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· X · (SFX) when S I Franc!S avter Youth Choir clinched a gold at an mtemational choral competition. "A Voyage of Songs: 21st Cenrury International Choral Fcs!ival" was held in GenLing Highlands, Malaysia December I5- J9. The award was a huge surprise to SFX members. "! was ecstatic. All of us stood cheering, hugging and crying," recalls Benny Seetob, 16. "I said 'Praise the Lord'," quips Dapllne Lim, 14. " lt is unusual for a church choir 10 geL a gold." SFX Youth Choir, whose members range in age from 11 to 26, competed in the Senior Youth category. They were the only church choir among 38 choral ensembles from China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. " lt was the first time we were competing and we prayed a lot," says a very pleased Denis Leong. 33, the conductor and founder of the choir. Competition was tough. ln the same category were choirs from Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, Victoria Junior College, Merictien Junior College, a Chinese university and others. Six international jurors chose SFX Youth Choir and NUS for gold awards, VJC topped the category. "Nobody actually expected a CaLholic choir to be this good. I was very proud," states Jacinta Tco, 21.
ln the beginni ng ... St Francis Xavier Youth Choir was started as a choir for seven to 13 year-old children in 1987 by Denis leong at the encouragement of the late Fr Pierre Abrial. "Parents brought their kids for us to babysit, especially during the school break. They wanted a safe place for 1heir kids to spend their free time," recalls Denis, who was then 17. Not many parents were willing to bring their kids for regular choir practices. When the choir was fonned, there were only a dozen members. There were also parents who were too busy to rurn up for their children's perfonnances. Denis remembers one boy whose eyes would fill with tears each time they sang ''Have Your.;elf A Merry Liule Christmas" . Perhaps this is why the focus of the choir is sp1ritual fonnation rather Lhan singmg. "We lake spiritual development seriously. Everyone is expected to be a disciple. Singing is only secondary," be teUs CN. That does not mean that their singing ministry has been neglected. Last year they brought in Stella Chou from Beij.ing to give them voice lessons. ''My wish for the choir is that members would consider the priestly and religious vocations," Denis says. But for the members, singing well should suffice for now. As Jacinta puts 11, "Being in th.e choir is being in the service of God." On more than one occasion, the choir, which became a youth choir in 1991 , has served as a vessel for bringing young people
Above: Victorious SFXcboir members display tbe.ir happinness at Geoting Highlands. T be choir bad the support of St Francis Xa vier Church from the time the) were selected for tbe competition. The parish provided meals during rehearsals and paid for the competition co~"tume which was designed by some of the parents. Expenses for the trip to Gcnting, accommodation and meals - some $400 per personwas paid by the parish. Each of the 43 choir members was gh•eo $200 for pocket money from fund-r aising activities.
Below: DENIS Leong, founder and conductor of the choir, shows the award given in recognation of the excellence of the SFX choir.
back to the church. Benny Seetoh is one of them. Bom Catholic, he used to be brought to the Korean-language Mass by his mother. But he could not understand the proceedings so he stopped going. He heard about SPX Choir at Catholic High School, where Den is teaches Mathematics and assists with the school choir. Benny, 16, has been a choir member for two years now and has become a regular Mass-goer. " I am defmitely becoming a better Catholic," he says. "Now I can actually commit myself to reciung the rosary - and I'm trying very hard to pray daily." 'J
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L atin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem (above rig ht) an d other bishops ex press their opposition to the construction of the Is raeli security wall (left) which if comp leted would stretch 200 miles. Israel says the wall is needed to prevent Palestinia n suicide attacks. Leaders from 10 bishops' conferences from E'u rope and North America were in Jerusalem for a m eeting on the church in the Holy Land . C CNSphot• <
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Indonesian and international response to terrorism must include education and politics, pope tells Indonesian ambasador. VATICAN CITY- Pope John Paul II warned that international terrol'ism bas taken on new and more virulent forms, bur he said the response must go beyond punitive or repressive measures. What is needed is a wide programme of education and political mobilization that removes causes of desperation and fosters respect for human life, the pope said Jan. I0. The pope made the remarks at a ceremony to welcome the new an1bassador of Indonesia to the Holy See, Bambang Prayitno. Indonesia has suffered several terrorist anacks in recent months tbat bave killed more than 200 people, many of them foreigners. A few hours after the pope spoke, a blast at an Indonesian karaoke club killed four people. The pope described international terrorism as a "baneful scourge" that has generated brutal massacres, aggravated tensions and eroded possibilities for peace. But he said that despite the
contempt for human life shO~>;ll by terrorists "our response must never be one of hatred or revenge." "Nor are measures that are merely punitive or repressive sufficient. The fight against terrorism must also be conducted at the level of polltics and education," he said. "Political mobilization is needed to eliminate the underlying causes of situations of injustice that can drive people to actions of desperation and violence. Likewise necessary is a commitment to programs of education that are inspired by and foster respect for human life in all circumstances," he said. The pope said the world's great religions have an important role in promoting the unity of Lhe human race, which he said will ultimately prove more powerful "than any contingent division separating individuals, groups and peoples." "[ am convinced moreover that Islamic, Christian and Jewish religious leaders must be at the forefront in condemning
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A Pakistani policeman (right} stands guard outside a church in Karachi. Security was tightened around churches in Pakistan and police patrols were stepped up in Christian neighborhoods followi ng a Jan. 15 car bomb attack outside an Anglican cathedral in which 15 people were injured. A grenade attack on the Pakistan Bible Society on the same premises followed minutes later. CNSp""'•
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terrorism and in denying terrorists any form of religious or moral legitimacy," be said. Dialogue is the only way to guarantee unity, he said. He praised Indonesia's efforts to maintain harmony among the followers of various religions in Lhe country as it tries 10 strengthen democratic principles in its multiethnic society. Some parts of Indonesia have experienced violent clashes between Muslim and Christian populations in the last several years. The pope said presidential elections scheduled for Indonesia later this year will be an excellent opportunity to reinforce the principles of religious and etb.oic equality. The pope highlighted the educational contribution of the minority Catholic Church in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation. The church's extensive school system 1 demonstrates its social concern and its commitment to religious aolerance, he said. He also said he hoped the Indonesian government would continue to assist the church's educational mission by respecting the Catholic identity of its schools and other educational activities. 0 CNS
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Priest's death ''unites" Chinese churches HONG KONG- The death of an elderly Chinese priest illustrates the mingling of mainland China's government-approved and underground church communities. Father Francis Wang Yijun, who died Jan. 16 at age 86, received papal recognition shortly before his death. Father Wang, who left the undeD:gTOund church for the government-approved church in bis last years, reportedly cried upon receiving an apostolic blessing from Pope John Paul II congratulating him on the 60th anniversary of his priest! y ordination. In recent years, up to two-
thirds of the governmentapproved bishops have reconciled witll the Vatican, and at many parishes there has been a mingling of the two "churches." Father Wang generally was respected by all Catholics in Wenzhou Diocese, in China's Zhejiang province. Despite being a member of the go,•ernment-approved church, he criticized the gove!DJDeot on certain occasions. Separate memorial Masses were held Jan. 20 in the government-approved and underground church communities. Some 7,000 Catholics of the government-approved church attended the Mass at the church
in Longgang where Father Wang served as a parish priest until his death. At the underground church in Linj.iayuan, where Father Wang previously served as a parish priest, some 1,000 Catholics attended a memorial Mass. A Wenzhou underground lay leader told UCA News: "Father Wang did a lot for the church. Although he joined the open church a few years ago, we still respect him." Some 12,000 people, including Catholic members of the underground church and local government officials, attended a Mass Jan. 21 before Father Wang was cremated. 0 eNs, uct.N
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representing Caritas lnternationalis, Asian Catholic justice and peace commissions and Pax Chrisri were among 200,000 participants 111 the World Social Forum in Mumbai. Caritas lmernationalis Secretary-General Du ncan Mac Laren and Father Yvon Ambroise. Cariras Asia coordinator, led a delegation from 15 countries to the Jan. 16-21 forum with rhe theme "Another World Is Possible." Wbile some delegates auended the 300 workshops and seminars held each day at the sprawling forum venue, action and advocacy groups' marches turned the forum into a carnival of social activists. Some protested human rights violattons in Tibet and the Palestinian territories; others protested the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Japanese and Korean protesters in colorful attire opposed their governments' plans to send troops to Iraq. On Jan. 20 about 200 priests and nuns marched under the banner of "Forum for Justice and Peace India." Holding placards that read "Development through social j ustice'' and ''Yes to life, no to war," the marchers shouted "We want peace, we want j usti ce for all." Some foru m delegates gave them the "thumbs up" gesture. "We are thrilled by the presence of thousands of nuns bere" at the forum, said Dtvine Word Father John Vattarnattarn, one of the organizers of the march. Before the forum's opening ceremonies, the Alllndia Catholic Universiry Federation and International Movement of Catholic Students marched to oppose religious fundamentalism and globalization. During the forum, Caritas International is sponsored a seminar titled "The War on Terror and Its Threats to Democracy." "We were only spectators in the previous World Social Forum meetings," MacLaren told Catholic News Service. He said that during Caritas' general assembly last Juty, members decided to take a more active role in the forum. Father Shyamlal Bose of Baraipur, India, who brought a delegation of 30 social workers, most of them non-Christians, to the forum, said it was "a great platform to discuss social issues." "We may not be able 10 find instant solutions from here to the problems we face in our areas. But, after witnessing the solidarity and issues raised here,
For registration & enquiries: Tel (65) 6270-5622 Fax: (65) 6271 -7729. Email. ltisword@singner.com.sg ORGANISER: Easter Joy Stn·ices. SCJ up in 1998to ~qu1p peop/t 10 /x tht1r b~.t11hro11gh life .tk1IIJ trammg. We oLso of!trChristian & sptritua/ clmic ur.·lrts.
CATHOLIC nuns, priests and others marcl! in Mumbai, the commercial centtr of Ind ia, Jan. 20 during the World Social Forum. Representatives from Catholic relief agencies, tbe peace group Pax Cbristi and religious orders were among the thousands attending the forum. c.o;s,-_
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we are cenainly motivated to work harder," said Father Bose. The South Asia People's lnitiative brought hundreds of Catholic nuns and priests to the forum along with thousands of their nongovemmental organization associates. The Society of Jesus also had a delegation. The Mumbai Archdiocese's justice and peace commission sponsored a forum Jan. 15, allowing Catholic delegates a chance to discuss tl1e role the church has played and could play in promoting justice and solidarity, reponed UCA News. The tone of the Catholic meeting was set by Father Allwyo D'Silva, chairman of the archdiocesan commission. Globalization is an anack on Christianiry, he said, as it attacks the basic values promoted and preached by Christianiry, including equaliry and buman
rights based on the dtgnity of every person. "As such, Christians cannot remain indifferent to globali7...ation and must respond accordingly," Father D 'Silva said. Oblate Father lissa Balasuriya, a Sri Lankan theologian, maintained that despite good intentions, the church itself has been responsible for injustices heaped on innocent peoples, especially in lhc distribution of land. Institutions throughout the archdiocese were ft.Licd 10 capacity to accommodate the Catholic delegates, with temporary she! ters erected at Se. Pius Seminary near llile main venue to house rural social activists who could not book hotels in Mumbai. ln addiuon, the Salesians sponsored a parallel youth congress attended by some I 0,000 young people from 50 countries. C C''S 1/CAN
New priorities for Indian church India- Cardinal Telespbore Toppo (right}, new president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Indi a, said his flist priority was to achieve greater unity among the three Catholic rites in India- the Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara and Latin· rite Catholics. "There must be greater understanding and greater respect 1 for one another," Cardinal Telesphore Toppo of Ranchi told 1 • reponers Jan. 13. I Recent attacks against 1 Christians in India were a sign 1 that the church needed greater unity, be said. "We have been speaking too much about our differences. We must put our bouse in order first before preaching unity to other Christians. lt is now time for us
The Chun::h of Our lady of Lourdes commemorates its Patronal Feast with a Novena from Saturday Feb 7 to Sunday Feb 15, 2004. Dally Novena Masses at 6 pm.
