Man who attacked priest identified as previously convicted of stabbing ex-girlfriend

Churchgoers told ST on November 10 that they were still in shock that an attack had taken place on their church.

Ms Rosalin Kolandasamy, 69, said she learned of the stabbing just minutes after it happened from a friend who was at the November 9 mass.

The retired administrator, who has attended St. Joseph’s Church for three decades, said Father Lee was always keen to bring parishioners together.

For example, the priest chartered a bus for 20 passengers going from the church in Bukit Timah to a recent walking event in Bishan organized by Caritas Singapore, the social services arm of the Roman Catholic Church here.

Ms. Rosalin said she knew of no other church that did this. “He said he wanted everyone to leave this church as a family,” she added, wishing Father Lee a speedy recovery.

Software engineer Jose Nidhin, 40, said his family usually attended Mass on Saturday evenings but had not done so on November 9 as they had been at church in the morning for his son’s First Atonement, also known as the confession.

“Since it was a children’s mass, my son would have sat in the front,” Nidhin said. “It’s pretty bad to do something like that in front of children.”

The suspect will be arraigned in court on November 11 for intentionally causing grievous wounds with a dangerous weapon, police added.

If convicted, the offense is punishable, under section 326 of the Criminal Code 1871, with life imprisonment or a term of imprisonment which may extend to 15 years. The offender will also be punished with a caning and/or a fine.