‘We are still shocked’: Parishioners shaken after St Joseph’s Church stabbing but undeterred from attending service

SINGAPORE: Mr John D’Cruz was attending mass at St Joseph’s Church on Saturday (Nov 9) evening when he heard a commotion several metres away. 
“I heard someone scream … there was a thud, and Father Christopher just fell,” said the 27-year-old, who was on duty as an altar server. 
He initially thought that Father Christopher Lee, who is the parish priest of the church, had just fallen down. But he soon realised that he had been stabbed. 
“He was on the floor, people were helping him and holding him, and there was a lot of blood coming out (from his facial area) and his entire chasuble was bloody,” he said, referring to the priest’s garment. 
Despite seeing what he did, Mr D’Cruz was undeterred from returning to church on Sunday to continue serving, joining hundreds of parishioners who attended service as usual in the morning. 
“People are still returning, and I think everything is normal,” he told CNA on Sunday. “I think the police did enough checks already … I think it should be fine.” 
Mr D’Cruz added that the church has also been stepping up the security checks and keeping more vigilant during the service.
The attacker, a 37-year-old man, will be charged in court on Monday with voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon. If found guilty, he faces a jail term of up to 15 years, as well as a fine or caning.
The police will also seek a court order to remand him at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric evaluation.
Members of the congregation, including the Archdiocesan Emergency Response team, helped subdue the assailant, who was wielding a foldable knife. 
Four other weapons were later found on the man, who is not a regular at the church.
The attack happened during communion at the parish’s monthly children’s mass, during which children perform duties that are usually undertaken by adults.
Children also occupy the front rows at these events, but they are open to all to attend.
One youth who was initially supposed to attend mass on Saturday evening was 16-year-old Rosanna. She had swapped her duty with another youth at the last minute.
“I’m feeling kind of lucky … I think it’s a blessing in disguise that I was not able to come for (the Saturday service),” said the secondary school student. 
Some of her friends were not as fortunate and witnessed the attack unfold. 
“I think it was really traumatising … the children are in the front row, and the stabbing happened in the front so the children would have witnessed almost everything, it’s really troubling for them.” 
The church organised a counselling session for the affected children on Sunday afternoon, she added. 
The Archbishop’s Communications Office said on Sunday morning that Father Lee is recovering in the hospital. He is currently in a stable condition following surgery to close his wounds. 
Worshippers attending Sunday’s service were also informed that the church will be holding a special prayer session at 8pm for church members who would like to pray for Father Lee.
Well-wishes and praise for Father Lee streamed in from parishioners whom CNA spoke to outside St Joseph’s Church after Sunday’s service.
Retiree John Yap said that Father Lee was a “nice guy”.
“Father Christopher is a very good priest, he baptised my (wife), and we talk a lot every time,” said the 66-year-old. “Only last week, we were joking about why I was absent from church, because I went for a pilgrimage.”
“I’m very surprised this happened … let the police settle the case and find out what’s wrong,” he added.
Another parishioner, Ms Lisa Tan, heard about what happened from her parents who were at the evening mass. 
The 26-year-old engineer, who has been attending the church since birth, said that the church has come together to pray for Father Lee’s recovery. 
“Father Chris is known to be very kind, and is just a generally very caring parish priest, so I think everyone is just saddened by the news, to see him injured,” she said. 
One parishioner who was left shaken by the ordeal was Mrs Joseph. 
The 50-year-old, who only wanted to be known by her last name, said the community was pulling together despite the difficult time. 
While the software engineer was not at Saturday evening’s mass, she heard of the incident through messages from other church members. 
“It was pretty shocking, I would say we are still shocked … we just need to be strong,” she said, visibly emotional. 
She added that she had personally spoken to Father Lee several times in her five years of attending the church with her family. 
“We just pray, and are hoping that things will get back to normal.”
Although the attacker was not named by the police in a media briefing in the early hours of Sunday, he has been identified as Basnayake Keith Spencer.
The identity was reported by The Straits Times, which quoted parishioners saying that the man had been seen at the church previously but was not a regular.
CNA has independently verified the identity of the attacker.
The police said on Saturday evening that the attacker has past antecedents for serious hurt and misuse of drugs offences.
Basnayake was previously convicted of voluntarily causing hurt and given a year’s jail in September 2019.
Two men who helped disarm the assailant were awarded the Singapore Police Force’s Public Spiritedness Award after the media briefing at the Jurong Police Division Headquarters.
“We saw our priest being attacked. It was very instinctive that we had to go and disarm this person,” said Mr Richard Tan Chai Boon.
The other award recipient, Mr Damien Liew Khee Rui, said: “I needed to do something to make sure that no one else gets hurt, or (that) nothing bad further happens.”