Sandakan Diocese Erected, Second Bumiputera Ordained Bishop
SANDAKAN(CS Online).- More than 4,000 faithful came to witness the erection of Sabah's third diocese and the episcopal ordination and installation of its first bishop recently.
The ceremonial erection of the Diocese of Sandakan on the east coast of Sabah and the episcopal ordination of Father Julius Dusin Gitom,50, as its first bishop took place October 15 at St Mary's Cathedral here.
He is the second bumiputera to be ordained bishop; the first is Bishop Cornelius Piong of Keningau Diocese who was ordained bishop in 1993.
The Apostolic Delegate to Malaysia Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio presided over the three-hour ceremony, assisted by Bishops John Lee of Kota Kinabalu and Cornelius Piong.
Concelebrating with the four were eight other arch/bishops and 71 priests of the Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei Region, including a few from the Philippines and Thailand.
The twofold event is historical in two senses: first, with the appointment of Gitom as bishop, it confirms Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung's vision of St Peter's College in Kuching as a formative place for future priests and bishops.
Instituted in 1980 as a major seminary for East Malaysian candidates, the college has formed close to 60 priests. And now, after 27 years, Gitom is its first graduate to be appointed bishop.
Second, it was also the first time deacons were available to assist in an episcopal ordination, unlike the past four episcopal ordinations that had taken place in Sabah: in 1970 (Bishop (now Archbishop Emeritus of Kuching) Peter Chung, 1975 (Bishop Simon Fung), 1987 (Bishop John Lee) and 1993 (Bishop Cornelius Piong).
With limited seats in the main church building, many had to stay outside, some braving the strong sun armed with umbrellas and hats while others stayed under the shade of trees.
Even the sudden downpour that came around Communion time did not dampen the spirit and enthusiasm of the people. Among those who attended the ceremony were a local federal minister and four other state ministers.
BIshop's father, Gitom Tinggagau, and four of his brothers and their families were present to give him their moral support.
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Interior Diocese Has Three New Deacons
KENINGAU(CS Online).- The bells of St Francis Xavier's Cathedral here rang out joyously Sept 23 to announce the good news that the Interior Diocese would soon have three new deacons to serve its faithful.
About two months earlier, Bishop Cornelius Piong had ordained Deacons Claudius Andrew and Rudolf Joannes to the priesthood on June 2 at Holy Cross Church in Toboh Tambunan.
He presided over the Eucharistic Celebration which was concelebrated with Bishop-designate Julius Gitom and several priests from both dioceses of Keningau and Kota Kinabalu.
Within the Rite of Ordination, the three candidates, David Mamat, 35, of Tenom, Philip Anthony Muji, 37, of Tambunan and Gilbert Lasius, 29, of Tambunan, pledged respect and obedience to the bishop and his successors and took the commitment to celibacy in the presence of about 2,000 faithful, including the candidates' family members and relatives, and religious from both dioceses.
It was an "historic occasion," the bishop said in his speech, because "it was the first time the faithful of the diocese had witnessed the diaconate ordinations of three candidates together."
Dinner was served in the parish hall after the cake-cutting ceremony.
Holy Orders is the sacrament in which a bishop imposes hands upon a man, and uses the prescribed prayer, to confer spiritual power and grace to carry out the ordained ministry of the Church.
Within this one sacrament there are the three sacramental orders of diaconate, priesthood and episcopate, each administered separately, with successively higher sacramental powers.
Deacons are ordained to a ministry of service, and in communion with the bishops and priests they serve in the liturgy, in proclaiming the word and in works of charity.
Erected in 1993, the Keningau Diocese has a Catholic population of 102,777 out of a total population of 412,400, scattered in eight parishes, two missions with 181 outstations served by 14 priests, 78 religious and 200 catechists.
Out of the 14 priests in the diocese, six are from Tambunan. If Muji and Lasius make it to the priesthood by God's grace, they will be the seventh and eighth vocations from that place respectively.
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Putri Karmel Celebrates A Decade Of Presence In Sabah
KAINGARAN, TAMBUNAN(CS).- The Putri Karmel Sisters celebrated 10 years of existence in the Diocese of Keningau August 31 with lion dance and fireworks at St Mary Magdalene Chapel here.
It was a jubilee year for them as they also celebrated the Founder, Indonesian Carmelite Father Yohanes Indrakusama's ruby jubilee (1967-13 Aug-2007) and the congregation's silver jubilee of foundation (1982-19 March-2007) in Malang, Indonesia.
Bishop Cornelius Piong presided over the Mass which was concelebrated with Indrakusama and five other priests.
