The History Of Holy Trinity Parish Tawau

To fully appreciate the enormous success of the Catholic Mission in Tawau, we need to get in touch with the harsh conditions within which it was established and eventually flourished.

What was Tawau and its immediately surroundings like before the turn of the 20th century? The first Europeans who arrived described the coastal areas of Borneo as low-lying, inaccessible, hot and humid, infested with ferocious pirates and deadly tropical diseases which made any significant settlement impossible. Only when the hold of the pirates was broken by British naval and land forces did any settlement begin.

In 1882, a year after the establishment of the North Borneo Chartered Company, the founder of Tawau, Pengulu Puado, a Bugis trader leading a mixed group of Bugis, Suluks, Tidongs and Bajaus numbering 25 persons, settled near the mouth of the Tawau River at Tawau Lama. This group was to plant coconuts, but more importantly, to help the British gain a foothold on an area where the Dutch had some presence and influence. A few Chinese quickly followed and even before 1900 there were three Chinese shops owned by Teo Chiews at the settlement. Planting coconuts, collecting jungle produce and fishing were the basic economic activities of the small community. At the time of their arrival there was practically nothing - no road, no permanent building, no civilized amenities of any kind.

Though theories abound as to the true origin of the name “Tawau” (“Tawao)” it is likely to be a Tidong word to describe a fishing method in the Tawau River.

Due to the shallow waters at the estuary of the river, the authorities decided to move to Tanjong where there was deeper water for a good wharf. The move to Tanjong started in 1885. A good solid wharf was completed in 1902 and the immediate lands facing it became the focal point of further development. By 1904 there were 20 shops near the seafront mostly owned by Teo Chiews, a few by Hokkiens, Hakkas and Bugis. The natives especially the Bugis owned most of the land in town. Only later in the ensuing decades did they choose to sell their land mostly to Chinese while they themselves moved away to settle down a few kilometers from town. In 1900, there were an estimated 300 people who lived in the new town and of these 41 out of the 60 households receiving water from the Tawau River (some two miles away) were Chinese.

Many of these early settlers came and went. The economy was small and shaky. A little earlier in 1897, Mr. Hans Petersen had experimented with Tobacco without much success and gave it up in 1902. There were two British and one Japanese timber companies. The economy was still based mainly on jungle produce especially rottan. A small amount of rice and coconuts were also exported.

In the subsequent years however, the economy began to improve. The planting of rubber began in 1909 though it was only first exported in 1916. The coal-mine at Silimponpon (“Silimpopon”, “solimpunpun”) was started in 1905 and by 1915 was producing 60,000 tons of coal annually and employing around 800 workers, a huge business in those days.

Earlier in 1883 Sandakan Mission had been opened, only to be closed for 2 years in 1885, and reopened in 1887. Progress was extremely slow. Between 1904 and 1920 priests came and went each doing their bit just to keep the mission going. It was during this very unsettled period that the first visits to Tawau were made probably in 1914. Though made an outstation of Sandakan in 1915, these first visits seemed to be more exploratory in nature. In fact, the new outstation was not visited for the next five years until Fr. A Stotter was appointed rector of Sandakan in February 1920.

The few visits in 1914 and 1915 reported that there were very few Catholics in Tawau, which might have contributed to the spontaneous negligence. However, the progressive development of the coal mine at Silimponpon significantly raised the importance of Tawau. Among the huge Chinese and Philippino workforce were many Catholics and naturally the Mission in Sandakan could no longer overlook Tawau. In fact, a number of the workers at the mine had gone there from Sandakan including the two Domingo brothers, Crescencio and Beningo (the father and uncle of our present parishioner Mary Domingo). A good friend of the Domingo’s at Silimponpon was another Catholic, Mr. Peter Voo Kon Hoi (grandfather of our parishioner Richard Voo). Though Silimponpon does not seem to have stayed in the living memory of many a parishioner, it seems to have played a decisive role in the eventual founding of a proper mission station in Tawau.

Before the arrival of Fr. A. Stotter, there were two prominent Tawau personalities from among the few Catholics in town: Mr. Stephen Taan and Mr. John Wong.

