Heritage work in the Diocese of Penang is never merely administrative; it is a quiet ministry of safeguarding the places, stories, and sacrifices that have shaped the Catholic presence in the Diocese for more than 240 years. The Penang Diocese Catholic Heritage Conservation Committee (PDCHCC) serves as the Diocese’s custodian of heritage, bridging the past entrusted to us, the conservation needs of the present, and the responsibility of preserving this legacy for future generations. Everything undertaken for the Church carries a spiritual dimension, expressed through works and faith.
In 2019, Cardinal Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang, reconstituted the former Penang Catholic Heritage Preservation Committee (David Choo - Secretary) into the more defined Penang Diocese Catholic Heritage Conservation Committee (Christopher Kushi - Secretary). There is no renovation but only restoration. Architect Edmond Khoo ensures any restoration follows heritage guidelines. With numerous heritage sites across the Diocese entrusted to its care, the PDCHCC continues to strengthen the Diocese’s heritage identity, ensuring that Penang’s Catholic story remains visible and conserved.
The Church of the Assumption, founded in 1786 and recognised as a Category 1 Heritage Building, is located within George Town’s UNESCO World Heritage zone. It stands as both an architectural landmark and a sanctuary that has accompanied Penang’s Eurasian Catholic community for generations. Even the surrounding roads, Church Street and Bishop Street, reflect this heritage, while Eurasian family names such as Augustin, Robless, Rozario, Cornelius, Gregory, Rozells, Gasper, Andrews, and many others echo the community’s early contributions. A recent major undertaking is the commissioning of a book project entitled Penang’s Oldest Catholic Church – Church of the Assumption 240th Anniversary (1786–2026), documenting the legacy of Penang’s oldest Catholic church and preserving its story for future generations.
Pulau Jerejak is an island layered with histories of leper asylum, quarantine station, penal colony and faith. The Chapel of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, built in 1890 by Rev. Fr. Emile Mariette, MEP, remains one of the Diocese’s most historically significant structures. Standing for 136 years on land adjoining the former Leprosy Hospital, the Chapel bears witness to a sacred chapter of Penang’s Catholic heritage. In 1932, a Chinese catechist was stationed on the island to serve 80 Catholic patients under the supervision of the Vicarage of the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, George Town. On 1 March 2026, Cardinal Sebastian Francis, together with clergy and members of the PDCHCC, celebrated a memorial Mass at the Chapel, rekindling memories of the Masses once offered there. The parish of the Church of Divine Mercy, including Fr. Michael Raymond OFM Cap, Sylvester Siva, Jude Narayanan, (and remembering the late Anthony Andrews), have been entrusted with safeguarding this legacy.
In Perak, the Cause for the Beatification and Canonization of Malayan World War II heroine Sybil Kathigasu née Daly runs in tandem with efforts to protect and preserve her heritage legacy. Sybil Kathigasu stands as one of Malaysia’s most compelling Catholic heroines and, by every measure, a woman of deep conviction. Guided by her Catholic faith, she endured suffering with remarkable courage. Her story, No Dram of Mercy, is more than a memoir; it is a sacred testimony to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of cruelty and war. Through her medical service to Malayan resistance fighters during the Japanese Occupation and her steadfast witness to holy virtues, she has become a lasting symbol of moral courage.
The gothic heritage ruins of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Pagar Tras, Bukit Mertajam, also called ‘Notre Dame in the Jungle’, nestled along the Seraya Forest Reserve, stands as a living testament to the Catholic history of Seberang Perai, Penang. Built in 1875 by the French missionaries with the support of the immigrant Hakka Catholic community, it served for decades as a centre of worship, education, and community life. Today, its ruins and adjoining cemetery remain powerful symbols of faith. Heritage preservation requires active engagement with state authorities with Msgr. Henry Rajoo and Fr. Desmond Jansen ensuring the continued conservation of the structure. Honorary Prof. Dr. Stephen Chia, Francis Chen, and Clement Liang, have also contributed to this effort through their book, ‘History and Heritage of Pagar Tras’.
The old Roman Catholic Cemetery located along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah in George Town is a historic burial ground dating back to the nineteenth century. It contains around 200 graves, many of whose tombstones are no longer legible. Members of the PDCHCC are assisting with documenting the tombstones for heritage record. At the eastern end of the cemetery stands a memorial to the Sisters of the Infant Jesus, who established the nearby Convent Light Street.
We also preserve and assist in keeping alive the contributions of the Missions Etrangeres de Paris (MEP) Fathers who leaving behind a life in France travelled to British Malaya and stayed with the locals and evangelising. Sharon Chong and Paul Gerarts have gone to MEP Paris to do further research on the MEP Fathers and their stories. We remember Fr Arnold Garnault (Church of the Assumption - 1786), Fr. Adolphe Couellan and Fr. Pierre Sorin (Church of St. Anne – 1869), Fr. Emile Barillon (Church of St. Michael - Ipoh 1890), Bishop Pierre Lambert de la Motte, Bishop Francois Pallu (College General Seminary - 1665) both bishops undergoing the beatification process by the Catholic Church of Vietnam, and many more.
The work of the Penang Diocese Catholic Heritage Conservation Committee reflects a deep commitment to ensuring that Penang’s Catholic story, its churches, chapels, cemeteries, religious figures, and communities, remain conserved, honoured, and understood.
By Christopher Kushi
