History of Catholics in Penang

Among Christian denominations, the Catholic faith can be argued to have been established in Penang ahead even of the Anglican faith. Captain Francis Light, although born a British, appears more sympathetic with the Catholic Eurasians with whom he dealt on a daily basis, than with his own countrymen, the Anglicans. As such, the earliest church on Penang was a Catholic church.

• 1511: Portuguese conquest of Malacca brought Catholic missionaries to the Sultanate. However their met with limited success in converting the locals.
• 1640-41: Dutch seized Malacca. Catholicm outlawed, Portuguese possessions confiscated. Catholics fled Malacca.
• 1662: Paris Foreign Mission Society (Missions étrangères de Paris) opened in Ayutthaya.
• 1767: 1767 Burmese destroyed Ayutthaya.
• 1768: General Taksin reestablished new Thai capital at Thonburi. Crowned King Taksin (Boromraja IV). The new king allowed the Christians to settle. However he did issue an edict (in 1774) forbidding his subjects from becoming Christians or Muslims. But more conflict with Catholics arose, and King Taksin expelled the French Bishop and his two priests. Monsignor Le Bon returned to France. Father Coude and Father Garnault sailed to Pondicherry, India.
• 1781: King Taksin executed. Reign of Chakri Dynasty began with Rama I. Catholics faced persecution and expulsion. They resettled in southern Thailand, on the isthmus of Kra, Phuket and Kedah. First Catholic community in Kuala Kedah comprising 80 individuals, mostly Eurasian of Portuguese – Burmese/Thai blood.
• 1782: Father Garnault and Father Coude sailed from India to Kuala Kedah, where they were welcomed by Kedah. Fr. Garnault remained in Kuala Kedah while Fr. Coude became Vicar Apostolic of Siam, but died in 1785.
• 1786: Fr Garnault followed Francis Light to take a look at Penang. In April he was appointed the new Vicar Apostolic of Siam in 1786. On 15 August he was back in Penang. The date is the Catholic feast day of the Assumption of Mary, and it influenced his choice of name for the church he founded, the Church of the Assumption.