John Wong, a Hakka from Pao On in China, came to Tawau in 1900. He started working for the government in 1908 first as a dresser at the hospital and later became the chief clerk retiring from government service in 1927. He even taught for a while at Holy Trinity School. In 1913 when the Hakkas and had just started moving to the Sin On area in Tawau Town, he was given 30 acres of land there by the government to plant coconuts. Being a government official and a part time farmer-merchant he was often asked to help settle community conflicts which were rife especially between the Teo Chiew, Hakka, Cantonese clans.

Stephen Tann, a Teo Chiew married to Mary Rose Wong a Hakka, first worked as a customs clerk in Sandakan and later was transferred to Tawau around 1911. The Tanns first lived with Mr. John Wong at the government quarters. Soon Stephen resigned from government service and bought 175 acres of land at Pasir Puteh where he planted coconuts and rubber. He also ran a liquor store from his home at Sin On and owned the water supply distribution since 1913. Speaking English and a prominent businessman in town he was the unofficial Chinese community leader.

The true founder of Tawau Catholic Mission was Fr. A. Stotter, that remarkable rector of St. Mary’s, Sandakan. We know little about this Mill Hill Missionary from the Tyrol. However, he seemed to be an organized and effective leader, a man of vision, someone who knew his strengths and limits, and had a great capacity for work. He was appointed before the turn of the century to Sarawak and opened a mission station at Cut, a Melanau area, in 1899. Later he opened the station at Dalat in 1906. He also founded the Kuala Belait mission in Brunei a few years later. Before that, in 1904, he published the first Iban prayer book “Surat Orang Christian” in Brixen (Austria). His skill as a negotiator was also put to great use. Around 1922 a serious row broke out between the Rajah, the Anglican Bishop and the Roman Catholic Mission at Sari near Kapit. It was Fr. Stotter who finally brought the long misunderstanding to a close. And soon after Mgr. Wacther was appointed Prefect in 1927 and the division of the Sarawak and British North Borneo Mission became a reality, Fr. Stotter, who had in the meantime been appointed to Sandakan, was sent to negotiate a financial settlement with Kuching. In that negotiation he secured the vast Labuan estate and a cash of $60,000.00 for the North Borneo Mission.

Already in 1923, partly realizing that the fathers in Sandakan could no longer cope with the volume of work, partly understanding the desperate need to have professionals heading the school in Sandakan, he contacted the La Salle brothers to take over the school but unfortunately nothing came of it. Busy with school and mission work among the increasing number of Catholics in Sandakan, he still managed to visit the outstations regularly. He also founded the Kudat mision. The head station at Sandakan and her outstations (Tawau, Marudu Bay and Kudat), flourished under his pastoral care. We do not know how frequently he visited Tawau or how long he stayed at each of those visits between 1920 and 1922. However, the fruit of his initial work was spectacular considering that it all happened within a short period of two years (February 1920 - February 1922) when he was rector of Sandakan and residing there, and attending to Tawau only through visits and … by boat.

Writing the 1919-1920 annual report for Sandakan on the 14th of July 1920, Fr. Sotter remarked: “The new Rector of Sandakan, who writes this report, has only been about five months in this part of the country, & is consequently hardly fully qualified, to give a complete report of the state of his mission…Tawau & Lahad-Datu, on the East Coast, were visited by me. No priest had been there even on a visit for five years or more. In both places I found some scattered Catholics who availed themselves of my visit to go to the Sacraments. – But of the two places Tawau is by far the better. It is a place, where a mission ought to have been started long ago, & where – if I had any means at my disposal – I should start at once with school & Chinese catechists. If I can procure the necessary means, I shall take it as duty bound to open Tawau, where we should probably meet with real success. But any Father to work amongst these people with fruit must learn Chinese & not try to convert natives with the English language.”

Within the first two years, he obtained at least two pieces of land. The first, measuring 1:1:33 acre, was bought from a native for $340.00 in 1921. The second piece, N.T. No.408, measuring 2 acres, was bought in 1922 from a certain Ambang bin Tawai for $330.00. Again in 1923 he proposed buying a portion, 1:1:38 acres, of the N.T. No. 414 from a native. He also successfully applied to the government and obtained remission of all rent on the lands.

