SINTANG, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE of. — It comprises the whole and only the civil province of the same name, in the central part of former Dutch Borneo. This territory was established as an apostolic prefecture on 11 March 1948, by separation from the apostolic vicariate of Pontianak.
In 1890, two Jesuits from Batavia established the first missionary station at Smitau. The following year, they moved to Sedjiram, a locality more favorable to the work of evangelization. But they were forced to abandon it because of a shortage of personnel. In 1906, the Dutch Capuchins restored the station left by the Jesuits, and in 1910 they established the new station of Landjak among the Batang-Lupar. When their attempts to convert those fierce tribes proved fruitless, the Capuchins moved their tents from Landjak to Benua-Martinua. In 1927, they founded the station of Nazareth in the upper part of the Kapuas River. In 1931, a priest was assigned to the Franciscan Sisters of St. Anthony, who had opened a hospital in S., for spiritual assistance. This town subsequently became the central seat of missionary activity. In 1939, a small group of Montfort missionaries came to the aid of the Capuchins. During the Japanese war, all the missionaries were concentrated in Sarawak, but in 1946 they were able to return to their stations. With the arrival from Europe of ten more Montfort missionaries, the Capuchins gradually yielded their place to the newcomers, until they withdrew completely.
The mission of S. has an area of 90,000 sq. km. and a population of 202,444 inhabitants, of whom 69,390 are Muslims, 1,000 Protestants, 121,285 indigenous pagans, and 7,170 Chinese pagans. There are 3,396 Catholics and 422 catechumens. There are 14 priests, one of them Indonesian; 3 brothers; 30 sisters; 2 minor seminaries; 14 catechists; 4 hospitals; 4 dispensaries; 22 elementary schools; 6 sacred buildings; 7 primary stations and 13 secondary stations.
(by courtesy of the Superior of the House of Retreats of the Sacred Heart, Rome)
SION – Benedictine Abbey of the Dormition (Beuron) on Monte S., built by Emperor Wilhelm II (1904).