天底下每件事的发生总有它的时机。在1832年，罗马天主教教会在新加坡小岛播种的时刻终于来到了。法国第一批传教士为这里一小撮天主教团体兴建一幢奉献给善牧的木制小教堂。这个不起眼的小教堂座落在毗邻勿拉士巴沙路，奎因街，滑铁卢街，一直延伸到目前的天主教中心的一大块土地。同时，在这里也建立了服务众多华人信徒的华人天主教传教中心。法国传教会就从那时开始，很快的为天主的国度增加许多子民。正是在这个华人传教中心的土地上，早期的基督徒最终在1870年搭建自己礼拜的地方——圣伯多禄圣保禄堂。
最早期的华人基督徒
许多早期移民来新加坡寻求财富的人是来自暹罗、槟城、马六甲和廖内群岛。紧随他们而来的是来自中国，尤其是来自广东省的潮州人。许多讲潮州话和客家话的移民在新加坡的丛林以及沿岸的造船厂当劳工。法国巴黎外方传教会（MEP）的爱慕劳神父（Etienne Albrand）就是从这些移民中造就了他的第一批华人皈依者。爱慕劳神父有一位来自中国的传道员在协助他。这传道员本来也是来东南亚寻找财富的，却在槟城信仰了天主。从此他大胆的从婆罗洲到巴达维亚，并回中国传播福音。最终，这传道员变成了爱慕劳神父的手下。
爱慕劳神父和这位传道员通常会花一整天的时间去城里的街头向群众宣讲基督福音，有些人还到传教中心来学要理。每天晚上8时至10时，这位来自中国的传道员会在神父的屋子里教导这些外教人。他们大多是潮州人。爱慕劳神父当时还没有学习过任何方言，所以他的工作对象主要是马来人，而传道员的对象则是华人。有时候，为了奖励前来听他宣讲的外教人，爱慕劳神父会向他们提供烟草和茶叶。到了1833年9月，他已经拥有一百名华人信徒（爱慕劳神父是在当年5月才抵达新加坡的）。
但事情总不是一帆风顺。当时对信徒或是传教者都存有危险。每当法国传教士和传道员去那里传教，都会有私会党徒跟着，希望能阻吓华人同胞前来聆听这些传教士。他们也威胁要剪断那些胆敢信教者的辫子和撕裂他们的衣服。新教牧师也阻碍爱慕劳神父的工作。但通过中国传道员的热忱和不屈不扰精神，传教事业仍然取得了进展。
传教事业的成长
在1839年，华人传教中心迎来了它第一位来自中国的神父——朱若翰神父。朱神父是在槟城受训之后在暹罗晋铎。到了1840年，教会已经过于庞大，有必要建立一个更大的崇拜场所给新加坡的天主教徒。于是在1846年就在原传教中心的马路对面建造了一幢新的善牧堂。从那时候起法国传教会的所有天主教徒就在那里进行崇拜活动，而华人天主教徒则在旧的传教中心所在地活动。老教堂被改为作学校用途。同年，华人天主教徒筹得$700在原地竖立起自己的要理教导所。
在1846年，正当天主教教会在城镇里增长，法国外方传教会也在新加坡的丛林开始它的传教事业。他们在克兰芝设立了一个分堂，方便许多深入内地种植甘蔗和胡椒的潮州天主教徒。这个圣堂是献予圣若瑟的。在1852年，他们把这个分堂移到武吉知马。这所圣堂今天仍屹立在那里。一年后，另一所华人分堂在实龙岗成立。法国传教士把这小圣堂命名为圣玛利亚堂，后更名为圣母圣诞堂。
这些华人分堂由镇上的华人传教中心的主任管辖。这些分堂的天主教徒与他们镇上的母堂保持紧密的联系。事实上，镇上的朱若翰神父已为许多分堂的天主教徒调解纠纷。在重大节日，这些分堂的天主教徒也加入他们在镇上的主内兄弟们的庆祝活动，并经常以在传教中心那里举行的华人晚宴作结束。在1849年，当私会党徒在岛内横行霸道，攻击天主教徒时，分堂的数百名信徒，跑去他们在城里的华人兄弟那里去避难。在1851年，发生了一场更大，更血腥的袭击。据估计，全岛约有500名华人教徒惨遭屠杀。幸存者不得不再度投靠他们在城里的弟兄。
基督学校修士会（Christian Brothers）的到来
在1852年，圣若翰拉萨创立的基督学校修士会修士来新加坡开办一个给男生就读的教会学校。于是老教堂就给予修士来创办圣若瑟书院。在这所新学校（老教堂）的毗邻，华人传教中心保留了一所华文男校，还有一所给印度人读的分校。这所学校的男生由一位来自中国的老师教导。华人传教中心从而与修士们共享原传教中心的场地。然而，到了19世纪60年代初，教会学校的学生人数迅速增长，需要一所新的教学楼。与此同时，华人天主教团体也大幅增加了。教会于是决定让圣若瑟书院占据面向勿拉士巴沙路的部分土地。再把华文学校转移到克兰芝。同时，开始计划为华人天主教徒建立一个属于他们自己举行崇拜活动的场所。是时候建立圣伯多禄圣保禄堂了。
建堂
建筑圣伯多禄圣保禄堂的庞大任务交给了传教士巴神父（Fr Pierre Paris）。由于大多数的华人天主教徒贫穷，筹款很困难。幸运的是，他们当中有一位富裕和有影响力的华人天主教徒，Pedro TanNo Keah。他成功地筹集必要的资金。这座教堂于1870年完工。当时教堂的柱子和框架是由硬木所造。1883年，巴神父购买了3个在法国勒芒铸造，重达1500-4000磅的大钟。然而，由于健康欠佳，他不能出席大钟的安装和祝福典礼。教堂的神父楼和尖顶钟楼是由Galmel神父取代巴神父来完成。教堂围墙的建造费用则由法国皇帝拿破仑三世支付。