Around 600 people turned up to celebrate with the Sisters and Carmelitae Sancti Eliae (CSE) Brothers which was founded in 1986 in Indonesia, including Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan and wife Datin Seri Genevieve, and local philanthropist Datuk Victor Paul.
How it spread its wings to Sabah has its own story to tell.
In 1989 Indrakusama was one of the speakers at the Charismatic Convention organised in Sabah.
Since then the founder had made several visits with some of his male and female members.
At that time many of the youths he met expressed their desire to join his two congregations. So he thought it would be good to open a house in Sabah.
The founder communicated with Bishop John Lee about his intention to open a house in Sabah. At that time there was only one diocese. The bishop was agreeable provided there were candidates from Sabah.
So in 1993 Sisters Angelica and Magdalena came to conduct a vocation seminar in Sabah which saw many girls willing to enter the congregation.
That year the Keningau Diocese was erected with Msgr Cornelius Piong as its first bishop.
He accepted the congregation into his diocese on 10 Aug 1997.
The Putri Karmel had its first house in Kg Tipoh Tenom with Indonesian Sisters Angelica and Stefani and four local aspirants Gratia, Veronica, Maximilliane Soon, Eugenia and former Franciscan Sister Jude as the first community.
After profession, the members were sent to Indonesia and Rome to continue their formation.
On 19 March 2000 it relocated to Kaingaran Valley in Tambunan, an hour's ride from Keningau and around three hours' ride from Kota Kinabalu, where it has 19 huts for the professed members and a two-storey building with 24 rooms for the aspirants and novices.
In 2001, a retreat centre for 120 people was constructed, followed by the construction of a second building good for 250 people in 2004.
That same year saw the construction of a grotto which can accommodate 700 people. The grotto grounds are used during children and youth camps for Mass, concert, fire camps and candlelight ceremonies in honour of the Blessed Mother.
On 14 Jan 2006 a three-storey building comprising the St Mary Magdalene Chapel (capacity for 500 people), a conference hall below the chapel and a small kitchen at the basement was blessed and opened.
With Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia as the medium of communication, the congregation attracts many local vocations.
Its main apostolate is to conduct retreats, recollections and inner healing seminars (charismatic renewal style) for children, youth and adults.
Throughout its 10 years of existence the congregation has brought many people to conversion and initial experience of God's love and then slowly try to bring them into a deeper life in the Spirit through the Carmelite spirituality.
From five members in its inception in 1997 it has now 32 members.
On 1 April 2005 it spread its wings to Melaka-Johor Diocese to look into the spiritual needs of the workers from Sabah, Sarawak and Indonesia with its base in Majodi Centre, Johor.
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KK Chinese Curia Organises LOM World's 86th Anniversary
KOTA KINABALU(CS).- For the first time in its history, the Legion of Mary held a commemoration of the movement's foundation anniversary Sept 9 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral here.
Besides the commemoration, the Mass, presided over by Father John Wong and organised by the Kota Kinabalu Chinese Curia (KKCC) was also to thank God for the successful Chinese Convention held in June, the KKCC's 17th anniversary and the Comitium's 9th anniversary.
Around 200 members from the three-language movement participated in the Mass and the fellowship.
The movement was founded in Dublin, Ireland, in 1921 by a group of 15 people under the guidance of Frank Duff, a young civil servant with the Department of Finance, as a new form of apostolate, visiting the sick and needy in twos, like the disciples.
Prayer in common, works of mercy and weekly meetings have been typical features of the movement from the beginning.
The life of the LOM is based on faith in the joint action of the Spirit and Our Lady in the work of redemption and the spread of the Kingdom of God throughout the world.
Its organisation is based upon the Roman army, whose terminology it had adopted.
The highest authority of the LOM is the Concilium Legionis in Dublin.
The basic unit is the praesidium, a group of people who work in the parishes following the instructions of the bishop and the parish leaders.
All the praesidiae in a parish or several parishes in the same area constitute the curia.
The work of the curiae and the praesidiae is coordinated by the Comitium. The Regia and the Senatus cover territories of large dimensions and whole countries respectively.
Members can be either active, who attend the weekly meetings and devote two hours a week to apostolic work, or auxiliary, who support the active members in the apostolic work with their prayers, and spread familiarity with the LOM and devotion to Our Lady.
Throughout its history, the movement has always been viewed with favour and supported by church authorities in the dioceses where it has developed.
Father Desmond McLindon, a Legionary in his youth in Ireland, brought the LOM to Sabah in 1950, first in Penampang, then in Jesselton.
