One of the early roads in Singapore is Choa Chu Kang. Another parishioner in his 80s at the time of writing had documented in his blog, history of St Peter and Paul. As the history of Singapore church cannot depart from roads, aptly the blog is aptly titled the long and winding road. This depicts not only the geographical road but also the long timeline of Singapore church history as seen in the eyes of an elderly man. The time period is during his mother's time therefore it brings us back to our period of history in focus the late 1800s to early 1900s. It is also part of SG50 that this blog belongs to as it really captures a part of old Singapore history and that is Choa Chu Kang road.
It is true that St Joseph Church which was mentioned was also built during the period we are examining in Singapore church history. The beautiful similarity between St Peter and Paul church and bringing ting churches in town area is that the MEPs have done a similarly wonderful role of evangelizing and planting the faith in Singapore. The extraordinary thing is the church of St Joseph church is an outlier in terms of church geographical concentration in Singapore. This is the reason who for the period in focus, Choa Chu Kang stands as an important geographical site to see how it is linked with St Peter and Paul and the churches within town.
To research and investigate the early church history, one needs to find an inextricable and clear link it in terms of the institutions and monuments there. Importantly it is the old rail way hence transportation is a major factor. With accessibility given by the old rail, one can see the development of rustic and olden Singapore. Famous sites are old Ford factory and the chartered bank along Bukit Timah road. Other great old sites include the Trinity theological college. A church built there in swampy outlier of Choa Chu Kang is another seed planted by the early MEP fathers led by Father Beurel. Two giants amidst the then pepper and gambier plantation of Choa chu Kang were Father Anatole Mauduit and Father Jean Marie Belliot. Evidently there was am early community there. In fact there was once said to be fight between the gangsters and the Catholics as they wanted to extort protection money.1846 was the year St Joseph church was built. However it could existed as a chapel. It was subsequently and rebuilt in 1904 on sprawling land.
On the riots that was said to had taken place , it was at Bu Ko kang.
500 Catholics were killed. However that was likely to be misread as the number was likely smaller. They had been killed by secret society members who for various reasons had hated Catholics. Possible reasons could include tussles over land rights, or protection money, or even matters of faith or simply ethnics tut. However Singapore was not spared in racial riots as fault lines existed. Example being the Maria Hertogh riots in Dec1950s, or even Hock Lee Bus riots in May 1955 over communist instigations.
Where Choa chu Kang was a smogasbord pot of cultures and identities, especially in interesting mix of migrant ethnicities and religion. Some were locally born whilst others were born in China. They were hard working inhibits people who traded spices as Singapore was entrepôt reading hub signed by Raffles to be a port free of taxes. Therefore what seems to be like a catholic community numbering 200 to 300 existed in this Choa Chu Kang area. Father Beurel must have been alerted to this and that is why MEP Fathers arrived to shepherd their flock.
Interestingly Choa Chu Kang and Bras Basah area has an interesting historical significance in Singapore's catholic history.
Another area is Serangoon as that is where the early china immigrants settled in too.
However the charm of old a Singapore lies in its being plantation and centralized location, for trafing of spices and silk. To view the history of church is really to understand how these areas intertwined with each other as Catholics grew and churches were planted, in addition to the hubbub of trade and commerce.
The 1850s saw the rise of St Joseph Church in Bukit Timah. The timing is the same as the institution of two very important institutions the Catholic boys school and the Convent of the holy Infant Jesus. It is also the foundation stone of Cthedral of good shepherd. Indeed it is the first formalization of institutions to be bedrock of Catholic history in Singapore before springing up of the churches in St Peter and Paul and Our Lady of Lourdes in the late 1800s followed by the St Teresa church and sacred heart and rebuilt of St joseph church in beginning of 1900s.
To this end the MEP fathers were instrumental too.
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