OZANAM RETIREMENT VILLAGE @ KLIAN PAUH 

A LEGACY OF HOPE

The Catholic Church first set foot on the sacred grounds of the Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in 1875, on which Ozanam Retirement Village (ORV) stands today. It was here that Rev Fr. Jean Francois Allard, MEP, a French missionary priest, erected a small wooden chapel on the hillock overlooking what is now ORV. His mission was to minister to the spiritual and pastoral needs of the Chinese immigrants who had settled in Klian Pauh, when the tin mining boom started off here.

The bricks and mortar Church which still stands today was built by another French missionary, Rev. Fr. Charles Mazery, MEP (1880-1884) to cater for the increasing numbers of Catholics who settled down in Klian Pauh. This settlement, once a bustling hub of tin mining, later came to be known as Taiping – a name born out of the turbulent clashes between the Ghee Hin and Hai San clans over tin mining rights in Klian Pauh.

Since its earliest days, the mission of the Church in Klian Pauh has been a journey of inclusivity and bridge-building - welcoming all who sought comfort, hope and shelter especially the poor and marginalised. Out of this spirit of service, the Klian Pauh Convent was established, opening its doors to girls, nurturing their education with boarding school facilities.

In addition, the Church extended its mission of care and compassion by providing shelter and housing for the poor. Small housing units were built, utilising the 20 acres of church land for worship, education and shelter to those in need.

However, change came when the Federal Government acquired half of the Church’s land to construct a new school, SMK Klian Pauh. In the process, the Convent and the housing units for the poor were demolished to make way for the school, leaving only the Church building and the parochial house for the resident priest.

A decade ago, the National Society of the St. Vincent de Paul Malaysia (SSVP) initiated dialogue with my predecessor, Bishop Emeritus Dato’ Antony Selvanayagam D.D., to propose the building of a retirement village dedicated to caring for the elderly especially those who are living alone, lonely and without any support and care. This vision was rooted in compassion and the Church’s enduring mission to serve those most in need.

Since then, the Diocese of Penang and SSVP have been working together to bring this vision to life, developing these 160 units of accommodation designed for senior citizens based on a holistic concept of community living, fostering dignity and spiritual well-being. We firmly believe that the mission to care for the elderly through community-based living is a reality as Malaysia approaches becoming an ageing society within a short span of time in the near future.

We believe that the mission of giving hope through compassionate care for the elderly will become a pressing need in years to come. It is our prayer that all those who come to ORV will enjoy the ambience, fellowship, care and concern offered by all of us who are committed to make the dream of holistic community living a reality.

Giving hope, enriching lives of the elderly as they age gracefully remains our commitment to the Legacy of Hope at the sacred grounds of the Church of our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is a journey of Hope which began 150 years ago and continues today, carrying forward the light of hope into the future.

Blessings for the continuity of this mission. 

United in Christ, 

Cardinal Sebastian Francis

Bishop of Penang

Ozanam Retirement Village

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Malaysia (SSVP), with the blessing of the Diocese of Penang, is developing and managing a purpose-built retirement village on the grounds of the Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Klian Pauh, Taiping. Set at the foothills near Maxwell Hill, the village offers a peaceful environment with cool breezes and lush greenery.

Ozanam Retirement Village reflects SSVP’s commitment to caring for the elderly. It consists of two three-storey residential blocks with 162 rooms in total, along with an administrative building featuring a cafeteria, activity areas, and a hall. The project is expected to be completed by April 2026, with 30% of its units allocated to low-income and underserved seniors.