Multilingual 88-year-old catechist ministers to ‘neglected’ elderly

He speaks seven languages and dialects and zips around Singapore on his scooter to teach catechism to the elderly and housebound. He is also 88 years old.

Meet Mr. Andrew Goh, who has been teaching catechism for the past 34 years to Singaporeans who mainly speak dialects or are illiterate.

Mr. Goh worked in the insurance industry for many years but decided to pursue this special ministry full-time after he was baptized in 1991. “God is so kind, so good,” he said of his faith experience, adding that he felt he had to “repay” God’s goodness.

After his baptism, he began hearing stories about Catholic adults whose elderly parents were not baptized. These adult children often felt uncomfortable seeking religious instruction for their parents.

Mr. Goh observed that RCIA programs in Singapore are conducted mainly in English and Mandarin, catering largely to adults and youth fluent in those languages. However, for elderly people who speak only dialects, “they are neglected,” he said.

He then decided to start a ministry to serve them praying with elderly hospital patients, visiting the housebound, and conducting catechism classes in parishes.

Mr. Goh speaks English, Mandarin, the Chinese dialects of Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, and Hainanese, as well as Peranakan (a blend of Malay and Hokkien). Coming from a Hokkien-Peranakan background makes speaking some dialects easier for him. For others, like Cantonese and Hainanese, he made the effort to learn from others.

Catechism lessons for his elderly catechumens most of whom are in their 70s and 80s are simple and focused on the main tenets of the faith.

To aid understanding, Mr. Goh uses children’s books with large, colorful illustrations to explain concepts such as the Sacraments, the story of Adam and Eve, and Jesus’ miracles. He has also developed his own printed materials, which include instructions in Mandarin and English, along with easy-to-understand diagrams.

Mr. Goh, who receives stipends for his ministry, has served in up to five parishes over the years. He currently teaches weekly at the Church of the Holy Family and the Church of St. Alphonsus (commonly known as Novena Church). Around 30 people attend these classes, including some who have already been baptized through his instruction.

In addition, he makes eight house visits each week to teach the housebound.

Over the decades, Mr. Goh has helped more than 2,000 people get baptized and has gained more than 560 godchildren.

However, his ministry is not without challenges. Mr. Goh shared that some people leave after two or three lessons. Others have later decided to join different Christian denominations.

Still enjoying robust health, Mr. Goh continues to travel around Singapore on his trusty scooter to carry out his unique ministry. He currently has a few assistants helping with his weekly classes, but acknowledges that finding committed helpers is not easy.

What will happen if he one day becomes too weak to continue?

“There are already people who can speak dialects,” Mr. Goh noted, adding that more might be willing to join this ministry if the Church offers them a regular allowance. “They will come in those who are retired,” he said.

In the meantime, his catechumens say they are learning a lot from the sessions.

Ms. Betty Tan, 76, who attends the Novena Church classes with her 85-year-old sister, said she is “learning how to pray, how to make the Sign of the Cross, and how Jesus helped others.”

Mr. Simon Low, 75, who attends the sessions at the Church of the Holy Family, said he looks forward to “going deeper” in learning the faith and hopes to be baptized.

The writer is a Singapore-based freelance journalist and educator.