Singapore Cardinal William Goh Seng Chye has called upon the Catholics in the city-state to prepare spiritually to welcome Pope Francis in September.
“There is great excitement for the September arrival of Pope Francis. He is more than just a father in our eyes. Above all, he is the vicar of Christ, taking over from Saint Peter,” Cardinal Goh said in a message.
“The Holy Father still hasn't visited any of the many Catholic communities—several of which are far bigger than our own—around the globe,” Goh said.
Singapore is extremely fortunate to have received two pope visits during this lifetime.
From September 11 to 13, Pope Francis will be in Singapore.
“The Holy Father's visit will provide us with even more reason to rejoice, reaffirm, and fortify our faith in the wake of SG50, Catholic200SG, the local synodal assembly, and the founding of our Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. This time, the entire country will join us in celebrating, not just those inside the church,” Goh said.
Pope Francis holds the idea of evangelization in the highest regard. His approach to evangelization is sharing the good news of the gospel with all people, showing special consideration for the underprivileged, the downtrodden, and those who are having difficulty staying true to the faith, the cardinal explained.
“The Holy Father comes to proclaim the good news of the gospel to everyone, not only to his sheep. In addition to rekindling our faith and deepening our understanding of what it means to be Catholic, I pray that his presence will encourage us to work together as Christ's missionaries and spread the good news to every corner of the globe,” Goh said.
"We must pray that the Holy Father's health will allow him to make this difficult journey, and that the Lord will provide for such an occasion, which calls for significant financial and human resources," he added.
"Let us hope that the visit of the Holy Father will renew people's faith and draw those who do not know Christ to Him," Goh said.
"Finally, we hope that his presence will strengthen goodwill between the two states and with adherents of various religions," he stated. "I pray that he inspires everyone he shares the gospel with to encounter our Holy Father."
In preparation for Pope Francis' arrival, the Archdiocese of Singapore has developed a dedicated website (www.popefrancis2024.sg). The platform provides background material, prayers, and up-to-date information regarding the visit program. On September 12, 2024, we want to have a Eucharistic celebration as the centerpiece of Pope Francis' visit.
The website also has the archdiocese’s selected theme, "Unity, Hope, and the Cross," which is represented by a logo that combines red, the color of Singapore's flag, with yellow, the color of the Vatican flag, to symbolize these core tenets of Christianity.
Pope John Paul II visited Singapore on November 20, 1986, approximately 38 years ago.
People from various racial and cultural origins make up Singapore's estimated 395,000 Catholic population. Singapore uses English as the primary language for liturgical activities, although Mandarin, Tamil, and other Southeast Asian languages are also available.
Besides Singapore, Pope Francis will visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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