By Fr Terans Thadeus
KOTA KINABALU – Marking the Jubilee Year of Hope, Archbishop John Wong led the clergy of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu on a two-day Clergy Pilgrimage of Hope from Jun 23 to 24, retracing the footsteps of Msgr August Wachter and the Mill Hill missionaries who were martyred. This year commemorates the 80th anniversary of their disappearance and death after World War II.
The pilgrimage began with Lauds at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Kota Kinabalu, where the priests, together with the Archbishop, invoked God’s grace to renew their ministry with courage and steadfastness. “God our Father, we begin our pilgrimage this Jubilee Year of Hope… Fill us and our priestly ministry with courage amidst all the trials and difficulties,” they prayed together, united in spirit and purpose.
From there, the clergy travelled to St Michael’s Mission in Penampang, the very place where Msgr Wachter and five missionaries, along with three local servants, were arrested by Japanese soldiers on May 19 1945. Standing on this historical ground, the clergy offered heartfelt gratitude and veneration for the courage and faith of the martyrs, by praying “We thank you for giving them unwavering hope and courage in the face of death.”
The pilgrimage continued to St Joseph’s Church in Papar, where the detained missionaries were held for about a week before being ordered to march to Tenom. Despite possible use of trains or trolleys for parts of the journey, the 63-mile trek was gruelling, especially for the ageing Msgr Wachter and the ailing Fr Unterberger. “Fill us with their spirit of perseverance,” the clergy prayed.
At Holy Rosary Church, Limbahau, the pilgrims remembered Fr Franz Flür, arrested by the Japanese on May 20, 1945. His martyrdom, they prayed, may serve as a lasting inspiration for all priests to live and serve with conviction and love.
Similarly, the prayers at St Patrick’s Church, Kinuta, honoured the memory of Fr Raich and Fr Paul Michael, who were also arrested and later killed. The clergy prayed that their legacy of faith might endure in their priestly lives.
The pilgrimage culminated at St Anthony’s Church in Tenom, near which Fr Paul Michael died of exhaustion and malaria on 20 June 1945. It was in this region that the remaining missionaries and their companions were believed to have been executed in early July 1945. The clergy offered prayers for the repose of their souls, entrusting them to God’s eternal peace. “We pray that their souls, and the souls of missionaries and priests who served Sabah, may rest in your eternal peace.”
Throughout the journey, Fr Cosmas Lee guided the reflections, drawing from Pope Francis’ Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year of Hope. “Their sacrifice reminds us that Christian hope shines brightest in times of darkness,” Fr Cosmas reflected. “In this Jubilee, we not only remember the past, we renew our mission with courage.”
The pilgrimage was not only a commemoration but also a spiritual renewal for the priests, rekindling their call to be witnesses of hope in a world still marked by suffering and division.
