On November 10, churchgoers told ST they were still in shock that an attack had taken place at their church.

Ms Rosalin Kolandasamy, 69, said she learned about the stabbing just minutes after it took place from a friend who had been at the November 9 service.

The pensioner, who attends the Church of St. Joseph for three decades, said Father Lee was always eager to bring parishioners together.

For example, the priest chartered a bus for about 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.

Mrs. Rosalin said she knew of no other church that did this. “He said he wants everyone to walk as a family of this church,” she added as she wished Father Lee a speedy recovery.

Software engineer Jose Nidhin, 40, said his family usually attended Saturday night but did not on Nov. 9 because they were at church in the morning for his son’s first known reconciliation and under the name of confession.

“As it was a children’s table, my son would have been in the front,” Mr Nidhin said. “Doing something like that in front of kids is bad enough.”

The suspect will be charged in court on November 11 with the offense of voluntarily causing grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon, police added.

If convicted, the offense under Section 326 of the Penal Code 1871 attracts a sentence of imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term which may extend to 15 years. The offender will also be liable to caning and/or fine.