Roman Catholic Diocese of Miri
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Miri (Lat: Dioecesis Mirensis) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Malaysia. Situated north-eastern region of the Archdiocese of Kuching, of which it is a suffragan diocese of.
Diocese of Miri Dioecesis Miriensis Keuskupan Miri | |
|---|---|
 Front View of St Joseph's Cathedral Miri in 2003 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Ecclesiastical province | Kuching |
| Metropolitan | Kuching |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 42,235 km2 (16,307 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics (including non-members) | (as of 2013) 900,000 130,000 (14.4%%) |
| Parishes | 17 |
| Information | |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Cathedral | St Joseph's Cathedral in Miri |
| Language | |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Richard Ng |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Simon Peter Poh Hoon Seng |
| Vicar General | Francis Kuleh Usat |
| Bishops emeritus | Anthony Lee Kok Hin Bishop Emeritus (1977-2013) |
| Website | |
| www | |
History Originally erected in 1959, as the Apostolic Vicariate of Miri, the diocese was formed from the Vicariate of Kuching.
The present Catholic community in the country finds its roots in the ministry of the Missionary Society of St. Joseph (Mill Hill Missionaries) They started schools all throughout Miri, starting with Good Shepherd School, at Claude Town (or present day Marudi).
After the Vicariate of Miri was established and, in the following year, Father Anthony D. Galvin (who was a Mill Hill Father himself) was consecrated the first bishop of the Miri Vicariate. He was ordained by Pope John XXIII in Rome on 5 May 1960.
Approximately 6 years later, on 2 January 1966, Father Anthony Lee (who was the first priest from Miri at that time) was ordained.
Pope Paul VI then established a new Church province in East Malaysia on 31 May 1976, and Miri Vicariate was raised to the level of a Diocese.
On 20 May 1977, Pope Paul VI appointed Father Anthony Lee as the first bishop of the Diocese of Miri, and he was ordained bishop in St. Joseph's Cathedral, Miri, on 20 Nov and the Diocese of Miri was officially proclaimed on the same day. The diocese is currently a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Kuching. On 11 November 1997, it lost its territory to the North of it (Brunei), to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Brunei. (Currently the Apostolic Vicariate of Brunei)
The current bishop is Newly ordained Bishop Richard Ng, appointed in 2013, Ordained and Installed in January 2014.
Ordinaries
- Anthony Denis Galvin, M.H.M. † (5 April 1960, appointed − 5 September 1976, died)
- Anthony Lee Kok Hin (30 May 1977, appointed − 30 October 2013, retired)
- Richard Ng (30 October 2013, appointed, 25 January 2014, Ordained − )
List of parishes
There are about 21 parishes and chapels administering many outstations around the diocese.
- St. Joseph's Cathedral, Miri
- Church of Mater Dei, Lutong, Miri
- St. Anthony of Padua’s Chapel, Tudan, Miri
- Holy Rosary Chapel, Piasau Utara, Miri
- Carmelite Monastery’s Chapel, Miri
- Holy Spirit's Chapel, Permyjaya, Miri
- St. Dominic and The Rosary Church, Taman Tunku, Miri
- Gereja Roman Katolik Ave Maria, Lambir, Miri
- Gereja Katolik Indai Maria, Bukit Peninjau, Miri
- St. Michael’s Church, Batu Niah, Miri
- St. Edmund’s Church, Limbang
- St. Martin’s Church, Lawas
- Good Shepherd’s Church, Marudi
- Blessed Sacrament Church, Long Lama, Baram
- St. Paul’s Church, Long San, Baram
- Gereja Katolik St. Francis Xavier, Belaga
- Holy Cross Church, Sungai Asap[1]
- St. Anthony’s Church, Bintulu
- Stella Maris Church, Kidurong, Bintulu
- St. Peter’s Church, Tatau, Bintulu
- St. George’s Church, Sebauh, Bintulu
See also
References
- Father John Chia dies aged 49 of severe pneumonia, multiple organ failure The Borneo Post, 31 MARCH 2020