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British Catholic, Anglican leaders honour Reformation-era martyr By Simon Caldwell LONDON- One of the first martyrs of the Reformation was honoured by Catholic and Anglican leaders in London. A plaque was placed on the unmarked grave of St. John Fisher in the Tower of London by Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor ofWestmi.n.ster and Anglican Bishop Richard Chartres of London during a ceremony Jan. 19, as part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The plaque acknowledges that St_John Fisher, who died a traitor's death June 22, 1535, was a "bishop, cardinal, martyr and saint" St. John, who was canonized witb St. Thomas More by Pope
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Pope urges Christians to pray for peace VATICAN CITY- Opening the
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope John Paul II urged Cluistians of all churches ro pray for peace, especially in the Middle East. "In a world that thirsts for peace, it is urgent for the
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Pius X1 in 1935, was beheaded after he refused to take an oath that repudiated papal authority. Prior to his execution, St. John, wbo was bishop of Rochester, England, spent 14 months in the tower after being arrested for opposing King Henry Vlll's efforts to make himself supreme governor of the church in England. St. John was made a cardinal during his imprisorunent. The plaque was unveiled in the crypt of the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula, where the remains of St. Thomas More are kept. The event was the initiative of Peter Bearcrofl, knight commander of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher. For the last 13 years, Bearcroft has arranged Masses in the cell where St. John
Cardinal Kasper said one of tbe biggest ecumenical events in 2004 would be the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's document on ecumenism. In November, the Vatican will host a conference with the heads of the ecumenical commissions of national bishops' conferences and Eastern Catholic synods and representatives of the Christian communities in dialogue with the Catholic Church. The gathering of about 300 people will focus on what has been accomplished in the past 40 years and what the focus for the future should be, the cardinal said. O CNS Christian community to announce the Gospel in a hannonious way," the pope said Jan. 18. "It is indispensable that they witness the divine love that unites them and become bearers of joy, hope and peace." he said. The theme of this year's Christian unity week is "My peace l give to you," Christ's words to his disciples at the Last Supper. The pope said it was significant that the theme was proposed by the churches of the Middle East, "where unity and peace are tbe most pressing priorities." "In promising his peace, Christ assured his disciples of support in facing trials. And is not the enduring div ision between Christians a painful trial?" he said. "That's why Christians feel the need to turn to their one Lord, so that he may help them to overcome the temptation of discouragement along the difficult path that leads to full communion," he said. 0 eNS
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was incarcerated. "Nowhere is the name of Fisher commemorated in the tower," be tOld reporters. "No one knew he was a cardinal. and a saint, and I thought that had to be redressed and 1 thought L had to do that. ... The important thing to remember is that Fisher, if anything, is the saint for ecumenism. He really tried to maintain the unity of the Western church," he said. The dedication of the plaque came at tl1e end of an evensong service in the Cbapel Royal, during which Bishop Chartres said that by placing the plaque in. the crypt the church was honouring "protest against any , state with messianic pretensions." ) 0 CNS
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MUSLIM HEAD SCARF: Girl student in a Muslim bead scarf attends St. Mauront School in Marseille, France, Jan. 14. The French government has called for a Jaw banning religious symbols from state schools. French church leaders have criticized the proposed ban, saying it infringes on human rights. c.vs
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FIREWORKS: New Year 's f"rreworks iiiuminate tbe Spanish sanctuary of Santiago de Compostela Jan. 1. The cathedral, which inaugurated a Holy Year beginning Dec. 31, expects 10 million visitors this year. The pope has called Santiago the spiritual heart of Europe. c>~s pll«o
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CatholicNews D Sundays February I and February 8, 2004
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"Concert of Reconciliation" at Vatican brings Christians, Muslims and Jews together in cause of peace RABBI Elio ToafT of Rome greets Pope John Paul U following the "Concert of Reconciliation" at the Vatican Jan. 17. Looking on is Jmam Abd ulawahab Hussein Gomaa of Rome. The pontiff called on Jews, Muslims and C hr istians- "believers in the one God" -to work for "sincere reconciliation" and peace in the world. CNSpllaw
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France, Brazil and the United States. The :'\1uslim represemati ves included members of the Muslim community of Rome and representatives of Islamic organizations in Libya and Saudi Arabia. Abdellall Redouane, general secretary of the Islamic Cultural Center of Italy, said the concert "under the banner of peace" was a "great initiative" for bringing together members of the three monotheistic religions. "Tllis concert wu an occasion to reflect not on that which divides us, but that wbich unites us, which is more important," Redouane said. He also said the pope's constant appeals for peace aud reconciliation "remind us of rbe road to follow." Also attending the concert were Anglican, Orthodox and Protestant representatives and dozens of cardinals and bishops, including Bishop Donald W. Wuerl of Pittsburgh and Cardinals WiUiam H. Keeler of Baltimore and Bemard F. Law, retired archbishop of Boston. 0 CNS
By Cindy Wooden
.,
VATICAN CITY- Christians, Muslims and Jews "must find within ourselves the courage for peace," Pope John Paul II told religious leaders gathered at the Vatican for a "Concert of Reconciliation." "Jews. Christians and Muslims cannot accept that the earth be afflicted by hatred, that humanity would remain involved in wars without end," the pope said at the end of the Jan. 17 concert with performers and spectators from the three faiths. Gilbert Levine conducted the Pinsburgh Symphony Orchestra and a massive chorus with members of choirs from Pittsburgh; London; Ankara, Turkey; and Krakow, Poland. The program began with the world premiere of "Abraham," a motel commissioned for the evening and written by U.S. composer John Harbison. The concert was held under the patronage of the pontifical counci Is for Christian tuliry and for interreligious dialogue, and funding was provided by the Knights of Columbus. Seated on either side of Pope John Paul were Rabbi Elio Toaff, retired chief rabbi of Rome, and Abdulawahab Hussein Gomaa, imam of Rome. Pope John Paul said theAbraharn motet and Gustav Mahler's "Second Symphony," also called the "Resurrection Symphony," remind people that Christians, Muslims and Jews recognize Abraham as their father in the faith and that they believe they will be reunited with God at the end of time. ''111e history of relations among Jews, Chri.stians and Muslims is marked by lights and shadows and, unfommately, it has kn09>'n pairtful moments," the pope said.
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By John Thavis
his annual ''state of the world" address to diplomats, Pope John Paul JI urged the international community to help Iraqis ''retake the reins" of their country and establish a democracy that reflects their aspirations. The pope's comments Jan. 12looked beyond his own strong opposition to the war in Iraq and focused instead on the present challenges after the fall of former President Saddam Hussein's regime. "'The numerous steps taken by the Holy See to avoid the painful conflict in Iraq are well known," the pope told more than 100 ambassadors accredited to the Holy Sec. ''What is important today is that the
VATICAN CITY -ln
"Today one feels a pressing need for a sincere reconciliation among believers in the one God," he said. The Abraham motet included God's call to the patriarch: "Walk before me and be thou perfect." The pope said God's words are addressed to every person, who, one day will be called to account for how he or she has lived. "The hope that we express together is that people will be purified of the hatred and evil that continually threaten peace and that they will learn to reach out to each other with hands that know no violence but are ready to offer aid and comfort to those in need," Pope John Paul saidl.
Cardinal Waiter Kasper, the Vatican's chief ecumenist and president of its Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, introduced the concert by saying, "We are all descendants of a common f atber in the faith. "Before the Almighry, we are one family with different children and an unfortunately painful history, but also a fanlily which is based on a common promise: the promise of life and ofpeace," be said. Among those present at the concert were Rabbi Yona Metzger, chief Ashlcenazi rabbi of Israel, and representatives of the Jewish community and Jewish organizations in Italy, Poland.
Pope urges help for Iraq international community help the Iraqis so that they are able to retake the reins of their country and democratically determine a political and economic system consistent with their aspirations," he said. He told the ambassadors that he was communicating to the world through them and that he felt especially close to the many people suffering from armed conflict, poverty, epidemics and injustice. At the beginning of 2004, he said, peace is threatened in too many places around the globe.
ln his wrinen text. the pope had specific comments about international terrorism, which b.e said was spreading fear, hatred and fanaticism, and "doing dishonor to all the causes it pretends to serve." Any civilization worthy of the name must categoricaiJy refuse to have anything to do with violence and must never allow violence to "hold peace hostage," he said. "More than ever. there is an urgent need to come back to a more effective collective securiry which gives to the
POPE J ohn Paul Ir receives a gift from Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger, r ight, who represents the Ashkenazi tradition in Israel, and his Sephardic couot.e rpart, Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar, during a meeting in his private library at the Vatican Jan. 16. In a talk to the rabbis, the pope urged all religious leaders to promote d ialogue and peace. CNSfOII•••
United Nations its proper place and role," the papal text said. Tbe pope said the conflict in the Holy Land continued to destabilize the entire Middle East and to visit "unspeakable sufferings" upon the Israeli and Palestinian populations. '·J will never tire of telling the leaders of these two peoples: The cboice of violence, the recourse, on one side, to terrorism, and on the other side to reprisals, tl1e humiliation of the adversary, hateful propaganda, all lead nowhere," the pope said in his written text. He said that reaching a just settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will require the "concrete involvement of the international community." 0 eNs
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No papal comment on ''Passion'' By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY- Pope John Paul II never said "[t is as it was" after watching Mel Gibson's film on the passion of Jesus, said the pope's longtime personal secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz. "The Holy Father told no one his opinion of this film," the archbishop told Catholic News Service Jan. 18. Archbishop Dziwisz watched the film in the pope's apartment witb Pope John Paul and with the pope's second secretary in early December. The fi lm, "The Passion of the Christ," is Gibson's interpretation of the last 12 hours of Christ's life and is set for release in the United States Feb. 25, Ash Wednesday. The alleged papal quote has appeared in hundreds of oewspapers around the world as an unequivocal endorsement of Gil>son 's controversial film even though papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-VaUs refused 10 confinn the pope said it. The film drew widespread attention even before it was finished, particularly because of concerns over how it would ponray the Jews and its potential for ·promoting anti-Semitism.
them the pope reacted positively to the film and said, " it is as it wa."i."
