PUBLISHED ONSeptember 09, 2024 4:00 AMByKhoo Yi-HangHis visit may be brief but this experience will leave a memory enough to last the staff of St Theresa's Home a lifetime.
The staff of St Theresa's Home have expressed their eagerness to meet Pope Francis in person, they shared with AsiaOne.
St Theresa's Home is a nursing home under the Catholic Welfare Services that provides care to the elderly and aged sick, so that they may recuperate or live out their final years with proper support.
Executive director Victor Seng is among the staff members of the Home who are excited to meet the pontiff.
"Pope Francis' visit to Singapore is something the whole country is very happy about," he said. "What makes me happier still — a dream come true — is that the Pope is coming to visit St Theresa's Home."
Speaking on behalf of residents and staff, Seng said that he feels "privileged and honoured" to have the Pope visit the Home.
Seng himself will get the chance to speak with the Pope when he visits on Friday (Sept 13), as Seng will guide and introduce the Home to him as he tours the premises.
Reiterating how this is a "dream come true" to him, Seng described this event as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"I'm working very hard towards the success of this visit… this is something that I will treasure and keep in my heart till the end," he said.
Speaking with AsiaOne, nurse Rowena Delgado also felt that the excitement among residents and staff in St Theresa's Home was palpable.
To her, the papal visit seems surreal.
"The papal visit to Singapore is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so I feel very honoured that the Pope will come to Singapore — especially to St Theresa's Home, where I belong," she added.
Rowena also shared that she has always wanted to go to Rome to visit Vatican City and catch a glimpse of the Pope.
"It never crossed my mind that the Pope will come to Asia — to Singapore — so the dream that I've had has become reality," she said.
Recalling how residents and staff alike were surprised when they were informed of the upcoming visit, Rowena said that there was a lot of chatter about it as word spread quickly.
"They are counting down how many days more [until the Pope arrives]," she said. "All the residents involved are counting down and preparing what to wear for that special day."
Preparation for the visit has also brought about a "unity and togetherness" among staff regardless of religion, she added.
When asked what she'd say if she gets to speak with the Pope, Rowena replied that she would be far too stunned to respond.
"I think I wouldn't be able to open my mouth," she said. "I'd just stare at him, because if I see the Pope, it's like I'm seeing Jesus Christ… I think I'll be crying."
If she could get her words out, she'd ask the Pope to bless her and Singapore, and pray for peace, she shared.
A nurse from Myanmar who only wished to be known as Francisca said that she would also want the Pope to bless St Theresa's Home and its residents, as well as the elderly across the world.
She also highlighted Myanmar's ongoing civil conflict, hoping that the Pope would be able to bless her country.
A priest in St Theresa's Home, Father Anthony Hutjes, told AsiaOne that he hopes he'll be able to hand Pope Francis the books he's personally written about the Catholic faith.
Although he may not share the same level of excitement as the rest, that may be because this isn't the first time Father Anthony has seen the Pope in the flesh — he was present when Pope John Paul II visited Singapore back in 1986.
The 88-year-old recalled how he had stood among the crowd to see Pope John Paul II, and how rain had started pouring the moment they began mass.
"We were there, it was raining cats and dogs," he said with a laugh. "The music — they couldn't speak properly, couldn't blow properly, because the water fell in [to the instruments]."
Yet the people at the event braved the rain, Father Anthony said.
"The weather was fine until we began the mass… as soon as it — there was fine weather again," Father Rene Nicolas, 94, chimed in.
Pope Francis will be visiting Singapore from Sept 11 to 13 as part of his tour of the Asia-Pacific region.
He has visited Indonesia and will be visiting Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste before arriving in Singapore.
Following his arrival on Sept 11, the 87-year-old will have a meeting with members of the Society of Jesus at the St Francis Xavier Retreat Centre.
On Sept 12, he will meet President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the Parliament House.
The pontiff will then head over to the National University of Singapore's Cultural Centre for a state address.
Mass will be held at the National Stadium, where he will tour the stadium pitch on his Popemobile, greeting attendees.
His third day will be spent visiting St Theresa's Home and Catholic Junior College before he returns to Vatican City. This will conclude his 12-day Asia-Pacific tour.
For more on Pope Francis' state visit, visit our microsite.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com
