Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
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The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the oldest
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
church in Singapore, built in 1847. It is located in the Museum Planning Area within the
Civic District The Civic District is a district located near the Singapore River in the Central Area of Singapore. It contains historical buildings and museums such as The Arts House (the former Parliament House), National Gallery Singapore (consisting of th ...
. Bounded by the parallel
Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
and Victoria Streets, and
Bras Basah Road Bras Basah Road () is a one-way road in Singapore in the planning areas of Museum and Downtown Core. The road starts at the junction of Orchard Road and Handy Road, at the ERP gantry towards the Central Business District, and ends at the junc ...
, the cathedral sits within shaded grounds. Much of its architecture is reminiscent of two famous London churches namely St Paul's, Covent Garden and
St Martin-in-the-Fields St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Church of England parish church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. There has been a church on the site since at least the mediev ...
. The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of Singapore The Archdiocese of Singapore (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Singaporensis'') is an exempt archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church. Its territory includes all that is under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Singapore. Its current a ...
and the seat of its archbishop. It is the final resting place of Bishop Edouard Gasnier, the first bishop of the revived Diocese of Malacca and aptly houses the
relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tang ...
of
Saint Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert (23 March 1796 – 21 September 1839), sometimes called Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert and affectionately known in Korea as Bishop Imbert Bum (Korean name: ''Bum Se-hyeong'') was a French missionary bishop in Asia. Mo ...
, to whom the owes its name.


History


Chapel

In the beginning, the Roman Catholic community in Singapore attended
Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different eleme ...
at the house of Denis Lesley McSwiney. In 1832, construction began on the first permanent Roman Catholic house of worship in Singapore. Financed through public subscriptions, the chapel, completed by 1833, was a small wood and
attap ''Nypa fruticans'', commonly known as the nipa palm (or simply nipa, from ms, nipah) or mangrove palm, is a species of palm native to the coastlines and estuarine habitats of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the only palm considered adapte ...
structure measuring 60 feet long by 30 feet wide that had cost about 700
Spanish dollars The Spanish dollar, also known as the piece of eight ( es, Real de a ocho, , , or ), is a silver coin of approximately diameter worth eight Spanish reales. It was minted in the Spanish Empire following a monetary reform in 1497 with content ...
to build. The chapel, with neither tower nor spire, was on the site of the
former Saint Joseph's Institution The former Saint Joseph's Institution ( Chinese: 前圣约瑟书院) is a historic building in Singapore, located at Bras Basah Road in the Museum Planning Area, within the Central Area. The building previously housed the Lasallian school ...
buildings, now occupied by the
Singapore Art Museum The Singapore Art Museum (Abbreviation: SAM) is an art museum is located in the Downtown Core district of Singapore. It is the first fully dedicated contemporary visual arts museum in Singapore with one of the world’s most important public co ...
, and allotted by the Resident Councillor,
George Bonham Sir Samuel George Bonham, 1st Baronet (Chinese Translated Name 般咸, 文咸 or 文翰) (7 September 1803 – 8 October 1863) was a British colonial governor, who became the 4th Governor of the Straits Settlements and the 3rd Governor of Hong ...
to Father Jean-Baptiste Boucho, a French missionary who had come from Penang. It was located in European Town, an area marked out in
Sir Stamford Raffles Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles (5 July 1781 – 5 July 1826) was a British statesman who served as the Lieutenant-Governor of the Dutch East Indies between 1811 and 1816, and Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen between 1818 and 1824. He is ...
' 1822 town plan as a residential area for Europeans, Eurasians and wealthy Asians.


