From the birth of St Peter and Paul in 1870 to the birth of the first local born priest a Father Lawrence Seet in 1911

The first local born priest Fr Michael Seet came from St Peter and Paul church. Later generations of his family members also won BeneMerenti medal from the Pope John Paul the 2nd.

In the 1870s the Archdiocese of Singapore had not existed yet.( That only took place in 1972 under Archbishop Gregory Yong). The early days were under the French MEP priests, and also influence of the Portugese Mission in Singapore.

The Holy See gave jurisdiction of Singapore under the Archdiocese of Siam in 1827. In 1839 Fr Imbert who visited Singapore in 1821 and reported to Bishop of Siam, was martyred in Korea. The "good shepherd gives his life for his people", which perhaps where the first church was the "Church of Good Shephered " got its name. Fr Imbert and two missionaries died a martyr's death in Seoul as they urged the authorities to spare their people. Quoting Jn10:11 the Good Shepherd gives his life for his flock, St Laurent Imbert together with 107 others were canonized by Pope John Paul the 2nd in 6th May 1984. Thus Singapore was graced with one of the early founders St Laurent Imbert who visited Catholics here in early days of Singapore and Catholic history. This also calls to mind the words of 2nd century Church Father St Tertullian who wrote "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. " . These sacrifice of St Laurent Imbert and others planted the seeds of Catholicism faith in south East Asia. 

On the political front, the treaty of London gives Indonesia to the Dutch and Singapore, Malacca and Penang to the Brtitish. 

In 1843 the blessings of the foundation stone of Good Shepherd in memory of Father Laurent Imbert . Only later in 1888 was the church anointed to be a Cathedral. This was when the Archdiocese of Malacca was revived. 

As mentioned earlier we also came under influence of Portugese Mission. St Joseph church was built in 1851-1853 and extended in 1868.  But later was replaced in 1905. St Peter's church in Malacca and St Joseph church in Singapore was under the Bishop of Macau in 1887. 

In 1888, Our Lady of Lourdes church was built. For the Tamil-speaking. Till today hoarded of Tamil speaking worshippers fill the church. 

In 1852, the first Catholic boys school was built , followed by First Catholic girls school  CHIJ in 1854. 

Father Jean Marie Beurel was the builder and parish priest of Good Shepherd until Dec 1869 when he had a stroke. He was instrumental in bringing the Brothers of Christian Schools ( LaSalle) to Singapore bd the Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus to Singapore to open the first Catholic schools in Singapore. 

In 1870 the church of St Peter and Paul was built. Father Michael Seet was the first local born priest in Singapore. He was born in 1888, and was ordained a priest on 2nd Jul 1911. He was the son of Cathechist Sih Toa Ti. His ordination at St Peter and Paul was attended by the then acting Govenor in a big celebration.  The Govenor between 1904 to 1911 was Sir John Anderson. Father Michael Seet lived till 1946. 

Bishop Emille Barillon 1860-1935 was  titular Bishop of Malacca in 1904. He resigned in 1933 due to ill health and died in Singapore. 

Bishop Adrien Devals 1882-1945 was titular Bishop of Malacca in 1934. He died in Bahau, near Seremban on 17 Jan 1945 and was buried in Singapore. 

 

Notably in recent church history was Archbishop Olcomendy. He was the last MEP Archbishop in 1976, till Archbishop Greogory Yong took over. Archbishop Olcomendy set sail from Malaya in 1926 to start his missionary journey in this region. He was instrumental as was the early French MEP founding fathers and he was the last MEP priest before Singapore Catholic church became headed by locally born Archbishop Gregory Yong. As Archbishop Michael Olcomendy was born in 1901, it was to be that he would form the beginnings of the Catholic church and play an important role in its early history. Hence he is included as a pivotal person as well in the period of study.

His contribution to church history in Singapore was important because he oversaw the four changes of our Archdiocese.

They are from Archdiocese of Malacca in 1945, then Archdiocese of Malacca-Singapore in 1955, then finally to Archdiocese of Singapore in 1972, holding the reins till 1976 when he retired due to mandatory stepping down age of 75 and passing the baton Archbishop Gregory Yong who hails from Taiping.

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1703_2010-08-12.html