Church of the Holy Family, Singapore
Encyclopedia
The Church of the Holy Family, also known as Holy Family Church and Katong Catholic Church, is a Roman Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Singapore. It is located at Chapel Road, Singapore
, and has one of the largest parish populations in the archdiocese.
families living in Tanjong Katong. They purchased plots of land in the area, as did Mr James Leonard Scheerder, who developed a coconut plantation around Marine Parade, Chapel Road and East Coast Road. The De La Salle Brothers
also bought a plot of land in the area, and is now occupied by St. Patrick's School
. Mass was celebrated during the holidays in the buildings they owned along the East Coast, now developed into East Coast Park
.
The beginnings of its actual structure only came about shortly after World War I, when Reverend Father Pierre Raudel, the then-parish priest of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
, approached Scheerder for the donation of some land in Katong to build a chapel for the growing Catholic community in the area. Mr Scheerder conceded to the request on the condition that the land was to be used for the chapel and to be returned to the donor's estate if it were not used by the chapel. Regardless, in 1922, the foundation stone of the chapel was laid. The chapel was completed and consecrated to the Holy Family
by Bishop Marie-Luc-Alphonse-Emile Barillon on 11 November 1923. As the growing Catholic community had outgrown the small chapel, the chapel building was demolished in 1931, and while waiting for a new church building to be built, the community conducted their Sunday Mass in Roxy Theatre.
The full-sized Church of the Holy Family was eventually completed on 19 June 1932. It was blessed and consecrated by Bishop Perrichon. By 1936, the church was made a parish, its first parish priest being Pierre Ruaudel. In 1969, to better accommodate and service the increasing number of Catholics in the area, the church again underwent renovation and extension work which was completed by April 1970. The church hall featured a single large crucifix on a blank wall behind the altar, and this set-up was often decorated with paints, banners and other artwork, changing to appropriately suit the missal theme of the week. David Saul Marshall
donated a piece of land to the church, but too late to build an extension upon, and so was then used as a carpark.
Eventually, the increasing numbers of worshippers again outgrew the church. Thus, it was again demolished in 29 December 1997 to make way for the current, larger, 4-storey church building. During this time, Sunday Masses were celebrated in the main hall of Saint Patrick's School while the Weekday masses are held in the school chapel. The new church was completed and consecrated in December 1999, just prior to the start of the second millennium
. The car park is on the first floor has space for nearly 200 cars, although this is usually insufficient during most weekend sunset masses, forcing other parishioners to park on the roadside and cause obstructions. The church hall situated on the second and third storey and accommodates about 3,000 people (2,400 seated, 600 standing), although main masses of days of obligation usually pack the church hall with more parishioners. The centrepiece is the altar with a massive 16-panel stained glass above, depicting the Holy Family and 16 scenes from Jesus' life. The fourth storey houses the Holy Family Kindergarten, four classrooms, a choir room, and a large function room that can accommodate a few hundred people, serving as the canteen on Sundays. The Adoration
Room and Our Lady's Grotto
are located on the ground floor, and there is also an 2500-niche air-conditioned columbarium located in the basement. The roof of the church is shaped to simulate hands in prayer, pointing toward heaven. Apart from the main church building, there are also other buildings within the parish compound: the Fathers' House, Emmaus Centre and a third building simply called 3 Sea Avenue. 3 Sea Avenue was donated by a parishioner after his passing, as he had stated in his will
to pass the deed of the building to the church.
The church has the following ministries:
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, and has one of the largest parish populations in the archdiocese.
History
The church itself was founded in early 1902 by four EurasianEurasian (mixed ancestry)
The word Eurasian refers to people of mixed Asian and European ancestry. It was originally coined in 19th-century British India to refer to Anglo-Indians of mixed British and Indian descent....
families living in Tanjong Katong. They purchased plots of land in the area, as did Mr James Leonard Scheerder, who developed a coconut plantation around Marine Parade, Chapel Road and East Coast Road. The De La Salle Brothers
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...
also bought a plot of land in the area, and is now occupied by St. Patrick's School
St. Patrick's School
Saint Patrick School or Saint Patrick's School or St Patrick's School may refer to:*St. Patrick Catholic School in Miami Beach, Florida*Saint Patrick School in Chatham, New Jersey*St...
