“To attend church here is very warm, especially when we meet with members of our own community,” Simon PaKhai, a refugee who arrived in Malaysia in 2011 with his wife Mary Nu Kim, told FMT Lifestyle.
“Even though this is not our country, we can come here and pray, and engage in activities like we did in our church back home. It makes us happy… it feels like home,” he said of St Joseph’s.
Simon and Mary, members of the Zomi ethnic group, fled their village in Myanmar and sought safety in Malaysia. They now live in Cheras.
During Christmas, the joy of gathering with others of their community at St Joseph’s helps them reconnect with their faith and traditions.
“We miss our hometown and all of our relatives during Christmas,” said Mary. “But we are very lucky that we can celebrate here with other Zomi people in our own language.”
For Paul PaCin and his wife Joana NuCiang, who live in Sunway Mentari, Christmas is a time to follow the example of Jesus Christ by doing good and sharing love with others.
But it’s also a time, according to Paul, to “cook our traditional food, play Christmas carols, pray together, and sing together”, all made possible by the church.
“At first, it was very difficult. We left everything behind,” Joana recalled. “But slowly, things got better. Now, our children can attend Sunday school, and we can celebrate our mass.
“It’s like our home… we feel very peaceful coming to this church.”
The church’s roots in serving migrants run deep. When St Joseph’s was founded in 1908, it ministered to Tamil Nadu labourers working at the Central Railway Workshop in Sentul.
Today, it continues this legacy, offering not just a place of worship but a compassionate community.
Indeed, the number of Myanmar refugees here has grown from 100 more than 10 years ago to over 700 now. During Christmas Day celebrations, more than 1,500 refugees attend.
Parish priest Father Frederick Joseph, 54, explained that caring for Catholic migrants and refugees is central to the church’s mission.
“They are to be seen as our own people,” he said. “They cannot be alienated or categorised as foreigners. They need a sense of belonging.”
Twice a month, buses ferry refugee families from various parts of the Klang Valley to Sentul for mass and catechism classes. The church also subsidises travel costs, and offers financial assistance for the refugees’ education and healthcare needs when necessary.
“They like to be around the church because they feel very at home,” the parish priest said of the Myanmar families here. “There is no pressure for them to leave. They are very responsible; they use the place, clean the place, and only then go back.”
Asked about their Christmas wishes, the families’ responses were heartfelt. “I pray for our family here and in Myanmar to be healthy and joyful,” said Mary.
“I also pray for peace over any conflict in our country.”
Joanna added: “I wish to get more blessings for our family and share these blessings with others.”
Even the children’s wishes reflect the spirit of the season. Simon and Mary’s son, Michael, looks forward to fun and quality time with his family.
Paul and Joana’s daughter, Mary Len, hopes for singing, dancing, and the delicious food cooked by her parents. Meanwhile, their youngest, Philomena Huai, has her sights set on receiving presents.
For the parish priest, Christmas is about embracing peace amidst life’s challenges. “There’s a lot of chaos and fear in the life of the people. This is where the message of Christmas comes very clearly: peace on earth. And that peace is necessary for every person to have stability in life.”
Find out more about the Church of St Joseph here.