First ordination at Novena Church in 27 years

Feb 06, 2025

By Joshua Chan
Some 2,000 people gathered at the Church of Saint Alphonsus on Jan 17 to witness the sacerdotal ordination of Father Antony Charles Mahimairaj Prabhu CSsR – the first to take place in the new church building since it was completed in 2017.

At the Mass were 20 relatives from India – where Fr Prabhu was born – Redemptorists from the Philippines and Thailand, guests from other religious orders in Singapore, and some 60 parishioners from the Redemptorist parish in Ipoh. Also present were representatives from the Sri Lankan embassy.

Fr Prabhu’s maternal uncle, Lawrence Sahayadoss from Mumbai, served as one of the deacons at the Mass.

The last ordination that took place in Novena Church was that of Fr Simon Tan CSsR in 1998 – 27 years ago.

Cardinal William Goh concelebrated the Mass with some 40 priests, including Fr Victorino Cueto CSsR, Vice-Provincial Superior of the Redemptorists in Malaysia and Singapore, and Fr Sonny Umbac CSsR, Fr Prabhu’s formator in Davao, Philippines.

Local Redemptorists usually choose to be ordained in their home parish, but Fr Prabhu picked Novena Church – which he called his “home” – for his priestly ordination.
Journey to Singapore

Born in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, Fr Prabhu grew up in a small village with one Catholic church.

The 38-year-old said his mother, Mrs Glory Lilly Mahimairaj, his role model in faith, encouraged him to be an altar server, and even sent him to a Catholic school run by Salesian missionaries.

“She is very prayerful and dedicated to the Church,” said Fr Prabhu, who has one older sister. “She instilled in me the value of prayer and service to others, especially the poor.”

In 2009, he came to Singapore to pursue a master’s degree in communications software and networks at the Nanyang Technological University, and later joined a top information technology company.

“It was a very exciting job – I got to do a lot of programming,” he said, adding that he still does programming and animation as a hobby.

Finding his vocation
The budding software developer joined a choir in the Church of Christ the King and began attending vocation retreats at the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary in Punggol.

“When Charles joined us in 2011, he was a very quiet man,” recalled former choir pianist Mr Antony Ng, referring to Fr Prabhu by his baptismal name. “But now, he cantors with a rich bass voice.”

“He was very committed and would never miss practice. When the church needed cleaning, he would show up,” said Mr Ng, 61. “He was really loved by the choir.”

Fifteen others who had been in the choir with Fr Prabhu sang at the ordination Mass.

The newly-ordained priest said his choir mates were his “lifelong friends, because of whom I was able to find my vocation.”

Fr Prabhu inquired with the Redemptorists in 2014.

“I was drawn to the Redemptorists because of their charism, spirituality, community life, and mission to serve the marginalised,” he said.

“My job paid well and I had a stable career ahead of me,” said Fr Prabhu. “Giving it up to join them wasn’t easy, but I felt God calling me to serve His people rather than remaining in the secular world.”

When he became a novice in 2018, Fr Prabhu took the religious name Antony after the Egyptian monk St Anthony of the Desert, whose feast day was chosen for his ordination date.

“Like St Anthony, I face my own struggles,” said Fr Prabhu. “But through these trials, God has transformed my shame and weakness into strength.”

Ordination day
In his homily, Cardinal William Goh encouraged Fr Prabhu to continue growing in the virtue of humility.

Pride would go against obedience and poverty, said Cardinal Goh, referring to the evangelical counsels which some religious congregations vow to keep – chastity, poverty, and obedience.

“It is only with humility that you will be compassionate and feel with people in their pains and struggles,” he said.

Following the Mass, some 500 guests celebrated the occasion with a dinner on the church grounds, with the Redemptorists entertaining the crowd with oldies such as Take Me Home, Country Roads.

There are now 14 Redemptorist priests in Singapore. Seven others in the local community are perpetually professed brothers or still in formation.

Fr Prabhu will remain at Novena Church and assist the Redemptorists in pastoral work in Singapore.

“As I enter this ministry of the priesthood, I’m ready to give up my life, to shed my blood and sweat for each one of you,” said Fr Prabhu in a video presentation, played before the Mass. “Pray that I remain humble, holy, and persevere for the rest of my life.”

About Fr Prabhu:

Baptismal name: Charles Prabhu

Religious name: Antony

Age: 38

Hobbies: Programming, animation, tennis, badminton, and jogging five kilometres, three times a week

Favourite food: Laksa, curry chicken, nasi lemak, and kaya toast--Catholic.sg