The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu (Lat: Archdioecesis Kotakinabaluensis) is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in Sabah, a state of Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The archdiocese is the oldest ecclesiastical territory in Malaysia, with a long history slowly rising along with the Catholic population from a prefecture to an archdiocese. Its cathedral archepiscopal see is Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu. The patron saint of the archdiocese is St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
History
Originally erected on 4 September 1855 as the Apostolic prefecture of Labuan and Borneo, created on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Batavia (Java) (including the neighbouring Dutch East Indies).
On 5 February 1927 it was renamed the Apostolic Prefecture of Northern Borneo, and lost territory to form the Apostolic Prefecture of Sarawak.
On 14 February 1952 the prefecture was promoted to Apostolic Vicariate of Jesselton, hence entitled to a titular bishop. On 22 March 1962 its name was changed once more to the Apostolic Vicariate of Kota Kinabalu, after its see.
On 31 May 1976 the vicariate was elevated to a full Diocese of Kota Kinabalu, suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kuching.
The diocese lost territories twice, to create its present suffragans : on 17 December 1992 the diocese the Diocese of Keningau with the appointment of Cornelius Piong. on 16 July 2007 the Diocese of Sandakan with the appointment of Julius Dusin Gitom.
On 23 May 2008, the diocese was elevated to Metropolitan Archdiocese, whose ecclesiastical province comprises the above suffragan dioceses, both formerly part of the original territory of the diocese of Kota Kinabalu: the Diocese of Keningau and the Diocese of Sandakan.
On 21 June 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed John Wong Soo Kau, director of the aspirants' formation house in Kota Kinabalu, as Coadjutor Archbishop of Kota Kinabalu. His ordination took place on 1 October 2010.
the Archbishop of Kota Kinabalu is John Wong Soo Kau, appointed in 2010. His predecessor was John Lee Hiong Fun-Yit Yaw, appointed in 1987 and retired on 1 December 2012.
Prelates
Apostolic prefects of Labuan and Borneo
Don Carlos Cuarteroni (23 August 1855 – March 1879)
Apostolic prefects of Labuan and Northern Borneo
Thomas Jackson (18 July 1881 – 20 October 1895) Edmund Dunn (4 May 1897 – 5 February 1927)
Apostolic prefects of Northern Borneo
August Wachter (26 July 1927 – 1945) James Buis (18 January 1947 - 14 February 1952)
Apostolic vicars of Jesselton/Kota Kinabalu
James Buis (1 May 1952 – 1969) Peter Chung Hoan Ting (15 Nov 1970 – 30 January 1975) Simon Michael Fung Kui Heong (29 August 1975 – 31 May 1976)
Bishops of Kota Kinabalu
Simon Michael Fung Kui Heong (31 May 1976 – 16 November 1985) John Lee Hiong Fun-Yit Yaw (26 June 1987 – 23 May 2008)
Archbishops of Kota Kinabalu
John Lee Hiong Fun-Yit Yaw (23 May 2008 – 25 January 2013) John Wong Soo Kau (26 January 2013 – current)
Clergy
Archbishops
Most Rev John Wong, Archbishop
Most Rev John Lee, Archbishop Emeritus
College of Consultors
Rev Msgr Nicholas Stephen Juki Tinsung (Vicar General) Rev Wilfred Petrus Atin (Chancellor) Rev Primus Jouil (Episcopal Vicar for Religious cum Vicar General Emeritus) Rev Cosmas Lee Khod Min Rev Paul Lo