Bishop Sebastian Francis of Penang in Malaysia says his maiden visit to India’s Trichur archdiocese would help him rediscover his ancestral roots.
Bishop Francis, who was given a rousing welcome in the Kerala archdiocese, told reporters that his grandparents had emigrated to Malaysia (then Malaya) in 1890s when the British ruled the two countries. The bishop’s family belonged to the Mechery family of Ollur in Thrissur district.
The 65-year-old prelate said he knew some of his maternal relatives live in Chennai, capital of neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, but had little contact with them. Bishop Francis’ family in Malaysia comprises five brothers and four sisters, who are now full-fledged Malaysian citizens. They have never visited India until now since they had not links with their Indian relatives.
