The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kuching (Latin: Archidioecesis Kuchingensis) is a Latin archbishopric of the Roman Catholic Church in Sarawak, a Malaysian state on Borneo, however remains dependent on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Its cathedral archiepiscopal see is St Joseph’s Cathedral, in Kuching, Sarawak.
John Ha Tiong Hock was appointed Archbishop of Kuching by Pope John Paul II on 24 May 2003. Pope Francis has appointed Simon Peter Poh Hoon Seng as the Auxiliary Bishop on 9 July 2015. Following Hock's resignation on March 4, 2017, Seng was appointed Archbishop.
It was erected it as the Apostolic Prefecture of Sarawak by Pope Pius XI on 5 February 1927, on territory split off from the Apostolic Prefecture of Labuan and Borneo.
It was promoted to the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuching by Pope Pius XII on 14 February 1952.
Lost territory on 1959.12.19 to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Miri (now its senior suffragan see).
Pope Paul VI elevated it to the rank of a metropolitan archdiocese on 31 May 1976.
Lost territory on 1986.12.22 to establish the Diocese of Sibu as its second suffragan.
Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's own Archbishopric and the following suffragan sees, both daughter dioceses :
Roman Catholic Diocese of Miri
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sibu.
(all Latin Church; initially missionary members of a Latin Congregation)
Apostolic Prefects of Sarawak
Edmondo Dunn, Mill Hill Missionaries (M.H.M.) (1927.02.05 – death 1935), previously Apostolic Prefect of Labuan and Borneo (Malaysia) (1897.05.04 – 1927.02.05)
Luigi Hopfgartner, M.H.M. (1935.11.08 – death 1949)
Jan Vos, M.H.M. (born Netherlands) (1949.11.18 – 1952.02.14 see below)
Apostolic Vicars of Sarawak
Jan Vos, M.H.M. (see above 1952.02.14 - retired 1968), Titular Bishop of Cnidus (1952.02.14 – death 1973.06.29)
Karl Reiterer, M.H.M. (1968.02.09 – death 1974.12.30), Titular Bishop of Sidyma (1967.02.09 – 1974.12.30), succeeding as former Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Kuching (1967.02.09 – 1968.02.09)
Peter Chung Hoan Ting (1975 – 1976.05.31 see below), Titular Bishop of Asolo (1970.09.01 – 1976.05.31); previously Coadjutor Apostolic Vicar of Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) (1970.09.01 – 1972), succeeded as Vicar Apostolic of Kota Kinabalu (1972 – 1975)
Metropolitan Archbishops of Kuching
Peter Chung Hoan Ting (鍾萬庭) (see above 1976.05.31 – retired 2003.06.21), also President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (1976 – 1979 and 1994 – 2000)
John Ha Tiong Hock (2003.06.21 – 4 March 2017), also President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (2012.08 – 1 January 2017); previously Titular Bishop of Cabapium (1998.01.17 – 2003.06.21) as Auxiliary Bishop of Kuching (1998.01.17 – 2003.06.21)
Simon Poh Hoon Seng (傅雲生) (4 March 2017 – ...), succeeding as previous Titular Bishop of Sfasferia (2015.07.09 – 2017.03.04) and Auxiliary Bishop of Kuching (2015.07.09 – 2017.03.04).
Statistics and extent
As per 2014, it pastorally served 192,569 Catholics (15.8% of 1,216,000 total) on 19,173 km² in 12 parishes with 37 priests (26 diocesan, 11 religious), 82 lay religious (13 brothers, 69 sisters), 5 seminarians. It also has a Major seminary of St. Peter.
There are about 19 parishes and chapels administering many outstations around the archdiocese.
In Kuching city
St. Joseph's Cathedral, Kuching
Carmelite Chapel, Kuching
Elsewhere
St. Mark's Church, Batu Kawa
St. Peter's Church, Padungan, Kuching
Chapel of Our Lady, Star of The Sea, Bintawa, Kuching
Holy Trinity Church, Kenyalang Park, Kuching
Blessed Sacrament Church, Stampin, Kuching
Sacred Heart Church, Kota Sentosa, Kuching
St. Ann's Church, Kota Padawan, Kuching
St. Stephen's Church, Bau
Holy Spirit Church, Lundu
St. Theresa's Church, Serian
St. Jude's Church, Bunan Gega, Serian
Church of Holy Cross, Tebedu
Church of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, Sri Aman
Holy Family Church, Betong
Chapel of Mother Mary, Stutong, Kuching
Mount Hosanna Chapel, Sri Aman
