Catholic Churches in Malaysia

Malaysia, though a predominantly Muslim country, respects the practice of religion and the multiplicity of races.

Though a minority, the Catholics have Churches to celebrate masses with. In Selangor, there is the St John Cathedral; in Melacca, there is also the St Paul Church which legend has it that St Francis Xavier was buried there.

In Ipoh, Perak, there is the St Michael Church, and in Penang there is the Assumption Church.

As a Catholic, my first instinct really is to look for a church where I can celebrate the Eucharist.

I tried to wake up at 6 in the morning to catch the 6 o’clock mass because the St Michael Church was just across the hotel where I stayed.

Problem is 6 o’clock is still very dark. It is like 4 o’clock in the morning. The sun shines in Malaysia at around 7:30 in the morning.

So I came there at 8 still very much like 6 o’clock Philippine setting. But masses are not celebrated there every morning. Only on special occasions.

Even the Sunday mass is celebrated only once and the church building is closed.

At the Assumption Church in Penang, about 3 hours from Ipoh, the same situation. We tried to visit the church but it was closed so we can’t come in. We just took a shot of it.

But this is what I find amazing and great. The Malaysian government includes these churches in its heritage walk for tourists to see and ponder.

Our guide told us that the Anglican church beside the Assumption church is one of the oldest churches in Penang. So they make sure it will be preserved because it is part of the city’s history.

When I visited these churches, I saw the streamers in the gate about the Year of the Consecrated life. It is as if I haven’t left the Philippines. Same scenes in Churches with people with the same faces as us.

Filipinos going to Malaysia will not feel like a stranger. Except for the Bahasa language that they speak with some similar words as ours, we look very much like them. We are Malay.

And this will make you smile the more. When I was in Melacca, and I went into the city’s mall, I asked a saleslady about their products. She asked if I was a Filipino and I said yes.

Then she paused to recollect something and she sung “pangako sa yo, ipaglalaban ko”, and I smiled and asked how she knew that.

She coyly replied that teleserye was shown in their television.

Ah I said and chorused with her to the delight of the other Malaysians who were around. But I was not Jericho Rosales and she was not Christine Hermosa either.

I left Melacca with that memory.

But the thought of Catholic churches in Malaysia simply amazes me. God is alive everywhere. (Edfer Fernandez)