MARCH 03, 2002, vol 52, no 5 by CatholicNews

4 Let us love one another; because love is from God and everyone who loves is bom of God and knows God. ^ SUNDAY, MARCH 3 - 10, 2002

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Vol. 52 No. 5

PRESS C O N FER EN C E ON POPE S M ESSA G E FOR LEN T 2002

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On Tuesday 5 February, Pope John Paul’s Message for Lent 2002, was released to the Press, (for text of message see last issue of the Catho lic News).

4 (W h at can each one of us do to change things and to bring hope to our world7 9

On this occasion two presentations were given. The first was delivered by His Excellency Monsignor Paul Josef Cordes, President of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum"an organization founded by Pope Paul VI in 1971 to disburse funds from the Vatican as a rapid response of the Church to catastropies that might occur around the world. The second presentation was made by Mr Jean Vanier, Founder of the Movement L ’Arche. The movement was founded by him in 1964 to reach out specifically to those with mental handicaps.

Address of Msgr. Cordes In his presentation, Msgr Cordes re called that true to its mandate, the Pontifical Council Cor Unum had, since its inception in 1971, disbursed a total of US$87,510,201 in emer gency relief funds, and recently, the Pope had entrusted the organization with the collection that was made in conjunction with the declared day of fasting on 14 December 2001. As at 31 January 2002, this fund stood at more than 2,000,000 Euros.

Lenten collections should therefore be occasions to give thanks to God precisely because we have receved everything we have from the gener osity of God. This should give rise to a new dimension in almsgiving that rejuvenates our faith.

afflict so many in the world of today can well be occasion for us to go beyond ourselves and to even give of ourselves. Hence, the Holy Father in his message thanks all those in so many parts of the world who give this witness of love.

A mentality of autonomy

Volunteering

It is in this context that the Holy Fa ther mentioned a growing mentality of the autonomy of man, given the tremendous advances of medical and biotechnological sciences which could lead man to think that he can one day become the creator of himself, (a clear reference to genetic sciences) The conviction of autosufficiency would lead one to believe that one does not need anyone else. The situations of misery which

Turning his attention to the subject of volunteers, who precisely give of themselves to others, the President of "Cor Unum" informed his audience that in just one of several instituions of volunteers in Italy there are 650,000 members while a similar or ganization in Spain disburses to the Third World some 40 million US dol lars a year, raised exclusively by vol unteers. The voluneer, he said, was of ex treme importance to the mission of

The role of aid disbursment However, Monsignor Cordes pointed out that "Cor Unum" does not see its role simply as an aid institution. We need, he said, "...more than just bread and a roof." Our attention, he continued must not be limited to the material necessities of mankind. As the Pope had poiinted out in his mes sage, his appeal is not only to the generosity of the faithful towards their brothers and sisters, but he un derlines that generosity must rest on the conviction that we have received so much from God. The traditional

Archdiocese of Singapore home page, Veritas: http://www.catholic.org.sg.

the Church. Volunteering offers to each one, the possibility of living out in a practical way, the commandment of Jesus to love our neighbour. At the same time, it reinforces the credibility of the Church. The Pope in his message pointed out that the volunteer represents the most eloquent form of evangelization, because, responding to human need he reveals to man the love of God, a provident father always concerned for each one. More than that, pointed out Msgr Cordes, the volunteer travels on the path of educuation for himself as his work helps him to open his eyes to the action of God in society and in history. By way of conclusion and illustration of what he had just pointed out about volunterering, Monsignor Cordes introduced the

second presenter. "We have among us", he said, "one of the great initiators of Catholic volunteeriing in our time, the wellknown Mr Jean Vanier, a Canadian who lives in France, and who in 1964 founded the first group of the move ment L’Arche. Today there are 117 such communities in 29 countries of the w orld." The organization is geared to creating communities where those who suffer from learning disabilities may find community and be integrated with others so that they may have the possiblity of living as independently as possible and discovering God. In his work with the weak, Mr Jean Vanier has gathered thousands of persons in a movement known as "Faith and Light". The witness of his work demonstrates powerfully that charitable work does not have as its end the mere alleviation of human suffering, nor does it completely satisfy anyone. It is above all a journey that discovers God.