A good leader Fr Stotter delegated the responsibility of the mission to lay people. The success of this collaboration was proven by the astonishing success of having collected a total amount of $2,000 (not a small amount in those days) before April 1921 for the construction of the first permanent building which we know eventually incurred $2,500 over and above what was raised. That first double-storey building measuring 40 by 20 feet, serving as the chapel, school and priest quarter, was completed and blessed on the 13th February 1922. Holy Trinity school which had an English and a Chinese department, was completely run by the lay people until 1937 when Fr. Walsh became the first priest-principal. The first headmaster of the school was a certain Mr. Stephen Sim Kee Hong. Except for the name we know nothing about him. Mr. Thomas Lee Nyen Tshiang (Chiang), Bishop John Lee’s father, was the first head-teacher for the Chinese department. Sent in 1922 from Sandakan, he helped the Tawau mission and school for about a year.

Referring to Tawau in the annual report of 1920-1921, Fr. Stotter entered the following remarks on the 21st July 1921:

1) “Having now been in Sandakan for one year & five months, I am in a better position to give a Report of the state of this mission than I was last year …

4) With regard to Chinese Catechists, I have employed one regularly throughout the year in Sandakan and have lately obtained the services of a second one, who has yet to prove his fitness for the task. The importance of good catechists cannot be exaggerated, & I am trying hard to obtain more catechists for the work in Tawao & Kudat. As the mission here has had no catechists for years before my arrive in Sandakan, it is all uphill work for them and will take some time, before good results can be shown.

5) I have regularly visited Tawao & Lahad-Dato, & have been once also to the coal-mines in Silimpopon. Wherever I go, I meet with the best reception & can do a fair amount of good. In Tawao the Catholics & heathens have generously contributed towards the building of Church & School. 1 piece of land has been acquired there, & the School-building with the Sanctuary of a little Church ought to be soon a reality, though in sequence of my occupations elsewhere the building operations are somewhat delayed. Still I have every reason to hope, that before many months are over, the work of the school with a native teacher & a Chinese Catechist will be a going concern there.”

“The outstations are very promising & have been regularly visited by me during the year under review. – Since February 13th 1922. our Tawau-schools, with Mr. Stephen Kee Hong as headmaster & teacher of the English Department, & an efficient Chinese as teacher of the Chinese department & Catechist among the Chinese planters, have been carried on with real success & have some sixty pupils in attendance as day-scholars only so far, although the accommodation for boarders is quite ready. – The actual number of pupils at Tawau is: English Depart: 30 boys & 2 girls; Chinese Dept. 22 boys & 11 girls, or 65 in all, a very encouraging number indeed in five months. Beside in Tawau-school nearly all pupils pay some School-fees monthly, & this with some local subscriptions helps to make the schools there nearly self-supporting. But the buildings there have cost me nearly $2,500 over & above the local subscriptions towards the building fund.”

Who were the Catholics in 1922? The above photo taken on the 13th February 1922 at the opening of the first building is most revealing. Considering that the occasion was a most significant event for the Catholic community and even for Tawau at large, one would expect that most of the Catholics would be present. We count 26 adults and 10 children. The following adults have been positively identified: Fr. Stotter, Mr and Mrs Stephen Tann and daughter, Mr. Thomas Lee Nyen Chiang, Mr Crescencio Domingo, Mr Beningo Domingo, Mr. Voo Kon Hoi, and John Wong…

Why was the mission and school named “Holy Trinity”? The name was not common or popular among Catholic missionaries in Borneo at that time. Could it just be possible that there were three tiny hills in or around the piece of land on which Fr. Stotter had intended to set up the first building? Someone mentioned about the “Trinity Hills” in some writing. Was it called so because it had already been christened with that name, or was it a straight forward description of three hills within the mission land?

