KUCHING: The newly completed St. Peter’s Church in Padungan will host its first midnight mass this Christmas Eve, on Dec 24.
According to its rector Father Vincent Chin, the Christmas Eve mass will also serve as the church’s soft launch, while the official consecration of the church is scheduled for June 29, 2025, during the Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul.
“As the rector of St. Peter’s Church, I am pleased to welcome everyone to our newly completed church as we celebrate the joyous occasion of the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ at Christmas.
“After five challenging years and through the dedication of many, this new house of The Lord now stands proudly as a landmark in our city of Kuching.
“Effective from midnight mass on Christmas Eve, Dec 24, all masses will be celebrated at this new church. We will also start welcoming visitors from 9am on Dec 26 subject to guidelines,” he said in a statement on Facebook today.
The celebrations will begin with Christmas Eve carolling at 11 pm, followed by the midnight mass and soft launch at 12 am.
On Christmas Day, a morning mass will take place at 730 am, which includes the installation of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, while the evening mass is scheduled for 5.30 pm.
Regular weekday masses will be held at the Day Chapel behind the sanctuary from Tuesday to Friday at 730 pm.
Sunset and Sunday masses will take place on Saturdays at 6 pm and on Sundays at 7.30 am and 5.30 pm. Confessions will be available half an hour before the sunset and Sunday masses.
Chin added that while the church is near completion, additional funds are still needed to cover the total building costs.
“With concerted efforts and generosity from everyone, I am confident that we can all take pride in having played our respective roles in building this iconic landmark church for future generations,” he added.
He also said Archbishop Simon Poh has designated St. Peter’s Church as one of the pilgrimage centres in the Archdiocese of Kuching for the Holy Year 2025, declared by Pope Francis.
Guidelines for pilgrims will be made available on the church’s website soon.
