tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post8267322410349649832..comments2024-03-04T17:32:08.378+08:00Comments on Princess Elizabeth Estate, Hillview: Places around P.E.E. (2) - St Joseph Church, Bukit TimahUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-63671873855657281212015-09-30T15:48:50.199+08:002015-09-30T15:48:50.199+08:00Dear James,
It was great reading the blog. It is ...Dear James, <br />It was great reading the blog. It is so funny, but I guess most would not think so. Fr Teng, Fr Yim and Fr Khoo all had served in St. Stephen Church too. Fr Teng last assignment was there, Fr Yim last assignment was there. Fr Khoo is now in CTK. Now a former parishioner of St Stephen is serving in St Joseph as Asst Parish Priest. You may say, it goes round. God Bless....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-17862390402917742272012-07-31T00:41:37.323+08:002012-07-31T00:41:37.323+08:00Thanks James for the memories.
Grew up in the area...Thanks James for the memories.<br />Grew up in the area; lived across the street from the church. Played soccer with Fr John Khoo on Sundays after altar boys meeting; climbed up the bell tower to look for pigeon eggs for Fr Simon Yim; played chess with Fr Felix Brygier; attended the overflowing funeral mass for Fr Joachim Teng. Much has changed since then.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-64837688909184031102012-04-10T00:10:25.162+08:002012-04-10T00:10:25.162+08:00Thank you, that means a lot to me. :)Thank you, that means a lot to me. :)Sharonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-306875541053639032012-04-09T20:18:02.083+08:002012-04-09T20:18:02.083+08:00Hi Sharon,
You might be interested in an article ...Hi Sharon,<br /><br />You might be interested in an article written by my friend Peter (Chan) about AES and St Joseph.<br />Here is the link which will actually take you to Lam Chun See's Good Morning Yesterday blog where Peter guest writes. http://goodmorningyesterday.blogspot.com/2007/10/bukit-timah-heritage-trail-10-growing.htmlJames Tannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13543278061861378044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-4342087913268820572012-04-09T18:44:37.320+08:002012-04-09T18:44:37.320+08:00Ouf, this blog entry really resonates with me. So ...Ouf, this blog entry really resonates with me. So many memories. My late father, Raymond Ong, was the principal of Assumption English School for a number of years, and -- truly -- that church is where I received my first exposure to the faith I later adopted and which I profess today. His funeral mass was held at St Joseph's, even though his "parish church" (de facto) in the last years of his life had been St Mary of the Angels. It makes me want to pay a visit to the church and see if I can find any Gabrielite brothers who can still remember my father, who died in 1995!<br /><br />Very warmest regards,<br />SharonSharonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-64738403232300010072012-01-22T15:34:06.656+08:002012-01-22T15:34:06.656+08:00Yeah I would like a photo of Father Him (you can e...Yeah I would like a photo of Father Him (you can email me. I drop u a mail soon). Botak hair cut and a very nice fellow. My sister was buried at the back of the church. Hmmm I think at one time when Father Teng was away, there was a stand-in Kwei lo priest (bearded maybe if my memory is still intact).peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03171555874678578437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-76957439225998375852012-01-22T06:33:28.693+08:002012-01-22T06:33:28.693+08:00Hi Peter.
