By Xinghui Kok
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Philippine hospital director Anna Galarrita and Filipino housekeeper Olga Reyes have been training for months to be part of the 1,500-member choir at the papal mass on Thursday when Pope Francis visits Singapore.
The two women and Singaporean engineer Raphael Lau, who will serve as communion pastor during the Mass, have taken time off from work to volunteer and rehearse their roles ahead of the first papal visit to the island republic in 38 years.
“It's a dream for all Catholics to meet the pope. Because it's like he's standing next to God,” said Reyes, 52. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime story that I can pass on to my grandchildren, that 'Oh, I've been there, I've seen the pope, I've been to Mass. I've sung to the pope.'”
Lau, 66, said the visit makes him feel very special. “It's really a once-in-a-lifetime event for us.”
Francis, 87, arrives in Singapore on Wednesday and will remain on the final leg of the longest tour of his papacy from September 11 to 13, despite concerns about his health. The 12-day trip includes visits to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor.
In Singapore, he will hold a mass for 50,000 people. He will also meet with Singapore's leaders, visit a retirement home and hold an interfaith dialogue with local youth.
For many Catholics in Singapore, this is the first time they have seen a Pope. The last papal visit was in 1986 when Pope John Paul II visited for 5 hours.
The Singapore government said the invitation to the pope was extended by then-President Tony Tan during a visit to the Holy See in May 2016.
A spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore said news of the visit had “unleashed a wave of enthusiasm and dedication within our community”.
Emma Leong, 12, from Singapore, said she has been reading about the pope and sharing trivia with her brother Jonah, 10. They will both skip school to attend weekday mass.
“I want to see how he teaches differently about God and how that differs from the normal Mass,” said Jonah, who indicated that he would also like to give the pope a high five.
About 7% of Singapore's 3.7 million citizens and permanent residents are Catholic, according to a 2020 government census. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese estimates the total Catholic population – including foreign residents – at 395,000, with Filipinos making up the largest group.
Despite the small number of Catholics in Singapore, the religion has a long history in the country. Portuguese Catholic missionaries first came to Singapore in the late 15th century.
In 1833 the first Catholic chapel was opened in the city and in 1852 a mission school followed.
In 1885 the Catholic Church was established as a legal entity.
For hospital worker Galarrita, 45, who has lived in Singapore for 17 years, the papal Mass is a gift because it happens on her birthday. Galarrita said she wants to offer her volunteer choir services as a prayer for her mother who recently died of cancer.
“It's shocking, but also blessed, because despite everything I was still able to meet Pope Francis. I pray for her soul and for those who have cancer.”
(Reporting by Xinghui Kok; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
