Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

To celebrate this great feast, I went to the former Cathedral of the Assumption, established in 1786, the year Penang was founded by Captain Francis Light of the British East India Company.

It was formerly the Cathedral of the Bishop of Penang when the Diocese was established in 1955 with His Lordship, the late Msgr. Francis Chan as it's first Bishop.

I went early so the Church was empty. Later on it began to fill as the Rosary was prayed. The seminarians and several priests joined the Bishop for the titular feast of this Church. Bro. Allan OFM, Cap, brother of my parish priest, Fr. Marshall Frenandez can be seen below.

His Lordship, Bishop Antony Selvanayagam of Penang joined in the rosary as well.





After the rapid urbanization and demographic changes in Penang, the former Cathedral saw it's parishioners move out at great rate until there was no community left to sustain a parish. The seat of the Bishop was moved to a newer, thriving parish in the suburbs. The former cathedral was merged with the Church of St. Francis Xavier, St. John Britto and Our Lady of Lourdes to form the City Parish.



From left, Fr. Michael Thoo, the parish priest, Fr. Decroix MEP, Fr. Henry Rajoo, assistant priest at the new Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, the Bishop, Fr. Francis Anthony, the Cathedral Administrator and Fr. Paul Cheong, OFM, Cap concelebrated the Mass.





Hoc est enim Corpus Meum




It was nice to see so many people coming to this Church to celebrate it's titular feast. Fellowship then followed in the Church compound.