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.
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