Fr. Christopher Lee was shot and wounded last night in St. Joseph’s Cathedral by a person with a history of drug crimes. He had surgery and is recovering. Prime Minister Wong: “There is no place for violence in the country.” The diocese asks Catholics to pray for his speedy recovery, while the Singapore Interfaith Organization condemns the incident.
Singapore () – Parishioners at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, in the Bukit Timah district, were shocked last night when a man approached the sanctuary with a knife in his hand and stabbed Father Christopher Lee while he was celebrating mass. The suspect, a 37-year-old Singaporean with a previous conviction for serious injury and drug offences, was disarmed by worshipers present and later detained by police officers.
Based on preliminary investigations, police believe the suspect acted alone and that the attack was not a terrorist act.
The Singapore Interfaith Organization immediately condemned the incident, while Prime Minister Lawrence Wong called for calm, stating that “violence has no place in the country”, and urged “everyone to support each other in a spirit of harmony.” and resistance.
In a message posted on social media, the Prime Minister stated: “I am very shocked and saddened by the news that a priest, Father Christopher Lee, has been stabbed in St Joseph’s Church during mass. We pray for your speedy and complete recovery. Above all, we must safeguard the safety and sanctity of our places of worship, places where people seek peace, comfort and community.”
Channel News Asia reports that Sunday masses were celebrated today as usual under the watchful eye of police patrols and police present near the church.
Speaking to , a Singaporean Catholic, Stella Hendricks, said she was shocked to hear about the incident. Singapore is known to be one of the safest cities in the world and no one would expect this to happen in a church that is supposed to be a safer place than the streets.
“There has never been such an incident at any of the places of worship here in Singapore, as the government has always encouraged peaceful interfaith relations and mutual respect for culture, religion and traditions practiced in communities.” of all cultures.
Hendricks, who attends nearby Mary Star of the Sea parish, was glad that the incident “wasn’t any more serious than that” and that the injured priest recovered well after the operation.
With 395,000 Catholics, Singapore is a vibrant Church and one of the most dynamic Christian populations in Southeast Asia, with numbers on the rise. According to the latest official figures for 2023, Singapore’s population was 5.92 million, with Chinese, Malays and Indians as the main groups. Of these 5.92 million people, 4.15 million are residents, including 3.61 million citizens and 540,000 permanent residents. The remaining 1.77 million people living in Singapore are classified as non-residents, mostly resident workers without political rights who are not usually counted in statistics.
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