PADUAN Yearly Encounter

Kota Kinabalu – A group of Religious and Priests of various congregations and Orders, also known as PADUAN, who hail from the Parishes of Bundu Tuhan and Ranau, reported feeling refreshed and grateful for the time spent together in fellowship away from their hectic schedules.

This year’s PADUAN gathering was held at St. Bede’s Kokob, Ranau on 28 – 29th October 2024.

The overnight gathering saw seventeen Priests, religious brothers and Sisters who came from as far as Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tambunan to attend the gathering.

The first day’s programme consisted of dinner fellowship accompanied by light karaoke entertainment.  A more serious agenda was set on the second day which included morning prayer together before breakfast followed by the annual meeting.

Rev Wilson Francis, who was elected to be the chairperson of PADUAN two years ago chaired the meeting and he was once again unanimously nominated   for another year to serve in the post.

Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom of Sandakan Diocese, a PADUAN member himself, was the main celebrant in the concluding Eucharistic Celebration at 11:15am after the annual meeting. Concelebrating with him were Fr. Jalius Sading, Fr. Giovanni and Fr. Wilson, also members of PADUAN.

 The PADUAN group was first formed in 2006, mooted by Fr Jalius Sading in collaboration with some Religious Sisters who supported his ideas. Since then the group has faithfully taken the initiative to meet yearly.  In fact the members are looking forward to the next PADUAN gathering, scheduled for next year in Kg. Nalapak Ranau.

The objective of PADUAN is to enable its members to develop a spirit of belonging as a group which facilitates spiritual, moral and psychological support which they can draw on when faced with challenges that all of them will experience in the course of their vocational journey. By enabling mutual trust and encouragement, it is hoped that they will not only persevere but also grow steadily in their life of dedicated service.

Among all the parishes in the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu, Bundu Tuhan and Ranau are truly blessed with a good number of religious and priestly vocations.   To date there are 10 priests and 26 religious from these two parishes and hopefully there will be even more generous young men and women who will respond to God’s call of love in the years to come. – srbbfsp

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