CAC Blessing and Opening: Speech by Archbishop John Wong

Your Grace Archbishop Zaluski, the Apostolic Nuncio to Malaysia

Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Joachim Gunsalam, Deputy Chief Ministry of Sabah

Bishop Datuk Cornelius Piong, Bishop of Keningau

Tan Sri, Puan Sri, Datuk-Datuk, Datin-Datin

Distinguished donors, benefactors and guests

My fellow clergy and religious

Representatives of all parishes and dioceses in Sabah

Representatives of the media

Ladies and Gentlemen

Fr.Cosmas Lee has said it all, and he has covered the background of this Centre. He has also expressed his appreciation and thanks to one and all on behalf of the Archdiocese. That makes it easy for me.

Just a sincere word of Gratitude and Thanks to each and every one of you for your presence to witness the Opening and Blessing of this new Centre.

I would specially wish to welcome and thank our Apostolic Nuncio, His Grace Archbishop Zaluski, for his maiden visit to Kota Kinabalu. I hope Your Grace will have a glimpse of our Local Church during your short visit.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Now that we have a new and bigger building to serve as the nerve centre of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu, we will need to optimise its usage. No doubt, this new Centre is a symbol of our growth and unity as a Local Church. But at the same time, it should remind us to double our efforts in carrying out the mission of the Church.

Of course, this building, this new Centre is not the Archdiocese per se; because our Archdiocese is a sum total of all our 19 parishes plus their outstations. It also includes the clergy, catechists, pastoral agents, all religious and lay communities, all Catholics – active and lapsed, all our human, physical and financial resources, our pastoral structures, systems, styles and policies. Together, under the pastoral leadership of the archbishop, they form the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu.

It is my hope that this new Centre will facilitate the process of harnessing the charism and potentials of all the pastoral agents, strengthening the various pastoral structures, streamlining our resources, and mobilising all the baptised in carrying out our mission as “a caring communion of Christ-centred communities” in this Archdiocese.

Through the various offices in this Centre, both pastoral and administrative, we hope the Vision and Mission of the Archdiocese could be further promoted and enhanced.

In our desire to be a synodal Church that aims to walk forward in communion, carrying out our mission through the participation of all the baptised, let us do this with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and through the intercession of St. Joseph, the Patron Saint of our Archdiocese.

Thank you and God bless.

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Official Opening and Blessing of Catholic Archdiocesan Centre (CAC)

Brief History of CAC: Appreciation and Thanks