Malaysia: Archbishop Julian Leow Pushes Wheelchair-Bound Devotee to Van on Divine Mercy Sunday

On Divine Mercy Sunday at the Church of the Divine Mercy in Shah Alam, Selangor, West Malaysia, Archbishop Julian Leow Beng Kim of Kuala Lumpur personally pushed the wheelchair of a disabled devotee, Gladys Fernandez, to a Mobility Service van after Mass, a simple act that became the most memorable moment of her pilgrimage.

Fernandez, a mother of two and former nurse, had spent the last ten years unable to attend Divine Mercy Sunday due to severe mobility limitations caused by rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Confined largely to a wheelchair and dependent on transport assistance, she had long watched the annual celebration pass her by.

An ardent devotee of the Divine Mercy devotion, she had clung to the message beneath the image of Christ, “Jesus, I trust in You,” even as illness made participation increasingly difficult. This year, however, she resolved to make the 25-kilometre journey from her home to Shah Alam despite significant challenges.

Her ageing motorised wheelchair required charging facilities that were unavailable for its model, making the journey uncertain. Nevertheless, she boarded a Mobility Service van and set out for the church, describing the trip as a “pilgrimage of the soul.”

Upon arrival at the church compound, Fernandez faced immediate difficulty as her wheelchair had not been charged and she struggled to move independently. She also wished to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation but was unsure how she would reach the confessional.

Her situation was noticed by parish priest Fr. George Harrison, who immediately arranged assistance. With the help of volunteers, Fernandez was brought into the church and guided to the confessional, where she received the sacrament she had long desired.

Afterwards, she was placed at the front of the church to fully participate in the Divine Mercy Sunday liturgy. She joined the congregation in prayer and song as the celebration continued.

Following the Mass, Fr. Harrison invited Fernandez to a communal meal at the main table, where she was seated alongside Archbishop Leow and other clergy. The gesture, she later said, gave her a sense of dignity and inclusion within the Church community.

The most striking moment came at the end of the day when arrangements were made for her return home. As she prepared to board the Mobility Service van, Archbishop Leow stepped forward without ceremony and personally pushed her wheelchair across the church grounds to the vehicle. Witnesses observed the moment in silence as the Archbishop guided her gently, an act widely seen as one of humility and pastoral care.

Speaking to Radio Veritas Asia, Fernandez said, “It is not about me. It must be about the Good Shepherd and his humility in pushing my wheelchair all the way to my transport van and Fr Harrison, who saw to it that I was assisted into the church.”

Expressing gratitude, she added, “Your Grace, I am deeply grateful for your compassionate assistance. Seeing you, our spiritual shepherd, take the time to push my wheelchair was a powerful example of humility, kindness, and Christ-like love. It is a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Reflecting on the day, she said, “It was not my strength that brought me here, but God’s mercy. For ten years, I prayed to attend Divine Mercy Sunday, and this year, despite my limitations, the Lord made a way. When I received the Sacrament of Reconciliation and witnessed such kindness from the Church, I truly felt the hand of God moving me. All I could say was, ‘Jesus, I trust in You.’”

Fernandez, who lives alone but is supported by her daughter and a caring neighbour, said she has never felt abandoned despite her condition. She remains active in the Church as a member of the Prayer Missionaries group supported by the Pontifical Mission Societies of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. The group, formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, unites differently-abled faithful in prayer under the motto #WePrayGodHears.

She also participates in online retreats through the Logos Retreat Centre in Bangalore, India, allowing her to remain spiritually engaged despite physical limitations.

What began as a difficult 25-kilometre journey ended as a profound encounter of mercy, reconciliation, and service, marked most of all by a bishop who quietly took up a wheelchair and pushed one of his faithful to a waiting van.