ASIA/SINGAPORE - Cardinal Goh after the attack on a priest during a mass: “We cannot allow evil to paralyze the proclamation of the Gospel”

Monday, 11 November 2024 violence announcement faith local churches priests

Archdiocese of Singapore

SINGAPORE

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Singapore (Agenzia Fides) – “This incident has not only seriously injured a priest in a place of worship, but has also spread fear in the community,” said Cardinal William Goh, Archbishop of Singapore, in a pastoral letter published after the attack on Father Christopher Lee, who was stabbed while celebrating Mass at St. Joseph's Church in Bukit Timah.
Father Lee, parish priest of the church, was attacked on Saturday 9 November during communion at the evening Mass. The 57-year-old priest was rushed to the National University Hospital of Singapore, where he is in a stable condition. “He is recovering,” confirmed the archbishop after visiting him in hospital.
The attacker, a 37-year-old man with a history of violence and drug-related crimes, was arrested on the spot by the faithful present and is in police custody. The authorities have indicated that the attack does not appear to be linked to terrorism. Cardinal Goh has urged “vigilance in faith” and has reflected on the security of churches, especially during celebrations. To offer peace of mind to the faithful, the archdiocese has established the “Emergency Response Operations Council” since 2016, a body in direct contact with the police to coordinate security in parishes. However, the cardinal has warned: “we must also recognize that our churches are public spaces. Excessive security measures could discourage the faithful who come to pray, and the excessive presence of security personnel can hinder the pastoral closeness of our priests, who carry out their mission with courage.” “We firmly believe that God is responsible for our lives and will transform evil into good. We cannot allow evil to paralyze the proclamation of the Gospel,” said Cardinal Goh. In his letter, he encourages the faithful to “look after one another” and for all visitors to the church to remain vigilant. “If you see suspicious behaviour or an object left unattended, you should report it to security.” Cardinal Goh then asks: “Why did God allow this to happen?” and offers a profound reflection. “Our God is an incarnate God,” he notes, recalling that “through his son Jesus, he came to share our wounds and pains. He redeemed us not by force or power, but by humility, forgiveness, mercy and compassion.” He explains that terrible events “happen because of sin and its consequences” and warns that these events reveal how society is increasingly moving away from moral values: “There is no sense of right and wrong, not even in a sacred space. There are many upset, confused and hurt people in the world.” Despite this, the cardinal assures that, in the end, evil will not prevail. “We see this in the examples of the martyrs of the Church.”
Cardinal Goh continues in his letter: “As a Church, we need more than ever to proclaim the Gospel of mercy, compassion and reconciliation, to enlighten people in the truth, heal their fragility, alleviate their fear and pain, and help them find life and true love. We must not allow ourselves to be paralyzed by fear, but continue to witness to our faith, placing ourselves in the hands of God. ‘Do not fear those who kill the body but have no power to kill the soul; but rather fear him who has the power to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna’ (Matthew 10:28).” The Cardinal stresses that “our faith assures us that love is stronger than hate, and life is stronger than death.” He states that “this incident has strengthened our Church, uniting our community in faith and prayer. It also reminds us to remain vigilant and not take for granted the peace and security we have worked so hard to achieve. As a community, we will emerge from this event stronger than ever.” The Episcopal Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei has also expressed its solidarity and promised prayers for Father Christopher Lee, urging the faithful to “compassion, support and comfort” for all those affected by the incident, said in a statement the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur and president of the Episcopal Conference, Julian Leow Beng Kim. On behalf of the bishops, the archbishop has invoked the Lord for “those who have sought to cause division through violence,” expressing the hope that God will touch their hearts “with mercy, guiding them towards healing and redemption.” “At a time when we have striven to promote peace, love and understanding in our societies, this type of violence has been particularly painful. However, in these trying times we have been reminded of our Christian call to respond with peace, compassion and forgiveness,” the bishops of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei wrote. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 11/11/2024)