Melvin Dawson a/l Michael Dass

Penang

My journey to the seminary began on February18, 2020 but my calling started way back if I could recall in 1982. While I was growing up in Cameron Highlands, I was actively involved as an altar server and I was privileged to serve under many priests and this was when a tiny spark began to light up, and the interest to be a priest was slowly beginning to form. As I was the only child I doubted if I could enter the priesthood at an early age as I had my mother to care for. When I completed my diploma, I started working and I took care of my mother. But as the saying goes “life doesn’t go the way you want it to”. Sadly, my mother suffered cancer twice but survived, but she succumbed to the third one and passed away in 2014.

Looking back during all these years, I knew God had a purpose for me; every trial that was put in front of me had prepared me to purify my intentions and to seek to follow further his will. From 2014 to around 2018, I was still searching and during this time, I was fortunate to meet Fr David Reegon, and I got close to him so that he played a vital part in my deciding on my vocation. He advised me to attend a 7-day discernment program from the 1st to 7th August 2018 in Penang. The camp was conducted by Fr Francis, Fr Alliston, Brother Vincent and Brother Fritz from the ICPE mission. It was during these few days of quietness, prayer and daily mass, that I knew something was stirring up within me, and the call to the vocation was beginning to unfold. Gospel passages from John 6:68 Jesus “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” and Mk 8:34-35, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it,” began to come so alive.

The hunger of my heart slowly began to take its course. My love for the Capuchin life led me to Padre Pio’s friary Ulu Tiram Johor where I spent three months. However, my discernment took a turn. The very call to the diocesan priesthood which I had always turned away from began to resurface. As I left for my break in January 2019, I met my parish priest Fr Robert Daniel and begun to explain about my intentions to join the seminary. He gave a very good explanation about the diocesan priesthood and even offered me a job in the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes in Ipoh. He helped me a lot in arranging to enter the seminary, and also set up an appointment with Bishop Sebastian Francis.

The unforgettable experience working in the parish in Ipoh under Fr Robert gave me a small glimpse as to what life in the parish is all about, in other words, the reality of what goes on in the daily life of a diocesan priest.

My discernment process and my formation are still going on. As I enter my First Year of Philosophy, I am challenged to look at things in various ways and from different perspectives.

I have to let go and let God be in control of my vocation.

Melvin Dawson