Church celebrates 136th anniversary with Feast Day
KAPIT: The Mary Immaculate Conception Church here celebrates its 136th anniversary this year.
It was established in 1882 and is one of the oldest Catholic churches in Borneo.
In the early years (1882 till late 1950s), the church was situated somewhere near to Nanga Sungai Kapit. In those forgotten olden days, the church, apart from propagating Christianity, also ran a school and introduced farming to the locals.
Addressing some 700 Catholics at a feast to celebrate the anniversary on Saturday, Fr Mathew Olilli ( earlier attached to Mary Immaculate Conception Church Kapit and now transferred to St Francis Xavier Church Kanowit) pointed to the theme of this year’s celebration ‘ How Good and Pleasant It Is When God’s People Live Together In Unity – PSALM 133:1’, which he said reminded the people to live together.
He called on the faithful to do their part to propagate love and unity ‘in one mind one heart’ to unite under the church.
He welcomed Catholics from outstations – Long Singgut, Belaga, Song, Kanowit, Sibu, Julau, Bintangor, Sarikei, Mukah and Dalat – to attend the feast and show their support for the Kapit Catholics.
Meanwhile, Ambrose Abong Bugek, who represented Kapit Member of Parliament Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, said Nanta is close to the constituents and looks after all religious institutions, regardless of whether they are Catholic, Methodist, Anglican or of other faiths.
On behalf of Nanta, Ambrose announced a government grant of RM50,000 for the Mary Immaculate Conception Church to fulfil a request by the church committee to carry out maintenance and repair works.
The activities of the evening included performance by the church choir, live band, dance presentation, lucky draws, golden voice and presentation of incentives to high achievers in public exams.