Parishioners attending mass at a church in Singapore on Saturday (9 Nov) witnessed the shocking sight of their priest being stabbed by an assailant.
In a statement on Saturday night, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore said the incident occurred at St Joseph’s Church along Upper Bukit Timah Road.
Source: Google Maps
57-year-old Father Christopher Lee, Parish Priest of the church, was attacked by a knife-wielding man while celebrating the 5.30pm mass, it said.
Source: mycatholic.sg
Members of the congregation were present.
They helped subdue the assailant, together with the Archdiocesan Emergency Response team.
In response to queries from MS News, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call for assistance at 6.30pm.
The location was 620 Upper Bukit Timah Road — the address of St Joseph’s Church.
One person was conveyed to the National University Hospital, whom the Archdiocese identified as Father Lee. He has been warded.
In a Facebook post on Saturday night, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said the attacker is a 37-year-old Singaporean Sinhalese.
The man had previously declared to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority that his religion was Christian.
He has been arrested and investigations are ongoing. More information will be released by the police once the facts are clearer, he added.
As for Father Lee, he was sent to hospital conscious and is now in stable condition. His injuries are “thankfully not life-threatening”, the minister said.
In a statement on Facebook, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said the attacker has past antecedents for serious hurt and misuse of drugs offences.
He is believed to have acted alone, based on the preliminary investigations.
Thus, SPF does not suspect that this is an act of terrorism, “for now”, it added, stating:
The public is urged to remain calm and refrain from speculation as investigations are ongoing to ascertain the motive behind this incident.
During a media briefing in the wee hours of Sunday (10 Nov), SPF said five weapons were found on the suspect, according to Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
One of them, a foldable knife, was used in the attack.
Source: Singapore Police Force on Facebook
Two men who helped disarm the suspect were awarded SPF’s Public Spiritedness Award.
The man will be charged in court on Monday (11 Nov) with voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon.
If convicted, he faces up to 15 years’ jail and a fine or caning.
A court order will also be sought to remand him for psychiatric evaluation at the Institute of Mental Health.
There is currently no evidence to suggest that the attack was religiously motivated, SPF added.
In a Facebook post late on Saturday night, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he was “very shocked and saddened” to hear about the incident.
Violence has no place in Singapore, he added, and we must “uphold the safety and sanctity of our places of worship”.
Fortunately, several members of the congregation helped to disarm the assailant before he could do more harm, though many parishioners were “badly shaken”, he said, adding:
Let us stay calm and united, supporting each other in the spirit of harmony and resilience that defines us as Singaporeans.
In a Facebook post of his own, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said he was “very shocked” to learn about the priest’s stabbing.
The relevant authorities will investigate and address this incident appropriately, he said, adding:
Such violence, of any form and for any reason, has absolutely no place in Singapore, let alone at a place of worship.
The Archdiocese called for calm and to avoid speculation over social media while investigations are carried out over the case, which has been taken over by the police.
The Church doesn’t condone violence of any kind, it said, adding:
We also ask for prayers for the speedy recovery of Fr Lee, for the assailant, as well as all those present at Mass, especially the children who may have been affected by the incident.
In a pastoral message disseminated over Telegram, Cardinal William Goh, the Archbishop of Singapore, said he was “shocked and deeply saddened” over the violence committed against a priest.
Source: William Cardinal Goh on Telegram
He’s concerned about the “psychological impact” the incident may have on the witnesses, including the children.
He urged followers to remain calm and refrain from speculation and judgment to allow the authorities to investigate the matter, adding:
We also need to pray for all those who seek to create division through violence and fear, and that God will enlighten the assailant in His mercy so that he may find forgiveness and healing.
Religious groups in Singapore have condemned the attack, with the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO), Singapore saying in a statement on Facebook that it was “deeply disturbed” to hear of it.
The IRO, which represents 10 faiths here, said it stands in solidarity with the Catholic community and is praying for Father Lee’s recovery, adding:
We condemn this individual’s violent act within a sacred space where individuals were gathered in religious service… These are times to demonstrate interfaith compassion and social cohesion, as we have always done in Singapore. Let us remain calm and united in love and solidarity.
Also read: Bishop stabbed during church service in Sydney, alleged attacker in custody
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Featured image adapted from mycatholic.sg and Google Maps.
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