First local Catholic priest ordained in St Anthony’s Church, Bintulu

BINTULU: Father Peter Hwang, 28, became the first local catholic priest here after he was ordained by Bishop Anthony Lee Kok Hin on Oct 7. The ceremony was witnessed by thousands of parishioners of the St Anthony’s Church. For the past 54 years, the Bintulu Catholic parish, established by the Mill Hills Missionaries and the Catholic community here had prayed for a local to be ordained a priest.

The new priest did not show any signs of reservation or hesitation during his ordination witnessed by family and 16 other Catholic priests from throughout northern Sarawak, Bishop Lee himself is the first local Catholic Bishop in northern Sarawak. He reminded Fr. Hwang of the responsibilities that he would shoulder as a priest.