If you are looking for College General Penang, the official website is over here.
I dropped my eldest son here today. Well, not really. This stubborn kid of mine actually rode his motorbike there while I drove and brought his barang-barang. He is going to be here for the next two days. His cathecism teachers have asked us parents to tell our children not to bring their handphones as the phone calls and sms-es will interrupt their concentration. Well, I did. But whether he listen or not, I can’t do much, eh? Not that I can smack his hand, grab the phone and take it away like a three year old kid playing with a box of matches.
Parenting teens like that needs lots of patience, self control and lots of cincai-ness. The other day, when I attended the parents-meet-teachers session, I kena grilled ‘cos my son missed more than 80% of his cathecism class. Not one teacher but kena from two. Waduh…malu nyerrrrr…..
But what to do, he insisted to attend some scout camps etc. But he told his cathecism teachers, “My parents took me to KL”. Ish, we only took him to KL like one or two days only out of a whole year. So, what can I do but grinned foolishly and nodded like a doll and kena bambu.
The place in the photo is the College General. I have never been to this place until today. I know it is a place where Catholics study to be a priest. I was expecting some old, spooky, haunted, cold, granite building but instead, was greeted by this huge estate by the hills. Wahlaueh, it is like a resort on the hill with three to four blocks of apartments, huge halls, chapel, library and other facilities. Pssst…now only I know our Catholic churches very kaya one. If only more youths chosed their vocation to be priests and fill up the places.
Anyway, my eldest is going to be there for some serious, motivation course, drilled by Martin Jalleh. Martin has asked us parents to write a secret letter to our children, which will be passed to them after their massive, brainwashing, life changing session. Whoa….it was one tough assignment to do and I only got it done late yesterday. We have to ask for forgiveness from our children, express how much we love them and also to forgive them for all their wrong-doings these years. Â I wrote to my son and said something like this:
I only write this letter because your cathecism teachers said so. If I don’t write, I sure kena grill again. I have nothing to write because there is nothing that you have done wrong. We always stood by you, no matter what you did. yadda yadda yadda. I also told him to see how much we adore our little 3 years old and that is how much we love him (eldest). With that letter, I told him that it will be his step towards adulthood and from here on, we can only stand by him but he has to be responsible for his own behaviours. Any good or bad outcome, it is all his own responsibilities. Then, I also praised him for his big brother care towards his younger brothers three years ago when Vincent was in the hospital.
Wah…it was one hell of a tough assignment and I am glad that the teachers hehehehe forced me into doing it because I never realised how much I have not said these years. The letter was two pages long, in big fonts.
Ish, it is hard to be mom to teenagers, you know? So, you all kiddoes better appreciate your parents more. And you parents better learn to connect with your kids ‘cos it is very easy to take each other for granted. Give your children a religious foundation and they will not wander far from God.
May the good Lord showers His blessings on this group of sixteen years old who are journeying towards their Sacrement of Confirmation. May He call them to be His disciples and show them the Light, the Truth and the Life.   Amen!
awwww…that must one hell of a sweetest letter to Japro. am sure he wud get choked up in tears!
Confirmation Camp wof Martin Jalleh, syiok nya! Brings back alot of old memories. Anyways, may God shower his blessings upon your 16year old (and the others there as well) as they take this journey towards Confirmation. God bless. Will keep them in my prayers! =)
Ah! Good! Maybe he’ll get his calling and decide to become a priest? Then u’ll be truly blessed! “Many are called but few are chosen!!!”
make sure the priests dun paddle your son if he doesnt get it right hor? like those old movies…
simon – LOL, no priests around la. Only their cathecism class teachers, who are laypersons. God bless these generous individuals. Nicole David’s mom is the head of teachers wor. Kerng leh? World class mya.
STP – Wuah, your command of Bible knowledge manyak bagui wor. I think I hear the Lord’s calling your name lah….”oh…Cikgu Suituapuiiiiii….Come follow me” BTW, our church is going to provide the Form Five-rs (next year, my son form 5 lah) free lessons for Bible Knowledge which they can sit for the paper in SPM. You think I should get my son to try it or not? Only the Gospel of Luke and one more book from the OT (forget which one).
Matthew – Yeah, Martin is a fantastic guy. I attended his LSS once but never complete. Hope to catch him again next time.
sooi-sooi – The teachers told us parents that normally, the youths will be very touched by the Holy Spirit in their sessions and they need to bring lots and lots of tissue papers there. Sungguh dramatik type. But not to the extend of charismatic lah.
