Roman Catholic archdiocese in Malaysia
Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu
Archidioecesis Kota Kinabaluensis
Keuskupan Agung Kota Kinabalu
Coat of arms
Country
Malaysia Territory
Kota Kinabalu ,
Penampang ,
Ranau ,
Tuaran ,
Papar ,
Kota Belud ,
Kudat ,
Kota Marudu and
Federal Territory of Labuan
Ecclesiastical province Kota Kinabalu
Coordinates
5°57′52.53″N 116°4′20.87″E / 5.9645917°N 116.0724639°E / 5.9645917; 116.0724639 Area 55,215 km2 (21,319 sq mi) Population - Total - Catholics (as of 2021) 1,753,988 237,583 (7.38%) Parishes 23 Denomination
Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church
Latin Church Rite
Roman Rite Established 1976, 2008 Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral Patron saint
St. Joseph
Secular priests 43 (Diocesan Clergy) 4 (Religious Order) Language Pope
Francis Metropolitan Archbishop
John Wong Soo Kau
Suffragans
Cornelius Piong (
Keningau ) Julius Gitom (
Sandakan ) Vicar General Nicholas Stephen Episcopal Vicars Primus Jouil Bishops emeritus
John Lee Hiong Fun-Yit Yaw
catholicadkk .org
Coat of arms of John Wong Soo Kau
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu (Lat: Archdioecesis Kotakinabaluensis ) is a metropolitan
archdiocese of the
Latin Church of the
Roman Catholic Church in
Sabah , a state of Malaysia on the island of
Borneo . The archdiocese is the oldest ecclesiastical territory in Malaysia, with a long history slowly rising along with the Catholic population from a prefecture to an archdiocese. Its
cathedral archepiscopal see is
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu . The patron saint of the archdiocese is
St. Joseph , Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
History
Originally erected on 4 September 1855 as the
Apostolic prefecture of Labuan and Borneo , created on territory split off from the then
Apostolic Vicariate of Batavia (Java) (including the neighbouring
Dutch East Indies ).
On 5 February 1927 it was renamed the Apostolic Prefecture of Northern Borneo , and lost territory to form the
Apostolic Prefecture of Sarawak .
On 14 February 1952 the prefecture was promoted to
Apostolic Vicariate of Jesselton , hence entitled to a
titular bishop . On 22 March 1962 its name was changed once more to the Apostolic Vicariate of Kota Kinabalu , after its see.
On 31 May 1976 the vicariate was elevated to a full Diocese of Kota Kinabalu ,
suffragan in the
ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan
Archdiocese of Kuching .
The diocese lost territories twice, to create its present suffragans :
On 23 May 2008, the diocese was elevated to Metropolitan Archdiocese , whose
ecclesiastical province comprises the above suffragan dioceses, both formerly part of the original territory of the diocese of Kota Kinabalu: the
Diocese of Keningau and the
Diocese of Sandakan .
On 21 June 2010,
Pope
Benedict XVI appointed John Wong Soo Kau, director of the aspirants' formation house in Kota Kinabalu, as Coadjutor Archbishop of Kota Kinabalu. His ordination took place on 1 October 2010.
As of 2013
[update] the
Archbishop of
Kota Kinabalu is
John Wong Soo Kau , appointed in 2010. His predecessor was
John Lee Hiong Fun-Yit Yaw , appointed in 1987 and retired on 1 December 2012.
Prelates
Apostolic prefects of Labuan and Borneo
Apostolic prefects of Labuan and Northern Borneo
Thomas Jackson (18 July 1881 – 20 October 1895)
Edmund Dunn (4 May 1897 – 5 February 1927)
Apostolic prefects of Northern Borneo
August Wachter (26 July 1927 – 1945)
James Buis ,
MHM (18 January 1947 - 14 February 1952)
Apostolic vicars of Jesselton/Kota Kinabalu
Bishops of Kota Kinabalu
Archbishops of Kota Kinabalu
Archbishop
John Wong
Clergy
Archbishops
Most Rev John Wong, Archbishop
Most Rev John Lee, Archbishop Emeritus
College of Consultors
Rev
Msgr Nicholas Stephen Juki Tinsung (Vicar General)
Rev Wilfred Petrus Atin (Chancellor)
Rev Primus Jouil (Episcopal Vicar for Religious cum Vicar General Emeritus)
Rev Cosmas Lee Khod Min
Rev Paul Lo
List of parishes
As of 2023, there are 23 parishes across 4 deaneries including various sub-parishes and 229 outstations found in the Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu.