Address of Mr Jean Vanier With words that only a truly com m ited person who has discovered God in others, Mr Vanier began his address with a challenge which is addressed to all of us. We quote from the original text.

• Continued on back page

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MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002 THE CATHOLIC NEWS

LOCAL! P e ra n a k a n M a s s u s h e rs in th e Y e a r o f th e H o rs e By Christopher Khoo THEY came as usual in their tradi tional finery — sarong kebaya for the women and baju lok chuan for the men. But an important figure was missing from the annual Peranakan Lunar New Year Eve Mass held at the Church of the Holy Family on Feb 11. Fr Alfred Chan, who initiated the Mass held in the Peranakan patois in 1985, was much missed at the celebration to usher in the Year of the Horse. The priest, who ministers much to the Peranakan Catholic community in the arch diocese, is recuperating from a stroke and is currently under the care of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Fr Adrian Yeo, who celebrated the Mass for some 300 bibiks, nonyas and babas, urged the con-

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gregation to pray for Fr Chan, for God to "give him strength, so that next year he can come back again" to celebrate this annual Mass. Fr Yeo, in his homily, compared the spiritual life to the discipline of the horse which obeys completely the commands of its master. He urged the congregation to follow "God’s plan completely" in their lives. During the Mass, traditional foodstuff like Peranakan cakes, pineapples and oranges were car ried during the offertory proces sion. Hymns, translated into the patois from English, as well as original Peranakan hymns, were also sung. Q A couple lighting the candles on the traditional Peranakan altar during the Peranakan Lunar New Year Eve Mass on Feb 11.

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Deliverance is at hand for priests who have suffered all these years from utter frustration with having to turn micro-thin pages of their breviaries hunting for the correct pages for the different parts of their daily prayer, turning the whole exercise into a holy nightmare! His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Antony Anandarayar, Bishop of O otacam und launched the diocesan website on the occasion of the diocesan Clergy at their Monthly Recollection Held on 19th February 2002. Ootacamund is in the State of Tamilnadu in South India. We were informed of this by "Patrick" for Emaje Infomatics. All one needs to do is access the w ebsite www.emmanuel2000.ora.in The section for the Office of the Hours is incredible. It is arranged by Hours so that at the click of a mouse, the particular hour desired is displayed in full. Of course, it follows the Universal

JENNIFER WEE " I T

Calendar and there is no need to even look up the "Ordo". Connect a projector to a laptop online and one can have the texts on a large screen for community recitation! At the same web-site there are also the readings fo r Mass. Perhaps, one day, we will not need the Altar Missal either, and all we would need is a lap-top on the altar and another at the Pulpit, without any need to hunt through Missal and Lectionary pages either! One tip, though. Make sure you have a book of hymns handy by the computer terminal. For some reason they don’t give Hymns, and just instruct the reader to recite or sing a hymn at the appropriate point. Perhaps a CD rom of hymns could be loaded!! The web site address is www.dioceseofootacamund.org The Bishop’s e-mail address is bishoDQotv@hotmail.com Visit India’s first Catholic Portal web site www.emmanuel2000.orq.in Editor

jwee@ cyberway.com .sg

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Fr Matthias Tung has been transferred from the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the Church of St Joseph (U p p e r B u kit T im a h). In a d d itio n to Fr M a tth ia s Tung, the o th e r priests at the parish are Frs Lawrence Yeo (parish priest) and Edward Lim. □

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Fr Adrian Yeo has been trans ferred from the Church of the Holy Family to the Church of the Risen Christ.

