A Renovated Century Old Church In Singapore Attracts Visitors

July 24, 2022208 views0

A Renovated Century Old Church In Singapore Attracts Visitors

2022-07-24T13:41:36+01:00

By Church News

A century-old renovated Catholic Church in Singapore, a national monument, attracts hundreds of Catholics and visitors since it was reopened last month after a five-year-long renovation.Since the reopening of the renovated 110-year-old St. Joseph’s Church “we have discovered, so to speak, the history of faith of this community,” Archbishop William Goh of Singapore stated.“And that is why we are rejoicing – because to know our history is to know our faith and appreciate what we have,” said the prelate who was named a cardinal by Pope Francis.The parish community plans to make it an inclusive hub for everyone “who wishes to seek rest from the harsh realities of life,” said Father Joe Lopez, the parish rector.“We will focus on building the spirit of the church, a place which is inclusive, not only of Catholics but of anyone seeking solace and comfort from the harshness and difficulties of life,” he continued.The renovated work includes restoration of the church, its parsonage, and a conserved building cost of about US$25.2 million. The National Heritage Board of Singapore funded only US$ 1.9 million and the rest came from donations.The National Heritage Board of Singapore designated the church as a National Monument on January 14, 2005.The Portuguese missionaries built the San Jose Church in 1853 and it came to be known as the “Eurasian Church” as it served Portuguese and Malaccan Eurasian Catholics in Singapore in its early days.As the Catholic community grew, the old building was demolished in 1905 and the current structure replaced it in 1912.Portuguese historian, Father Manuel Teixeira, described the church as one of the “most handsome in the whole of Malaya” in his collection of writings titled The Portuguese Missions In Malacca And Singapore (1511-1958), the Straits Times reported.The Gothic Revival Style church can accommodate 1,500 people at one time.The history of the church is closely linked to the Portuguese Mission in Singapore, which first arrived on the island in 1826 from Goa in India.In 1886 the Portuguese Archbishop of Goa transferred the jurisdiction over the Portuguese Missions in Singapore and Malacca to the Portuguese Bishop of Macau, according to the website of St. Joseph’s Church.The dual ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the parish ended after 95 years on July 1, 1981, through an agreement signed between the Archbishop Gregory Yong of Singapore, and Bishop Arquimínio Rodrigues da Costa of Macau.To maintain the Portuguese character of the church, the Bishop of Macau continued to post priests to the church until 31 December 1999.In 2012, the church celebrated its centenary amidst a 1,000-strong crowd with the mass concelebrated by Archbishop Nicholas Chia of Singapore, Apostolic nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli and Father Michael Teo, rector of the church.ALSO READ Mummy G.O Bags An Honorary Doctorate In Education