Fr Clarence Devadass - 25th Sacerdotal Anniversary e-book

Sacerdotal Anniversary

Rev fr dr
Clarence Devadass

7 June 2022

My Grace is Sufficient for You

2 Cor 12:9

My Grace is
Sufficient for You

† 2 Cor 12:9

2

Thou Art a Priest Forever

To live in the midst of the world with no desire for its pleasures;
to be a member of every family, yet belonging to none;
to share all sufferings;
to penetrate all secrets,
to heal all wounds;
to daily go from men to God to offer Him their homage and petitions;
to return from God to men to bring them His pardon and hope;
to have a heart of fire for charity and a heart of bronze for chastity;
to bless and to be blest forever.
O God, what a life, and it is yours, O Priest of Jesus Christ!
Amen.

1

Message from the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur

When did I first know Fr Clarence? I got to It was only after being Bishop and being involved
meet him for the first time when I was still with CFM and MCCBCHST, that we began to
discerning my vocation to the priesthood in the work more closely. He being a member of the
early 1990s. I think it was in Port Dickson at a Consultors and now as Chancellor and part of the
Vocation Camp in 1992. Crisis Task Force, my admiration and respect for
him continues to grow.

When I joined College General in 1994, I With a Doctorate in Moral Theology, he has
remember Clarence was a 2nd year Theologian contributed much at the Federation of Asian
and our Choir Master! We learnt accurately how to Bishops level, and is part of the Organising
sing and chant. He was an all-rounder, excelling committee for the FABC 50.
in everything he touches! Football, Volleyball,

Badminton, Studies!! The Theologians in CG Wishing you Clarence good health in mind, body
were truly inspiring and exemplary to us. and spirit as you continue to serve the people

As Diocesan Priests we were sent to parishes of God, as you make a positive difference to all
to manage and besides the monthly Clergy around you.

Recollections, Penitential services during Lent
and Advent, Annual Retreats, encounters at Ad Multos Annos.

Ordinations and funerals, there was minimum Most Reverend Julian Leow D.D.
2 occasions for interaction. Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur

!

Message from the Bishop of Penang

The 25th Jubilee which is called Silver is not Your concern for bringing the Good News in good
mentioned in the Bible but however the 50th
Jubilee Year is mentioned in Leviticus 5: 1-4, of theand challenging times in the Catholic Asian News
8-10.
(CANews) publication and the virtual media is
So Dear Clarence, you have cleared 25 years also a blessing to the local Church and beyond.
and will move forward towards the Biblical 50th One word that comes to my mind as I join you in
Jubilee Year of the liberation. this celebration is CONSISTENCY and GROWTH
in the Vision and Mission of the Church and the
priesthood.

We have known each other and journeyed from On a personal level, I thank you for helping me
College General days when you were a seminarian. and my brother bishops in this region.
I thank God for the Vision and Mission that has
accompanied your priesthood over these 25 years With Prayers and Blessings,
primarily in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. Rt. Rev. Sebastian Francis D.D.
However, I would like to focus on your charisms Bishop of Penang
and contributions shared beyond the Archdiocese
in the local Peninsular Church, Federation of
Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC), and beyond.

3

Message from the Bishop of Malacca-Johore Diocese

Congratulations to you, Fr Clarence Dass on at MAJODI Centre, Johor. Again, I remember
your 25 years of being a diocesan priest, you for the smiling welcome, the easy-going
serving the KL Archdiocese, contributing to conversations and insightful writings.
theological reflections in the local and global
settings, and introducing ‘Steve Job’ approach to May you continue to serve the Lord, the
facilitations and presentations at assemblies and Archdiocese and His people with the same passion
conferences. and missionary zeal in the years ahead. May the
Lord grant you good health and strength to be a
The first time I met you was at the Good Shepherd “priest after His heart”.
Seminary Melaka, when you were in your
Initiation Year with Fr Anthony Naden. I was God bless you and Congratulations, once again.
there for my retreat before my priestly ordination.
That community with you, was welcoming and Together Building His Kingdom,
accommodating. You all looked after us the whole Bishop Bernard Paul
duration. Then I met you again when you were Bishop of Malacca-Johore Diocese
at Assumption Church as APP, and at the PMPC4

4

Message from Archbishop Emeritus of Kuala Lumpur

Thank you for your thoughtfulness in May this time of remembrance of your
asking me to contribute a message to ordination day be lived faithfully and fruitfully
your commemorative magazine on this joyous as you encourage your brothers and be worthy
occasion. companions in your journey as priests.

A Jubilee is a time of celebration – when it is the May St. Anthony, the patron of the parish you
Silver Jubilee of a priest, it is indeed a joyous have been assigned to, be a shining example of
time for the whole faith community to gather to fidelity for you.
give thanks to God for the gift of Priesthood.
I will end my message with this verse: ‘Give a
My heartiest congratulations to Reverend Fr.
Clarence on his 25th Sacerdotal Anniversary. Shepherd’s care to the flock of God that is entrusted
Fr Clarence, I have known you as a faithful and
obedient priest, quietly carrying out the tasks to you, watch over it, not simply as a duty but
assigned to you. “My grace is sufficient for you”,
an appropriate theme chosen for your ordination gladly, as God wants; not for sordid money, but
has helped you to adhere to Christ as you embrace
the gifts God has bestowed upon you. because you are eager to do it.' (1 Peter 5:2)


AD MULTOS ANNOS

God bless,

Archbishop Emeritus Murphy Pakiam

5

He wears many hats...
all with equal passion and dedication

• Chancellor Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur
(Effective 2022)

• Director of Archdiocesan Pastoral Institute
(2004 – 2016)

• Director of Catholic Research Centre
(2008 - Present)
• Editor-in-Chief | CANews
(2008 – Present)
• Editor of New Way of Being Church
Weekly Bulletin (2006 – 2016)

