Mill Hill priests’ contributions to education in Miri
THROUGHOUT the world, most Roman Catholic schools named St Joseph’s have the motto ‘To Love and to Serve’, forged by Mill Hill parish priests from London. So in keeping with this tradition, the St Joseph’s Schools of Miri, both primary and secondary, established by Father Henry Jansen, a Mill Hill priest, in 1923, have the same motto.
While it is known Father Jansen was personally responsible for building the first wooden St Joseph’s School in Miri, he, however, had help from a handful of faithful in the construction and running of the school and the mission.
Foreign labourers such as those from China, and other indigenous migrant workers, attracted by the Shell Company in Miri, helped raise awareness for the need to have such a school, resulting in a fairly multiracial school population from the very outset.
The school grew steadily but further growth was interrupted by the Japanese occupation during World War II. Father Jansen was taken as a prisoner of war along with many other Mill Hill priests, serving in Sarawak, and foreign missionaries from other religious orders. They were interned at the infamous Batu Lintang Camp in Kuching (1942-45).
Mill Hill parish and teaching priests
The St Joseph’s schools in Miri were full mission schools for about 20 years after the passing of Father Jansen. Run and supervised by the Mill Hill priests who acted as both parish and teaching priests, the performance of the schools was commendable and they expanded quickly. Their main competition came from Chinese vernacular schools as most parents still wanted their children to attend their mother-tongue schools.
A retired businessman known as Mr Loh told thesundaypost, “I remember in the 1940’s and 50’s, there were so few educated people in Miri and Brunei. Those just a little more educated were recruited to teach in the primary schools. So when the Mill Hill priests came, we were so excited. Many of the parents, including the Malays, were keen to send their children to St Jo’s. My father was the same, despite being a Taoist. By then, St Joseph’s Primary School was already doing quite well.”
George Gaun, a retired SAO and an old Josephian, added, “I was very lucky to have been selected to join St Joseph’s Secondary School in 1959 after completing Primary 6 at St Edmund’s in Limbang.
“The priests really took care of us from the Ulu. We stayed with a Malay family, as arranged by Father John Dekker, and had our meals at a Chinese shop for a ‘grand sum’ of 25 dollars a month. But most importantly, we acquired a good education under the care of the church.”
A Mirian, Irene J Yong, reminiscing about her school days at a recent school reunion, said, “Without the parish priest who persuaded my mother to send us girls to the English school, my sisters and I wouldn’t have gone to an English school. I think my mother said ‘that’s too far for them to walk.’ The priest personally drove me to and from school for quite some time.
“As most parents back then weren’t keen to send their daughters to school, I believe many of the girls my age would have missed out on schooling all the same even without the parish priest going round persuading mothers to send their girls to school.”
Parish priests and the schools
According to Father Guido Gockel, a Mill Hill priest from Holland, now based in Miri, their mission was education through St Joseph’s Schools. They were parish priests and educators until the La Salle Brothers took over the teaching later.
Father John Dekker, for example, was both a teacher and a parish priest while Father Edmund Slowey, Father T Keogan, Father John J McClorey and Father Brentjens were all teaching priests serving in Miri. Father Guido himself taught at St Pius Primary School in Long San, Baram, when he first arrived.
When the schools became government-aided schools, the parish priest played a lesser role in the education of the believers. By 1987, most of the Mill Hill priests had left Sarawak.
In fact, before 1987, and a few subsequent years, the Mill Hill priests of Miri supervised the RC schools, including St Joseph’s Primary and Secondary Schools, St Jude’s, St Anthony’s in Bintulu, St Edmund’s in Limbang, St Pius’ in Long San and Good Shepherd’s School in Marudi.
Parish priests and family upbringing
Another Mirian, Mrs Lau, told
thesundaypost, “As a Catholic, I sent my children to St Joseph’s schools in Miri — which enabled them to attend catechism classes. I’m glad they all turned out to be disciplined, respectful and helpful. In fact, I can see my children and their peers forming a very strong core of the Catholic Church in Miri today, serving in different capacities.”
