Who are the people working behind the scenes for Pope Francis’s visit? Together with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, we speak to the unsung heroes who lend their time and expertise for this unforgettable event, and explore the challenges faced by those serving out of passion and belief.
An AsiaOne's exclusive, in collaboration with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore.
Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video
An AsiaOne's exclusive, in collaboration with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore.
Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video
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LearningTranscript
00:00Pope Francis is set to embark on his longest trip since becoming head of the Catholic Church in 2013.
00:06We are shocked. Really shocked.
00:08I think it's a big deal.
00:10It is a once-in-a-lifetime event.
00:11Really excited, for sure.
00:13Yesterday was a busy day, and today is a busy day.
00:17Okay, this is actually the bare frame, the bare carcass of the Pope's chair.
00:21We will actually do the upholstery after prayer.
00:26We're slightly behind.
00:28A lot of little concerns.
00:30But we're getting there.
00:31The only thing is hope that it doesn't be real.
00:41Hello, hello.
00:43Nice to meet you too.
00:44I'm the non-resident ambassador of Singapore to the Holy See.
00:48I guess everything started in some ways when our former president,
00:54President Tony Tan, with his delegation,
00:57made a state visit to the Holy See in 2016.
01:01At that meeting in the Vatican,
01:04President Tony Tan invited Pope Francis to come to Singapore.
01:09Every time I had a chance to go and see him,
01:11I would express our wish,
01:14Singapore is waiting for you, Your Holiness.
01:18The whole idea is the invitation was reiterated.
01:22So of course, it was with great delight,
01:24on January the 4th, 2024, this year,
01:28yeah, I got a phone call and he told me,
01:30Your Excellency, your prayers are answered.
01:33That was the beginnings of the eight, nine months of preparation.
01:36I know your question asked me whether what was I doing.
01:39Maybe I was watching K-drama.
01:42I can't remember what it was.
01:52Yeah, it was like about 38 years ago, I think,
01:56and it was 1986 that that was the last visit from the Pope.
02:03Do you know how old you were then?
02:06I was 28, probably.
02:14For this Pope visit, my wife,
02:17Pauline and I, we are in charge of what they call the area of the stadium.
02:23And the stadium happens on the 12th of September.
02:26That is one of the main highlights of the Pope's visit.
02:29So today is the first time
02:35all the functions within the stadium event is coming together.
02:40The good thing about this event,
02:41because it's the Pope's first time,
02:44the good thing about this event,
02:46because it's the Pope's event, it's once in a lifetime,
02:49you do get many people who are willing to say,
02:51Sure, I'm in, you know, sure, I'll help.
02:53So, yeah, we've got a lot of hands,
02:57but there's still a lot of work trying to coordinate the many hands that we have.
03:09Okay, everybody, we're going to start.
03:11We will try to move this fast,
03:14but a lot of information.
03:16So we want it to be clear, right?
03:18I'm actually part of the liturgical team
03:21responsible for coordinating the altar service.
03:24I'm in charge of the organ group for this papal mass.
03:27This year, we're actually performing the theme song,
03:30which I have written for this event.
03:32I'm co-chairing this pre and post mass segment with Fr Valerian Chong.
03:36So I'm the technical director for the stadium portion.
03:38I'm part of the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
03:42So there are 400-plus altar servers.
03:44650 wardens.
03:46400 Eucharist ministers.
03:48400 primary and secondary school students
03:51who will join the parish choir to sing at the papal mass.
03:56So all this really requires different groups coming together
04:01to know what's going on.
04:09**BIRDS CHIRPING**
04:11**CROWD CHATTER**
04:21Today is the last combined practice for the combined schools choir.
04:24**CHOIR SINGING**
04:29I think this prep has begun for a few months already,
04:33but it's only in the last month or two
04:36that they have practiced a lot more.
04:38**CHOIR SINGING**
04:48**CHOIR SINGING**
04:56Choosing the hymns,
04:58we tried to choose things that are familiar,
05:01things that represent our faith.
05:02So we have Greek.
05:03We have Latin.
05:04We also have English and our different languages.
05:08Bahasa, Tamil and Chinese also.
05:10**CHOIR SINGING**
05:14My principal told the choir back in May.