• Panel Speaker on interreligious
and ethical issues (2004 - present)

Lecturer: Academia & Research

• University of Nottingham Malaysia • Written and published
Visiting Research Associate numerous papers

• University of Cambridge UK and articles
• Presented papers
(Faculty of Divinity)
Visiting Fellow at conferences and

• St Paul’s Theological College seminars
Visiting Lecturer • Conducted several

• College General Major Seminary research-studies for
Visiting Lecturer FABC and with local
universities

• Catholic University of Korea

6 Visiting Lecturer

Parishes: Having a talent for writing, Fr Clarence started
his blog, ‘Preaching And You Were Sleeping’
• Church of St Anthony, Pudu in 2010. It contains a collections of homilies,
reflections and his personal thoughts. When
• Chapel of the Ascension, Ampang asked about the title of the blog, tongue-in-
cheek he responded… “It’s quite common for
• Church of Our Lady of Fatima, some parishioners to doze off in the middle of a
Brickfields homily, and I just wanted people to realise that
we priests are also aware of this.”
• Church of St Paul the Apostle, KKB
In January 2021, he started the audio
• Church of the Assumption, PJ podcast and recorded homilies so that
people could listen to them anytime
Organisations (Past / Present) of the day. This was during the
MCO when people were unable
• Pontifical Council for Interreligious to attend Mass.
Dialogue, Vatican City - Consultor

• Office of Theological Concerns,
Federation of Asian Bishops’
Conference – Executive Secretary

• Congress of Asian Theologians -
Member

• Christian Federation of Malaysia –
Principal Secretary

• Malaysian Consultative Council of
Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism,
Sikhism and Taoism – Executive
Committee Member

7

Personal Insight

Finding Extraordinary
in the Ordinary

As he celebrates his silver sacerdotal anniversary, learned theologian
Fr Dr Clarence Devadass says his calling to the priesthood was no
burning bush experience.

“My vocation story was a gradual inclination. The regular involvement in
church-related activities slowly turned into a vocation.

“The first religious experience I remember was my parents arranging my
First Holy Communion with Fr L.Diffon, MEP, at the Kuala Kubu Bharu
church. I was eight years old, with almost no formal Catechism lessons. It
was a small town, I went to a Catholic kindergarten, but I don’t think there
were any Catechism lessons,” jests the lanky priest.

In his pre-teen years, Fr Clarence started serving as an altar boy at the same
parish. “A vivid memory is volunteering as a server to follow Fr Diffon up
to Frasier’s Hill where he celebrated Christmas Day Masses at the Merlin
Hotel. It was probably the early seeds of vocation - my first experience of
seeing the life of a priest. Looking back that was a moment of grace.”

Later, when we moved to Rawang, I also served as an altar boy with Fr Naden
as parish priest. When he went to estates to say Mass, I used to follow him.
I learned of the difference he made in people’s lives, the sacrifices he made,
and how he served the Orang Asli. All this nurtured the interest to do what
he is doing – to make a difference.

Back then Church activities were pretty much all the entertainment
available, especially in small towns. “Similar to Fatima church, back in
the day I was told its badminton court was where everything happened for

8 parishioners … many couples even met their partners there,” he quipped.

Fr Clarence was an active member of the youth ministry at St. Jude’s and “To me, God
took part in Love and Life seminars, student camps, and went Christmas revealed Himself in
caroling, among other activities. “For me, it was a gradual attraction to the ordinariness of
the priesthood. There were several going back and forth. At one point, as a human life. My dad
child, I wanted to be a pilot.” raised us to be avid

After school, he started debating if he wanted to take the regular path of readers and that
university, work, marriage, and family. “Not that these things were not exposed me to a
attractive, but a question of, is this what I want? Is the progression of my bigger platform..."
life dictated by society? The pursuit of monetary success didn’t attract me
either.

“To me, God revealed Himself in the ordinariness of human life. My dad
raised us to be avid readers and that exposed me to a bigger platform.
It thought me to ponder and reflect, and after a lot of thought, vocation
camps, and discussions with priests, I joined the seminary at the age of 24.

“Although, when I signed the entrance forms, I told God, ‘I’ll give it a try for
one year, and see how it goes.”

Fr Clarence said the opportunities that have come his way … from childhood
till today, after being a priest for 25 years, are what shaped the person he is.
“I have taken all of them grateful from God … the opportunity to serve Him
as a child, the seminary, to study overseas, to meet and engage with people
from around the world, to wear different hats within the ministry …”

Reflecting on family life and values, Father remembers how his older sister 9
Assunta and younger brother Raymond shared everything – from Dandy and
Beano Annual comics to board games, and books and magazines like the
Readers Digest. They regularly played Monopoly, Scrabble, and Mastermind.

I always believe Although a middle child, at an early age, he learned responsibility as
if God gives you his father worked out of town and his sister was in boarding school.
something, He also And then, from a family of five to living with 30 men in the seminary
gives you the grace was not easy, but you learn how to work things out.

to do it, which “Community living teaches you to give and take, to be responsible for
was my ordination one another. It taught me how to put things in perspective.” There were
theme: ‘My grace is 13 seminarians in his batch, but only four of them took their final vows.

sufficient for you’ In 1997, upon his ordination, he was posted to the Church of the
(2 Cor 12:9). Assumption, Petaling Jaya. Then Archbishop Soter Fernandez wanted
him to serve with the two French MEP priests, Fr Andrew Volle and Fr

Gilbert Griffon at that parish as the diocese planned to send Fr Clarence to
France to further his studies. Low and behold, God had other plans. Within

a year College General was in need of a professor in Moral Theology, and Fr
Clarence was chosen as the potential candidate. In 1999, he was sent to Rome
instead, to earn a licentiate in the subject. Living in the Residential College

with 190 priests, opened his eyes to a much bigger world and church.

