Taken from ST front page
ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM
It will be an especially meaningful Christmas for Mr George Soh and
his wife Anne this year.
The couple, who have been married for 32 years, will begin their
new life together as Catholics when they are baptised today at the
Blessed Sacrament Church in Queensway.
'We are overjoyed. It has taken such a long time for us,' said Mrs
Soh.
As free-thinkers previously, the couple had always held a healthy
respect for religion. Most of their family members are Catholics or
Protestants and had encouraged their conversion to the faith for
several years.
'I always told them the time was not right yet,' said Mr Soh.
It took a serious turn in his health last month for them to take
stock of their lives. He found out that three major vessels in his
heart were blocked - despite not suffering any major symptoms prior
to it.
He will be undergoing two heart operations soon, the first one in
two weeks' time. The 74-year-old retired army officer and his wife,
64, a secretary, will be baptised today by Father Gerardus Suyono,
an assistant priest of the church.
'Jesus was born on Christmas Day, and now we will also be reborn,'
said Mr Soh. Christmas is widely celebrated in Singapore, where
about 15 per cent of the population is Christian according to the
last census report.
The festivities include floats and lights as part of Celebrate
Christmas in the Heartlands programme. The floats travelled from
Orchard Road to Katong on Sunday, and the neighbourhood was alive
with bazaar stalls and street carnivals.
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!