On Father Becheras who was Vicar of Chinese church of St Peter and Paul in 1930s

A Flash from the Past

Father Becheras was French Missionary who came to Singapore as part of MEP. He came during the early 1900s.


He sailed home to Paris on home leave beginning April 18 1934. He had been the Vicar General of Catholic church at Upper Serangoon. He is also director of the Holy innocents School. Father Becheras influence over Singapore also covered the Peninsula as he was Vicar of Diocese of Malaca in which Singapore was a part of.  Father Becheras also Vicar of Chinese church of St Peter took over duties of Michael Olcomendy as General Vicar for 10 months on 12 July 1937.

St Peter and Paul also had its share of problems in terms of vandals desecrating its statues.When  Father Becheras was assisted by Father Peter Chin, on one occasion in 1941 , a man broke the arm of St Peter life sized statue and was imprisoned for 6 months. Father Peter Chin was in office when he heard the loud sound.


Subsequently Father Becheras moved to Serangoon where he was instrumental in building community within and school, chiefly the Catholic school of Holy Innocents where he was director.

Father Becheras also made important contribution to education in Singapore as during his term as vicar of St Peter and Paul, he built the Catholic High School which is currently the Singapore Art Museum(SAM). This took place in 1935. This school has spawned 31 President Scholars. In this aspect St Peter and Paul church had given birth to Catholic high school as it was formed within the church premises. The link between early MEP fathers and church and education was thus cemented in forming of actual institutions of school and hospitals.
Today Catholic High has moved to Bishan.


The early hospitals were SGH and the Catholic sisters had worked there.

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 not only facilitated trade but was a boon for religious, and charitable missions to Singapore and the Malaya region. In 1911, 5% of the population of Singapore, numbering 300,000 were professed to be Christians. Compared to 1849 British census which mentioned 3.5% were Christian in the year 1849. Evidently, Singapore was chracterised by early Christian missionary influence. The Protestants had also competed with the Catholics in their evangelical zeal, as evidently seen in the number of services in the city totaling 7 in all.
St Peter and Paul Church had services at 630 am Low mass and Sermon; 8am High Mass and Sermon and 4 pm Prayer and Benediction . Other churches in the vincinity included the Catholic churches of Cathedral of Good Shephered, Church of our Lady, St Joseph church, Chinese Christian church, St Peter's Church at Stamford Road and Bethesda, Wesley and Prinsep street(Baba) Church. and Middle Road Church, Presbyterian Church and Boustead Institute and Seven day Adventist. .

However St Peter and Paul remarkably was one of the early mother churches which was training ground for priests and included early Vicar general as influential as Father Becheras and Father Peter Chin, Father Matthias Tung and many others.


Bibliography:


http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19340407-1.2.72.aspx?refer=similar

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19370712-1.2.74.aspx

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singfreepressb19410627.2.66.aspx

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singfreepressb19160513-1.2.20.1.aspx

http://www.catholicnews.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=128%3Acatholic-high-school-shows-that-faith-and-studies-make-a-good-pair&catid=62&Itemid=473


http://singaporeschools.wikia.com/wiki/Catholic_High_School

French In Singapore, The: An Illustrated History (1819-Today)

by Pilon, Maxime; Daniele Weiler

Tracing the first seminaries to the first early churches in 1800s

The Catholic communities spread out through various ethnic communities in the years 1870 to 1939 and notably of Father Becheras who was parish priest of St Peter and Paul and his founding of two schools one English, one Chinese and his action to create Catholic educational institutions and spreading the faith. He was known to be a very fierce priest and was limping as somebody had beaten him up .

 Also the opening of first seminary St Francis Xavier minor seminary in 1920 by Bishop Barillon who brought a team of 40 priests.


Key places to note in the early days were AuKang(currently known as Hougang) as well as Choa Chu Kang.

