By Olivier Labesse
Fr Ryan Innas Muthu is the rector of the Regional College of Malaysia and Singapore, located on Tanjung Bungah Hill on the island of Penang, in northwest Malaysia. Initially called College General, it was founded by the Paris Foreign Mission Society (MEP) in what was then Siam (now Thailand) in 1665. It has trained generations of priests for the Church in Malaysia and Asia. After being relocated several times in Thailand, Vietnam, and India, the seminary finally settled in Penang in 1809. This year, the seminary is marking the 360th anniversary of its founding.
Father Muthu is a Malaysian priest ordained 18 years ago. He began his priestly formation at this regional seminary before moving to St. Francis Xavier Seminary in Singapore. He studied biblical theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome before joining the College General to teach Sacred Scripture. This year, he was appointed rector of the seminary. In the following interview with the MEP-run French publication AdExtra, Father Muthu discusses the history and contributions of the seminary to the Church in Asia.
Could you briefly summarize the history of the seminary?
College General is a major regional seminary. It was founded in 1665 in Ayutthaya, Siam (Thailand). From 1680 to 1686, it was called the College of the Holy Angels, which still exists today in Ayutthaya. From 1760 to 1764, the seminary was moved to Chanthaburi (Thailand) due to a Burmese invasion.
From 1765 to 1769, it was then relocated to Hon Dat (in Vietnam). It was subsequently moved again to Pondicherry, India, from 1770 to 1782. After Pondicherry, it remained closed for 15 years. The name still existed, but there were no longer any students or teachers.
In 1809, the College General reopened in Pulau Tikus (George Town, Penang, Malaysia), where it remained until 1983. This is not far from the current location. In 1984, it was moved to Tanjung Bungah (Penang), where it is located to this day.
College General was also known as the “College of Martyrs” because many of its former students became martyrs.
A total of 47 students and teachers of College General became martyrs. They include French saints, Bishop Laurent Imbert and Jacques-Honoré Chastan (both from the Paris Foreign Missions Society), who taught at the College General. They died as martyrs in Korea, where they had been sent as missionaries during a period of violent persecution against Christians that lasted from 1835 to 1843.
There are also the Vietnamese martyrs, Father Philip Minh Van Doan and his companions, who studied at the College General and died in Vietnam in 1853. At that time, many missionaries and seminarians from Korea and Vietnam fled to Penang.
Of these martyrs, the two teachers I mentioned have been canonized, as have five seminarians, including Philip Minh. Another missionary has also been declared Blessed. We have relics, fragments of bone from the Vietnamese priests, which were given to us by Vietnam, as well as relics of Saints Laurent Imbert and Jacques Chastan, which were given to us by the Paris Foreign Missions Society (MEP).
That is why we are also called the College of Martyrs. Vietnam has also opened the beatification cause for François Pallu and Lambert de la Motte (co-founders of the MEP and College General).
It is a very powerful testimony for the seminarians who enter the College General today.
Yes, indeed. It is essential to note that when the MEP purchased the land in Pulau Tikus in 1808, they also subsequently acquired the land where the seminary is currently situated. In the early days in Pulau Tikus, Tanjung Bungah was a place of retreat for the seminarians. Since the students who came from countries experiencing persecution did not return home for their holidays, they stayed in Tanjung Bungah, where College General is located today. ??Three buildings still stand as remnants of that era, and these are the buildings where the seminarians used to spend their time.
This means that the martyrs and saints lived in the place where we are today. This is of great importance and significance for the seminarians, as well as for the priests and formators, because for us it is a holy place; it is where the martyrs became witnesses of Christ and the Gospel before giving their lives for Christ and the Church. Their martyrdom strengthens us in our vocation, especially for the seminarians who come here to be trained.
Who are the current students in the seminary?
Today, College General has seminarians only from Malaysia, mostly from peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Sabah states (in Borneo). Until 2004, College General offered all the training, including philosophy and theology. Then, for a period, the bishops kept the philosophy studies here while relocating the theology studies to Singapore. I myself was sent to Singapore at that time.
Then, in 2013, the bishops of Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak (a total of nine dioceses) decided to merge the two major seminaries in Malaysia (College General Seminary in Penang and St. Peter’s Seminary in Kuching, Sarawak) to form a single Malaysian seminary, although they still operate as two separate entities. Since then, theology students have been sent to Kuching, and College General now serves as a philosophy school.