Church of the Good Shepherd

In 1840, a subscription drive was started whereby Queen Marie-Amélie Thérèse of France and the
Archbishop of Manila The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila ( lat, Archidioecesis Manilensis; fil, Arkidiyosesis ng Maynilà; es, Arquidiócesis de Manila) is the archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in Metro Manila, Philippines, encompassing ...
contributed 4,000
francs The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' (King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centu ...
and about 3,000 Spanish dollars respectively. The Government Surveyor,
John Turnbull Thomson John Turnbull Thomson (10 August 1821 – 16 October 1884) was a British civil engineer and artist who played an instrumental role in the development of the early infrastructure of nineteenth-century Singapore and New Zealand. He lived the last 2 ...
, had prepared the first design for the church, but it was considered too expensive to build and difficult to maintain. The design that was accepted was that by Denis Lesley McSwiney, a design that was said to owe much to
George Drumgoole Coleman George Drumgoole Coleman (179527 March 1844), also known as George Drumgold Coleman, was an Irish civil architect who played an instrumental role in the design and construction of much of the civil infrastructure in early Singapore, after it w ...
's original Saint Andrew's Church. On 18 June 1843, the cornerstone for the church was blessed by Bishop Jean-Paul-Hilaire-Michel Courvezy, Vicar Apostolic of Malacca-Singapore, and was laid by John Connolly, a merchant. In 1847, a steeple was added. It was designed by Charles Andrew Dyce who modelled it on John Turnbull Thomson's design for the steeple added to the Saint Andrew's Church. On 6 June 1847, the completed church was blessed and opened by Father Jean-Marie Beurel. The total payments amounted to 18,355.22 Spanish dollars.


Cathedral of the Good Shepherd

In 1888, the church was elevated to the status of cathedral when the Diocese of Malacca was revived. Bishop Edouard Gasnier, the first bishop of the revived Diocese of Malacca died in 1896 and is interred in the cathedral. His successor, Bishop René-Michel-Marie Fée, was the first bishop consecrated in the cathedral in 1896. Although the church was elevated to the status of cathedral in 1888, the consecration ceremony was performed only on 14 February 1897 when the cathedral had finally repaid its debts incurred from the extension of the nave in 1888. Improvements were gradually made to the cathedral. The dwarf wall, gate pillars, and ornamental cast iron gates and railings around the grounds were completed in 1908. The Gallery Organ was in place by 1912, while electric lighting came in 1913 and electric fans in 1914. During the invasion of Singapore during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, the cathedral was used as an emergency hospital. The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd was gazetted a national monument on 28 June 1973. The cathedral went for a major structural restoration from 2013 to 2016 to address structural defects that resulted from new developments nearby. A new annexe building and basement to support the various functions of the cathedral were built. The restoration cost amounted to $42 million Singapore dollars.


Rationale for name

Saint Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert (23 March 1796 – 21 September 1839), sometimes called Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert and affectionately known in Korea as Bishop Imbert Bum (Korean name: ''Bum Se-hyeong'') was a French missionary bishop in Asia. Mo ...
, who died a
martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...
in
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
, was probably the first priest to visit Singapore. The dedication of the church to the Good Shepherd stems from the note written by Saint Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert to his fellow missionaries, Saints Pierre-Philibert Maubant and Jacques-Honoré Chastan, asking them to surrender to the Korean authorities to save their flocks from extermination during a period of Christian persecution in Korea. He had written, ''In desperate circumstances, the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep''. They did and the three of them were beheaded on 21 September 1839. News of this and their
martyrdom A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...
reached Singapore at the time when an appropriate name was being considered for the church. The choice was made at the suggestion of Bishop Jean-Baptiste Boucho.


Significant dates

*1833 – First permanent Roman Catholic house of worship in Singapore blessed and opened. *1843 – Foundation stone laid by John Connolly on the Feast of Corpus Christi. *1847 – Church of the Good Shepherd blessed and opened by Father Jean-Marie Beurel. *1859 – Original
Parochial Parochial is an adjective which may refer to: * Parishes, in religion ** Parish churches, also called parochial churches * Parochial schools, primary or secondary schools affiliated to a religious organisation * Parochialism Parochialism is the ...
House (now Archbishop's House) completed. *1888 – Elevated to the status of cathedral when the Diocese of Malacca was revived. *1888 – Extension of the nave at the west end completed. *1897 – Consecration of the cathedral by Bishop René-Michel-Marie Fée. *1909 – Dwarf wall, gate pillars, and ornamental cast iron gates and railings around the grounds completed. *1911 – Second Parochial House (now Cathedral Rectory) designed by Father Charles-Benedict Nain completed. *1912 – Gallery Organ dedicated by Bishop Marie-Luc-Alphonse-Emile Barillon. *1913–1914 – Electric lights and fans introduced. *1942 – Used as an emergency hospital during the invasion of Singapore. *1973 – Gazetted a national monument. *1983 – Sanctuary remodelled. *1992 – Widening of Victoria Street causing the boundary of the grounds to be moved back. *1994 – Choir Organ built by Robert Navaratnam. *1997–1999 – Major restoration. *2013–2016 – Second major restoration. *2017 – Rededicated on 14 February 120 years after the original consecration in 1897.