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________________________________________________ MARCH 3 -1 0 ,2 0 0 2

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iRite f Election o

Photos by RAYMOND TAN

By Mel Diamse-Lee AT THREE separate events, the archdiocese celebrated the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) Rite of Election for 831 catechumens and candidates at the Churches of the Holy Cross, Holy Family and Christ the King on Feb 16 and 17 respectively. Presented to Archbishop Nicholas Chia at the Church of the Holy Cross on Feb 16 were 271 catecumens, now called Elect, and 20 candidates from the parishes in the West and North Districts. The parishes represented were Blessed Sacrament, St Mary of the Angels, St Ignatius, St Francis of As sisi, St Joseph (Bukit Timah), Christ the King, Our Lady Star of the Sea, St Anthony, Holy Spirit and Holy Cross. A day later, at the Church of the Holy Family, another 361 Elect and nine candidates were presented to the archbishop. These came from the East, Serangoon and City District par ishes, namely, Queen of Peace, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Holy Family, Nativity, St Anne, Immacu late Heart of Mary, St Francis Xavier, Novena, St Bernadette and St Michael. Also on Feb 17 at the Church of Christ the King, 163 M andarin speaking Elect and seven candi dates were received by Fr Paul Tong on behalf of the archbishop. The Elect earlier inscribed their

Archbishop Nicholas Chia receives the book of the Elect from a representative of the Church of the Holy Spirit on Feb 16 at the Church of the Holy Cross. names in the book listing those who have been chosen for acceptance into the Catholic Church. The Rite of Election, which coin cides with the opening of Lent, marks the start of more intense preparation for the sacraments of initiation —Bap tism and Eucharist for the Elect, and Eucharist for the candidates. Candidates are those baptised in other Christian Churches but who wish to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. The Elect and candidates, who have journeyed many months in the RCIA process, will be officially re ceived into the Church during the

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Easter Vigil. The RCIA was introduced into Singapore in the mid-80s and the Rite of Election was formally estab lished in 1990. Since then, some 9,000 Elect have been received into the Church during the Easter Vigil. Other parishes, including the Churches of the Holy Cross, Risen Christ, Immaculate Heart of Mary and Holy Trinity also hold RCIA Rites of Election during Advent. Parishes wishing to order photos of the rites at the Churches of the Holy Cross and Holy Family may call the Singapore Pastoral Institute (858-3055).

V 4 i The Elect, who took the RCIA at Novena Church, were presented by Redemptorist Father Paul Pang (not in photo) at the Church of the Holy Family on Feb 17. Fr Paul Tong blesses the Mandarin speaking Elect and candidates from the parish of St Francis of Assisi on Feb 17 at the Church of Christ the King.

Catholic moralists, doctors discuss bioethics issues with other Christian leaders By Dr John Hui SOME 30 leaders and representa tives from the Catholic and other Christian communities here met to explore areas of co-operation to effectively educate the members of their Churches on bioethics issues and promote a "healthy respect for human life". Organized by the Catholic Medi cal Guild of Singapore (CMG) on Feb 7 at a local hotel, participants included Catholic Archbishop Nicholas Chia, Methodist Bishop Dr Robert Solomon, and Anglican Bishop Dr John Chew. CMG spiritual director, Jesuit Father Colin Tan and Catholic moral theologians, Fr James Yeo and Redemptorist Father Bernard Teo, were also present. Dr John Hui, master of the Catholic Medical Guild of Singa pore, told the participants that the meeting s main purpose was to pro mote co-operation and unity among the various Christian communities in their response to challenges in the area of bioethics. It was also a follow up to a seminar co-organized by the Trinity Theological College and the CMG last November, which was attended by many Christian representatives. After his opening prayer, Arch bishop Nicholas Chia expressed the

Jesuit Father Colin Tan, Anglican Bishop John Chew, Archbishop Nicholas Chia, Methodist Bishop Robert Solomon and Dr Roland Chia of the Trinity Theological College. need to conscientise the faithful as to how such matters really affect humanity at large. He felt that this should be done in a way that was simple yet effective to help people understand and appreciate the sa credness of life. Rev Dr Robert Solomon, who chairs the National Council of Churches’ Life Sciences Study Group, agreed that education of the laity was necessary as many were either uninformed or ill-informed. The leader of the Methodist com munity here suggested the sharing of knowledge and resources among the various Churches, which meant

that regular follow-up of that day’s meeting was necessary. Noting the difficulties and chal lenges facing Christians in their effort to promote a healthy respect for human life in today's world, Anglican Bishop Chew exhorted all present not to give up, but to persevere in their efforts to educate the laity. The meeting concluded with a prayer by Rev Dr Robert Solomon. The participants left with a renewed hope and vision for greater Christian unity in the field of bioethics. The meeting was chaired by Dr John Lee, co-chairman of the Arch diocesan Bioethics Committee.