05:17Immediately, the choir teachers, we discussed
05:19and immediately we said, yes, we want to join
05:21because it's a significant event
05:24and it could be even a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
05:26**CHOIR SINGING**
05:30Very good. Come on.
05:31**CHOIR SINGING**
05:33It's like a proclamation.
05:34It's a sing-out.
05:35Make a sound.
05:36**CHOIR SINGING**
05:38Despite not being a Catholic myself,
05:40I still feel very honoured to be part of such a good occasion.
05:46**CHOIR SINGING**
05:50Yes, I've been there already.
05:51One more time.
05:52And one, two, three.
05:54Hi!
05:55**CHOIR SINGING**
06:02Artworks are required to be placed in the papal residence.
06:08So we opened the art competition to all categories of schools.
06:14But it's been immensely popular with primary schools.
06:19And I think by the 2nd of September, we had almost 170 entries.
06:24And we thought it was a wonderful idea
06:26because how better to welcome the Holy Father to Singapore.
06:33**BIRDS CHIRPING**
06:37**MUSIC**
06:44Hang on, I'll turn on the light.
06:46**LIGHT CLICKS ON**
06:50Okay, so this place is chosen because it's simple
06:53and it also can accommodate a large number of people
06:56that will be travelling with His Holiness.
06:58**MUSIC**
07:00This is our dining room where His Holiness will have his meals.
07:04And over here, we have put up all the winners of the art competition.
07:09We put it here so that it's closer for His Holiness.
07:12He can just go over and have a closer view at all these art pieces.
07:16Okay, so right now, if you can see, there is this door that is being closed, right?
07:21This is where His Holiness will be staying.
07:24Work is in progress now, that's why the door is closed, right?
07:27So over here is the main door.
07:30The reason why this block is chosen is because the door has access to the road
07:36so it's easier for Him to move in and out on a daily basis.
07:39**MUSIC**
07:55Yesterday was a busy day and today is a busy day
07:58but that could be because the paper mass is next week.
08:03We're all in a very happy mood.
08:05Everyone is excited about September 12th
08:09and everyone is very friendly and just helpful and just really excited.
08:14**MUSIC**
08:18Hello.
08:20You see the lady wearing that?
08:21Hello.
08:23Yes.
08:24Yes, I'm the model for today.
08:34The prayer kit was difficult because we have to be respectful
08:38and then even the size of the altar cloth and the size of the pouch
08:45was something that we deliberated quite a lot.
08:48I think the t-shirt was the other thing that was difficult to land.
08:54Our items actually all, either they have the logo or on the apparels,
09:02we all have official souvenirs.
09:04So this is important because we want to remind people that
09:09when they buy the souvenirs, they're directly contributing
09:13to the efforts to raise funds for the paper mass.
09:16When you wear it proudly, you're sharing your faith,
09:19you're sharing the excitement of the Pope's coming.
09:22**MUSIC**
09:25Okay, candles. Candles, you're ready.
09:27One, two, three.
09:29**MUSIC**
09:40Let's try everyone from the beginning.
09:42Ready, one, two, three.
09:44One, two, three, and...
09:46**MUSIC**
09:54Rehearsals have been fun.
09:55I've been interacting with other tuba players from different schools
09:58and I get to help others while also learning stuff from other people too.
10:00**MUSIC**
10:04People say it's scary because it's different schools and different expectations.
10:08If anything, I find it more exciting because I get to interact with different types of people.
10:15In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
10:19All help is in the name of the Lord.
10:23So here we see the actual vestment that the Holy Father,
10:27Pope Francis will be wearing on that day.
10:29In it, you see the stole.
10:32And it's actually a cross.
10:33And on this cross, you see actually five stars,
10:37which is taken from our national flag.
10:41Why do we bless vestments?
10:43When we bless something, we set them apart for divine worship and glory of God.
10:51And at the same time, we invoke God's grace upon those who will don on these vestments
10:59in order that they will receive the grace to exercise and perform
11:03their ministry with worthiness and with humility.
11:08Made for vesting your Holy Orders and Vestments.
11:12We ask this through Christ our Lord.
11:14Amen.
11:15**MUSIC**
11:35This is actually the bare frame, the bare carcass of the Pope Chair.
11:38It is not padded yet.
11:40We'll actually do the upholstery after padding.
11:45It is actually made of solid Nyato wood.
11:47It's a kind of tropical wood that is commonly used in Singapore and Malaysia.
