Church of Saint Anthony Teluk Intan
The History of Our Church
The M.E.P. Fathers of France assigned to evangelize in in the 19th century South East Asia
The parish of St. Anthony, Teluk Intan was initiated in 1894 by the MEP Fathers of The Society of Foreign Missions of Paris (French: Société des Missions Étrangères de Paris, short M.E.P.) ; which is a Roman Catholic missionary organization. It was Father Rene Michel Marie Fee who first planted the seed of faith in Teluk Anson ( the old name of Teluk Intan )
He managed to acquire a piece of land in Teluk Anson and after much opposition,set up a small chapel made of wood and atap roof. He took up residence there and later set up another chapel in Tapah. From then on, Teluk Anson and Tapah formed a single parish covering the whole of South Perak ; and even included Ipoh and Sitiawan.
In June 1896, the Vatican appointed Father Fee as the Bishop of Malacca and subsequently appointed as the Bishop of Singapore on 22 November, 1896. Father Lee was succeeded by a young priest, Father Louis Perrichon. He covered all the areas along the Tapah – Kuala Kubu Road which had scattered Indian communities. He later became the Auxiliary Bishop of Malacca and was succeeded by Father Louis Duvelle. Father Louis Duvelle together with Father Emille Sausseau were stationed in Tapah and looked after the spiritual needs of the community in Teluk Intan.
From 1909 to 1914, Father Donat Perissoud was in charge of the Indian communities of Teluk Intan and Tapah ; as well as the surrounding areas in South Perak. In 1910, Father Perissoud built the presbytery in Teluk Anson and extended his pastoral activities to Lumut and Sitiawan.
Today, after 120 years, though in a precarious condition ravished by time and weather, the Church of Teluk Intan still stands tall as one of the famous landmarks of Teluk Intan with more than 300 families under its parish.
THE PARISH PRIESTS OF CHURCH OF ST.ANTHONY, TELUK INTAN
( since 1894)
No.
NAME OF PARISH PRIESTS
YEAR in SERVICE
1
Fr. Rene Michel Marie Fee MEP
1894 - 1896
2
Fr. Louis Perrichon MEP
1896 - 1900
3
Fr. Louis Duvelle MEP
1900 - 1901
4
Fr. Emile Sausseau MEP
1901 - 1905
5
Fr. Jean Passail MEP
1906 - 1909
6
Fr. DonatPerrissoud MEP
1909 - 1914
7
Fr. Emile Sausseau MEP
1914 - 1920
8
Fr. DonatPerrissoud MEP
1920 - 1928
9
Fr. Jean Baloche MEP
1929 - 1931
10
Fr. Michael Bonamy MEP
1931 - 1934
11
Fr. I J Aloysius
1934 - 1936
12
Fr. John Edmund
1936 - 1947
13
Fr. Arokianathan
1947 - 1949
14
Fr. Finian De Silva
1949 - 1950
15
Fr. Dominic Vendargon
1950 - 1951
16
Fr. Arokianathan
1951 - 1953
17
Fr. R. Brossard MEP
1953 - 1959
18
Fr. Mathias Ki
1959 - 1970
19
Fr. R. Augustin
1959 - 1965
20
Fr. Robin Andrews
1965 - 1967
21
Fr. Michael Thoo
1967
22
Fr. Louis Stanislaus
1967 - 1973
23
Fr. Maurice Surmon MEP
1970 - 1978
24
Fr. B. Michael
1973 - 1976
25
Fr. Felix Michael
1978 - 1981
26
Fr. Anthony Chong
1980 - 1990
27
Fr. Pierre Gauthier MEP
1990 - 1996
28
Fr. Gregory Hwatt
1992
29
Fr. Anthony Dorett
1996 - 1997
30
Fr. Francis Regis
1998
31
Fr. Arulnathan Joseph
1995 - 2005
32
Fr. Vincent Paul
2005 - 2008
33
Fr. Francis Andrew
2008 - 2012
34
Fr. Francis Xavier Selvarajoo
2012 – 2018
35
Fr. David Lourdes
2018 - Present
The M.E.P. Fathers of France assigned to evangelize in in the 19th century South East Asia | The Church of St. Anthony, Teluk Anson as it was in the 1970s |
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The Church of St. Anthony, TelukAnson’s altar as it was in e 1950 |