You’re a Catholic right? Wah,your son is becoming a priest liao……………
God calling my name??? Choi! Choi! At my age, if He is calling me, u know why!!! Bible…for hardworking students especially those who can memorise cover to cover and use quotations in answers. Cannot give own interpretations…like the Parable of the Talents, the one who buried his, did not use…taken away from him in the hand. Like my talent in singing lah!! Must sing and show the world! Ha ha ha!!!
Martin is very good with the youth and in fact he is a good speaker to people of all ages. I like his talks very much which is often peppered with good humour but drives in the point. Hope your son enjoys the camp.
Hope it is a good experience for him.
Where is the college situated in Penang? Pai seh, never know there’s such a place in Pg…
He’s on motorbike already? Have to be careful, I had an accident when driving one last time, and the scar is forever. Not that I’m cursing, just have to be extra careful driving a bike.
I hope your son had an enriching time there. Remember also, that though Confirmation is a Spiritual Sign that your son is now spiritualy matured, it doesn’t mean that the process of learning of the Faith has ended, rather, its now only just the beginning, anyway, May the Holy Spirit guide him in this Life.
Wah! Is STP planning to sign up for the one in a million contest next year? hehehehehe
Speaking of the Church being Rich, hehehe, you baru tahu ah? Anyway, did you know that the College General first has its roots in the Kingdom of Ayuthia, Thailand in 1665 and then due to the Burmese Invasion it moved to Chantaburi, Thailand and then to Hondat in present day Cambodia. Due to constant persecutions and rebel attacks, it was decided to move it to India, to Pondicherry, but it was proven too far for the Mission of China and South East Asia, so with the British’s arrival in Penang in 1786, it was decided in 1808 to move to Penang and at the first site, Pulau Tikus and 176 years later, after deciding that Pulau Tikus site was far too big and no longer was the Seminary catering for the Training of Priest of the Whole of South East Asia, it was moved to Mariophile, which is originally a Holiday Villa for the Foreign Mission Priest, the current site of the College General. So there you go, the College General has a long and rich history and count amongst its that has graduated from the College General since its inception in Ayuthia to present day in Tanjung Bungah, or Mariophile, Saints and Martyrs, Archbishops and Bishops of Asia.
The Relic of the Saints and Martyrs of the College General are found in the Chapel of the College, I wonder if you got the chance to see and venerate them or not? Amongst the relics of the Saints that are kept in the College General are :
St. Anthony of Padua,
St. Theresa of the Child Jesus
Two French Priests of the Paris Foreign Mission Society (MEP), who were professors of College, martyred and canonised in Korea:-
1) Bishop Laurent Imbert
2) Father Jacques Chastan
Five Vietnamese Priests, seminarians of College in the early 1800s, martyred in their home country and canonised in Rome:-
1) Father Philip Minh
2) Father Peter Qui
3) Father Paul Loc
4) Father John Hoan
5) Father Peter Luu
Aiyooo..panjang cerita, should have just posted this in my own journal 😛 hahahahaha anyway, here’s sharing with u a brief history of College General and once again, all the best to ur son and God be with him.
College General is off Jalan Gajah in Tg Bungah. They bought this piece of land many many aeons ago (ok i’m exaggerating but it was a long time ago). When they bought it (dirt cheap), a lot of ppl in the catholic church thought they were MAD coz it was like in the Amazon jungle. But turned out to be prime land. The catholic church has always been at the forefront of property investment through their missions.
I attended a youth camp there before. Long LONG time ago. Anyways, the place seminary students were on break so we thought we could make noise. Made so much noise in the middle of the night we were scolded. HAHAHA!
Wah, this brings back a lot of memories for me too! Loved those Martin Jalleh’s talks too…no brainwashinglah. He’s quite cool.
Anyway, my parents (esp Mum) were not those letter writing type but I think my Dad wrote it. It meant a lot to me since we’re not a lovey-dovey family.
Your son will appreciate it a lot because sometimes the written word conveys more than the spoken word. What you’ve written sounds really nice esp the last part!
I’m sure he will tear up but will definitely macho-ingly say NO. He he that’s what most of the boys did at my camp although they were boo-hooing when they read their letters! 😛
What the hell is up with your english woman??? I mean your accent may be different but that ddoes not mean you write like the way your accen sounds!!! WTF???