. Mass was celebrated during the holidays in the buildings they owned along the East Coast, now developed into East Coast Park
East Coast Park
The East Coast Park is a beach park located on the southeastern coast of Singapore. It was opened in the 1970s, when the government completed reclaiming land off the coast at Katong which extends from Changi to Tanjong Rhu...
.
The beginnings of its actual structure only came about shortly after World War I, when Reverend Father Pierre Raudel, the then-parish priest of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Singapore. It is located in the Museum Planning Area within the Civic District and affords a welcome respite from the city....
, approached Scheerder for the donation of some land in Katong to build a chapel for the growing Catholic community in the area. Mr Scheerder conceded to the request on the condition that the land was to be used for the chapel and to be returned to the donor's estate if it were not used by the chapel. Regardless, in 1922, the foundation stone of the chapel was laid. The chapel was completed and consecrated to the Holy Family
Holy Family
The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph.The Feast of the Holy Family is a liturgical celebration in the Roman Catholic Church in honor of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph, as a family...
by Bishop Marie-Luc-Alphonse-Emile Barillon on 11 November 1923. As the growing Catholic community had outgrown the small chapel, the chapel building was demolished in 1931, and while waiting for a new church building to be built, the community conducted their Sunday Mass in Roxy Theatre.
The full-sized Church of the Holy Family was eventually completed on 19 June 1932. It was blessed and consecrated by Bishop Perrichon. By 1936, the church was made a parish, its first parish priest being Pierre Ruaudel. In 1969, to better accommodate and service the increasing number of Catholics in the area, the church again underwent renovation and extension work which was completed by April 1970. The church hall featured a single large crucifix on a blank wall behind the altar, and this set-up was often decorated with paints, banners and other artwork, changing to appropriately suit the missal theme of the week. David Saul Marshall
David Saul Marshall
David Saul Marshall was the leader of the Singapore Labour Front and became the first Chief Minister of Singapore in 1955....
donated a piece of land to the church, but too late to build an extension upon, and so was then used as a carpark.
Eventually, the increasing numbers of worshippers again outgrew the church. Thus, it was again demolished in 29 December 1997 to make way for the current, larger, 4-storey church building. During this time, Sunday Masses were celebrated in the main hall of Saint Patrick's School while the Weekday masses are held in the school chapel. The new church was completed and consecrated in December 1999, just prior to the start of the second millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
. The car park is on the first floor has space for nearly 200 cars, although this is usually insufficient during most weekend sunset masses, forcing other parishioners to park on the roadside and cause obstructions. The church hall situated on the second and third storey and accommodates about 3,000 people (2,400 seated, 600 standing), although main masses of days of obligation usually pack the church hall with more parishioners. The centrepiece is the altar with a massive 16-panel stained glass above, depicting the Holy Family and 16 scenes from Jesus' life. The fourth storey houses the Holy Family Kindergarten, four classrooms, a choir room, and a large function room that can accommodate a few hundred people, serving as the canteen on Sundays. The Adoration
Adoration
Adoration is love given with deep affection. The term comes from the Latin adōrātiō, meaning "to give homage or worship to someone or something."-Ancient Middle East:...
Room and Our Lady's Grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
are located on the ground floor, and there is also an 2500-niche air-conditioned columbarium located in the basement. The roof of the church is shaped to simulate hands in prayer, pointing toward heaven. Apart from the main church building, there are also other buildings within the parish compound: the Fathers' House, Emmaus Centre and a third building simply called 3 Sea Avenue. 3 Sea Avenue was donated by a parishioner after his passing, as he had stated in his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
to pass the deed of the building to the church.
