Early Immigrants and the Roman Catholic Church

The middle couple is Hii Ik Ping and his wife. They are Brother Joseph's God parents. They now live in Canada. There were our neighbour at Padang Road.

The Roman Catholic Church stipulated for a child to enroll in their schools, his parents have to become Catholics.  These children went to school, went to church and most of them continue their adult lives as practicing Catholics. Grandfather Chan heeded the advice of his Foochow friends that if he had an English name, it was also convenient for a new immigrant to have a Christian name under the Brooke Administration. So Grandfather Chan was baptized and became Luke. All adult Catholic were given with upon baptism, a Rosary, the beads with which they chant their Hail Mary’s.