巴神父于1883年开始为教堂建造一个尖塔，但却在它完成之前的那年5月23日去世。他死后被安葬在教堂里。到今天我们仍然可以在教堂的墙上看到一块纪念石碑。教堂的另一位创建人，Issaly神父的遗体也被安葬在教堂里。他是在1874年在香港逝世。堂区的会众把他的遗体挖掘出来，并重新安葬在教堂里。
到了1886年，堂区会众的人数已经变得太大了，共有1 0 5 0华人天主教徒在那里参与崇拜礼仪。1891年，Vignol神父为教堂增加了一个翼廊和圣器收藏室，连同3座大理石祭坛。他也把教堂的木柱换成钢柱。整座教堂也被大大的扩大。
巴神父的贡献
圣伯多禄圣保禄堂的建成归功于巴神父。正是通过他的热忱，精力和坚毅的信仰，华人传教事业才能突飞猛进。查尔斯巴克利，在他的著作“新加坡早期的历史轶事”里赞扬这个老传教士的辉煌贡献。它写道：“举一个例子来了解他的日常活动，在星期天早晨可看到他沿着实龙岗路向市区走去，一手拿着他的中国雨伞，另一手拿着一根棍子。那时他已在实龙岗那里举行了华文弥撒，正步行7英里前往市区主持11点的淡米尔文弥撒。之后，他会在监狱里举行一台弥撒；下午两点钟他有华语儿童要理班，3点钟在圣伯多禄圣保禄堂举行华语黄昏祈祷。正是通过他的卖力使到Pedro No Keah非常慷慨的捐献，五所教堂才得以建成。
每个周一，他会在狭隘的房子里休息并阅读报纸，也会见那些有事务前来咨询他的华人。周二，他会花大部分时间跋涉丛林。周三，他会去市区会见那里的华人。周四，他会留在实龙岗的家里教慕道班。这些慕道者是老远跋涉而来。他的住所有三个房间，每间房都有一个传道员用巴神父所通晓的三种方言之一来讲道。每周的最后两天留作告解或其他工作。因为华人教徒非常的多，有时候他从早上一直忙到深夜。”
巴神父也是传教会首位会讲淡米尔语的传教士，他是在马六甲时学会这种语言。因此，通过他教会也播下了往后建立印度人传教事业的种子。他为他们创办一所学校，叫圣方济各马拉巴学校，位于滑铁卢街。到他去世的时候，已经有不少的印度藉天主教徒。他们也在圣伯多禄圣保禄堂跟华人天主教徒一起参与崇拜礼仪。
作者：Clement Liew 译者：林木围
The Church of Sts Peter and Paul
Clement Liew
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There’s a time for every happening under the heavens. In 1832, the time to plant the seeds of the Roman Catholic Church on the isles Singapore finally came. The first French missionaries who landed here erected a small wooden chapel dedicated to the Good Shepherd for the small Catholic community they found here. This modest little chapel rested on a large piece of land which bordered Bras Basah Road, Queen Street, Waterloo Street, right up to the grounds of the present Catholic Welfare Centre. At the same time on this ground, a Chinese Catholic Mission was also established for the numerous Chinese converts, whom the French Mission from that year, would soon add to the many belonging to the Kingdom of God. It was on this Chinese Mission ground that the first Christian converts eventually erected their own place of worship in 1870 – the Church of Sts Peter and Paul.
