Sebastian Francis
Sebastian Francis | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Penang President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Diocese | Penang |
| Appointed | 7 July 2012 |
| Installed | 20 August 2012 |
| Predecessor | Antony Selvanayagam |
| Previous post(s) | Vicar General of the Diocese of Melaka-Johor (1988–2001, 2003–2012) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 28 July 1977 |
| Consecration | 20 August 2012 by Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 November 1951 |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Alma mater | |
| Motto | Fiat voluntas tua (English: Thy will be done) |
Dato' Seri Sebastian Francis (born 11 November 1951) is a Malaysian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has served as Bishop of Penang since 2012, and as the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei since 2016.[1][2] He is also currently the Chairman of the Office of Social Communication (OSC) of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) since 2023.[3]
Early life
Sebastian Francis was born on 11 November 1951, in Johor Bahru, which was then part of the Federation of Malaya. His grandparents had emigrated to Malaya in the 1890s from Ollur in Thrissur district, Kerala, India.[4]
Priesthood
Francis joined Saint Francis Xavier's Minor Seminary in Singapore in 1967 and enrolled in the College General, a major seminary in Penang, three years later, where he studied theology.[5] At the age of 26, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Melaka-Johor on 28 July 1977.[5] He was appointed vicar general for the diocese in 1981, and he held that position until 2001.[5] In 1983, he obtained a licentiate in Dogmatic Theology from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.[5][3] He also studied at the Maryknoll School of Theology in New York where he obtained a degree in Justice and Peace in 1991. He has also served as a Spiritual Director and formator in College General from 1991 to 1998.[5]
Bishop of Penang
On 7 July 2012, Benedict XVI appointed Francis as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Penang.[5] He received his episcopal consecration on 20 August 2012 from Archbishop Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam, with Bishops Antony Selvanayagam and Paul Tan Chee Ing serving as co-consecrators. His consecration was witnessed by 10,000 Catholics and attended by then Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng.[1]
On 9 July 2023, Pope Francis announced he plans to make him a cardinal at a consistory scheduled for 30 September.[6]
Honours
Honours of Malaysia
Penang :
Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DGPN) – Dato’ Seri (2021)[7]
Officer of the Order of the Defender of State (DSPN) – Dato’ (2016)[8]
References
- ^ a b "Sebastian Francis installed as fifth bishop of Penang Diocese".
- ^ "Bishop Sebastian Francis is president of CBCMSB". Herald Malaysia. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Bishop Sebastian Francis of Penang, Malaysia, appointed Chairman of the FABC-OSC". Today's Catholic. Radio Veritas Asia. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ "Malaysian bishop searches roots in Kerala". Matters India. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "Resignation of the Bishop of Penang and appointment of successor".
- ^ "Le parole del Papa alla recita dell'Angelus, 09.07.2023" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ "Bishop Sebastian awarded DGPN". Herald Malaysia. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ "71 new Datuks in Penang".
External links