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

FEATURE

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THE CATHOLIC NEWS

The "powerless" Power of the powerless We know that each person is important, I would like to bear witness here to the "power" of these so-called "powerless" people,

unique, precious for Jesus. People with learning disabilities have a special importance for Jesus because in all their apparent incapacities, they are

their capacity to open hearts, to help people become more truly human, to lead people into the mystery of the gospels and a meeting with Jesus.

more open to love. They may not be able to develop their intellectual capacities but they are people of the heart, people yearning for relationship. That is why Paul affirms in his letter to the Corinthians that God has chosen

We cannot however ignore that children born with a severe disability are a scandal, humanly speaking.

the weak and foolish in the eyes of the world in order to confound the strong and the so called clever; that those who are weakest, "the least presentable" are

Maybe it is only the gospel message that can help us to enter into the mystery of their lives.

necessary to the church and should be honoured (cf 1Cor 1:21; 1Cor 12).

A broken world In our broken world, many young people feel confused. Some, when they discover the chaos in the world and in themselves, in their own violence and disordered sexuality, can fall into a life of chaos. Others just want to do what everybody else is doing. They seek to ignore the chaos, not question the values of society and just want security, money and success. Still others see the chaos which can make them insecure. They look for strong groups which give them security. They need to feel strong and on the right side.

Some have become faithful friends of people with disabilities, committed to them. And I can testify to how this friendship with the weak has led them to growth in maturity and wholeness and in faith in Jesus.

In our world of confusion and brokenness... We learn through moments of hardship, when we touch our own violence, how much we need help in order to love intelligently. Still others take the rather insecure road of compassion. They want to be with the broken of our world. They discover also how broken they themselves are. To grow in love they need help. Through compassion they discover community and their need for a deep, personal relationship with Jesus. They discover the meaning of Eucharist and the washing of the feet. They discover the church, a community of believers, and they begin to cry out for unity amongst all followers of Jesus and of all of humanity.

We need the support of community and good spiritual accompaniment to grow to greater wholeness, maturity and union with Jesus

"Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you." (Luke 6:36-38)

Texts are quotations from Jean Vanierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - presentation at press release o f Popeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lenten Message, Vatican City

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

REGIONAL WORLD

D A Y OF T H E S I C K

Churches for homes

Hearing-impaired gain self-respect VAILANKANNI, INDIA — Hearingimpaired delegates from various parts of Asia have acknowledged the Church’s help in rekindling hope in their lives at a conference in south ern India. "We were unfortunate, hopeless and w orthless humans" before Church people found us and offered us education, said Ms Ann Phamakumari, one of 100 hearingimpaired persons at the Feb 7-8 con ference at Vailankanni, 2,460 km south of New Delhi. Communicating through sign language interpreted by a Catholic nun, the 22-year-old woman from Sri Lanka told UCA News that she gained more "spirituality and confi dence" from the Church education that she termed "a big achievement" in her life. Some 130 delegates and Church representatives involved with the hearing-impaired ministry in Asia at tended the programme that began with a thanksgiving prayer some disabled people offered through sign language. The conference on Religious Education and Pastoral Care for the Hearing Impaired preceded Asia’s first observance of World Day of the Sick (see story below).