Besides English, Tamil, and Bahasa Malaysia, the multi-lingual priest speaks
Italian fluently, with a decent level of French and Spanish – which he needed
to complete his Ph.D.

Four years later, after completing his Master’s and Ph.D. and returning, there
were no students for that subject at the seminary. Another detour in the life of
this Manchester United fan.

He was asked to serve as Director of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Institute (API)
and become parish priest at the Church of Our Lady of Fatima, Brickfields where
he is probably the only priest to have served at three different times within his
25-year ministry.

“Yes, God changed many things/paths in my life, but I look at it as the opportunities
He provided and accept it with gratitude. The opportunity to study abroad,

10 to attend foreign conferences – provided me with a door to a bigger Church. It

taught me how to look at the bigger picture in all
things, and helps me not get bogged down with
mundane, day-to-day issues that people present
regularly.”

On how he juggles wearing so many hats - Catholic
Research Centre,Chancellor,parish priest,Catholic
at Home podcast …. he cheekily replies, “There
must be a God who dislikes me. As they say, there is
no rest for the wicked, so I must be that wicked …”

“It’s only God. It's having good lay collaborators, i.e.
the administrators and staff in the parishes and the
offices that I serve in the Archdiocese, that take care
of the operations, so I am not bogged down. I always
believe if God gives you something, He also gives you
the grace to do it, which was my ordination theme:
‘My grace is sufficient for you’ (2 Cor 12:9).

“Often, I do wake up wondering where I am and what Fr Clarence was in Rome from 1999 to 2003
I am supposed to do for the day, but God gives me the where he obtained his doctorate in Sacred
grace. Over the years, I have also learned the importance Theology (Moral Theology) from Academia
of self-care and regularly practice downtime like playing Alfonsiana, Pontifical Lateran University.
sports, watching movies, and sharing meals with family
and friends. I even took a year’s sabbatical and lived in
Cambridge, United Kingdom where I was accepted as a
visiting fellow at the university and served in the local
parish, and that helped too.

“At this stage in my life, I am done with formal studies. I just 11
ask God for the grace to say yes to whatever he has in store
for me. The biggest challenge is people’s warped expectations
of priests. Also, as you grow older, it’s not as easy to cater to
all their needs or to pack up and move to a new parish,” said
the bookworm who only loves non-fiction materials.

Family Bond

Son, Brother, Uncle

As a priest Fr Clarence is often described as kind, humble, patient,
understanding, a role model, a people’s priest, friend to the
multitudes… among others. At the same time, he’s a somewhat private
person who doesn’t divulge much about his personal life. We decided
to take a peek to learn more about the person behind the robes and
who better to spill the beans than his siblings - older sister Assunta
and younger brother Raymond.

What are some of your early memories growing up with him?

We had a rather normal childhood – nothing spectacular or out of the
ordinary. As siblings we had the usual arguments and fights – over TV
programmes, toys, football teams (Manchester United vs Liverpool) etc,
but all were short-lived and quickly forgotten and we would make up
almost immediately. The three of us would be equally reprimanded if
we were naughty – no one escaped punishment from our parents, who
were strict disciplinarians in the home.

Both brothers were active in outdoor activities back then and we would
take part in any sports or games available – football, badminton, flying
kites etc.

One thing about Clarence which used to irritate our mum is when made
to take an afternoon nap, he would lie in bed with all his toy soldiers
and start playing with them rather noisily (making all the sound effects
of a battle taking place) instead of napping.

12

The Devadass Family …
Dad Devadass, Mum Clara
and the three kids – Assunta,
Clarence and Raymond.

Clarence with his
big sister Assunta.
Today the roles have
reversed as Clarence
has become more
like the big brother.

“Many of us will remember our family homes They may have had the usual sibling rivalry
because many experiences were shared there, and brotherly arguments and fights growing
both happy and sad ones. But we never forget them
because it was probably there that our characters up but Clarence and Raymond share an
were formed. We also try to recreate the happy unshakeable bond until today.
moments for the next generation because they have
13
been an integral part of our lives.”

– Fr Clarence

How would you define his growth as a person over the years?

Our parents certainly laid the foundation for all of us to become who
we are today. They were devout Catholics and they raised us as such.
They made sure we went to church and recited our family prayers
together (though we would sometimes doze off). They were involved
in the Charismatic prayer group and we would follow them for these
sessions. Clarence started to become more involved in church activities
when he was in secondary school. He was a youth leader and spent a
lot of time in church. But back then we never had an inkling of his
future vocation.

If today he’s an eloquent preacher and has all the qualities needed
in a priest, we would say that it’s due to his seminary formation. He
has certainly learnt much and grown as a person. None of us spoke
much Tamil at home although we could understand most of it. In
fact, Clarence too couldn’t form proper sentences in Tamil until after
joining the seminary. Today he’s easily able to celebrate Mass in Tamil.
He seems to have a knack for picking up languages and is fluent in
Italian with a working knowledge of French and Spanish.

How would your Mum describe him as a son?

Mum wouldn’t have any complaints about him. She would definitely
say he’s a good and filial son. When she sees him in church, she gives
him the respect as a priest and calls him ‘Father’, but when he’s home
she will pamper him and cook meals that he will enjoy. In actual
fact, mum does not show any special preference or differentiate her
children. She would say that she loves all her 3 children the same.

In turn, Clarence indulges Mum by buying stuff for her via Shopee
or Lazada. Whenever she has a problem with her phone or iPad, she
immediately contacts him. Clarence also makes sure he downloads
the latest software for Mum. On his off days he comes over and
spends time chit-chatting with her.

14

How is his relationship with his nieces? “Mum wouldn’t
have any complaints
He is definitely an indulgent uncle. He has been there for about him. She would
every significant moment in their lives – baptism, first holy definitely say he’s a good
communion, marriage. They girls have an easy and open and filial son. When she
relationship with him. He doesn’t ‘preach’ to them or judge sees him in church, she
them. He often jokes and teases them and they would go to gives him the respect as
him for advice on many things. He takes a keen interest in a priest and calls him
their lives. He knows their likes and dislikes and knows just
what to get them for Christmas or their birthdays. ‘Father’..."