Do you mean Fr Simon Yim? Sadly, he pass...Hi Peter.<br />Do you mean Fr Simon Yim? Sadly, he passed away many years ago.<br />There was a photo I took of him conducting a funeral at the cemetery at the back of the church.<br />It was a very nice shot that he asked for a copy and I made a 10x8 framed copy for him. <br />I also have a picture of the young altar boys taken with Fr Felix Brygier somewhere, I'll look for it and post it here for you when I find it. Maybe you are in it too? ha ha.James Tannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13543278061861378044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-69115989217594116202012-01-22T05:11:32.332+08:002012-01-22T05:11:32.332+08:00What happened to Fr. Him (the 2IC). He was a well...What happened to Fr. Him (the 2IC). He was a well liked priest. He presided over my mum's funeral rites.peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03171555874678578437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-437861322174625142012-01-22T05:10:13.190+08:002012-01-22T05:10:13.190+08:00The name should be Ah Soon. He was a great help w...The name should be Ah Soon. He was a great help when we were serving as altar boys. Still reminded Lucas Leow (later joined the priesthood) who taught us those Latin verses/procedures for altar boys during service. I think we were in Primary 5 then. Wore those robes - white with a red band on normal mass service, red robes during St Joseph Festival (and going around the estate). Somehow never wore black robes for funeral rites.<br /><br />One day I saw Ah Soon helping out in the room by arranging the Holy Hosts (is that what yo call them) in this golden cup for the priest during Holy Communion rituals. I think Fr. Teng must have "conned" us young kids to believe there was God's magic to turn water and wine into bread. Most of us believe in that until we saw what Ah Soon did. LOL<br /><br />Cecilia was she the little girl adopted by Fr. Teng? <br /><br />2 years ago someone arranged for a reunion of Boys Town students. Gosh we did not meet for almost 45 years.<br /><br />Did u make a pic of that chant book? Would like to see it.<br /><br />I am very familiar with Fr. Teng who always tested me whether I wanted to be a priest. Told him I got "earthly desires" and I think he finally agreed bcos during those Confirmation Class when we were 12 yo, he saw me eyeing this CHIJ girl. I shall not mention her name bcos after 45 years we spoek for firts time over the phone but she didnt want to meet bcos "out of shape". LOLpeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03171555874678578437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-64895094340734027262012-01-21T12:19:53.829+08:002012-01-21T12:19:53.829+08:00Hi Peter.
Even as a child I still remembered the r...Hi Peter.<br />Even as a child I still remembered the reconstruction of St joseph. I remembered the separation of the church into 2, as you mentioned, the front and back, which were built in stages, and I can remember the piles of bricks from the old church which Fr Teng recycled. There was an Eurasian gentleman who assisted a lot with the rebuilding, I am struggling to recall his name but he lived at Jln Jurong Kechil.<br /><br />In the early 70s, I played the organ during the time of Fr Challet and Fr Khoo, assisted with catechism and also helped as the stand-in sacristan for Andrew Soh and Moses Yap, if you can recall them. They were schoolboys studying at Boys Town VI at the time and lived in that house by the parish house. I believe Ah Choon also lived in that house.<br /><br />In the 70s, some of the old church pews, completely wooden one with the ornate carvings, were kept at the choir loft. I wonder if it is still there. They also kept the old harmonium and all the old latin mass chant mass books up there. Would be a treasure if they are still there now. I took one copy of the old latin mass chant book called the 'Liber Usualis' and kept it till just last year when I donated it to the Franciscan Library at Bukit Batok.<br /><br />I recalled Ah Soon, who managed the orchid garden in front of the church and Ah Soon's mother who cooked for the priests. Ah Soon rented the land from Fr Teng and as a service always donated all the flowers for the feast days. I've been up the church tower many times in those days and even rang the bells 5 fives before the 6.00pm evening Mass. Although I took many pictures from the bell tower, I am sad that I don't have any of the photos now. I will try to ask Andrew Soh who is a now a warden at St Mary and we are still in touch, if he still have those photos.<br /><br />Was Ah Choon the one that adopted Cecilia? I might have known Ah Choon only by face and not by name.James Tannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13543278061861378044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291749928176751452.post-15131465837445857162012-01-21T11:41:26.179+08:002012-01-21T11:41:26.179+08:00I did see the workers taking out the coffins from ...I did see the workers taking out the coffins from the graves along the aisles of the old church. They first had to use a sledge hammer to crack the granite tombstone. In the process some of the beautiful square ceramic tiles were damaged. I believe the depth was more than 6 feet. Some of the bricks from the old church were "transfered" as bricks for the present church.<br /><br />The construction of the present church was built in 2 stages. The altar area was the first to be built and was behind the old church.. The front of the old church (with round pillars) were demolished first to enable bricks to be used for the present church. After the old church was completely demolished, the 2 wings were added to the new church.<br /><br />James not sure you are familiar with this church helper named Ah Choon who was an orphan and worked in the church.peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03171555874678578437noreply@blogger.com