The Archbishop of Singapore William Goh issues an apology on behalf of the church for the act committed by a prominent figure who was found guilty of performing sexual acts against two boys.
In a letter released on catholic.sg he wrote:
Dear Rev Frs, brothers and sisters in Christ,
It is with great sadness and regret that we have learnt of the case involving a member of our Church – who has committed sexual crimes against young people. Like many of you, I am dismayed, shocked, and ashamed. Some of us are confused as to what actually took place and how this could have happened.
As Archbishop and leader of the Catholic Community in Singapore, I humbly apologise on behalf of the Church. My heartfelt sympathy to those who have suffered on account of this crime. I pray that they will find healing and closure, and we journey with them as a Church through this pain. May justice be rendered accordingly.
I want to assure you that the Archdiocese takes very seriously the provision of a safe environment, especially where children and young persons are present. The Professional Standards Office (PSO) was established in 2011 to protect the interests of our vulnerable and regularly reviews its protocols to provide a safe environment. The PSO is made up of professionals comprising Senior Counsels (law), ex-District Judges, senior lawyers, legally trained persons, psychologists and people in senior management, not all of whom are Catholics. The PSO operates independently in accordance with the laws of the land as well as the dictates of Canon Law without any interference from the hierarchy of the Church. To further enhance the impartiality of the PSO, with effect from 2018, it has been headed by a lay person, a non-cleric.
The cold reality of having an incident like this on our shores is sobering. Many good Church leaders have sacrificed much to remain faithful to the gospel and have worked hard to instil the values of our Catholic faith in the young. A cloud of suspicion now hangs over those who have given themselves to live a life of service.
Moving on, I appeal to you all to be united in prayer and to sincerely seek the mercy and healing of our God. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us to strengthen our Catholic organizations, councils and institutions so that we emerge a safer, credible, stronger and more compassionate Church. We pray that we all be more vigilant and mindful as leaders and members of the church.
Let this incident be a wake-up call for us all to take our spiritual life seriously and be awakened from a complacent faith. Conversion is required of the entire Church. We must remember that the sins of one will affect others as well. It is a timely reminder for us to renew our faith, find healing in forgiveness and in God’s mercy, and seek reconciliation with our wounded brothers and sisters by taking the call to conversion of life seriously.
Finally, please pray as well for our Church leaders, priests, religious and Church workers to be faithful to the responsibilities placed on them so that they can be true witnesses to the Faith, living exemplary lives for our young to emulate. Pray also for me, that I will have the wisdom and courage to lead the Church after the heart of the Good Shepherd.
Yours devotedly in Christ,
Most Rev. William Goh
Archbishop of Singapore
5 May 2022
Background
The victims were between the ages of 14 and 16 years old. The incident took place between 2005 and 2007, due to the nature of the content the description of the crime will be metaphorically described.
Due to the age of the boys, none of the names will be reported due to a gag order.
2005 – 2006 – The man uses his mouth on the boy
2007 – Did the same thing on another boy
Between April 2007 December, another boy
Previously, The Archbishop’s Communications Office of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore told Straits Times that they will not be commenting as the case is still pending.
It is unclear what is the title of the man in the Catholic Order, Straits Times reported that the accused is not a priest.