SINGAPORE (UCAN) -- A simple and generous man, whose Christ-like behavior spoke a more eloquent message than any sermon, is how people who knew the late Archbishop Gregory Yong Sooi Nghean describe him.

"He lived (Jesus' message), not preached it," said Monsignor Francis Lau, who was vicar general during Archbishop Yong's episcopate.

Monsignor Lau shared his memories with UCA News a few days after Archbishop Yong's funeral, held on July 2. The prelate, who headed the Church here 1977-2000, died of heart failure on June 28 at the age of 83.

"He really lived up to the spirit of poverty," Monsignor Lau said. He recalled how the late prelate used to mend his own clothes and drive an old car, even to meetings with dignitaries such as the Singapore president.

The former vicar also recalled how no poor person who came to the cathedral for help would leave empty-handed. The archbishop used to collect S$2 (US$1.47) notes, which "in those days could get you a decent meal," and distribute them to these people. People would come to the cathedral practically every morning, and Archbishop Yong would see them one by one, the priest continued.

"He taught not only by words and homilies but by example. His personal living shows that," he concluded.

In return, thousands came to pay their last respects during the funeral Mass at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.

They included Malaysian Archbishops Murphy Pakiam of Kuala Lumpur and John Ha of Kuching, and Singaporean Catholic politician Lim Boon Heng, minister in the Prime Minister's Office.

Archbishop Nicholas Chia of Singapore, in his homily, told the congregation that "our love and remembrance of (Archbishop Yong) should spur us on to carry his mission to live out his faith."

Monsignor Marek Zalewski, first consulate at the Apostolic Nunciature in Bangkok, Thailand, read out the nuncio's condolence message.

In it, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio recalled that whenever he visited Archbishop Yong at St. Francis Xavier Retreat Centre and the Canossian-run St. Joseph's Home, where he lived after his retirement, he always "warmly welcomed me with a great smile."
  He added that he was "inspired" by the late prelate's "joy of life and his good sense of humor."

Archbishop Yong's nephew, Bernard Yong, who delivered the eulogy, remembered his uncle as "a caring, humble man of God who always told us to live life characterized by humility, prayerfulness and repentance."

The prelate's generosity once led him to buy S$2,000 worth of Bibles to give away, he added.

After the Mass, mourners followed the hearse in a procession around the cathedral, led by bagpipers. The archbishop was later cremated at Mandai Crematorium.

Archbishop Yong was born on May 20, 1925, in Taiping, Perak, in Malaysia. 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.

He was ordained a priest in 1951, and was the first local priest to be on the teaching staff of College General, the major seminary in Penang, Malaysia. He was ordained Bishop of Penang in 1968, and became Archbishop of Singapore in 1977.

Pope John Paul II accepted his resignation in 2000, after the Singapore Church leader turned 75 that year.

During his term as archbishop of Singapore, he helped to set up the Priestly Life Commission for better communication between priests and the archbishop.

He promoted the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and welcomed many congregations to the archdiocese. These included the Brothers of Mercy, Carmelite Fathers, Daughters of St. Paul, Dominican friars, Missionaries of Charity, Religious of the Cenacle, Divine Word missioners and Opus Dei.

He helped to establish the Singapore Pastoral Institute and St. Francis Xavier Major Seminary, and supported programs such as Natural Family Planning, Marriage Encounter, Choice and Engaged Encounter.

The prelate also steered the local Church through difficult times. In 1987, the Singapore government arrested 22 people, Church workers and volunteers among them, who it said were part of a Marxist conspiracy to overthrow the government. All were later released, but not without an international outcry from human rights groups, bishops and Christian social-action groups.

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