Pastoral Visit to St Martin Parish, Lawas 16th - 17th March 2019

The new parish St Martin, Lawas northern Sarawak is under Reverend Fr. Sylvester Ding where he was installed Rector on Feast Day of St Martin 3rd November 2018.
St Martin's Church, Lawas was renovated and rededicated on 17th December 2017 by Right Reverend  Richard Ng the Bishop of Miri.

Thirty candidates both students and adults received the Sacrament of Confirmation where His Lordship Bishop and Reverend Fr. Sylvester Ding celebrated Holy Mass at St Martin's Church on Sunday 17th March 2019.

It is estimated there are 1000 catholic migrant communities under St Martin Parish, Lawas where they work in logging camps and plantations -
- St Basilius Ravenscourt, Samling Camp
- St Michael Jinland Camp
- St Joseph Phung Long
- Merarap Lumber Camp
- Ladang Trusan
- Ladang Intan
- Jalan Beriwan

On Saturday 16th March 2019, Right Reverend Bishop Richard Ng blessed the new chapel Gereja Emmanuel at Kampung Penganan, Limbang where His Lordship Bishop and Reverend Fr. Peter Hwang celebrated the first sunset Mass at Gereja Emmanuel near to Rumah Penganan a 21 doors Iban longhouse 50% catholics.  There are some 250 catholics residing in Kampung Penganan.  The small community started the project in 2010 to construct the chapel Gereja Emmanuel adopting the Gotong Royong approach.  Kampung Penganan is 30 km away from St Edmund Church, Limbang.

The pastoral visit return journey registered 560 km total distance traveled by road.

Photography  Dennis Ng
Compiled and uploaded by BenChang