Fr John, a missionary with more than 20 years experience serving in Africa, Europe and Pakistan, is 54 years old but he looks remarkably young for his age.
For the past week or so, he was at the St Joseph Cathedral presiding over the Novena to the Holy Spirit.
This Monday, he will be posted to Lapok to join Fr Andy and Fr Damian in serving the parishioners in the lower and middle Baram area.
Fr John said this is the very first time he has set foot in Miri.
It is also the very first time he has been to Sarawak and Malaysia.
The Mill Hill headquarters deployed him to Miri following an invitation from Bishop Richard Ng for the missionary movement to send an additional priest to help out in this huge diocese that have a population of about 80,000 Catholics.
Fr John said he felt blessed to be called by God to serve in this part of the world.
And he is delighted to find that the people in Miri are so.nice.
"Miri is a beautiful place. The people here are so lovely and gentle in nature.
"I hope I will be here for many more years to come," he said.
Fr John is already learning to speak and read simple Bahasa Malaysia.
"I can say mass in English and Bahasa Malaysia and I hope to learn the native languages like Iban, Kayan and Kenyah soon," he said.
Miri Diocese pray that Fr John will be blessed with good health, peace and joy as he takes on his mission of spreading the Good News of the Gospel in this Land of The Hornbills.
Compiled by Ben Chang
