The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes

Established in 1888, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes was the first Tamil Catholic church in Singapore and has been recognised as a national monument.

In the early 19th century, the Tamil Catholic community in Singapore worshipped at the Church of the Good Shepherd (1847), the oldest Catholic church here, alongside Europeans and Eurasians. Later, the Tamil Catholics moved to the Church of Saints Peter and Paul (1870), where Rev. Father Pierre Paris, fluent in Tamil, extended his ministry to the Indian community. After Father Paris’ passing in 1883, Rev. Father Joachim A M Meneuvrier took over and grew the Tamil Catholic community from 60 to 300 members within two years, necessitating a new church.

In 1885, Sir Frederick Weld, Governor of the Straits Settlements, allotted a plot on Ophir Road for the construction of the new church. Bishop Eduoard Gasnier, the Titular Bishop of Malacca based in Singapore, laid the cornerstone in 1886. The church was completed in 1888, featuring a neo-Gothic architectural design influenced by the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Lourdes, France. In those days it was also known as the "Indian Church" or "Tamil Church." 

Meneuvrier was its first dedicated missionary. His successor, Father Louis Burghoffer, served for 39 years from 1896 to 1935, and both priests are honoured with brass plaques in the church.

During the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945), the church survived bombing raids and was requisitioned as the Japanese Army headquarters. In 1974, the church opened its doors to Catholics of all ethnicities and languages. However, given that a large portion of its parish is made up of migrant workers and expatriates from South India, the church has incorporated the Feast of Our Lady of Vailankanni, a nine-day festival commemorating the Virgin Mary’s reported appearances in 16th-century Tamil Nadu, as well as the Tamil harvest festival Pongal, into its services. 

The church’s large migrant congregation has also led it to undertake various social initiatives aimed at supporting the migrants. The Lourdes Tamil Committee and the Welfare Committee for Tamil Migrants, established in 2006, organise free medical screenings, as well as basic English literacy and computer classes, among other initiatives. 

In 2005, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes was gazetted as Singapore’s 52nd national monument.



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Church of Our Lady of Lourdes. Accessed on 1 August 2025. https://ourladyoflourdes.sg/history-of-the-church 
“Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Singapore explained.” Explained Today. Accessed on 1 August 2025. https://everything.explained.today/Church_of_Our_Lady_of_Lourdes%2c_Singapore/
“Church of Our Lady of Lourdes.” Roots.sg. Accessed on 1 August 2025. https://www.roots.gov.sg/places/places-landing/Places/national-monuments/church-of-our-lady-of-lourdes
“Church of Our Lady of Lourdes.” StreetDirectory.com. Accessed on 1 August 2025. https://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/singapore/historical_sites/151/church_of_our_lady_of_lourdes.php
Ng Kai. “National Monuments of Singapore: Church of Our Lady of Lourdes.” Wonderwall.sg, 13 March 2024. https://wonderwall.sg/places/national-monuments-of-singapore-church-of-our-lady-of-lourdes 

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The information in this article is valid as of August 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit here.