Bishop Julius Gitom of Sandakan Diocese, 65, celebrated his 14th Episcopal Anniversary Oct 15
By Agnes Chai
Nov 8 2021
CATHOLIC Sabah interviewed Sandakan prelate, Bishop Julius Gitom in an article marking the 14th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Sandakan during the health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This period of social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented for our generation. It is difficult as a society, and it is particularly painful for the body of Christ, who are called to assemble themselves on a regular basis.
The Sandakan prelate speaks about the effects the pandemic has on the celebration of the diocesan anniversary, as well as his ordination anniversary. He also touches on pastoral concerns during this unprecedented crisis, challenges and lessons from the pandemic. Above all, he praises and thanks God for showering abundant blessings on them for the last 14 years of journey as a local Church in the Diocese of Sandakan.
14th Anniversary of Sandakan Diocesan Day
Although we could not gather to celebrate the 14th Anniversary of our Diocese as we normally do, said Bishop Julius, all parishes were asked to mark the occasion in a meaningful way. But as for me as I mark my 14th Episcopal Ordination anniversary, he revealed, it was a time for personal reflection and prayer.
He added, thus even without all the ceremonies and external formalities, the event was still meaningful. After all, said the prelate, an anniversary is about recalling God’s blessings and thanking Him for His faithful love as we look into the future with faith and confidence.
Bishop Julius, 65, hails from Kampung Lokos, nestled in the foothills of Mount Kinabalu in Tuaran district. He was ordained a priest on Nov 19, 1989 in Bundu Tuhan, at St Pius X Church, his home parish, and made the first Bishop of Sandakan when the Pope erected the new diocese of Sandakan on Jul 16, 2007. His Episcopal ordination took place on Oct 15, 2007.
His Episcopal ordination also historically marked him as the first bishop produced from St Peter’s College Kuching, which confirms the vision of Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung who established St Peter’s College in 1980 to be a place of formation for priests and bishops.
Pastoring in the pandemic
Discipleship in the church does not stop while we are socially distanced. The mission of Christ does not stop while we are separated through concern for the spread of the infection.
CS asked the Bishop what his immediate pastoral concerns are for the faithful and the clergy in the pandemic crisis. In response, he shared how the diocesan Vision and Mission Pastoral Plan has been curtailed by the arrival of the coronavirus.
“Before the pandemic covid19 reached our shore last year, we had already lined up activities to be carried out throughout the year 2020-2021 with a timeline for implementation in line with our Vision and Mission pastoral plan. Unfortunately, only a small part of it could be carried out due to the lockdown necessitated to curb the spread of the COVID-19. But the Lord has been faithful and continues to journey with us in these extraordinary circumstances.”
He added, no doubt all of us had been affected by the pandemic health crisis and in varying degrees. All of us had gone through hardships, pains, struggles, difficulties, but the hardest hit were the poor, the migrant communities and the marginalized. Besides, some had lost their jobs and sources of income.
However, it was worthy to note that they have learned to care for one another during this crisis, shared the bishop. “I am glad to see that during difficult times, we learn to care for one another. Despite the danger of contracting COVID-19, the Caritas (formerly Human Development Commission) in the diocese, the Prison Ministry, St Vincent de Paul, and other groups in the church, in collaboration with NGOs, actively reach out to the hardest hit by distributing food baskets, as well as other forms of social works during the recent MCOs.” He was gratified to note that some parishes even set up “food banks” so that the needy would be able to collect their daily provision from the food bank.
As to the challenge of effectively caring for his flock during this time, Bishop Julius revealed that the most difficult challenge was “to adapt our way of life to the ‘new normal’ as we go on with the daily activities”.
Though he agreed that “there are many restrictions, although necessary, which certainly impede on people’s economic life, social life, and as well as their spiritual life to a certain extent”, he was convicted that “we cannot be forever held ransom by the pandemic”.
The bishop was adamant “Life goes on, the mission of Christ continues, faith formation and other pastoral programs must continue. Under the present circumstances, pastoral programs can only be effective if we learn to adapt and adopt a new approach. Thus, in Sandakan Diocese, where and when it is possible, every parish is encouraged to do online faith formation and other pastoral activities”.
Not wanting to dispute that the online approach has its limitations, setbacks, and that it is not the most ideal as compared to the usual normal physical face-to-face encounters when it comes to running a faith formation program, the bishop was astute enough to believe that technology was still “the best we can do at this point in time”.
Rest of the interview
CS: What’s your daily routine like as a pastor in the pandemic?
JG: There is not much change in my daily routine, balancing my prayer life with the administration of the diocese. However, I had to postpone my pastoral visits to the parishes due to the inter-district restrictions. I hope a pastoral visit can be done in the near future.
CS: What do you miss most about the pre-pandemic days?
JG: I suppose every one of us miss the time when we were free to go anywhere and anytime without being restricted by SOPs, meeting people without hesitation and having no fear of being infected with COVID-19. Now, we are bound by SOPs as we go about our daily activities. Personally, I miss dearly my pastoral visits to the outstations and parishes.
CS: In your opinion, what might be the most striking change that will affect the pastoral care of the flock in the post-pandemic?
JG: As our lives have changed in many ways during the pandemic, due to the social distancing requirements, many of us were forced to learn how to use new platforms to communicate virtually. Now, it is a common practice that religious worship, social and family events, meetings, all kinds of forums and seminars, and even funeral services are conducted virtually. Besides, it is also now becoming a new trend that many are using these platforms to promote and sell homemade products to earn a living, or shopping for daily provisions and other needs without leaving their homes. Many things are available at the tip of our fingers.
I think this new trend will continue in the post-pandemic. Therefore, we as Church must adapt to the new situation so as to be effective in our pastoral care for the flock.
CS: The most important lesson from the pandemic for both flock and shepherd…
JG: Before the global health crisis broke out, there are many things we take for granted, perhaps we even take our life for granted and forget that life does not belong to us – that it is a pure gift from God.
So, for me this pandemic is a wake-up call from God; God may be telling us to care for our life, not just our life here on earth but more especially our life after; God is telling us to care for one another because all of us (human beings) are travellers on the way to our Creator; and God is also telling us to care for the earth and all His creation because all God’s creatures are precious to Him.
