Sandakan Diocese launches Diocesan Vision-Mission Statements, Diocesan Pastoral Plan on 10th anniversary

TAWAU – Sandakan Diocese marked its 10th anniversary with the launching of its Diocesan Vision and Mission Statements as well as its Diocesan Pastoral Plan at Holy Trinity Church here on 18 Oct 2017.

In his message, Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom said, “This Vision and Mission comes from the people and it is for the people.  I hope each and every one of us will embrace it and make it as our own, a compass towards achieving our dream church that we have envisioned.”

The Vision focuses on the diocese being a “Christ-centred community serving one another with love” spelt out in its mission of nurturing active church participation, fostering spirit of unity in diversity and family values, enhancing living the Gospel values through a deeper understanding of the church social teaching, intensifying faith formation and promoting priestly and religious vocations.

The Vision and Mission, Bp Gitom said, “implies a common direction and a common goal to be achieved… Achieving a vision is a slow and gradual process just as growing in faith in a lifelong process.  It requires the participation of all of us, and all of us must be dedicated, committed, determined, and have a strong sense of responsibility to serve the Lord and one another.”

The launching took place after the Mass in the presence of Cardinal Anthony Soter Fernandez of Kuala Lumpur, Archbishop John Wong of Kota Kinabalu, Bishop Cornelius Piong of Keningau and Bishop Cornelius Sim of Brunei.

The launching ended with the recitation of the Diocesan Prayer and the distribution of copies of the Pastoral Plan to all the prelates and parish representatives.

Over a thousand people including priests and religious from the three dioceses took part in the anniversary celebration.

The day before, Oct 17, Cardinal Fernandez gave a session on BECs – he initiated BECs in his archdiocese 40 years ago while Pilis Malim, head of Focus Committee,  briefed those present on the seven-year process involving all the BECS  in the formulation of the Pastoral Plan.

In the evening, over 700 participated in the Thanksgiving Dinner held at the Promenade Hotel opposite the church which saw the participation of the different parishes in presenting stage performances.