Brother Gregory did not speak too much about himself. We were fortunate, therefore, when he recently agreed to give an interview for the Lasallian East Asia District. The interview gives us a lovely insight into his life, into his attitudes, into what made him tick.
“I feel indebted to the Lord for his goodness and tender love all these years of my life. The secret is trying to live in peace and harmony with my fellow men and myself. Be happy and contented with your life. It is also very important to pray for good health.
My family was made up of ten members—my father, my mother, four brothers and four sisters. We lived in the city in our early years. Later, we moved into our country bungalow at Highland Road in the Serangoon District. We lived happily in our new environment. As the years passed by, my sisters left home, one by one, to join the religious life. Two sisters joined the Canossian Sisters, one joined Les Petites Soeurs des Pauvre, the Little Sisters of the Poor.
One day after the school annual retreat I heard the call of God to dedicate my life to Him in the religious life. It was about the final year of my secondary education. Anyway, I decided to offer myself to the good Lord. I wanted to be a De La Salle Brother.
When I was in school that morning, I steeled myself to visit the Brother Principal’s office. The Principal at that time was Rev. Br. Canice. I told him that I wanted to be a Brother. He must have been shocked to hear the good news! He told me that Mr. Balhachet, a former La Salle Brother, did not persevere. I was so surprised as Mr. Balhachet was my History teacher in St. Anthony’s Boys’ School.
In any case, the Director did not hesitate to send me to the St. Joseph’s Training College at Pulau Tikus in the beautiful island of Penang. I managed to negotiate the juniorate, postulancy, novitiate and scholasticate successfully. Finally, I was a fully-fledged Brother ready for the educational mission.”
He considers his entrance to the Brothers as fortunate. He had joined at the age of 15 in 1940. A little over a year later, the world found itself in the middle of war, and Singapore was not spared from the death and destruction. Had he not been staying in Penang at the time, he still wonders if he would be here now telling his story.
After surviving the war, Br. Gregory’s first teaching assignments were largely in Malaysia and Singapore. He recalls: “In the course of time, I met many Brothers from different parts of Malaysia. They visited Penang during the school holidays or for the District Annual Retreat,”
He found a particular soulmate in the kind and cheerful Br. Casimir, whose motto in life was “Be Happy,” a motto that he adopted for himself. He moved from school to school, obediently following his assignments.
He takes up the story again: “Next, I applied to teach in Hong Kong, as there was a vacancy in La Salle Primary School in Kowloon. I had an interesting life in the La Salle College community. Br. Henry Pang, Br. Anthony Cheung and myself were frequently invited out by friends and relatives of Br. Anthony. When the afternoon Headmaster of La Salle Primary School passed away, I was appointed to take his post. This assignment lasted for three years.” He had a liking for music and started a small accordion band, much appreciated by the students and parents.
Indeed, although Br Gregory kept a very low profile, Brothers Henry Pang and Anthony Cheung made sure he was taken out and about and in this way he made many friends. As Headmaster, the style was the man. He never raised his voice, greeted everyone politely and loved his students. He was one of the quietest headmasters one could meet.
In 1965, after a short break for further studies, he returned to Hong Kong this time being posted to St. Joseph’s College. He was given quite a number of community assignments and taught lower Secondary classes where there were many foreign students. They were lively but Br Gregory knew how to handle them.
Br Patrick remembers those days. “I worked alongside Br Gregory in St Joseph’s College in the 60s and we were quite a contrast. Where I threw my weight around a bit and could be heard from afar, Br Gregory could hardly be seen or heard! He moved around the school so quietly you could be forgiven for not noticing. But there was one place where you would notice him, and that was in the chapel. Br Gregory never missed prayer time. That example spoke more than many words.”
Brother Gregory never forgot his time in Hong Kong and loved to visit whenever the opportunity arose. One such was the opening of the new school building and campus of La Salle Primary School in 2002. He got another opportunity when the Primary was celebrating its diamond jubilee in 2018.
“After working in Hong Kong for about ten years, I returned to Singapore where I taught many years until it was time for a change. I volunteered to teach English in Japan. I was accepted and I was sent to La Salle High School in Kagoshima. It is a prestigious school and I was there for only a year. I returned to Singapore where I continued to teach in St. Joseph’s Institution until I retired in 1984. I still continued to teach Ethics and Biblical Knowledge in St. Joseph’s Institution.
I am very happy that some of the students I taught in St. Joseph’s Institution, St. Patrick’s School and even St. Michael’s School are Brothers and priests in the various parishes in Singapore. Good example is the most effective way to foster vocations.
I am the oldest Brother in LEAD. I want to enjoy life to the full. Every day I spend some time in prayer. I love to say many rosaries every day without fail; I read spiritual books. I have a liking for Chinese, Taiwanese and Korean movies on TV. The stories are intriguing. I also like to play mahjong on the computer because it keeps my brain working.
Time passes very fast. All the best, Brothers, and God bless.”
He spent most of his retirement years in the Brothers Community of St. Patrick’s School, Singapore where he was well taken care of by Brothers Collin Wee and Nicholas Seet. He rarely had to seek medical attention or go to hospital.
Late in the year 2020, however, he had to be hospitalized, after which he was cared for by the Canossian Sisters at the St Joseph’s Home. He passed away peacefully on 18 January 2021 at the age of 96. The wake and funeral service was held in the chapel of St. Patrick’s School. Because of the Covid virus restrictions, only family members and Brothers attended.
When Br Gregory officially retired in 1984, the Br Visitor, Michael Jacques, delivered a short appreciation. It will serve as a fitting conclusion to the story of Br Gregory.
“On 3rd February 1984, Brother Gregory Lim retired from active service on the staff of St. Joseph’s Institution, Singapore, after a teaching career of thirty-six years which began at St. Xavier’s Institution, Penang, in 1948. Brother Gregory thus enjoys the distinction of beginning and ending his teaching career in our two oldest establishments.
Brother Gregory belongs to the tribe of honest to goodness Brothers who work quietly and dutifully year in and year out, without éclat, without noise or acclamation, fulfilling his mission with humble fidelity and constant dedication, and his unobtrusive retirement is typical of his simple and humble character. We think, however, that this event should be underlined by the profound gratitude of the whole District and of schools and communities in which he served so well. Men of his kind of humble, quiet and responsible dedication are the backbone of our mission to the young, and we would like to take this opportunity to offer to him our expressions of gratitude for what he has accomplished and for what he has stood for.
We wish you, Brother Gregory, God’s continued and abundant blessings and a restful yet fruitful and active retirement in Singapore where there is till so much to do for those who have the experience and the know-how to lead our Catholic youth to mature in Christian ideals and religious living and to take their proper place in the many forms of service for the Local Church as priests, religious, and lay-apostles. God grant you enduring good health, peace and happiness of mind and heart, and success in your undertakings.”
