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A Catholic priest was stabbing during Holy Mass at St Joseph's Church on Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore. The attack occurred during evening mass on 9 November. The incident happened at 6:15pm during Holy Communion service.
Father Christopher Lee suffered injuries near his face when a man attacked him with a small knife while pretending to receive communion. Emergency services received the alert at 6:30pm.
The police arrested a 37-year-old Singaporean Sinhalese male. Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam stated that the suspect had previously registered as Christian with ICA.
Parishioners acted quickly - some helped the priest while others remained in their seats to keep paths open for emergency responders. Father Christopher remained conscious during the incident.
Emergency response was quick as eight police vehicles and approximately 20 officers arrived at the scene. The suspect left behind a bag before attempting to escape.
Prime Minister Edwin Tong addressed the incident at 8pm. Father Christopher was taken to National University Hospital and is in stable condition.
Message from the Archdiocese of Singapore:
In a pastoral message, Cardinal William Goh shared, “I am shocked and deeply saddened that violence has been committed against one of our beloved priests in the house of God while he was celebrating Mass. I am also very concerned about the psychological impact this incident may have had on our children and all who witnessed this attack.”
“Let us pray for Fr Christopher Lee and those who were traumatised by the incident. We trust in God who will see us through such painful moments. 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.”
Cardinal Goh appealed to the faithful to remain calm, not to speculate on the incident or pass judgment without knowing all the facts. He added that the authorities must be allowed to investigate the matter.
Affected parishioners who need counselling may contact Catholic Family Life therapists at 6631 8963 or 6488 0278. More details at https://www.familylife.sg/therapyservices
Previous Communique about the incident:
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore is saddened to share that Fr Christopher Lee, Parish Priest of St Joseph Church, Bukit Timah, was attacked by a knife-wielding man while celebrating the 5.30pm Mass today, 09 November 2024.
Members of the congregation who were present, including the Archdiocesan Emergency Response team, helped subdue the assailant.
Fr Lee was conveyed to the National University Hospital by Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedics and is currently warded. The Singapore Police Force have taken over the case.
We ask that the faithful remain calm and avoid speculation on social media while the police carry out their investigations. The Church does not condone violence of any kind.
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.
We will continue to provide updates when more information on this incident is made available.
Issued by the Archbishop’s Communications Office,
9 November 2024
Source: https://www.catholic.sg/priest-attacked-in-church-9-nov-2024/
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