Within the tight schedule of his visits, Fr. Stotter also attended to the flock both in Tawau and in Silimponpon. According to our Baptismal records, which are incomplete, since these records were destroyed during the Second World War and re-entered after the war with information supplied by witnesses, Fr Stotter baptized 4 or perhaps 5 persons:

Alice Tann on the 19th August 1920,
Annie Tann on the 20th of February 1925, both at Tawau and are daughters of Stephen Tann and Mary Rose Wong;

Agnes Wong Nyet Ying (born on 24.8.27), daughter of John Wong and Mary Shim Ah Tam in 1927 at Tawau (the minister is not mentioned but it could only be Fr. Stotter);

Gertrude Domingo on the 26th of January 1926,
Adelaide Domingo on the 9th May 1930, both at Silimponpon and daughters of Mr. Crescencio and Amelia Domingo.

Memorial ground of Stephen Tann and Mary Rose Wong in Tawau (2017)

Memorial ground of Stephen Tann Kau Sai and Mary Rose Wong in Tawau (Photo taken in 2017)

We have very few written records of events which happened from the opening of the first Chapel-school in 1922 until the appointment of Fr. A. McCarthy in 1935(4?). In the absence of records it is difficult to establish exactly the story of the life, struggle and achievement of the Mission during those years. However, writing the 1922-1923 report on the 5th August 1923, Fr. Stotter summed up the future of the outstations including Tawau with deep optimism: “…The outstations still continue to be the source of my greatest consolation. They are doing well & promise a splendid future, but require much attention…”

The following year, 1924, his optimism was tainted as he wrote on board the S.S. Taiyuan to Hong Kong on his way to the General Chapters at Mill Hill London on the 20th April 1924: “… 1) Our head-station in Sandakan makes a little progress; but leaves much to be improved both in the real mission-work & in the schools. In spite of most strenuous efforts on the part of the Fathers, quite a number remain nominal Catholics who only attend to Church on rare occasion & even neglect to send their children to be instructed, in fact the number of really fervent Catholics in Sandakan is not very great… 4) The schools are improving all round; but as we have been unable so far to obtain the help of Christian Brothers, the Fathers are entirely overworked with too heavy burden of the teaching in the school & looking after the scattered Catholics in a district of enormous extent, where is work for ten Fathers instead of the two actually employed. 5) Besides in the outstations we have to rely chiefly on the Catechists, & they give considerable trouble & do not give entire satisfaction anywhere. Also some of our teachers are wanting in religious zeal, & though regular visits have been paid to the outstations by the one of the Fathers the progress that has been made is slow though steady. One Father has of course always to remain at headquarters to attend to the school & parish work there. Still in Tawao on the East Coast & in Kudat on the north real progress has been made; but in Merudu Bay, I have not been able to obtain a Catholic Dusun teach & Catechist, to whom I could entrust our work there …”

According to the British North Borneo Herald Mgr.Dunn, the Prefect Apostolic of North Borneo and Labuan (which then still included Sarawak) visited Tawau from the 25th to the 28th of March 1926, accompanied by Fr. Stotter. They left together for Sandakan on the S.S.Kinabalu. To the small Catholic community of Tawau, the visit surely was one of deep significance - being visited by the head of the whole Church in Borneo. There must have been an elaborate program of celebration which would involve not just the whole Catholic community but also the dignitaries of Tawau.

Yet another important event took place on the 3rd May 1933. Mgr Wachter (appointed Prefect Apostolic in July 1927) accompanied by Fr. Davis from Sandakan, visited Tawau. On their way by steamship to Tawau they stopped over in Semporna, celebrated Mass there attended by only 3 local Catholics. In Tawau, he baptized 12 persons whose records do not seem to appear in our register.

That vast gap is also partially filled with information we have from reports regarding Holy Trinity School in the British North Borneo Official Gazette. (Please read the History of Holy Trinity School in this booklet).

The problems and challenges facing Fr. Stotter in his extensive parish in those years must have been most daunting. We have an inkling of how he felt in the following remarks, entered in his annual report for 1925-1926 on the 4th August 1926:

“…Sandakan itself produces very few converts; there is too much of religious indifference about, & some of our Catholics are not exemplary & even neglect their Easter-duties.

The Chances for gaining converts are better in the outstations, especially in Kudat among the Chinese, where I had some thirty baptisms amongst the adult populations since Easter… With the present shortage of Priests in this extensive mission, no great advances can reasonably be expected. I can only pray, that active and zealous Father(s) may come to help us in the work here, & in the meantime work on with patience to keep up & increase the present figures which after all are far above the average of former years...”