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ARCHBISHOP Stanislaw Dziwisz stands behi nd Pope John Paul D during an interfaith concert at the Vatican Jan. 17. eNs,• .,. The eo-producer of the fi lm, Steve McEveety, was in Rome in early December to host private screenings of a rough cut of the film for Vatican and other Catholic officials. After the pope and Archbishop Dziwisz watched the film, the archbishop met with McEveety and with Jan Michelini, an assistant director of the film. According to published reports, McEveety and Michelini said Archbishop Dziwisz told
But, Archbishop Dziwisz told CNS, "That is not true." "I said clearly ro McEveery and Micbelini that the Holy Father made no declaration," the archbishop said. "I said the Holy Father saw the film privately in his apartment, but gave no declaration to anyone," he said. "He does not make judgments on art of this kind; be leaves that to others, ro experts." "Clearly, the Holy Father made no judgment of the ftlm," he said. News stories containing the alleged papal quo1e have been posted oo the official Web site of the ftlm : www.thepassionofthechrist.com. In a Jan. 22 statement, Navarro-Vails, the papal spokesman, said he had spoken with Archbishop Dziwisz and confinned that the pope "had the opponunity to watch the film, 'The Passion of the Christ.' "It is the Holy Father's habit not to express public judgments on artistic works, judgments which always are open to various evaluations of an aesthetic character," the spokesman said. A spokesman for Gibson 's Icon Productions declined to comment to CNS Jan. 22. 0 eNs
Ying Ruocheng dies Renowned Catholic performer appeared in 'The Last Emperor' HONG KONG- Ying Ruocheng,
a Catholic Chinese perfonner wllo imertwined Chinese and Western cultures, has died in Beijing. The renowned actor, who in 1986-1990 was Vi.ce Minister of Culture under the State Council, died of Jiver disease in Beijing on Dec. 27. He was 74. Ying acted in several movies, including "The Last Emperor," an Oscar-winning Sioo-ltalian joint venture. ln that 1987 fllm, Ying played the governor of the detention centcr in which Pu Yi, the last emperor, was ""re-educated." He also appeared in " Little Buddha." and the famous Chinese drama, "Teahouse." Ying directed plays and translated aboul40 of Lhem inLo Chinese, including Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" and William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure: · He also translated famous Chinese dramas into English. While at the 23rd Italian Television Play Festival to receive the best actor award for his portrayal of Kublai Khan in a Sino-ltalian TV series on Marco Polo, he said. "Scripls must be S()mct!ung good and new to
Chinese society:' According to his cousm. Sister Theresa Ying Mulan of Beijing diocese, memorial Masses were offered at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (South Church), and Savior Church (North Church) on the day he died, and on Dec. 31, Feast of Saint Sylvester, Ying Ruocheng's patron. Sister Ymg 1old UCA News on Jan. 13 that her cousin was often hospitalized in the past 10 years. "His death is a great loss for the cultural sector." she said. "He was a performer but also a great translator who helped in cultural exchanges between China and the West." A memorial was held on Jan. 9 at the Beijing People's Art Theatre. where his son. actordirector Ymg Da, and many celebrities spoke of Ying Ruocheng's achievements and contributions to the perfonning arts and cultu.ral exchanges. Ymg Ruocbeng was born inlo a famous Catholic intellectual family. His grandfather. Ymg L1anzhi, was a founder of Fu Jen Catholic University in Beijing in 1929. His father. Ying Qianl i, also helped establish the university
and later was its vice president. ln 1951 , two years after the
communists came w power in China, the university closed but it reopened in Taiwan in 1958. The recently deceased Ying studied foreign literature in Qinghua University inBeijing. After graduating in 1950, he joined the Beijing People'sAn Theatre and performed there in the years that foUowed. Ying Ruocheng was jailed for three years during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), but after Lbat chaos ended and China began to reopen, he led performing delegations from mainland China to Europe and the United States, and lectttred at various theatrical ans institutes. He was honorary chairman of the China Arts Festival Foundation, which raises funds for a biennial nationwtde arts festival that was launched in 1990, and he himself won Lhe Magsaysay Award for Cultural Arts in 1998. At the time, be was the second mainland Chinese to win a Magsaysay award. Ying Ruocheng served in 1993-98 as a deputy of Lhe Chinese People ·s Political Consultative Conference. r ,,,.,..
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CalholkN•ws 0 Sundays F•bruary I a.nd February S. ~
9
LITURG Y CANTVI
"One who sings well prays twice."
.. .. By Father Edward Mcl'amaro
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Above: THE kyrie from Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcefli was printed in in the sixteenth century in bis Second Book of Masses. The work is famous because it was said to have been composed to convince Pope Marcellus ll not to ban polyphonic music from the liturgy. - us J.ar"'7•1C••J"'"
OREGORIAN chant may be used in any parish, even when Mass is celebrated in the vernacular. Not only is it appropriate, but Church documeniS positively recommend that all Catholics know at least some Oregoriao melodies. To cite only the most recent documents. the Holy Father's recent letter on liturgical music reiterates the 1mportance of Gregorian cbant and No. 4 I of Lhe new General Instruction on the Roman Missal, published in 2002, specifically states: ·'All other things being equal, Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman Liturgy. Other types of sacred music, in particular polyphony (the combination or several different panerns of musical notes to form a single piece of music), are in no way excluded. provided that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster the
participation of all the faithful. (shon pieces of music, usually Since faithful from different for voices only) from the proper countries come together ever of the Mass, as well as many more frequently, it is fitting that , hymns, would probably be they know how to sing together beyond the knowledge of the at least some pans of tbe average assembly but may be Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, sung by the choir. or course, especially the Creed and the some space should be reserved Lord's Prayer, set to the simpler for singing by the whole melodies.'' assembly. But there is no reason Therefore any parish may why the people should have to sing, for example, the Kyrie, sing everything. Glory, Creed, Sanctus, Pater There are some momeniS, Noster. Agnus Dei and even sucb as the preparation of the some newer pariS such as the gifts or just after the distribution acclamation after the M ysterium of Communion, when a fidei and the "For yours is the Gregorian or polyphonic piece Kingdom" wnich follows the Our can create a climate of prayer and Father. meditation. Some Gregorian melodies While all should know some are very simple.J f repeated for a chants, from a pastoral and while, most parishioners can practical point of view it might pick up more complex melodies be better to reserve the habitual such as the M is sa de Angel is use of chant to one of the and readily join the choir. princ ipal Masses so that those Eventually the assembly even who wisb to worship using becomes capable of alternating vernacular settings have the with the choir. The people opportunity to do so. Wi" may also learn some of the simpler euchanstic and Marian Fothtr Edward McNamarD is hymns. professor of liturgy Dllhr ReginD Other Gregorian motets Apnxlolorum Pontifical AthefiDtllm.
The importance of singing The new General Instruction on the Roman Missal says the Christian faithful who gather together as one to await the Lord's coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together psalms, hymns. and spiritual songs. Singing is the sign of the heart's joy. Thus Saint Augustine says rightly, "Singing is for one who loves." There is also the ancient proverb: ''One who sings well prays twice."
Above: THIS fifteenth-centur y manuscript of Gregorian chant, copied for the chapel of Cardinal Pietro Barbo of Venice, was given to the Sistine Chapel choir after be became Pope Paul ll in 1464. The lovely illumination of the letter C in the setting of the psalm "Cantate Domino" (Sing unto the Lord a new song) depicts a choir or singers standing in front of a lectern. The musical notes on the manuscript in the miniature are legible. 1S 1
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Sundays February J and Ftbruar) 8, 2004 ;::
C•tbolicNe"S
LITURGY
What sacraments are all about All the sacraments celebrate important moments in Christian life, but each marks a different experience. By Father W. Thomas Faucher
GOD made a decision that if human p<:rsons did something 10 a ~pecial way then God would be part of what they did. So there are human actions that have divine consequences. That's what sacraments are about. The classic defimtion of a sacramentan outward sign instiruteu by Christ to give grace - is an excellent definition. lt has three elementS: I. There has to be a sign. 2. Christ has to have designed tlus action. 3. God himself has to be part of what happens. The sign part is always the mo!.l confusing because we use tbe word ''sign" in a lot of different ways. We use ·'sign" to mean a symbol. like the symbols for stop or go. We also use it for an announcement board like a big advertising sign alongside a highway. But in a sacrament. the word ''sign'' refers to a very spec1al acuon that causes sometlung to happen. People pour water all the time. Pouring water might have many different types of consequences -almost none of them dlvme. But m a specific context. accompanied by specific words, for a spcci fie purpose. that action of pouring water has a divine consequence: It mcorporatcs a person into the church. When aU those specitic element~ arc in place, we call what happens a sucramcnt, in this case baptism. Jesus created the sacraments because we need phys1cal helps to keep our faith in God alive. But at one point in the history of Cluistianity some people decided to denounce sacraments because they were so primitive. so ..unsophisticated,·· so elemental. One entire branch or the Christian family reJects the idea of sacramclltS. But Catholics are sacramental people, for our humanity needs physical actions. We especially need those specific actions called rituals, which God gave to us so that we acrually can touch bim. In a sacrament we do not "just possibly, maybe" touch God, we are given a guarantee of that touch. lt does not matter if we are imperfect, smart or dumb. old or young: God made a commitment to be within the human action we call a sacrament. It took the church a long time to come to an understanding of just how many of these special riLUal actions Christ gave us. The early church really didn 't care about the number, but at some point in history there were people who needed to know things like that. Searchiog both church tradition and the Scriptures. people found five or seven or eight or 12 different things which rmght be sacraments. Finally it became obvious that there were seven; one of them, confiTmation, is intimately connected with bapusm. The seven sacraments usually are
divided into three of initiauon (baptism, confirmation and Eucbari~t); three of commiuneot (Eucharist. marriage and holy orders); and three of healing (penance, anointing and Euchari&t). Eucharist is. of course, the most central and most important, fitung into all three categories. One of the most important things about sacraments (and one of the reasons iodividualistic denominations reject them) is that they cannot be celebrated by just one person. There always mu~t be at least two and preferably many more Baptism brings involved in any sacramental us into Christ's celebration. life and enables What may us to celebrate seem like a contradiction bere, all the other tl1e celebration of a sacraments. Mass by a priest who is alone. only is allowed when POPE John Paul there is grave baptizes an infant in reason of 11. and the Sistine Chapel. even then the ( v< r.u ,..,. church says that a congregation is present spmtually, meaning lha1 lbe priest is not really alone. That all sacramems need at least two people comes from the reality that sacraments are actions intimntcly connected with the commuruty of the church. God uses human persons to share hi~ grace. Notice how we use verbs having to do with people m describing sacramentS: People celebrate sacraments. people receive sacramentS. people give sacraments, people get sacraments. The sacramental need for people is why one person canno1 marry. a priest cannot absolve his own sin and there is no such thing as self-ordmation. Sacraments ure actions that tell us how much God loves us and how much he is Willing tOdO fOr US. rJ (NI
The impact of sacraments on tl By Father Lawrence E. \tick
SOME years ago. a few days after we'd celebrated the first Lenten scruuny for tl10se in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. one woman 10 the group came to tell me what had happened to her duTing the celebration. The woman, a molecular chemist. had been the frrst one on whom I had imposed hands during the nte, and she told me that it was a good thing she was first. I asked why, and she said that if she had been last she would not have been able to move when I dismissed the group at the end of the rirual. She said that when I imposed hands on
her. it was as If every molecule in ber body went into motion. She was unable to move at all. Before that day, she satd. she had been saying lbat 1f God wanted her to become a Catholic, she wa~ willing. But during the ritual it became obvious to her that what she was willing to do was irrelevant. ''ll became clear to me," she said, "that God was in cbarge of this, not rnc.'' Up to that point. she added, l had been a good priest. a good friend and a good teacher. "Atlhat point,'' she said, "you became an instrument of God." I take no credit for this experience. All I did was lay bands on her head! Her experience is a good example of the way
God uses s1mple ritual actions ro touch people deeply. That's also what sacraments are about. Sacraments speak to us and affect us on multiple levels. Some dimensions of sacramental celebrations speak to our intellect. That's why, for example, all sacramental celebrations normally include the proclamation of the word of God. The readings and the homily speak first to our minds, though they also hope to reach our hearts. The word of God teaches us about God and God's ways. Tite experience of the young woman during the scrutiny reveals another kind of learning. The physical contact of lbe riruaJ
l What makes each sacrament different? All the seven sacraments celebrate important moments in Christian life, but each marks a different experience. Baptism celebrates a child's birth inro a Christian family or an adult's birth into the family of the church.
Penance offers hope for healing when we have strayed from Christ's path.
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Confirmation celebrates the gift of the Spirit to guide those incorporated into Christ.
Anointing offers physical and spiritual healing in times of serious illness and pain.
The Eucharist feeds us regularly so that we continue to grow in Christ's life.
