SERIAN: Dennis Sung, Anthony Taguk, Wilson Banyui, Simon Yong and Joseph Then were unanimously returned unopposed respectivley as Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Asst. Treasurer/ Publicity Officer of the St. Theresa’s Parish Council here during the election on last 11 March. Together with the elected chairmen of the lay organisations of the Parish, they formed the Parish Council to administer the parish for the fiscal year 2018 to 2021.
For information, the Parish Council was formed in 1968. The respective chairmen were Richard Lai (1968-1970), the late Francis Bong Ah Ang (1970-1980), the late Dominic Rimbo (1980-1982), the late William Aham (1982-1988), Walter Chambers Najod (1988-1990), Edwin Manung (1990-1993), Walter Chambers Najod (1993-1994) and Dennis Sung Weng Kuo (since 02.10.1994 until now).
Ministries under the Council are Bible, Faith formation, Vocation, Mission & Human Development, Special Function, Youth, Cemetery, Basic Christian Community, Chinese Community, Ladies Guild, Maintenance, Warden, St. Vincent De Paul, Mission Lands, Liturgy, Family Life, Catholic Senior Citizens Fellowship and Devine Mercy.
The first meeting of the new Parish Council was on 19 April, 2018 and the name of the council was renamed as St. Theresa’s Parish Pastoral Council, Serian with effect from the meeting.
All the 28 members of the Parish Pastoral Council were installed by Rector of the Parish, Rev. Fr. Paul Herry and blessed at Pentecost Sunday Mass on May 20 at the church in front of the congregation. Dennis Sung said after the function that the Council would have the task for several activities of the Parish the 3 years to come such as continue to instil and upkeep the faith formation by organising pastoral activities with spiritual and physical projects; to upkeep and maintain the main church and the chapels in the Parish (Serian & Simunjan); to build the Pastoral Centre (once the primary school moved); to improve the grotto area; to have perimeter survey of the mission lands for master plan for future developments; to rectify the sinking apron at the ground floor around the main church, its rotten benches and its ceiling. All these projects need fund. As such, he appealed to all generous donors to donate during the annual St. Theresa’s Feast Day celebration early October, the only annual fundraising time.
In his 7th term serving as Chairman of the Council, Sung with the full support and co-operation from the fellow committee members, the parishioners and the public had achieved to completed many projects and activities to benefit everybody.
