Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching (Latin: Archidioecesis Kuchingensis) is a Metropolitan Latin archbishopric of the Roman Catholic Church in Sarawak, a Malaysian state on Borneo, however remains dependent on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Coat of arms of Simon Peter Poh Hoon Seng
Archdiocese of Kuching Archidioecesis Kuchingensis Keuskupan Agung Kuching | |
|---|---|
 St Joseph Cathedral, Kuching | |
| Location | |
| Country |  Malaysia |
| Territory | Kuching, Bau, Serian and Sri Aman |
| Ecclesiastical province | Kuching |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 19,173 km2 (7,403 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2021) 812,900 240,575 (38.2%) |
| Parishes | 19 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 1976 |
| Cathedral | St Joseph's Cathedral in Kuching |
| Patron saint | Saint Joseph |
| Language | |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Simon Peter Poh Hoon Seng |
| Suffragans | Richard Ng (Miri) Joseph Hii Teck Kwong (Sibu) |
| Vicar General | William Sabang |
| Bishops emeritus | Dato John Ha Tiong Hock Dato' Sri Peter Chung Hoan Ting |
| Website | |
| kuchingcatholic | |
Its cathedral archiepiscopal see is in St Joseph's Cathedral, in Kuching, Sarawak.
Former auxiliary bishop Simon Peter Poh Hoon Seng was appointed Archbishop of Kuching by Pope Francis on 4 March 2017 following John Ha Tiong Hock's resignation.[2]
Erected in 1927 by Pope Pius VI as an Apostolic Prefecture, Kuching was elevated to Metropolitan Archdiocese by Pope Paul VI in 1976 with the suffragan dioceses of Sibu and Miri.
History
- It was erected it as the Apostolic Prefecture of Sarawak by Pope Pius XI on 5 February 1927, on territory split off from the Apostolic Prefecture of Labuan and Borneo.
- It was promoted to the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuching by Pope Pius XII on 14 February 1952.
- Lost territory on 1959.12.19 to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Miri (now its senior suffragan see of separated Apostolic Vicariate of Brunei Darussalam and Diocese of Miri).
- Pope Paul VI elevated it to the rank of a metropolitan archdiocese on 31 May 1976.
- Lost territory on 1986.12.22 to establish the Diocese of Sibu as its second suffragan (by the installation of Dominic Su Haw Chiu as its first bishop).
Ecclesiastical Province
Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's own Archbishopric and the following suffragan sees, both daughter dioceses :
Bishops
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Archbishop Simon Poh
The following are the lists of ordinaries (bishops of the diocese) and auxiliary bishops, and their terms of service. They are followed by other priest of this diocese who became bishop.[3]
Apostolic Prefects of Sarawak
- Edmund Dunn, MHM (1927–1935)
- Aloysius Hopfgartner, MHM (1935–1949)
- Jan Vos, MHM (Born in The Netherlands; 1949–1952); elevated to Apostolic Vicar
Apostolic Vicars of Sarawak
- Jan Vos, MHM (1952–1968)
- Charles Reiterer, MHM (1968–1974)
- Dato' Sri Peter Chung Hoan Ting (1975–1976), elevated to Archbishop
Archbishops of Kuching
- Dato' Sri Peter Chung Hoan Ting (1976–2003)
- Dato John Ha Tiong Hock (2003–2017)
- Simon Peter Poh Hoon Seng (2017–present)
Former Auxiliary Bishops of Kuching
- Dato John Ha Tiong Hock (1998–2003), appointed Archbishop of this diocese
- Simon Peter Poh Hoon Seng (2015–2017), appointed Archbishop of this diocese
Other priest of this diocese who became bishop
- Richard Ng, appointed Bishop of Miri in 2013
Ordained priests
- Msgr. William Sabang
- Rev. Fr. Adrian Kho
Rev. Fr. Albert Jacobse, MHM- Rev. Fr. Alvin Ng, SJ
Rev. Fr. Andre Delimarta, SDB
Rev. Fr. Arockyaraj Pavulu, CMF- Rev. Fr. Augustine Jepy
- Rev. Fr. Bernard Jim Bujang
- Rev. Fr. Berchmans Rayar, CMF
- Rev. Fr. Christopher Laden
- Rev. Fr. David Au, OFM
- Rev. Fr. Davie Entalai
- Rev. Fr. Don Don Romero Ramerez, OFM
Rev. Fr. Eugenio Gocela Maglasang, SDB- Rev. Fr. Felix Au
