ASIA/MALAYSIA - Coadjutor Archbishop of Kota Kinabalu appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, on 21 June 2010, appointed Rev. John Wong Soo Kau, Coadjutor Archbishop of Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia). Until now Rev Wong Soo Kau was vice-director of the Propaedeutic Year at St. Peter’s College, Kuching.
Rev. John Wong Soo Kau, was born on 6 June 1968 in Sandakan, to Chinese Catholic parents. After secondary school he entered St. Peter’s College Major Seminary in Kuching, where he completed his formation in philosophy and theology. He was ordained a priest on 21 January 1999 for the archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu, today the diocese of Sandakan. Since his ordination he has served as follows: 1999-2002: assistant priest at Kota Kinabalu Cathedral; 2002-2004: Studies for a Licentiate in spiritual theology at Teresianum College in Rome, while residing at the Pontifical College S. Paolo; since 2004: director of the Catholic Diocesan Centre and Aspirants’ Formation House at Kota Kinabalu; since 2008: vice-director of the Propaedeutic Year at St. Peter’s College, Kuching; since 2009: Spiritual Advisor to the archdiocesan Youth Commission.
The archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu, created in 2008, has an area of 11,558 sq. km., and a population of 3,746,000 of whom 186,138 are Catholics, gathered in 17 parishes, served by 38 priests (30 diocesan and 8 religious) and 140 women religious. There are also 17 major seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 22/06/2010)