SIBU: One of the longest-serving Catholic priests here, Reverend Father Thomas Taam Chak Wing, has passed away at age 97.

       Rector of St Teresa's Church, Father Michael Lee, said Father Taam passed away at 10.56am on Monday (April 18).

       He described Father Taam as "a man of God and very faithful to the ministry".

       Father Lee, who succeeded Father Taam a year before the Covid-19 pandemic, told reporters that the late priest was also a very approachable person.

       "He passed away due to old age. If I recall, he served his last Mass about two years before the pandemic. That was also when I took over from him as he retired then," he said.

       Father Taam was born on Dec 21, 1925 in Guangdong province, China.

       He accepted priestly formation in a seminary in Hong Kong in 1947 and was sent to Nanyang on July 10, 1954 as a missionary priest.

       His first posting was to St Francis Xavier’s Church in Kanowit, Sarawak. He moved to Bintangor in 1963 and to Sacred Heart Cathedral here the following year.

       After being at Sacred Heart for seven years, he was given the additional pastoral responsibility of St Teresa’s parish.

       He became the rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral in 1980 and continued to serve both parishes until 1999 when he was appointed rector of St Teresa’s Church.

       Those who wish to pay their last respects to Father Taam may do so at the conference room in St Teresa's Church on Monday and Tuesday (April 19).

       The funeral Mass will be at 9am on Wednesday (April 20) at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

       Father Taam will be buried at Nirvana Memorial Park here.