The arrival of the first missionary sisters to Singapore from Paris in the 1850s

Early sisters Mathilde and brothers came to Singapore to build schools. In addition orphanges were built by the sisters at the CHIJ (currently Chijmes). They housed abandoned babies as due to the hardship at that time, and economic difficulties, parents found it hard to feed another mouth and had to give up their child. The role of the Catholic organization played important role. Sisters of Infant Jesus, led by Sisters Mathilde. For the schools they built were Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus. Today it has spanned out many schools. Their footprint is etched in Singapore's history.
In addition the sisters of Maur were also here. They were brought in by Father Beurel and approved by Mission in Paris known as Missions Étrangères de Paris(translated in English, it means Foreign Missions of Paris). One of the early sisters died onboard the ship.

With just a handful of 12, together they built schools and initially the enrolment was only about 35 students. It subsequently grew.

They also visited nearby homes with rosary devotion. Usually they are accompanied by fellow sisters, and the head nun will speak to the head of household in an attempt to try to convert the head of the family. A statue of Mother Mary was brought in to homes where prayers are conducted, chiefly the rosary prayer. In schools, students were taught to pray the rosary as they gathered round the statue of Mother Mary and prayed communally. Thus the sisters taught the faith as well as educated the children in English.

Mother Mathilde was born in 1814. And she lived till 1911 and she hailed from France. As a missionary of the Infant Jesus, often pictured as a baby Jesus, and also resulting in the name of the early girls school, Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, she was instrumental in bringing fellow missionaries to Singapore and Malaya region. Onboard the long journey, they often felt seasick. She brought in total 12 missionaries to Singapore. She left at age of 37 toward Singapore in the year 1851.

The first wave of Missionary Sisters(five sisters)
The first batch of five sisters sailed to Singapore from France. The designated Mother Superior, Paulin Radot died at sea. The other sister the sole English woman Pulcherie had spent a lot of time with the captain onboard the arduous jouney on sea and she decided to follow him and leave the order of Ladies of St Maur. However upon persuasion by Father Beurel, she returned to Penang but eventually left the order to marry a resident of Penang. The third sister was injured by a pulley in a storm on board the ship. That left three sisters, one of them injured. Subsequently, one sister fell gravely ill and died. The other two sisters were sent back to Penang.

The Second wave of Missionary Sisters (four sisters)

In Paris, Mother General of the Ladies of St Maur chose Mother Mathilde to lead the 2nd batch of mission in Singapore. Including Mother Mathilde, there were four of them. (Two of them were French, Sister Appolinaire and Sister Damien and one of them was Irish, Sister Greogory)   They left Southampton in France and arrived in Penang in October 1851 after a trying journey of  about 2 months.  Whilst in Penang, the sisters wasted no time in beginning a school. They prayed constantly and wore heavy clothes and yet had to their missionary work, to teach and to pray.

The Third Wave of Missionary Sisters(Three sisters)
The third wave of missionary sisters to Singapore included Sister Gertain Gervais, Sister Patrice and Sister Leonard . They formed up in Penang. In 1854, Together with Mother Mathilde, Sister Appolinairre, and Sister Gaetan left for Singapore.

In a short span of time, the sisters set up the Infant Jesus school in 1854 in Singapore, putiing their their missionary zeal at work, through prayer and contributed their mark in education in early Singapore.

The sisters often worked tirelessly to teach English. And the faith. The common known stand today of CHIJ girls is "you can take the girl out of convent, but you can't take the convent out of the girl". This shows the education of CHIJ and the special attachment they have in their school, first set up by the Ladies of St Maur. They taught the values of charity and generosity, and exemplified with their own lives, as they risked hardship and gave themselves for their missionary work, often putting the needs of others first. The building of the orphanage also attests to their generosity and their love in caring for the destitute (taking care of prostitutes) and the homeless and the orphans.


Bibliography:

http://www.infantjesussisters.org/news/mother-mathilde-a-life-in-5-booklets/

The French in Singapore: An Illustrated History, 1819-today

 By Maxime Pilon, Daniele Weiler

A glimpse of history of St Peter and Paul - Power of the Rosary in converting a priest's grandmother

A glimpse of history of St Peter and Paul:  ​The Power of the         Rosary- Father Paul Pang CSSR ​​​​​​​​​

If you search through the Columbarium at Ss Peter and PaulChurch you will find among the niches the  photo of a woman dressed in a Kimono.   Her name is Maria Harada.   She is my maternal grandmother.  She is a convert to Catholicism, brought about by the power of the Rosary.

