The intervention by the Vatican occurred after Cardinal Pell made a formal request in February and again on October.
A letter from the Secretariat of State (the office is responsible for Church Relation with State) states: “Following the instructions of this Secretariat of State, the Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore presented two requests for clemency, one on February 28, 2005 and the second on November 1, 2005, respectively in the names of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI."
It is reported that the Singapore government gave an assurance that the letter was being given to the President but the letter gave a grim forecast regarding clemency stating: “The Authorities of Singapore have not yet given any response to the second request. The situation does not appear to be hopeful, however, since clemency has been granted only in rare circumstances.”
However it is reported the Vatican ‘will continue to follow the development of this tragic case’ but Cardinal Pell is grateful for the intervention of both Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II. He deplores the Singapore government decision to execute Van and offers his prays for Van and his family saying: “My thoughts and prayers go out to this young man and his mother at this most difficult time…(where) the punishment in Van’s case is completely disproportionate to the crime he has committed.”