Bishop Cornelius Refutes Storm Greg Speculation
KENINGAU(CS).- The head of Keningau said it was not for us to judge when responding to talks that the recent storm was sent by God to for our purification.
"Natural disasters do happen when people least expect it and the recent storm which caused flash flood could be the worst that Sabah has ever experienced," Bishop Cornelius Piong said.
The storm has been described as the worst tragedy of its kind to affect Sabah for over a decade. It hit the West Coast of the state on Dec 25 evening and in the early hours of Dec 26 and left a trail of destruction and death.
Two hundred and twenty bodies were recovered as of Jan 10, 107 are still missing, thousands lost their homes with an estimated damage of some RM130 million worth of government property.
Affected areas include the villages along Liawan and Bayayo Rivers with those along Pampang River the worst hit, death toll being 203.
The bishop said the diocese responded by "organizing the Diocesan Relief Committee to reach out to the victims and to bring them relief goods such as foodstuff, clothings, kitchen utensils and cutleries."
He said they were able to help 645 families or 3,732 individuals of different religions and nationalities.
The committee also helped several other affected areas such as Ansip, Bingkor Lama, Ulu Senagang, Bulu Silou-Agudon, Bunsit-Minansut-Linggawon, Limabawan, Ria, Tuarid Taud, Motou, Taman Kota, Pampang and Liawan, according to the bishop.
He also said the committee had received a lot of donations in cash and kind from parishioners, individuals, corporate bodies, non-governmental organizations as from other dioceses in the country, including the Kota Kinabalu (KK) Diocese.
In a related development, Bishop John Lee of KK Diocese said the storm did not do much damage in his diocese but singled out the diocese-owned St Simon's Educational Complex in Likas which had its roof blown off as the worst hit.
He said that the diocese also set up a Diocesan Relief Committee which distributed a large portion of the donations it received to Keningau and other affected areas.
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Terawi Produces Another Priest
PENAMPANG(CS).- Terawi, an outstation of St Michael's Parish here, was praised recently by a church prelate for its contribution to the diocese.
"I always feel that Terawi is growing in maturity," Bishop John Lee of the Kota Kinabalu Diocese said in his address after the ordination of Fr Nicholas Stephen Jan 9.
One of the clear signs of faith, the bishop said, is the number of people responding to the various vocations in the Church.
Stephen, 28, is the fourth priest from Terawi. The others are Frs Peter Abas, John Mansul and Alex Jimsy Julius.
Around 800 people turned up to witness the ordination at the Holy Nativity Church here. Among those who came were people from Sarawak and Singapore and a group of hearing-impaired faithful.
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Clergy Assignments (effective February)
Msgr Primus Jouil and Fr Marcellinus Pongking will transfer from St Michael Penamapng to St John Tuaran; Fr Alex Jimsy Julius to St Peter Claver Ranau, Fr William Poilis and Fr Aloysius Fidelis to St Michael Penampang.
Fr Martin Wong will move from Stella Maris Tg Aru to St Peter Kudat; Fr Francis Tsen to Stella Maris Tg Aru; Fr Ambrose Atang to St Dominic Lahad Datu, Fr Augustine Amandus to St Joseph Papar, Fr Nicholas Stephen to Sacred Heart Cathedral KK.
Fr Nicholas Ong will take charge of the Catholic Diocesan Centre and Labuan while Jesuit Fr Peter Kim will be going back to his community in Semenanjung.
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FSIC Has Six More Full Fledged Members
PAPAR(CS).- The local diocesan religious congregation has six more full fledged members when these took their final vows at St Joseph's Church here recently.
Sisters Christella Lim, Suzan Guntabid, Lounah Pulis, Terry Loukang, Joan Michael and Carmen Cordova made their final profession among the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC) Jan 2. Superior General Mother Aquinas Voon accepted the vows in the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Bishop John Lee.
After the profession, Voon said Lim would be stationed in Beaufort, Guntabid in Keningau, Loukang in Dontozidon, Pulis in Tg Aru, Cordova in Kota Kinabalu and Michael in Kiulu.
