Bishop Sebastian Francis, Diocese of Penang of Malaysia, was one of the new 21 cardinals announced by Pope Francis on Sunday.
The prelate expressed gratitude for being one of the newly elected cardinals.
“I am happy to follow in the steps of Cardinals Soter Fernandez [Malaysia], Cornelius Sim [Brunei], and William Goh [Singapore], all from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei," he said.
"Together with them and the Church in Asia, we give joint witness to the Universality of the Catholic Church and the Apostolic continuity of the Mission entrusted by the Risen Christ to St. Peter, the Apostles, and their Successors. May the Mission primarily entrusted to the Holy Spirit continue in Malaysia, Asia, and Beyond. And the Mission continues through many members of the Laity, Religious, and Clergy who are all Disciples and Labourers in God’s vineyard and garden, together with the multitudes of the People of God everywhere. Together we seek and build God’s Kingdom of Joy, Mercy, and Hope.”
Bishop Francis, 71, was born in Johor Bahru. Johor Bahru was formerly part of the Federation of Malaya. His grandparents moved from Kerala, India, to Malaya in the 1890s.
1964 he joined the Juniorate of the Brothers of St. Gabriel in Singapore. In 1967, he started to attend St. Francis Xavier's Minor Seminary in Singapore.
Three years later, he went to the College of General Major Seminary in Penang, where he studied theology. He was ordained a priest in 1977.
He studied at the Angelicum Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome from 1981 to 1983 for a Licentiate in Dogmatic Theology.
He also studied for an Advanced Degree in Justice and Peace at the Maryknoll School of Theology in New York from 1990 to 1991.
Bishop Sebastian Francis is the 5th Bishop of the Diocese of Penang, covering the states of Kedah, Perlis, Perak, Kelantan, and Penang.
He also serves as head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei.
He is also the chairman of the Office of Social Communication of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conference.
Bishop Francis and the other newly elected cardinals will be appointed in a Consistory at the Vatican on September 30 this year. - Oliver Samson
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
