1. Reflections from the Archives: Resilience & Rest 🕯️📖
To our incredible teachers and cherished alumni,
We recently revisited a letter written in October 1947 by Brother Adolphe here in Singapore. While the world has changed, his words remind us that the heart of a teacher has always been one of profound sacrifice—and that the need for rest is not a modern "trend," but a deeply human necessity.
In 1947, our school was facing a "thunderbolt" of challenges. Brother Adolphe described:
A tiny team of just 5 Brothers managing over 650 students.
The "extreme embarrassment" of not having enough hands to help.
The physical and mental fatigue of teaching in the tropics after years of hardship.
He wrote about the "cries of distress" and the search for hope when everything felt like it was "collapsing."
To our teachers today: 🍎 If you are feeling the "surcroit de fatigue" (extra burden of fatigue) that Brother Adolphe mentioned, please know that your dedication does not go unseen. Just as the educators of 1947 leaned on one another to keep the doors open, you are the pillars of this community. But even the strongest pillars need maintenance. Your well-being matters as much as the lessons you teach.
To our alumni: 🎓 You are the "hope" that Brother Adolphe was praying for. You are the living proof that the sacrifices made in those hot, crowded classrooms in 1947—and the hard work your teachers put in today—bear incredible fruit.
Let’s take a moment today to honor the "profound respect" Brother Adolphe felt for his colleagues. If a teacher made a difference in your life, drop a comment below or send them a quick note.
"Their prayers and sacrifices will obtain for us the favor we implore."
Rest when you can, lean on each other always, and remember that you are part of a story of resilience that has been unfolding for nearly 80 years.
#SchoolHistory #TeacherAppreciation #SingaporeEducation #Resilience #LegacyOfHope #BrotherAdolphe
Oct 8: 1947
2. Letter from Bro Adolphus to Bro Provincial, Bro Elzear, Singapore, October 8, 1947
Dear Brother
Provincial,
This letter will undoubtedly find you, as usual,
overwhelmed with work, but your devotion will nonetheless grant me a few
moments. I come to you seeking advice and encouragement in this trial. I
thought of writing to you sooner, but I did not dare for fear of acting under
the impression of a wounded nature.
Three weeks ago, I received a letter from Dear Brother
(C.F.) Bernardin in which he told me he was going to fly to... India. You can
imagine the shock this news produced in a small, isolated community like
Singapore. It was a thunderbolt for all of us that knocked us over; we have not
yet recovered from the shock. The visit of the Beloved Brother (B.C.) Rembert
had revived our hopes and our enthusiasm: he had promised us help; C.F.
Bernardin was supposed to be in Singapore this year to allow our Dear Brother
Director a well-deserved rest; furthermore, other recruits were supposed to
arrive to allow the reopening of the industrial school. We were counting on
reinforcements, we had taken steps, and now everything seems to be collapsing.
Singapore was supposed to pass without delay to the Province of Canada; we had
been told this and we were rejoicing at the thought that soon this province
would take to heart the interests of a mission it made its own. Have we only
been building castles in Spain [pipe dreams]? We are absolutely convinced that
no province will take an effective interest in the missions as long as it does
not have its own mission where it can concentrate its efforts.
The founding of a scholasticate in Madras for young
brothers destined for missions in English-speaking countries could not interest
subjects destined for Singapore because Indian diplomas are not recognized
here.
Our current needs are most pressing; see for yourself
our situation. We are only 5 Brothers in a school of more than 650 students
divided into 17 classes. The lay teachers, 12 in number, barely fill the gaps.
When someone is sick, one cannot think of finding a replacement—it is
impossible; temporary teachers cannot be found. The unique solution is to
combine two classes into one, which means no small increase in fatigue in hot
countries.
Next January, one of our teachers will retire; who will
replace him? No one will accept this post for less than $100 per month to
start.
Our Dear Brother Director is still sacrificing himself
by allowing a colleague to take leave; it goes without saying that this
colleague is in great need of rest.
Brother Vincent will soon leave us to take the
direction of the industrial school. We will therefore be down to 3. How to fill
the voids? These posts are no longer as popular as before the war, because
currently one can find more paying occupations, equally attractive and less
obscure; this is what the world is looking for.
Will our Dear Brother Director have to delay his leave
again after 26 years in the missions? His health, undermined by the austerities
of 3 and a half years of war and a long stay in the tropics, will not be able
to hold out much longer. Another colleague is also waiting for a replacement to
see France again, for he too has suffered and has seen death from very close.
Dear Brother Provincial, we push our cries of distress
toward you and implore your help. I tell you in all sincerity, if we cannot
obtain help for the beginning of next year, we will be in extreme
embarrassment.
Full of hope that you will consider our needs and come
to our aid, I leave you, Dear Brother Provincial, asking you to accept the
expression of my profound respect and the assurance of my prayers, in Jesus and
Mary Immaculate.
Brother
Adolphe
Greetings to all the Colleagues, and a special remembrance to our dear sick: their prayers and sacrifices will obtain for us the favor we implore.
Translated from French to English
using Google AI, 22 April 2026
3. Who is Brother Adolphus/ Father Francis Tessier (1915-2001)
Brother François Tessier, known in religion as Brother Adolphe, was a devoted educator, missionary, and priest whose life was defined by superhuman resilience and an unwavering commitment to Southeast Asia
Early Vocation and Mission to Singapore
After pronouncing his first vows in 1932, François pursued studies in London before being oriented toward the missions in Singapore. He arrived in Malaya in 1936 and began his teaching career in Serangoon on December 29 of that year. He made his perpetual vows in Bukit Timah in 1938, fully committing his life to the mission.
War, Captivity, and Resilience
The Japanese invasion of East Asia in 1942 brought a period of immense suffering. Brother Adolphe was incarcerated for three years at Changi prison and the Adam Road concentration camp. During this time:
He was packed into a prison designed for 600 people along with 3,500 others.
He endured forced labor, beatings, and starvation, surviving on a cup of rice three times a day.
Despite these horrors, he was known for his "generosity and forgiveness," documenting the experience in a detailed notebook.
The deprivation left him with lifelong health issues, including spinal, heart, and angina problems.
Following the liberation in 1945, he returned to Canada briefly to recover from exhaustion. However, his heart remained in Asia, and he returned to Serangoon in October 1946.
Leadership and Priesthood
Brother Adolphe spent a total of 28 years in Southeast Asia, serving in various leadership roles across Singapore and Malaysia. His notable appointments included:
Director of the St. Gabriel’s Juniorate in Paya Lebar (1958).
Director of St. Joseph’s School in Johore (1961).
Director of St. Thomas School in Kuantan (1965, 1968).
In 1973, he returned to Canada to prepare for the priesthood, obtaining a degree in Theology from Saint-Paul University in Ottawa. He was ordained on June 2, 1974. After further pastoral studies in Manila, he returned to Singapore to serve as a chaplain at Boys’ Town in Bukit Timah for twelve years.+2
Final Years and Legacy
Though his health eventually forced a permanent return to Canada, he refused a quiet retirement. He continued his ministry by serving seniors and visiting hospitals in Belle-Vallée and New Liskeard.+1
Brother François Tessier passed away on November 18, 2001. He is remembered by his former students—who twice invited him back to Asia at their own expense—as a mentor of "admirable serenity" and "superhuman patience"
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