Why Drum used for therapy was vandalized?

Why the Drum and the Monstrance?
Six months ago it was a sad morning for the parish priest at Holy Nativity Parish Terawi, Penampang when he found out that his hand-drum and a sacred monstrance were vandalized in the church sacristy.

As he walked down the aisle to celebrate the Holy Mass, his facial expression showed that he was very disappointed and confused with the whole situation. He ended his brief homily that morning, with this profound statement, “Only God knows the inner motive of this person who did this undesirable act.”

Three days prior to that incident, he spoke to a group of elderly individuals and their caregivers about how he utilized his hand-drum to rejuvenate the elderly individuals in his place of work in Rochester, New York.

When he lived there, many elderly individuals joined his group known as “Peaceful Rhythmic Hand Drumming.” One of his programs was known as the “Changes in our lives as told in the Wisdom of the Drums”; where he empowered every elderly person to beat the drum and eventually to share what their feelings were. On that day, he shared about his past session on “Wisdom of the Drums” and he quoted an elderly woman who said, “We can feel our “heartbeats” through the sound of the drums and we all have a sacred story to share.”

He said, “Even though my hand-drum has been vandalized, the memories of it bring tears to my eyes and pain to my heart.” The reason was because the peaceful rhythmic sound of this hand drum soothed many elderly individuals in the nursing home, independently living and in the hospital in Rochester, New York.” He concluded with humility and with a prayerful voice, “It is sad that this person who vandalized this drum did not know its healing power.”

Another unbearable incident that occurred at the same time of the incident with the drum was when Father Peter found out that the monstrance, which is a vessel in which the consecrated Host is exposed for the adoration of the faithful, was smashed. This monstrance was given by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas of the Diocese of Rochester, New York just few weeks before Father Peter left for Malaysia. Father Peter was very upset with this incident and he said, “As if the hand drum was not enough, why was this sacred vessel, this monstrance, vandalized too?” With his empathetic voice, he concluded, “Let’s conquer evil with good.”

Until now the problem is left unsolved and still remains a mystery and an historic event in this newly inaugurated Holy Nativity Terawi Parish, Penampang.
Freelance Writer