ALL sacraments celebrate Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, but each focuses on that paschal mystery in a diffcrem way. Baptism plunges us into the watery tomb so that sharing in Christ's death we might also share in his resurrection. Confumatton focuses on the gift of the Holy Spirit, who makes possible our union with Christ in his death and resurrection. The Eucharist, the repeatable sacrament of aniuation, calls us into a deeper shanng in Christ's sacnfice every rime we celebrate it. Penance enables us to renew our baptismal commitment and celebrates the forgiveness Christ won for us through rus sacrifice. The anointing of the sick invites those who are seriously ill to unite their suffering to that of Christ. Marriage and holy orders offer two different ways for Christians to live the paschal mystery, dying to self and rismg to new life m Christ. ALL the sacraments are wonderful gifts from Christ, but two sacraments might be called the most basic for the church's life. Baptism brings us into Christ's life and enables us to celebrate all the other sacraments. And the Eucharist IS the central sacrament. sustammg the church through the sacrificial meal of Christ's body and blood. These two sacr.unents are the most basic to the church's life. In fact, they arc recognized and celebrated
Marriage celebrates the beginning of a new family where the faith will be lived.
Holy orders celebrates the choice of new leaders to guide the faith community. by moM Christian denominations. The church's five other greatly valued sacraments echo the meaning of these two central sacraments. Confirmation originally was celebrated as pan of baptism and is understood today as a sacrament of tniuauon along with baptism and the Eucharist. Penance finds its place as the renewal of our baptismal innocence and our way back to the euchanstic table. Anomting calJs us to live our baptismal union with Christ by shanng m his suffering whtle trusting in his promise of new life. Maniage and holy orders celebrate different ways we live out our baptismal commitmenL The sacraments are gifts Christ has given the church. In their d1versity, they all hnk us closely with Christ so that we might share fully in the life he came to share with us. 0 eNs
A little Quiz CHILDREN receiving First Comunion and confirmation have to know quite a tot about the faith . Here's a linte quiz to see how much our adult readers know.
e mind and the heart gesture, surrounded by prayer and song and the community's support, lriggered in her an awareness of God's power in her life that she had not reached through her mmd alone. She knew God's presence in her body, through her heart. in her bones. That experience then enabled her in a new way to wrap her mind around what was happening in her h re. lf God can work that powerfully through a simple llllposition of bands. imagine what God can do with something like being submerged three times in the waters of baptism by immersion! Sacraments have the power to touch us m many ways at the same rime. Sometimes the experience will be sudden and
dramatic. transforming us radically in one moment. More often the sacraments work on us more subtly, gently touching our minds. heans and emotions, and gradually transforming us into the image of Jesus Christ. This does not happen without our assent. of course. As the young woman learned during the scrutiny, we are not in charge of thmgs. God is m control. Yet we have to be open to God's action and willing to allow God to transform us. Tbe music and prayers and ritual actions of the sacraments arc intended to foster such openness. but in the end. each of us holds the key. If we let God in, only God knows what might happen! ' c-•s
Moral Life: I - Whether somcthmg •s right or wrong always depends on your point of view. true or false? 2 - Refusing to pay your taxes is a sin.True or false? 3 - What is a sin?
Life of Jesus.
6 - What do the initials inscribed at the top of many crucifixes stand for? 7 - What are Jesus • two natures? Sacraments:
8 - What are the sacraments of imtiation?
Sacred Scripture:
Basic Knowledge: 9 - List the 10 Commandments. 10- What arc the two major pan~ of the Mass?
4- What is the outline of the New Testament'? 5 - List the first five books of the Bible.
11 -Who was tlte first Christian manyr? 12 -What vows do you renew at confumation?
ANSWE RS------- ---------- ---------- ---------- --t • False 2- True 3 • A thoug.ht. word, ac1ion OT omissoon that of:feodsGod. 4 - Gospels - life and teaching of Jesus; AciShis1ory; Epistles - letters: and Revelall<>n -
visioos. S • GenestS. Exodus. LevitiCus, Numbers. Deuteronomy
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I I\"RI - Je~us of l\azareth. Kmg oflheJews Human nnd dtvine B<~pusm. Eucharist, oonflilllnHon See Exo<lus 20 Litutgy of the Word and L•turgy of the
Eucharisl
11 - Stepben. the deacon 12 - BaptiSmal vows
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Sundays February 1 and February 8. 2004
1
8 CatholicNe"s
r ll
THE liturgy frequently uses the Bible's words. Scripture readings are a characteristic of every sacramental celebration. The other words of a sacramental celebration also frequently are drawn from the Bible. By Father Lawrence E. Mick
T HIS magnificent example of early printing on vellum and manuscript illumination is from the Rare Book and Special Collections Division of tbe Library of Congress. The micro painting of the Garden of Eden is placed within the initial letter of this Latin Bible printed by Nicolaus Jenson.
MANY people still think that the Bible is not very imponant in Catholic worship. The truth is, however, that Catholics are bemg formed by the Bible constantly during the liturgy- even if they are not always aware of it. The liturgy of the Mass and the other sacraments arc based firmly on the word of God in two ways: - A IJ the sacramental rituals call for proclaiming one or more Scripture readings as part or the celebration. - Furthermore. the other words and actions that form the celebration frequently are drawn directly from the Bible. Take the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass. for example- the pan of the Mass that includes the Last Supper narrative and concludes with the Great Amen. There are several Eucharistic Prayers to choose from. and they are ftlled with phrases and tdeas taken from different books of the Bible: -The Gospel account of the Last Supper is recounted during each Eucharistic Prayer. - Many other echoes of the Scriptures also are found m these prayers. The Third Eucharistic Prayer, for example, says. "From age to age you gather a people to yourself. so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name.'' Compare that to the Old Testament book of Baruch (4:37): "'Here come your sons ... gathered in from the ea~t and from the west ... rejoicmg m the glory of God." Another example is the Founh Eucharistic Prayer. When it speaks of Jesus as "a man like us
m all things but sin." the line
echoes Hebrews 4:15, ·'For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one wbo has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin."' Before Communion. as we pray for Christ's peace, we quote Jesus, ''!leave you peace, my peace! give you." Those words come from the Gospel of John (14:27): •'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." We could list many other examples in the Mass. But similar echoes of Scripture are heard in celebrations of the church's other sacraments, too. The very words we use to baptize are drawn from Manhew 28:19, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. baptizing them in the name of the Fathec, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'' And the blessmg of the bapusmal water recalls the great biblical stories of creation. the flood. the exodus of the Israelites through the Red Sea, the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, the blood and water that flowed from his side on the cross. and hls resurrection. In the sacrament of penance, the words of absolution begin. "God. the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son. has reconciled the world to himself." This echoes Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians (5: 18), "'And all this is from God, who bas reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation." In the sacrament of the anoinllDg of the sick, the ritual explicitly quotes the Lener of
Jarnes. "He (Christ) is present among us as we recall the words of the apostle lames: 'Is there anyone sick among you? Let him eaU for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him and anoint him in the name of the Lord. This prayer, made in faith, will save the sick man'" (5: 13-15). The central prayer of the sacrament of confirmation prays for lhe gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are seen in the book of the prophet Isaiah (l l :2), "The spirit or lhe Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord." After lbe bride and groom exchange their vows m a Catholic wedding, the presider's word!l conclude with this line: "What God has joioed, men must not divide.'' That is drawn from Mark 10:9 or Matthew 19:6. Both
What the three-year cycle of Mass readings is about To tap the Gospels· richness, the church- in the Sunday readings - devotes a year to Matthew's Gospel (Cycle A), one to Mark's Gospel (Cycle B) and one 10 Luke's Gospel (Cycle C). By Father Eugene La Verdlere, SSS
EACH of tl1e four Gospels paints a rich ponrait of Jesus and his disctples. Each Gospel also includes wonderful stories of Jesus· ministry. Jesus' person, his mission, his mirustry were too wonderful to present in just one Gospel story. Every Gospel presents Jesus as the Soo of God and the ultunate human being. But each of them has a special point of view.
- Mark presents Jesus as a proclaim er of the good news - the Gospel - as \veU as a healer and an exorcist. - Matthew presents Jesus in his teaching ministry. - Luke presents Jesus as a prophet and more than a prophet. - John presents Jesus as the revelation of God. In his very person. Jesus reveals the name of God. Each Gospel emphasizes a special aspect of Jesus' gospel of God. The Gospels show how Jesus· mission, ministry. passion and resurrection were io accordance with the Scriptures. To tap the richness of the Gospels in the New Testament. the church - in our Sunday readings at Mass -devotes a year to Matthew's Gospel (Cycle A). a
year to Mark's Gospel (Cycle B) and a year to Luke's Gospel (Cycle C). We began to follow this three-year cycle m the late 1960s as the church began to implement Vaucan Council D. Since then. we speak popularly of the Year of Matthew, the Year of Mark and the Year of Luke. Smce the Gospel of Mark tSquite shon, we also read parts of the Gospel of John in the Year of Mark. There are many paragraphs in Vatican D documents. particularly in ·'The Constitution on the Sacred Litu rgy," that concern the Scriptural readings in the Liturgy of the Word. the pan of the Mass in which the Scnpture readmgs are found. Here is a sample from '1l1e Consututton on the Sacred Liturgy"· "The treasures of the
Bible are to be opened up more lavishly so that a richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God's word. mthis way a more representative pan of the sacred Scriptures will be read to the people in the course of a prescribed number of years" (No. 51). The relationship of the Old Testament to the New is raised in a special instntction that introduces the new Lectionary (book of readings) for Mass: "The New Testament lies hidden in the Old; the Old Testament comes fully to light in the New. Christ himself is tbe center and fuUness of the whole of Scripture, just as he is of all liturgical celebration. Thus the Scriptures are the living waters from which all who seek life and salvauon must drink" lNo. 45). Think what we would miss if
we read the same account of Jesus' Passion every year. lf we read on.ly the Passion of Mark. we would miss hearing about Jesus' compassion for the good thief (Luke 23:39-43). We also would all miss how Judas only rcgreued what he had done (Matthew 27:3·10); he did not repent. We cannot undo the pasL But we can do something about the future. Withou1 repentance, regretting is a formula for despair. Through the three-year cycle of readings for the Mass, we release "the force and power of the Word of God." to borrow words from Vaucan ll's "Constitution on Divine Revelation.'' No. 21. We conttnue to discover that everytlung Jesus dtd was good news. His very person was good news. ,...
