Church of the Holy Family, Singapore

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The Church of the Holy Family is a Roman Catholic church in Singapore and comes under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Singapore. The church is located at Chapel Road. The official name is used interchangeably with Holy Family Church and Katong Catholic Church, although the latter is a much older name and the former is more commonly used instead.

Contents

[edit] History

The church itself was founded in early 1902 by four Eurasian 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.

The beginnings of its actual structure only came about shortly after World War I, when Reverend Father P. Raudel, the then parish priest of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, approached Mr 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 was 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 Barillon on 11th November 1923. As the growing Catholic community had outgrown the small chapel, the chapel building was demolished in 1931. While a new Church was under construction, the church had obtained permission to conduct their Sunday Holy Mass in Roxy Theatre.

The old Holy Family Church (as it was called at that time).
The old Holy Family Church (as it was called at that time).

The full-sized Church of the Holy Family was eventually completed on 19th June 1932. It was blessed and consecrated by Bishop Perrichon. By 1936, the church was made a parish, its first parish priest being Father 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.

The Church of the Holy Family from the junction of Still Road and Chapel Road.
The Church of the Holy Family from the junction of Still Road and Chapel Road.

Eventually, the increasing numbers of worshippers again outgrew the church. Thus, it was again demolished in 29th December 1997 to make way for the current, larger, 4-storey church building. It 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 3000 people (2400 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.

[edit] Organisation

The altar of the new Church of the Holy Family as seen from the third level of church building (also the second level of the church hall).
The altar of the new Church of the Holy Family as seen from the third level of church building (also the second level of the church hall).

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 Aloysius Ong
  • Reverend Father Christopher Lee

The church has the following ministries:

  • Formation Ministry
  • Liturgy Ministry
    • Altar Servers
    • Eucharistic Ministers
    • Music Ministry (Choirs)
      • Genesis II Choir (Saturday 6 pm mass)
      • St. Anne's Choir (Sunday 7:15 am mass)
      • St. David's Choir (Sunday 9:15 am mass)
      • Kristokos Choir (Sunday 11:15 am mass)
      • St. Mary's Choir (Sunday 6 pm mass)
    • Lectors
    • Wardens
  • Youth Ministry
  • Service Ministry
    • Ministry of Sick
    • St. Vincent De Paul Society (SVDP)
    • Elders Group
    • Art and Environment
    • Canteen/ Function Room
    • Bulletin
  • Legion of Mary
  • Missionary Ministry
    • Chinese Group
    • Filipino Group
    • Peranakan Group
  • Neighbourhood Small Christian Communities (SCC)
    • Bayshore
    • Bedok South
    • Cathay/Ocean Park/Stangee
    • Joo Chiat
    • Kew
    • Laguna
    • Lucky Heights
    • Marine Crescent
    • Marine Drive
    • Marine Terrace
    • Neptune Court
    • Telok Kurau

[edit] 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.

[edit] Gallery

Backdrop of altar for Christmas in the old Holy Family Church.

Backdrop of altar for Good Friday in the old Holy Family Church.

Backdrop of altar in the old Holy Family Church.

Backdrop of altar in the old Holy Family Church.

Grotto of the old Holy Family Church.

Old Holy Family Church as seen from the main entrance.

Old Holy Family Church at night.

View of the altar from the northwest.

View of the altar from the northeast.

View of the 16-paneled stained glass window from the third level of church building.

The choir area, located north to the altar. Note that it is unpartioned from the other pews.

The spiral staircase in the church hall that leads to the upper level of pews.

The (open) main door as seen from inside the church hall.

The altar seen from the main door.

The large cross sited facing the main door from outside the church hall, with a reading from the Bible written beneath it.

The statue of the Virgin Mary, sited in the grotto.

[edit] External links

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