In the past, the parish priests spoke at school assemblies, catechism classes and school camps about strong family values and moral character.
A church member, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she was married in church by Father Gerard Hamill, the then parish priest. He gave the couple counselling before their marriage. To this day, she remembers with fondness how well he had taught them and spelt out the roles of a husband and a wife.
Medical outreach
Besides teaching, the Mill Hill parish priests also carried out medical outreach duties.
During his recent visit to Miri, Father Hamill, now stationed at a Benedictian monastery in Scotland, recounted his hospital visits from the 1970’s to 80’s.
In one amazing incident that he related, a Legion of Mary member called him up to help with a very sick child, considered a ‘gone case’ by the doctors. The mother, although a non-Catholic, was willing to have Father Hamill say prayers for and baptise her child.
The family had already given up hope but the mother kept the faith. Father Hamill promptly went to the hospital, across the river in those days, performed the rites of infant baptism and left.
Two days later, he met the Legionaire who had called him. She rushed towards him, crying out: “Father, the child! The child!”
Taken somewhat aback, Father Hamill wondered who the child might be, then it dawned on him it must be the same one he baptised in the hospital. The boy who was given up for dead, recovered after the infant baptism.
“It’s a miracle,” the Legionaire said.
Besides hospital visits, the Mill Hill parish priests also set up local clinics.
For example, Father Guido started the mission clinic at Long Loyang in 1967. He also learned to speak the language of the Sebob, a tribe found in upper Tinjar River in Sarawak. Today his materials on the Sebob are with the Sarawak Museum. Father Guido told
thesundaypost, “The mission house was so small that whenever someone was very sick, and about to die, I had to let the patient have my bed. There were a few times my small bed was used for mothers to give birth.”
The present Long San government clinic is another local clinic set up by the Mill Hill parish priests.
Many Catholics also participated in various community-based programmes with their parish priests at the Stella Maris Hall in Miri. Non-parish members were also allowed to use the hall. As well, for years, both St Joseph’s primary and secondary schools used the hall for concerts and social activities.
Memories of Sarawak
Father Hamill remembers vividly the day he left for Sarawak after being ordained at age 25.
“When I left for Borneo for the first time, my father sent me off at the wharf. I looked back and he had that brilliant smile on his face. That moment gave me the feeling I had made the right decision to serve God. It was a very enriching part of my life in Sarawak.”
He served in various parts of Miri and the Baram until 1987.
Father Guido, now serving at St Dominic and the Rosary Church, Taman Tunku, Miri, was ordained as a Mill Hill priest at the age of 25 in London. When he was nine, he told his parents about his decision to become a priest. His happy father went to the nearby supermarket and shouted, “My son! My Son! He wants to be a priest!”
The affable Father Guido speaks more than eight languages. He preaches in Dutch, English, Sebob, Kenyah, Kayan, German, French and Arabic. He has also learnt to speak Hokkien, Hakka and Mandarin besides Penan and Iban. He is serving his third term at St Dominic and the Rosary Church, Taman Tunku, Miri.
J Wong, a history teacher, noted, “The long history of St Joseph’s schools reflects a part of Miri’s growth and development from 1923 to the present day. And I treasure the values, social norms and rolemodelling provided by the schools I attended. We must remember to pay respect to all those who have helped us become educated.”
St Joseph’s School, Miri, will celebrate its 85th anniversary with a grand dinner on Oct 28, 2017.
I remember in the 1940’s and 50’s, there were so few educated people in Miri and Brunei. Those just a little more educated were recruited to teach in the primary schools. So when the Mill Hill priests came, we were so excited. Many of the parents, including the Malays, were keen to send their children to St Jo’s. My father was the same, despite being a Taoist. By then, St Joseph’s Primary School was already doing quite well. — Mr Loh, retired businessman