One fine day, I call it a fine day, for on this day I heard the story of Ah Por’s conversion, which I would like to share with you who read this little inspiring story hoping that it will also nourish your devotion to the Rosary. On this fine day, in the early ‘70s, I met Ursula who told me this story at the car park under the bell tower of Novena Church.

Ursula:  Father do you know how your Grandmother became a Catholic?

I:  I remember the occasion when Ah Por was baptised. But at that time I was only a young boy and I was not a Catholic. But I did not know the story behind her conversion.

Ursula: Your Grandmother and I were neighbours, living in Queen Street. One day I asked her:  ‘Do you want to be a Catholic?’

Ah Por: No, I am a Shintoist. Leave me alone.

Ursula:  I will say the Rosary for your conversion.

[After saying the Rosary every day for one year for myGrandmother, Ursula broached the question again of her accepting Jesus]

Ursula: Now do you want to become a Catholic?

Ah Por:  I told you before, I am a Shintoist. Leave me alone.

Ursula (told me):  I went back to our Lady and said to her: ‘Mother I said so many Rosaries for this lady’s conversion and you have not converted her. I am now going to say just one more Rosary for her and please do your work.’

The next day I went back to your Grandmother and asked her again:  ‘Now do you want to become a Catholic?’

Ah Por:  Yes I want to be a Catholic. Last night Mother Mary appeared to me in my dream and told me to become aCatholic!

At her baptism, a friend gave Ah Por a statue of Our Lady of Fatima. When she saw the statue Ah Por burst into tears crying out:  “This is the Lady who appeared to me in my dream.”

Dear Parishioners of Ss Peter and Paul and anyone who reads this story, what lessons can you draw from this conversion story?   As for me, I felt so lifted up by the simple, loving faith of this wonderful 70+ year smiling, podgy lady dressed in a cheongsam. Her simple Faith is an inspiration and encouragement for so many Catholics who do not have the opportunity to acquire a knowledge of our Catholic  Faith by academic pursuits. But Jesus died for all, the highly learnedlike St Alphonsus Liguori and the unlearned, like St MariaGoretti. All are called to be saved: “God wants all to be saved and reach the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Tim 2:4.  StAlphonsus Liguori wrote:  “By praying our salvation is madesecure and very easy. It is not necessary in order to save our souls to go among heathens and give up our life. It is not necessary to retire into the desert and eat nothing but herbs. What does it cost to say, ‘My God help me! Lord assist me! Have mercy on me!’? Is there anything more easy than this? And this little will suffice to save us if we will be diligent in doing it.” (Prayer: the Great Means of obtaining Salvation)

Dear reader, say the Rosary for those who are living a disorderly sinful life, perhaps members of your family. Say the Rosary for people who are overwhelmed by the sorrows and difficulties of life. Say the Rosary for those who are living in darkness and in the shadow of death, searching hopelesslyfor the real meaning in life.

Do not give up on them even if you see no signs of their conversion. In God’s way and in God’s time, your prayer made in trust and love  will bear fruit.

Pope Francis wrote: “This fruitfulness is often invisible, elusive and unquantifiable. We know quite well that our lives will be fruitful without claiming to know how, where or when. We may be sure that none of our acts of love will be lost, nor any of our acts of sincere concern for others. No single act oflove  for God will be lost, no generous effort is meaningless, no painful endurance is wasted.”   Evangelium Gaudium 279.

Father Paul Pang CSSR

About a famous 93 year old Sacristan of the church and her story of the church of St Peter and Paul

Teresa Seet was born 15 Jun 1921 at Bukit Mertajam. She is currently 93 years old(2014) and just celebrated her birthday last year with church Fathers.

Father Michael Seet was the first local Chinese Priest in the family. He chose to come to Singapore with my grandmother. They were staying in the Convent.

Michael Seet and her grandfather Seet Kiam Koo were brothers.

