Projects completed at Bundu Tuhan

Published on: Saturday, February 18, 2017

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By Patrick Ho
IT was in the year 1981 that I was invited by the late Lordship Bishop Datuk Simon Fung to come with him to Bundu Tuhan.

That was when I was introduced to Benedict Martin Snoeren, a Mill Hill Brother, fondly called Brother Ben by the community around him. Then and there, I was asked by Bishop Simon to work together with him and Brother Ben to build a retreat centre there.

I happened to be the Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Contractor responsible for carrying out all electrical works.

We discussed over dinner and decided to demolish the old Rectory where we were actually having our dinner.

Brother Ben jokingly said that I would have to build a tent. Otherwise, I would be blown down the valley by the prevailing strong wind.

Subsequently, we came up with more ideas on how to go about it. Eventually, our plan was to take down half of the existing Rectory (as it was in very bad condition and needed major repair) while building half of the proposed new Rectory. This old single-storey Rectory was about 100 feet long.

So in late 1981, we started to build half of the new Rectory which was completed in 1982, followed by construction of the Bundu Tuhan Retreat Centre (initially a wooden structure) which was completed at the end of 1983.

We resumed work for the other half of the new Rectory after the opening ceremony of the Retreat Centre in 1984.

Until 1985, I worked closely with Bishop Simon and Brother Ben in implementing the approved building projects in the Catholic Mission area. It was part of Brother Ben’s task to supervise the construction. He worked very hard and was practically in charge of the civil works.

Bishop Simon and I would often go up to Bundu Tuhan to inspect the projects together with Brother Ben.

We were like “brothers” with a good working relationship.

One day in 1985, we were travelling to Bundu Tuhan when Bishop Simon who was at the wheel, suddenly had gastric pain until he fainted. Fortunately, I was able to stop the car and thus prevent an accident.

He passed away in November that year while undergoing treatment in Australia.

Prior to his death, he advised me to take care of the Catholic Mission there. I assured him that I would always try my best to help out wherever possible.

From then on, I continued to work together with Brother Ben on other projects, namely the new St Pius X Church, Bundu Tuhan (1987-1988), Bundu Tuhan Retreat Centre (Phase 2), new Don Bosco Children’s Home (1987), the Rectory in Ranau, the Parish Hall, Church and Hostel in Kiulu, the Church in Kota Belud, and the Carmel Sisters’ House and Retreat Centre at Kg Kaingaran, Tambunan (1999-2000).

Previously, the church at Bundu Tuhan was a wooden structure. The old Children’s Home beside the Retreat Centre (Phase 2) provided shelter to about 10 children in 1981.