St Mark's Church celebrates its 20th Anniversary

By DS

Sandakan : In conjunction with the Feast of St Mark, 25^th April 2013, St Mark’s Church, some 20 km from Sandakan celebrated its 20^th anniversary. Apart from that, it was also the 4^th anniversary of the establishment of the Indonesian Pastoral Community and the advance celebration of ‘Pesta Kaamatan.’.

The celebration commenced with the Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration at 7.30 pm, presided over by Fr Thomas Makajil, the rector of St Mary’s Cathedral Parish. The Church with a sitting capacity of some 400 people was filled to the brim. In his homily, he touched on the power of the media, be it printed or electronic, used to the optimum especially to the run up of the 13^th General Election. The media could be used either to promote goodness and well being or to the detriment of society.

The media has long been established even in the days of Jesus Christ. Mark fulfilled in his life what every member of the Church is called to do ~ to proclaim the Good News, the source of salvation to all nations. Mark chose to write the Gospel for he wants to share the teaching of Christ rather than to keep it.

Inspired by the Spirit, he worked hard to get the book written,  a midst his limitations. We would have missed much without his work being recorded and published. Acknowledging the power of the media, he urged parishioners to maximize the use of modern media, the digital media to spread the Good News.

Right after mass, parishioners adjourned to the Church Multi-Purpose Hall for a pot-luck dinner fellowship, followed by a host of entertainment by the Timorese and the KadazanDusun communities.

Demeh Koyopo, the Chairman of the Pastoral Committee, in his welcoming speech has this to say, ‘We are grateful to the pioneers who built this Church twenty years ago. It was then a very big Church building catering to a very small number of parishioners. Today, it is considered small as it is not able to accommodate the ever increasing number especially the Bahasa Malaysia speaking communities and the migrants.’

Bishop Julius who attended the function thanked and praised God for the blessing showered upon the local community. Festive celebration is an opportune occasion to bring people together through organized fellowship. The prelate expressed his pleasure on the cooperation of all the communities; the Chinese, the KadazanDusun and the Timorese in making the celebration a success. He urged the communities especially the BECs and the various ministries to put together their effort in building the local Church, passing their faith to the younger generation so that the Church will forever flourish.

L-R : Arbah, Demeh, Petrus and Anthony Wong 

Also present were Sr Lidwina RGS, Sr Veronica FSIC, John Pang, Chairman of the then Building Committee, John Koh, former administrator of the Church, Anthony Wong Chairman of the Chinese Pastoral Community, Petrus Beam, Chairman of the Indonesian Pastoral Community and Arbah of the St Benedict (Merak) BEC.