槟城新港上主慈悲堂（Church of Divine Mercy）简史

槟城岛迎来了41年来的首座新天主教堂。坐落于新港（Sungai Ara）基督徒社区中心内的**新港上主慈悲堂**，于2010年7月31日竣工，并于2010年9月29日正式启用。该圣堂占地3,848平方米，位于金里路（Jalan Kenari），礼堂可容纳约900人参与弥撒。此外，圣堂还设有一座四层高的附属大楼，涵盖15间教室、行政办公室、神父住所及会议室。

目前，该堂区服务于峇六拜（Bayan Lepas）一带约2,500名教友。圣堂内供奉着圣女傅天娜（Saint Faustina Kowalska）与圣若望保禄二世（Saint John Paul II）的圣髑；值得一提的是，这是马来西亚首间获得圣若望保禄二世圣髑的教堂。

发展里程碑

•  1989年：当时圣神主教座堂（Cathedral of the Holy Spirit）的教友 H. R. Watts 先生将位于新港金里路一幅面积为3,848平方米的土地捐赠给天主教会，旨在兴建一座基督徒社区中心及礼拜场所，以促进基督徒合一运动。

•  1996年11月27日：槟城教区主教安东尼·塞尔瓦（Bishop Antony Selvanayagam）与土地捐赠者代表——巴顿少校及其夫人（Watts 先生之女）会面。巴顿夫人在会上重申其父遗愿：该土地为无条件捐赠，须由天主教会拥有并管理，作为基督徒活动设施使用。

• 随后：时任圣神堂主任司铎已故陈汉宗博士神父（Rev Fr Dr Paul Chin）成立了筹备委员会，研究建设该设施的可行性。初步建议兴建一座四层建筑，首层为圣堂，其余楼层提供配套设施。然而，该计划当时未能落实。

•  2002年6月：塞尔瓦主教致函时任圣神堂主任司铎刘开祥副主教（Msgr Stephen Liew），要求落实该项目。

•  2003年3月：正式成立委员会，随后展开了多次会议商讨。

•  2004年5月：提交建筑选址规划；2005年提交建筑蓝图。项目委任Matthe KH Tan为建筑师。

•  2004年12月19日：根据圣神堂大多数教友的建议，宣布将新设施内的圣堂命名为“上主慈悲堂”（Church of Divine Mercy）。

•  2005年7月16日：新港基督徒社区中心暨慈悲堂项目在圣神主教座堂正式启动，由时任主任司铎方济各·安东尼神父（Fr Francis Anthony）及饶恒力神父（Fr Henry Rajoo）主持。该中心规划包含一个设有圣所、阁楼及可容纳918人的多功能礼堂，并毗邻一座四层综合大楼。

•  2007年11月28日：安东尼·塞尔瓦主教亲临现场，为耗资680万令吉的上主慈悲堂暨社区中心主持动土礼。

•  随后：建筑委员会与筹款委员会全速运作。圣神堂教友们给予了全力支持，举办了各类筹款活动。

•  2009年3月15日：教友们与安东尼·塞尔瓦主教、方济各·安东尼神父及饶恒力神父齐聚一堂，通过弥撒与共融活动举行了封顶仪式。

•  2010年8月22日：在竣工的圣堂内举行了首场弥撒。

•  2010年9月29日：新港上主慈悲堂由槟城教区主教安东尼·塞尔瓦正式主持祝圣及开幕典礼。

(资料整理：Gregory R Warrier)

[English Version]

About Church of Devine Mercy

FOR the first time in 41 years, a new Roman Catholic church is set to open its doors on Penang island. Scheduled for its official opening on Sept 29 2010, the Church of Divine Mercy, housed at the Christian Community Centre in Sungai Ara, was completed on July 31 2010. It stands on a 3,848 sq m site in Jalan Kenari and will be able to accommodate up to 900 people for religious services. It also has a four-storey annex building containing 15 classrooms, administrative offices, the priest’s residence and a meeting room.

Currently, it caters about 2,500 Catholics near Bayan Lepas area. It houses the sacred relics of Saint Faustina Kowalska and Saint John Paul II, and is the first church in Malaysia to have obtained the relic of Saint John Paul II.

Milestones to Church of Divine Mercy Penang

• On 1989 H. R. Watts, a parishioner of the then Church of Holy Spirit Penang donated a piece of land consisting of an area of 3848 square meters along Jalan Kenari, Sungai Ara, to the Roman Catholic Church to build a Christian Community Centre and a place of worship so as to promote ecumenism.

• On 27 November 1996 there was a meeting between Bishop Antony Selvanayagam, the Bishop of Penang, and Major and Mrs Barton (daughter of Mr Watts) as representatives of the land owner. At this meeting Mrs Barton reiterated her father's wish that the land which was donated unconditionally was to be owned and managed by the Roman Catholic Church as a Christian facility.

• Subsequently the late Rev Fr Dr Paul Chin, Parish Priest of the then Church of the Holy Spirit (CHS), formed a pro tem committee to look into the feasibility of constructing such a facility. It was suggested that a four storey structure be built. This would include a hall on the ground floor as a place of worship, with other facilities to be located on the other floors. However the said plan did not materialise at this point in time.

• In June 2002 Bishop Selva wrote to Msgr Stephen Liew, the Parish Priest of CHS at that time, to look into the realisation of the project.

• A committee was formed in March 2003 and many meetings followed.

• In May 2004 the site plan was submitted, while the building plans were submitted in 2005. Matthe KH Tan was chosen as the architect.

• On 19 December 2004 the name – Divine Mercy – suggested by the majority of the parishioners of CHS, was announced as the chosen name for the church at the new facility.

• On 16 July 2005 Church of Divine Mercy / Sungai Ara Christian Community Centre was officially launched at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit by Fr Francis Anthony and Fr Henry Rajoo, the Parish Priests of CHS at that time. The Centre would incorporate the Church of Divine Mercy consisting of a sanctuary, gallery and a multi-purpose hall seating 918 people. Adjacent to the church would be a four-storey complex with meeting rooms, administrative office, priests' residence and fifteen classrooms for catechism, formation sessions or functions.

• On 28 November 2007 the ground-breaking ceremony by His Lordship Bishop Antony Selvanayagam was held on the site of the proposed RM6.8 million Church of Divine Mercy/Christian Community Centre.

• Subsequently a Building Committee and a Fund Raising Committee took off at full speed, looking into raising money for the project as well as looking into the physical aspects of the project. The parishioners of CHS gave their whole-hearted support organising various fund raising projects both big and small.

• On Mar 15 2009, the people, together with Bishop Antony Selvanayagam, Fr Francis Anthony and Fr Henry Rajoo gathered to celebrate the topping-up-ceremony of the new church with Mass and fellowship.

• On 22 August 2010 the first mass was celebrated in the completed church.

• On 29 September 2010 the Church of Divine Mercy / Christian Community Centre Sungai Ara was blessed and officially declared open by the Bishop of Penang, Rt Rev Antony Selvanayagam.

Compiled by Gregory R Warrier