13
CatholicNews 0 Sundays February I aod February 8, 2004
r verses read, "Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate." In the sacrament of holy orders, as one might expect, the ritual is filled with references to the priests of Israel and to Christ as high priest. The prayer of consecration at a priest's ordination, for example, recalls that God appointed high priests over Israel and chose others to be priests and Levites to assist them. It recalls the 70 men who shared in the spirit of Moses (Numbers 1I: 16-17), and the sons of Aaron, chosen to become the priestly tribe (Numbers 3:1 0). Then it prays for those being ordained to become eo-workers with the order of bishops in our time. So you see, the liturgy of the church speaks frequently with the words of the Bible. The more familiar we become with the Bible itr-\ the more easily we wilJ re~nize the words of Scripture that have been woven together to create the prayers with which we worship and celebrate. 0 eNs
LITURGY
Enhancing your listening skills By Frederic Flach, MD
IS THERE an art to effective listening? Being a psychiatrist, I have spent a great deal of time listening. I was trained to listen. And when l taught medical students, I emphasized the imponance of good listening to successful medical practice, no matter what specialties they might enter: - How to listen carefully. - How to listen without bias. - How to truly hear what you 're listening to, undistoned by pre-existing assumptions. The question asked here is how to listen in an active way during Mass. Are there things we can do to enhance our listening skills, other than being sure to get a good night's sleep so we don't doze off during the service? Under the broad beading of helpful hints, you might include: sitting up near the front if you are hard of hearing; suggesting to the pastor that he replace poor readers with good ones; asking for
bomUies that tie into the readings ' you've read a wonderful book and want to experience it again, you whenever possible. maddition, instead of just might choose to li.sten to it being read on tape. You're already sitting in the pew and letting the familiar with what's in it, but words pass by, try to cooven your hearing the words spoken listening experience into a series undoubtedly will bring many of challenges. With the first reading, ask yourself: "What does elements to your attention that you missed the first time around. this really tell me? What does it So it's a good idea to arrive mean? Is it little more than a piece for Mass a few minutes early and of history? Does it contain to take time to read the passages wisdom? How may it parallel the for that day. Then, when they are reading from the New Testament read aloud, you already know that will follow?" them and can derive more from Also, be prepared. When
them the second time around. Finally, discover a new way to listen. As the word of God is read aloud, Jet your mind and hean identify ways it relates to you. For example: I. In St. Paul's fLrSt Letter to the Corinthians (12:7), we hear: "The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others''and that way might be through wisdom, knowledge, great faith or the power to heal the sick. What are my gifts? Do I use them well? 2. ln Matthew's Gospel (22:37-39), we hear: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind .... Love others as much as you love yourselves." Whom do I love as much as myself? Do ! love myself? After the readings and the homily, the priest sits silently for several minutes. That's when we do well to consider what we've just heard, what thoughts and feelings have come into our minds, and make these a living pan of ourselves. 0 eNs
How the readings sound from my pew By Daniel Mulball
THE eucharistic Iiturgy often is described as "the people's work." Without question, I find that the more work I put into the liturgy, the more 1 benefit from the ~·.. experience. Listening is a key part ~ of my liturgical work. To listen Cll.Tefully at the .!lA...!<>. • liturgy, I need to do my .yg~ . \ . homework. 1 try to k.now what the • readings are for the Sunday. Rellgious educators and liturgist:; encourage us to read the Sunday Scripture passages during the week and meditate on them prior THIS first completed page of to the Mass, but I often lack time the handwritten Bible to do that. (When 1 do it, the time Illuminates the Gospel of is well spent.) Matthew. The unique Bible, My nonnal routine is to get to being created by calligrapher church early, familiarize myself Donald Jackson, was with the readings and then sit commissioned by St. John's quietly, focusing my attention on Universlty in Collegevllle, the soon-to-begin celebration. Mlnn. It is expected to be Once I've reviewed the completed by 2004. c:Ns ,..,... readings. I don't use a missalette
-,.....;!Ji:
during Mass. I fmd it distracts me and interferes with my listening. However, sometimes during the homily 1 wiU review the readings, trying to find specific references mentioned by the homilist. The music during the gathering rite calls my attention to the celebration. Singing out with gusto, J join with the faith community to start the Eucharist. Singing focuses my attention and names this as the beginning of something significant. Through the song, I am joined intimately with those around me: I' m unable to remain locked in my own separate prayer. That Is exflctly the reason for the opening song, to unite individuals into a community, not to provide nice music to hurry the celebrant, lector and servers down the aisle. During the readings I sit quietly, close my eyes and listen to every word. I concentrate better with my eyes closed. 1
I listen well or poorly when... By Davld Glbson MY LISTENING skills rise or fall, depending on circumstances. lt's hard to listen well if I've got a lot on my mind. It wanders off, listing all that needs doing. Similarly, it's hard to listen when I feel intetrupted - when I regard the speaker's timing as somehow off. lt is hard to listen welt if I
feel ·•talked at"- patronized, disrespected or simply unimportant to the speaker. It's hard to listen well when r don 't like, or cannot figure out, what is btling asked of me. It's easier to Iisten well when what is said seems valuable when it could make a difference to me or someone 1 care about. It's also easier to listen when 1 want to hear what is said
because it concerns a real need of mine. So 1 listen better when I feel I truly am being addressed. And I know that I Listen better when I think what is said is Interesting or surprising. 1' m not the perfect hearer. I kec:p hoping, however. that my listening skills will rise and not fa ll if I reflect on what could cause them to do that. l ,..\1
repeat key words and phrases, trying to capture their significance. I do the same for the homily. Because 1 bave been concentrating, I can dialogue in my head with the homil ist. I follow the homily bette.r and explore new directions rapidly. After the homily I sit qu ietly, thinking about what took place during the Liturgy of the Word and am usually not ready to begin the Creed when the presider begins. Would anyone else like more time to think after the homily or is it just me? My listening doesn't stop with the readings. I've been paying more attention lately during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The
eucharistic prayers, many of which I've nearly memorized over the years from repetition, come alive as I pay closer attention to their words. There is so much richness to discover in the prayers. I am drawn into the web of the Mass and feel very much part of the body of Christ. What I've written here is the ideal. I don't always accomplish it. More often than I'd like to realize, I've missed half of a reading, am watching street traffic during the homily or am looking at my watch during the eucharistic prayer. But when I work hard at listening, I leave the liturgy enriched and refreshed. It's worth the effort. C eNs
t4
''I die the King's good servant and God's first." ST. THOMAS MORE POLffiCIAl\S today could learn a lot from theu patron samt. Thomas More. by looking to his mastery of self, rhetoric and moral issues. So says Gerard Wegemcr. a dedicated student of More who has wrillen two books on the 16th-century statesman: "'Thomas More: A Portrait of Courage" (Scepter) and "'Thomas More on Statesmanship" (CUA Press). The fonner focuses on how More understood and lived the vJrtues in family and political life: the laner looks at More's understanding of human nature and the elements needed for statesmanship. Wegemer, a professor of literature at the University of Dallas and the founding director of the Center for Thomas More Studies. is editmg a paperback series of More's major works. He shared wtth ZENIT how modem statesmen must follow in the footsteps of More.
Q: How is St. Thomas More a portrait of courage, particularly for politicians'?
Wegemer: St. Thomas More, made patron of statesmen and politic tans by Pope John Paul n m 2000, held the highest office of England under King Henry vm, but gave up that office and eventually his life to defend fundament:~ I pnnciples of justice. Although More ingeniously sought to avoid imprisonment and death- after alJ, he had a growing family to care for and a deep love of life- his love of truth and conscience eventually led to martyrdom. More is a "portrait" of courage, mstead of a mere sketch, because be lived courage m every aspect of his life: in the diligent attentiOn to hts family members and their education, in the diligent study of the issues in his professional and poLitical work, m the diligent care for h1s neighbors and fncnds, especially God. the flrst of his friends. Courage for More was constant and he gave cheerful attenuon to duty in whatever fonns that duty took. Cheerfulness and good humor are the qualities for which More IS most famous, even in his own lifetime. To maintain cheer in all circumstanccs, even on the scaffold, takes a remarkable courage from which any pohucian can profit. Politicians are always under pressure and always face opposing artd contenttous views, so contentious that hatred and war can result. More mastered himself, rhetoric and the issues of his day to such a degree that he became the spokesman of his country and of his Church -his conscious objective was to allow the light of reason to reign, ratherthan the heat of emotion. Towards th1s end. he knew that hurnor played an essential role. More was also a genws. yet nevertheless he tramcd htmself for 15 years after law school before accepting a position in King Henry's court. By that time, More was 41; his marriage with his second wife was settled - his first wife had died after the birth of their fourth child: his children were older; and he was prepared for the emOtional. moral and political challenges that arose immediately. It might be said that More is most useful to politicians today because be shows bow one must educate oneself to be a genuine statesman.
Role model for modem politicians CATHOLIC politicians have been put on notice. The Vatican instructed Catholic politicians in July 2003 to oppose same sex marriage. In Jan this year, Catholic lawmakers in the La Crosse Diocese, Wisconsin, US were formally notified by Archbishop Raymond L. Burke that they cannot receive Communion if they continue to support procured abortion or euthanasia. ' 'They are not to be admined to holy Communion. should they present themselves, until such time as they publicly renounce their support of these most unjust practices." Archbishop Burke declared. Those who are unsure of how to conduct their political affairs might take inspiration from St. Thomas More, Patron Saint of politicians.
possible opponunity to remind the King of the demands of jusuce. History has proved that More was right and that Henry was a tyrant. Politicians today need the same broad historical and philosophical and tbeolog.ical perspective that More achieved through years of study.
Q: Recently, Bishop Raymond Burke of La Crosse appealed to Catholic politicians in Wisconsin to vote more in line with the faith they profess. What responsibilities do Catholic lawmakers have to vote in accordance with Church teachings? Wegemer: Revelation gives light and clarity to principles that are needed to solve the complex issues of any age. This gift gives the Catholic politician an even greater responstbility to be a genuine
Lefl: SAThTThomas More, an English statesmen beheaded by King Henry vm (right) for refusing to defy the papacy, was declared patron of politicians by Pope John
Paul 11 Oct. 3, 2000. CNS/IJ. , ••,.
For example, how do poliucians train themselves not to be unduly influenced by the opinions of others? According to More, the pnmary objective of education i~ the "inner knowledge of what is nght"- "recti conscientia,'' a right consc1enceknowledge that does not depend "on the talk of other people." Otherwtse, as More put it: "A mind must be uneasy which ever wavers between joy and sadness because of others· opinions. ·• Here again we retum to the centrality of More's cheerfulness and good humor as a mark of his balanced statesmanship.
Q:
How did More integrate Ius interior, spintuallife with Ius extenor life in politics? Wegemer: As More is the first person to use the word "integrity" in the English language, your question goes to the heart of his attractive personality and of the reason that he was so trusted and beloved by hts fellow citizens. In the 16th-century play ''Sir Thomas More," wrinen m pan by Shakespeare, Sir Thomas is described as "the best friend the poor ever had'' and he is shown to be so well admired that be stops a riot by his presence and his persuasion. As politicians
know, their reputation IS their most imponant human asset, and this is shown in More's life as well. More srarted every dny m prayer and study, even - or rather, especialJy- during his busiest days as Lord Chancellor. He was convinced that God works t.hrough consctence and IS present 1n conscience. but that the voice of consctence whispers only after sufficient study and anemioo. As Pope John Paul D put i1 in his proclamatton of 2000. St. Thomas More ''demonstrated in a singu Jar way the value of a moral conscience which is 'the witness of God himself, whose voice and judgment penetrate the depths of man's soul."' More relied regularly on the sacraments. He attended Mass each day; he had a lifelong devotion to the Eucharist; and he frequented the sacrament of penance, especially before making any maJor decision. He also led the family prayers when he was at home, which mcluded the rosary.
Q:
What are the differences between, say. John F. Kennedy's postuon on his faith and public duties. as compared to Thomas More's? Wegemcr: More studied so deeply that he saw how politics could be lived so that there need be no conflict between temporal and spiritual duties. That is why his last words were ·1 die the Kmg 's good servan1 and God's ftrSL" That "and'' is highly significant. When Henry VID insisted on manipulating the laws of England to achieve his own will, More took every
statesman. that IS, to fmd real solutions that take into account all factors and views but wi Lhout sacrificing essential principles. As the example of More shows, the light of Revelation is a help for real progress, not a hindrance.
