Our History
The Annals of the Church of St Teresa in Singapore
Under the care of the Missions Etrangeres de Paris (MEP), Fr E.J. Mariette bought a land of 2.1 acres on which the Church was built for the Hokkien Catholic community of Singapore. Situated on a hill the Malays called “Bukit Purmei” (Beautiful Hill).
Rev Fr. Stephen Lee has put his whole heart into the fund raising. All the financial powers of the parish: traders, labourers, mothers, young men, school children, were all competing in good will and generosity.
The voluntary contributions came from rich, meek and young, even the rickshaw-pullers of Maur Road were among the list of great benefactors of St Teresa’s. The funds swelled to almost S$80,000.
Rev Fr Stephen Lee succeeded Mgr Mariette and it was through his dynamic personality that the completion of the church building made possible.

Fr Stephen with Governor Sir Hugh Clifford during the opening of St Teresa's Church
18 April 1927
Foundation stone
18 April 1927
23 January 1928
Chinese New Year Day
13 March 1928
Tragedy Struck
13 March 1928
7 April 1929
Blessing of the Church
Father Stephen Lee, the first Parish Priest in his first sermon, thanked the people for the hard work over the three years, the generous support and contributions. As long as Singapore lasts, this Church will testify the stirring Catholic qualities to make our Lord Jesus Christ known.
The entire cost of the building was $254,000.
Mr. Michael Goh who is today serving as our Senior Parish Secretary, was in his late teens then, recalls how the church was only “half full” on Sundays even in the late 1930s. Kampong Bahru was still an “ulu” place then.
1933
The Hood Lodge
From October 1945 to 1950 the Hood Lodge was occupied by the orphans and subsequently used as a meeting place for various parish organizations. Later, it became know as “Stella Maris”, a place for seafarers to rest and relax when their ships call at Singapore, a “seamen’s club”. Its door was opened to all seafarers who wanted to get away from their vessels whilst they dropped anchors here. And for some year from 1950s the Lodge also became the temporary home for priests who had escaped communist China.
The Hood Lodge was truly a refuge, a school, a home, a place for every need and everyone and for all times.
1933
1938
Carmelite Nuns
1952
De La Salle Boys School
1952
1953
St Teresa Convent