In the early 1900s, my wife's parents were taken by her maternal and paternal grandparents on the hazardous voyage across the South China Sea to Singapore. As staunch Catholics, they sought, and found, in Singapore an environment in which they felt freer to practise their religion; and in which to bring up their children in the Faith. Maternal grandfather, Louis, was a catechist in those days. He prepared many catechumens for baptism and many children for First Holy Communion and Confirmation. He, himself, had 12 children.

I got to know the family through his grand-daughter. When visiting her parents' home, I used to be invited to stay for their Family Rosary after dinner. It was their usual practice. An altar formed part of the furnishings in the living room. It was decorated with fresh flowers and comprised candlesticks and statues of Our Lady, the Holy Family and the Sacred Heart; all atop a cabinet. The candles would be lit and the rosary beads passed around. Parents and children would then recite the Rosary, led by Peter, the father. There were always the 'trimmings' at the end - prayers for whatever special causes needed special mention at the time.

This is to inform readers that the KSC St. Albans website is being updated for 2011.

For some years now the Knights of St Columba in St Albans have been raising money to support the Catholic schools in Batam, an island about 10 miles from

Singapore across the Strait of Malacca, Indonesia. One of our brothers, Pat Curtis, first met Fr Yance, the Priest who is administrator for about 16 Catholic schools on Batam and the surrounding islands, about ten years ago when he was working in the area.

As Indonesia is a Muslim country, the Government funds the Muslim schools only, and all other schools, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, etc., have to fund themselves. It is for this reason that we have been raising money to help the Catholic schools in the area.

On a national basis the knights raise money for various national projects. In recent years they raised £277,000 for "Wells for Water" followed by £109,000 for "Help the Hospices" and currently the project is "Partners for Health" which is being run in conjunction with CAFOD and SCIAF to raise funds for health projects in developing countries.