How does he spend time with the family? What are 15
some of the things that all of you do together?

We make it a point to go on a vacation together as a family,
usually at the end of the year. We’d all take part in the games
and activities organised by the younger ones. Other days
when Clarence is able to come by, we’ll sit down and chat and
have our meals together. Sometimes we’ll go out for meals as
we like to explore and try new things. Before the pandemic
we brothers would also go for football matches and concerts,
as we both share a mutual love for sports and music.

In our younger days we would often play football and
badminton, and since then Clarence has taken up tennis.
He would diligently play tennis every Saturday morning at
the YMCA with a group of friends. This stopped during the
pandemic and now with the new roles and responsibilities
he has taken on, we believe he has not had time to pick this
up again. Nevertheless, he is quite disciplined in keeping fit
and exercises on the treadmill every day besides joining the
family to go hiking and cycling occasionally.

What are some of his noteworthy characteristics?

We think that if he didn’t become a priest, he would have
ended up as a technology consultant. He loves all sorts of

technical stuff and gadgets. If we are intending
to purchase anything, be it phones, laptops,
television, fridge, cars etc we would consult him
first. He’s very meticulous and would do thorough
research and reviews before presenting the facts
and flaws to us.

Over the years, Clarence joyfully He doesn't like to leave anything to chance and
welcomed new additions to the plans ahead for everything and quietly gets things
family – brother-in-law Victor, done. We believe he inherited this trait from our
sister-in-law Priya and nieces, dad. If you observe him before the start of Mass,
Vanisha, Raveena and Eshana. you’ll see how he comes and checks on everything
at the altar to make sure everything is ready and
in the right place. In addition to this, he’s a very neat person – if you get the
chance to visit his office and residence, you’ll immediately see how clean
and orderly everything is.

If ever there’s a crisis, he’s the best person to lead the situation as he’s always
calm under pressure. When our dad was unwell, we were all panicky, but he
stepped in and took charge – and we can see for ourselves and have also
heard about how he manages his pastoral work and other responsibilities
in a similar manner.

He’s an all-rounder – is well read, knows quite a bit of everything. He’s well
aware of his surroundings and keeps himself updated on various matters
– be it music, sports, politics, economic situation, environment etc. This
makes it easier for the lay people to relate to him because he understands
the real world.

There are so many other things that we can share about Clarence but to put
it in a nutshell, what you see is what you get. He’s genuine in whatever he
says and does. He’s non-judgmental and doesn’t speak ill of anyone. He has
great respect for people and is empathic to their problems and situations.
We are truly blessed to have him as our brother and we believe that the
Church is truly blessed to have him as a shepherd.

16

Left: Clarence, Assunta and Raymond with their
mum, Madam Clara. Their dad Mr Devadass passed
away in 2015.

Bottom: Clarence often makes an effort to spend
time with his mother despite his busy schedule.

On a family holiday in Port Dickson in On a recent hiking trip. At Eshana’s
December 2021. First Holy
Communion.
"There are so many other things that we can share about Clarence
but to put it in a nutshell, what you see is what you get. 17
He’s genuine in whatever he says and does."

From Hero Material
to Servant of the Lord

By Mercy Almeida Stellus

Still water runs deep. A saying that best describes Clarence. Having
known him for more than 5 decades, I dare say he is one person you can
never read. What runs in his mind, no one knows.

The first time I met him was when he came to Standard 4 at SK Sinaran Budi,
Rawang. When we were in Form One in SMK Seri Garing, Rawang, Clarence,
with his side-kick, the late Joey Bateman, used to tease the girls and make
them mad. He and Joey changed our poem title from Crabbed Age and Youth
to Rabbits Eggs and Broth, just simply for the fun of it and also because he
and Joey were not chosen to take part in the poetry recital competition.

There was a saying those days to describe the Rothmans cigarette, I think it
was “Cool, Clean Consulate”. Well, that’s Clarence in high school – cool and
clean. A character who may have been taken out from a romance book - tall,
dark and handsome. I must say he had many admirers, but not many dared
to come forward to express themselves to him. He had (and still has) his
own charms which definitely attracted the girls. A smile which could easily
melt a young girl’s heart. But was he ever interested in any? A question only
he best knows the answer to.

Anyway, we grew up and as teenagers we got more and more involved with
the church. With Rev. Fr. Naden and then Rev. Fr. Amalanathan, we left our
bickering childhood and focused our minds on the youth movement in our
church. Yes, together with Clarence we organised many youth gatherings,
Christmas caroling and two youth retreats - one in Tanjung Malim and the
other was for our own St. Jude youths in the White House, Batu Arang.

I still remember an incident while running the youth camp in Batu Arang.

18 We were running short of funds and I was going berserk.

SK Sinaran Budi, Rawang where Clarence first joined in Standard Four. Hanging out with the lads … on a school excursion.

!

A young Clarence on a youth retreat in Tanjung Malim with fellow youth group members, Phillips Muthu and Xavier Andrew. The retreat 19

!was conducted by Fr Anthony Naden.

!

Clarence spent a lot of time The ‘band of brothers’ at SMK Seri Garing,
with the youth of his parish.
The writer is second from right. ! Rawang.
“Clare, what are we to do?” I asked him. He told me, “Not to worry, God

will provide.” I was totally upset. He just sat there and kept quiet. The next

day, funds started to roll in and everything was fine. I saw him that day at the

campsite, grinning away. It was a leap of faith. We both knew that God had a

hand in it.