There were three houses next to church. Their significance toward St Peter and Paul history were that they housed three important families with three instrumental ministries:  cathechist, organist and sacristans.Teresa's husband was the Sacristan before Teresa took over, and they lived in the house nearest to the church. Peter Low's grandfather was the organist He already almost 70 so his grandfather time would be even longer in church history. The Cathechists were the Yaw family. In  that order were the three houes on Queen Street which housed three important families.

In 1960 they were asked to leave, and were paid $6000 by the Marist brothers from the Catholic High School.
A three storey building was subsequently built on the church compound.
Today, the Carmelite brothers were on the the 3rd storey.
In the past, first storey were for the sacristan. Till present day, Teresa Seet has a room there as she looks after the church.

Josephine Seet,is her daughter and she is in charge of St Cecilia Choir and is the 4th generation of the Seet Family starting from two generations before Father Michael Seet. We won the Merenti medal. Including my granddaughter we are now 6 generations.
My mother also won the Bene Merenti Medal from St Pope John Paul the second.

Do you remember of any famous processions?

There was the Corpus Christi procession. It went round the field and starting from Cathedral. Prior to 1965 no police permit required and it was a grand event, and we went around the City area where the Cathedral was.

During Father Barrateau time there was sanctuary for the altar. Later podium for commentator was taken away.

Father Matthias Tung also did the renovation to church during the Second Vatican council where changes were made.

As for the fate of the statues, St Cecelia is still on the the choir loft. St Joseph's statue had "moved" to SJI whilst St Michael statue is now in St Michael School.

During Father Francis Lau time, Richard Tan was the organist.He still plays until now.

The Altar rail was before Vatican Council II.
Father Noel Goh later went to Holy trinity. When he died, his body was placed here at St Peter and Paul. He was the Vicar General.
She recalls three Fathers who served here,  Father Paul Tong now at Sacred heart.  Father Matthias Tung later and  Father Paul Goh.

New priest were trained here. It is the mother church for all other churches according to the Seets. There also spawned two from my grandfather Father Michael Seet and sister Michael Seet, the grandfather was Augustine Seet.

Mrs Seet great grand father was also Cathechist. They taught Teochew Cathechism. The Hakka would go to Sacred Heart Church. Porridge was provided for the catechumen's too.

Her Grandfather also used to make paschal candles.

Josephine's St Cecilia choir has been around for 50 years.

As for their ancestors, they were buried at Bidadari . Thereafter they were exhumed and I remember Chan Teck Ghee body was in a way incorrupt as was much intact. Father Michael Seet was also buried there. However they were exhumed later and cremated.

The remains for Father Michael Seet was interred in the church. As there were more than 10 relatives, remains had to be exhumed and arrangements had to be made for each of them.

In the photo, second from left was my Grandfather Augustine Seet. Great grandfather was a Cathechist too. They cooked for the people porridge in the night classes. This confirmed Teresa was two generation before Father Michael Seet.( If she was born in 1912, two generations assuming a about three decades would take them back toward the church history in 1888. )


In early history, Hakkas went to Sacred Heart church, Eurasians to St Joseph Church and the Hokkiens to St Teresa.

The grotto of Mother Mary and St Bernadette was shifted to near where Father's office is now, to the back. The stained glass in the middle was very important evidence of the strong devotion to our Lady of Lourdes.


During that time in Fen 11, 1858 , our Lady appeared to St Bernadette at Lourdes. Devotion to our Lady of Lourdes which spread to Singapore was very strong. ( Subsequently Our lady of Lourdes was built in 1888. This evidenced the devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes from early days of Singapore till this day)

An interview with old time altar boy of St Peter and Paul

1. On the Catholic church procession of Corpus Christi in the 1950s:

This is to bring the knowledge of Christ ( Christ body) to the neighborhood.
There were three altars: one at SJI , one at Catholic high, one at St Peter and Paul .
The procession proceeded from the back gate of St Peter and Paul to bras Basah road and back again towards Waterloo Street. It was a grand event.

2. On the friendship and bonds due church and neighborhood

Peter Wee and Lawrence Seet were childhood friends. They were confirmed together.