Kota Kinabalu City Deanery (8 parishes)
Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish , Karamunsing, Kota Kinabalu
sub-parish of
Carmelite Monastery Chapel, Karamunsing, Kota Kinabalu
St Simon's Parish, Likas, Kota Kinabalu
Church of Mary Immaculate Parish, Bukit Padang, Luyang, Kota Kinabalu
Stella Maris Parish, Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu
sub-parish of St Catherine Laboure's Church, Putatan, Penampang
St Thomas More's Parish, Kepayan, Kota Kinabalu
sub-parish of St John's Chapel, Kopungit, Kepayan, Kota Kinabalu
St Catherine of Siena's Parish, Inanam, Kota Kinabalu
sub-parish of Church of the Divine Mercy, KKIP Sepanggar, Manggatal, Kota Kinabalu
Good Shepherd's Parish, Manggatal, Kota Kinabalu
Holy Family Parish, Telipok, Kota Kinabalu
North West Coast Division Deanery (5 parishes)
St John the Evangelist's Parish, Labuaya, Tuaran
sub-parishes of St Mary Mother of God Church, Topokon,
St Philip the Apostle's Church, Kiansom, Tamparuli,
St Clare of Assisi's Church, Koporingan, Tamparuli and
St James the Apostle's Church,
Tenghilan
St Edmund's Parish, Kota Belud
St Peter Claver's Parish, Ranau
St Joseph the Husband of Mary's Parish, Tombongon, Kiulu, Tuaran
sub-parishes of St Martin's Church, Malanggang,
St Michael the Archangel Church, Lokub and
St John Vianney's Church, Pukak
St Pius X Parish, Bundu Tuhan, Ranau
Kudat Division Deanery (2 parishes)
St Theresa's Parish, Kota Marudu
St Peter's Parish, Kudat
South West Coast Division Deanery (8 parishes)
St Michael's Parish , Donggongon, Penampang
sub-parishes of Church of St Aloysius Gonzaga, Limbanak, Penampang,
Assumption of Our Lady, Sugud, Penampang,
St Marcellinus, Minintod, Inanam, Kota Kinabalu,
Church of the Divine Mercy, Maang, Penampang,
St Paul's Chapel on The Hill, Montfort Youth Training Centre, Kinarut, Papar,
Mary Immaculate Conception, Sukang Mabpai, Inanam, Kota Kinabalu,
St Theresa of The Child Jesus, Kolopis, Penampang,
Woori Jib Chapel, Potuki, Putatan, Penampang (formerly Hamin Tokou Potuki),
St Benedict, Timpangoh Laut, Sugud, Penampang,
St Pope John Paul II, Buayan, Penampang (formerly St Patrick, Buayan),
St Bernard, Terian, Penampang,
St Julius I, Timpayasa, Penampang and
Chapel of Mary Mother of Ecclesia, Tiku, Penampang
Holy Nativity Parish, Terawi, Penampang
sub-parishes of Our Lady of Fatima Church, Talang Taun, Ulu Putatan, Penampang,
St Simon the Zealot's Church, Duvanson, Putatan, Penampang and
St Peter the Apostle's Church, Tombovo, Putatan, Penampang
St Paul's Parish, Dontozidon, Penampang
sub-parish of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Kobusak, Penampang
Sacred Heart of Jesus and Holy Trinity Parish, Inobong-Madsiang, Penampang
sub-parishes of Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Babagon, Penampang,
Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Inobong, Penampang (centre),
Church of St Joseph the Worker, Pogunon, Penampang,
Church of the Presentation, Pongobonon, Buayan, Penampang,
Church of Christ the King, Kipouvo, Penampang,
Church of St Stephen the Martyr, Kibunut, Penampang,
Church of St Michael and All Angels, Lutung, Moyog, Penampang,
Church of St Thomas the Apostle, Togudon, Penampang,
Church of St Martin, Moyog, Penampang,
Church of the Holy Cross, Togudon, Penampang,
Church of St Andrew the Apostle, Longkogungan, Babagon, Penampang,
Church of the Risen Christ, Timpangoh, Babagon, Penampang and
Madsiang Catholic Church, Madsiang, Penampang
Holy Rosary Parish, Limbahau, Papar
sub-parishes of St Patrick's Church, Kinuta, Papar
St Nicholas of Myra, Molonsi, Kompimpinan, Papar and
St Sabina's Church, Titimbuongon, Papar
St Joseph the Worker's Parish, Papar
Blessed Sacrament Parish,
Victoria ,
Labuan
St Augustine's Parish, Kinarut, Papar
sub-parishes of St Martin, Mook, Kinarut, Papar
St Paul, Bisuang, Papar
St Anne Grandmother of Jesus, Punson, Kinarut, Papar
St Padre Pio, Labak, Kinarut, Papar
Religious orders
Religious men
Religious women
Media apostolate/social communications
Publications
Catholic Sabah (fortnightly archdiocesan newspaper); established in 1957.
Lu (Chinese bimonthly)
Bookshops
Catholic Books Distribution Centre
Paulines Media Centre (In Charge: Sr. Magdalene Chong,
FSP )
See also
Sources and external links
Administration Education Healthcare Hotel and residence Malls Museum Place of worship Transportation Mixed infrastructures Others italics indicated the project is under construction.