Clarence found his niche when he found God. Just like Moses, in the movie
“The Ten Commandments”, he too grew much older and definitely wiser

after finding God. Wisdom was bestowed upon him and God helped him
move forward to be what he is today. It came as a shock to many of our

“Clare, what are we friends to learn much later that he was not just Clarence but Rev. Fr.
Clarence. Who would have thought the cool and clean young man in high
school is now a priest.

to do?” I asked him. I am proud of my dear friend Clarence. He had his share of struggles but I

He told me, honestly believe that God was and still is with him. God has already chosen

“Not to worry, him and has great plans for him. Now, 25 years later, it is just the beginning
of God showing us His wonder and awe through this person, Clarence S
20 God will provide.” Devadass.

Carollers of 1986 !

Mr Cool and Clean … he had the makings of !
a romance novel hero.

At a reunion with his
Form 5 school mates
from SMK Seri Garing,
Rawang in 2017. The
writer is fourth from
left.

! 21

Snapshot of
Seminary Life

The seminary is a seedbed, a place where you will grow to
become a mature person. It is an environment where you
can purify your motivation for becoming a priest. Our initial
batch was 13, but by the end of every year, there were always
seminarians that were either asked to leave or who left the
seminary voluntarily.

Life in the seminary was a struggle. You have to keep up with
your academics and you should have good relationships with
others. You have to grow in your spirituality by following the
spiritual activities and you must have the ability to demonstrate
the things that you have learned to the outside world, we call
that “apostolate.” There was no one time in the seminary that
you were not being challenged and personally questioning the
! authenticity of your vocation. You'd always ask, “Is God really
calling me?” You were always being confronted by your youthful
ego of becoming successful in a worldly endeavour. As St. Paul
said, “You are tested like gold in fire.”

To make a long story short, after years of struggles and a series
of temptations, I was still in the seminary. I concluded and
discerned that probably this is the destiny that God wanted
for me—to be a priest. The point is, that the priests always go
through a conscious process of discernment with the help of
God’s grace before they become priests. It simply means that a
priest did not come out of his mother’s womb already wanting
to become a priest. St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “God does not
call those who are qualified, he qualifies those who are called.”

22

! !
To make a long story short, after years of struggles and a series

of temptations, I was still in the seminary. I concluded and
discerned that probably this is the destiny that God wanted for

me—to be a priest.

!
!

23
!

! !
!

!!

!

24 !
!

Musings from Seminary Mates 25
Message from Fr Edmund Woon

(Church of St Joseph, Batu Gajah)

Congratulations on the silver jubilee anniversary of your priestly ordination!

From the first time we met at Good Shepherd Seminary in Malacca in 1989, I have always
found you to be a caring, simple and intelligent classmate who is also an excellent
football player! Thirty-three years have passed and although you have exchanged
football for tennis, you are still as caring, simple and intelligent as before!

As I recall the seminary days, I appreciate your patience when you would patiently
go through again and again the refrains of the responsorial psalms so that I could
chant them at the morning masses. You were also kind to compose simple tunes
for me to chant as I was so nervous.

I am so happy that you were sent for further studies and earned a doctorate in
Moral Theology. You now head the Catholic Research Center and the Malaysian
Church needs more researchers like you to respond to the growing need to make
the Catholic faith and practice relevant to our Malaysian society. The ‘Catholics
at Home’ podcast which you started and also host is a good example of the type of
creative response we need and can provide.

God is indeed wonderful in creating you and calling you to be His priest. Your faithful
response in trusting that ‘His grace is sufficient’ has borne much fruit. Joining you and
many others in celebrating your jubilee and may our Good and Gracious God bless
you with many more years of fruitful and joyful ministry in His vineyard.

Message from Fr Nelson Joseph

(Minor Basilica of St Anne, Bukit Mertajam, Penang)

Congratulation Rev Fr Clarence on your 25th sacerdotal anniversary.

May God continue to bless you with good health and joy in your ministry.
Ad Multos Annos.

Message from Fr Michael Raymond,
OFM Cap

(Church of Divine Mercy, Sg Ara, Penang)

Dear Rev. Fr Dr Clarence Dass,

Greetings of Peace

Congratulations my dear brother on the auspicious occasion of your
Silver Jubilee celebration. Kudos on reaching this remarkable milestone
in the journey of your priesthood. Personally, it has been a memorable
journey thus far. It is an honour for me to have you as a wonderful friend
and companion since our days together in the seminary and it gives me
great joy and pleasure to be here with you and congratulate you on your
25th Sacerdotal Anniversary.

As a priest, you have led the community to the table of the Lord in
worship. As an educator you have developed your own abilities so as
to communicate to the People of God the wonderful teachings of the
Church and the Gospel way of Life. For many years you have served God
and His people faithfully through your distinguished teaching. You have
also shown remarkable leadership in helping God's people recognise
their gifts and use them to build the community in Church.

The mission of running the good race and fighting the good fight
continues. May the Lord, the Good Shepherd continue to guide you as
you shepherd the flock entrusted to your care to more fruitful years
moving forward. My prayer is that God continues to renew your strength
and vigour in carrying out Christ's mission. Ad Multos Annos.

May the Lord bless and keep you; may He make His Face shine upon you and
be merciful to you; may He turn His Countenance toward you and give you

26 His Peace! (Num. 6:22-27)

Message from Fr Andrew Manickam,
OFM Cap

(Kuala Lumpur)

Rev Fr Dr Clarence Dass is a good friend of mine. He is courteous and kind
hearted. An intelligent person in the seminary but down to earth especially
in his relationship with me.

Fr Clarence is indeed a sportsman. He was a college footballer. I see in him,
a balanced individual from the Seminary until now. He takes his spiritual
and physical life seriously. All in balance. As a priest he is available to give
his services whenever there's a need.

Overall l see him as a man of integrity and faithful in his priestly duties
and commitment. I take this moment to wish him prayerful wishes as he
celebrates the silver Jubilee of his Sacerdotal Ordination. May God bless
him abundantly.