Peter was staying in 67 Waterloo street while Lawrence stayed at the house beside the church at Queen Street.

Peter also knew auntie Teresa Seet , Lawrence mother and long time server and won the pope medal for long serving sacristan, and was helping her to mop and clean the church when he was young. He also remembered on top of that she had to take care of her bed ridden mother in law. ( Father Michael Seet was the first local born Chinese priest produced in Singapore at St Peterabd Paul church and he is Lawrence Seet's grandfathers brother)

3. The other activities:

Fund fair: Peter remembered they would throw at ducks neck to win a prize.

There was also Peranakan gathering in church. Peter also showed us the bible in his home which was the Peranakan bible.

4. Chan Teck Ghee was the one who donated the confession room. Peter also knew the Chan family. He was one of the organist who lived near the second house of the church.

5. Yeo Sin Seh was the Cathechist , who taught the early Chinese and the medium of instruction was Teochew dialect.

6. On fond memories of priests who served the St Peter and Paul church:

Peter remembered Father Noel Goh, who was friendly and warm. He said Fr Noel said there are many ways to go to Orchard Road: by walking, or taking bus but no matter as long you are focused you will reach there, meaning if you are focused on Jesus you will be saved, because everyone takes different routes.

He also remembered Father Francis Lau who was a prayerful man and is now Monsigneur Lau.

There was Father Matthias Tung too who presided over the major renovation in the church.
He also remembered Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia. Then Father Nicholas who also served at St Peter and Paul.

7. On the old statues and porcelain bowls ...

Peter mentioned during renovation, the altar rail was taken down, some of the frames were smashed. The high altar also was taken down due to Vatical council 2. He requested for one of it for keepsake which was the station of the cross frame. Some of the porcelain he had placed in his garden. However according to him what was meant to be will be there just like history and what is meant to be replaced will be replaced as this is the fluidity and renewal of life.

8. On the memorable MEPs and French Fathers

Peter mentioned whilst the St Joseph was Portugese mission, St Peyer and Paul was French mission. Hence we have took at history using MEP priests. On Father Batchelos, he remembered he died on the way back from France and he as a little boy attended the funeral in St Peter and Paul church.

His grandfather Keong Saik was baptized a month before his death by Father Cordero. His parents were baptized by Father Batchelos.  Both were French MEPs.

Some of the Chinese parents were against the children conversion as they were afraid nobody would pray to them after they passed on. But according to Peter, after a while because of these Christian brother schools and seeing good had come out of their children they allowed them to baptized. His grandfather himself was baptized so that made easier for his parents and himself to be Catholic. This was the success of the French missionary and their works. Also local cathechists played a part as Peter recognized that they recited the Teochew rosary and taught the early population about the faith through cathechisis.

8. On remembering old mass .....Two blind men, and bells...

There was Latin mass and Peter learnt to say the our Father prayer in Latin and other prayers. He was taught by the priest Father himself when he joined the choir, that was before the St Cecilia choir.

He also remembered Peterlok and Paultolok. They were Peter and Paul the two blind men given to the church since birth as orphans to be taken care off. Amazingly one of them could play the organ beautifully and the other rang the bells for requiem mass and the joyous bells in a certain rhythm. Peter admitted he used to like ringing the bells but couldn't do it as well as the two brothers Peter and Paul. He remarked they were talented as they could play the organ without notes and also ring the bells.

9. On the history of St Peter and Paul...before his time

Before he was born St Peter and Paul  was a chapel. It was the "mother" church as from here sprang many churches. St Teresa was built for Hokkiens whilst Cantonese flocked to the Sacred Heart. The Eurasians dwelled in St Joseph church. Many priests also were trained here in St Peter and Paul to become parish priest. It also was part of SJI and The Catholic High School.

In the earlier years, Cathechist Yaw's house (third house from church) was there. (Teresa Seet Father also cooked porridge for the early population who wanted to learn in Cathechism. After work they would come for a meal.) They also taught the people Cathechism and rosary in Teochew.