The First Chinese Christians
Many of the early immigrants who came seeking their fortunes originated from Siam, Penang, Malacca and the Riau Islands. They were closely followed by their brothers from China, particularly from Chao Chou in Kwantung. Many of these Teochew and Hakka speaking migrants laboured in the jungles of Singapore as well as in the dockyards along our coasts. It is among these migrants that Fr Etienne Albrand of the Missions Etrangeres de Paris (MEP) had his first Chinese converts. Fr Albrand had the assistance of a catechist from China. He, too, had come to Southeast Asia in search of a fortune. Having found the faith in Penang, he ventured from Borneo to Batavia and back to China to spread the Good News. Eventually, this catechist landed in the service of Fr Albrand.
Both Fr Albrand and this catechist would spend the day going about town preaching Christianity to the a masses of people found in the streets, and some eventually turned up at the mission ground for instruction. Every evening, from 8pm to 10pm, the Chinese catechist would instruct these pagans in Fr Albrand’s house. Most of them were Teochews. Fr Albrand at that time had yet to learn any Chinese dialects so he worked mainly among the Malays while the catechist, with the Chinese. Sometimes, to reward the pagans who come to listen to him, Fr Albrand would offer them tobacco and tea. By September 1833, he had already a hundred Chinese converts (Fr Albrand only arrived in May that year).
But things did not always go smoothly. There was always danger for the converted as well as for the one preaching for conversions. The French missionary and his catechist were constantly shadowed by members of the secret society who followed them wherever they went preaching, hoping to deter fellow Chinese who listened to these evangelists. They called Fr Albrand, “the head of the Devil.” They threatened to cut the pigtails and tear the clothes of whoever dared to convert.
Protestant ministers also obstructed the work of Fr Albrand. But through the zeal and tenacity of the Chinese catechist, progress was still made. Fr Alband himself testified, “A Protestant minister came one day into my house, where my Chinese catechist was instructing and praying with his catechumens. While the catechist was away for a while, the Protestant minister came in and distributed his books. They accepted in politeness and curiosity. But when the catechist returned, he rebuked the minister saying, ‘Go somewhere else to bring your poison of error.’ The minister replied, ‘It is you who have erred. You adore the Holy Virgin and the Cross.’ ‘No,’ the catechist replied. ‘We use the Cross to think of Jesus, and we remember to pray and to love when we pray in front of a wall, we think of the wall. When we pray in front of a door, we think of the door. When we pray in front of a Crucifix, we think of God. As for the Virgin Mary, we ask her to intercede for us, we do not adore her.’ The minister, astonished by such answer, went away and did not return.”
The Mission Grows
In 1839, the Chinese Mission received its first Chinese priest from China – Fr John Chu. He was trained in Penang and ordained in Siam. By 1840, the Mission had grown so large that it was necessary to build a larger of worship for the Catholics of Singapore. This new Church of the Good Shepherd was completed in 1846 across the road from the old Mission ground. All Catholics of the French Mission from thence worshipped there, though the Chinese Christians continued their activities on the old Mission ground. The old chapel was turned into a school for the Mission. In that same year, the Chinese Christians raised $700 to erect their own house of instruction on the old ground.
While the Catholic Church grew in number in town, the French Mission also began their mission in the jungle of Singapore in 1846. They started a mission outpost at Kranji for the many Teochew Catholic converts who had gone into the interior to grow gambier and pepper. This chapel was dedicated to St Joseph. In 1852, they shifted this station to Bukit Timah where it still stands today. A year later, another Chinese station was started at Serangoon. The French Missionaries christened these outpost St Mary’s Church, later renamed the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
These Chinese outstations were placed under the jurisdiction of the head of the Chinese Mission in town. The Catholics of these outstations themselves kept their close links with their mother church in town. In fact, many of these Christians had turned to Fr John Chu in town to arbitrate in their affairs. On major feast days, the Catholics of the outstations would also join their brothers in town for celebrations, often ending with a Chinese dinner on the Mission grounds. In 1849, when the secret society ran amok in the interior of the island, attacking Catholics, the converts of the outstations, numbering in hundreds, took refuge with their Chinese brethren in town. In 1851, a bigger and more bloody attack took place. It was estimated that 500 Chinese converts were massacred across the island. Once again, the survivors had to seek refuge with their brethren in town where the Chinese Mission had a house for the sick next to their catechumenate.