Message from
Fr Dr Michael Teng Woon Pheng

(Graceville, Majodi Centre, Johor)

Congratulations and blessings on your Sacerdotal
Silver Jubilee Clarence.

Grace and gratitude for God’s guidance and strength
all these years, in His vineyard, in various capacities.

Praise be the Lord, for His steadfast love and
faithfulness.

27

!

! !

Your Grace is !
Sufficient for Me

My growing years was spent in
a small suburban town and
since the Catholic community
was small, almost everyone was
invited to the celebration of the
sacraments. It was not only the
recipient of the sacrament and
the immediate family; the whole
parish community celebrated
these events.

28

!

“I remember as a young boy seeing my great
grandmother flipping page after page of her worn and

torn prayer book every night. In between the pages,
there would always be a prayer card there, not meant
as a bookmark, but to indicate it was that prayer that

needed to be said when she reached that particular
page. This would go on for a while and what amazes

me today as I think back is the faithfulness that
she would do this day after day without fail. Simple

recitation of prayer but done with faith, zeal and
perseverance.”

– Fr Clarence

29

Parish Life !

Church of the Assumption, !!
Petaling Jaya !

Father Clarence served at the Church of the
Assumption, Petaling Jaya for 3 years.

During his tenure, he was involved with the youth
and other parish ministries. He is a very pragmatic
and dedicated priest and always had time for his
parishioners.

We supported the same soccer team and sometimes
watched games together.

Congratulations Father Clarence on your 25th
Sacerdotal Anniversary. With God’s graces, may you
continue for another 25 years.

May the Lord bless you, and keep you;
May the Lord make His face shine upon you;
and be gracious to you;
May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace.
(Numbers 6:24-26)

Vincent Soh
Chairman, Parish Pastoral Council (1997-1999)
Church of the Assmuption, Petaling Jaya
(Currently residing in New Zealand)

30

Church of Our Lady of Fatima, !
Brickfields !

It is a privilege and honour for me to write a few words in conjunction with !
the 25th Sacerdotal Anniversary of our beloved Fr Clarence Devadass.
31
On 1st March 2004, Fr. Clarence shouldered the duties as Parish Priest
of the Church of Our Lady of Fatima in Brickfields. In addition, he also
assumed responsibility of looking after the pastoral needs of Catholics in
the Puchong area.

His gentle and friendly demeanour endeared him to the parishioners. His
homilies were not high flown, yet he expounded the readings of the day in
a very vivid manner that drove the message home.

Fr Clarence was instrumental in reviving the Youth Ministry in the parish. He
first encouraged them to organise an Easter Youth Musical and subsequently
various other activities which has kept the ministry alive until today.

I was privileged to be the Parish Pastoral Council Chairperson at that time
and to be under his leadership and guidance.Amongst the noteworthy events
that were organised during his tenure as parish priest was the initiation of
Inter Religious Dialogue sessions amongst the Christian Churches in the
Brickfields area and tending to the needs of the refugees.

There was something unique about Fr Clarence’s
attachment to the Church of Our Lady of Fatima. After
having served as parish priest for seven years, he was
posted here again on another two occasions as our
shepherd.

As I conclude, I pray and wish Rev Fr Dr Clarence Devadass
God’s choicest blessings and favour.

Dr. Edgar Frank
Chairman, Parish Pastoral Council (2002 – 2016)

Message from OLF youths

The Youth Ministry from the Parish of Our Lady of Fatima, Brickfields
have been no strangers to Fr Clarence Devadass. Over the years, Fr
Clarence has been a role model, a mentor & a great friend to the young
people in OLF.
From the launch of ‘Casa De Fatima’ back in early 2000, Fr Clarence has
constantly made an effort to engage with the young individuals of the
parish and has made such an impact on many of us who were baptised by
him and with whom he has journeyed throughout our Sunday School until
the Sacrament of Confirmation.

32

Fr Clarence was instrumental in reviving the
Youth Ministry in our parish and over the years
had consistently journeyed with the young
individuals of the parish. From Easter plays,
youth animated masses or relaying various ideas
to generate more engagement from the young
people of the parish, Fr Clarence has always been
able to lead us in the right direction.

Fr Clarence as we know him is a man of his word.
Through the years of social agenda and the
disconnection that there may be when it comes to
faith & the interest of the young members of the
parish, Fr Clarence has always been able to guide
the Ministry to allow for creativity & passion to
drive our efforts reflected from the Gospel.

Besides being a man of great faith and knowledge, Fr
Clarence has constantly provided an environment
of fun and has genuinely made an impact in the
lives of the young people of this parish.

With that, congratulations Fr Clarence
on making it to your 25th Sacerdotal
Anniversary. We thank God for your
gift as a presider, faith leader and a
great friend. May you continue to be
blessed with wisdom, love and the
ability to touch the hearts of all the
young people.

33

Church of St Paul the Apostle,
Kuala Kubu Bharu

Even though Fr Clarence Devadass was our Administrator for
a short time between 2018 and 2021, he had seen to the urgent
needs of the parish.

During his time with us, rain water had damaged the garage
roof that it almost collapsed. The main church gutters were also
in a bad condition. While plans were set in motion to replace
them, a more dangerous problem cropped up. This time the
suspended ceiling boards in church were falling on the pews
which endangered the lives of parishioners. Fr Clarence replaced
the old suspended ceiling with plaster ceiling, and changed the

! lightings to LED lights. He also installed wall fans. We are more

comfortable with the cooler ventilation and these changes have
become the pride of our parish.

When the Movement Control Order was imposed by the Malaysian
Government in March 2020, no work on the garage roof and gutters could
be done until Fr Clarence received posting to another parish.

Fr Clarence had helped us celebrate the Feast of St Paul the Apostle with
a procession, something which has never been done before in KKB. People
from all over the country came to celebrate with us. This is truly indeed the
Spirit of Christianity gifted to the residents of KKB.