Time capsule

In early 2016, beneath the cathedral's foundation stone, a shoebox-sized time capsule from 18 June 1843, was discovered and was found to include a prayer booklet and newspapers, and international coins. The capsule is thought to have been buried by French Catholic missionary priests and other founding communities of Singapore.


Architecture

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is built in a restrained
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...
style. Its porticos are in the
Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...
manner, which was established here by George Drumgoole Coleman. Its plan is in the form of a
Latin cross A Latin cross or ''crux immissa'' is a type of cross in which the vertical beam sticks above the crossbeam, with the three upper arms either equally long or with the vertical topmost arm shorter than the two horizontal arms, and always with a mu ...
and like all traditional churches, it is orientated east.


Steeple

The steeple, surmounted by a cross, consists of two sections. The first section is a square with each corner of the square marked by three
engaged column In architecture, an engaged column is a column embedded in a wall and partly projecting from the surface of the wall, sometimes defined as semi- or three-quarter detached. Engaged columns are rarely found in classical Greek architecture, and then ...
s in the Ionic order. On each façade is an arched window. The four façades are topped with
pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedim ...
s ornamented with a circle. The cathedral's three bells are located inside this section and are decorated with religious motifs. Cast by the Crouzet-Hildebrand Foundry in Paris, the bells were originally hung for swing chiming, but electric tolling hammers have since replaced the long ropes for stationary chiming. During the 2016 restoration, following the stabilization and reinforcing of the tower's structure, the bells were re-hung for swing chiming with an electric motor. On the second section of the steeple is an octagon with each corner of the octagon marked by an engaged column in the
Tuscan order The Tuscan order (Latin ''Ordo Tuscanicus'' or ''Ordo Tuscanus'', with the meaning of Etruscan order) is one of the two classical orders developed by the Romans, the other being the composite order. It is influenced by the Doric order, but with ...
. On each façade is a narrow rectangular window. The eight façades are topped with pediments.


Entrances

There are six entrances into the cathedral with the one fronting Victoria Street closed to public access. The entrances are porticoed and have heavily moulded pediments. All pediments are ornamented with a moulded circle at the centre and, except for the ones at the ends of the
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building wi ...
and the one fronting Victoria Street, all are surmounted with a cross. The main entrance at the west end of the cathedral serves as the
porte-cochère A porte-cochère (; , late 17th century, literally 'coach gateway'; plural: porte-cochères, portes-cochères) is a doorway to a building or courtyard, "often very grand," through which vehicles can enter from the street or a covered porch-like ...
. The two side entrances at the
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
are in the form of diminutive porticos and are smaller and less imposing than the entrances at the ends of the transept. At the main entrance are three doors. Apart from the main entrance, all other entrances, except for the one fronting Victoria Street, have only one door. The entrance fronting Victoria Street had three doors initially until the walling up of the centre door. All doors are double-leaf, of timber construct and, except for the two fronting Victoria Street, all are panelled. While the doors of the two side entrances at the nave are double the height of the doors found at the ends of the transept, these four doors have each a stained-glass window over them. Over the centre door is a statue of the Good Shepherd in a niche, with an inscription over it that reads ''I am the Good Shepherd''. Over each of the two doors flanking the centre door is an arched window.


