Sabah Regional Pastoral Assembly 2025: Uniting in faith and embracing diversity for a hopeful future

Apr 18, 2025

By Peter Zeter
The Sabah Regional Pastoral Assembly (SRPA) will take place from May 11-13 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Approximately 500 delegates from the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu, Diocese of Keningau, and Diocese of Sandakan will gather to unite as clergy, religious, and laity, celebrating their shared faith while embracing the richness of their diversity and uniqueness.

As a precursor to the Malaysia Pastoral Convention (MPC) 2026, the SRPA serves as a miniature version of the MPC, reflecting on the richness of diversity and uniqueness. It will focus on identifying challenges and opportunities for the ‘Catholic Church of Sabah,’ as it moves forward with hope, holiness, and mission, striving to be the salt and light of the world.

Coming together is a characteristic deeply ingrained in the diverse communities of Sabah. As a Church in Sabah, the three dioceses have consistently celebrated this spirit of ‘togetherness.’ Over the years, various programmes have fostered unity, including the annual joint clergy retreat, Sabah Youth Day, Sabah Women’s Convention, inter-diocesan catechetical programmes, joint initiatives on migrant issues and joint vocation retreats or seminars, all of which have strengthened the spirit of oneness.

The Catholic Church of Sabah began as a single prefecture of Kota Kinabalu, later elevated to the Diocese of Kota Kinabalu, and eventually split into three dioceses. It grew from one common historical root, where the seeds of the Gospel were first planted by foreign missionaries. As these seeds took root and embraced local cultural elements, the Church has matured into its current form. Today, it stands as a vibrant manifestation of unity, with the people coming together to celebrate, listen, and walk together in the SRPA.

The assembly will focus on key challenges facing the Church, particularly issues related to family, the Church itself, social concerns, and ecology, while discussing the Church’s responses to these challenges. During the SRPA, the three bishops will come together to listen to the voices of the people of God, discerning their insights and synthesising them into a unified vision for the Catholic Church of Sabah. This collective vision will be presented as a fruit of the assembly during the MPC in Johor next year. Central to the assembly — mirroring the MPC — are three core questions: As a Church, are we reaching out in mercy, communicating the fullness of life, and growing in holiness?