Diocese of Sandakan

Diocese of Sandakan

Dioecesis Sandakaanus

Keuskupan Sandakan
山打根教区
Location
CountryMalaysia
Ecclesiastical provinceKota Kinabalu
MetropolitanKota Kinabalu
Statistics
Area43,657 km2 (16,856 sq mi)
Population
  • Total
  • Catholics
  • (as of 2020)
  • 1,378,723
  • 59,435 (4.31%)
Parishes6
Information
DenominationCatholic Church
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established16 July 2007
CathedralSt. Mary's Cathedral in Sandakan
Patron saintSaint Mary
Language
Current leadership
PopeLeo XIV
BishopDatuk Julius Dusin Gitom
Metropolitan ArchbishopDatuk John Wong Soo Kau
Vicar GeneralDavid Alyosius Garaman
Website
https://www.dioceseofsandakan.org/

The Diocese of Sandakan (Dioecesis Sandakaanus; Keuskupan Sandakan: 山打根教区) is a Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction located in Sabah, at East Malaysia. It is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu. The diocese is subdivided into 5 parishes (Sandakan, Beluran, Lahad Datu, Telupid and Tawau) and 1 mission district (Paitan), covering the east coast portion of the state comprising the Sandakan as well as Tawau divisions.[1]

History

The diocese was created by the decree of papal bull "Missionalem per navitatem" on 16 July 2007,[2] and consist of the East Coast territory of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu. Julius Dusin Gitom was appointed as the first bishop of the diocese. The diocese covers the Sandakan and Tawau Divisions located in the East Coast of Sabah state.

Ordinaries

No. Portrait Name Period in office Insignia
1 Julius Dusin Gitom
(born 1957)
16 July 2007
–
Present

List of parishes

Five parishes and one mission are located in the Diocese of Sandakan.[3]

  • St. Mary's Cathedral Parish, Sandakan
    • Rector: Msgr. David Aloysius Garaman
  • St. Dominic's Parish, Lahad Datu
    • Rector: Rev. Fr. Stanley William Matakim
  • Paitan Mission (St. Francis of Assisi's Church), Paitan, Beluran
    • Administrator: Rev. Fr. Arthur John
  • St. Martin's Parish, Telupid
    • Rector: Rev. Fr. Christopher Ireneus
  • Holy Trinity Parish, Tawau
    • Rector: Rev. Fr. Raymond Lee Seng Huat
  • Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Beluran
    • Rector: Rev. Fr. Stephen Esguerra
St. Mary's Cathedral in Sandakan, seat of the diocese.

References

  1. ↑ "Home". Diocese of Sandakan. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  2. ↑ https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/la/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_ben-xvi_apc_20070716_sandakanensis.html
  3. ↑ "Parish". Diocese of Sandakan. Retrieved 7 November 2021.