Q: The U.S. bishops recently called for more Ca1hohcs to get involved in poliucs. Why should Christians participate in civic life? How can the example ofThomM More guide Catholics who want 10 enter the modem political scene? Wegemer: As I mentioned earlier. More fonned and attended carefully to h1s conscience, and conscience reveals to each one the naiUTal duties of realltfe. One of those duties is citizenshtP, the exc1ting and challenging endeavor of working with one's neighbors for the common good. More was a great citizen, a great friend, a great father and a great husband who was born in the heart of London, in a farruly that had been active for generations tn every aspect of c1vic life. The character of St. Thomas More. in ol.her words, did not simply happen, any more than the character of Pope John Paul ll simply happened by chance. The pope's strong and cultured personality, as well as his deep and learned piety, was rooted in generations of Catholics refmed by extraordinary sufferings. And St. Thomas More's exceptional statesmanship and human elegance were rooted in generations of a devout Catholic family immersed in London's long tradition of self· government. n Z£1'/ff
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CaUJolicNews 0 Sundays February I and Febmary 8, 2004
March for life Thousands attend Masses and rallies to promote life WASHINGTON- One rally before Lbe
..
annual March for Life Jan. 22 opened wilb a rock band and a rapping priest in a sports arena, rousing 20,000 or so mostly Catholic teens who joined in a lively Mass before the march. A second, outdoor rally with the V.'bite House as a backdrop had a string of politicians and religious leaders urging political action and llrayer from the throngs gathering from across the nation to march to the Supreme Court. "Let's change the culture of death into a culture of life," urged youth rally emcee Ginny Dauses, youth minister from St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Derwood, Md. Speaking to the Ellipse rally by phone, President Bush said much the san1e thing. "I know as you return to your ommunities you will redouble your efforts o change hearts and minds, one person at a time," be said. Since the fltst March for Life in 1974, participants have traditionally gathered at the Ellipse between Lbe White House and A YOUNG lady makes a personal tbe Washington Monument for a rally statement at the march. before beginning the march down Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court Angrisaoo, the rock band Who Do You Say I Am and Father Stan Fonuna, the and the Capitol. A youth rally and Mass sponsored by 1 Franciscan Friars of Renewal priest known the Archdiocese of Washington bas for t for his hip-hop and rap-tinged preaching to years gonen teenage participants revved up I youths and young adults. 1 "There's something plaguing our before the march. l.o recent years, the youth event has outgrown its previous culture in a big way," Father Fortuna said. venue and this year moved to the MCI "Yes, it's a political issue, but underneath it's a spiritual issue." Center arena, home of Washington ·s With that introduction, he launched professional basketball and hockey teams. Most of the arena's 22,000 seats were into a new rap song. Angrisano worked the crowd just filled by the beginning of the Mass, celebrated by Washington Cardinal Theodore before the Mass by prodding participants into starting a "wave" around the arena, ~· McCanick, and concelebrated by beginning a chant of "God is good, all the ~altimore Cardinal William H. Keeler, Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali, more time. All the time, God is good," and than a dozen bishops and hundreds of priests. leading the song "Here I Aro. Lord." "My challenge to you is, when you go As groups of teens arrived by bus and on foot, the arena rocked with upbeat ' home, to stand up with the same courage that you have here," Angrisano said. music led by Christian musician Steve
C
on partial-birth abortion and restrictions on A couple of hours later and a dozen use of tax money in international programs blocks away, Nellie Gray, founder of the March for Life, welcomed the thousands of that encourage abortion. He thanked the march participants for their support in those people converging on the Ellipse for accomplishments. another rally aod the march to the high Bush listed several other pieces of court. She encouraged them to take borne legislation he said he would support, this year's theme for the annual event, "Build Unity on the Life Principles," by including increasing federal funding for abstinence education and passing the evaluating the charters and operational Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which doc\llDents of their organizations, parishes would allow prosecution under homicide and businesses "and see whether those life statutes for the death of fetuses killed principles are guiding your organization." during the commission of a crime. A type of music very different from that "Above all, we must continue with at the youth gathering started t:he Ellipse rally, as the Sounds of Liberty, a choral group civility and respect to remind our fellow from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., citizens that all life is sacred and worthy of protection," Bush said. sang a medley of the anthems of the Navy, At a press conference shortly before the Marines, Army and Air Force before leading I march, several members of Silent No More the national anthem. In his phone call to the rally, Bush talked spoke about the emotional, physical and about abonion-linliting legislation passed 1 psychological effects of having bad abortions. during his administration, including Lbe Karen Bodle, of Hanisburg, Pa., said she Born-Alive Iofants Protection Act, t:he ban had an abonion after she became pregnant at 18 from her first sexual encounter. "For years, l was pro-choice because I thought l had to justify my own choice," she said. "I lived with cluonic depression and spent six weeks in a mental hospital with a nervous breakdown because of the fear that I would oot have any childreo. It took over two years to recover my ability to think and react normally." Joyce Zounis of Colorado talked about the llhysical damage to her body from having seven abortions over 11 years. "The warning label of abortion should ST UDENTS receive Communion at the MCI read: 'Caution: abortion can result in years Center in Washington Jan. 22. The Rally for of grief, physical and emotional pain, Life and Youth Mass was held at the arena mood swings, eating disorders, prior to the March for Life, an annual promiscuity, low self-esteem, heallb demonstration protesting the Supreme problems and relationship problems with Court's Roe vs. Wade decision that legaliled your spouse and children,"' she said. 0 Cl'S abortion. CNS ph•ws
NUMBER OF ABORTIONS Count ry
....I
Year Range
Reported Abortion s ( m illions)
A djustme n ts Esti mated Tota l (m illions) t h ro ugh Oct 2 003 (m i llions)
U SSR
1 9 57-1991
244.4
66.3
310.7
Re port Y e ar
CHINA
1971-2001
266.7
19. 8
2 86.6
2001 RUSSIA
JAPAN
1949-2000
35.2
40.7
76.0
USA
1943-2000
40.8
3 .7
44. 5
RUSSIA
1992-2001
2 6 .9
3.7
30.6
V IETNAM
1976- 2000
9 .2
20.5
29.7
ROMANIA
1958-2001
19.3
1 .8
2 1.0
SOUTH KOREA
1961-1996
4.4
11.2
15.6
I NDIA
1972 ·1996
10.3
4 .5
14. 8
YUKOSLAVIA
1959-199 8
5.5
4 .1
9 .6
G LOBAL
1920..2003
728.6
194.9
923.4
Year Range refers to period when data for reported abortions was available. Reported Abortions refer to registered abortions in the Year Range period. Adj 11stments refer to estimates for unreported abortions and missing data d11ring the Year Range plus estimates ro update dala thro11gh Oct 2003. Figures may not tally d11e to rounding. Singapore reported 475,000 abortions for 1970-2000. Eslimaled current global abortions a month is 1.229,000.
5 1 .6%
48.9%
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We will always be dependent on God WHY does our gencratJon struggle with faith? Martin He1degger once gave this answer: "We :m: too late for the gods and too early for Being." What does he mean by that? First, quite simply that fewer and fewer people today have faith in the old way. The gods are receding, as any look around the We~tem world wiU tell you. But Heidegger has something else m mind too. namely, the reason the gods are receding is that we don't have the same fears our ancestors once had. Belief in God, he feels, 1s predicated on a certain fear and astomshmenl Former generations. much more than we, felt their vulnerabiLity. mortality and helplessness in the face of energies and forces beyond them. Because of that, they looked for a power outside of themselves, God. to, help them. Fear, among other things, made them believe in God. And they, of necessity, feared many things: plagues that could come at a whim and w1pe out whole populat1ons, illnesses for which there was no cure, natural disasters against wh1ch !here was no defence, hunger as, an ever-present threat, and even !he normal process of chtldbirth as potenually ending a woman· s life. There were no anuoiotics or soph1s11cated medications or procedures to prolong life, no vaccinations. none of of the things we have that make us less vulnerable to whim, nature. d1sease. Beyond this. they also lived with the fears !hat came from superstition, from lack of knowledge and of science. There were dark powers, they believed, that could curse you, bring bad luck, kil l you. Many things were to be feared. This kind of vulnerability helps induce faith. It also brought With 11 the capacity to be astonished. Before a univerre that holds so many, mysteries thunder lightning. the stars, the changing seasons, the process of conception. and the simpleinel(plicablefactthat thesunrisesand sets every day - there is cause for healthy astonishment, for holy fear, and !here is the constant reminder of our littleness and the fact that life cannot be taken for granted. TODAY, of course. we have few of these fears. Wehavefruth m medicine, rationality, science. and in what we, humanity, can do for ourselves. As for astonishment before the power of nature? The weather channel has demythologised that. Much of this, in By Fr Ronald fact, is good in terms of God and faith. Fear Rolheiser is not a good motive for religion, but rather !he antithesis of true religion (whose task it is to cast out fear). Mature faith must take its roots in love and gratitude. not fear. Thus, freedom from fear holds rich potenual for a mature fatth and religion. Nonetheless. for now at least, we don't seem to be actualising that potential. There is less conscious faith. Ordmary consciousness, at least in the Western world, is agnostic and even atheistic. We don't seem to feel a need for God and, con.~equently, the rranscendent is slowly receding. We're too late for the gods. Moreover. as Heidegger adds, we're also "too early for Being". What does this add? For Heidegger, we've lost many of our old fears and superstitions, but aren't necessarily more marure and understanding because of 11. We've moved beyond the old sense of helplessness, vulnerability. and mortality, without recognising the new helplessness, vulnerability and mortal danger within which we live. Like a child, sauntering along a dangerous ledge but blissfully unaware that he or she is one slip away from serious injury or death, so too are we in our new-found sense of confidence and fearlessness: we think ourselves invulnerable, but are only one doctor's visit, chest pains or a terrorist attack away from a fearful reminder of our own vulnerability. We aren't immortal after all. But this is not our real helplessness. Fearing for our physieal health and safety is not the kind of vulnerability that today opens up a place for God in our lives. 'The scary ledge we walk along and are in constant dangeroffallingoffhas to do with the heart and 1ts illnesses and deaths. More than our bodies, our souls are menaced today: we're all one shp away from a broken hean, abroken family, a broken marriage, a broken Life, the Loss of a loved one, a betrayal in love, the bitterness of an old friend, the jealousy of a colleague, a coldness of heart within, an anger wbicb won't let go, a wound too deep for forgiveness, and a family, community, church. and world whichcannot reconcile. Self-sufficiency is always an illusion, most especially today. We need God as much as did our ancestors. We JUS! don 'I know it as clearly. Nothing has changed. We still stand in radical insecurity before energies and powers beyond, us, storms of the bean, no less frightening than the storms of nature. We're no less helpless, vulnerable, mortal or fearfuI than tbc people of old and need God as much as they did, only for different reasons. 0
Sunday February 1 Cl Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19; Psalm 71:1-6, 15-17;1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13; Luke 4:21-30
Jesus, the prophet WHEN you think of a biblical prophet, do you imagine a rather thJO, asceuc-looking man who speaks angrily against the sms and evils of his day? ln fact, three of the prophets mentioned in today's readings-Jerem1ah, Elijah, and Elisha-m1ght well have fit that descnpllon. But what about Jesus? In today ·s gospel. Jesus identified himself as a prophet. However. the image that Jesus gave throughout Ius mmistry would probably be bener summed up by today ·s second reading. which IS all about Christian love. In all his words to the people of Israel, Jesus consistently spoke wnh the kind of love .Paul described in this passage: a love that is patient, kind, and selfless. So eve11 when he chastised his fellow 'azanencsfor not accepting him, he did it out of a lovmg concern and even anguish over their hardness of heart. Think of how Jesus could have responded to hls towns folk's hostility. He could have lashed out m anger. He could have denounced them as hypocrites. He even could have singled out one or two people he knew well and exposed all their faults and sins just to silence them. But he didn't. Instead, he simply walked away and continued bis preaching, hoping that some of them might fmally accept him. Jesus wants to teach us how to become prophets after his example. He wants to show us how to deal with people in the compassion and humility of godly love. It's one thing to learn how to be bold· and Jesus certainly was that. But it's another thing
How do we welcome Jesus, the prophet? to be able to join that boldness with both shrewdness and gentleness. And the only way that can happen is if we spend time with Jesus. In prayer, let his love melt your heart, even as his words prick your conscie nce. As you do , yo u'll find yourself becoming just as prophetic as he was. C "Jesus, I am awed at the depth of your love, especially when !look at the shallowness ofmy love. Fill me, Lbrd, and teach me to bring your word to everyone 1 meet."