11:51And it is actually specially sprayed in gold paint.
11:57I never designed chairs before.
11:59I had about maybe four iterations of it.
12:01And it came to this stage because they wanted something traditional.
12:04But because the stage design and the logo is very modern,
12:08we need to actually put a modern twist to it.
12:10So we simplify a lot of the elements.
12:12But this is not the really final yet.
12:14We still need to tweak it.
12:15This is my first time seeing it.
12:17So I have comments about it, but that's why we have a meeting after this.
12:28This section here will have the wheelchair section.
12:32All the wheelchairs are actually placed in each section.
12:36Until the last group here,
12:39whereby this area is actually kept aside for the press and all the media.
12:47In terms of preparation, I think we are all very happy.
12:51And our daily masses are offered for the success of this visit,
12:55as well as for his health.
12:57So for us, we have what we call the community prayer
13:01that we are conducting every day, every 12.30 in the chapel.
13:05The prayer will be about the safety travel of the Pope,
13:10his health, so that his visit to Singapore will be a successful one.
13:16Every day I'm thinking about that.
13:19For 13th September, I feel like sometimes the tears come out
13:24just the body is very excited for that day.
13:28I think if I have the chance to speak to the Pope,
13:34I think I cannot open my mouth.
13:41You attended the last Pope visit in 1986?
13:45Yeah, we were there.
13:46It was raining cats and dogs, I remember.
13:49The weather was fine.
13:50I remember.
13:52The weather was fine until the beginning of the mass,
13:55then it started raining.
13:57As soon as the mass was over, fine weather again.
14:12I am very, very happy to be here
14:14because the Pope Francisco for me is like my father, really.
14:18The gloomy weather didn't dampen our spirit.
14:20I'm very, very happy to be here.
14:50I've been waiting for a whole week, how can I see him?
14:55Wait, wait, wait, let me breathe, let me breathe.
15:14My aim today and the objective is really to get
15:17all the different people to rehearse their parts
15:20so that everything will kind of run smoothly.
15:25No major concerns, a lot of little concerns
15:28but you know like a train,
15:30sometimes it can go slow, sometimes it can go fast.
15:32The only thing is hope that it doesn't derail.
15:40We are expecting 5,000 volunteers
15:43which means, though there are many, many committees
15:45so you could have ticketing, security
15:48but everything has to be stitched together
15:50so the crew has been working very hard
15:52just to get everything up and going.
15:55Yeah, even now we're slightly behind
15:58but we're getting there.
15:59So it's been very tough.
16:18Actually, my choir master thought I'm too old
16:21to withstand the vigours of the practices and everything.
16:30The choral singing makes me more alive.
16:35Still trying to get used to the sound
16:36because it's quite different from
16:38when you're not singing in a choir.
16:39So I'm still trying to get used to the sound.
16:41I'm still trying to get used to the sound.
16:43I'm still trying to get used to the sound.
16:45I'm still trying to get used to the sound.
16:47We're not singing in the school ball.
16:49Yeah, so far I think the kids are doing well.
16:51They're pretty excited, taking photos
16:53and getting to know each other.
16:55And this is also the first time we are playing with a choir.
17:04This is where we keep the tummies going
17:06and fill them with food and drink.
17:14This is the bento meal dinner for tonight.
17:16Joel, can you open a packet?
17:17Let's see what's for dinner.
17:19Sweet and sour fish.
17:21It's nice.
17:23For the bento meals, we needed 10,000 in total.
17:26We got 2,000 of them sponsored.
17:28The other 8,000, I had to pull together
17:30a team of about six different caterers.
17:33Every time it arrives, everyone has to eat
17:35and be out within two hours.
17:43Okay, so what you're seeing here
17:44is a makeshift studio.
17:47We have a studio team of four presenters.
17:50We're actually feeding the entire broadcast into YouTube.
17:55We're talking to people who are also non-Catholics,
17:58non-believers, fellow Christians.
18:01We're also talking to people of other faiths
18:03who have an interest in what the Pope has to say.
18:06So we do believe this has the opportunity
18:08to reach out to more.
18:44The Pope's message
18:48The mutual respect, the collaboration,
18:52the dialogue, the freedom to profess one's faith
18:56in loyalty to the common law
18:59are determining conditions for the success
19:03and stability obtained by Singapore.