An insight into Catholic life in Tawau in the 1920’s and 1930’s could be obtained if the parishioners at that time and their off-springs are identified and interviewed. But alas, we still need to begin making that attempt.

Below is a list of names of Catholics (entered after WWII and not complete) before the Second World War as found in our baptismal register:

Stephen Tann Kau Sai & Mary Rose Wong: Alice, Annie, Elizabeth Tann;
Crescencio & Amelia Domingo: Getrude, Adelaide, Mary Assunta Domingo;
John Wong & Mary Shim Ah Tam: Agnes Wong Nyet Ying;
Mr Peter & Getrude Vu Kon Hoi;
Stephen Vu Foh Vun and Anthony Vu Yun Thiam;
Tann Pau & Sotera Alberto: Robert, Cecilia and Irene Tann;
Corrie Dominic & Asuncion Rosaria Santos: Anthony Dominic;
F. Cornelius Dominic & A.Asuncion Ganizares: Concepcion Dominic;
John Shim Thiau Sin (Then Su?) & Mary Chu Tsui Kean: Albert Shim Then On;
Matthew Alberto & Rosaria Santos: Ricardo Alberto;
Dominic Lo Kon Sang;
Simon Yap Then Sang & Rose Yi Len Hiong: Lucy Yap Nyuk Moi, Mary Yap Nyuk Yun;
Stenie Chung & Mary Voo: Rose Chung Min Chu;
Rose Rambainah;
Joseph Li Fatt Ngen;
James Chong Fatt & Theresa Chung Moi: Francis Chong Fu Sing;
Louis Vun Vun Thai & Chiew Ngi Chau: Cecilia Vun Su Ngo;
Joseph Primus & Flora Yapp: Veronica Primus, Corda Primus;
Mr & Mrs Charles Wong: John Wong Ming Kong;
Anthony Chan Choon Seng & Mary Ho Chiu Han: Agnes Chan Nyet Fui;
Miss Claris;
Mrs Damian Fung @ Catherine;
Amelia Melegrito;
Agnes Chia;
Wong Yuk Min;
Chan Choon Teck;
Mr & Mrs AcArthur;
Louis Chee;
Mrs Shim Chong;
Peter Chang Chi Kiong;
Victoria Chung Khim Hiong;
Rosalina Ladica;
Mrs Prudensia Alberto;
Aluriana Alberto;
Vu Yet Thau;
Midred Domingo;
Winnie Chan;
(Mrs B. Shim Tiam Shu);
Laureana Alberto;
Louis Vun Shin Thau;
Mrs Thomas Alberto;
Benigno F. Domingo

From what we know Fr. Stotter or his assistants continued to visit the Tawau Mission and took care of its affairs until 1934 when Fr. A. McCarthy was appointed the first rector and Tawau became a head-station with a permanently residing priest. Fr. Crowther came early in 1936 and spent six months learning Chinese. Fr. McCarthy was assisted by Fr. Theurl who was replaced by Fr. Walsh in 1937. Fr. Staudacher took over from McCathy as rector in 1938 and soon in 1939 Fr. Mulders became rector assisted by Fr. Paulmichl. Among the catechists who served from 1922 until the war were Mr. Thomas Lee Nyen Chiang, Mr. Wong Yuk Min (from Papar) and Peter Chang Chi Kiong.

With the coming of a resident rector, much progress was made both in the mission and in the school. That same year a new chapel was built, which was used until it was destroyed in 1945 towards the end of the War. A presbytery was also built, part of which was the only structure standing in the whole mission compound after the war.

What was daily life like from the time Tawau had a resident priest(s) until the dawn of the Second World War? The first obvious and dramatic change was in the life of worship. Unlike previously when the chance of celebrating Mass completely depended on the occasional arrival of the priest from Sandakan, now there was going to be daily Mass, regular prayers in the morning, angelus at 6 a.m., 12 p.m., and 6 p.m., under constant supervision of the residing priest. Gathered daily and weekly still in that 1922 building located on a low hill (in front of the present day canteen) Latin would be heard, and of course Gregorian chant, and rosaries in the sing-song Chinese fashion and perhaps also English prayers. On a weekday morning prayer and Mass would probably start at around 6 a.m. with the catechist(s), the mission boys and perhaps some nearby Catholic neighbours in attendance. On Sundays the Mass was probably in the morning and the Sunday was a day of gathering for the community where people spent a lot of time talking to each other and staying around for a while. In the afternoon there was probably a benediction with litanies.

