On the 1st December as the days of Van Nguyen execution approaches Christians from all across the country are praying for him. The Age has reported that Melbourne’s St Ignatius Catholic Church where Van Nguyen went to primary school with his twin brother Khoa has continued in their prayer.
Cathnews reported that Father Peter Norden the parish priest will: “Open the church at 6am with a short service starting at 8:30am followed by a 10 minute silence leading up to 9am.” He said the bell at St Ignatius will also ring at 9am to ‘symbolise the 25 years of Nguyen’s life.’
Father Norden believes capital punishment is ‘futile’ because the people who ‘aren’t powerful’ usually ‘end up on death row’. The Cathnews has also reported: “The Australian Catholic Students Association are organising a petition for late clemency and has been publicising masses and vigils in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide.”
The ABC has reported Anglican Bishop George Browning of both Canberra and Goulburn strongly condemn the hanging describing it as ‘not keeping with civilised society’ and further added all ‘Australians are within their rights to be appalled at the actions of the Singapore Government.’
Bishop Browning stated: “There is absolutely no justification whatsoever for this penalty to be carried out. When one life is taken all lives are diminished.”
The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that ‘more than half of the 200 people’ who attended St Mary’s Cathedral to pray for Nguyen were teenagers. Father Michael De Stoop voices an ‘end to the death penalty’ where he goes on to say that although the church does not forbid capital punishment it should only be used ‘to protect innocent lives’.
The church will open all night and a second Mass will be held at 6:45am on Friday. Both Catholic and Anglican churches in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide are holding services and candlelit vigils.
The Sydney Morning Herald has report that Lee Hsien Loong indicate that the execution for Nguyen will proceed.