The Old College General@Pulau Tikus Penang

Mesmerizing..the grounds of the old College General@Pulau Tikus

 The old College General in Pulau Tikus Penang was the first Seminary in the Malayan Diocese. I took these photos of the seminary, which must have been in the late 70’s, and realized we have a big Church.  I made up a group who attended the event to video (it was the thing at the time) the event.

We arrived late so it was a rush setting up. When I got to the place I was mesmerized with the place. It was large and imposing and had these large trees on the grounds.

The event was the Silver Jubilee though I don’t remember what it was in commemoration of . Apparently the whole clergy of the Penang Diocese was present. A section of the garden was decked out in white by the clergy. I recognised Bishop Soter Fernandez who was the main celebrant and was that also Fr Ken Williams.  

Bishop Soter Fernandez was the main celebrant ....

Congregation (right) and the clergy 

... the whole of Penang Diocese was present ....

Amongst the non-clergy crowd was a distinguished looking elderly gentleman in a uniform that clearly wasn’t  military. Thirty years later, I discovered that it was a uniform of a Papal Knight and the person donning the suit was the late Dato James Francis Augustine.

Standing at extreme right was Papal Knight Dato James Francis Augustine

( About Augustine …for his services to the Catholic Church in Malaysia .. earned him the Bene Merenti Medal in 1953 and a Papal knighthood in 1959 when he was made Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Sylvester. Papal Knight’s are appointed by the Pope.)

I recently took it out from my album (yes these were prints). It was faded and the glue from the album had penetrated into the prints forming orange smears. Thanks for digital repairing for it made look presentable. One more sharing to reflect on the heritage of the Catholic Church in the country.

JAG