Since the school and the chapel were still one building until 1937 and after that still physically so close to each other, the sounds of children learning would fill the mission grounds for much of the morning.

On special occasions like when there was a wedding or funeral, the whole community would gather and all other activities stopped. On Feast Days like those of Corpus Christi and Our Lady there would be processions which could take the whole community out of the compound of the mission. Christmas, Easter, Chinese New Year were very focussed kinds of celebration and festivity where food and drink were highly relished for normally most people were poor and could not afford special foods.

Medical care was limited. Health was poor and death even at an early age was not unusual.

Except for a few who were government servants and business people, most others were farmers planting or harvesting or drying coconuts, tapping rubber, planting some vegetables and keeping chickens and pigs. Children who went walking to school in the morning would mostly be helping their parents working the farms in the afternoon. There was little leisure time and so when there was a celebration everyone would stop work to join in.

The arrival of a ship a couple of times a week was always an event for practically that was the only link Tawau had with the outside world. Mail, news, people, goods etc would arrive and depart.

The presbytery would be the focal point of many activities especially after school hours: adults coming to learn catechism with the catechist, people meeting the priest on school, social, building, financial matters or to settle conflicts.

A small platoon of 30 Japanese soldiers took Weston on the 4th January 1942 and within days, Jesselton, Sandakan, Kudat and Tawau came under Japanese control.

Tawau’s association with the Japanese had been long and unique in North Borneo before the war. Since the 1910’s Japanese commercial enterprises started. Kubota Estate was set up by a remarkable Japanese, Mr. U.Kubota who acquired 2,000 acres of land between Tawau and Apas in 1916 and planted coconuts, then hemp and rubber. The labourers hired were Taiwanese and Javanese, never Chinese. The Tawau Kuhara Estate was purchased by Nippon Industrial Company and by 1922 had 13,000 acres under cultivation. It had a six-mile trolley service out from the town and 17 miles of road. The fishing industry was monopolized by the Japanese Borneo Fishing Company’s fleet, a very successful venture. A Dr. Yamamoto came to set up medical practice already in 1920. Such was the economic and social dominance of the Japanese before the War that Tawau was often described as a Japanese colony. One does not need much imagination to realize how important Tawau was to the Japanese war effort especially as a source of rubber.

The Mission’s bank accounts were frozen in September 1942. All Dutch and British missionaries were interned in Jesselton on the 12 May and sent to Batu Lintang in Kuching on the 5th September (men) and 12th September (women). Only six Austrian priests were left behind among whom was Fr. Paulmichl stationed at that time in Sandakan. But he too was expelled soon from Sandakan leaving the whole east coast of North Borneo without priest or missionary throughout the war.

In terms of pastoral care, one can sense the dire need of the flock. There was no priest for Mass, marriage, baptism or burial. One even wonders if the Catholic community continued to assemble each Sunday for some form of worship. What we know, as attested by the baptismal register, was that lay leaders did baptize. Among the lay ministers of baptism according to our records were: Louis Vun Shin Thau, Mrs Charles Wong, Mrs. Thomas Alberto, Denigno F. Domingo, Mrs Crecencio Domingo, Anthony Chan Choon Seng.

Out there in the real Tawau, life was difficult especially for the Chinese who were anti-Japanese because of the Japanese invasion of China. Before the Japanese came many Chinese had raised funds to defend the motherland. Stephen Tann was first appointed Kapitan Cina by the Japanese but soon they suspected his loyalty and arrested him in 1943 and under torture forced to list out names of collaborators. He was then killed and the collaborators he named arrested. Out of the six leaders of the resistance in Tawau only one survived. The Chinese suffered most. Hundreds were arrested and tortured and many did not survive the war. At least 3 prominent Catholics were executed: Mr. Stepehn Tann, Mr. Vu Kon Hoi, and Mr. Corrie Dominic.

