Singaporean Cardinal William Goh was among the 133 cardinals who participated in the conclave to elect the new pope.

SINGAPORE – Amid the cheering in St Peter’s Square and excitement from Catholics across the world on May 8, the election of a new pope also brought about another element: surprise.

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV – or Cardinal Robert Prevost as he was known then – became the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Church.

Within the hallowed walls of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, where the election process known as the conclave took place, the surprise was not lost on Singaporean William Goh, who was one of the 133 cardinals who took part in the voting.

“He was not one of the well-known candidates for the papacy... and most of us did not know him except for those perhaps from Latin America or Rome,” said Cardinal Goh, referring to Pope Leo.

But discussions about the pope’s nationality do not matter, he said, as the pontiff’s role is to be a symbol of unity and to serve the Church and everyone else.

Cardinal Goh became the first Singaporean to vote for a new head of the Roman Catholic Church. Now back in Singapore, the 67-year-old archbishop described the experience as “beautiful” during an interview with The Straits Times on June 4.

“I went in without knowing exactly what I would be doing, and how this whole process would evolve,” he said.

“(But) I went in with a great sense of responsibility that being one of the 133 electors, the person we chose to be next pope would have serious implications – not just for the Church, but for the world.”

Although Pope Leo was elected in just two days, the preparation process that preceded the vote took nine days, when all 252 cardinals – both electors and non-electors – gathered to share with one another their views, concerns and challenges that each country faces.

“We come from all over the world; we have different views of what we think the new pope should do and can do, because we come from diverse circumstances,” said Cardinal Goh, adding that he felt this period was the most important part of the election process.

“But we are all agreeable that the pope must be one that can promote unity within the Church and peace among nations.”

Informal interactions between the cardinals during breaks or at dinner allowed them to get to know one another better.

“We never had the chance to meet each other and to hear from one another, so it was a very beautiful moment, and for me, the most enriching part of the whole experience,” Cardinal Goh said.

The 2025 conclave was a historic moment not just for Singapore, but also for Asia. There were 23 cardinals from the region present, reportedly the most in the history of the conclave, a process that dates back to the Middle Ages.

“In the past, most of the cardinals came from Europe. But the Church has become too euro-centric, which is not the universal church today,” said Cardinal Goh, adding that Christianity has been growing in Asia and Africa.

The religion has been declining in many parts of Europe, but there has been a revival of faith, especially among younger people in the region, he said.

As such, the late Pope Francis’ move to pick cardinals from across the world was important in helping the Church preserve its Catholicity, he added.

The Argentinian pontiff, who died in April, was known for his humility and advocacy for the poor and marginalised.

When deciding who to vote for as the new pope, Cardinal Goh said he felt that the world today needed someone who would bring unity not just to the world, but also within the Church.

“But, of course, unity doesn’t mean uniformity,” he said, adding that unity also recognises diversity, which should be encouraged as long as it is consistent with scripture.

“It is in diversity that we really see the richness of the Church... the different cultures, liturgies, rites and ways of living out the pastoral mission in affluent countries, in poor countries, countries under oppression and discrimination.”

Unity should also involve clarity of doctrine, said Cardinal Goh, who cautioned against a form of inclusiveness that allows anyone to do whatever they want.

“The Church is not a clubhouse, where you can choose to swim, sing or play in the casino. The Church is where all of us are members of this body of Christ, (and) we believe in the gospel. We want to live out that teaching,” he said.

“Inclusivity means all are welcome... So long as you know that you are here not to change the gospel to suit your own preference, but that you will change your life to suit the gospel. That, for me, is inclusivity.”

The conclave has long been the subject of much speculation and intrigue, due to the shroud of secrecy surrounding the voting process.

But the death of Pope Francis also sparked strong interest in a different conclave – the Oscar-winning film starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci. Viewership of the movie reportedly spiked 283 per cent after the pope’s death.

Parts of the movie, such as the tight security, strict ban on bringing in any digital devices and meetings between the cardinals before the conclave to share their views, are true, said Cardinal Goh, who watched it at The Projector with his staff.

But other parts are over-exaggerated, he added. Cardinals do not try to manipulate the situation, lobby one group against another or have secret meetings at night.

He said that once the conclave began, the cardinals were busy with masses and voting rounds, adding that their day would start at around 8am and end at 9pm.

“We are too tired to be able to hold all these other meetings at night.”

As the world was introduced to Pope Leo on May 8, Cardinal Goh stood alongside his fellow cardinals on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica while thousands cheered from below.

Witnessing this was very inspiring, he said, adding that the response was “one of deep faith, unity, support and joy.”

In describing the new pontiff, Cardinal Goh said he found Pope Leo to be very prayerful and meditative.

“(He) is someone who really wants to listen, learn and try to understand... He doesn’t react suddenly and is a man who thinks through what he wants to say,” Cardinal Goh said.

For non-Catholics who had followed the conclave, the cardinal said he hopes they can come to appreciate what the Church is doing for humanity, and that it welcomes everyone.

“We want to promote authentic life, respect for every human person, and respect for people of other religions and cultures,” he said. “And we can work together in unity for the good of humanity.”

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Source: The Straits Times.