Progress on the repairs and maintenance of Assumption Church

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Approval in Principle granted but still more to go
The Assumption Project Committee is happy to announce that Archbishop Julian Leow has by letter dated 15.10.2019 granted us Approval in Principle (AIP) to our plans to repair, maintain and upgrade the church. After AIP is granted, the Assumption Project Committee has to prepare and submit a Technical Report to His Grace, and obtain Final Approval before proceeding with repairs. This, we foresee will happen somewhere in early 2020. We will keep you updated as and when we have more information.     
  
Transitioning from Assumption Church to Family House
In the meantime, we have to prepare Family House to be the new venue to house the Blessed Sacrament and to move various objects and items to be housed there. For this purpose, we invite volunteers to join the Moving Committee to assist in transitioning from Assumption Church Building to Family House. 

Availability of rooms in Family House limited
As space is limited, no rooms can be dedicated exclusively to a particular ministry alone. Rooms have to be booked in advance before meetings are to be held. Effective 01.01.2020, all ministries must identify and pre-book room(s) in the Family House with specific timings.    

Griffon Hall to be renamed, Holy Family Chapel 
Griffon Hall is now closed and being renovated into a Chapel, to house the Blessed Sacrament. Previously, Griffon Hall was used primarily for non-liturgical purposes. It was part of the Soup Kitchen, it was used for various meetings and briefings, for wedding and memorial receptions, even banquet functions. However, for the next few months, we will celebrate our sacraments there. This includes masses, baptisms, weddings and funerals. This means Griffon Hall has to be dedicated as a Chapel for the liturgical purpose only and can no longer use it as a hall.

In the interim, Griffon Hall will be renamed, Holy Family Chapel. I stress that this is only a temporary measure. During weekend Masses and solemnities, we will use every floor in the building. However, only Griffon Hall will be affected as the tabernacle will be placed there. This is not a departure. This is not an innovation. The building, consecrated in 1983 by then-Archbishop Soter Fernandez, was named Assumption Family House after the Holy Family – thus the statue of the Holy Family on the outer wall of the building.

Remembering Fr. Griffon
When we move back to the church building, the chapel will revert to Griffon Hall and go back to being used for memorials, functions and hosting wedding receptions. In the meantime, Fr. Griffon, is not forgotten. For the past few months, before the closure of the Hall, I used Griffon Hall for Bible Classes in his memory. Rest assured, Fr. Griffon’s memory or his Hall is not to be effaced. Assumptioners still love and cherish him, very much, myself included. To commemorate his memory, during this period of transition, all scripture classes conducted by myself will be known as The Fr. Griffon Lectures. Meanwhile, memorial and wedding receptions may be held in Fr. Phillips Muthu Service Room until 01.01.2020. 
 
Fr. Gregory Chan
Parish Priest
Church of Assumption
All Saints Day, 01.11.2019