The illustrious journey of College General Regional Seminary, today known as Seminari Tinggi Katolik, commenced in the year 1665, under the tropical skies of Ayutthaya, Siam (present-day Thailand). Founded by the visionary Bishops Pierre Lambert de la Motte and François Pallu of the Paris Foreign Missions Society (MEP), the seminary first bore the humble name of the Seminary of Saint Joseph, later adopting the title Seminary of the Holy Angels to better capture the sanctity of its mission. From its inception, College General stood as a beacon of faith, drawing young men from across Asia—Siam, Goa, Macao, Cochin-China, Tonkin, and China—who were called to serve the Church. Its broad reach and the confluence of languages and cultures within its walls quickly earned it the title “College General,” a fitting testament to its role as a regional seminary for Asia’s Catholic faithful.
The seminary’s early years were fraught with challenges that tested its resolve. In 1688, as tensions mounted in Siam, the seminary’s missionaries and seminarians faced imprisonment and persecution, an ominous foreshadowing of the trials that lay ahead. Then, in 1765, the invasion of Ayutthaya by Burmese forces forced the college to embark upon a pilgrimage of survival. It first found refuge in Chanthaburi in Thailand, then migrated to Hon Dat in Cambodia, and finally settled in Pondicherry, India, by 1770. Though Pondicherry offered political refuge, its geographic remoteness proved untenable for seminarians hailing from the heart of Asia, and so, in 1782, the college was closed, entering a long night of dormancy that would stretch for twenty-five years.
Hope was rekindled in 1808, when Fr. Claude François Letondal, an MEP procurator stationed in Macao, took up the mantle of restoration. Driven by a vision to reestablish a bastion of clerical education in Asia, Fr. Letondal traveled to Mexico to raise funds and scoured the region for a suitable site. Manila and Malacca were considered, yet each was found wanting; Manila was ensnared in European rivalries,
while Malacca, under Dutch control, offered little security. In time, Penang, a British colony since 1786, emerged as a promising haven. With support from Fr. Jean Escodeca and the British East India Company, Fr. Letondal secured Penang as the new home for College General, where it could resume its sacred mission.
In 1809, under the resolute leadership of Fr. Lolivier, College General was formally re-established in Pulau Tikus, Penang. The early days were beset with hardship; Fr. Lolivier and his small band of Chinese seminarians arrived to find their accommodations sparse, and precious belongings were stolen. Yet, through Fr. Lolivier’s unwavering dedication, the college gradually found its footing, rekindling the light of priestly formation. By 1810, despite initial resistance from the Vicar Apostolic of Siam, the college secured official recognition, solidifying Penang as the seminary’s lasting sanctuary and ensuring that College General’s mission would endure.
Throughout the 20th century, College General underwent a remarkable transformation, evolving from a European missionary institution into a flourishing, regionally integrated seminary attuned to Southeast Asia’s cultural tapestry. In its earliest days, Latin served as the medium of instruction, a unifying tongue that bridged linguistic divides. Yet, as the college grew ever more multicultural, Latin became a barrier to accessibility. In 1966, English was introduced as the primary language of instruction, allowing seminarians to converse in their native languages on designated days, and fostering an atmosphere that celebrated linguistic and cultural diversity.
The seminary’s governance also transformed in response to the region’s changing ecclesiastical landscape. Once governed by the Vicar Apostolic of Ayutthaya and later directed by the MEP board in Paris, control over the college gradually shifted to local hands. In 1973, College General formally came under the Episcopal Conference of the bishops of Malaysia and Singapore, marking a momentous step towards local autonomy. In tandem with this shift, academic reforms unfolded: in 1965, the college affiliated with the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, enabling seminarians to obtain a Baccalaureate in Theology. This affiliation elevated College General’s academic stature and forged a link with the broader currents of Catholic scholarship.
The 1980s marked a significant turning point for the College General, leading to its relocation from Pulau Tikus to Mariophile in Tanjung Bungah. This move was primarily driven by the sale of the Pulau Tikus land, which was later developed into the Gurney Plaza complex. The funds generated from this sale were strategically utilized by the bishops of Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei to establish three regional seminaries: St. Peter’s College in Sarawak (1982), St. Francis Xavier Major Seminary in Singapore (1983), and the reestablished College General in Penang.
The transition to Mariophile made use of old wooden structures left behind by the British Military, reflecting a practical and resourceful approach. By 1989, these facilities were supplemented with newly constructed residential quarters, followed by the addition of classrooms, a library, administrative offices, and a lecture hall in 1992. This new campus embodied a blend of heritage and modernity. In 1995, during the College General’s 330th-anniversary celebration, the facilities were formally blessed, marking a new chapter in its long history of theological education and clerical formation.
Along the year 1988, a new Minor Seminary was established in the city of Melaka to house the Initiation Year Program, which is the first year of seminary formation. Hence, first year seminarians and those doing their language preparations and discernment towards the priesthood were trained here before moving over to College General for their philosophy and theology studies. Similarly, another seminary for the Initiation Year program was established at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in 2001. The seminarians of this seminary (later known as St. Peter's College (Initiation Year)) would also join the Philosophy program at College General from 2014 onwards.
In the early 21st century, College General faced new challenges that necessitated adaptation. By the early 2000s, a steady decline in enrollment led to the closure of the college’s Theology faculty, with theology students redirected to St. Peter’s College in Kuching. However, a spirit of collaboration soon emerged. In 2016, College General and St. Peter’s College joined hands in an arrangement that brought philosophy students to Penang while theology students pursued their studies in Kuching. Prior to 2005, the theology students will pursue their studies at St. Francis Xavier Major Seminary in Singapore. This partnership not only revitalised enrollment but also strengthened ties between seminarians from East and West Malaysia, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose that enriched the college community. In this collaboration, College General found renewed vigour, affirming its place as an institution that adapts to meet the needs of the contemporary Church.
Since its founding over three and a half centuries ago, College General has formed more than 1,000 priests, many of whom have gone on to serve across 87 dioceses in Asia and beyond. Among its illustrious alumni are revered church leaders, including Cardinals Soter Fernandez, William Goh, and Sebastian Francis, who have left indelible marks on the Church in Asia. Yet, the legacy of College General extends far beyond numbers; it is a legacy etched in resilience, faith, and sacrifice. Generations of seminarians and faculty members have endured persecution, hardship, and even martyrdom, earning College General the hallowed title of the “College of Martyrs.”
This heritage was solemnly celebrated in 1988 when Pope John Paul II canonized several Vietnamese martyrs associated with the college, including St. Philip Minh. Today, relics of 47 martyrs are enshrined in the college chapel, a quiet yet profound testament to the steadfast faith that has sustained College General through centuries of trials.
In 1995, the college marked its 330th anniversary with a grand celebration led by Archbishop Luigi Bressan. The theme, “Treasuring the Past; Living the Present; Awaiting the Future…with Christ,” captured the essence of College General—a seminary rooted in history yet ever looking forward, preparing men to serve the Church in an evolving world. This celebration reaffirmed the seminary’s commitment to forming holy and compassionate leaders who embody the courage and faith of those who came before.
Today, College General remains a beacon of philosophical education and spiritual formation in Southeast Asia. Its legacy as the “College of Martyrs” endures as a source of inspiration, while its ability to adapt highlights its ongoing relevance. Guided by faith and fortified by history, College General continues its sacred mission of preparing priests who will serve with humility and zeal, confident in the enduring light of its legacy and the providential hand of God
