Written by Destiny N.s Galawis (CVS UiTM Puncak)
The CVS Welcoming Gathering is an annual event that is most eagerly awaited by students studying around Shah Alam. As the new semester begins, we want to welcome and celebrate the new students from various campuses through this event.
This year’s Welcoming Gathering carries the theme “The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal.” (Ezekiel 34:16) and was successfully held on the 26th of April 2026 (Sunday) at the St. Faustina Hall, organised by the Catholic Varsity Students (CVS) community.
Over 200 students from UiTM Shah Alam, UiTM Puncak Alam, UiTM Puncak Perdana, Xiamen University, Centexs, MSU, and other universities around Shah Alam gather together, making this the highest number of participants that we have achieved so far. However, this year we warmly welcome new faces from MSU into the family, who are students originating from Timor-Leste.
Franscoelo Carvalho Soares, the new student from Timor-Leste, studying at MSU, said that “Joining the Welcoming Gathering was truly a heartfelt experience for me. At first, I felt a little shy, but through the warmth, kindness, and Christ’s love shown by everyone, I quickly felt welcomed and connected. Meeting fellow Catholic students, sharing joyful moments, and experiencing true fellowship strengthened my faith and reminded me of the beauty of unity in Christ. It made me grateful to be part of a Catholic community that feels like a second home”.
After the 12 PM BM mass, students proceeded to the cafeteria for lunch. The event commenced with an opening prayer and a montage video, after which the Parish Pastoral Coordinator for CVS, Joseph Asim, delivered the opening speech, alongside UiTM’s Senior Lecturer, Dr. Lovelyna Benedict Jipiu. Subsequently, the Parish Priest, Rev Fr George Harrison, addressed the participants. Upon conclusion of their speeches, each speaker was presented with a token of appreciation—a self-portrait and family portrait, hand-illustrated by two talented members of CVS.
Then, before moving on to the next session, we had an ice-breaking session handled by CVS Xiamen. This is the first time that CVS Xiamen has participated in co-organising the program. Many of the students who came enjoyed this session and got new pictures together with their friends.
The event continued with a ‘Get to Know Us’ session. This session aims to introduce students to the CVS activities and committee members. The session started with an introduction of CVS UiTM Shah Alam, followed by CVS Xiamen, CVS Centexs, and wrapped up by CVS UiTM Puncak. After this session, we hope that more students will be interested in joining further CVS activities.
Caroline Rachel, a student from Xiamen University, said, “Welcoming Gathering is a place where students can feel at home, especially those who are far away from their hometown. It is enjoyable and entertaining, but also strengthens our sense of spirituality towards Jesus Christ. The CVS community is like a second family to me. Can’t wait for the next WG and further CVS activities.”
Despite our diverse backgrounds, we come together as a unified community. Catholic Varsity Students (CVS) offers an inclusive environment in which students can deepen their faith, build relationships, and maintain ties with the church. The Welcoming Gathering event serves as an opportunity for participants to connect and offer mutual support.
Around 3 PM, the event continued with a Praise and Worship session, followed by a games session. Students had fun singing, dancing, and playing together. Through this session, students were able to make new friends and create new bonds with other students from different universities.
Joelsne Dealdery Johnny, a semester 1 student from UiTM Puncak Perdana, mentioned that, “This is my first time joining Welcoming Gathering, one of the sessions I enjoy the most is praise and worship. I find the session really heart-touching as we glorify and lift up the beautiful name of God.”
Felix from Xiamen University also added that “Out of all the sessions, my favourite was during the games session since that session was where I got to know all of my group members. As the facilitator, getting to know all the members is important to ensure everyone is included during the games, and that is where I get to know them. Of course, all of the games were enjoyable since everyone on my team seemed happy.
Towards the conclusion of the program, students convened in smaller groups for a structured sharing session. This session involved two questions focused on reflecting upon the presence of God in their lives, in accordance with this year’s theme. Participants discussed factors that enhance their connection to God and explored their personal aspirations in life. The session was designed to foster a supportive environment, encouraging students to thoughtfully express their perspectives and emotions within their groups.
“The sharing session was my favourite part of the programme. I deeply appreciated listening to the personal stories shared by my group members. It was a meaningful moment where we learned from one another and strengthened our bond, not only as a team but also as children of God”, said Judnelleon, a senior student from UiTM Puncak Alam.
To wrap up, students gathered for a group photo and enjoyed tea time before returning to campus.