“Soup Kitchen: Free food for the poor and needy.” This sign encapsulates the spirit of the Church of St Francis of Assisi. Today, we explore this church and its journey. It’s a story of faith, community, and service.
The story of the Church of St Francis of Assisi began in the 1950s. Catholics in Jurong had to travel far to St Joseph’s Church. To make things easier, three chapels were established. These were the Chapel of Fatimah, the Taman Jurong Chapel, and the Gek Poh Chapel.
Urban redevelopment in the 1970s changed everything. The government acquired the land of Gek Poh and Tuas chapels. Gek Poh Chapel and Taman Jurong Chapel then merged. This merger formed the Church of St Francis of Assisi. The church opened in Boon Lay in 1976.
Father Thomas Pasquale, an Italian Franciscan priest, was appointed the first parish priest. He spoke fluent Mandarin. The Canossian Sisters and Catholic Welfare Services ran a mobile clinic. They provided basic medicine to families in need. Parishioners from the St Vincent de Paul Society distributed food.
The Jurong Industrial Estate developed rapidly. The Taman Jurong Catholic Chapel opened in 1967. It served local and migrant workers. Father Patrick Goh was the chaplain. Father Thomas saw the need to merge the chapels. He wanted one centralized location.
The Church of St Francis of Assisi was officially blessed on December 11, 1976. It brought Catholics from both chapels together. In 1978, the Jurong Shipyard experienced the Spyros fire. It was Singapore’s worst industrial accident. Father Patrick and Father Thomas celebrated mass on the shipyard grounds. Parishioners supported the families of the injured and killed.
The church organized its first Parish Mission in 1982. This coincided with the 8th centenary of St Francis of Assisi’s Feast Day. The first Parish Renewal Experience was held in 1986. It fostered friendship within the communities.
Improvements and renovations expanded the church in 2002. A multipurpose hall, canteen, function rooms, and other facilities were added. From 2012 to 2017, Fr. John Lau added a lift and projection equipment. He also repainted the church building.
The Church of St Francis of Assisi celebrates two feast days. These are the Feast day of Our Lady of Fatima and the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi. Since April 2, 2010, the Soup Kitchen has served free food to the poor. Today, the parish serves the community as one big family.
Today, the Church of St Francis of Assisi hosts a congregation of about 3,000. Services are held in English, Mandarin, Tamil, Malayalam, and Tagalog. It continues its tradition of social service. It offers free lunches every Monday to Saturday. This church stands as a testament to faith. It embodies community spirit and dedicated service.