‘A people’s priest’: Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia dies at 86

SINGAPORE – Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia, the first Singapore-born clergyman to be appointed as head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, has died at the age of 86.

Announcing the death on Facebook late on Dec 17, Cardinal William Goh said Archbishop Emeritus Chia “passed away peacefully this evening at St Theresa’s Home”.

Archbishop Emeritus Chia’s wake will be held from Dec 18 to 21 at the main church of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, located on Queen Street. No parking will be available on the premises.

The schedule of the wake and funeral is as follows:

Dec 18 (Wednesday)

Dec 19 (Thursday) and Dec 20 (Friday)

Dec 21 (Saturday)

Earlier on Dec 17, at about 2.50pm, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore posted on its Facebook and Instagram accounts, calling for prayers for the archbishop emeritus.

“His Grace, Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia, is critically ill. We invite all to pray for him and for those who care for him during this time,” it said.

In an hour, the posts collectively drew nearly 2,000 reactions, with commenters praying for his recovery and wishing him well.

In an Instagram post on Dec 18, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam described Archbishop Emeritus Chia as a “humble servant leader” and “tireless advocate for understanding and harmony between people of different religions”.

“He was known for good reason as the ‘people’s priest’. He paid particular attention to the vulnerable, and worked to advance humanitarian causes through Caritas Humanitarian Aid and Relief,” said Mr Tharman.

On his social media accounts, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said: “A devoted shepherd and steadfast pillar of the Catholic community, his unwavering faith, humility, and compassion enriched many lives. My deepest condolences to the Catholic community.”

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Dec 18 recounted the times when they worked together during Mr Lee’s time as Singapore’s prime minister.

“More than once, we had to deal with delicate matters that concerned racial and religious harmony,” Mr Lee wrote on Facebook and Instagram.

“On these occasions, I always found him clear and steady, understanding fully the issues and the stakes, exercising firm leadership as he worked with the government to resolve the problem,” he noted.

Lauding Archbishop Emeritus Chia’s efforts in fostering interfaith dialogue, Mr Lee said he guided his flock to be good Catholics living in peace and harmony with the other faiths.

“Singapore has lost one of her illustrious Catholic sons. He will be deeply missed.”

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said Archbishop Emeritus Chia was his parish priest before being appointed Archbishop, describing him as a “cornerstone of interfaith harmony” and an embodiment of servant leadership — humble, compassionate, and always approachable.

“Archbishop understood Singapore as a vibrant tapestry of cultures and beliefs, and he worked tirelessly to weave threads of understanding and love between our communities. His vision of inclusion is one that we must continue to uphold and emulate,” said Mr Tong.

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC MP Alex Yam also paid tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Chia in a Facebook post. “He was a shepherd who served with unwavering faith, humility, and love for his people,” said Mr Yam.

“I was blessed to have encountered his pastoral wisdom and kindness when I worshipped at the cathedral, and I know his legacy will live on in the hearts of the faithful and in the Church he so dearly loved.”

Speaking to The Straits Times, civil servant Nick Lim, 27, said that he was sad to hear of the archbishop emeritus’ death.

“I find comfort knowing His Grace is in a better place. The Catholic Church has been my home for the past two years, and I know it is built on people like him,” said Mr Lim.

Mr Solomon Tan, who works as a social service professional, said he will always remember Archbishop Emeritus Chia for his “tireless work in fostering interfaith dialogue and breaking down barriers between faiths”.

“He was truly an active pioneer in strengthening unity in Singapore, not just between races, but also religions. His call for inclusion is something I am deeply proud of, and aspire to emulate,” said the 34-year-old.

‘A people’s priest’

According to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore’s website, Archbishop Emeritus Chia had a reputation as “a people’s priest”, who emphasised the importance of the adage, “A leader who knows the way, shows the way, goes the way”, while continuing to be collaborative and approachable.

Born on April 8, 1938, he studied at Holy Innocents’ English School (renamed Montfort School in 1959, and subsequently split into Montfort Secondary and Montfort Junior schools) in his youth, and was ordained as a priest on Jan 26, 1964, in the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.

Following this, he began his ministry as assistant parish priest at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, then went on to serve in the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in 1966 and Church of the Holy Cross in 1980, where he remained for 21 years.

He set up the Singapore Pastoral Institute, where he served as director from 1978 to 1990, and was in 1995 appointed chancellor and procurator of the archdiocese, handling its clergy and financial and business affairs respectively.

He succeeded Malaysia-born Archbishop Gregory Yong as Archbishop of Singapore on Oct 7, 2001.

Archbishop Emeritus Chia was succeeded by then Monsignor Goh as head of the Catholic Church in Singapore on May 18, 2013. After his retirement, he took up residence at the Catholic Spirituality Centre.

On Feb 18, 2014, he suffered a fall, and was transferred after a period of recovery to St Theresa’s Home, where he continued to receive the necessary care until his death.