By Hannah Brockhaus
ROME, Italy — At Mass with approximately 50,000 Catholics in Singapore on Thursday, Pope Francis recalled the example of the great missionary to Asia, St. Francis Xavier, who responded with enthusiasm to the call to spread God’s love.
The pontiff celebrated Mass in the Singapore National Stadium, a national landmark, on the last full day of his trip to four countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania Sept. 2–13.
The enthusiastic crowd ranged from young babies to the elderly. Among the mostly Singaporean attendees there were also migrant workers from Malaysia, Vietnamese Catholics, and a delegation from Hong Kong led by Cardinal Stephen Chow.
After visiting the majority-Muslim country of Indonesia, followed by the mostly Christian Papua New Guinea and the 98% Catholic East Timor, Pope Francis landed Wednesday in Singapore, a city-state with about 176,000 Catholics.
The Catholic Church in Singapore traces its roots to the first missionaries who, together with St. Francis Xavier, arrived in Malaysia in the 16th century. Singapore lies at the tip of Malaysia, an island separated only by a narrow strait.
In his homily, Pope Francis called St. Francis Xavier “a saint dear to this land, who found hospitality here many times during his missionary journeys,” including in July 1552, a few months before his death.
The pope quoted from a letter the saint wrote to St. Ignatius of Loyola and his first companions, saying he wanted to go to all the universities in order to cry out “like a madman … [to] those with more learning than charity” so that they might feel compelled to become missionaries for the love of their brothers and sisters, and to “cry out with all their heart: ‘Lord, I am here! What do you want me to do?’”
Recalling, as well, the day’s memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary, the pontiff said: “We too could make these words our own, following [St. Francis Xavier’s] and Mary’s example: ‘Lord, here I am; what do you want me to do?’ so that they may accompany us not only in these days but always, as a constant commitment to listening and responding readily to the invitations to love and live justly that continue to come to us today from the infinite love of God.”
Francis added that Mary “has given hope to so many people by her support and presence, which she continues to do!”
“On how many lips has her name appeared, and continues to appear, in moments of joy and sorrow!” the pope said. “This is because in her we see the Father’s love manifested in one of the most beautiful and fulsome of ways, for in her we see the tenderness of a mother, who understands and forgives everything and who never abandons us. This is why we turn to her!”
The Singapore National Stadium has 55,000 seats and the largest free-span dome in the world at 1,017 feet. It was nearly at capacity for Thursday’s papal Mass in English, which included music by a large band and choir.
Chiarina Mapa, an Australian-Filipina living in Singapore, and her husband were thrilled to get to sing for Pope Francis in the choir.
“It was such a blessing to be able to sing for the pope,” Mapa, who is pregnant with her second son, told CNA. “The choir had been tirelessly practicing since July, fighting the heat during a 10-hour rehearsal yesterday, and up to the final hymn we really could feel all our voices just lifting up and glorifying the Lord.”
Edwin Lim Poh Hoi from St. Anne’s Church in Singapore told CNA he was baptized a Catholic 20 years ago at the age of 45. He decided to volunteer for Pope Francis’ Mass as an act of reparation for his past before he became a Christian.
Father Clarence Yue, who has a master’s degree in chemical engineering from MIT and was ordained a priest last month, was one of many priests to concelebrate Mass with Pope Francis.
Traveling from Vietnam with his wife, Cong Lich Nguyen told CNA they hoped the pope would one day visit their country.
At Mass, Pope Francis reminded Catholics that “nothing lasting is born or grows without love.”
“Sometimes the greatness and grandeur of our projects can make us forget this and fool us into thinking that we can be the sole authors of our lives, of our wealth, our well-being, our happiness. Yet, ultimately, life brings us back to one reality: Without love we are nothing,” he added.
“Faith, then, confirms and enlightens us even more deeply regarding this conviction, because it tells us that at the root of our capacity to love and be loved is God himself.”
Singapore is considered a secular and pluralistic state and a multiethnic city. Approximately 43% of its more than 5 million inhabitants are Buddhist, about 20% are Christian, 14% are Muslim, and there is also a small percentage who practice Hinduism. But based on the most recent data from the Singapore Statistics Office, the Holy See reported that Christianity, and Catholicism in particular, is the only religion that is growing.
Pope Francis in his own homily quoted from the homily of St. John Paul II, who celebrated Mass in Singapore during a visit in November 1986.
“The love that God shows us, and that he invites us to share with others,” Francis said, “‘responds generously to the needs of the poor… is marked by compassion for those in sorrow… is quick to offer hospitality and is persevering in times of trial. It is always ready to forgive, to hope’ even to the point of returning ‘a blessing for a curse… love is the very center of the Gospel.’”
After meetings with authorities, clergy, and young people in Singapore, Pope Francis will return to Rome on Sept. 13.
