痛苦之母堂简介

堂区基本资料与起源

建立日期： 1888年3月19日

历史背景： 痛苦之母堂的历史可追溯至1830年代初期，当时有200多名华人天主教徒居住在槟岛。在浮罗山背成立了耶稣圣名堂以迎合客家人的需求后，乔治市内日益壮大的华人天主教徒也急需服务。

选址与成立： 在1887年，教会在中路（Macalister Road）买下了一块土地，正式为华人天主教徒建立教堂。1888年3月19日，第一座为服务华人天主教徒的教堂成立，并命名为“痛苦之母堂”。

首任主任司铎： 第一任神父是夏保龙神父（Fr Emille Barilion, MEP）。

建筑扩建与标志性钟楼

早期扩建： 在短短十年内，教堂建筑增加了两座翼楼，教友人数急剧增加。

首位华籍神父： 1938年，许总德神父（Fr Moses Koh）被委任为本堂第一位华籍神父。

标志性钟楼： 当李元龙神父（Fr Philip Lee）接管本堂时，他建造了钟楼，那是当时全槟最高的钟楼之一，高达107英尺。这座钟楼于1958年9月落成，并由已故马六甲-新加坡总教区大主教Michael Olcomendy祝圣。

黄金时代与华文教育

堂区鼎盛期： 本堂的黄金时代为1950年代和1960年代，全槟的华人教友都聚集于此，使堂区充满生机，享有“华人教堂”之称。

恒毅学校的渊源： 本堂在恒毅学校的建立中发挥了重要作用。比利时传教士已故拿督余廉神父（Fr Arthur Julien）在1960年代担任本堂神父期间，推动了华文教育并兴建了恒毅中小学。

重要周年庆典：

银禧纪念（25周年，1958-1983）： 在康副主教（Msgr Raphael Kang）任内庆祝。

一百周年纪念： 1988年在苏神父（Fr James Saw）领导下举行。

合并为城市堂区与多元化转型

合并背景： 1960年代鼎盛时期曾有4000名教友，随市区人口外迁，教友人数大幅减少。因此，痛苦之母堂与圣方济各沙勿略堂、圣若望伯理多堂及圣母升天堂于1988年合并为城市堂区（City Parish）。

行政中心： 痛苦之母堂是城市堂区的中心，堂区办事处和神父楼（神父住所）均设于此。

圣召成果： 在1958至1983年以及1997至2018年期间，本堂见证了四名教友晋铎成为神父。

国际化转型： 从以华人为主的堂区开始拥抱多元化，自1990年代和2000年代起，欢迎菲律宾、越南及来自东马讲国语（Bahasa）的教友，形成了国际化堂区。

现代化建设与近年领导层

设施提升： 2009年，在已故温耀仁神父（Fr Michael Thoo）领导下增加了空调和投影仪。2012年，教堂重新粉刷，并由詹文森神父（Fr Dominic Santhiyagu）添加了圣母七苦彩色玻璃窗。

125周年庆： 2013年由詹文森神父主持庆祝。

疫情期间的领导： 2018年至2022年，陈亿赐副主教（Msgr Aloysius Tan）担任本堂神父，通过在线弥撒和外展计划带领教友度过COVID-19挑战。

现任领导层： 目前，由温耀仁神父（Fr Edmund Woon）担任主任司铎（本堂神父），而阿鲁神父（Fr Aru）担任助理司铎（本堂助理神父）

[English Version]

About Church of Our Lady of Sorrows

Basic Information and Origins

Date Established: 19 March 1888

Historical Background: The history of the church dates back to the early 1830s when over 200 Chinese Catholics lived on Penang Island. Following the establishment of the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in Balik Pulau for the Hakka community, there was an urgent need to serve the growing Chinese Catholic population in George Town.

Site and Founding: In 1887, the church purchased land on Macalister Road to officially establish a church for Chinese Catholics. On 19 March 1888, the first church dedicated to serving this community was established and named the "Church of Our Lady of Sorrows".

First Parish Priest: The first priest was Fr. Emille Barilion, MEP.

Structural Expansion and the Iconic Belfry

Early Expansion: Within just ten years, the church building was expanded with two wings to accommodate a rapidly increasing number of parishioners.

First Chinese Priest: In 1938, Fr. Moses Koh was appointed as the first Chinese Parish Priest of the church.

Iconic Belfry: During the tenure of Fr. Philip Lee, he constructed a belfry that was one of the tallest at the time, reaching a height of 107 feet. This belfry was completed in September 1958 and blessed by the late Archbishop Michael Olcomendy of the Malacca-Singapore Archdiocese.

The Golden Age and Chinese Education

Parish Peak: The 1950s and 1960s were considered the "Golden Age" of the parish. Chinese Catholics from all over Penang gathered here, making the parish vibrant and earning it the nickname "The Chinese Church".

The Heng Ee Connection: The parish played a vital role in establishing the Heng Ee schools. During the 1960s, the Belgian missionary, the late Fr. Datuk Arthur Julien, promoted Chinese education and built both the Heng Ee primary and secondary schools.

Major Anniversaries:

Silver Jubilee (25th Anniversary, 1958-1983): Celebrated during the tenure of Msgr. Raphael Kang.

Centenary Celebration: Held in 1988 under the leadership of Fr. James Saw.

Merger into City Parish and Diversification

Merger Background: At its peak in the 1960s, the parish had 4,000 members. However, as new housing areas opened outside the city center, many Catholics moved away. Consequently, in 1988, the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows merged with the Church of St. Francis Xavier, the Church of St. John Britto, and the Church of the Assumption to form the City Parish.

Administrative Center: Our Lady of Sorrows serves as the center of the City Parish, housing the parish office and the priests' residence.

Vocations: Between 1958–1983 and 1997–2018, the parish witnessed four of its parishioners being ordained as priests.

Transformation to Diversity: Originally a Chinese-based parish, it began embracing diversity. Since the 1990s and early 2000s, it has welcomed Filipinos, Vietnamese, and Bahasa-speaking residents from Sabah and Sarawak, becoming a cosmopolitan parish.

Modernization and Recent Leadership

Facility Upgrades: Under the leadership of the late Fr. Michael Thoo, air conditioning and projectors were added in 2009. In 2012, the church building was repainted, and stained glass windows depicting the Seven Sorrows of Mary were installed by Fr. Dominic Santhiyagu.

125th Anniversary: Celebrated in 2013 under Fr. Dominic Santhiyagu.

Leadership During the Pandemic: From 2018 to 2022, Msgr. Aloysius Tan served as the Parish Priest, leading the community through COVID-19 with online Masses and outreach programs for the underprivileged.

Current Leadership: The parish is currently led by Rev. Fr. Edmund Woon as the Parish Priest, with Fr. Aru serving as the Assistant Parish Priest.