By Evelyn Jock
St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish bids goodbye to Sr. Martina James, FSIC and welcomes Sr. Rose Ginibun, FSIC, who arrives to take her place to continue the works and mission of the religious community. A potluck fellowship dinner was held on 5 January 2025 at the Parish Hall bringing parishioners, BECs and communities together to express their appreciation and welcome to the religious sisters.
Moving forward to the path God leads her and encouraged by Psalm 119:104 “Your word is a lamb to my feet, a light for my path”, Sr. Rose Ginibun finds coming to the Diocese of Sandakan as an opportunity to be a witness to the Gospel of Christ. She is the third child of the Ginibun family, her parents (Mr Camillus Ginibun and Mrs Jovinia Polycarpus) and an all-girls siblings, of which two sisters are in Peninsula Malaysia and two sisters in Papar. Sr. Rose hails from Kampung Kopimpinan, Papar and received her Sacraments of the Eucharist and Confirmation in the Holy Rosary Parish, Limbahau. Her primary school days were at SK. St. Joseph Chinese School and her secondary studies at SM. St. Mary Limbahau, Papar. She took up Diploma in Computer Studies at the Kinabalu College and worked for 4 years in a finance company, after which she responded to God’s call wanting to imitate Christ through the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Sr. Rose loves to sing and plays the guitar, ukelele and keyboard as she finds that music brings comfort and connects her to God, an avenue in which she can express her love to God and proclaims her faith.
Sr. Rose entered the religious order, Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC) as a Postulant in early 1998 and received her First Vows on 20 January 2001 and later took the Perpetual Vows on 4 February 2006. She was assigned to St. Theresa, Kota Marudu after her First Profession and served in Pastoral Affairs for 3 years and was at San Damiano Hostel Kiulu for 1 year. After her Perpetual Vows, she was assigned to the Bondulu Children’s Home, Toboh in Tambunan for 9 years and served for 4 years at St. Theresa Hostel Kota Marudu. Sr. Rose shared that a religious life comes with challenges, however, through regular prayers, being faithful to the Eucharistic celebration and with strong support of the FSIC and Church community, she continues to remain steadfast in her religious life. Like any other young girls, Sr. Rose has aspirations to have a career, a family and travel the world. But then she had a strong inclination to be a spiritual guide to the young people that she led. She encourages those who wish to be a religious or brother, to seek the Holy Spirit for direction, attend a vocation seminar or have courage to meet with the religious sisters or brothers.
FSIC Sr Martina James, who has been in the St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish for nine years, leaves for Tuaran Parish in January. She comes from Munibbah, Keningau and has been a religious sister for the past 21 years. She is the eighth child of 11 siblings with parents, James Lakun and Zainah Arakob, who now rest in the Lord. Sr. Martina shared that religious life is a gift and one is called by God to serve Him with love, humility and simplicity of heart. During her time in Sandakan, she served in the Catechetical Ministry, Eucharistic Minister of Holy Communion and the BECs. She thanked the parishioners for their great support to her and expressed her gratitude to those who have continued to help the religious sisters community at the convent. She has learned much from the different races, cultures and traditions of the people of Sandakan. She calls those considering to be a religious sister to be brave to respond to God’s call and to be responsible for whatever decision they make.