Nave

The nave is a simple hall without aisles. There are two transepts, also without aisles, and these are screened off by two doric columns on each side. Upon entering the cathedral through the centre door at the
narthex The narthex is an architectural element typical of early Christian and Byzantine basilicas and churches consisting of the entrance or lobby area, located at the west end of the nave, opposite the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex ...
, one will see the statues of
Saint Anthony of Padua Anthony of Padua ( it, Antonio di Padova) or Anthony of Lisbon ( pt, António/Antônio de Lisboa; born Fernando Martins de Bulhões; 15 August 1195 – 13 June 1231) was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. He was bo ...
and
Saint Francis Xavier Francis Xavier (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; Latin: ''Franciscus Xaverius''; Basque: ''Frantzisko Xabierkoa''; French: ''François Xavier''; Spanish: ''Francisco Javier''; Portuguese: ''Francisco Xavier''; 7 April 15063 December ...
, the four cast iron
Composite Composite or compositing may refer to: Materials * Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances ** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts ** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials ...
columns supporting the gallery, and the two cast iron spiral staircases leading to the gallery. To the left sits a statue of the
Pietà The Pietà (; meaning " pity", "compassion") is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus after his body was removed from the cross. It is most often found in sculpture. The Pietà is a specific form ...
and a statue of Saint Joseph stands at the other end. The eight large windows at the nave together with the other six at the transept and two at the sacristy are arched. There were originally eight large windows at the transept until the walling up of the two fronting Victoria Street. The original timber louvred casements of the windows were replaced by glass shutters with green glass in 1937. The stained glass windows in the lunettes of the nave and transept windows were presented to the cathedral by Bishop Charles Arsène Bourdon. The timber ceiling is in a concave form and is made up of three rows of six rectangular panels. All eighteen panels are rather simply ornamented, with a simple rectangular border and a ceiling rose at their centres. The ceiling roses in the centre row are larger and more elaborate than those in the side rows. From the centre of each circle hangs a lamp. The ceiling edge ends in deeply moulded plaster cornice that runs along the length of the cathedral. As the height of the east end has been raised at different times, the dimensions of the entablature no longer relate to the columns properly, as their bases have been raised. The cathedral was once lit with Victorian crystal chandeliers, but these have since been replaced with simpler lamps. There are two
confession A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of persons – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information th ...
als to the left and right side of the nave and they are topped with pediments ornamented with a circle and cross at the centre. The set of fourteen oil paintings on the walls of the nave depict the Way of the Cross. At the crossing is the final resting place of Bishop Edouard Gasnier, the first bishop of the revived Diocese of Malacca.


Gallery

The gallery, which is closed to public access, houses the Gallery Organ and an audio-visual control room.


Sanctuary

On the wall of the sanctuary is a
crucifix A crucifix (from Latin ''cruci fixus'' meaning "(one) fixed to a cross") is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the ''corpus'' (Lati ...
, It is framed by a pediment and four
pilaster In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wal ...
s – two pilasters on a
pedestal A pedestal (from French ''piédestal'', Italian ''piedistallo'' 'foot of a stall') or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In ...
on either side of it. This reredos is not original, and was installed sometime in the 1960s, and is typical of the period, using standard glass mosaic tiles to create a 'starburst' background to the crucifix, as a replacement for the original high altar arrangement that was removed following the
Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...
. At one point, the cathedra was moved to this spot where the high altar once stood, with the altar being moved forward as a free-standing 'communion table' style altar to allow ''versus populum'' celebration of the Mass. Following the most recent restoration, the traditional placement of the cathedra, to one side of the altar, has been reinstated. However, the decision was made to retain the 1960s reredos instead of reinstating the original high altar. However, the tabernacle was returned to its rightful place at the centre of the church, and a new retable was built for it. On either side of the main altar are doors that lead to the sacristy. A new altar table was also installed, of white marble and a more sympathetic design than the previous one, with a roundel containing a depiction of the Agnus Dei at its centre. There were once niches over the doors (which were also round-headed to match the windows) on either side and in the centre that held statues, but they were filled in and plastered over at the time the reredos was replaced. Today the doors are of a more conventional rectangular shape, and where the niches once were is now blank wall that serves as projector screen. The four crosses engraved on marble slabs in the sanctuary together with the other eight in the nave make up the twelve
consecration crosses Consecration crosses are crosses on the interior walls and exterior architecture of a Christian church or cathedral showing where the bishop has anointed the church with chrism or holy water in order to consecrate it. There is often a place for ...
put in place on the interior walls around the cathedral for its consecration in 1897. They may never be removed and are proof, in the absence of documents, that a church has been consecrated.


