The Diocese of Kuching is a diocese of the Anglican Church of the Province of South East Asia that covers the Region of Sarawak in Malaysia and Brunei (Sabah is a separate diocese). Founded in 1962, the see was originally established as the Bishopric of Sarawak linked to the Diocese of Labuan in 1855. The current bishop is the Right Revd. Datuk Danald Jute, the 14th Bishop of Kuching (Sarawak and Negara Brunei Darussalam), who was consecrated on 13 August 2017, replacing the Right Revd. Datuk Bolly Lapok. His seat is at St. Thomas's Cathedral, Kuching.

History

The first sixty years An Anglican mission, called the Borneo Church Mission, was established in 1846 and the Anglican Church began in Sarawak on 29 June 1848, when a party of missionaries arrived at the invitation of James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak. Francis Thomas McDougall who led the group was deemed suitable for the job because he was a doctor as well as a priest.The Times, 17 November 1886; pg. 7; Issue 31919; col E Obituary: The Rt Rev F.T. MacDougallBunyon, C.J. (1889) Memoirs of Francis Thomas McDougall...and of Harriette, his wife

The Rajah gave the missionaries a piece of land on which to build their base. The land was used to build a church, which was to serve as pro-cathedral for many years, as well as a school which later grew into St. Thomas' and St. Mary's, and also a dispensary.

It was soon realised that the Church in the Rajah's territory would be better administered as a bishopric. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel supported the proposal and contributed a sum of £5,000 towards the endowment. However, the political conventions of the day ruled that no Anglican diocese could be created outside the limits of the British Empire, and Sarawak was technically an independent principality of the Rajah. The difficulty was sidestepped by founding the diocese upon the island of Labuan, a Crown Colony since 1846. The bishop of Labuan could then be appointed bishop of Sarawak by the Rajah. This practice prevailed until Sarawak became a Crown Colony in 1946.

Letters Patent were issued on 6 August 1855, erecting the "Island of Labuan and its Dependencies into a Bishop's See or Diocese to be styled the Bishopric of Labuan." McDougall was nominated by the Crown as the first bishop, and was consecrated on 18 October 1855 in Calcutta. On 1 January 1856 he was appointed bishop of Sarawak.

The linked diocese of Labuan and bishopric of Sarawak increased in size as the principality grew and Anglican work in North Borneo and Brunei developed. It extended further when, by an Act of Parliament in 1869, the Church in the Straits Settlements (Singapore, Penang and Malacca) was separated from the see of Calcutta and placed under the episcopal care of the bishop of Labuan. This arrangement lasted until 1909, when the diocese of Singapore was founded.

The first sixty years of the Church in Borneo were a chronicle of effort, disappointment and service by priests and lay missionaries. Asian workers played an increasingly larger part as time passed because the formation of a truly indigenous church had been intended from the beginning.

20th century and today After 1909, when the bishop could concentrate on Borneo alone, a new era in the Church began. Three decades of growth and development followed, with the longed-for ordination of Dayak and Chinese clergy in increasing numbers.

After the devastation of World War II the diocese of Labuan and the bishopric of Sarawak were joined into the diocese of Borneo and in 1949 Nigel Cornwall was consecrated bishop. His immediate task was to restore the ruins of the churches, schools and other mission property destroyed during the years of the Japanese occupation. 1953 saw the construction of the new St. Thomas' Cathedral to replace the leaky wooden edifice built by McDougall. Men prepared for ordination at the House of the Epiphany (established in 1952) provided nine new priests for the area in 1956.

By 1962 plans were completed for the division of the diocese of Borneo. The new diocese of Jesselton (Sabah) including Labuan came into being on 24 July 1962. The remainder of the diocese, including Brunei, was reconstituted as the Diocese of Kuching on 13 August 1962. Nigel Cornwall continued as Bishop.

The limits of the Diocese are those of the present administrative divisions of the State of Sarawak and Brunei Darussalam together with that part of Indonesian Borneo lying North of the equator, and West of longitude 115 º42’.

