By Ivy Chai
BATU KAWA — The Batu Kawa community witnessed the blessing and launching of the new belfry and statue of St Mark at St Mark’s Catholic Church on 20 June 2025.
In his welcome address, parish rector Fr Felix Au described the occasion as “a significant milestone in the ongoing journey of our community of St Mark, Batu Kawa.”
He thanked Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, Deputy Premier of Sarawak for his encouragement to “pursue the construction of the belfry” and Dato Georgina Appia Ngau, Director of UNIFOR, for providing “approximately 40% of the funding for the belfry and approximately 22% to Phase One of our project.”
Belfry and statue of St Mark – Instrument of Love and Faith and call to Prayer
The belfry, standing a proud 21.15 m tall is a new landmark for Batu Kawa. The statue of St Mark the Evangelist, the patron saint of the Church “reminds us of our mission – to witness to the Gospel. This new marble statue is not merely adornment but a reminder to us to be instruments of faith and love in our world. The bells call us to prayer – its peal invites us to communion with God. The sounds echo through our homes and they draw us together as one family in Christ,” Fr Felix added.
In sharing an update on the present development project of St Mark’s Church extension, Fr Felix disclosed that Phase One is now over 98% completed, “evidence of the dedication and hard work of our parishioners, the contractor, Polybuilding, and consultants.” A significant cost for this phase has been borne by the savings and funds of “our very own people”, making the project a “labour of love driven by the faithful’s spirit of generosity.”
St Mark’s Church is “steadfast in our commitment to acting with ethical integrity; this is demanded by our Christian faith. Public money must be handled with meticulous care and accountability,” declared Fr Felix.
Phase Two – 4-storey Sunday School Block
Phase Two of the Church’s development – the 4-storey Sunday School Block is in the pipeline, as the Church plays a vital role beyond its spiritual mission. “We are deeply committed to working hand-in-hand with all Sarawakians of goodwill to build a brighter future for Sarawak. In this sense, we see ourselves as true partners with the government, contributing to the holistic development of society, fostering unity and strong community bonds. Our aspirations for St Mark’s are aligned with the broader vision for a harmonious and progressive Sarawak,” Fr Felix promised.
Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian in his speech echoed this sentiment when he said “places of worship have an increasingly vital role to play in providing guidance and community support.”
The blessing and launching of the belfry and statue of St Mark was by Kuching Catholic Archbishop Dato Simon Poh, witnessed by Fr Felix, dignitaries, community representatives and parishioners of St Mark’s Church.
This was followed by a Thanksgiving Gawai Mass and fellowship to conclude the momentous occasion.