19:06To me, it totally resonated and echoed the Pope's message
19:10in terms of how to actually promote this unity.
19:13And at the same time, of course,
19:15through this universal fraternity aspect,
19:17but also to ensure that this will continue
19:19generations ahead in the years to come.
19:35The police have been working very closely
19:37with various agencies and stakeholders
19:40to ensure the safety and security of these events.
19:42For example, we increased the number and frequency of metros.
19:45So for people and vehicles entering the event venue,
19:48we will also be subjecting them to checks.
19:50The Pope's message
20:09It's a reminder for us to also make a new work journey.
20:13All of us here, I think, will seek his blessing
20:16for the world and especially for Singapore.
20:18For me, it's just really a once-in-a-lifetime event
20:22to see the Pope.
20:23I'd like to hear the homily from the Pope
20:26and really get inspiration from someone
20:30who is very close to God.
20:32I'm Patrick, my husband is Hinder.
20:34For us, it's the first time we're just coming with an open mind
20:38and just receive whatever that's being displayed, heard and shared.
21:19As St. John Paul II used to say
21:23on the occasion of his visit to this land,
21:26adding an important phrase,
21:28which is that for this reason,
21:31love is characterized by a respect for all men,
21:38regardless of their race, their creed
21:43and regardless of what makes them different from us.
21:49Brothers and sisters, it's an important word for us
21:53because beyond the amazement we feel
21:57in front of the works made by man,
22:00it reminds us of an even greater wonder to embrace
22:05with even greater admiration and respect,
22:09namely, the brothers and sisters
22:13that we find every day on our path,
22:17without preference, without difference,
22:20as the Singaporean Church and society
22:24have witnessed.
22:27Ethnically, so diverse at the same time,
22:32so united and united.
22:39I think his message of peace and unity and love
22:56is very valuable and admirable.
22:58A lot of the things that he's been talking about
23:01as part of his visit, not only to Singapore
23:03but also to different countries in the region,
23:08I think it aligns quite strongly to this central principle
23:12of the Baha'i faith called the wonders of humanity.
23:14And the message is very closely aligned.
23:37I ask you to pray for me, and I will pray for you.
24:07Welcome to Singapore!
24:17Hi everyone, I'm Nguyen, I'm from the Baha'i community.
24:21I'm a Roman Catholic.
24:22I'm a Sikh faith.
24:23Hindu.
24:24Buddhist.
24:24I'm a Muslim.
24:25If you talk to young people,
24:29you will talk more to adults.
24:34You will talk like citizens, like politicians.
24:39That's why I say to young people,
24:41take risks, go out.
24:44A young person that is afraid and doesn't take risks
24:47is an old person.
24:51Do you understand?
24:59I take away from this.
25:01I think we have to humble ourselves,
25:03we have to appreciate what we have,
25:04what we enjoy today.
25:06We have to learn to appreciate what we have,
25:08what God has given to us.
25:11So I'm still in a lot of shock.
25:14It's really a pleasure being here to witness everything
25:17and to journey with the people closest to our heart.
25:23Love is truly important.
25:26All of us have to be true disciples of Christ
25:29and demonstrate that love
25:31to those whom we encounter.
25:35I guess this experience reignited my faith.
25:38It's been dying down for the past few weeks,
25:41but I guess it brought me back up to him.
25:43He told me that he's still there.
25:45I was grateful to see how over the weeks,
25:48we all worked very hard.
25:50To see the compliment of everyone,
25:52come together,
25:53putting in a lot of hard work,
25:54is also a very nice and inspiring thing to see.
26:01Many people have come to thank me.
26:04It is the people who have done the work, not me.
26:07I have no credit to claim for this papal trip.
26:11It is the many people who have volunteered themselves,
26:15countless hours,
26:16sacrifices that they have put in.
26:19Using whatever talents you have,
26:22whatever charisms the Lord has given to you,
26:24together as one church,
26:26we are all going to be saved.
26:29Together as one church,
26:31one body of Christ,
26:32we have made this visit possible.
26:35For us as Catholics,
26:37when we have this great crowd of 50,000 and more,
26:42united in worship,
26:45you experience what it means to be Catholic,
26:49to be part of this universal church.
26:58Across the seas and oceans,
27:01His mercy and love to proclaim.