manages a tailor shop, told UCA News. Church programmes took in Mr Kumar and Ms Phamakumari after they dropped out of governmentmanaged schools for the hearing im paired. Sri Lankan Sister Claris Pereira, who interpreted the youths’ sign lan guage, said her Perpetual Health congregation runs a school to impart religious and spiritual formation to Catholic children suffering from hear ing disability. According to her, Sri Lanka has 17 Church-managed institutions that rehabilitate hearing impaired per Ms Ann Phamakumari, sons. a delegate at a conference on Fr Lazarus Swinie of Malaysia’s caring tor the hearing-impaired Kuching archdiocese told UCA News that the Church in his country has also taken up the ministry with "seri Ms Phamakumari, a Catholic ous concern and commitment" al now working as a teacher in her own though the government controls the school, said she nurses a great education system. sense of gratitude to the Church for Six Church-managed schools for lifting her from the "dust and raising the disabled in Malaysia conduct her to the status of a teacher". educational activities, holiday camps Similarly, Mr Prasanna Kumar, and retreats, outdoor activities and another Catholic youth from Sri rehabilitation programmes, added Lanka, said he would never have the priest, who teaches Sunday been able to earn money if the school, adult faith education and sign Church had not helped him. "Now, I language classes for the hearing am able to praise God as I no longer impaired. ucan feel worthless," Mr Kumar, who now

'We were unfortunate, hopeless and worthless humans' before Church people found us and offered us education.

"Beloved, let us love one another because love is from God and whoever loves is born of God, knows God." (1 Jn 4)

A first in Asia CNS file photo

VAILANKANNI, INDIA - Amid the prayers of 10,000 pilgrims, Church officials opened the 10th World Day of the Sick in a southern Indian pil grim centre, making it the first such event in Asia. The inaugural function on Feb 9 evening at an open auditorium near the Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Health in Vailankanni, Tamil Nadu state, preceded day-long prayers for the sick and a Eucharistic celebration. The shrine is visited annually by 1 million people seeking miraculous healing. Archbishop Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers, led 5,000 peo ple and 1,600 official delegates from all over the world in the opening Mass inside the shrine complex, 2,460 km south of New Delhi. Indian civil leaders, state minis ters and federal Health Minister C. P. Thakur also joined the formal opening of the event. Minister Thakur opened an ex hibition on indigenous and alterna tive medicine organized by the Catholic Hospital Association of In dia and lauded Christians' medical service in the country. He cited in particular the associa tion's efforts in serving HIV-infected people. "Compassion is what these

JAKARTA — Floods resulting from heavy rain in Jakarta recently have displaced thousands, some of whom have received shelter and relief in parish churches in the Indonesian capital.

A woman feeds her injured child in the western Indian city of Bhuj. Catholic health care personnel were lauded for their contributions to the Indian medical service. patients require," when even the "families throw them out" after they contract the deadly virus, he said. Seven archbishops, 30 bishops, and Catholic health workers from Africa, Europe and other Asian na tions attended the three-day event on the theme, In the Footsteps of

Jesus, the Divine Healer. Archbishop Cyril Baselios of Trivandrum, president of the Catho lic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), said during Mass that both health and pastoral care are inte grated ministries. Noting that "illnesses of both mind and body" have their origin in sin, he said, "Inner healing is a must for outer healing." He called on health professionals to integrate this essential aspect in their ministry. Archbishop Barragan read out the papal message, which noted that the Church’s health ministry has gained momentum in its missionary apostolate. The message also recognized the roles of priests, Religious and laity in India in health care and called upon them "to renew their commit ment" for more effective witness to Christ’s message. It said suffering in the Christian context is part of a glorious resur rection and that it is the role of health professionals to disseminate this message to the patients, particularly those dying. The message expressed con cern over the growing negative ele ments in a world terrorized by vio lence and hatred, where a Catholic health worker has to play the role of a spiritual healer as well, ucan

Indonesians in Jakarta wading through flood waters. Churches have coordinated aid efforts for flood victims, Various parishes of Jakarta archdio cese have opened their churches for flood victims, while Catholics con tinue to assist in relief operations by donating food, medicine, clothes and even doing the cooking for the vic tims. Divine Word Father Lucius Uran told UCA News on Feb 2 at St Arnold Church in Bekasi, east of Jakarta, "Since the beginning of the floods, we have been encouraging the peo ple and the faithful to help their neigh bours who have become victims of the floods." The parish priest added that he cancelled all parish activities and opened eight posts to prepare food for the needy. According to the Florinese priest, his parish was coordinating paramedics and doctors to offer medical treatment to the flood vic tims, and to work at preventing the possible outbreak of post-flood dis eases. In Cilincing, north of Jakarta, the Holy Cross Church where most

