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.

Diocese of Miri Dioecesis Miriensis Keuskupan Miri 美里教区
Front View of St Joseph's Cathedral Miri in 2003
Coat of arms
Location
Country	Malaysia
Ecclesiastical province	Kuching
Metropolitan	Kuching
Statistics
Area	66,135 km2 (25,535 sq mi)[a]
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2021) 877,492[a] 113,382[a] (12.9%)
Parishes	15[a]
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	1959; 66 years ago (1959)[1]
Cathedral	St Joseph's Cathedral, Miri
Patron saint	Saint Joseph
Language	Ecclesiastical Latin English language Iban language Mandarin language Malay language Kenyah language Kayan language Punan language Bukitan language Lun Bawang language Bisayan language Kelabit language Melanau language
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Richard Ng
Metropolitan Archbishop	Simon Peter Poh Hoon Seng
Vicar General	Joseph Ding
Episcopal Vicars	Francis Kuleh Usat
Bishops emeritus	Anthony Lee Kok Hin
Website
www.miridiocese.org[dead link]

In 1959, when the Vicariate was established, Anthony Denis Galvin, a Mill Hill priest, was appointed as the Apostolic Vicar (later bishop) until his sudden death in 5 September 1976. Anthony Lee Kok Hin, a local priest from Miri, become the first local bishop of Miri in 30 May 1977. In 2013, following his resignation, Pope Francis elected 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. He was ordained by Pope John XXIII in Rome on 5 April 1960.

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, with bishop Galvin as its first bishop.

On 20 May 1977, following the death of bishop Galvin, Father Anthony Lee was elected as the second bishop of Miri, a local of Miri, and he was ordained bishop in St. Joseph's Cathedral. 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 (1919-1976)	5 April 1960	5 September 1976 (Died)
2		Anthony Lee Kok Hin (born 1935)	2 January 1966 (Ordained priest) 30 May 1977 (Bishop)	30 October 2013 (Resigned)
3		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 Muyang
• Rev. Nelson Zang Kum, MHM (Mill Hill missionary from South Sudan)
• 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)
• Claretians (CMF)

Parishes

• Miri zone
  • St. Joseph's Cathedral, Miri
    • sub-parishes: Church of St. Anthony of Padua, Tudan, Miri
    • Church of The Holy Spirit, Permyjaya, Miri
    • Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, Bakam, Miri
    • Carmelite Chapel, Jln. Brighton, Tanjung Lobang, Miri
    • Church of Holy Rosary, Piasau Utara, 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)
    • sub-parish: Body and Blood of Christ Church, Bakong, Miri

• Limbang zone
  • Church of St. Edmund, Limbang
    • sub-parishes: St. Martin, Lawas
    • St. Michael, Medamit, Limbang
    • St. John, Liok Batu, Limbang
    • St. Mary Mother of God, Rh. Imau, Mile 9, Jln. Kubong, Limbang
    • St. Anthony, Batu Danau, Limbang
    • St. Matthew, Meruyu, Medamit, Limbang
    • St. Francis, Rh. Lumbong, Entakong, Limbang
    • Mother Mary, Bukid Gudang, Limbang
    • St. Mary, Pengkalan Jawa, Limbang
    • St. James, Lembuak, Limbang
    • St. Matthew, Batu Riau, Limbang

• Bintulu zone
  • Church of St. Anthony, Bintulu
    • sub-parishes: Stella Maris Church, Kidurong, Bintulu
    • St. George Church, Sebauh, Bintulu
    • St. John Church, Setiam, Bintulu
    • St. George Church, Mile 15, Bintulu-Miri Highway, Bintulu
    • House of the Presentation of the Lord, Sg. Plan, 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
• SK RC Kubong, Limbang

Secondary

• SMK St Joseph, Miri

See also

• Catholic Church in Malaysia

Notes

1. Annuario Pontificio (2022) via Catholic-Hierarchy.org^[1]