Sunday, February 8 Cl Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 138:1-5,7-8; 1 Cor inthlans JS:l-ll; Luke 5:1-11
Jesus is everywhere WHEN was the last time God got your attention? When did you last find yourself speechless because you had come face-to-face with some manifestation of God 's love, his power, or his majesty. How did it happen? Did a pass;~ge from Scripture pierce your heart? Was it througl1 the beauty of a spectacular suruise? Was it in the birth of a baby? In today's readings, we see three different ways God spoke to his people. In the gospel, we see Jesus amazing Peter with a large catch of fish (Luke 5:58). The first reading tells how Isaiah was cut to the bean by a vision of God's heavenly throne (1saiah 6: 1-4). And m the second reading, we hear how Paul received U1e gospel both through personal revelation and through the testimony of the apostles (I Corinthians J5:3-4). God speaks in so many different ways, but one thing is always the same: He wants to reveal himself to us. On one level, the Bible is one big story of God revealing himself again and again to his people. lt
begins Wlth Adam and Eve, and progresses through Noah and his farmly. to Abraham and Sarah, then on to David the shepherd wbo became king. to Isaiah and the other prophets, !hen to a young woman named Mary. And it didn't stop when Jesus came into the world. The New Testament is ftlled with stories like..:) Peter's and Paul's. Lydia's and John's, and so many others. And every one of them had a personal encounter with God that radically changed their lives. With all this evidence. how can we doubt that Jesus wants to reveal htmself to us? Even more importantly, how can we doubt that he wants to reveal himself to us today? At Mass today, or as you go through the day, keep your eyes rutd ears opco. Jesus is everywhere. There is no place we cannot find him. C "Lord Jesus, what do you want to say to me today? How do you wallt to show yourself? Come, Lbrd. and open my hean so that I may know your prt>sence with me.··
1 and
8, 2004
Je VYJJOJJJt~ Cat holicNews l'onnigbtly newspaper af lhe
Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore Managing Edilor Fr Johnson femandez Staff correspondents Ms. Mel Diamse-Lee Fr Frcderick Quek SrWendy Ooi Layout: M s. Elaine Ong Consullaot: M.r Francis Yeo
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Editorial Email: cnedit@catholic.org.sg Please include your full name. address and telephone number. Advertisements: Ms. Elaine Ong Email: elong@catholic.org.sg In Memoriam: Ms. Susan Lim Email: suslim@catholic.org.sg Subscriptions: Richard Paul Email: rpaut@cathotic.org.sg Address: The Calholic News Office 2 Highland Road, #0 1¡02 Singapore 549102.
Telephone: 6858-3055
Why not donate to church approved organisations? I APPRECIATE !l1e points raised by Mr Joseph Lee (CN, Jan 18 & 25 ). However, I believe thal Mr Lee has not read the complete text released by the Vatican enti!led "The Defence of Life in the Context of International Policies and Norms" by Monsignor JeanLouis Tauran, the website of which I had indicated in my earlier letter. Let me quote : "... tbere has also been the Human Reproduction Programme aimed at developing the technology of contraception and medically induced abortion." With regard to WHO, the letter states that " ... the present
leadership of the World llealth Organization which took over in 1998, has adopted a much more decisive stand in favour of birth control and reproductive health . Official declarations now reflect practical tendencies, unfortunately in a sense unacceptable 10 the Holy See.'' With regard to UNICEF, the document states !hat UNICEF "has for some time launched c ontraccpti ve and sex education programmes..... and the Holy See has suspended its symbolic contribution to UNICEF in the light of tbe latter's refusal to guarantee ll!at this contribution
would not be used for programmes contrary to Call!olic pnnciples." With regard to UNHCR, the document states that UNHCR "was joining UNFPA in making available emergency reproductive heal!h services which include post-coital or emergency contraception." Besides tbe UNHCR also pubHshcd the notorious ln!eragency Field Manual which emphasized sex education and reproductive services to be provided to adolescents. Therefore, it appears ll!at both organizations have Ios! their
he Laws of God as taught to us by the Church and the Laws of the State
focus from providi ng most basic needs to being more concerned aboul providing contracepl ion and abortion which have led to the suspension of contribution by !he Vatican. Since the Holy See has not removed its suspension of these two organizations, it meant that no resolution satisfactory to the Catholic Ieachings has yet been achieved. Can M.r Joseph Lee, with a clear conscience, thus support these two organisations. knowing that tbe funds provided may be used against innocent unborn babies or act in a manner contradictory to ll!e teachings of the Church? Afterall, there are officially sanctioned charities e.g the Holy Childhood Association which Mr Lee can contribute to.
Dr J ohn Chuab Singapore 542993
do not always agree.
PhoW (.'N$
By Father Kevin O'Neil, CSSR
IT MAY be legal but is it moraUy right? The short answer is, "Not necessarily." Sometimes what is legal is morally right. For example, a law demanding that a minimum wage be paid to workers coincides with tbe moral imperative to compensate a person for his or her work. A legal prohibition against murder complements a moral commandment against the same. Other times, however, whal is ~gal and what is moral diverge. Forbidding by law the free exercise of religion runs contrary to the moral wisdom which calls for free expression of one's faith. Legalized abortion and euthanasia conflict with the moral principle concerning !he respect for and dignity of every human life. Who would deny thal slavery is dehumanizing and morally reprehensible? Yet it has been legal. What is legal is not necessarily morally right. Tilere are funher questions we mus1 address 10 sort out this issue. What is the purpose of law? What is the purpose of morality? Wbal is the relationship between tbe two? How do we determine what is morally right and wrong?Finally, wbat conclusions can we diaw from our refiections?
example of a lie might be morally wrong, bUL it is not a case for law since it involves !he private aspects of a friendship.
Conni ct from divers ity
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Tbe focus of law LAWS are enacted primarily to keep good order in society. In the narrowest sense, laws aim to keep people from doing wrong things. On a more positive note, laws manifest in some sense the values of a society. Laws highlight whal is cherished or abhorred. Tile focus of law is on the common good.
Lef't: PARLIA\. 1ENT House, where Singapore la"'-s are legislated, and right: St Peter's Basilica, wbere God's laws are taught.
When ''legal" may not equal ''morally right'' Whelbe r laws arc the fruit of the democratic process or imposed by the ruler of a state, they are 10 protect that pan of the common good which governs public order. Good laws achieve !his purpose; bad laws do not. Moralily, in ilS narrowest sense, is about right and wrong behavior. Considering morality more broadly. it is about shaping persons of good character who will exercise their freedom for the good of themselves and others. Placing this wilhin tbe context of Christian faitb, Pope John Paul ll has described ll1e moral life as a response to God's initiatives of love for us. This response is manifest in good character and right action. If the purpose of law is to
serve the common good then clearly law needs moraliry to understand what is right and wrong behavior, what will protect or damage society. If. as in the examples cited earlier, we have a discrepancy between the legal and tbe moral, we must begin with a moral analysis or the issue. Why might something that is legal not be morally right? Why might some things that are morally wrong not best be addressed by legal means? Whai criteria do we use to judge right and wrong, and how might this guide legislation? The fundamental criterion for judging right and wrong action, and consequenlly assessing tbe adequacy of a law, is the effect of an action on the human person.
Pope Jobn Paul D offered a clear criterion for judging right and wrong acuon in his 1993 encyclical leHer, "The Splcndor of Truth." Morally right action enhances the dignity of persons, helping them 10 become the people God intended. Morally wrong action dehumanizes, offends human dignity. However, because law deals with the public order aspecl of the common good, not everything that is immoral is illegal. We do not have laws to prohibit a couple from lying to friends about whether they are free to attend a social function. But we do have laws against lying under oall! because the latter case endangers the operatton of our legal system, a matter of public order. The first
CONFLICT arises tn a pluralistic ' society when we specify what constitutes authentic human good and what is dehumaniztng. For Catholic Christians, Jesus is the model, the norm for human life. Yet many do not recognize Jesus as such. Diverse views about authentic human good lie at tbe heart of society's moral views. This diversity manifests itself in ballots in favor of or against legislation. Diverse moral perspectives also contribute to imperfect legislation. Still, the criterion to guide the moral analysis of actions and consequently the ethical quality of a law is the impact of an action on the human person. So, is it morully right just because it is legal? ot necessarily. Good law rests on sound morality and enhances human dignily. Bad laws allow behavior which dehumani1.es persons. Conflicts still will arise in practice because of a pluralism in views about authentic human good and whether law is appropriate in an area that is arguably more a private maner than a question of public order. But we should not lose sigh! of the purpose of law to begin with: 10 safeguard the common good, including the good of each individual member of society. When solid moral reflection precedes the drafting of a law, there is a good chance that what is legal will be morally right. 0 cxs ..
L~-----------------------------------------------------=--------------~ Sundays February I and February 8, 2004 0 DtbolicNews
IS
Key Marian dogma noted Experience O:MEGA II Pope says Immaculate Conception reminds us of a fundamental truth in message for Day of the Sick VATICAN -John Paul I! initiated preparations for tbe !50th anniversary of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception with his message for the 2004 World Day of the Sick. The World Day, on Feb. 11, will be focused on the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bemadeue Soubirous and told her that she, the Mother of God, is tbe " Immaculate Conception." With the apostolic constinuion "Incffabilis Deus," of Dec. 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX stated that "God has revealed the doctrine that affmns that the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, by a pan:icular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in v1ew of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, was preserved from all stain of original sin from the first instant of her conception." John Paul [I in his message for the forthcoming World Day of the Sick states: "The miracle of the Immaculate Conception reminds believers of a fundamental truth: 1t is only possible to attain salvation by participating with docility in the plan of the Father, who willed to redeem the world through the death and resurrection of his only-begotteo Son." "With the Immaculate Conception of Mary began the great work of redemption, which took place with the precious blood of Christ," the text adds. "In him every person is called to fulfiltment in the perfection of holiness.'' IL con tinues: "From the paradox of the cross stems the answer to our most troubling questions. Christ suffers for us: He takes upon himself the suffcrings of all and redeems
By Sandra Yap
SINGAPORE - OMEGA stands for Our Mission to Evangelise with God's Assistance. The fu-st OMEGA course was conducted by Fr. Charles Sim SJ. and Sister Elizabeth Sim F.D.C.C. for over 90 parishioners in the Church of St. Ignatius in 2003. The faith enrichment course aims to enable adult Catholics to deepen and experience their faith, and apply it to their lives. Following from the success of OMEGA in 2003, many parishioners have joined various church ministries and bccrune sponsors for catechurnens
Wednesday evening at 8pm from Feb 4 to Apr7, 2004, at St. Ignatius in the RClA programme. Hall (behind new Church of St. !gnatius, enter via 8 Victoria Road). OMEGA U was launched in The first session was January by the Church of St. •1 lgnatius and is open to all introduced by Fr. Charles Sim parishioners in the West District. It SJ. on Jao 28, 2004. The course has the objectives tO (a) deepen the is being incorporated into the faith of our parishioners, as weekly Charismatic Prayer Group evangelization is the responsibility meeting. The weekly session of every Catholic - go and proclaim commences with a praise and worship session, then a topic the Good ews and reach out to others; and (b) call us to service presentation by distinguished witlun the parish community. priests and religious sisters. The I0 week prograrurne is followed by informal discussion jointly organized by the Church of amongst p:lnicipants, and concludes with a general St. lgnatius Omega team and the Charismatic Prayer Group in questions and answers session. For information, contact: celebration of their 25a• year Sandra or Peter (9628-6472). D anniversary. lt is held every
PAlNTlNG of Bemadetle with the lmmaculate Conception at Lourdes..
