Navigating Spatial Constraints in the Religious Landscape of Singapore: A Glimpse into the Religious Real Estate Management of the Catholic Church

The state of Singapore is characterized by a persistent concern over land scarcity and efficient use of space. The Catholic Church shares these anxieties over space and is constantly rethinking strategies to manage its assets. These decisions require careful financial planning and the endless mobilization of material and human resources between different buildings in diverse locations. Examining how the authorities of the Church adapt its widely dispersed built infrastructure to the changing regulations for land distribution imposed by the state, this article reflects on how Catholicism has prioritized a policy of adaptation over one of resistance. We argue that the Catholic Church acts in pragmatic ways to retain an extensive network of institutions across the island as an effort to reflect the health and vibrancy of Catholicism in Singapore.