Cardinal William Goh in Singapore has called for religious and racial unity after a priest was stabbed in the face during a Catholic Mass, sending shockwaves across the southeast Asian nation with its complex ethnic and religious mosaic.

The man stabbed Father Christopher Lee while he was distributing communion during the November 9, Saturday children's evening Mass at St. Joseph's Church in Upper Bukit Timah, Singapore, raising concerns in the multicultural island state with a complex religious tapestry.

The 57-year-old Lee had an 8 cm. (3.1 inches) laceration on his tongue, a 3 cm. cut on his upper left lip, and a 4 cm. cut on the corner of his mouth. He has since been discharged from hospital, the Straits Times reported.

He was conscious when taken to the National University Hospital (NUH) after the incident, and was in stable condition on the night of Nov 9.

Responding to Lee's stabbing, Cardinal Goh conveyed the collective grief of the Catholic community, emphasizing that while such violence is deeply unsettling, it serves both as a sobering reminder for vigilance and as a testament to the church's resilience.

"The truth is we should not be overly surprised that this incident happened in our most sacred space," he noted. "A person could attack a religious leader, or anyone for that matter, in a church for various reasons." He cited potential motives ranging from terrorism and fanaticism to personal grievances and mental health issues, according to La Croix International.

Congregation members, including the Archdiocesan Emergency Response Team, subdued the assailant before police arrived.

A 37-year-old man, Basnayake Keith Spencer, was charged in court on Nov. 11 over the incident. The Singaporean was handed one count of voluntarily causing grievous harm with a dangerous weapon.

The Singapore Police Force noted the attacker's history of serious offenses, including drug misuse and causing grievous hurt, and stated that initial investigations suggested he acted alone, with no current indication of terrorism.

"Based on the preliminary investigations, the man," they noted, "is believed to have acted alone and the police do not suspect that this is an act of terrorism, for now."

"The public, is urged to remain calm and refrain from speculation as investigations are ongoing to ascertain the motive behind this incident."

Spencer has been charged with the offense of voluntarily causing grievous hurt by a dangerous weapon and has been remanded in custody by a court in Singapore for three weeks.

Goh urged Catholics to "not be paralyzed with fear," and pointed out that Singapore's church was prepared for such incidents. He urged Singapore's clergy to courageously continue in their ministry while keeping in mind the possibility of such risks and attacks.

Singapore has a population of six million people. It is a tiny state of 709 sq km (274 sq miles), with ethnic Chinese making up 74 percent of the population, Malays 14 percent, and ethnic Indians 9 percent according to the CIA Factbook.

Buddhism, with 31 percent, is the religion with the biggest following, followed by Christianity at 19 percent, Muslims at 15.6 percent, and Hindus at 5 percent.

Pope Francis made a 3 day visit to Singapore on Sept 11 of 2024.

"Going overboard with security measures may discourage the faithful from coming to worship," said Goh.

While ensuring safety is essential, the church must remain accessible and welcoming, maintaining its role as a refuge for spiritual solace said Cardinal Goh, while noting that vigilance does not mean surrendering to fear but, rather living prudently. "We must continue living our lives normally while taking practical precautions and looking out for each other."

"Religious leaders must recognize that as public figures, we bear a certain amount of risk," Cardinal Goh said, underscoring that while security should not be taken lightly, clergy must continue their ministry with courage.

"We firmly believe God is in charge of our lives and that He will transform evil into good. We cannot allow evil to paralyze the proclamation of the Gospel."