“I believe his visit has revived the faith of our people. His visit has caused many of our Catholics to work together,” said Cardinal William Goh, archbishop of Singapore, in an interview with Vatican News about Pope Francis’ recent visit to the country.
“It’s a very rare occasion when all Catholics come together to work side by side. All of them have been very enthusiastic and have felt that it is a great privilege to be part of this entire organizing committee, to plan and work for the success of the papal visit,” he added.
For the cardinal, the papal trip will inspire the intention to “build ourselves as one Church,” to unite around the figure of the bishop of Rome, and to further promote the message of the Gospel among those who need it most.
It is precisely the quest to bring the good news to all humanity that prompted the pope to visit Asia, Goh explained. An effort to make the Catholic Church “truly a sacrament of the mercy and compassion of Jesus toward others.”
“I think that these types of messages, such as reaching out to the marginalized, to the poor, to those who suffer, to the vulnerable, and respecting other religions, the dignity of life, the protection of the family, and young people, respecting young people and encouraging young people to be bold, without forgetting the elderly either, all these messages that the Holy Father constantly speaks about resonate throughout the world, even for us Singaporeans,” the cardinal reflected.
Furthermore, he said the country’s Catholics are grateful because the pope “has rejuvenated” their faith, which in the long term will imply “a more dynamic and lively desire” for fraternity and to lead others to Jesus.