REQUIEM MASS FOR FR. TOBIAS CHI

Sandakan: A Requiem mass was held on Friday, September 24th at St Mary's Cathedral at 7.00 pm in memory of the late Fr. Tobias Chi, at 86 years old, passed away peacefully on September 11th, in Kota Kinabalu. 

Parishioners signing the condolence book

Fr Chi, immediately after his priestly ordination in 1954 in Macau was send on mission to North Borneo. He had served the Catholic church, covering many places in  Sabah for some 56 years.

Fr Thomas in the centre with Fr Aru on the right and Deacon David on the left

The main celebrant of the mass was Fr. Thomas Makajil and con celebrated by Fr. Aru (OFM) of Johor and Deacon David Garaman. In his homily, Fr. Thomas said, “All of us here, I believe have one way or another been touched by his ministry. Fr. Chi definitely is a man of solid faith, looking at his bio data; he came from China leaving his homeland with tremendous faith and courage just like Abraham being called, left everything and followed the call of God,…… leaving his family,  father, mother, brothers, sisters and friends, even inheritance and came to Borneo. Definitely, he knows the consequence of his choice that he will be serving the Lord in a distant land, with knowledge that he may not be able to return to his homeland for good”. 

Fr. Thomas further shared of his experiences with Fr. Chi, way back in 1972 as a seminarian and as a priest in 1981 – 1982, “….though there’s a generation gap between us, he was understanding, accommodating…..he was a fatherly example especially in scriptural and pastoral ministry, for us who’ve known and worked with him, he was a thinker with vision and faith. He achieved what he has started because of his solid trust in God. The many beautiful churches and parish halls testifies his priestly ability……also the many new movements that he had invited into the parishes ministry (Charismatic, Neo-Catechemunal Community, Marriage Counseling etc) gave us a glimpse of his untiring effort in renewing the local church”.

The celebration

The congregation

For St Mary's Cathedral, where Fr. Chi served the longest of his missionary life here, his passing will definitely be greatly missed by the parishioners. He had contributed so much to St. Mary and he left behind a legacy of  renewal and  progress.


May his soul rest in peace.

After the mass, a slide power point presentation of Fr. Chi's funeral in KK and his ministerial works in Sabah was shown.

Dalius LL 

Sandakan Parish Soccom