Introduction
ReBuilding Kingsmead is a project run by the Society of Jesus to redevelop Kingsmead Hall. The building has been the centre of Jesuit presence and activities from when the Irish Jesuits arrived in Singapore in the 1950s. Built as a hostel then, it now houses the priests’ quarters, the Jesuit Retreat and Counselling Centre and is the headquarters of the Jesuits of Malaysia and Singapore. Kingsmead Hall turns 70 in November 2024 and with most of the building still in its original state, repairs and upgrades are required to enable the current and future needs of St Ignatius parish, the archdiocese and the greater Catholic community to be better served.
Arrival of the Irish Jesuits
Shortly after the end of World War II, the Society of Jesus was invited to come to Singapore by Bishop Michel Olcomendy of Malacca-Singapore. Their help was needed to minister to the growing Catholic population and to meet the needs of various apostolates in the region. At the time, there were only a few Hong Kong-based Irish Jesuits who could be sent to Singapore. Among their first responsibilities was to set up a hostel for tertiary students and on 22 November 1954, Kingsmead Hall was officially opened by the governor of Singapore, Sir John Nicoll.
At Kingsmead Hall, the Irish Jesuits also served the spiritual needs of the small but growing community. Sunday Masses were celebrated in a converted room at Kingsmead Hall until the Church of St. Ignatius was built in 1961. Fr Kevin O’Dwyer SJ became our first parish priest.
Kingsmead Hall had become the first and only permanent home of the Jesuits in Singapore.
Growing the Mission
In 1990, Kingsmead Hall was converted to accommodate the Centre of Ignatian Spirituality and Counselling (CISC) and the Jesuit novitiate. The first director of CISC was Fr. Hilario Fernandez, SJ who set up this ministry to provide retreats, days of recollection, spiritual direction and counselling. Fr. Paul Goh, SJ was the first novice master at the Kingsmead novitiate. Kingsmead Hall now also houses the headquarters of the Malaysia-Singapore Jesuits (MAS Jesuit curia).
Responding to Changing Needs and Times
Kingsmead Hall will be 70 years old in November 2024 and the signs of wear and tear over the decades now cannot be ignored. Major repair, upgrading and structural works are required. The use of space for common, general and specific purposes also has to be optimised and thoughtfully designed to support the needs of the St. Ignatius parish, the Archdiocese of Singapore, the greater church and the Jesuit community too. As an example, the Jesuit residence, built to house four or five Jesuit priests, today accommodates twice as many.
To address these concerns, a ReBuilding Kingsmead committee was set up in 2023. Its members are:
- Fr. Jerome Leon, SJ (chairperson – local superior of the Kingsmead Hall Jesuit Community)
- Mr. Jeremy Aloysius (technical member – registered architect and principal at ARUP)
- Mr. Leonard Cheok (technical member – associate director at DP Consultants)
- Mr. Yeo Choon Chong (technical member – civil and structural engineer; ASIA Regional Head, Chief Executive – Integrated Solutions at Surbana Jurong )
- Mr. Hans Avinder (compliance and transformation specialist – division director, compliance division with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA))
- Mr. Raymundo Yu (fundraising – chairman, Asia-Pacific of Julius Baer. He is also the chairman of the boards of ACMI and the Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC)), and member of the Archdiocesan Finance Council (AFC)
- Mrs. Marjorie Teo (secretary)
- Fr. Francis Lim, SJ (ex-officio member – MAS Regional Superior)
- Ms. Minjoot-Koh Hui Hwa (fundraising subcommittee chair – Vice President at IHH Healthcare)
- Mr. Anthony Chua (tender subcommittee member – Deputy Executive Director, Project and Asset Management at ALPS)
Achieving our Vision
“And whenever the vessel he was making came out wrong, as happens with the clay handled by potters, he would start afresh and work it into another vessel, as potters do.“
— Jeremiah 18:4
In honouring our past, serving better the needs of our communities and fulfilling the vision of the Jesuits, we will be transforming Kingsmead Hall. It will be welcoming, inclusive and accessible to facilitate effectively how we serve the sacramental, spiritual and corporal needs of our communities. Kingsmead Hall will be our Jesuit Service Centre for the region.
Jesuit Centres which serve as models for the ReBuilding Kingsmead project are in Spain, the Arrupe Etxea in Bilbao and the Maldonado Jesuits in Madrid.
ReBuilding Kingsmead is an exciting project and we know it will be a painstaking effort that will take a few years to complete. The committee has already begun work in earnest, overseeing and undertaking the preliminary work to ensure the project starts off on the right footing.
Watching this Space
We are keeping close track of the progress made in the various stages of the ReBuilding Kingsmead Project and will share the updates. This is our progress so far:
- Sought feedback and insight from key stakeholder groups on the current and future needs of the communities
- Completed topographical survey of Kingsmead Hall and its estate at 8 Victoria Park Road, Singapore 266492
- Appointing a qualified quantity surveyor for the project
Help us ReBuild Kingsmead
ReBuilding Kingsmead will be a costly project but it is a necessary one. We seek your kind support in this effort to enable us to honour our history and to serve better our church and God’s people.
Please donate in any of the following ways:
By Cheque:
- Please make cheque payable to SJ Foundation Fund
- On the back of cheque please include reference Rebuilding Kingsmead, your name and your contact phone number
- Mail cheque to: Society of Jesus (Rebuilding Kingsmead). 8 Victoria Park Road, SINGAPORE 266492.
By Direct Bank Transfer:
- Please transfer donation to DBS bank account 003-918731-9
- Please include reference Rebuilding Kingsmead
- Please complete and submit the online donation form at this link
By PayNow:
- Please transfer to UEN: 201133829KFD1
- Ensure that the recipient’s name is: SJ Foundation Fund
- Please include reference Rebuilding Kingsmead
- Please complete and submit the online donation form at this link
Please tell us what you think
The Jesuits and the ReBuilding Kingsmead committee would like to hear from you. If you have any questions, ideas or feedback, please share it with us at: rebuilding.kingsmead@mas-jesuits.org