Fr Cla!rence always has the best interest of parishioners in his heart. He does

not make rash decisions and is loved by his parishioners. We wish him the
very best in his new parish where he may grant his grace to others too. In
short, we love his sermons, guidance, care and his sharing of Christ.

Ine Tan
Finance Committee

34 Church of St Paul the Apostle, KKB

Church of St Anthony, Pudu !
35
I am very pleased and honoured to be representing the
parish community of the Church of St Anthony for the 25th
Sacerdotal Anniversary celebration of our dearly beloved
Rev Father Dr Clarence Devadass.

Just like many of you here, I have been blessed to journey
and work with a number of priests over the years – each
one unique in his own way. Some had an affinity for the
youth, others were focused on spirituality, there were those
who set examples through the actions, some were more
administrative, but all worked towards building up this
church and parish community.

In the beginning of this year, we have been blessed with
a new shepherd in the person of Rev Fr Dr Clarence Devadass. The first
time I met Father, I could see the passion in his eyes and was captivated
when I heard him speak. Yes, indeed, here was another unique priest – a
challenging man, perhaps.

We would soon be moving forward towards a new vision and strategic
implementation. He has already enhanced some of the ministries - Liturgy,
Altar Servers, Media Team, Hospitality, EMHC, Choir and the revival of

the maintenance team among others. With
his tech-savvy and innovative mind, there
have been many changes and improvements
during this short span of four-months that
he has been here.

Now with the reopening of the churches,
Fr Clarence has been urging the faithful to
return to church and to serve. “We are called
to serve and not to be served” is his constant
reminder to everyone.

!

Church of St Anthony, Pudu

!!

After celebrating Mass, he takes the time to personally greet and talk to the
parishioners as they leave the church.

Father Clarence’s youthful spirit has become an inspiration to both the
young and old alike. Thank you for sharing your exuberance with the ‘not
so young’ among us. His enthusiasm in making every Mass a beautiful
celebration makes it a memorable occasion for us each time.

! With his ideology and standing firm in his decisions,he stands as a wonderful
role model to the young, especially the servers that stand with him at the
altar. For those who seek healing of mind and soul, he sits patiently hearing
our confessions before Mass.

Father, on behalf of the parishioners, I wish to express our thankfulness to
you for accepting our parish as your flock. Please accept our weaknesses
and guide us in our journey together as one parish community.

Congratulations and God bless you Father!

Winson Rajah
Chairman, Parish Pastoral Council

36 Church of St Anthony, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur

Message from the staff of
Catholic Research Centre

"And I will give you Pastors according to mine own
heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and
understanding..." (Jer 3:15).

Fr Clarence, may God grant that you be abundantly blessed
with the imperishable fruits of the Spirit - Love, Joy, Peace,
Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and
Self-Control.

You are truly a priest after our own heart, and all the above
fruits we surely would have experienced one way or another
at the Catholic Research Centre.

Love and Prayers from your staff as you celebrate your 25th
Priestly Ordination.

37

Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue

Let us give all praise and thanksgiving to
Almighty God for leading Rev Fr Dr Clarence
Devadass along the path of priesthood from his
hearing the call of God to be a priest of God
to one who has been serving faithfully over the
past 25 years.

At the CFM Christmas Day I had the privilege of working with Fr Clarence
Hi-tea hosted by the National since he was appointed in May 2011 to March
Evangelical Christian 2021 (with a sabbatical away from Malaysia in
Fellowship (NECF) in Full 2017 till early June 2018) as one of the principal
Gospel Tabernacle Church, secretaries of CFM from the Catholic Church in
Subang Jaya, 2014. The Deputy ! Malaysia.
Prime Minister then was Tan
Sri Muhyiddin bin Yassin who It has been a joy working with Fr. Clarence all these years as he is one who is
attended on behalf of the gentle of disposition, firm in his theological beliefs, deeply spiritual in his life
Prime Minister. and manner, always caring for others and among the first to lend a helping
hand. I shall remember distinctly his question to some of us one day when he
asked why we as Christians are only coming together because of a common
threat and not because of our common foundation in Jesus Christ.

38 Fr Dr Clarence Devadass along with CFM representatives and others meet with the National Unity
Consultative Council (NUCC) members (3 June 2014).

!

At the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity event held at Church of the Assumption,
Petaling Jaya on 24 January 2019.

(L-R) Rev Dr Sivin Kit, Fr Dr Clarence Devadass,
Eugene Yapp & Tan Kong Beng having a theological
discussion on church and national issues among
ourselves in Seminari Theologi Malaysia (STM),
Seremban (2016)

!

Fr Dr Clarence Devadass and invited guests at the CFM’s Christmas Day Hi-tea !
at Luther Center, Petaling Jaya in 2018.

May Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour continue to grant you, Fr. Clarence,
His love, grace and favour each day and may the Holy Spirit be your daily
companion in your life of service to the Triune God and to His people
wherever Almighty God sends you to or entrust into your hands to do.
Amen.

Tan Kong Beng 39
Executive Secretary

The Christian Federation of Malaysia

Dear Fr Clarence,

A happy and joyous 25th Sacerdotal Anniversary of your priestly ordination.

We at the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism have had the pleasure of working with you
for 10 years and we appreciate your invaluable sharing and opinions at all
our Exco meetings.

Thank you for your genuine passion in promoting inter-religious dialogue.
We wish you the best in your ministry in the Catholic Church in particular
and your contribution to humanity in general.

National MCCBCHST
Executive Council

40

“Living in a multicultural and multireligious country, most of us realise that Working for Peace and Harmony
respect and mutual understanding constitute important dimensions of a

culture of peace. However, if left only to institutions and politicians, we may
never achieve the kind of peace that most of us want. If we do recognize the
imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions in enhancing
mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation among people, then it must

be in the hands of ordinary people.”
– Fr Clarence

41

Working for Peace and Harmony !