On 7 April 1970 the diocese of West Malaysia was formed to separate that region from Singapore.

The present Bishop is the Right Reverend Danald Jute, who is the 14th Lord Bishop of Kuching since 1855, when the diocese was first created.

List of Bishops Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak From Until Incumbent Notes 1856 1869 Francis McDougall Bishops of Labuan, Sarawak and Singapore From Until Incumbent Notes 1869 1881 Walter Chambers Churches in the Straits Settlements separated from the Diocese of Calcutta and placed under the Diocese of Labuan and Sarawak. Diocese renamed Diocese of Labuan, Sarawak and Singapore. 1882 1908 George Hose Bishops of Labuan and Sarawak From Until Incumbent Notes 1909 1916 Robert Mounsey Churches in Singapore were separated from the Diocese to form its own Diocese of Singapore. The Diocese reverted to the name of Diocese of Labuan and Sarawak. 1917 1931 Logie Danson Returned to England as Assistant Bishop of Carlisle; later Bishop of Edinburgh and Primus 1932 1937 Noel Hudson 1938 1948 Francis Hollis Returned to England as Assistant Bishop of Leicester Bishop of Borneo From Until Incumbent Notes 1948 1962 Nigel Cornwall The diocese was renamed the Diocese of Borneo and included Anglican missions in Kalimantan. Bishops of Kuching From Until Incumbent Notes 1963 1968 Nicholas Allenby The diocese was separated into the Diocese of Kuching and the Diocese of Jesselton (later renamed the Diocese of Sabah); David Howard Nicholas Allenby was consecrated bishop 30 November 1962 by Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Southwark Cathedral; later Assistant Bishop of Worcester 1968 1984 Basil Temenggong The first native Malaysian and Sarawakian to be appointed as bishop. After Temenggong died suddenly, the former Assistant Bishop of Kuching, Peter Howes, returned to be the acting Bishop. 1985 1995 John Leong Chee Yun 1996 2007 Made Katib 2007 2017 Bolly Lapok Archbishop of South East Asia, 2012–2016. Aeries Sumping Jingan and Solomon Cheong were Assistant Bishops.2017present Danald Jute Current incumbent since 2017. Andrew Shie is his Assistant. Sources:

Archdeaconries The diocese is divided into six distinct archdeaconries.

1. Archdeaconry of Negara Brunei Darussalam (Established 12 May 2024) Archdeacon: The Rt. Revd. Andrew Shie

2. Archdeaconry of North Sarawak (established 17/12/1969) Archdeacon: The Venerable Ramdan Mejem

3. Archdeaconry of Upper Central Sarawak (2023) Archdeacon: The Venerable Jose Jol Endru

4. Archdeaconry of Lower Central Sarawak (formed in 2007) Archdeacon: The Venerable Tony Jilat George

5. Archdeaconry of Upper South Sarawak (established 17/7/2022) Archdeacon: The Venerable Phillip Tauk

6. Archdeaconry of Lower South Sarawak Archdeacon: The Venerable Joseph Dusit Ejau

Parishes Parishes in Sarawak, Malaysia

Source:

St. Thomas's Cathedral, Kuching, McDougall Road, P.O. Box 347, 93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Dean: Kho Thong Meng St. Mathew's Church, Mundai, 24th. Mile Kuching/Serian Road, 94200 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Widos Pauh St. Faith's Church, Kuching, Chawan Road, Kenyalang Park, P.O. Box 976, 93720 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Bradley Sangan St. Paul's Church, Siol Kandis, Petra Jaya, P.O. Box 347, 93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Stephen Ngabong St. James's Church, Kuap, P.O. Box 347, 93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Kebin Su-ur St. Francis's Church, Kota Samarahan, Jalan Datuk Mohd. Musa, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Kelvin Jawa St. Philip's Church, Padawan, P.O. Box 347, 93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Pilot Mejem St. Paul's Church, Bunuk, P.O. Box 347, 93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Johnny Lebar St. John's Church, Taee, P.O. Box 347, 93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Philip Tauk St. Maria's Church, Abok, P.O. Box 347, 93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Villy Velin St. Luke's Church, Sri Aman, Sabu Road, P.O. Box 220, 95008 Sri Aman, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Tony Jilat George St. Francis's Church, Lundu, Jalan Sekambal, 94500 Lundu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Peter Augustine St. Stephen's Church, Simunjan, Jalan Sabun, Peti Surat 3, 94800 Simunjan, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Jeffery Munap St. Michael's Church, Engkilili, Jalan Belon ak. Upak, 95800 Engkilili, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Moses Jakir St. Philip's Church, Lubok Antu, 95900 Sri Aman, Sarawak, Malaysia Vicar: Afron Gori St. Augustine's Church, Betong, Jalan Datuk Basil Temenggong, 95700 Betong, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Rentap Nuang St. Helen's Church, Serian, P.O. Box 81, 94700, Serian, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Stanley Kiew St. Christopher's Church, Debak, 95500 Debak, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Eric Riis St. Peter's Church, Saratok, P.O. Box 24, 95400 Saratok, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Rodriguez Unak Charles St. John's Church, Sibu, Jalan Tun Abg. Hj. Openg, P.O. Box 1315, 96008 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Jose Jol Endru St. Thomas' Church, Bintulu, P.O. Box 120, 97007 Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Josh Sim Kuan Hui St. Boniface's Church, Mamut, c/o St. Giles' Chapel, P.O. Box 57, 98200 Batu Niah, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Timon Lugi St. Columba's Church, Miri, P.O. Box 233, 98007 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Roland Rayang The Church of Good Shepherd, Lutong, P.O. Box 423, 98107 Lutong, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Pilu Gumba St. Mark's Church, Limbang, P.O. Box 107, 98707 Limbang, Sarawak, Malaysia. Acting Priest-in-charge: Kumar Keristay Tabuan Jaya Anglican Church, No.262, Lorong Song 1, Tabuan Heights, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Richard Chang All Saints' Church, Tabuan, P.O.Box 347,93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia Vicar: Kamor Dian St. Paul's Church, Siol Kandis, P.O.Box 347, 93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia Vicar: Stephen Ngabong St. Matthew's Church, Batu Kawa, Sungai Maong, Survey Lot 3573, Lot 2520, Fl.1, SL 5, Jalan Sungai Maong Utama, 93200 Kuching, Sarawak. Vicar: Louis Then Jit Seng St. Simon's Church, Malihah, Synergy Square, Matang Jaya, Jln.Matang, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak. Vicar: Nelson Kent St.Margaret's Church, Stampin, Kampung Stampin, Off Taman BDC, Jalan Stutong, 93350, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Almond Pritchie Christ Church, Stunggang, Kampung Stunggang Dayak 94500 Lundu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Andy Kiew All Saints' Anglican Church, Bengoh Resettlement Scheme (BRS) Vicar: Evriston Kisau St. Mary's Church, Kandis Lama, Bau, c/o P.O.Box 347, 93704, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Holsen Osin St. Lawrence's Church, Sabu, Sri Aman, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Jecksion Tay St. Stephen's Church, Pantu, P.O.Box 347, 93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Elebis Tan Entry St. Benedict's Church, Skrang, 95800, Engkilili, Skrang, Betong Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Eliot Ijau St. Paul's Church, Roban, 95300, Bahagian Betong, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Philip Mang St. Alban's Church, Sarikei, Jalan Susur Jambu Selatan, Susur Jambu, 96100 Sarikei, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Andrew Smatik Brun St. James's Church, Bintangor, Jalan Kelupu, 96500 Maradong, Sarawak Vicar: Jaol Galang St. Giles's Church, Batu Niah, P.O.Box 57, 98200 Batu Niah, Miri, Sarawak. Vicar: Christopher Ajis St. Barnabas's Church, Miri, Lot 4885, Jalan Rejang 4, Jalan Sibu, 98000, Taman Tunku, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. Vicar: Ramdan Mejem