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FSIC Set To Move Ahead
BUNDU TUHAN(CS).- A local religious congregation is set to move ahead after having their first congregational planning here recently.
Around 52 professed members of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC) participated in their first Congregational Planning Dec 6-12 at the Bundu Tuhan Retreat Centre here.
The event was facilitated by Fr Manny Guazon of the Manila-based Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute (SAIDI).
The congregation was founded in 1936 by Msgr August Wachter mhm and currently it has 109 members in 27 convents in the state. The sisters are involved in education, parish work, Natural Family Planning, running hostels for students and working girls and a Senior Citizens Home.
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1996 Roundup
January:
Diaconate ordination of Nicholas Stephen, St Michael Penampang, by Bishop John Lee.
Keningau Diocese launched a 'pledge donation' campaign to raise funds for the upcoming building of a new cathedral to be located behind existing St Francis Xavier's Cathedral. Seating capacity of 2,000 and estimated cost of around RM2 million.
Death of Sr Mary Dolores of the Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph in England.
February:
Bishop Cornelius Piong attended the First Southeast Asian Regional Laity Meeting in Thailand.
Priestly ordination of Deacon Marcellinus Pongking in St John Tuaran by Bishop John Lee.
Stella Maris Tg AruYouth took top prize in the drama competition while St Paul Dontozidon emerged champion in the choir competition during the diocesan youth festival.
La Salle Br Herbertus Gampok started several domestic farming and agricultural projects in Nabawan.
March:
Fr Alex Jimsy Julius presided over the first Mass for hearing-impaired faithful in St John Tuaran.
Sacred Heart Cathedral parish became one of the first Malaysian Christian organizations to go online with its website: http://www.catholic.org/sacredheart/.
FSIC Srs Aileen Andau and Matilda Gomuru took their final vows.
April:
Mill Hill Missionary Fr Jan van der Salm died of cancer in Holland, after 30 years in Sabah.
Keningau Diocese organized a Marian Hymn choir competition in St Theresa Tambunan.
May:
Bishop Cornelius Piong celebrated his third Episcopal ordination anniversary.
Ordination of Carmelite Deacon Daniel Mary Lim, 35, in St Simon Likas by Bishop John Lee. He is the second Carmelite friar from Sabah, the first being Friar John Mary Chin of Sandakan, residing in Taiwan.
Kaamatan celebrations in both dioceses.
June:
Launching of the Keningau Diocesan Pastoral Plan during Pukat-3.
Bishop John Lee observed his ninth Episcopal ordination anniversary in Rome - during the ad-limina visit.
July:
Fr Thomas Sham, 76, celebrated his golden priestly jubilee.
Ad-limina visit by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
Fr Gilbert Engan visited the East Malaysian faithful working in Semenanjung
FSIC Novices Mary Wong, Regina Kimung, Catherine Francis, Florence Nemesius and Anita James and FSP Novices Shirley Chong and Amely Liew took their first vows.
St Francis Xavier Cathedral's Sports & Recreation Committee formed a football club, encouraged by Fr Erik Jerome.
August:
Observation of World Migration Sunday in both diocese.
Fr William Poilis ended his five-year tenure as rector of St Peter's College Kuching.
September:
Bishop Cornelius Piong received "datukship" (Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu[PGDK]) in conjunction with the 66th birthday of TYT Tun Hj Sakaran Dandai.
St Valentine Beaufort launched Kedai Kekitaan Sejati, a sundry shop which also sells agricultural products from the parishioners.
October:
Fr Manny Guazon facilitated the organizational planning for both dioceses.
Bishop Cornelius Piong launched Keningau's Basic Christian Community.
43 children attended a children's camp organized by Stella Maris Children's Liturgy in Bundu Tuhan Retreat Centre.
November:
Bishop Cornelius Piong ordained Deacon Bruno Lazarous Uhin at Holy Cross Toboh Tambunan.
Catholic Women's League of Sacred Heart Cathedral celebrated its silver jubilee.
December:
Bishops of both dioceses hosted open houses on Christmas day.
Tropical storm Greg hit the West Coast of Sabah and left over 200 people dead, some 100 missing, thousands homeless and damaged more than RM100 million worth of property.
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