It took root quickly and spread all over the state. The first curia was called North Borneo Curia, mooted on 14 July 1955 and spear-headed by Father Francis Cowan.
The Chinese Curia flourished in the then Sacred Heart Church (now Cathedral) in the 1950s and 1960s under the leadership of the late Thomas Lee and that of the late Dominic Yap.
But the Chinese Curia waned in the 1970s and 1980s and was revived on 8 Sept 1990 under Father Thomas Sham.
From the beginning the LOM has been attached to the Singapore Senatus and on 7 Nov 1998 it was elevated to a Comitium.
As of 31 Dec 2005, the Comitium has 10 curiae: KK English Curia, KK Chinese Curia, Star of Evangelisation Sandakan Curia, Queen of Family Tawau Curia, Inanam Curia, Tambunan Curia (Sr), Tambunan Curia (Jr), Beaufort Curia, Penampang Curia and Keningau Curia.
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SHC-Filipino Community Celebrates 21st Anniversary
PENAMPANG(CS).- The Sacred Heart Filipino Community celebrated its 21st anniversary with a dinner at a local restaurant here Sept 8.
After the speeches by the organising chairlady, Erma Fernandez and Parish Pastoral Council Chairman Damian Lee, followed by the inevitable cake-cutting, the 300 guests were entertained by a variety of songs and dances, including a number by local singer Peter Dickie Lee, with lucky draws in between.
One item was the presentation of all muse candidates. The one who gathered the highest amount of donation would be the muse queen, crowned by Mrs Alex Padua.
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Bishop Lee Exhorts Parishioners To Support New Diocese
SANDAKAN(CS).- In what may be his last official visit to Sandakan as bishop, Bishop John Lee exhorted the parishioners to give their undivided support to the new bishop.
"According to a recent census, the new diocese had a population of about a million, of which only six per cent belongs to the Roman Catholic faith. There is a big potential and a real challenge ahead for evangelical work among the people here," the bishop said in a speech at the parish dinner Aug 19.
Pope Benedict XVI has erected the Diocese of Sandakan covering the Divisions of Sandakan and Tawau July 16 and appointed Father Julius Gitom to head the diocese.
The official erection of the diocese will be held simultaneously with the episcopal ordination and installation of the bishop-designate on Oct 15.
More than 800 people attended the pot-luck parish dinner.
A video clip on the parish activities was presented besides presentations from the various groups and communities, interspersed with lucky draws.
Earlier on the day before (Aug 18), the bishop blessed the Multi-purpose centre in the presence of 200 people, including Deputy CM cum Minister of Infra Structure Datuk Raymond Tan who then opened the centre.
The 17 hostel boys rendered a welcoming song before the blessing and opening.
After the speeches by the chairman of the Board of Governors John Pang, the bishop and the state minister, the centre was opened with the unveiling of the plaque with the popping of party poppers.
Souvenirs were then presented to the donors who sponsored the classrooms in the centre.
The event ended with a thanksgiving song sung by the organising committee, the hostel boys and the guests.
Thereafter tea was served and the guests browsed through the photo exhibition on the phases of the construction of the centre. - John Pang/Raymond Wong
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212 Students Participate In Hari Warga Kampus-11
LIKAS(CS).- For the 11th consecutive year, the Campus Ministry Office (CMO) of the Kota Kinabalu Diocese jointly organised Hari Warga Kampus (Campus Day) with the Sabah Catholic Student Council (SCSC) at the St Simon's Subparish Centre Likas Sept 7-9.
Two hundred and twelve participants from 13 institutes of higher learning (three universities, two teachers training institutes and eight colleges) including three newcomers (Montfort Youth Training Centre, Cosmo Point and Multi Media College) took part in event.
The main resource speaker was Gabrielite Brother Thomas Paul of Montfort Youth Training Centre (MYTC) Penampang who spoke on loving oneself and appreciating the Catholic faith.
A highlight of the event was the unexpected visit of Bishop John Lee who dropped in briefly to say hello to the participants and to encourage them to make the most of it.
Campus Day is organised yearly for freshies (first year campus students) from the different institutes of higher learning to get to know each other, to know the challenges and temptations facing them as campus students and to strengthen their faith life.
Other speakers included Sr Anita James fsic and ex-UMS student Harry Lawrence who gave some tips to the participants on how to grow in their faith life.
Other activities included an open forum which elicited a number of questions from the floor and group presentations from the different institutes (Bakat Warga Kampus) in song, dance, mime or sketch.
The concluding Mass was presided over by Fr John Wong. During the Presentation of Gifts, each institute offered a symbolic gift.
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