!
42

!

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In 2017, Fr Clarence took a year’s sabbatical June 2017 | 3
and was a Visiting Fellow at the Faculty of
Divinity, University of Cambridge in UK.
During that time, he gave us snippets of his
life through his ‘A view from my window’
which appeared every month in the CANews.
We share an extract from his column prior
to his return to Malaysia.

It has certainly been a privilege to have been
accepted as a Visiting Fellow at the University
of Cambridge and it has been an experience to
treasure. One of the reasons for applying to the
University of Cambridge is because the Faculty of
Divinity offers an ecumenical and interreligious
environment to engage in research and study.
Having had most of my years of formation for the
priesthood and post graduate studies in a Catholic
institution, I wanted to experience life in the
academia in another setting.

The University of Cambridge has certainly afforded Formal evening dinner at St Edmund's College, !
me this opportunity to engage and network with University of Cambridge, with dean, Fr Alban McCoy,
people from different parts of the world and OFM Conv.
areas of study. The experience of being involved
in research, writing, discussions and engaging
with the faith, has brought along with it a deeper
understanding of the mystery of the Church which
is made real by the people who profess the faith of
the Church.

43

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Catholics @ Home

The Catholics At Home is a Malaysian born Catholic Podcast that
was introduced when the first lockdown was implemented in
Malaysia back in March 2020. The podcast went on air for the very
first time on the 1st of April 2020 and had since brought the church
closer to the living rooms of the faithful when its doors were forced
to close during the pandemic.

Mark Darren Lee

I’m thankful to have known Fr Clarence for 25 years from his first assignment
in Assumption Church PJ, where he was the assistant parish priest to Fr Volle.
We were blessed to have him guide the Altar Servers and that's where my
journey with Fr Clarence began. We had a diverse group of servers from all
backgrounds and he managed to set the foundation for us to become decent
adults rooted in faith. He was a great leader and was always open to ideas
which brought out the best in every altar server. He has great leadership
qualities, is always calm and knows how to control the game just like his hero
Eric Cantona on a football field. On top of that, he’s always had the passion
for technology & communications from the time he was in Assumption PJ,

44 where he kick started their website.

Fr Clarence has always been a mentor and
inspiration to me. When the pandemic hit, Kevin
Francis and I had an idea to bring content to enrich
Catholics who were then at home, and we presented
it to Fr Clarence. He was receptive to the idea but
he always kept us focused on the important things
we needed to do in order to grow to where we are
today. We’re so blessed to have him lead the team
of Catholics At Home who turned 2 this year, with
over 100 episodes, 2 Christmas LIVE shows backed
by a strong production and host team. Fr Clarence
has always pushed us to be inclusive which has
allowed the podcast to branch out to our praise
sessions with Jamming 4 Jesus, the Tamil podcast
and also the Willing Hearts Facebook Group which
is our Catholic Marketplace.

Fr Clarence, congratulations on your 25th kind of person to do that, it takes a Father Clarence
sacerdotal anniversary. Thank you for the wisdom to make it happen
and guidance through the years. We love you and
always remember, You’ll Never Walk Alone. JP

Kacang Kevin My first experience dealing with Fr Clarence was 45
when we were hosting my first episode of CAH. Up
Fr Clarence has always exuded wisdom, from a to that point, I've only heard about his reputation
very young age. I know this because he's a true as Editor for the long running Catholic Asian
blue Manchester United supporter. News. As our resident spiritual director, I've been
able to learn so much from him about the faith,
MAG how to deal with sensitive topics with empathy
and speaking to our guests with compassion.
Father Clarence is a powerful combination of
intelligence and a whole lot of heart. Through Patrick Archibald
CAH, I’ve gotten to know Father Clarence better.
I'm always in awe of how mindful he is, and Fr Clarence is super pastoral. Even while managing
it’s always interesting to watch him maneuver a social podcast like CAH, he is sensitive and
through difficult questions and give you answers concerned about the content and topics covered. I
that blow your mind. It definitely takes a special have learnt a lot from him in this aspect.

Glenn Yap

Fr Clarence is very focused,always having the bigger
picture in mind. He knows how to balance being
stern & serious yet also being diplomatic & jovial.
One would get a sense of Mission & Purpose while
spending time with Fr CD - I greatly appreciate his
efforts for us to discover more & see more about
our Life, our Faith, our Community & being in
contribution with & thru Christ.

Sauriyammal Rayappan Engelina Daniel

Father Clarence was a parish priest at Fatima Happy and blessed 25th sacerdotal anniversary to
Church in Brickfields when I met him. Father you. I thank the Lord Almighty for giving us you
later told me about his plan to launch a Tamil as a gift to us in our spiritual journey. May God
version of the online show "Catholics at Home," protect you from all harm and danger. Amen.
and he invited me to be one of the moderators.
I'm grateful to Father for that, because I've learnt
a lot about my Catholic faith and I feel honored
to be a servant of God along the way. When I was
sick, Father Clarence kept me in his prayers and
checked on my status on a regular basis. Father,
thank you for everything!

Perzeus James Latha Ranggasamy

I personally experienced the love of God when Congratulations and blessings on the day of your
journeying with you Fr Clarence; love that is known ordination to the priesthood. In these 25 years you
to be unbreakable, unshakable, unconditional have touched many people from all walks of life
and infinite. Your devotion to the mission of God with your pastoral care, patience, kindness and
is an inspiration to us as lay ministers, may the humbleness – what’s more, your contagious smile
power of the Holy Spirit stay on you and remain that softens the hearts of all individuals. As you
on you for the rest of your life, to use you to soldier on in your priestly ministry, may Christ
lead more people to our Saviour and Lord Jesus our Lord bless you abundantly with peace, joy, and
Christ. Congratulations dear Fr. Blessed Happy perfect health for many more years to come.

46 Anniversary.

People, Places, Faces

47

48

People, Places, Faces