North transept

In the north transept stands a statue of Our Mother of Good Counsel in a niche topped by a pediment and flanked by two pilasters – each pilaster on a pedestal on either side of it. The north transept is where the
baptistery In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding the baptismal ...
is located. The statue of Our Mother of Good Counsel and the stained-glass window over the door hints to its previous designation as the Chapel of the
Blessed Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
. On the walls are memorial plaques to early personalities of the church, notably, John Connolly and Bishop Michel-Esther Le Turdu. The relics of Saint Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert can be found enshrined in the wall at the right side of the door.


South transept

In the south transept stood the
tabernacle According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle ( he, מִשְׁכַּן, mīškān, residence, dwelling place), also known as the Tent of the Congregation ( he, link=no, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ’ōhel mō‘ēḏ, also Tent of Meeting, etc.), ...
in a niche topped by a pediment and flanked by two pilasters – each pilaster on a pedestal on either side of it. This was the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. It takes the place of what was originally the Chapel of Saint Joseph. On the wall to the left of the tabernacle is a memorial plaque to Father Jean-Marie Beurel. The 2016 restoration saw the return of the Chapel of Saint Joseph to the cathedral main building. A statue of Saint Joseph, a match of the Our Mother of Good Counsel statue at the Lady Chapel was returned to the mentioned chapel. A new tabernacle was installed at the centre of the sanctuary.


Grounds

Outside on the grounds of the cathedral near the main entrance was a bronze life-size statue of
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
, the Glorious Cross of 7.38 meters and a statue of the Virgin Mary. A statue of the Good Shepherd stands opposite the entrance at the south transept. After the 2016 restoration, the statue of the
Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...
and
John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
statues were reinstalled in their original place. A new, contemporary crucifix is installed at the north transept entrance. A statue of the Homeless Jesus by Timothy Schmaltz is installed at the west end of the compound. The Good Shepherd statue has been moved to the crypt at the new basement.


Other buildings

Apart from the cathedral itself, there are five other buildings within the grounds of the cathedral: *The Archbishop's House is a simple, unadorned nineteenth-century two-storey bungalow with a projecting portico. Its
verandah A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure. Although the form ''vera ...
s were previously unenclosed. *The Resident's Quarters is a U-shaped single-storey building with handsome Tuscan columns rising from the ground. *The Cathedral Rectory is an ornate early twentieth century two-storey rusticated bungalow with decorative plasterwork. There is a covered linkway to a rectangular single-storey building at its rear. *The Jean-Marie Beurel Centre is a newly built 4-storeys building to support the ministries works of the cathedral. The building is connected to the new basement with a covered linkway. *A newly constructed basement that houses a function hall, crypt and a perpetual Adoration Chapel.


Music


Choirs

The cathedral is home to several choirs which sing the weekend Masses, feasts, solemnities, and days of obligation. * The Cathedral Choir of the Risen Christ was founded in 1970 and sings at the Sunday 10:30 am Mass. Directed by Peter Low, the mixed-voice choir has around 70 members comprising both students and working professionals. The choir served at the Church of the Risen Christ for 32 years before moving to the cathedral on 14 April 2002. It has performed at the Vatican before Pope John Paul II, in Bethlehem at the invitation of Israel's Tourism Ministry, and, since 2002, also hosts a yearly concert attended by delegates and diplomats from the world over. * The Cathedral Family Mass Team comprises students from primary school through university and young working adults. Directed by Alexander Charles Louis, the choir serves at the Sunday 8:30 am Mass. * The Cathedral Choir of Saint Gregory the Great (2016) sings the Saturday and Sunday 6:00 pm Masses, including feasts and solemnities throughout the year, and is directed by cathedral organist Alphonsus Chern. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the choir sang the Archbishop's Sunday Livestream Masses celebrated by Cardinal William Goh and other priests. They also support the cathedral community through prayer and outreach activities such as hymn festivals, carol services, and pipe organ tours. During the Catholic200SG celebrations, the choir opened and closed the festivities with the concerts Christmas Ignite 2020 and Christmas Ignite 2021, and also presented the hymn festival Hymns & Praise 200. * The Cathedral Children's Choir (2019) is directed by organist Angela Lim and sings the Saturday 6:00 pm Masses throughout the year. The choir accepts children between the ages of 6 to 16. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the children recorded the music for the Archdiocesan Masses for Families with Children which was broadcast on the Archdiocesan YouTube channel every Sunday morning. They also participate in carol services and concerts throughout the year.


