Francis Sebastian

1958 – 1963 Primary Education @ St.Joseph’s Primary School, run by the Brothers of St.Gabriel for six (6) years; 1964 – 1967 Secondary Education @ Montfort Secondary School also run by the Brothers of St. Gabriel, in Singapore for four (4) years (until Senior Cambridge); Bishop joined the Juniorate of the Brothers of St.Gabriel in Singapore and resided with the Brothers in Community from 1964 to 1966, then joined St.Francis Xavier’s Minor Seminary in Singapore from 1967 – 1970; He passed his Senior Cambridge examination in 1967 and his Higher School Certificate in 1970 at St.Francis Xavier’s Minor Seminary in Singapore; In 1971, Bishop enrolled into College General Major Seminary in Penang, Malaysia and completed the two years course in Initiation and Philosophy in 1972; As a Seminarian on leave in 1973, Bishop worked as a temporary teacher at St.Theresa’s Secondary School, Sungai Petani, Kedah (a Government Aided Missionary School run by the De La Salle Christian Brothers) and assisted in the Church of Christ the King, Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia; He returned to College General Major Seminary in Penang, Malaysia in 1974 and completed Theology in 1976

July 1977 Ordained Diocesan priest of Melaka – Johor Diocese at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia; July 1977 – Sept 1977 Assisted Church of the Immaculate Conception, JB, Johor; Sept 1977 – Jan 1981 Assistant Priest at Church of St. Francis Xavier, Melaka; Jan 1981 – Jan 1984 Appointed as a Consultor of the Melaka – Johor Diocese; Oct 1981 – June 1983 Studied Dogmatic Theology at the Angelicum Pontifical University of St.Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy; Jun 1984 – Dec 1984 Studied and practiced Bahasa Malaysia in Indonesia, K.K Sabah & Kuala Lumpur; Jan 1985 – June 1998 Lecturer for Dogmatic Theology, Formator and Spiritual Director at College General, Penang; Dec 1987 – Feb 1988 Served at Church of Sacred Heart, Queensland, Australia; July 1990 – June 1991 Studied and obtained Advanced Degree in Justice and Peace from Maryknoll School of Theology in New York, USA; July 1991 – June 1992 Second term as lecturer, formator, Spiritual Director at College General, Penang; July 1992 – Sept 1992 Pursued Programme on Personal Growth, Development and Spirituality for formators in Ashirvad, Bangalore, India; Sept 1996 – June 1998 Chaplain to University Undergraduates at University Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia while being the administrator of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Pulau Tikus, Penang; July 1998 – Feb 1999 Pursued Spirituality Course at St. Joseph’s Spirituality Centre, Bangalore, India; Feb 1999 – May 2003 Appointed assistant priest and then as the administrator of Sacred Heart Cathedral, JB; Mar 1999 – Mar 2008 Appointed Director of Pastoral Institute of Melaka – Johor Diocese; 1999 Appointed member of the Peninsular Malaysia Pastoral Team (PMPT) and chairman of its meetings; Feb 2000 – 2011 Appointed general vicar of Melaka – Johor Diocese; Dec 2001 – May 2003 Appointed Diocesan administrator of Melaka – Johor Diocese; Apr 2003 – Jan 2011 Appointed Parish Priest of Church of St. Louis, Kluang, Johor; 2006 – 2011 Appointed Chairman of the Melaka – Johor Diocesan Finance Committee; 2006 Organised the Peninsular Malaysia Pastoral Convention (PMPC) III for the Peninsular Malaysia Arch/Dioceses and the Melaka – Johor Diocesan Synod; 2009 Director of formation for seven candidates to the Permanent Diaconate ordained at Sacred Heart Cathedral in August 2011; Jan 2011 Appointed Parish priest of Church of Christ the King, Kulai, Johor; March 2012 Appointed assistant priest at St.Peter’s Church, Melaka; July 2012 Appointed bishop of Penang; August 2012 – present Ordained and installed as the Bishop of Penang, Rt. Rev. Sebastian Francis. D.D; 2015 – 2017 Appointed vice president of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) and the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM); 2017 – present Appointed President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (CBCMSB) and member of the Central Committee for the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC)

Rt. Rev. Sebastian Francis received the state award, Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN) which carries the title Dato’ in conjunction with the Yang di – Pertua Negeri Pulau Pinang TYT Tun Dato Seri Utama Abdul Rahman Abbas 78th birthday celebration on the 9th of July 2016

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Penang is situated in the Northern region of Malaysia covering 5 states, namely Penang, Perlis , Kedah, Perak and Kelantan. It was created on 25 February 1955 together with the Archidiocese of Kuala Lumpur. It is under the Ecclesiastical province of Kuala Lumpur

English, Malay, Tamil

Reading, traveling, outdoor activities such as hiking, hill climbing, lately brisk walking

Attracted to spending time with the rural indigenous community in Sabah & Sarawak, Malaysia, Bali, Indonesia, Australia and India which he has personally visited; Loves seeing lives of the indigenous in the rural area and aboriginal communities at its original and innocence which is not spoiled by the modern contemporary & artificial lifestyle

Must include life of contemplation & reflection in silence which people generally call prayer and also must have spiritual component; Must have good human & emotional maturity balance, always be opened to creative thinking inclusive of all especially ethnic, racial and religious differences; And open to truth, love and beauty

www.pgdiocese.org

Information available only in printed publication available in libraries.

Information available only in printed publication available in libraries.