Singai Bidayuhs celebrate newly ordained priest
BAU: The Bidayuhs in Singai have an extra reason to rejoice this year following the ordination of a third Catholic priest from the community.
Fr Robert Jissem, who was ordained on Nov 8, was feted to a thanksgiving dinner attended by more than 1,500 people at the Redeems Centre near here on Saturday.
Fr Robert received his priestly ordination just five months after the community had celebrated the 130th anniversary of the Catholic Church in Singai.
The immense feeling of joy and pride was reflected by the long line of people giving ‘Gift of Love’ donations to the priest, who has been posted to serve in Sri Aman.
Fr Robert also received a brand-new Proton Saga FLX SV from the Singai community, represented by entrepreneur Dato Henry Harry Jinep.
The dinner’s organising chairman Vincent Eddy Sireng said the gift of the car was a gesture of support, love and appreciation from the Singai community to Fr Robert.
“The Bidayuh community in Bau, and those in Singai in particular, are very proud of you.
“This gesture of support, love and appreciation will be continued in the future as a manifestation of our belief and also an encouragement for more youths to join in your footsteps,” he said.
Auxiliary Bishop Rev Simon Poh on behalf of Archdiocese of Kuching paid tribute to the Singai community for the ‘gift’ of three priests and also many Catholic nuns.
He said Fr Robert is the third Catholic priest from Singai, after the pioneer Fr Augustine Jepy and Fr Peter Liston.
Meanwhile, Fr Robert said he had been working in the hotel industry for 10 years before he decided to join the seminary in 2005.
He said the seed of his vocation began when he was in primary school and he credited this to his late mother, who never compromised when it came to prayer.
The idea of priesthood waned when he entered secondary school but the calling came when he was working in the hotel, he added.
“Though I had a proper job and bright future, money and a girlfriend (at that time), I felt something was missing and there was emptiness in my heart.
“Suddenly, the idea of priesthood came back to my mind again. The feeling to become a priest grew stronger and stronger until finally in 2005 I made a decision to enter the seminary, where I found joy and peace and the emptiness was fi lled,” he explained.
For Robert, however, admitted that 10 years in the seminary was not smooth sailing, since his father passed away in his fi rst year of theology, followed by the passing of his mother two years later.
He also expressed hope that more young men from Singai would consider serving as Catholic priests and he asked them not to be afraid if they felt God’s calling and had the desire to serve in the church.
The dinner was made merrier with special performance from Young Once band featuring Sarawak’s fi rst recording artiste Rose Iwanaga, who entertained the guests with evergreen songs and church hymns.
Also present at the dinner were Assistant Minister of Community Services and Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian, St Stephen’s Parish Bau rector Fr John Chong and St Peter’s College rector Fr Nicholas Ng.