- Rev. Fr. Francis Dakun
- Rev. Fr. Galvin Richard Ngumbang
- Rev. Fr. Henry Jimbey
- Rev. Fr. Jerome Juleng
- Rev. Fr. John Chong
- Rev. Fr. John Ekly Direk
- Rev. Fr. Joseph Chai
- Rev. Fr. Joseph Lee, OFM
- Rev. Fr. Joseph Liew
- Rev. Fr. Joseph Ng, SJ
- Rev. Fr. Larry Tan Cheong Kee, SJ
- Rev. Fr. Lazarus Swinie
- Rev. Fr. Leonard Yap
- Rev. Fr. Lucas Ng, CDD
- Rev. Fr. Mark Noel Bunchol
- Rev. Fr. Martin Wong
- Rev. Fr. Nicholas Ng
- Rev. Fr. Patrick Heng
- Rev. Fr. Paul Herry
Rev. Fr. Paul Hu Pi Xian, CDD- Rev. Fr. Paul Ling Keh Yiing
- Rev. Fr. Peter Liston
- Rev. Fr. Pratap Baskey, CMF
- Rev. Fr. Prince Carneelyes Arockiam, CMF
- Rev. Fr. Ramon Borja, SDB
- Rev. Fr. Robert Jissem
Rev. Fr. Stanley Goh, SJ- Rev. Fr. Stephen Chin
- Rev. Fr. Stephen Lim
- Rev. Fr. Vincent Chin[4]
Deceased priests
Rev. Fr. Terence Burke, MHM (1944 - 2017)- Rev. Fr. James Meehan, MHM (1933 - 2018)
- Rev. Fr. Peter Aichner, MHM (1914 - 1995)
- Rev. Fr. Leopold van Rooyen, MHM (1917 - 2008)
- Rev. Fr. Joachim Pang (1921 - 2007)
- Rev. Fr. Richard Khoo Choon Phoe (1940 - 2016)
- Rev. Fr. Dato Lawrence Chua (1936 - 2021)[5]
Rev. Fr. Michael O'Brien, MHM (1941 - 2022)- Rev. Fr. Noel Hanrahan, MHM (1928 - 2019)
Statistics and extent
As per 2021, it pastorally served 240,575 Catholics (38.2% of 812,900 total) on 19,173 km² in 12 parishes with 37 priests (26 diocesan, 11 religious), 82 lay religious (13 brothers, 69 sisters), 5 seminarians. There is a major seminary of St. Peter.
There are about 19 parishes and chapels administering outstations around the archdiocese.
Parishes
- St. Joseph's Cathedral, Kuching (Priest in charge: Rev. Bernard Jim Bujang, Rev. Larry Tan Cheong Kee, SJ, Rev. Galvin Richard Ngumbang & Rev. Mark Noel Bunchol)
- St. Peter's Church, Padungan (Priest in charge: Rev. Vincent Chin)
- St. Ann's Church, Kota Padawan (Priest in charge: Rev. Don Don Romero Ramerez, OFM & Rev. David Au, OFM)
- St Teresa's Church, Serian (Priest in charge: Rev. Leonard Yap, Rev. Arockyaraj Pavulu, CMF, Rev. Pratap Baskey, CMF & Rev. Robert Jissem)
- St. Stephen's Church, Bau (Priest in charge: Rev. Peter Liston, Rev. Paul Herry & Rev. Augustine Jepy)
- St. Jude's Church, Bunan Gega (Priest in charge: Rev. Berchmans Rayar, CMF, Rev. John Ekly Direk & Rev. Prince Carneelyes Arockiam, CMF)
- Sacred Heart Church, Kota Sentosa (Priest in charge: Rev. Felix Au, Rev. Lucas Ng, CDD, Rev. Paul Hu, CDD & Rev. Stephen Chin)
- Blessed Sacrament Church, BDC (Priest in charge: Rev. Patrick Heng)
- Holy Spirit Church, Lundu (Priest in charge: Rev. Adrian Kho & Rev. Christopher Laden)
- Holy Trinity Church, Kenyalang Park (Priest in charge: Rev. Joseph Liew & Rev. Eugenio Gocela Maglasang, SDB)
- Chapel of Mother Mary, Stutong (Priest in charge: Msgr. William Sabang & Rev. Martin Wong)
- Our Lady Queen of Peace, Sri Aman (Priest in charge: Rev. Jerome Juleng, Rev. Joseph Chai & Rev. Henry Jimbey)[6]
Religious communities
Male
- Mill Hill Missionaries (MHM)
- Congregation of the Disciples of the Lord (CDD)
- Marist Brothers (FMS)
- Society of Jesus (SJ)
- Claretians (CMF)
- Order of Friars Minor (OFM)
- Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB)
Female
- Discalced Carmelites (OCD)
- Sisters of St. Francis of Sarawak (SSFS)
References
- "The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching - Mass & Service schedules". Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- "Pope appoints new head to Malaysian Archdiocese of Kuching". www.archivioradiovaticana.va.
- http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/kuch0.htm GCatholic.org
- The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching | Priests
- The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching | Priests
- The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching | Parishes
Sources and external links
- GCatholic.org, with Google map and satellite photo - data for all sections
- Official website
- Catholic-Hierarchy
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