Although it is one of the youngest and smallest “dioceses” in southeast Asia, the Apostolic Vicariate of Brunei is a steadily thriving Church with growing spiritual activities in its communities.
“Our logo is ‘Duc in altum’ (Put out into the deep), and we now have projects to empower and sustain the missionary dimension of the Church,” Bishop Cornelius Sim, Vicar Apostolic of Brunei, told CNA Oct. 17.
“We are one of the smallest dioceses in Asia,” he said, adding that with only one bishop and three priests, “we hope to have vocations to the priesthood and religious life.”
Brunei is a country of 2,200 square miles located entirely on the island of Borneo, which is also home to parts of Malaysia and Indonesia. It is a developed country, and one of the richest in the world. Malay is the official language, but English and Chinese are both widely spoken.
The country is an absolute monarchy led by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. About two-thirds of the population is Muslim, and Brunei was recently noted for its adoption of Sharia law, though it is being applied only to Muslims.
Around 10 percent of the population is atheist, 13 percent is Buddhist, and a small number have indigenous beliefs. Christians, half of whom are Catholic, constitute 10 percent of Brunei’s population.
Fr. Arin Sugit, the bishop’s assistant at Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral in the nation’s capital of Bandar Seri Begawan, explained to CNA that a majority of the Catholic population – 70 percent – are migrant workers from the Philippines. Another 20 percent are migrants from other countries such as Indonesia, India, and Malaysia, he said, and the remaining 10 percent are indigenous Bruneians.
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Image: AsiaNews
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