Priest discharged from hospital 6 days after Bukit Timah church stabbing, expresses gratitude for support

Priest discharged from hospital on 15 Nov: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore

Father Christopher Lee, the priest involved in the shocking stabbing incident on 9 Nov, has been discharged from hospital.

The good news was announced in an updated statement from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore on Friday (15 Nov).

Source: St Joseph’s Church Bukit Timah on Facebook

Priest will be on medical leave after being discharged

Despite being discharged, Father Lee will be on medical leave “to recuperate fully” after being discharged, the Archdiocese said.

His family and the Church requested privacy as he heals, and “continued prayers for his full recovery”.

St Joseph’s Church along Upper Bukit Timah Road, where the stabbing happened, urged parishioners in a Facebook post on Friday to refrain from visiting the priest as he heals.

Source: Singapore Police Force on Facebook

Priest expresses gratitude for support

In the statement, Father Lee expressed his “sincere gratitude” to the Catholic community for their “overwhelming love and support”.

Addressing in particular those from St Joseph’s Church, he said their prayers and well-wishes have been “a source of strength and comfort” during his recovery.

On Sunday (10 Nov), the day after the stabbing, the priest was seen giving the thumbs-up in a Facebook video with Archbishop of Singapore William Goh.

Source: William Cardinal Goh on Facebook

In a pastoral letter that day, Cardinal Goh said the priest’s life and critical organs had been protected. His church said he was in stable condition after surgery to close his wounds went well.

Alleged attacker charged in court

Father Lee, 57, was attacked by a knife-wielding man on 9 Nov while celebrating the 5.30pm mass in full view of the congregation.

The alleged attacker was later identified as Basnayake Keith Spencer, a 37-year-old Singaporean Sinhalese man.

He was charged in court on Monday (11 Nov) with voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon.

In 2019, he was convicted and jailed for stabbing his ex-girlfriend at a party under the influence of drugs.

Also read: Priest who was stabbed at Bukit Timah church is recovering well, critical organs were protected

Priest who was stabbed at Bukit Timah church is recovering well, critical organs were protected

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Featured image adapted from St Joseph’s Church Bukit Timah on Facebook and William Cardinal Goh on Facebook.

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