CPS Jurong EastNew: We have released the second issue of our leaflet. Click here to download this (pdf).
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Jurong East - How It All Began
In January 2006, a little notice appeared in The Catholic News advising readers of the proposal for lunch time Masses to be held in Jurong East. Two representatives, Francis Chan and Cecilia Loke were invited by the Catholic Prayer Society, to look into the possibility of starting a centre outside of the Central Business District.
The initial meeting comprised of four people, including the Representatives. We met at lunch in the cafeteria of the Atrium, International Business Park (IBP) on 26th January 2006. We discussed at some length how we were going to build the core group, assign the volunteers and how it was necessary to have at least two persons for each task. We felt that perhaps we could start with Mass celebrated once a month and on days of Obligation.
Unsure of where we were heading, we decided to meet on the last Thursday of the month and keep going till something happened.
Fr. Terence Pereira, our Spiritual Director suggested that Mass be celebrated weekly to gauge the response. The day of “Friday 12:15pm” was an option in keeping with the rest of the centres.
IBP is a complex of multi-national companies and we felt sure there were Catholics who would be keen to come forward and join us. However, certain pieces of the puzzle had to come together:
- a venue where rental was reasonable
- a critical mass of individuals to help and spread the word
- an effective method of information dissemination
This all seemed formidable until a door opened. We found a venue flexible enough to accommodate our needs. The room was large enough to seat 40 persons, sufficient for our requirements. The stage was now set, the date of the inauguration of our first Mass was planned for 7th July 2006, 12:15pm.
Though the pieces were falling into place, the core team was in much trepidation. CPS helped us take that “giant” step. A timed publicity was planned for mid-June. An article in The Catholic News appeared two weeks before the inauguration. Letters were written to various parishes to be published in church bulletins. Flyers and posters with “contacts” were printed and distributed to all. A Mass kit and priests vestments were also given us.
The day arrived and we had a congregation of twenty. Fr. Terence Pereira was the celebrant. As a new team, we were absolutely nervous, but May Tan and May Yip were on hand to assist so that all proceeded smoothly. To complete the celebration, the music ministry of Suntec joined in lending their voices as a choir together with guitarist Anthony Lim.
Though it is now more than year since the inauguration of the Jurong East Centre, memories are still vivid as to how it all began. It was the blessing of God that brought such wonderful people together to make it possible. As a Centre, our goal is to touch the lives of fellow workers through Holy Mass and the Sacraments as well as be able to bring growth in faith, comfort and strength to all who come.
“Come to me all you who labour and are
Over-burdened, and I will give you rest”
Mt. 11:28
CPS Jurong East Team
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