Religious make last outreach at St Augustine Kinarut

KINARUT – Members of the seven religious institutes made their last outreach visit in conjunction with the Consecrated Life Year recently.  They visited the pastoral community of St Augustine Kinarut on 13 Dec 2015.  Parish priest Fr Fundes Motiung presided at the Mass and welcomed them warmly as he had during their November visit to the Church of the Assumption in Sugud,

In his homily the presider touched on the theme of rejoicing (being Gaudete or Rejoicing Sunday) and said it was reflective of the religious charism as it points to a world beyond this earth.

After the Mass, Sr Jennifer Han fsp animated the faithful on the charisms of the seven religious institutes present in the archdiocese.  She also encouraged the people to visit the exhibition set up at their church hall.  Kinarut Zone Pastoral Committee Chairman Justin Tambud received the token banner from Council of Religious Chairperson Sr Christine Sundin fsp after the animation.  Then all adjourned to the church hall for the exhibition and fellowship.

The present church was blessed and opened on 5 Sept 1993 by Bishop John Lee to cater to a Catholic population of around 3,000 living within the vicinity. Kinarut is a town  located about 20 kilometres south of the state capital, Kota Kinabalu, and is one of the stops on the Sabah State Railway. Kinarut is under the administration of the Papar District but under the ecclesiastical jurisdication of St Michael Parish Penampang.

So far the Kinarut community has been quite fruitful: it has produced two priests: Fr David Sham, Fr Daniel Jomilong; and four religious sisters: Sr Jennifer Han fsp, Sr Marysia Malantin fsic, Sr Anne Roger PKarm, and Sr Agustina Loingan Pkarm.  It has also two chapels under its care – St Paul Bisuang, St Anne Punson – and a third one still under construction in Labak.