10. What about the landscape and your memories as a young boy ?

Outside the church there were banana tees and fruit trees on the road leading to Waterloo street.

Other than the standing statue of St Peter and Paul outside the church, there was only a statue of St Peter sitting down. The statue of St Paul came later and was reminiscent of the model in Rome.

As Peter lived where Caritas was now, he could go early morning mass at 530am and helped out as Altar boy. Later he served as Communion minister until he moved to Katong. In total he served many decades in St Peter and Paul church.

In the requiem mass( mass for the souls ) every morning he also recalled the bells for the mass. As well as the different tunes for the bells, eg joyous bells or when the pope dies.

Finally he moved out as the government had acquired the land for redevelopment. But he still served till about two years ago. He now worships in Holy Family.

Peter also mentioned he is the fourth generation ( Si Dai) same like Lawrence Seet. That is to say from his great grandfathers time till now in Singapore.

Influence of Roman Catholicism from a priest in St Peter and Paul's early days

Monday, December 7, 2009

This is my story - 8

8 –Influence of Roman Catholicism
My grandmother with whom I enjoyed a close relationship was getting quite frail. She must have sensed her life was coming to an end.

One day she called the family together and told them that before her marriage she was a Roman Catholic, but had given up her faith to marry my grandfather. Now it was her desire to return to her church. This was news to everyone for all through the years she participated in idol and ancestor worship and no one knew she was ever a Christian.

Her children contacted the priest of the Church of St. Peter and Paul. A Chinese priest, an old man with a long white beard came to reaccept her as a member of the church. He performed certain rituals and readmitted her into the Catholic Church. This was 1945 when the Japanese were still in power in the region.

The priest whom we addressed as ‘Father’ then told us to attend his church which we did. So every Sunday morning I went with my family to church. I could not understand a word, but faithfully imitated the actions of other worshippers such as dipping my fingers into the water at the entrance of the church and making the sign of the cross. When they knelt, I knelt. When they stood up, I did the same. The worship was quite different from what I was used to in the Salvation Army Sunday school.

The priest sent a Catholic teacher who came once a week to our house to teach us catechism and prayers. She spoke only Teochew. I was given a rosary and I learned to say the prayers, all in Teochew, my ‘mother tongue’ which I acquired through my parents and grandparents. Frankly, I spoke bazaar Teochew mixed with Malay. I don’t understand proper Teochew. So I learned by rote those prayers in Teochew and recited them with little understanding!

One day Grandmother was very ill and the family called the priest to perform the last rites. Grandmother died just before the British returned to Singapore. Her funeral was held at the Catholic Church and her body buried at the Catholic section at Bidadari Cemetery at Upper Serangoon Road.

My uncle being the only surviving son felt it his duty to look after the family ancestral tablets. He decided that he would not retain the crucifix in his house. So the relatives agreed that my family would embrace the Catholic faith and keep Grandmother’s religious icons. The other aunts and their families all wanted to keep their non-Christian faith.

So Mother set up the Catholic altar at our house and every evening I knelt before the crucifix and recited prayers using the rosary. It was quite repetitious and some nights I was so tired, I would cheat by moving two beads and sometimes three at one go to hasten the prayers! You see I had to get up very early to collect water from the tap shared by twelve families. By now I was already about thirteen years old still very shy and inwardly rebellious. I always felt sister being the only girl was the favoured one; elder brother being the oldest in the family was always given preferential treatment; and youngest brother was spoilt. That was my impression. Looking back I can see I had very low self image.

The British returned in August 1945.There were not enough schools to cater for children and preference was given to those of the right age. I was already three and half years behind! Mother was very busy trying to earn extra money to support the family. She simply did not have the time to see that I get into some school. I scouted around and eventually got into St. Andrew’s afternoon school at Upper Serangoon Road. I could not afford the bus fare so would walk by taking a short cut from Lorong Limau through Whanpoa area, at that time empty land covered with lalang (tall grass) and emerged through St. Michael’s Road to Upper Serangoon Road.

