Roman Catholic Diocese of Sibu

Diocese of Sibu
Dioecesis Sibuensis
Keuskupan Sibu

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu
Location
Country Malaysia
Ecclesiastical province Kuching
Metropolitan Kuching
Statistics
Area 41,484 km2 (16,017 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		 (as of 2012)
800,000
110,853 (13.9%)
Parishes 12
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Rite Latin
Established 22 December 1986
Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sibu
Secular priests 25
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Joseph Hii Teck Kwong
Metropolitan Archbishop John Ha Tiong Hock
Emeritus Bishops Dominic Su Haw Chiu Bishop Emeritus (1987-2011)
Map

The Diocese of Sibu covers the area which are the divisions of Sibu, Mukah, Sarikei and Kapit
Website
www.catholic.my/dioceseofsibu/

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sibu (Lat: Dioecesis Sibuensis) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Malaysia.

Erected in 1986, from the Archdiocese of Kuching, the diocese remains a suffragan of its parent.

The first bishop was Dominic Su Haw Chiu, appointed in 1986, and requested for early retirement in December 2011 for health reasons. In 2008, due to growing number of Catholics in the diocese, the Pope appointed Msgr. Joseph Hii Teck Kwong as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Sibu. Bishop Joseph Hii Teck Kwong is the current bishop of Sibu

History

The Sibu Mission started in 1899 when Fr. Cornelius Keet first arrived. A small hut was built for the priest to stay on his travels to Bintangor and Sari (Sarikei). Although it was only a short stay, he managed to convert a few hundred persons to the Catholic faith before he was recalled to Kuching.

Fr. Vincent Halder arrived in Sibu in 1906. He built the old Sacred Heart Church on stilts which served the Catholic community until 1954. Fr. Halder is described as a most lovable character. He was extremely well liked by his boys and by all the people in Sibu. A new convent school was opened in 1929 and 13 churches were built in the lower Rejang area as the Mission was called. Fr. Halder left for Europe on 1 March 1931 and on his return, he fell ill and died in Singapore on 16 August 1936 at the age of 57. The Catholics from Sibu had his body brought back and he was buried in the mission compound. When his body was exhumed 28 years later to make way for development, it was found to be incorrupt, so he was given a second funeral around Sibu town.

Fr. Keet returned to Sibu and was assisted by Fr. Aloysius Hopfgartner. This was the first push in the Rejang District towards work among the Chinese. Education was of primary concern. Fr. Hopfgartner founded the Sacred Heart School and became its principal until he was transferred to Sandakan in 1908.

Fr. William van Odijk took over from Fr. Halder and the mission continued to flourish, looking also after the Lower Rejang area. Since 1910 Sibu is mentioned as a separate mission. Fr. Odijk died in 1936, aged 55.

Fr John Vos arrived and was mainly involved in school work. His stay in Sibu was short before moving to Kuching. He was succeeded by Fr James Buis in 1938. As the Sacred Heart School grew, priests like Fr. Thomas Delaney (1933–1937), Fr. William Wagenaar (1935–1938), Fr. Gerard Bruggeman (1937–1940), Fr. Francis Hulsbosch (1938–1939), Fr. John Dekker (1940–1942) were assigned to take up teaching posts. Besides school work they were also engaged in pastoral work.

In May 1942, the European priests were interned by the Japanese at Batu Lintang camp, Kuching. Fr. Joseph Chin was the only remaining local priest in the whole of the Rejang region, and had to go underground to carry out his priestly duties. He went house to house offering Mass secretly. Twice he was caught and was flogged and jailed. He was highly esteemed by all who know him. He was the builder of St Mary's church and was its first Priest (1967–1968). He died of cancer in 1969.

The Japanese surrendered in 1945. The interned priests were flown from Kuching to Labuan in September to recuperate for a short time. It was decided that some priests would go to Europe for long leave, others would start to re-open the mission stations. Fr. Buis returned to Sibu. So the mission revived and continued to flourish. Fr. Dekker revived the Sacred Heart School at the end of 1945. In a couple of years the schools and mission were back to a healthy growth. Fr. John Maher came in 1946 and taught for 5 years in Sacred Heart School.

Fr. James Buis was appointed Prefect for North Borneo (now Sabah) on 18 January 1947. Frs. John Dekker and William Wagenaar were appointed acting rectors during 1947-1950. During those years Fr. Clement Epping and Charles Reiterer arrived at Sibu to perform pastoral and educational work.

Fr. Adrian de Vos became the new rector of Sibu Mission in January 1950. He also became the principal of Sacred Heart School which by this time had 600 students. In 1954 the Mill Hill Fathers realised they could not cope with their missionary work and the school as well, so they invited de La Salle Brothers to take over the running of Sacred Heart School. Brother Fridolin became the principal.

Fr. Dominic Su was ordained by Pope John Paul II as Bishop of Sibu on 6 January 1987 in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome. Sibu became a new diocese. Fr. David Bingham has worked hard for 14 years mostly in the Selangau area. Selangau mission has undergone a lot of development, not only in buildings but also the stations of the cross on the hill slope. Fr. William Bos served Sibu Mission in looking after the Than Catholics in town, along the Oya and Igan. He served the diocese as Vicar General from 1987. BEC was established in Sibu on 27 July 1987. They were divided into 5 zones. In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Fr. Joseph Hii to be the Auxiliary Bishop of Sibu. He was ordained in May 2008.

Bishop of Sibu

RT. REV. DOMINIC SU HAW CHIU, DD

BISHOP OF SIBU
Date of Birth  : 26 May 1939
Ordained Priest  : 4 December 1969
Appointed Bishop of Sibu  : 22 December 1986
Ordained Bishop  : 6 January 1987
Telephone  : 084-317373, 084-336222
Fax  : 084-321299
Residence & Office  : Sibu Diocesan Centre, No. I, Jalan Lanang
Postal Address  : P. O. Box 495, 96007 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia.

MSGR JOSEPH HII TECK KWONG, DD

AUXILIARY BISHOP OF SIBU
TITULAR BISHOP OF CASTELLUM MEDIANUM
Date of Birth : 25 June 1965
Ordained Priest : 25 March 1993
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Sibu : 25 January 2008
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop : 1 May 2008
Telephone : 084-752141
Fax : 084-753617
Residence & Office : St Francis Xavier's Church, P O Box 4, 96707 Kanowit, Sarawak

List of parishes

There are 12 parishes administering 672 outstations around the diocese.

References

    See also

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