Organisation
The church currently has 3 priests administering to a parish population of 8,500. These priests are:- Parish Priest Reverend Father Patrick Goh
- Reverend Father Christopher Lee
- Deacon Clement Chen
The church has the following ministries:
- Formation Ministry
- Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)
- Catechists
- CharismaticCatholic Charismatic RenewalThe Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a movement within the Catholic Church. Worship is characterized by vibrant Masses, as well as prayer meetings featuring prophecy, healing and "praying in tongues." This movement is based on the belief that certain charismata , bestowed by the Holy Spirit, such as...
Group - MeditationChristian meditationChristian meditation is a form of prayer in which a structured attempt is made to get in touch with and deliberately reflect upon the revelations of God. The word meditation comes from the Latin word meditārī, which has a range of meanings including to reflect on, to study and to practice...
Group
- LiturgyCatholic liturgyThe Catholic Church is fundamentally liturgical and sacramental in its public life of worship.-Liturgical principles:As explained in greater detail in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its shorter Compendium, the liturgy is something that "the whole Christ", Head and Body, celebrates —...
Ministry- Altar ServersAltar serverAn altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian religious service. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell and so on....
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy CommunionEucharistic Minister-Roman Catholic Church:In the Roman Catholic Church, the only minister of the Eucharist is the priest.The phrase "Eucharistic minister" has sometimes been used improperly to refer to an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion....
- Music Ministry (Choirs)
- Genesis II Youth Choir (Saturday 6 pm mass)
- St. Anne's Choir (Sunday 7:15 am mass)
- Choir of St David (Sunday 9:15 am mass)
- Kristokos Choir (Sunday 11:15 am mass)
- St. Mary's Choir (Sunday 6 pm mass)
- LectorLectorLector is a Latin term for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages the word has come to take various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as , , and . It has various specialized uses:...
s - ChurchwardenChurchwardenA churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
s
- Altar Servers
- Youth Council
- Service Ministry
- Ministry of Sick
- St. Vincent De Paul Society (SVDP)Society of Saint Vincent de PaulThe St Vincent de Paul Society is an international Roman Catholic voluntary organization dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing direct practical assistance to anyone in need. Active in England & Wales since 1844, today it continues to address social and material need in all...
- Elders Group
- Art and Environment
- Canteen/Function Room
- BulletinBulletinBulletin can refer to:Periodicals * The Bulletin, a now defunct Australian magazine* The Bulletin , an alternative weekly published in Montgomery County, Texas, United States...
- Legion of MaryLegion of MaryThe Legion of Mary is an association of Catholic laity who serve the Church on a voluntary basis. It was founded in Dublin, Ireland, as a Roman Catholic Marian Movement by layman Frank Duff. Today between active and auxiliary members there are in excess of 10 million members worldwide making it...
- Missionary MinistryMissionaryA missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
- ChineseHan ChineseHan Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
Group - FilipinoFilipino peopleThe Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
Group - PeranakanPeranakanPeranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era....
Group
- Chinese
- Neighbourhood Small Christian Communities (SCC)
- Bayshore
- Bedok South
- Cathay/Ocean Park/Stangee
- Joo Chiat
- Kew
- Laguna
- Lucky Heights/Sennett
- Marine Crescent
- Marine Drive
- Marine Terrace
- Neptune Court
- Telok Kurau
Affiliations
As a Roman Catholic church, the church is naturally affiliated with all other Roman Catholic schools, churches and organisations, particularly in Singapore. However, there are a few that share a markedly closer relationship because of their geographic closeness.- Saint Patrick's School
- CHIJ (Katong) Primary School
- CHIJ Katong Convent Secondary School
- Canossa Convent Primary School
- Saint Anthony's Canossian Secondary SchoolSaint Anthony's Canossian Secondary SchoolSt. Anthony's Canossian Secondary School is an girls' secondary school located in Bedok, Singapore. It is part of the Canossian family of Catholic girls' schools in Singapore.-History:...
- Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace (Singapore)
- Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (Singapore)