Church of St. Anne, Punson-Kilirip

Churches & Chapels of St Augustine Parish Kinarut

CHURCH INFORMATION

Church of St. Anne, Punson-Kilirip

Date of Completion
28 December 2012
Location
Kg. Punson
Area
3.5 km²
Population
630 People
Number of Catholics
589 people
Main Economic Activities
Government servants, Private workers

History of the Spread and Summary of the Development of the Catholic Religion in Kg. Punson - Kilirip

The initial spread of Catholicism in Kg. Punson – Kilirip took place around 1958, when a priest, namely Rev. Fr. A. G. Lampe came to visit the villagers together with Mr. Andrew Loinsang who lived in Kg. Labak. The visit has attracted the attention and opened the hearts of several villagers to study Catholicism and study as catechumen students in Latin at the Holy Rosary Church, Limbahau. Among those involved were Monjolina Kuar, Dorotia Muhati, Elizabeth Pinjiim and Poula Muhati. After some time, Catholics in Kg. Punson – Kilirip continued to grow, followed by the Moinin Molikit family, the Mojinul family and the Motingal family.

Today, more and more Catholics are growing in their faith, and not very few who have a calling to live as religious and lay ministers. Among them are Kategis Calextus Roger Singoon, Rosina Regina Roger Singoon (Sr. Mary Ann, PKarm), Suzi Loingan (Sr. Augus ne, PKarm), Rosina Fabian Majain (Sr. Carmen Marie, PKarm) and Rev. Fr. Terans Thadius (eldest son of Margaretha Roger Singoon).

Before stand as a Kampung Catholic Community, Kg. Punson was initially under the pastoral administration of Tampasak C.C. Since the beginning, the Punson – Kilirip C.C. is relatively active in religious activities and mostly serves at St. Augustine, Kinarut together with Tampasak C.C.

The majority of residents in Kg. Punson and Kg. Kilirip is Catholic. Many of them are active in prayer groups such as the Legion of Mary, and there are also those who are serving as a Sunday School Teacher (Catechist) in St. Augustine’s Church, Kinarut. With the great development of faith and positive growth among the people who are serving in the Kinarut Zone, committee member of Kg. Punson – Kilirip which at that time was chaired by Pn. Jovinia Roger Singoon has come up with the
idea of building a chapel for Catholics in Kg. Punson, so that its surroundings can carry out their worship at a closer location.

After the chapel construction proposal was approved, an Ad Hoc Committee was established to monitor the construction work. With consent and fully sincerity, Mr. Jackrine @ Zeno Siginol with his wife, Pn. Nani @ Zita Galib, and the rest of the family donated part of their land to build the chapel building. Members of Chapel Development Committee was founded in 2010 and chaired by Mr. Charles Borromeo bin Jackrine, and assisted by the Kinarut Zone Finance and Property Committee, which at that time was chaired by En. Stephen Kuin Uji and Spiritual Advisor are the Rector of Penampang Parish, Rev. Fr. Alexander E. Sipanul.

Through donations from a well-known benefactor in Sabah, Datuk Victor Paul, construction work was finally able to begin. The site of this chapel was blessed by Rev. Fr. Alex Sipanul on May 7, 2012 prior the construction. Construction went smoothly and it is fully completed on December 28, 2012.

With the establishment of a chapel at Kg. Punson, religious activities could be carried out regularly and several committees were established to assist in pastoral care. Kg. Punson also began to recognized as a new Kampung Catholic Community, known as Punson – Kilirip C.C., in which the pastoral administratton is now carried out separately from Tampasak C.C.