Elderly Singaporean scooter-riding catechist wins 2,000 souls for the church
For over three decades, Andrew Goh has been a tireless advocate for the religious education of the elderly and housebound in Singapore. With a unique approach that combines simplicity, accessibility, and a deep understanding of the local culture, Goh has dedicated his life to spreading the teachings of the faith.
Goh, who speaks English, Mandarin, several Chinese dialects (Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hainanese, and Peranakan), and Peranakan, began his special ministry full-time after his baptism in 1991. He noticed a need to provide religious instruction to elderly Catholics whose children were uncomfortable asking. To address this gap, Goh started a ministry catering to the elderly, including praying for elderly people in hospitals, visiting housebound individuals, and holding classroom lessons in parishes.
Goh's classroom lessons for elderly catechumens focus on the main tenets of the faith. To make the lessons accessible, he has created his own set of printed materials containing instructions in Mandarin and English and easy-to-understand diagrams. He also uses children's books with large, colorful pictures to help explain religious concepts.
Goh's weekly classroom sessions at the Church of the Holy Family and the Church of St. Alphonsus, called the Novena Church, attract about 30 people. Some of these individuals were previously baptized through his instructions. One of his students, Simon Low, 75, attends Goh's classroom sessions at the Church of the Holy Family and looks forward to going deeper into learning the faith and being baptized. Another student, Betty Tan, 76, attends Goh's classroom sessions at Novena Church and is learning how to pray, make the sign of the cross, and understand how Jesus helped others.
Goh has helped over 2,000 people enter the church, and he has more than 560 godchildren in addition to these individuals. Despite some people leaving his ministry after two or three lessons, others continue their journey of faith and even join other Christian churches.
Goh's organization that supports his helpers in his special ministry is paid monthly or annually depending on the agreement, but the specific organization and payment schedule are not publicly detailed. Finding help can be challenging, as Goh has a few assistants helping him in his weekly classroom sessions. However, Goh believes that people who can speak dialects could take over his ministry if the church pays them a regular allowance.
In his mission, Goh still performs his ministry by zipping around Singapore on his scooter. This World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, celebrated on July 27 under the theme 'Blessed are those who have not lost hope,' we honour individuals like Goh who dedicate their lives to spreading hope and faith.
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