Singaporean William Goh among 133 cardinals worldwide choosing the new pope | Singapore Breaking News & Latest Updates

Singaporean William Goh among 133 cardinals worldwide choosing the new pope — SINGAPORE -Cardinal William Goh is one of the 133 cardinals worldwide – and the first Singaporean – who are choosing the new pope in the papal electio...

SINGAPORE -Cardinal William Goh is one of the 133 cardinals worldwide – and the first Singaporean – who are choosing the new pope in the papal election that starts on May 7 at the Vatican.

The 67-year-old head of the Catholic Church in Singapore also has a shot at becoming the next pope, like the othercardinals gathered in Rometo choose the leader for the 1.4 billion Catholics globally.

Cardinals are second in rank only to the pope in the Church’s hierarchy.

And after a pope dies, all the cardinals worldwide under the age of 80, who are known as cardinal electors, come together to choose the new pope. They typically choose a man from among their ranks.

Pope Francis, who died on April 21,elevatedCardinal Goh to a cardinal in 2022. Cardinal Goh is the first and only Singaporean to be appointed a cardinal so far, and he heads the 395,000 strong Catholic Church here.

One of six children of a housewife and a clerk, Cardinal Goh grew up in a zinc-roofed house in Hougang and later worked as a forex dealer before he answered the call of priesthood. He was ordained as a priest in 1985 at the age of 27.

Pope Francis died of a stroke, which resulted in a coma and irreversible heart failure, at the age of 88. Born in Argentina, he became the first pope from Latin America when he was elected in 2013.

In September 2024, Pope Francis visited Singapore for the first time as part of his four-nation tour of Asia. Hecelebrated a papal mass on Sept 12 at the National Stadiumwith about 50,000 people in attendance.

On April 22, a day after Pope Francis died, Cardinal Gohpresided over a memorial mass for the late popeat the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Singapore. He also told the media then that he would head to Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral and join the conclave to choose the new pope.

The word conclave means “with key” in Latin, and the new pope needs to garner at least two-thirds of the vote. There are 133 cardinals from about 70 countries electing the new pope, who will be the 267th pontiff.

A spokesman for the Archbishop’s Communication Office told The Straits Times that according to the Code of Canon Law, any baptised male Catholic can be elected as the pope. Cardinal Goh is also the Archbishop of Singapore.

But since since 1379, every pope has been chosen from among the College of Cardinals, the spokesman added.

The spokesman said: “Cardinal William Goh, like all cardinals participating in the conclave, could be elected pope. The Church believes the papal election is a process guided by the Holy Spirit, and we entrust it to divine providence.”

The spokesman said that the Catholic Church here is “encouraged” that Cardinal Goh is the first Singaporean cardinal ever to be part of the papal conclave, adding that it is a significant moment for Catholics here.

He said: “For Cardinal Goh, this is a profound and significant responsibility because, by exercising his vote, he will help shape the future of the Catholic Church, contribute to discerning its path and its prophetic role in the world, and by doing so, be a voice for peace, unity, and the voiceless in society.”

Ms Janet Ang, Singapore’s non-resident Ambassador to the Vatican, said that Singapore is blessed to have a cardinal who is part of the conclave choosing a new pope, who will lead the church and be a moral voice in a world faced with wars, a climate crisis, and technological and other disruptions.

She said: “Electing a pope is not like any political election like the general election we just completed. It is the work of the Holy Spirit moving the cardinal electors through prayer and discernment.

“Any one of the cardinal electors, Cardinal William being one, can become pope if God so chooses.”

Mr Lawrence Chong, a Singaporean who is a consultor at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Inter-religious Dialogue, pointed out that it is a noteworthy honour that Singapore has a cardinal, given its small Catholic population relative to other countries.

Unlike secular elections, it is taboo for the cardinals to campaign for the top role, he said.

However, before the conclave starts, cardinals take part in formal meetings to get to know one another, and to deliver speeches that usually touch on what the Catholic Church needs at that time.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, an Italian, andCardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, a Filipino, are widely touted to be among the front runners for the role.

Other potential popes include Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, a Ghanaian, Cardinal Mario Grech, a Maltese, and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, an Italian.

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