Organs

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is home to a 30-stop Bevington & Sons organ – the oldest working pipe organ in Singapore and the only pipe organ in the Roman Catholic church in Singapore. While the cathedral formerly housed two pipe organs – the Gallery Organ (Bevington) in the West gallery and the Choir Organ (Navaratnam) in an elevated platform in the north transept, the Choir Organ was dismantled and its pipe work absorbed into the Chapel Organ at the Orchard Road Presbyterian Church during the 2016 restoration of the cathedral. Dedicated on 20 October 1912 by Bishop Emile Barillon, the Gallery Organ is a two-manual and pedal Bevington & Sons instrument which cost 5894.61 sterling pounds to build, ship and install. The organ currently incorporates pipework from various now-defunct organs, notably the Bombarde 16' in the pedal division from the former St. Clair Organ that once resided in the Victoria Concert Hall, and a Cornopean 8' in the Swell, of uncertain American heritage. The Gallery Organ was once easily recognised by its unusual asymmetric façade – only the central organ case is original, the left and right wings added by Robert Navaratnam, a local organ builder. The action, once electropneumatic, was converted to direct-electric by Navaratnam. In the latest rebuilding of the organ, a new tracker action was built to replace the electric action. It is currently the oldest playable organ in Singapore and is regularly used for Masses, concerts, recordings, and organ tours. In 2005, Lin Yangchen published an article titled ''Singapore's Answer to Notre Dame de Paris'' in ''The Organ'' describing both cathedral organs in detail (The Organ 334:8–10). He describes the unique situation presented by having separate organs in the same building, which makes possible a dialogue between the Gallery and Choir Organs. In fact, this did happen during solemn occasions and when two organists were present. The choir and congregation were then accompanied separately, although this is no longer possible now that there is only one organ in the cathedral. In 2018, Andre Theng published a booklet dedicated to the history of the organ. Titled ''Saving The King'', this book details the history and journey of the Bevington organ from its original installation to its current iteration. This book is available for sale outside the West Doors of the cathedral after the weekend Masses. Sketches of information on the older organ are available mostly through personal accounts. An elderly parishioner recounted helping out on Sundays as a young boy by operating the manual
air pump An air pump is a pump for pushing air. Examples include a bicycle pump, pumps that are used to aerate an aquarium or a pond via an airstone; a gas compressor used to power a pneumatic tool, air horn or pipe organ; a bellows used to encoura ...
of the organ. By the 1960s, the Gallery Organ became so dilapidated that it remained silent for nearly two decades. Hugo Loos, a Belgian engineer then based in Singapore, volunteered his services as both organist and repairman. Driven by his passion and love for pipe organs, he was able to render minor repairs, but much work was still required. Towards the end of 1983, the then
rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
of the cathedral, Father Robert Balhetchet, was introduced to Robert Navaratnam, an organ builder who had been trained in Germany. Navaratnam spent the next few decades caring for and expanding the instrument by adding ranks of pipes where they became available. He continues to look after the organ, tuning it on a regular basis. On 16 December 1984, a concert was organised in conjunction with the rededication of the Gallery Organ. Dr Margaret Chen, curator of the Klais Organ at the
Victoria Concert Hall The Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall is a performing arts centre in the Central Area of Singapore, situated along Empress Place. It is a complex of two buildings and a clock tower joined together by a common corridor; the oldest part of the ...
and a well-known Singaporean organist, was one of the performers. Full-length organ recitals at the cathedral are rare, the last two having been played on the Gallery Organ by Markus Grohmann, a visiting German organist in August 2005, and Arthur Lamirande of New York in 2007. During the 2013–16 restoration and renovation of the cathedral, the Bevington was rebuilt by Diego Cera of the Philippines. The organ was dismantled and shipped to the Philippines while the cathedral was closed. A new console and a new tracker action was built, while the original organ case was restored and extended symmetrically on both sides. The asymmetrical façade is no longer a feature, as all the pipe work was re-organised into the new case. The organ is also playable from a remote console located in the south transept. This remote console also controls an electronic pipe organ whose speakers were installed in the south transept in early-2020. The cherubs and Saint Caecilia statue in the organ gallery were not reinstalled after the restoration. The Cathedral Organ Scholar Programme The Organ Scholar Programme was founded by the cathedral organist Alphonsus Chern in 2016 with the support of the late Edwin Lee, BBM, obl. CSsR. The scholarship supports the training of several organists, who also serve in various roles in the cathedral choirs as part of their formation as liturgical musicians. The scholars record music for the cathedral's YouTube channel and regularly host guided tours of the Bevington organ for children, visiting church groups, visiting dignitaries, and the public. The scholars play the organ at both the weekday and weekend Masses, and at devotions. Most recently, the scholars hosted pipe organ demonstrations in conjunction with the Singapore Night Festival 2022.


