SINGAPORE (UCAN) -- Pope John Paul II has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Gregory Yong Sooi Ngean of Singapore, according to the papal nuncio to Singapore.

Archbishop Adriano Bernardini, apostolic nuncio to Singapore, made the announcement at Mass Oct. 15 at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Singapore. The Mass attended by foreign diplomats marked the 22nd anniversary of the election of Pope John Paul II on Oct. 16, 1978.

Archbishop Yong, who turned 75 last May and announced his resignation in accordance with canon law, gave a farewell speech in which he thanked local Catholics for their "understanding, encouragement and support" during his 23-year episcopate.

"You have been very generous in your response whenever we made appeals on behalf of the poor, needy and suffering people within and outside of Singapore," he said.

After retiring from office, his mission as "a fellow Catholic" to lead people to God via the Catholic way of life continues, the archbishop said.

Archbishop Yong was born on May 20, 1925, in Taiping, Perak. He was the first priest in the Singapore-Malaysia-Brunei region to earn a doctorate in canon law, which he completed at St. Peter's College in Rome.

Ordained a priest on December 3, 1951, he was the first local priest to be on the teaching staff of College General, the major seminary in Penang.

He was consecrated Bishop of Penang in 1968, and became Archbishop of Singapore in 1977.

Archbishop Bernardini said Pope John Paul's acceptance of Archbishop Yong

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