Pope Francis’ Singapore visit unites thousands for historic mass

When Annabelle Siena Lim heard about a last minute opening to serve at a mass Pope Francis was presiding over in Singapore’s National Stadium, she immediately put her hand up for the role. The 25-year-old saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to worship and celebrate her Catholic faith. Watching some 50,000 people say the rosary, a set of Catholic prayers, together left her in awe. “In a world that’s so fragmented by individualistic beliefs and ideology – today has shown me a glimpse of something greater than myself. This is the beauty of the Catholic Church, that we are united in faith, hope and love for one another,” the associate in media entertainment said. Lim was one of the 390 Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at the service. A soprano in the choir, Lim Li Ann, 58, told This Week in Asia that she and her husband joined the choir to volunteer because they were excited to sing with 1,500 others, give praise and worship and welcome Pope Francis to Singapore. “We are humbled that Pope Francis, at 87 and despite being in a wheelchair, would come all the way here to visit us. The least we can do is to give him a warm and wonderful welcome and thank him for his inspiring service,” the paediatrician said. According to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, less than 10 per cent, or about 395,000 people, of the city state’s population are Catholics. Tickets to the mass were distributed through two rounds of online balloting, with some reserved for overseas Catholics from Malaysia and Brunei. Organisers said earlier that they expected about 60 per cent of applicants to be successful in their bid. The last papal visit to Singapore was in 1986 by Pope John Paul II, who spent just five hours in the city state, including officiating mass at the old National Stadium in the rain. On Wednesday, Francis received a ceremonial welcome at Parliament House, where he met President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. He was also presented with a new hybrid orchid there. He later delivered a state address at the National University of Singapore’s University Cultural Centre, commending Singapore’s policies that supported the most vulnerable. The pope also expressed hope that special attention will be paid to the poor and the elderly and protecting the dignity of migrant workers. “These workers contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage,” urged the head of the Vatican. He also warned against the potential negative effects of technology and artificial intelligence, emphasising the need to cultivate real human relationships. “These technologies should be used to bring us closer together by promoting understanding and solidarity, and never to isolate ourselves in a dangerously false and intangible reality.” He and President Tharman spoke about Singapore’s successful multi-ethnic and religious harmony. The pope credited this to the impartiality of public authorities engaging in constructive dialogues with all. “Mutual respect, cooperation, dialogue and the freedom to exercise one’s beliefs within the confines of the law are the conditions that allow for Singapore’s success and stability. They are necessary for avoiding conflict and chaos and provide instead for a balanced and sustainable development,” said Francis. The pontiff is on the final stop of his 12-day tour of four countries in the Asia Pacific. It is his longest trip since becoming head of the Catholic Church in 2013 and his first since September last year. The trip began in Jakarta, Indonesia on September 3 where he held an interfaith meeting at Istiqlal Mosque and led a mass for about 80,000 Catholics at a stadium complex. To round off his trip, he will visit residents at St Theresa’s Home on Friday and attend an interreligious meeting with youths at Catholic Junior College. A Muslim student ambassador for the visit, Noor Aaliyah Ford, said in a video on the school’s Instagram page that it had been a dream of hers to meet Pope Francis since she was 12. She added that dialogue between religions has allowed her to delve deeper into her own faith, and it was important in a multi-religious community like Singapore to have harmony and respect among one another. “When you start to learn why their faith is so important to them, in turn you can learn to respect them much better.” Liberal arts undergraduate Daniel Suresh Thomas was one of the congregants who attended the mass in Singapore’s largest stadium. “The atmosphere here is spiritual but also full of excitement,” the 24-year-old said before the start of the mass. “When I saw Pope Francis touch down at Changi [Airport], it struck me that he was really here in Singapore. I think at that moment I really felt blessed to have this opportunity to be here as a Catholic. I don’t think this is something many Catholics, especially living in Singapore, would expect,” he added. “Regardless of your faith expression, there is an excitement to welcome the Pope, especially to a little country like Singapore.”

Pope Francis’ Singapore visit unites thousands for historic mass

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}During his visit, the pope highlighted the plight of migrant workers, saying they contribute a lot to society and should be paid a fair wage

During his visit, the pope highlighted the plight of migrant workers, saying they contribute a lot to society and should be paid a fair wage