History of Novena Church and the Devotion

Redemptorists serve the poor and most spiritually abandoned. We work in parishes and shrines, minister to immigrants, preach parish missions and retreats, promote devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, and evangelize through traditional and new media.

Following in the footsteps of St. Alphonsus Liguori and 17 other confreres who have been canonized or beatified, approximately 5,300 Redemptorists serve in 82 countries throughout the world.

Redemptorists brothers and priests, also known as The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, bring a message of hope and Good News to everyone they encounter: “In Him there is plentiful redemption” (Psalm 130:7).

The Redemptorist world is divided into five Conferences:

  • Conference of Redemptorists of Asia and Oceania
  • Conference of Redemptorists of Africa and Madagascar
  • Conference of Redemptorists of Europe
  • Conference of Redemptorists of Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Conference of Redemptorists of North America

.

REDEMPTORISTS IN SINGAPORE

1935

On 30 July, the first of many Redemptorists, Fr Aloysius John Brennan, arrives in Singapore along with Frs. James Green, John Moran, Thomas Borthistle, Bros. Denis and Felix. Their first house was 339 Thomson Road the current Thomson Medical Centre.

1941

World War II broke out in Singapore. After the war a house at 418 Thomson Road was rented opposite the Old Police Academy now.

1948

Later the same year, the present property at 300 Thomson Road was procured. The first mass was celebrated there on 31 July.

1949

The first Novena devotions began. In the month of January, it was started in the chapel with an attendance of about 80 people.

1950

Work began for the building of a new church. The Church is named after the Founder of the Redemptorists, St. Alphonsus. The Church of St Alphonsus came to be more popularly known as Novena Church. The area surrounding the church began using the name Novena to identify its location. The surrounding area has come to be known as Novena because of the Novena Devotions. Over the years it was expanded to fit the growing number of devotees. Even with pews added to the verandas, the attendance at the Novena sessions and masses spill into the courtyards. By the early 1990s, 15,000 devotees or more were attending the ten sessions every Saturday until…

2014

…the redevelopment of the Church started in October 2014.

2017

In September, the Novena Church redevelopment was completed. The Official Opening and Blessing of the Church was held on 25 October 2017.