RIP Archbishop Emeritus Gregory Yong

I just heard the news from Paul Molina that Archbishop Emeritus Gregory Yong of Singapore, who was also the former bishop of Penang, has passed away died because of a heart failure on the 28th June 2008, at approximately 2.40pm. He was 83.

Requiescat in pace

O God, who wast pleased to raise Thy servant Gregory, to the dignity of the episcopate: vouchsafe to number him with Thy bishops and priests for evermore. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, God forever and ever

His successor, Archbishop Nicholas Chia said “he was saddened by the news but added that he had lived a good life.” Archbishop Emeritus Yong’s body, which is lying at St. Joseph’s Home, will be transferred to the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd on Monday, 30th Jun 2008.

Here's what Wikipedia has to say:

Gregory Yong Sooi Ngean (Chinese: 杨瑞元) D.D. D.C.L was the Roman Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Singapore.

From May 20, 1925 - June 28, 2008

Born in Taiping, Malaya on May 20, 1925, he was educated at St. George's Institution and St. Michael's Institution in Ipoh, Malaya. In January 1941, he entered the Minor Seminary and in 1944 graduated to the Major Seminary. He was ordained in 1951 and posted to the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Singapore. In 1953, he left for studies in Rome where he was conferred a Doctorate in Canon Law, the very first local priest to achieve the distinction. Back in Singapore in 1956, he was sent as assistant Parish Priest to the Church of the Sacred Heart. In the following year, he joined the teaching stuff of the Minor Seminary. After a short stint as assistant Parish Priest at the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, he was appointed to a teaching position in the Major Seminary, again, the very first local priest to be thus honoured. On July 1, 1968, he was consecrated Bishop, and took over the Diocese Of Penang from Bishop Francis Chan who had died on October 27, 1967.

On February 3, 1977, he was appointed to succeed Archbishop Michel Olçomendy as the first of the local clergy to lead the Church in Singapore. On April 2, 1977, he was officially installed as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore. He was the second Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Singapore, which was formed in 1972 when the Archdiocese of Malacca-Singapore split and held the office until retiring on October 14, 2000.

He died on June 28, 2008 at St Joseph's Home, Singapore.