – no damage was caused on the ground.

However, if the object had been slightly larger – 20 to 30 metres (60 to 90ft) across – it could easily have caused extensive damage and loss of life, say researchers.

Very few objects smaller than 100 meters (300ft) across have been spotted and catalogued by astronomers.

Tim Spahr, director of the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, warned that it was inevitable that minor asteroids would go unnoticed. He said: "If you want to find the smallest objects you have to build more, larger telescopes.

"A survey that finds all of the 20-metre objects will cost probably multiple billions of dollars."

The fireball was spotted by locals in Indonesia, and a YouTube video taken that day "appears to show a large dust cloud consistent with a bright, daylight fireball", according to the Ontario researchers.

An asteroid or comet fragment around 60 meters across is believed to have been behind the Tunguska Event, a powerful explosion that took place over Russia in 1908. The blast has been estimated at equivalent to 10-15 million tons of TNT – enough to destroy a large city.

The White House is to develop a policy on the space object impact threat by October next year.

Kota Kinabalu Archdiocese

MALAYSIA Archdiocese strives to live out its vision of Church
October 15, 2009 | MK08073.1571 | 963 words Text size
UCAN Interview

BANGKOK (UCAN) -- In his 22 years as prelate of Kota Kinabalu, Archbishop John Lee Hiong Fun-Yit Yaw has seen his Church territory divided up twice, before being elevated to an archdiocese.

In a recent email interview with UCA News, he spoke about issues such as the challenges the Church in the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah faces, the vision and mission of his archdiocese and vocations to the priesthood.

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Archbishop John Lee Hiong
Fun-Yit Yaw of Kota Kinabalu

Archbishop Lee turned 76 on Oct. 5. He requested retirement from Pope Benedict XVI last year, a requirement by canon law for prelates reaching the age of 75.

The present Kota Kinabalu archdiocese, based in the Sabah capital, was formerly the apostolic vicariate of Jesselton, established in 1952. It changed its name to Kota Kinabalu in 1968, and became a diocese in 1976. Keningau diocese was carved out of it in 1992 and Sandakan diocese created from part of its territory in 2007.

Kota Kinabalu was elevated to an archdiocese in 2008. It presently serves about 214,000 Catholics who comprise mainly bumiputras and Chinese.Bumiputra or "sons of the soil," is a term used to describe the indigenous peoples of Muslim-majority Malaysia including the majority Malays.

Archbishop Lee's interview follows:

How do you view the Church in Malaysia?

ARCHBISHOP JOHN LEE HIONG FUN-YIT YAW: The Malaysian Church as a whole is quite alive and active. We are happy to hear nice comments from outsiders when they see our church services are packed. But we need to be careful not to become complacent. Globalization also comes with many values and beliefs which are harmful to healthy living.

The building of the Kingdom of God is ongoing and our people need to respond to their vocations conscientiously, or else we may be building on sand. As a minority, we do face difficulties. There are concerns here and there regarding our freedom. But as long as our lives are centered on the Lord and are not distracted, I believe we will triumph over the challenges.

What have been the main highlights of Kota Kinabalu archdiocese in all these years?

I would say the pastoral planning process which we started in 1995 to 1997, resulting in a Diocesan Vision and Mission, is one of the highlights. (Editor: The archdiocese's mission is: "A caring communion of Christ-centered communities journeying together in faith, hope and love, empowered by the Holy Spirit in the evangelizing mission of building the Kingdom of God.")

The creation of two new dioceses from Kota Kinabalu, namely Keningau in 1992 and Sandakan in 2007 was also a sign of maturity of the local Church.

What are the effects of the elevation of Kota Kinabalu as an archdiocese, on you as archbishop, and on the Church in Sabah?

Things remain fairly the same. The only thing is that we now have three bishops to discuss and share the concerns of the Church in Sabah. Many of theses concerns are similar since we all belong to the state of Sabah.

What are the greatest challenges for your archdiocese now?

How to get our people involved, especially clergy and lay leaders, to work together to build the local Church as stated in the archdiocesan vision. If you look at our vision, it encompasses the essential elements of the teachings of the Church -- communion of Christ-centered communities, journeying together, empowered by the Holy Spirit, building the Kingdom of God. But to live it out is a big challenge because there are also external factors that influence the day-to-day life of our people -- media, consumerism, secularism, new technologies, etc.

How is your archdiocese responding to these challenges?

We hope that through the many formation programs and catechesis, our people will be strengthened in their conviction to help one another in living their faith. Ultimately in our vision we aim towards the building of small Christian communities, because it is there that our people will experience supported for their faith-life journey and will be able to share the evangelizing mission of the Church.

Some of our parishes have begun to create zones to facilitate better pastoral care. When the zones get too big they may see the need to have smaller groupings. I guess this is how BECs (Basic Ecclesial Communities) will finally come about. Let's allow the Spirit to move the hearts, the structures will come later.

Vocations to the priesthood now come mainly from the bumiputra community in Sabah. What effect will this have on the Church here?

It is true that many young indigenous youths respond to the priesthood. But when they are ordained, they serve everyone, irrespective of race or ethnicity. Our formation process should emphasize this universality, that there is "no Greek or Jews." We are all people of God. We should not allow racial politics to influence our way of thinking in the Church. We must avoid thinking along racial lines, because that is a divisive factor which will destroy our very being as a Church.

What can the Church in other parts of Malaysia learn from the experiences of the Church in Sabah?

I think each local Church has its own unique history and journey. Many of these are shaped by how they respond to the prompting of the Spirit in a particular time and situation. So I do not know if our experiences in Sabah can be applied elsewhere in the country. But it will be definitely helpful if there is more exchange and sharing of experiences among the various dioceses in the country.

What qualities must your successor have?

It would be good if he is open and committed to the archdiocesan vision. As I have earlier, our Vision and Mission encompass all the essential elements of life in the Church. So it would be wise to keep it and work towards it.