Sandakan Diocese

SANDAKAN – St Mary’s Cathedral celebrated Sr Appollonia Gumpu’s 25 years of Religious Profession at the Cathedral Jun 20, with the theme ‘My soul glorifies the Lord.’

Twenty-five years ago, Sr Appollonia made her first profession in 1989 at the Loreto Covent, Novitiate, Kota Kinabalu. Sharing silver jubilee honors were Sr Appollonia’s peers, Sr Cecilia Wong and Sr Dorothy Aaron who came all the way from Kota Kinabalu for the joyous celebration.

TAWAU – The Family Life Ministry of Holy Trinity here organised activities to promote the wonders of family togetherness recently.

A faith-grounded family is one that sustains all its members, embracing everyone in their sight. They support and nourish each other to build a stable and united family, always pleasing to God.

Towards this concept of developing interaction and relationship, the Holy Trinity Family Life Ministry organized another activity to promote the importance and wonders of having time together with other families. To this end, and in conjunction with the celebration of the Most Holy Trinity Feast Day, a series of talks on family were conducted in May and early June to raise awareness on the values of family life.

SANDAKAN – A week after Pentecost, St Mary’s Cathedral Parish Catechetical Ministry organized the Neophyte’s Night with a thanksgiving pot luck dinner at the Parish Hall Jun 15. It was a joyful moment for all neophytes who had gone through the one-year RCIA process .

Last Easter, 382 new members were added to the church in the Diocese of Sandakan, with 121 coming from the Cathedral Parish.

The neophytes proceeded into the hall with lighted candles to the hymn of ‘Walk in the light.’ It is a manifestation of our willingness to be instrument of light for others. The little procession signaled a joyful welcome into the community.

SANDAKAN – On 20 Apr 2014, about 1,200 Catholic lay faithful residing within the vicinity of St Paul’s Church Ulu Dusun have every reason to celebrate Easter with joy and happiness. For, on that day they also witnessed the solemn blessing and official opening of St Paul’s Multi-Purpose Hall. The newly constructed hall is another land mark for St Paul’s Church which is a sub-parish of St Mary’s Cathedral, located some 50km away from town. It is situated beside the Church itself, up on a hill with magnificent view of the surrounding palm oil plantations.

The hall measures 30 ft by 80 ft, and accommodates two badminton courts, and another extension of 10 ft by 30 ft for an elevated stage and a basement room for meeting cum changing. It has a seating capacity of some 500 people.

“I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified…he has risen from

the dead…Go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee.

There they will see me.” (cf Matt 28:5, 7, 10)

Dear Brothers and Sisters

Give thanks for Easter! Give thanks for Resurrection!

The wonder of Resurrection is upon us once more. Christ is risen, death is vanquished and we are restored to a holy and intimate relationship with God.

Light has conquered darkness, life upon death and newness upon the old. The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ as the Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor 15:14, ‘If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.’  May we then embrace God’s ever-new life with our whole being.

TAWAU – Marriage life has somehow become the one issue that is being neglected. Most married couples or family take marriage life for granted. They are unaware of the need to be renewed spiritually.

The Family Life Ministry of Holy Trinity parish organized a one-day session on ‘Marriage Enrichment’ for 14 married couples at St Stephen Tass Ranggu, one of the outstation chapels of Holy Trinity parish Mar 29.

TAWAU – Reflecting on the meaning of Lent, some might say it is a season of fasting  and abstinence, some might accept it as an ordinary moment whereas to others, it is the time to discern and struggle to be a better individual.

Continuous formation in feeding on spiritual food seems to be the perfect way to understand deeper the meaning of Lent. Acknowledging this need, another recollection was held mainly for members of the Parish Liturgical Committee, facilitators of the Children Liturgy of the Word and all lectors and commentators Mar 15. Some 40 participants attended the session.

TAWAU – The 40 days of Lent is an occasion for us to examine our faith and deepen our commitment to live the Christian life. Some 30 English Joyful Sunday School students of Holy Trinity Church, Tawau, 12 parents and facilitators made a visit to the Old Folks Home Mar 25 to experience more of Jesus.