The procession to the Marian grotto
by Evelyn Jock
Sep 7 2022
ST Mary’s Cathedral, Sandakan set aside 21 August 2022 to commemorate and celebrate its 139th Anniversary.
St Mary’s was founded in 1883 by the Mill Hill Missionary Priests, and is one of the oldest churches in Sandakan.
What started as a ‘kajang’ hut built by the Mill Hill missionaries in 1883 has now mushroomed and given rise to St Mary’s Cathedral, St Mary’s schools (primary and secondary), St Mary’s Convent, St Cecilia Secondary School, St Joseph’s Church, St Mark’s Church and St Peter’s Chapel, Sg. Manila, 139 years later.
A series of spiritual activities were held prior to the celebration of the feast day. It started with a 9-day Rosary novena and Mass from 6-14 August, involving all the various ministries and groups of the Church. These various ministries included the multi ethnic congregations from St Mark’s Church, St Peter’s Chapel, Sungai Manila and St Mary’s Cathedral.
Marian Mount Volunteers guide each group climb up the hill
13 August was a day that saw the various ministries reciting the rosary whilst ascending the pilgrimage site of Marian Mount. From 7am to 3 pm, each group climbed up the hill guided by the Marian Mount Volunteers, and from 3 pm to 5 pm, rosary was recited in the Cathedral and Sunset Mass followed from there.
The girl crowning the statue of Mother Mary
15 August saw the celebration of the Solemnity of the Feast of the Assumption, which started with the rosary recitation at the Diocesan Centre ground, crowning of the statue of Mother Mary and a procession to the Marian grotto where Mass was celebrated in the open air.
Finally, the whole week’s celebration culminated with the Parish Feast Day celebration on 21 Aug. The day started with Mass at 8:00 am with the Chinese and Bahasa Malaysia community coming together in a combined mass.
At the same time, the parish hall was being readied for the main celebration which saw the congregations of St Mary’s Cathedral, St Mark’s Church, St Joseph’s Church and St Peter’s Chapel, Sg Manila gathered there.
After the Sunday Mass, the crowd started to gather at the parish hall. The huge turnout of 600-700 was unexpected. This year’s celebration witnessed the participation of all ministries, communities and groups bringing in different dishes and gifts for the potluck fellowship and lucky draw game of luck.
The two-year isolation brought about by the COVID-19 has not dampened the celebration of the church. The theme ‘Towards being a more synodal church’ indicates a parish that is determined to be a parish that will always reach out, walk together and listen to its people in line with the vision and mission of the diocese. – Diocese of Sandakan
