Parish of Kulim, Kedah · Since 1957
Sacred
Heart
of Jesus
Kulim
A community of faith rooted in devotion, gathered across cultures, united in the love of Christ since 1957.
A community of faith rooted in devotion, gathered across cultures, united in the love of Christ since 1957.
Download the latest parish bulletin for Sunday readings, ministry updates, upcoming events, and special intentions for our parish community.
View Bulletin →Submit a Mass offering for a loved one or a special intention close to your heart.
Make an Offering →"Come to me, all you who are wearyMatthew 11:28 · The Sacred Heart of Jesus
and burdened, and I will give you rest."
From the solemnity of Sacred Heart processions to the warmth of everyday community, our multi-cultural parish lives faith through celebration, prayer, and care for one another.
As a parish family consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we commit to five pillars of Christian life — reaching all people with love, service, and the living word of God.
Sharing the Good News of Christ with boldness and joy throughout our community and beyond Kulim.
Gathering in prayer, Eucharist, and devotion to the Sacred Heart — the source and summit of our parish life.
Living out Christ's commandment to love one another as He has loved us, without condition or boundary.
Reaching the poor, the marginalised, and the vulnerable as instruments of Christ's mercy in Kedah.
Building a warm, welcoming family where every soul finds belonging, regardless of language or background.
From a small Chinese Catholic community in Pagar Teras to the integrated parish of Kulim — a century of faith, sacrifice, and growth.
The ruined church of Pagar Tras is the silent foundation of our parish — built in 1882, abandoned during the Malayan Emergency, and the reason the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Kulim came to be.
In 1882, Fr. Francois Allard of the Paris Foreign Missions Society (MEP) built the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on a hillock in Pagar Tras, Bukit Mertajam, Penang. The parishioners were largely the Chinese Hakka immigrant community who moved there as farmers, escaping the upheavals in China brought about by famine and the Taiping Rebellion.
During the Malayan Emergency (1948–1960), the British introduced the Briggs Plan to cut off communist support networks. The entire Catholic community of Pagar Tras was relocated to Kulim Town, where they built a new Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Left behind was the church structure and its cemetery.
The French gothic-influenced church fell into ruin over the decades, becoming known as the 'Notre Dame in the Jungle'. It stands today as a testament to the Hakka community who once laboured the land, built a community, and worshipped there — the spiritual ancestors of our parish.
"To conserve the memory of our shared Catholic heritage, living once again in the heart of community."
In 2021, the Penang State Government and EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE) began a project to restore the façade of the church and preserve the remaining structure. The Diocese of Penang plans to build a gallery/museum, café, admin office, caretaker facilities, and car park — transforming the ruins into a living Catholic heritage sanctuary.
Our BEC groups are the heartbeat of parish life — small Christian communities that gather in homes to pray, share scripture, and support one another in daily faith.
Find Your BEC GroupStay connected with the latest Mass announcements, parish events, and community updates in your preferred language.
Your generosity sustains the life and mission of Sacred Heart — from the upkeep of our church to the ministries that serve our community and beyond.
Please WhatsApp your receipt after payment to 012-419 5742 — remember to state your mass intentions.