‘Virgin Mary’ to move from hospital to Klang church

 

The Catholic Church is withholding comment until the image has been

tested and verified. ― Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR,  Nov 13 ― Catholics and the curious eager to gaze upon the image of the Virgin Mary said to have appeared on a glass window pane of a hospital in Subang Jaya will soon have to make their pilgrimage to Klang.

The Sime Darby Medical Centre (SDMC) has agreed to give to the Catholic Church several glass window panes from its building that has been drawing some 2,000 devotees and curious visitors daily from as far afield as Singapore after word of the apparition’s appearance spread last week, said the local parist priest for Subang Jaya, Rev Father Simon LaBrooy.

“This glass panel will be moved to the Marian Church of Our Lady Lourdes Klang which will be more conducive for prayer and reflection.

Letter from Church of St Thomas More priest Rev Father Simon LaBrooy to Subang Jaya parishioners regarding the 'Virgin Mary' hospital apparition

“The Catholic Church in agreement with SDMC that the present situation cannot continue as we are concerned of the direct effect this may have on the emergency services of SDMC,” he told parishioners in a notice issued late last night.

The priest said he had discussed the issue with the Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Rev Murphy Pakiam, and with the hospital authorities and will be in charge of supervising the transfer of the glass panels to the Klang church, where he would be handing it over to the parish priest Rev Father Michael Chua.

He assured Catholics that utmost care would be taken in handling the glass panes and that the hospital will be engaging professionals to carry out the removal and transfer.

Hordes of devout Catholics have been flocking to the hospital grounds for a glimpse of the mysterious apparition to pray, sing hymns and light candles — clogging up further the already congested roads in the heavily-populated township on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

The image of the figure revered by Catholics who believe Mary to be the mother of Jesus Christ was reported to have been first spotted last week and has been captured on camera and reproduced on social media including Facebook where it went viral.

This is believed to be the first reported sighting of Mary in Malaysia. The phenomenon has been reported elsewhere around the world.

Some witnesses have also said they could make out a second image forming on another glass pane below the vertical row housing the apparition of Mary.

According to them, the second image resembled Jesus Christ on the cruxifix.

LaBrooy told The Malaysian Insider he received an anonymous text message alerting him to the image last Saturday and that he had also sighted the apparition on the window.

But he declined to comment on the authenticity of the images.

“The Catholic Church would withhold comment until the image has been tested and verified by theologians and church authorities, a process that will take time.

“In instances off authentic appearances of our Blessed Virgin Mary she has always asked us to pray for peace and to seek out her son Jesus Christ,” he said.