I persisted in trying to get back to my old School – Rangoon Road Primary school. I believe God was there to intervene. One day I boldly stepped into Rangoon Road School and made my way to the Headmaster’s office. With fear and trembling, I approached the headmaster Mr. Yeo Bock Hoe, a very short, stern man and said, “I want to enter school.” I had memorised those words!

He gave me a good look and must have taken pity on this nervous lad. He sent me to the Standard Three teacher, a Mr. Goh who gave me a test in English and Arithmetic. To cut the long story short, I was accepted into Std 3 B. There in the same class was a former Salvation Army Sunday School boy by the name of David Ooi Keng Teow one of my former Sunday School lads from Balestier Corps.

He had already rejoined The Salvation Army which was now at Martaban Road. The Army had built an atap house on the land belonging to Mrs. Palmer, a Home Leaguer. Later she became a Salvationist and sold the land to the Army for a token sum of $3000.00.

David invited me to attend the Army, but I declined the invitation as I had already promised the priest that I would be a Roman Catholic. One Sunday he came to my house to take me to the Army. I politely refused. He came three successive Sundays and at last just to please him, I went. Well, it was like old times again. I was warmly welcomed. It was the prodigal returning home, the lost sheep back to the fold. I felt this was where I belonged. The General Secretary Brigadier Frederick Harvey was holding on at the Corps as there was no Corps Officer. I enjoyed the singing and the Bible stories! Brigadier Harvey was a great story teller, and concertina player! I enjoyed the singing and admired the way he handled his concertina, swinging it as he played!

A couple of weeks later Captain Cecil Watts was appointed to take charge of the corps. This new Captain was a good visitor of his flock and did not hesitate to visit our family. He came and helped me in my homework and really took a great interest in me. I was very touched when I saw him cleaning the hall himself. On Saturdays he would be there to see to the garden. There was no hall keeper. He cycled everywhere and even on Sundays would cycle to the Corps with his piano accordion tied to this bicycle. It was his love, compassion and godly living that won my heart.

I stopped attending the Roman Catholic Church, much to the disappointment of my mother. Father didn’t care much as he was hardly home. Only my sister went with Mother to the Catholic Church and later they were baptised as Catholics. My younger brother came with me to The Army, but later he left and went back to the Catholic Church as he wanted to get into St.Joseph’s School.

Looking back I believe my involvement with the Roman Catholic church for that brief period of time was one of God’s ways of preparing me for my service some forty plus years later in the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country. God’s ways are always perfect

French MEP background and church activities and growth before 1870 and post 1870.

-Amongst Early French priests feature Archbishop Olcomendy strongly as head as he is bishop. The history of Catholic Church in this region was known as under the apostolic Vicariate of Siam in 1841 to archdiocese Malacca- Singapore peninsula to  Archdiocese Singapore in 1977 under His Grace Gregory Yong. 

French Bishops MEP during the period 1869 onwards who had control over Singapore catholic community.

-Various MEP's works in buying the land in 1840s onwards and building the first chapels and Catholic schools resulted in 

first catholic school for boys in 1852 (Later known as SJI) along bras Basah road and 

1854 first Catholic school for girls CHIJ. 

Before 1870 the only other church around the bras Basah area under French mission was the Good shepherd church(only later did become anointed as a Cathedral) The word "Bras Basah" stands for wet rice. This means that rice was spread out along the road to dry. The canal is nearby and there were alot of trading activity near the Singapore river which is nearby. Many rickshaws ply the area as well. Coolies used to run the rickshaws in what would be today rather inhumane as they literally carried passengers on the rickshaws and ran with their bare legs. The Cathedral of Good Shepherd was a French Mission (contrast with later on when the St Joseph church which was a Portugese mission. )Following on the French Missionary influence St Peter and Paul Church was built. Schools were part of the missionary activity leading to nearby locality two schools the Catholic boys school(later known as SJI) and girls school built by sisters of Infant Jesus order. Church street is found nearby Raffles place because the history revolves around a chapel built near there. Raffles institution a school named after Founder of Singapore Sir Stamford Raffles was originally at Raffles too. (founded 5 June 1823.) It was also found along the junction of Bras Basah and Beach Road where the old SAFRA club was. Before churches, what were built were the chapels. Priests were trained in the Seminary in France or college general Penang known as St Francis Xavier Major Seminary  where the saint was influential in missionary activity. ( in fact there is a St Francis Xavier crab because legend has it that St Francis blessed the crab and thereafter it bore a cross on the body) In Singapore the French Fathers brought in the Faith, as there was no seminary to start with. ( The earliest seminary was built here  was the St Francis Xavier Major seminary in 1983 under Archbishop Gregory Yong) ( the minor seminary was established in 1925 and the first seminarian was French Mep Father Batholout) this was the first minor seminary in Singapore albeit late in 1925 and we finally had our own premises for priest trading ground as you can see in 1983.  This Archbishop Gregory Yong oversaw many significant developments , seminary formation being one of them.

