Roman Catholic Diocese of Miri

The Diocese of Miri (Latin: Dioecesis Mirensis; Malay: Keuskupan Miri; Mandarin: 美里教区) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Malaysia. Situated northeast of the Archdiocese of Kuching, of which it is a suffragan diocese. St. Joseph's Cathedral in Miri serves as both the diocesan cathedral and the seat of bishop. The diocese covers Miri, Bintulu, Limbang, Lawas, Tatau and Marudi.

In 1959, when the Vicariate was established, Anthony Denis Galvin, a Mill Hill priest, was appointed as the first Apostolic Vicar until his death in 1966. From his tenure as the second Apostolic Vicar for 10 years, Anthony Lee Kok Hin, a local priest from Miri, become the first bishop of Miri in 1977 when Pope Paul VI elevates the Vicariate into full diocese status. In 2013, following his resignation, Pope Francis granted Rev. Fr. Richard Ng, a Kuching-born priest, as his successor and he was installed as the second bishop of this diocese in 2014.

History

Originally erected in 1959, as the Apostolic Vicariate of Miri, the diocese was formed from the Vicariate of Kuching.

The present Catholic community in the country finds its roots in the ministry of the Missionary Society of St. Joseph (Mill Hill Missionaries) They started schools all throughout Miri, starting with Good Shepherd School, at Claude Town (or present day Marudi).

After the Vicariate of Miri was established and, in the following year, Father Anthony D. Galvin (who was a Mill Hill Father himself) was consecrated the first bishop of the Miri Vicariate. Served until his death in 1966, he was ordained by Pope John XXIII in Rome on 5 May 1960.

Approximately 6 years later, on 2 January 1967, Father Anthony Lee Kok Hin (who was the first priest from Miri at that time) was ordained, replacing Galvin.

Pope Paul VI then established a new Church province in East Malaysia on 31 May 1976, and Miri Vicariate was raised to the level of a Diocese.

On 20 May 1977, a year after the diocese was created, Lee, who was the second Vicar at that time, was elected as the first bishop of Miri, and he was ordained bishop in St. Joseph's Cathedral, and on 20 November, the Diocese of Miri was officially proclaimed. Alongside with the Diocese of Sibu (established in 1986), the diocese is currently a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Kuching. On 11 November 1997, it lost its territory to the North of it (Brunei), to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Brunei. (Currently the Apostolic Vicariate of Brunei)

In accordance with the Code of Canon Law, Pope Francis accepted the Lee's resignation on 30 October 2013 and appointed Father Richard Ng from the Archdiocese of Kuching to succeed him. Ng was ordained and installed as the second bishop of the Diocese on 25 January 2014, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.

Ordinaries

No.	Portrait	Name	From	Until
1		Anthony Denis Galvin, MHM (?-1966)	5 April 1960	5 September 1966 (Died)
2	File:Bishop Anthony Lee.jpg	Anthony Lee Kok Hin (born 1935)	2 January 1967 (Vicar) 30 May 1977 (Bishop)	30 October 2013 (Resigned)
3	File:Coat of arms of Richard Ng.svg	Richard Ng (born 1966)	25 January 2014	Present

Priests

• Msgr. Joseph Ding (Vicar general)
• Rev. Francis Kuleh Usat (Vicar general emeritus)
• Rev. Gabriel Chiong
• Rev. Justin Dan
• Rev. Sylvester Ding Ibau
• Rev. Philip Empalah
• Rev. Peter Hwang Yiek Siong
• Rev. Damian Lalo
• Rev. Andy Lee
• Rev. Johnny Francis Ho Fung Fei
• Rev. Peter Mering
• Rev. Michael Sia
• Rev. Vincent Shim
• Rev. Sylvester Ngau Juk
• Rev. Martin Vincent Sta
• Rev. Henry Saleh
• Rev. Ronald Jimmy
• Rev. Kevin Chundi
• Rev. Robert Radin
• Rev. John Ciril, MHM (Mill Hill missionary from India)
• Rev. John McAulay, MHM (Mill Hill missionary from the United Kingdom)

Religious communities

• Mill Hill Missionaries (MHM)

Parishes

• Miri zone
  • St. Joseph's Cathedral, Miri
  • Church of Mater Dei, Lutong, Miri
  • Church of St. Dominic and the Rosary, Taman Tunku, Miri
  • Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Batu Niah, Miri
  • Church of Holy Family, Lapok, Miri (formerly Church of Lord Jesus, Lapok)

• Limbang zone
  • Church of St. Edmund, Limbang
  • Church of St. Martin, Lawas

• Bintulu zone
  • Church of St. Anthony, Bintulu
  • Church of St. Peter, Tatau
  • Church of St. Francis Xavier, Belaga

• Baram zone
  • Church of Blessed Sacrament, Long Lama
  • Church of Holy Cross, Sungai Asap
  • Church of Good Shepherd, Marudi
  • Church of St. Paul, Long San

Missionary schools

Primary

• SK St Joseph, Miri
• SK Good Shepherd, Marudi
• SK St Anthony, Bintulu
• SK St Edmund, Limbang

Secondary

• SMK St Joseph, Miri

See also

• Catholic Church in Malaysia