SANDAKAN, Malaysia (UCAN) -- The birth of Sandakan diocese and ordination of its first bishop took place on Oct. 15 at St. Mary's Cathedral here.

On July 16, Pope Benedict XVI erected the diocese, carving it out of Kota Kinabalu diocese in Sabah, Malaysia's easternmost state, and named Father Julius Dusin Gitom, 50, as its first ordinary.

The Bangkok-based apostolic delegate to Malaysia, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, presided at the three-hour ordination and installation. Assisting him were the leaders of Sabah's two other dioceses: Bishop John Lee of Kota Kinabalu, based in the state capital, and Bishop Cornelius Piong of Keningau.

Eight other archbishops and bishops concelebrated the Mass with 71 priests, mostly from the three countries that share one regional conference of bishops, Catholic Bishops Conference of Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei.

More than 4,000 Catholics attended the event, including a federal minister native to the area and four Sabah state ministers. Many people had to stay outside the cathedral, braving the strong sun with umbrellas and hats for most of the Mass, and a sudden downpour around Communion time.

In his homily, Archbishop Pennacchio reminded the new bishop of his mission to confirm and affirm people in their faith. Through the bishop, he said, "the Risen Christ would be able to speak to his flock, gather them as his Church, lead them, feed them and find them when they stray from the right path."

The apostolic delegate noted that Malaysia's Muslims were celebrating their Id al-Fitr feast, known locally as Hari Raya, over the weekend. He told Bishop Gitom, "Among other important obligations as a bishop, you have the duty to promote interreligious dialogue and uphold the spirit of harmony and understanding among people of different faiths in your beloved country."

When Bishop Gitom spoke at the close of the ceremony, he asked local Catholics for prayers and cooperation to build the new diocese together.

Bishop Lee said he felt "sad" that a new Church jurisdiction had been "carved out" of his Kota Kinabalu diocese, but "relieved" Catholic communities along Sabah's east coast now have their own diocese. Those communities have felt Kota Kinabalu is too far away for the diocese to appreciate and respond to their problems and needs, Bishop Lee noted.

Sandakan diocese has four parishes, but it also has numerous outstations spread over a large territory, and many could become parishes. About 30 priests work in the "mother" diocese of Kota Kinabalu.

Some cathedral parishioners told UCA News they feel very happy their new diocese has been born, but also feel a great responsibility has been entrusted to them.

Nora Thien, who trains readers for Chinese-language Masses, said "the sense of having a heavier burden" weighs on her. In the past, she explained, "all we did was follow, but now we have to do everything on our own."

Elmer Adonis, 29, said he believes local Catholics now have more opportunities to serve the Church. "There will be more space, a wider scope for all," observed Adonis, who is active in the parish youth movement.

Miriam Lee, 16, a parish choir member for the past year, said she hopes the local Church will give more attention to young people who are "not active" in the Church. Lee's mother is an indigenous Kadazandusun, the largest ethnic group in Sabah, and Lee said she hopes the new bishop will pay greater attention to that community's needs.

Bishop Gitom is Sabah's second bumiputra (indigenous, "son of the soil" in Malaysian) bishop. The first is Bishop Piong, whose episcopal ordination was in 1993. The other bishops in Sabah and Sarawak, the states constituting eastern Malaysia, are ethnic Chinese.

The new bishop is one of the first graduates of St. Peter's College in Kuching, the Sarawak capital, to become a bishop. The college opened in 1980 as a major seminary for candidates in East Malaysia and has trained almost 60 priests. Sandakan diocese is one of five suffragans of Kuching archdiocese.

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