Opened on 23 April 1994 by Archbishop Gregory Yong, the Church of St Anthony of Padua has a unique history as a parish that was established as a rural settlement for refugees from China.
In the late 1920s, Catholic Teochews from Pek Nay in southern China fled their home to escape communist attacks. They arrived in Singapore, where they were cared for by Father (Fr) Stephen Lee, parish priest of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, as well as other prominent Catholic Teochews. In 1933, the government granted land in Mandai to these refugees, where they established Mandai Catholic Village and built a chapel dedicated to Anthony of Padua, a Portuguese-Franciscan saint devoted to the poor and lost.
To cater to Mandai’s growing Catholic community, a larger church was built in 1960 with the help of parish priest Fr Joachim Teng. The church’s congregation expanded over the years and by the late 1970s, it also served residents of the new Woodlands satellite town nearby. After the Mandai villagers were resettled in the late 1980s, parish priest Fr John Khoo helped to build the present Church of St Anthony of Padua in Woodlands.
The Church of St Anthony of Padua continues to serve Woodlands’ Catholic community today. It underwent renovation in 2019-2020, which saw the building of 12 lanced arches on its façade, symbolising the 12 apostles in the Bible. A bronze statue of St Anthony stands at the entrance, and the worship hall has an altar table that was used by Pope John Paul II to celebrate Mass when he visited Singapore in 1986.
Other Suggested Short Trail Routes
Explore the Suggested Short Trail Routes:
- Communities of Woodlands, 1.5 hours with public transport (4km)
- Woodlands at War, 2 hours with public transport (9km)
- A Journey through the Woods, 1.5 hours on bike; 2.5 hours on foot with public transport (15km)
Downloads
Woodlands Heritage Trail Booklet
Woodlands Heritage Trail Map - English
Woodlands Heritage Trail Map - Chinese
Woodlands Heritage Trail Map - Malay
Woodlands Heritage Trail Map - Tamil
Woodlands Heritage Trail Markers - Chinese
Woodlands Heritage Trail Markers - Malay
Woodlands Heritage Trail Markers - Tamil
