Diaconate Ordination of Seminarian Dafrinn Diwol

By SOCCOM Tawau

The laying of hands performed by Bishop Julius assisted by seminarians Arthur John (left) and Stephen Esquara (right) as seminarian Dafrinn is ordained to diaconate - Carlos George (SOCCOM)

Tawau : It was a special New Year and a proud moment for parents, the late Diwol Sundaling from Tenom and Helda Laurencius from Papar as their third child, Seminarian Dafrinn Diwol was ordained deacon on January 1, 2019.

The rite of ordination, presided over by Rt. Rev. Julius Dusin Gitom, Bishop of Sandakan took place in between the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The auspicious occasion was held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church which was fully packed. Msgr Nicholas Ong, the parish priest was pleased with the huge turnout of faithful.

Presence during the Diaconate Ordination were the 10 Diocesan priests from the five parishes and the Paitan Mission in the Diocese of Sandakan, a lecturer from St. Peter's College (major seminary), Fr Francis Dakun from Keningau Diocese, Romo Antonius from Indonesia, 11 seminarians of the Diocese of Sandakan, 12 FSIC Sisters (3 from KK and 9 from the Diocese of Sandakan).

Born in Sandakan on November 24, 1980, Dafrinn who has two brothers and four sisters, attended preschool at Tadika Ming Chung, Sandakan, primary school at S.K. Gum Gum, Sandakan (1987-1992), secondary school at S.M.K. Gum Gum, Sandakan (1993-1997).

Before aspiring to become a priest, he journeyed from the Forestry Department to an Insurance Company and culinary before finally answering the call to serve the Lord.

Prior to his call, Dafrinn worked with the Deramakot Forest Reserve, Telupid, Sabah (1998), as life Insurance agent with MAA Insurance, Sandakan (1999) and took a course in Culinary Art at Asian Tourism Institution, Kota Kinabalu (1999).

In 2000 - 2002, he worked as a kitchen apprentice with Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and from there as forest research assistant at Forestry Research Centre, Sepilok, Sandakan, Sabah (2003-2008).

His formation started in 2009 at the Catholic Diocesan Centre (English Year) and was initiated in 2010 at the Minor Seminary, Kota Kinabalu.

In 2011-2012, he took his philosophy year and in 2013-2016 for his theology year at St. Peter’s Major Seminary College, Kuching, Sarawak.

From there Dafrinn started his Ministry of Lector on 4th November 2013, Ministry of Acolyte on 3rd November 2014.

The laying of hands performed by Bishop Julius assisted by seminarians Arthur John (left) and Stephen Esquara (right) as seminarian Dafrinn is ordained to diaconate - photo by Jerome Lim (SOCCOM)

For his pastoral observation, he was assigned to the Children’s Liturgy, Legion of Mary (2011). He made compassionate visit to the Cheshire Home, Hospital Sentosa, and the Cancer Ward Hospital Kuching (2012).

His Pastoral Immersion was at the Youth Ministry, Kg. Krokong, Bau, Sarawak (2013). St. Martin, Telupid (2014), St. Dominic, Lahad Datu (2015), Clinical Pastoral Education, Assunta Hospital, Petaling Jaya (2016) and Holy Trinity, Tawau in 2018.