ALUMNI | LUMEN
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As a young boy who grew up during the preindependent kampong Singapore , Monsignor Lau ’ s education in SJI was unfortunately disrupted for three years during World War II when the Japanese invaded in 1943 . He still remembers fondly all the names of the teachers and the LaSalle Brothers who had taught him from Primary One to Standard 9 ( as the Cambridge Examination Class was known at that time ), as well as his seniors – Stephen Holmberg and Rudolph ( Rudy ) William Mosbergen , the housemaster who was an allrounder in sports .
The La Salle Brothers played a significant part in his life , especially on the faith formation . Brothers Vincent Ong and Charles Everad ( from Burma ) who taught catechism , instilled fear into the boys with the horrifying images of hell . Admitting that he was weak in languages especially English , Monsignor Lau recalls with a smile that he and his classmates were often walloped by the late Brother Henry O ’ Brien , for making mistakes in the language . Despite this , his class topped the whole of Singapore and Malaya for English in 1951 . Today , Monsignor Lau attributes his command of the English language to Brother Henry , who also played a key role in his discernment towards priesthood . The Irish Brother arranged for the then 18 year-old Francis to meet the Archbishop , before he could be accepted into the seminary .
The other person who influenced him to consider the religious life was his mother . As the war raged on in Singapore , his mother , for fear that her children may not survive the war , encouraged all her six children to join the religious , should God call . His eldest sister , Lucy , was the first to join the Canossians . The young Francis soon followed suit , and entered the seminary on 6 January 1952 , on the feast of the Epiphany , after completing his secondary school education .
On the journey from his home in Queens Street to the seminary in Punggol , he recalls clearly the words from his mother : " Be obedient ; don ' t argue with the superiors . Even if it is against reason , be obedient .” His mother died of cancer when he was in his second year in the minor seminary . His uncle , Fr Francis Chan , parish priest of the Church of Nativity in Hougang , who later became the Bishop of Penang , promised to give him a chalice if he became a priest .
Indeed , it was the virtue of obedience that saw him through his seminarian years and throughout his priesthood . On several occasions , he was “ tested ” on his obedience by his superiors . He shared that , he was asked to put up a painting on the wall in the seminary , and he knew that no drilling of nails into the wall was allowed . Nevertheless , he put up the painting on the wall as requested by his
superior , only to realise later that his superior had wanted the painting to be nailed onto the wood , not on the wall . The second time was when he received a surprise food package from his aunty in Ipoh , to congratulate him for his final year in the seminary . Francis happily shared his food with his fellow seminarians . Little did he know that he was to be put to the test on his obedience and subordination to his superiors when he was questioned for keeping and sharing the food package with his fellow brothers . He eventually decided to donate the food package to the Little Sisters of the Poor , whom his superior was also in charge of . “ The decision proved to be right ,” he reflected .
Since then , he has learnt what obedience is - Do what you are told , don ' t question . With that , he chuckled .
He was ordained as a priest on 18 June 1961 , by his uncle Bishop Francis Chan . Ever since his ordination , the young priest had served in different ministries and parishes . Again , he was tested on his obedience . In the 1960s , he was told by the late Archbishop Michel Olçomendy to leave the Church of our Lady Queen of Peace for St Anne Church in Punggol . Despite not being able to speak a word of Teochew ( he is Cantonese ), he told the Archbishop that he would go , but that he should not be blamed if no one would come to St Anne ’ s Church after six months , because no one will understand his preaching . The Archbishop pondered over his decision and eventually decided not to post Lau to St Anne ’ s Church .
Monsignor Lau was subsequently posted to the St Francis Xavier Minor Seminary as its Rector , in charge of the formation of the seminarians , and to Rome to study Canon Law , the laws that govern the Catholic Church . He became the judicial vicar in charge of marriages for several years , helping distressed couples who were in troubled marriages . In 1983 , after returning from his studies in
Rome , he was appointed as the Vicar-General by the late Archbishop Gregory Yong . Even though he stepped down from the Office in 2000 , Monsignor Lau was given the rank of honour – the title of Monsignor – for his long service to the Catholic Church in Singapore . As an alumnus of SJI , he also served in the SJI Board of Governors for 15 years , from 1987 to 2002 . In spite of his age , he continues to teach Canon Law and Latin in the seminary today .
As someone who had grown up with the nation and seen the transformation of Singapore from preindependence to the developed country it is today , Monsignor Lau has also observed the changes in the younger generation and their faith . “ We now live in the instant era . Everyone is so time conscious , so impatient … The young people want entertainment , enjoyment in everything . They say the Mass is boring ; they want the Mass to be like a rock concert !”
He jokingly adds that there are three categories of “ RC ” in the Church – the baptised Roman Catholics , the Retired Catholics and the Resurrected Catholics . “ Rome is the heart of Catholicism , but yet , the people there hardly practice the faith , at least not in Rome itself . These are the Retired Catholics , they have fallen out of the Church after being baptised ,” he laughs . “ And there are the “ Resurrected Catholics ” – those who are mostly at an old age , and are now back in Church to seek God and the faith , just before they die .”
As the education system this day does not incorporate catechism like it used to when he was a student , he cautions the young people to seek God first , and not worry about earthly pleasures .
Facing page : Monsignor Francis Lau
This page ( top ): The newly ordained Reverend Fr Lau blesses his father and step-mother after celebrating his first mass on 19 June 1961 . Standing behind him was his uncle , Bishop Francis Chan .
This page ( centre ): Monsignor Lau giving out blessed oranges after the Chinese New Year mass .
This page ( bottom ): Fr Lau ( in black ) with the seminarians after a retreat in 1960s .