ASIA/MALAYSIA - The faithful of Sibu celebrate their new Auxiliary Bishop

Sibu (Agenzia Fides) - In the Diocese of Sibu, on the Island of Borneo in Malaysia, local Catholics are celebrating the gift of their new Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Hii Teck Kwong, ordained a bishop on May 1, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Sibu.
The ceremony was presided by Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Delegate, and was concelebrated by Bishop Dominic Su of Sibu, Archbishop John Ha of Kuching, another 14 Bishops of Malaysia, and a Bishop from Brunei. There were also 55 priests present, from Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines, as well as local dignitaries, civil authorities, and about 6,000 faithful.
In his homily, Archbishop Pennachio, in referring to the motto taken by the Bishop - “The Church, Spouse of Christ”- encouraged him to be faithful and joyfully dedicate himself to the Church, as Christ Himself did, making time for daily silent prayer in front of the Eucharist. The Apostolic Delegate explained the symbols of the Episcopate: the Ring: sign of the nuptial union with the Church; the Miter, sign of the commitment to work, allowing the splendor of Holy Spirit to enter his mind; the Staff, as sign of the Bishop’s authority to lead and care for the flock of the faithful.
“The celebration was solemn, vibrant, and meaningful, thanks to the active participation of the faithful, as well as the musical and choral accompaniments,” a commentator from the local Church told Agenzia Fides. There was an extremely moving moment when, shortly before the end of the Mass, the entire assembly expressed their love for the Holy Father, shouting three times: “We love Pope Benedict!”
According to the statistics of 2006, the Diocese of Sibu has 16 priests, 21 religious, 25 catechists, and some 103,000 faithful distributed among 11 parishes. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 5/5/2008; righe 23, parole 294)