David Gasikol ordained transitional deacon

Mar 16, 2018

KENINGAU: Twenty six years ago, a seven-year-old boy watched in awe as a priest celebrated Mass at the small chapel in his village of Kampung Kovosion, in the interior Sook district.

The boy was particularly taken by the vestments of the priest, and wondered whether, one day, he would follow the same vocation.

The answer has indeed been in the affirmative for seminarian David Richard Gasikol, who is on his way to a priestly vocation after being ordained deacon.

His ordination by Bishop Cornelius Piong of Keningau Diocese, was held at a packed St Francis Xavier Cathedral on Feb 25.

Among those present was Fr Bonaventure Unting, who first encouraged David to consider the priesthood during a talk on religious vocation at the Sook parish a decade ago.

In his homily, Bishop Piong expressed his gratitude to God for calling on David to serve Him.

He reminded the newly installed deacon that the vocation was only possible through God’s calling, and that ordination was a grace of God that must be lived and preserved.

Turning to a group of seminarians who were present to witness the ordination, Bishop Piong said he hoped the event would serve as an encouragement for them to continue on their vocation journey.

To parents attending the ordination, the prelate urged them to be sensitive to God’s calling of their children to take up priestly or other religious life.

“Our Church needs more people to serve the Lord,”said Bishop Piong whose diocese covers seven Sabah districts encompassing Beaufort, Kuala Penyu, Membakut, Sipitang, in the west coast, as well as Tenom and Tambunan, in the interior.

To those from the Holy Spirit Parish of Sook, the Prelate said it would not be “too long” before the priestly ordination of Deacon David would be held there.

After Mass, David said he entered the aspirancy at the Catholic Archdiocesan Centre in Penampang in 2010, and gave thanks to God for his calling.

He also expressed gratitude to his mother, Norah Mohidou, and his five siblings, as well as fellow seminarians for their support in his vocational journey.