Ecclesiastical status

The Roman Catholic Church in Singapore was initially under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Malacca erected in 1558. She was transferred to the
Vicariate Apostolic of Ava and Pegu A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...
in 1838 and then the Vicariate Apostolic of Siam in 1840. In 1841, the Roman Catholic Church in Singapore was placed under the jurisdiction of the Vicariate Apostolic of Western Siam that was erected from the Vicariate Apostolic of Siam. Initially called the Vicariate Apostolic of Western Siam, the name was changed to the Vicariate Apostolic of the Malay Peninsula and finally the Vicariate Apostolic of Malacca-Singapore. *Vicariate Apostolic of Malacca-Singapore ** (1841–1844) Bishop Jean-Paul-Hilaire-Michel Courvezy ''(Vicar Apostolic of Siam from 1834 to 1841)'' ** (1845–1871) Bishop Jean-Baptiste Boucho ** (1871–1877) Bishop Michel-Esther Le Turdu ** (1878–1888) Bishop Edouard Gasnier *Diocese of Malacca ** (1888–1896) Bishop Edouard Gasnier ** (1896–1904) Bishop René-Michel-Marie Fée ** (1904–1933) Bishop Marie-Luc-Alphonse-Emile Barillon ** (1934–1945) Bishop Adrien Pierre Devals ** (1947–1953) Bishop Michel Olçomendy *Archdiocese of Malacca ** (1953–1955) Archbishop Michel Olçomendy *
Archdiocese of Malacca-Singapore The Archdiocese of Malacca-Singapore was a Latin archdiocese in Malaysia and Singapore. History It was established as thDiocese of Malacca and elevated to Archdiocese level in 1953. In 1955, the Archdiocese of Malacca was split and an ecclesi ...
(Metropolitan See) ** (1955–1972) Archbishop Michel Olçomendy *Archdiocese of Singapore ** (1972–1976) Archbishop Michel Olçomendy ** (1977–2000) Archbishop Gregory Yong Sooi Ngean ** (2001–2013) Archbishop Nicholas Chia Yeck Joo ** (2013–present) Archbishop
William Goh Seng Chye William Goh Seng Chye (born 25 June 1957) is a Singaporean prelate of the Catholic Church who has been serving as the fourth Archbishop of Singapore since 2013. He was created a cardinal by Pope Francis on 27 August 2022. Biography Early l ...