What is the ''Right Order" of the Ten Commandments?
them. Christ suffers with us. giving us the possibility to share our sufferings with him. Human suffering, united to Christ's, becomes a means of salvation." Our community, like many "Sorrow, accepted in faith , today, 1 understand, is others becomes a door to enter into the having a major controversy about mystery of the Lord's redeeming placing the Ten Commandments suffering. A suffering which no a local park. One of the in and longer takes away peace objections is that people, happiness, as it is enlightened by religious groups in pan:icular. the radiance of the resurrection," even agree on how the caMot the pope writes. Ten Commandmems should read. "If Jesus is the source of life I'm wondering, when did the that conquers death, Mary is the affectionate Mother who comes to fourth commandment become the meet her children's expectations, fifth commandment, as it is on a obtaining for them the salvation card I obtained from a religious of soul and body," the papal goods store? One priest told me it message adds. is a Catholic-Protestant problem. "T his is the message that the , Is thm true? Is there a "right" list Shrine of Lourdes constantly of the commandments? presents to devotees and Father John Dietzen answers: pilgrims," the message says. "This is also tbe meaning of the THE confusion arises from the physical and spiritual healings fact that there are two lists of the that take place in the grono of Ten Commandments in the Old Massabielle." where Mary appeared on Feb. 11, 1858. ::J CNS Testament, one in Exodus 20:117, the other in Deuteronomy ..li!jjpitPiiiiiir;lil 5:6-21. iiiiiiPiii.iiiiiii;ili .. ii iiP.iiiiiiiiPiiiiiiiiiPi9·iiiiii~iii And there are differences. ln all major basics they are the same, of course, although some variations are noteworthy Xm and perhaps reveal some information about the time in which each was written. In Bxodus, for example, in one commandment, a man's wife is listed as simply one of his possessions. You shall not covet
Q.
your neighbour's wife, it says, "nor his ox or ass or anything else that belongs to bim." In Deuteronomy, however, which reflects a later time of Hebraic culture, the prohibition against coveting a neighbor's wife is put ftrst and is an entirely separate commandment from the prohibition about the rest of his household. This also in part may explain the difference in numbering. Exodus combines the last two of the other list, but seems to divide the first commandment into two.
Other divergences can result, naturally, from differences in translation, tbougb these should · not affect the numbering or the meani ng. lt is not entirely accurate to name this a Catholic-Protestant problem. Following St. Augustine, some Jewish traditions and many fathers of the Western church. Latin-Rite Catholics and Lutherans normally use the enumeration in Deuteronomy. St. Jerome and the Greek fathers, however, preferred the enumeration in Exodus. Protestants other than Lutheran have generally adopted that organization of the commandments. D cr;s
t
REAL ESTA
WHEN the lord had finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, be gave him the two tablets or the commandments, the stone tablets inscribed by God's own finger. (Ex 31:18)
Will good deeds cancel out sinful life? Q.
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lt seems to me the Catholic Church has become just another social institution, more interested in saving the body than the souL So here is my question. ln the Gospel Christ separated the sheep from the goats based on what you do for your fellow man or woman. Nothing is said about keeping the commandments. 1f I do all these social things, helping the poor, fighting for justice, etc., etc., but live a sinful life, will my good deeds cancel out my sins?
Father John Dietzen answers: THE dilemma you offer is not a real one. Sinning is doing something deliberately to harm oneself or others. This is true for whatever biblical commands 1here are, the Ten Commandments, the primary commands of Jesus to love God with ou r whole heart and mind and souJ, and our neighbor as ourself. and the commands of care for others you refer to from Mauhew25.
Thus, there is no conflict or opposition between these cssent ial Christian responsibilities. One cannot be living a li fe of loving service to others and at the same time be doing sinful damage to one's own person or to someone else. To consciously and intentionally do injury to someone, through any sinful act, is incompatible with any moral obligation. They all fit together and include each other. 0 eNs
C.tholicNcws '"' Sundoys
~'cbruory
I and February 8, 2004
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MIGRANTS COI..RSES AT LAKSETIIA SKJLLS CENTRE Lalcsetha Skill~ Centre will be registering students for classes at the Old St Joseph 's Convent, 11 Htllside Drive on Feb 8 and at OlurchofOurLadyofLourdesonFeb I and IS from 10 30 am onwards. Courses available: sewmg, h:urdtesstng, English, compute.-software & hardware, beauty culture, baking, dancing. Contact: Geneview (6566·6706). SEC0:-10-HAND ITEMS WA:-IT£0 Do you have stuff at home or in the office whtch are still in good condi11on but don 'I have space 10 store them? The Comnussion for MigrantS & Itinerant People (CMl) will be happy to have them. Clothes, power tools, sponmg equipment, electtonic ttcms, toys . household items, books, jewellery, etc. Donated items will be sold m a garage sale later this month. Proc:ccd~ will be used to mruntaintwo cris•s sheilcrs and facilities for foreign workers in Singapore. Please send items on or before 18 Feb to 11 Hillside Drive (old St Joseph's Convent, near Immaculate Hean of Mary church) For infonnation, contact CMl (6280-5424/6280-8156/ migram;,@singnet.com.sg)
OTHERS MASSES BY THE CATHOLIC PRAYER SOCIETY The C.tholic Prayer Society (CPS)-Ourrarn wtll resume their Ma.ss on Feb 4 and on every Wednesday at 12.12 pm and 1.15 pm at the Medtcal Alumm Hall (Level 2). Enquiries: Susan (9487-2244) /Belly (9622-6424).
LITTLE ROCK SCRIPTURE STUDY Calling all young adults! Prepare yourself for Easter this year by joining The Harvesters tn a Little Roek Scripture Study on the "Passton and Resurrection of Jesus l\anatives." lurn about the events that will challenge you to incorporate both the pain of the cross and the hope of the resurrection into daily livtng. Dales: Thursdays from Feb 19 to Apr I at Chinatown Potnt, 1116-02. 7.30pm. to 930pm. Cost: S20 (includes marerials). Registration by Feb 14 Tel: Ann or lane (6481-5912 or Ematl: info@harvest~mmuniry.org). PASTORAL CARE OF THE ELDERLY HOt:SEBOUND Organized by the Catholic Nurses' Gu1ld of Singapore and the Singapore Pastoral Institute, this Worl<shop aims to help participants care for me elderly housebound and to foster a deeper commitment to this calling. h comprise: • "Medical Conditions faced by the Elderly" by Or lan Lcong, Coosu ltant, Department of Geria!Tic Medicine. • "Praying with the Elderly" (small group work) by MlPA Team. • "Pastoral Needs of the Elderly" by Or Rilly Ray, Family Physician Outram Polyclinic. • Question & Answer session. • Eucharistic Celebration. Con!Tibution by love offering. To register: fax or mail to : Singapore Pastor.tl lnstirute, 2 Highland Rd 1102-02. Singapore 549102. Tel: 6858-3011 Fax: 6858-2011 Email: spi@catholic.org.sg
prayers. Sorry for lhe delay. Please continue lO pray f01 U$. RaymondandAgalh>
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February I and Februnry 8, 2004 0 CutholicNews
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Seminarian and Kenyan teen use art to explain God, compassion and suffering
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lly Charissn M. Carroll PISCATAWAY. N.J.- Srruggling as a guitarist in a punk rock band some years ago, Kevin Patrick Kelly needed to find a way to cover the rent - and fast. So he grabbed his art supplies and began to create paintings he could sell on the streets of New York City. For several years, the young graduate of the School of Visual Arts supported himself this way and by exhibiting his work in coffeehouses and other small venues. These days he fmds that his art serves a far greater purpose than merely paying the bills. The artist is now a religious brother, a member of the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Phi lip Ncri, who is studying for the priesthood at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange. "My call to the priesthood is the same as my call to be an artist." explained Brother Kevin, who has lived with his religious community in Somerset for the last six years. "Both have to do with my desire to feed people the truth and help to illuminate the gift of life they' ve been given." He said his main drive as a painter is "to recognize God 's grace in the ordinary experiences in life that people tend to overlook."
An unusually-t alented teen
Above: " PROCESSION", painted by Brother Kevin Patrick Kelly, is among works being exhibited at the Morris Museum in Morristown, N.J. Brother Kelly says he is studying to be a priest because be is drawn to the priesthood ash~ is called to art - with a desire to illuminate the gin or life. c,,·s r-
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beautiful spirit," he told The Catholic S piril, newspaper of the Diocese of Meruchen. He noted that most villagers lived without electricity and running water. " lt made me realize the incredible things we take for granted," he said. "The fact that we can turn the faucet on, and water nows out - it's just not something we think about''
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Above: " GRAC E and Dignity in the Fnce of Suffering" is a work of arc by 18-year~ld artist Jowa Ndigirigi of M a l'1llal, Kenya. CNS , . _
Because of what Brother Kevin call s a "profound" and "extraordinary" experience, he has landed his most prominent exhibition to date - one that serves as a celebration of friendship. global diversity and spiritual cotmectedness. Through March 28, the Morris Museum in Morristown will feature his paintings along with those of Jowa Ndigirigi, an 18-year-old artist the semi narian met while on a five-week trip to Kenya in 1999 that he calls lifealtering. Having uaveled to the small, rural village of Mara!al to visit a friend who is a Consolata Missionary priest, Brother Kevin said he was immediately moved by how simply, yet joyfully, the people lived. ..They bad so little in terms of material things, but everyone had such a 549102. PRINTED BY
WHILE on his journey, Brother Kevin began to paint the unique African landscape and exotic animal life. Soon, he bad formed ao informal painting workshop, and began to instruct several local youths. Though he enjoyed teaching all of his srudents the fundamentals of color and composition, he was "blown away" by the talent of Ndigirigi, then 14. Tbe teen had never seen real paintings before, and had only ever drawn with a penciL However, his innate artistic ability was immediately apparent to Brother Kevin. "Jowa has this incredible gift not only for color and composition, but for subject matter," he said. "His paintings rea lly connect and resonate with other people. He understands that art is a universal language and that you can communicate through this medium. His mind is the mind of an artist." During his short time in Kenya, Brother Kevin developed a deep bond with Ndigirigi. He regularly sends the youth art supplies and materials since they are nearly impossible for him to come by and too expensi ve for the typical Kenyan family. The close friends correspond frequently and ma1l their paintings back and forth. As Ndigirigi 's paintings become even more skillful, they continue to evoke intense feelings, Brother Kevin noted. The youth often focuses on the tremendous suffering he has witnessed around him, with subjects including hunger, the 2000· OJ drought and the AIDS crisis. "(Jowa's) paintings show a lot of human suffering, but you view them with a sense of hope and compassion," Brother Kevin said. "People here in America anesthetizc themselves from suffering .... As Christians, we are called to live a Christ Iike Life, and at some point we wi11 be called into that suffering. Lf we run away from that, we're not really engaged in what it means to be alive." Like many in Kenya, Ndigirigi has a deep spiriruallife. Brother Kevin explained that, by living such a simple life with little means, human beings often realize they need to depend on each other, and on God, for hope and sustenance. Both artists arc thrilled that approximately 40 of their paintings, highlighting Kenya's people and natu ral beauty, are on display together in the New Jersey Anist Series exhibition: "Kevin Patriek Kelly and Jowa Ndigirigi, A Kenyan Collaboration." Adding to the excitement is the fact tbat Ndigirigi planned to leave Ius country for the first time to be on hand at the museum for a Feb. I reception and Feb. 5 discussion of h.is work. ::J CN.~