By Sibu Soccom
SIBU — At the 9.00 am morning Mass on Apr 12 2025 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, the people of God gathered in communion to receive the Salib (Cross) which began its journey from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Last week, Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinal from the nine (9) respective Dioceses and Archdioceses of Malaysia gathered in Kota Kinabalu to launch the journey of the Cross.
The nine different crosses representing the nine Archdioceses and Dioceses within Malaysia were assembled as one Cross, symbolic of our Unity as ONE universal Church.
The Cross was later dismantled and distributed as nine different crosses given to the nine different Archdioceses and Dioceses of Malaysia.
The nine Catholic arch/dioceses in Malaysia are: Keningau, Kota Kinabalu (Archdiocese), Kuala Lumpur (Archdiocese), Kuching (Archdiocese), Melaka-Johor, Miri, Penang, Sandakan, and Sibu.
40 youths from Sibu represented the Diocese of Sibu to receive this Cross and brought it back to Sibu.
Bishop of Sibu, Joseph Hii in the reception of the Cross this morning, gave thanks and expressed his gratitude to these 40 youths who represent the youth of Sibu and led the journey by bringing the good news embedded in the Cross, to Diocese of Sibu.
In his homily, Bishop Joseph used the example of the event of the cross in our life such as death, sickness, sufferings of family members and friends which very often have the power to unite, bring people and family together.
Today, the Cross of Jesus Christ has the power to reconcile us to God and one another, bring us in Communion as one big family under the mercy and love of God.
He encourages all people of God to encounter Christ Jesus in the concrete person, to experience his unconditional love for us in this Cross as it travels its way to all the parishes of the Diocese of Sibu even to smaller chapels, movements and communities.
The morning Mass was celebrated by Bishop Joseph Hii. Concelebrating with him were Rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral Fr Philip Hu, Capuchin Friar Fr Raphael Samosir, Capuchin Friar Fr Francis Go and Fr Fabian Kong.
After the Mass, there was a stream of people, young and old who queued to venerate the Cross.
This Cross will again find its way to Majodi, Johor in September 2026 as all the respective Crosses of the Church in the Archdioceses and Dioceses of Malaysia congregate for the Malaysia Pastoral Convention scheduled for Sep 16-19 2026.
The Cross of Jesus will again unite us, in communion, participating in the Mission that he has entrusted to us. – Today’s Catholic
