Jean-Marie Beurel
Encyclopedia
Jean-Marie Beurel was born on 5 February 1813 at Plouguenast
, in Lower Brittany, France
. He was assigned to the Mission
of Siam by the Missions Étrangères de Paris and arrived in Singapore
on 27 October 1839 at the age of 26. He was responsible for the construction of the Church of the Good Shepherd
- now the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Singapore - and worked in the Mission for the next 29 years till 1868 when he returned to France on account of illness. He died in Paris
, France on 3 October 1872 at the age of 59 and was buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery
.
Father Beurel had come as a parish priest for the Roman Catholic chapel
on Bras Basah Road. When Bishop
Jean-Paul-Hilaire-Michel Courvezy talked of extending the chapel because it was getting too small, Father Beurel suggested that a church be built elsewhere so that the current site could be used for a school
for boys. He left Singapore on 28 October 1850 for France and came back in 1852 with some brothers from the Brothers of the Christian Schools to start Saint Joseph's Institution
in the former chapel
.
While he was in France, Father Beurel also approached the Reverend Mother
Superior General
of the Infant Jesus Sisters
to enlist some sisters in starting a school for girls. He also asked the Singapore government
for land next to the church for a charitable institution for girls. When he was told that there was already sufficient land given to the church, he was said to have bought with his own money a house in Victoria Street
that George Drumgoole Coleman
had built for H. C. Caldwell, Senior Sworn Clerk who later became Registrar of the Court. In February 1854, the first Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus
was opened.
In 1859, Father Beurel completed the parochial
house next to the Church of the Good Shepherd. This building is now Archbishop's House.
At the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
is a memorial
plaque to Father Beurel.
Plouguenast
Plouguenast is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Plouguenast are called plouguenastais.-External links:* *...
, in Lower Brittany, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He was assigned to the Mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
of Siam by the Missions Étrangères de Paris and arrived in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on 27 October 1839 at the age of 26. He was responsible for the construction of the Church of the Good Shepherd
Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Singapore. It is located in the Museum Planning Area within the Civic District and affords a welcome respite from the city....
- now the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Singapore - and worked in the Mission for the next 29 years till 1868 when he returned to France on account of illness. He died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France on 3 October 1872 at the age of 59 and was buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery
Montparnasse Cemetery
Montparnasse Cemetery is a cemetery in the Montparnasse quarter of Paris, part of the city's 14th arrondissement.-History:Created from three farms in 1824, the cemetery at Montparnasse was originally known as Le Cimetière du Sud. Cemeteries had been banned from Paris since the closure, owing to...
.
Father Beurel had come as a parish priest for the Roman Catholic chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
on Bras Basah Road. When Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Jean-Paul-Hilaire-Michel Courvezy talked of extending the chapel because it was getting too small, Father Beurel suggested that a church be built elsewhere so that the current site could be used for a school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
for boys. He left Singapore on 28 October 1850 for France and came back in 1852 with some brothers from the Brothers of the Christian Schools to start Saint Joseph's Institution
Saint Joseph's Institution
Saint Joseph's Institution is a Catholic secondary school for male students in Singapore. It was founded in 1852 as "Saint John's Institution", and is the third oldest educational institution in Singapore .SJI provides an education to boys of all races and...
in the former chapel
Former Saint Joseph's Institution
The Former Saint Joseph's Institution is a historic building in Singapore, located at Bras Basah Road in the Museum Planning Area, within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district...
.
While he was in France, Father Beurel also approached the Reverend Mother
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
Superior General
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
of the Infant Jesus Sisters
Infant Jesus Sisters
-Countries where the order works:* Czech Republic* England* France* Ireland* Italy* Spain* Cameroun* Nigeria* Japan* Malaysia* Singapore* Thailand* Bolivia* Peru-External links:* *...
to enlist some sisters in starting a school for girls. He also asked the Singapore government
Government of Singapore
The Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to mean the Executive branch of government, which is made up of the President and the Cabinet of Singapore. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check...
for land next to the church for a charitable institution for girls. When he was told that there was already sufficient land given to the church, he was said to have bought with his own money a house in Victoria Street
Victoria Street, Singapore
Victoria Street [Tamil]: விக்டோரியா ஸ்திரீட் is a street located in the Central Area of Singapore. The street starts at Victoria Bridge at the end of Kallang Road, after the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority building, in the north and continues as Hill Street at its junction with Stamford Road...
that George Drumgoole Coleman
George Drumgoole Coleman
George Drumgoole Coleman , also known as George Drumgold Coleman, was an Irish civil architect who played an instrumental role in the design and construction of much of the civil infrastructure in Singapore, after the island was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819.Born in Drogheda County Louth,...
had built for H. C. Caldwell, Senior Sworn Clerk who later became Registrar of the Court. In February 1854, the first Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus
Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus
The Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus schools are a group of eleven all-girls Catholic schools in Singapore. The first CHIJ school in Singapore was established at Victoria Street in 1854, by nuns of the Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus. Today, the group includes six primary schools, four secondary...
was opened.
In 1859, Father Beurel completed the parochial
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
house next to the Church of the Good Shepherd. This building is now Archbishop's House.
At the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Singapore. It is located in the Museum Planning Area within the Civic District and affords a welcome respite from the city....
is a memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
plaque to Father Beurel.
See also
- Cathedral of the Good ShepherdCathedral of the Good ShepherdThe Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Singapore. It is located in the Museum Planning Area within the Civic District and affords a welcome respite from the city....
- Saint Joseph's InstitutionSaint Joseph's InstitutionSaint Joseph's Institution is a Catholic secondary school for male students in Singapore. It was founded in 1852 as "Saint John's Institution", and is the third oldest educational institution in Singapore .SJI provides an education to boys of all races and...
- Former Saint Joseph’s Institution
- CHIJMESCHIJMESCHIJMES is a historic building complex in Singapore, which began life as a Catholic convent known as the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus and convent quarters known as Caldwell House...