Why I became Catholic: Francis Chong speaks with The Record’s Debbie Warrier.
I was born in 1947 in Singapore. My family was wealthy and life seemed set to be carefree. However, by the age of six I had developed a bad limp. My parents engaged a Chinese physician who twisted the whole of my left leg to correct my impediment. It took three of my uncles and my dad to hold me down during these traumatic sessions.
Later a doctor found that I had tuberculosis in my hip which was causing the limp. The daily three injections initially were a nightmare. During my 14 month recovery I was immobilised with plaster of Paris from the waist down to my left ankle. While lying on the sofa I would often watch my brothers playing.
At the time medical science had not advanced sufficiently to be aware of the side effects caused by the drugs I was being injected with. It eventually damaged my inner ear and left hip. I made do with these handicaps, though at times grudgingly and with bouts of self-pity.
In 1961, I got admitted to the Raffles Institution which was a top public school. Next to it was a tiny Protestant church called, Bethesda. Two years later at the age of 16 my elder brother left home to study abroad in England. I was very lonely. A schoolmate brought me to Bethesda and introduced me to Jesus as my Saviour. Soon, I was attending the Protestant Life church near my home (though never baptised in that faith). I prayed nightly before bedtime and found my prayers were always answered. At school I became the fastest swimmer, class monitor and prefect. In 1966 I finished ‘A’ level successfully. I also pursued martial arts which I do to this present day.
After school I strayed from my faith and spent the next 40 years of my life soul searching. During this time I was saddened by domestic politics in my family. I started socialising, romancing and visiting pubs etc. It was all innocent. Drugs and immoral sexual behaviour never appealed to me. My staunch interest was in spiritual disciplines. I savoured Taoist and Buddhist teachings on the way of life but felt uncomfortable with the religious aspects.
I migrated to Australia in 2006 with my wife Alice. We bought a home in Willetton. The local parish, Saints John and Paul Church, was 100 metres from where we lived on Pinetree Gully road. Alice comes from a Catholic and Baptist background. I joined her for her two year Catechist course that qualified her to be our parish volunteer teacher at Orana Primary Catholic School. My decision to join her was based on my quest for spiritual knowledge which began in childhood.
In 2008, the-then assistant priest of our parish Father Richard Rutkauskas was responsible for the dawn of my Catholic faith and introduced me to the RCIA. The afternoon prior to my baptism on Easter evening, I was overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. Father Richard eventually baptised me on Easter Vigil, 2009 with Alice as my sponsor. Father Greg Donovan concelebrated the ceremony. He unfailingly astonishes me with his extraordinary weekly homily that explores Jesus’s guidance.
Reflecting on the last 60 plus years I realise that God is with us. There may be ups and downs but we are not alone.
If you have a story to tell, contact Debbie via debwarrier@hotmail.com