The Coming of the Christian Brothers
In 1852, the Christian Brothers of St John Baptist de la Salle arrived to found a Christian school for the boys of Singapore. The old chapel was then given to the Brothers who then established St Joseph’s Institution. Next to this new school (the old chapel), the Chinese Mission maintained a Chinese school for boys which had a branch for the Indians. The boys of this school were instructed by a teacher from China. The Chinese Mission thus shared the old Mission grounds with the Brothers. However, by the early 1860s, the enrolment at the Brothers’ school had grown so large that a new school building was needed. At the same time, the Chinese Catholic community had also grown enormously. It was decided then to divide the Mission grounds permanently with St Joseph’s Institution occupying the portion fronting Bras Basah Road. The Chinese school was then transferred to Kranji. Meanwhile, plans were made for the Chinese Christian community to finally erect a place of worship of their own. It was time to build the Church of Sts Peter and Paul.
The Church Building
The missionary given the colossal task of building the Church of Sts Peter and Paul was Fr Pierre Paris. Fund-raising was difficult as most of the Chinese Christians were poor. But fortunately, amongst them was a wealthy and influential Chinese Christian, Pedro Tan No Keah, who managed to raise the necessary funds. The church was completed in 1870. The church’s columns and frame were originally constructed out of hard wood. In 1883, Fr Paris purchased 3 bells weighing 1500-4000 pounds, cast in Mans, France. However, due to poor health, he was not present during the blessing and installation of the bells. The present vicarage and spire belfry of the church were completed by Fr Galmel who replaced Fr Paris. The cost of the compound wall of the church was defrayed by Emperor Napoleon III of France.
Fr Paris began building a steeple for the church in 1883, but died on 23rd May that year, before it was completed. He was buried in the church. A memorial stone tablet can still be seen on the wall of the church today. The remains of Fr Issaly, a co-founder of the church together with Fr Paris, has also been interred in the church. He had passed away in Hong Kong in 1874. His remains were exhumed and reburied in the church by the congregation of the church.
By 1886, the congregation was already becoming too large for the church. There were 1050 Chinese Catholics worshipping there. In 1891, Fr Vignol added a transept and sacristy to the church, together with 3 marble altars. The wooden columns were then replaced with steel ones. The church was thus greatly enlarged.
The Work of Fr Pierre Paris
The Church of Sts Peter and Paul owes a great debt to the person of Fr Pierre Paris. It was through his zeal, energy and great faith that the Chinese Catholic Mission enjoyed a great leap in its success. Charles B Buckley, in his “An Anecdotal History of Old Times of Singapore,” paid a glorious tribute to this old missionary,
“As an example of the way he used to move about, he might be seen on Sunday mornings walking into town along Serangoon Road, with his Chinese umbrella in one hand and a stick in the other. He had said mass and preached in Chinese in Serangoon, and was walking seven miles into town to hold the service in Tamil at 11 o’clock. After that he would hold a service in the jail; at 2 o’clock he had catechism for the Chinese children and a 3 o’clock Vespers in the Chinese Church of Sts Peter and Paul. It was through his exertions that five churches had been built to which Pedro No Kia had subscribed very liberally.
On Mondays he rested in the parochial house and read papers and saw the Chinese who came to consult him about their affairs. On Tuesdays he spent his time in trudging about the jungle, resting from time to time in the huts of the Chinese whom he visited. On Wednesdays he would see the Chinese in town. On Thursdays he remained at home in Serangoon teaching the catechumens, who used to come along distances to him. He had three rooms in which were large pictures sent by Chinese from Shanghai. In each room there was a catechist speaking one of the three Chinese dialects which Fr Paris knew. The last two days of the week were given to confession or other work. Sometimes he was engaged from morning till late night for there was a very large Chinese congregation.”
Fr Paris was also the first missionary in the Mission who spoke Tamil, a language which he picked up from Malacca. Thus, with him, the seed for an Indian Mission was also planted. For them, he started a school, the St Francis Malabar School, which was located along Waterloo Street. By the time of his death, there was already a small Indian congregation in the making. They too worshipped in the Church of Sts Peter and Paul together with the Chinese.