During the 20th century, the seminary underwent a remarkable transformation, evolving from a European missionary institution into a thriving regional seminary in harmony with the cultures of Southeast Asia. In its early years, Latin was the language of instruction, and it served as a unifying factor among the various languages ??and cultures of the time. However, as the seminary grew and became even more multicultural, Latin became a barrier to accessibility. In 1966, English therefore became the primary language of instruction.
What is the current state of priestly vocation in Malaysia today?
Currently, vocations are increasing. Many young men are responding to the call. It’s not a booming phenomenon, but there are enough seminarians entering the initial training program every year. The introductory year of studies takes place at the College General Seminary and in Kota Kinabalu (Sabah). Each year, there are usually between four and five new seminarians, sometimes six.
The celebrations for the 360th anniversary began on Sept. 29. What does the jubilee theme “Remembering with Gratitude, Fidelity, and Hope” signify?
We chose this theme in order to cherish the legacy and spirit of our founding fathers, the MEP missionaries. Secondly, it is about celebrating the joy of “coming home.” Thirdly, it is about strengthening fraternity and unity. It is also celebrated in a spirit of thanksgiving.
That is why we chose “gratitude” to express our thanks for everything the seminary has done to train the local clergy. We also want to express our gratitude for the MEP priests who were founders, formators, and who became local priests, coming from abroad to establish dioceses in Asia… We want to show our appreciation. This legacy has been passed down to us, and we will continue to maintain it, moving forward with gratitude.
Secondly, there is “faithfulness” to God, to our ordination, to our vocation. Thus, we reflect on our journey as priests, ministers, pastors… We are human beings, priests are men, and we want to keep this vocation alive because we are weak and vulnerable. We sometimes fall, we make mistakes, we sometimes fail in our lives, but we want to think about this faithfulness, remembering that if we are weak, God gives us strength.
Finally, “hope,” because we want to continue the mission we began at the seminary. We were trained for a mission, to be missionaries. Wherever we are sent, we want to keep this spirit of mission, which must go hand in hand with hope. When we leave here after these celebrations, we want to continue Christ’s mission with hope, sharing that hope with others, which in turn strengthens and guides us, enabling us to be shepherds for our community.
Why Sept. 29-Oct. 1 were chosen for the celebrations?
We, the seminary staff, chose these dates in consultation with the three bishops who oversee the seminary (Cardinal Sebastian Francis, President of College General, Archbishop Julian Leow of Kuala Lumpur, and Bishop Bernard Paul of the Diocese of Malacca-Johor). On Monday, Sept. 29, the feast day of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, we particularly celebrated the theme of gratitude.
Sept. 30, the feast of Saint Jerome, priest, biblical scholar, and Doctor of the Church, marks the theme of fidelity. But we chose these dates primarily because of Oct. 1, the feast of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church and patron saint of missions. That day will particularly highlight the theme of hope. It will be the culmination of the 360th anniversary celebrations. It is a true blessing for us.
Would you like to add anything else?
Yes, I would say that, on the occasion of the 360th anniversary of the College General, we celebrate a legacy of faith, sacrifice, and mission begun by the MEP missionaries. This mission continues to bear fruit in the Church today, both in Asia and in Malaysia. It is not merely a historical legacy; it is also a celebration of the living faith we share.
These festivities also bring together all the alumni, all the guests (cardinals, bishops, priests, and laypeople). They are all living witnesses to this history, whether they are priests, laypeople, or wherever they may be, continuing to proclaim the Word of Christ throughout the world. To the seminarians and those considering entering the seminary, I want to say that they are the future of this history that has been passed down to us.
Our motto is Amor, Labor, Pietas (“Love, Work, Piety”): to love the Lord, to work for the Lord, to be holy. My advice to the seminarians is to work with joy, to serve the Lord with love, and to remain faithful to their vocation. As we celebrate these 360 ??years, it is also a source of inspiration for all those who might consider entering the seminary, to whom I want to say: do not be afraid to say yes to the Lord. The world is waiting for them, Christ is waiting for them. Finally, I want to say: let us continue Christ’s mission with hope.