Organisation

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is currently under the administration of four priests of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore : * Rev Fr Jude David (Rector) * Rt Rev Msgr Francis Lau (Vice Rector) * Rev Fr Brian D'Souza (Vice Rector) * Rev Fr Samuel Lim (Vice Rector) The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd currently also has these following organisations : * Altar servers (Cathedral of the Good Shepherd Altar Servers Ministry) * The Cathedral Choirs * The Cathedral Organ Scholars *
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion An extraordinary minister of Holy Communion in the Catholic Church is, under the 1983 ''Code of Canon Law'', "an acolyte, or another of Christ's faithful deputed", in certain extraordinary circumstances, to distribute Holy Communion. The term ...
* Cathedral Wardens Ministry * Lectors * Cantors * RCIA * Working Adult Group Ministry


Gallery

File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 5, Jan 06.JPG, View of the steeple from the east end of the cathedral. File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 9, Jan 06.JPG, The steeple atop the east end of the cathedral. File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 10, Jan 06.JPG, Entrance at the south transept. File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 11, Jan 06.JPG, The south side entrance in the form of a diminutive portico. File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 14.JPG, The centre door at the main entrance of the cathedral. File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 16, Jan 06.JPG, The cathedral's interior showing the nave and sanctuary. File:Crucifix-CathedraloftheGoodShepherd-Singapore.jpg, Crucifix on the wall of the sanctuary. File:Madonna and Child depicted on the largest bell of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Singapore.jpg, Religious motif on the largest of the cathedral's three bells. File:Plaque marking the relics of Saint Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Singapore.jpg, The relics of Saint Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert. File:Memorial plaque to Father Jean-Marie Beurel, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Singapore.jpg, Memorial plaque to Father Jean-Marie Beurel. File:Pope John Paul II - Cathedral of the Good Shepherd - Singapore.jpg, Statue of the late Pope John Paul II on the grounds of the cathedral. File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 9.JPG, Statue of the Virgin Mary and Glorious Cross on the grounds of the cathedral. File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 4.JPG, Statue of the Good Shepherd on the grounds of the cathedral. Reinstalled in the new basement crypt File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 6, Jan 06.JPG, Archbishop's House within the grounds of the cathedral. File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 17, Jan 06.JPG, The Cathedral Rectory within the grounds of the cathedral. The rectory has been repainted to reflect the original rectory color. File:Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Singapore (2017).jpg, The cathedral in her new colour scheme File:CGS Singapore.jpg, Street view at night of the restored cathedral File:North Transept entrance.jpg, The cathedral in its new colour scheme File:First Mass of Archbishop William Goh.jpg, First Mass of Archbishop William Goh


See also

*
Saint Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert (23 March 1796 – 21 September 1839), sometimes called Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert and affectionately known in Korea as Bishop Imbert Bum (Korean name: ''Bum Se-hyeong'') was a French missionary bishop in Asia. Mo ...
* Father Jean-Marie Beurel * Denis Lesley McSwiney * Charles Andrew Dyce * Archbishop Emeritus Gregory Yong Sooi Ngean * Archbishop Nicholas Chia Yeck Joo *
Archdiocese of Singapore The Archdiocese of Singapore (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Singaporensis'') is an exempt archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church. Its territory includes all that is under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Singapore. Its current a ...
* Roman Catholicism in Singapore * Catholic education in Singapore


References

*Norman Edwards, Peter Keys (1988), ''Singapore – A Guide to Buildings, Streets, Places'', Times Books International, *Gretchen Liu (1996), ''In Granite and Chunam – The National Monuments of Singapore'', Landmark Books, *Lee Geok Boi (2002), ''Faiths of Our Forefathers – The Religious Monuments of Singapore'', Landmark Books, *Eugene Wijeysingha (2006), ''Going Forth... – The Catholic Church in Singapore 1819–2004'', Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore,


External links


Official Website of the Cathedral of the Good ShepherdSingapore Catholic Church Directory
{{Authority control Roman Catholic churches completed in 1847 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Singapore Roman Catholic cathedrals in Singapore Tourist attractions in Singapore Landmarks in Singapore National monuments of Singapore Museum Planning Area 1847 establishments in the British Empire