Dear Admin Team,
Good morning to you.
With reference to the above mentioned article & the online publication
(http://sg.news.yahoo.com/priest-defies-singapore-catholic-church-leaders-over-stained-glass-project-143303930.html),
I would like to provide my views and to share with you on the written announcement by Rev Fr Michael Teo, age 76 years, who is the priest mentioned in the article. This written announcement was released on 10th Aug, Saturday service mass.
I’m a newly baptised Catholic and I am very disappointed to hear such news.
I had attended a thanks-giving mass service by Archbishop William Goh on 25th May 2013 for his new appointment as the Archbishop of Singapore. I remember clearly one of his strong and encouraging messages to the congregation – that he will be the shepherd to all his priests, looking into their well-being so that in turn, the priests will be the shepherd to all the disciples of Christ. At that moment, I was very impressed by Archbishop William Goh placing an important interest in all the priests under his care.
After reading the Sunday Times publication on 11th Aug and the official announcement (as attached) by Rev Fr Michael Teo, I am deeply saddened that an old priest has been treated in the way Fr Teo has been treated. I am also deeply disappointed that the church authorities turned a deaf ear to Fr Teo’s pleas. How can a shepherd care for his flock if he does not listen to his flock, especially if it is such an important matter that can affect the church as a whole and especially where public donations are involved?
Why would a 76-year old man who has devoted 44 years of his life to the priesthood spend so much energy, time and resources, as I would guess he did (and perhaps even suffering immense stress, sleepless nights and sadness, as I would imagine he had suffered) to expose the way the church authorities had been handling the relevant project and the way he had been treated, if he didn’t really care for the property of the church and the donors’ monies? Surely, he doesn’t deserve such harsh treatment by his superiors, especially considering his 44 years of service to the people of God.
As a newly baptised Catholic, I am now beginning to see that even in the hierarchy of the church, there can be real problems that can become obstacles against her spiritual growth and well-being as the body of Christ.
I am glad and comforted to know that there are still priests like Rev. Fr Teo. Thank you Rev. Fr. Michael Teo for being my inspiration. God bless and protect you always. I will keep you and the church in my prayers.
With the love of Christ in my heart,
Alphonsus Fong