In the year 1853 Chapel of St Mary was built in Serangoon and was in this time 1852 and 1854 built the Catholic schools for boys and the girls respectively. ( Again this was a chapel that served as a place of worship rather than a church in very early Singapore). It was also during this time that St Joseph church  1852 in Bukit Timah was built near the railway and where there was large land available there. Subsequently St Peter and Paul was built in 1869. Famous names for the places around the church were "Lau Kah Ku Keng khau" which meant the mouth of old jail .  Bras Bash before it became the place for traders to dry their wet rice was a place where there was an old jail nearby. Recent exhibits of 700 years of Singapore History at the Singapore National Museum showed the excavation of old jail metal walls, under the Cathedral of good Shepherd alongside broken rosaries indicated how blessed the church was as people were prayerful and devoted to the rosary as early as the 1800s. The road was also called in Cantonese "Fat-lan-sai lai-pai-thong pin" besides the church with the French mission meaning the Cathedral of the Good shepherd which was blessed in 1843. In 1839, Fr Jean Marie Beurel arrived on our Singapore's shores. In Apr 1840, he takes charge of Catholic Community in Singapore and is credited for building the Cathedral of Good shepherd on Bras Basah Road as well as the two schools, with the help of the Laselle brothers and IJ sisters. They were known as brothers of Christian schools and the sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus. Therefore Jesus was depicted as an Infant in famous CHIJ chapels  and the sisters certainly combusted to their fair share if Singapore building institutions of learning and development. The Laselle brothers took the name from Clemenceau street also had its name after the first French MEP to arrive in Singapore, who is Fr P. Clemenceau, where sacred heart church now is. The other churches that were opened near the Bras Basah area include the St Joseph church . On 18 June 1843 the foundation stone for the Cathedral of Good Shepherd was also blessed in memory of another French MEP Father Imbert. By 6 Jun 1847 three years later the Cathedral of Good shepherd was up and was blessed. Hence the surrounding for Bras Basah are were filled with Catholic influence and charity. This is because the nuns taught in the girls school and did their missionary work giving necessities to the poor. The Christian brothers also taught in the boys schools and assisted Fr Jean Marie Beurel in the missionary work. Finally the St Peter and Paul church was built by the French Father Pierre Paris. Why was it built? This was because the SJI in 1854 and Cathedral of Good Shepherd in 1846 was too small to minister by Father Pierre Paris. Work was done on the Cathedral whilst SJI took over the chapel. St Peter and Paul started as a house chapel. However as the needs of Chinese congregation and Indian Brethren grew( note there were many Indian who worked as Laundrymen and that's how Dhoby Gaut got its name as these Indian Dhobies worked there) , the chapel by the late 1830s needed a new place and work begun on the Cathedral of Good shepherd. Later under Father Pierre Paris who saw the need to house the increasing different dialect groups of the Chinese and Indian Brethen decided to built the St Peter and Paul to replace the chapel now run by SJI. Eventually by 1869, St Peter and Paul was built. Napolean III contributed to the columns of the new St Peter and Paul Church. There are total 7 pairs of Columns in the old smaller St Peter and Paul church that was contributed by Napolean III of France. Indeed signifying and sealing French influence in Singapore and Catholic Church history here with its impact in proselytizing, architecture and buildings as well as training and schooling and cathechisis