Early missionaries to Borneo
By Dr Pauline Soon
Aug 30 2021
KOTA KINABALU – From June 18 to July 9, the Apologetics Ministry of Sacred Heart Cathedral organized four online Zoom sessions concerning the early missionaries who came to Borneo. The speakers were Fr Cosmas Lee (on Msgr Don Carlos Cuarteron 1855-1880, Msgr Thomas Jackson 1881-1895 and Fr Valentine Weber 1906-1944) and Mother Cecelia, FSIC (on Msgr August Wachter).
The sessions received good response from the parishioners from across the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu and Diocese of Keningau as far as West Malaysia, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Archbishop John Wong, Fr Paul Lo Rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral, seminarians and priests were in attendance through the sessions.
Fr Cosmas’ first lecture was on Monsignor Don Carlos Cuarteron, the first Prefect Apostolic of Northern Borneo. He took the opportunity to clarify some myths or negative perceptions that some had about Msgr Cuarteron.
For example, some think that he was a pirate or a slave trader. From his research, Fr Cosmas showed that although Msgr Cuarteron was a very established sailor during his early career in the Spanish navy later, his dream mission was to open missions in Borneo.
Thus, went to Rome for his seminary study. He wrote a 200-page book on his intended Mission to Borneo when he was in Rome. After his ordination at 37 years old, Msgr left for Labuan with two priests. They had some successes initially and was welcomed by the British in Labuan.
Things started to get challenging when the two priests that came with Msgr were transferred to Hong Kong, leaving him alone. Msgr Cuarteron persevered, against all odds in finance, politics, personnel and health. It is estimated that during his time in Labuan and Northern Borneo, he redeemed about 50-70 slaves.
He firmly believed that the Gospel is the answer to the miseries of piracy in the region. He left Labuan on 30 July 1879, went to Rome and handed over his charge as Prefect Apostolic. After a week of his return to his home town, Cardiz, he passed away on 12 March 1880.
The second important person Fr Cosmas talked about who contributed greatly to the growth of the early church was Monsignor Thomas Jackson, the Second Prefect Apostolic of Borneo. He was a Mill Hill Missionary.
The Northern Borneo prefecture was placed under Mill Hill Missionaries after Msgr Cuarteron. The early Mill Hill Missionaries, including Msgr Jackson took established many mission stations which included Papar river, Tempassuk River, Marudu Bay, Putatan River and Sandakan.
The efforts of Fr A Goossens in Papar was also illustrated who worked hard to bring in the White Sisters who were responsible for the evangelization of women. With practically no financial support from Rome or Mill Hill Headquarters, these priests worked tirelessly in their mission, serving the locals here.
The third session on Fr Valentine Weber was also delivered by Fr Cosmas. This incredible priest set foot on Borneo on 12 Jan 1903 and never left till he died on 4 Feb 1944. He was the longest serving Rector of Sacred heart. So remarkable was his service that those who remember the early days of Sacred Heart know of no other priests except him. He was one true father and founder of the mission. His zeal, conviction and love of God and the people is really exemplary and should be emulated by all of us who are the result of the labour.
Sr Cecilia gave the final session on Monsignor August Wachter who was appointed as the first Prefect Apostolic of the newly erected Prefecture of North Borneo in 1927 after the Prefecture of Borneo was divided into two (Prefecture of Sarawak and North Borneo). He enthusiastically welcomed the first seven Carmelites from Madrid, Spain in 1930. He also founded the local Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC) in 1936 with the help of the White Sisters. Msgr Wachter and those early missionaries’ contributions were so pronounced that they showed us the way how to be “church’.
These early missionaries’ involvement in the lives of the people was so real that lives were transformed, people could see the love of God through them. Although the Catholic mission was not the first Christian mission in Sabah, we have grown into one that has the largest number, all through the efforts of these early missionaries who gave their lives practically to plant those deep roots into our soil. The blood of the Martyrs sustained us… We must be forever grateful to them, for without them, you and I would not have known Christ in his Catholic Church.
Apologetics team top left to right: Gracia Tan, Nicholas Soo, Dr Eddy Liew, Dr Jeffrey and Dr Pauline Soon, Andrea Andau and Lorenzo Lawrence, Susanna Lai (missing from photo are Angela Yen, Julia Wong, Xavier Chin and Chin C.C)