Before the arrival of the Japanese forces, the British had destroyed all bridges and strategic facilities including whatever documents that they did not want fallen into Japanese hands. Then the Allied bombings towards the end of the war destroyed practically the whole town. During the war the Japanese used the chapel as a watch tower overlooking the sea. As an invasion by the Allies seemed imminent, the Japanese savaged building materials from the mission buildings to build air shelters, tunnels and other defences. Immediately after the war locals seemed to have taken more of whatever was left destroying all mission buildings except part of the presbytery. In the mission practically all books and documents were destroyed or lost. Knowledge on what the mission was like before the war completely depended on the information provided by those who knew. And it is so critical to have these stories recorded before they are lost forever.

For Borneo the war ended in August 1945. Fr. Mulders, rector of Tawau came back directly from the Kuching internment camp. The task of rebuilding the mission must have been enormous for the ravages of war had left little to build with. He worked against all odds and succeeded in rebuilding the chapel and the school before leaving for home in Holland towards the end of 1947 returning again to Tawau in July 1948.

But the pain and trial of another kind was worse. There must have been many suspicions and accusations of betrayal on the part of families who had suffered especially those who had lost their loved ones during the war. The wounds would take a generation to heal. The Christian faith which survived and thrived after the war would become a source of reconciliation. And as the Tawau Mission rose from the ashes of war, it grew steadily from strength to strength. Who we are today and what we stand for, continue to bear witness to the love and mercy of God who has accompanied us then, now, and till the end of time.

This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Erection of our Diocese and the 80th Anniversary of Holy Trinity Parish. It was 82 years ago that Fr. Stotter landed in Tawau with a firm message of the love of God. Though our focus is to celebrate 25 years of adulthood since 1977 as Church, the Diocese and our Parish’s solid foundations had been laid by our Fathers in faith many years before that.

Recalling the great events of our beginnings should fill us with appreciation, gratitude and indebtedness to God and the people who proclaimed His Good News from the beginning in our land. Look at the faithfulness of Fr.Stotter as he hopped between Sandakan, Kudat, Marudu and Tawau, finding the Catholics and their leaders, seeking catechists and helpers, struggling to build the first chapel, school and living quarters. Look at the missionary zeal which drove him and other missionaries to give up all things to come to this strange land with strange people whose background and culture were often an obstacle with which they had to bear. The struggle was with the people too. Imagine the anguish of parents who wondered about school for their children, the fear of the children to enter it to study a foreigner’s language, all at a time when everyone was struggling to keep hunger at bay in a new and harsh land. Imagine the strange faith they said they wanted to believe in. How many trials did they have to undergo within themselves to understand and finally accept? How desperate were the few Christians who felt so painfully different from the rest of society but found it so difficult to convince others to join them?

But as good as Jesus’ words: “ … unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest,” their sufferings bore fruits in abundance. It is time to celebrate what God has done for us here at Holy Trinity Church, a time to sincerely thank Him and pay due homage to all our fathers in the Faith for the sacrifices they offered, and finally a time to resolve casting the net into deeper waters. Happy Silver Jubilee!

The following are notes on the physical buildings within the immediately Mission grounds. The 1922 building (located in front of the present canteen building where the primary school basketball court had been) served the community for worship, education and lodging for 15 years until a new chapel constructed under the supervision of Fr.Walsh was completed in 1937. The chapel of 1937 was destroyed during WWII. In late 1945, just after the war, when only part of the presbytery-classroom was left standing. Fr. Mulders rebuilt an atap chapel (located near the present rectory) and a school (on the original site?). The 1946 chapel served the community for 13 years until 1958 when a new church just in front of the present “annex” was built by Fr. Bekema.

That church, extended by Fr. Sham in 1979, was demolished to give way to the construction of the new in 1991. The present church was completed and blessed on the 16th February 1992 under the rectorship of Fr. Tung. The building committee was led by Mr. Alex Pang. The same leaders built and completed the present Parish Hall and obtained the Occupational Certificate on the 13th May 1997.

INDEX : Religion October 07, 2017 11:46:30 AM