The Catholic Church in Singapore is receiving its largest cohort of catechumens in a decade this Easter, according to Vatican News.
Nearly 1,000 catechumens attended the Rite of Election Mass in February. Although no formal study of local conversion trends has been conducted, Vatican News reported that active evangelization by young people may have contributed to the surge, along with a 2024 visit from Pope Francis, which reportedly reflected a positive impression of Catholicism among Singaporeans according to a March 4 article from the Catholic News of Singapore.
Father Terence Kesavan, catechetical director of the Office for Catechesis for the Archdiocese of Singapore, spoke during the Rite of Election Mass last month, telling catechumens that their “yes” to God is a reflection of His desire for them.
“You have made a choice to come to church and to learn more of God and the faith,” he said, according to Vatican News. “But today, we are celebrating God’s choice: God is choosing you.”
Susanna Bay, a convert from Protestantism, is among the catechumens entering the Church this Easter, according to the Catholic News of Singapore.
Bay told the outlet she felt drawn to the Catholic faith, particularly after attending a Catholic marriage preparation program about 20 years ago with her now-husband.
She was experiencing a firm “disconnect” between her Protestant faith and interest in Catholicism, so she joined the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program last year.
Wang Xi Heng is also joining the Church this Easter. He moved to Singapore from China seven years ago and was first introduced to the Catholic faith while searching for spiritual guidance.
Wang said he initially struggled to understand the Mass because he was unaccustomed to the structure of the liturgy.
“At first, the Mass felt like chaos,” Wang said according to the outlet, “I didn’t know why I had to stand up and sit down, or whether I should receive the Eucharist.”
Wang said that as his understanding of the liturgy deepened, the Mass began to sustain him.
“But after attending a few more times, it became enjoyable,” he explained. “Weekly Mass is a way for me to gain strength for the coming week.”