By Evelyn Jock
SANDAKAN – Feb 2025 saw some reshuffling of the clergy in St Mary’s Cathedral. Assistant Parish Priest, Fr Raymond Lee Seng Huat was assigned to the Holy Trinity Church in Tawau to shepherd a large Chinese Community there while Fr Mitchelly Kiun from the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu is the new Assistant Parish Priest while Deacon Ricki Boy Hasim, ordained on Nov 24 2024 was reassigned to St Mary’s Cathedral from St Dominic Church, Lahad Datu.
Fr Raymond Lee Seng Huat had been with St Mary’s Cathedral since his ordination to the priesthood May 16, 2022. He is now reassigned to assist in the parish of the Holy Trinity Church,Tawau. A humble and jovial Chinese priest who speaks fluent Bahasa Malaysia and English, had help the Chinese Community of Sandakan to have a sense of belonging. He also helped the aged come together every Sunday to sing, read, play games and do puzzles. He contributed much to the parish through pastoral care, community outreach and guiding the parishioners spiritually.
On temporary assignment, Fr Mitchelly Kiun, a 45-year-old priest, second in his family, with a brother and two sisters, joins the parish in Sandakan Diocese. He comes from a non-Catholic family from Kg Kopungit, Kota Kinabalu and received his sacrament of Baptism at the age of six years (1986) and Sacrament of Confirmation in Sacred Heart Cathedral. He studied in SRJK Chung Hwa, Kg Air, Kota Kinabalu High School, took up Accounts in the Yayasan Sabah Community College and worked for two years as a fish ball seller and also a part time driver.
Fr Mitchelly was ordained a priest on Feb 26, 2014 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral by Archbishop John Wong, after completing his seminary years from 2004 to 2011 and pastoral training in St John,Tuaran, Sacred Heart Cathedral, St Catherine in Inanam and Holy Family in Telipok. He also served St Theresa in Kota Marudu and St Peter in Kudat. Fr Mitchelly also speaks Chinese (Hakka, Cantonese and Mandarin) besides Bahasa Malaysia, English and Dusun, his native tongue. He was in Fu Jen University, Taipei for a year in 2017 where he polished his fluency in Mandarin. As of Feb 26, 2025, Fr Mitchelly has served 11 years in the vineyard of the Lord. His last visit to Sandakan was 10 years ago and this would be his first experience serving as a priest in the Diocese of Sandakan. He comes to Sandakan with mix feeling but having being reminded of Abraham who was obedient to the Lord “leave, there is something awaiting you”, Fr Mitchelly thanked the Lord for the opportunity and with the transfer during the Jubilee Year and rested his hope and trust in the Lord.
After his ordination, Deacon Ricki was posted to Lahad Datu to serve in St Dominic Church, a parish where he deepened his understanding about the Diocese of Sandakan and the mission of the clergies which made him deeply embrace his vocation.
During a potluck fellowship on Feb 23, the St Mary’s Cathedral parish community acknowledged Fr Raymond’s positive impact on the people of Sandakan and wished him success and happiness in the future. The community also warmly welcomes Fr Mitchelly Kiun and Deacon Ricki Boy Hasim and look forward to working in faith with them.