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Catholics are poor has also been offering help. Vincentian Father Benedictus Martokusumo told UCA News that besides soliciting help for his parishioners from convents, Catholics, Jakarta archdiocese and the bishops’ social and economic commission, the parish has also been "distributing food, milk, medi cine and clothes for other victims taking shelter in mosques." In north Jakarta, where the wa ter level was about 2 m deep, Fr Stanislaus Sutapanitra said that 200 people from the surrounding area have taken refuge in St Jacob’s Church. In Cengkareng near the airport, Oblate Father Gregorius Basir Karimanto told UCA News that the parish there helped "700 victims and the number has been increasing. Many people are still trapped by the floods." He said that his parish called on women and other volunteers to pre pare food for the flood victims in the parish rectory. ucan

Church workers teach natural family planning KARACHI, PAKISTAN — Church workers have conducted a natural family planning programme as a way to build healthy and loving families for Muslims and Christians in a slum area in southern Pakistan. Thirty participants from Manzoor colony, a slum area in Karachi, as sembled on Jan 28 at the SeventhDay Adventist Church to tackle is sues confronting families in their area, with a special focus on family planning. Church workers from Idara’s slum area volunteers' desk assisted participants in identifying the needs and problems in various areas of family life, taking stock of challenges and drawing up a concrete plan of action. Sofia Emmanuel, an instructor of the ovulation method of family plan ning, told participants that natural family planning should not be con sidered as just one more method of

contraception. The method is meant not only to avoid, limit or space births but also to achieve pregnancy, she explained. "It is more than a method that is easily accessible to all, it is also a way of life," she said, adding that it enhances and intensifies the rela tionship between spouses and pro motes marital harmony. Asia Bashir, a coordinator of the volunteers’ desk, said, "In the spirit of dialogue of life and cooperation with all people of goodwill, we are convinced that our efforts at serving the family should be a collaborative venture with all volunteers and groups." Shaukat Khokhar, a union coun cil member who was among the seminar participants, said Christians and Muslims, who live together in Manzoor, respect each other and invite each other to their respective programmes. ucan

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

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BONN, GERMANY — Catholic and Protestant Churches in Germany expressed "great disappointment" over a decision to allow the import of human embryonic stem cells. The German Bundestag, or par liament, voted on Jan 30 to allow a very restricted import of stem cells derived from human embryos. Based on this vote, the government coalition hopes to sponsor a bill to cover the import by law. "Because of this decision, the right to life and the unlimited protec tion of human life from the time of conception are no longer guaran teed," said Cardinal Karl Lehmann of Mainz, chairman of the German bishops’ conference, in a joint state ment with Mr Manfred Kock, council chairman of the Protestant Church in Germany. They asked politicians and re

searchers to ensure that the new decision "does not lead to a breach in the moral dike." The Bundestag's decision allows cells derived from stem-cell lines in existence before Jan 30 to be im ported. The abandoned embryos must have been created for repro duction purposes, and researchers must have the consent of the em bryos’ parents. In addition, research ers have to prove that their project is "important" and cannot be done with other stem cells. The Churches regard the parlia mentary decision to be inconsistent with the intention of Germany’s very strict embryo protection law. Accord ing to the 1991 law, the use of artifi cially created human embryos for anything other than implantation in the mother is illegal. The Bundestag was forced to

rule on the issue after scientists asked the German Research Foun dation to fund their research that used imported embryonic stem cells. Other German bishops and the C entral C om m ittee of German Catholics, a lay organization, urged the Bundestag to vote against allow ing stem cells to be imported. They suggest focusing on research with adult stem cells or neo-natal cells obtained from the umbilical cord. Many politicians and some rep resentatives of p hysician s’ organizations share the Churches' view. A recent poll showed that twothirds of Germans disapprove of the killing of embryos for research pur poses. Most scientists, however, fear Germany might fall behind other nations if such research were to become illegal in their country. □

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tation would concentrate on critical major systems such as roofing and plumbing, with an average cost of about US$25,000. "We believe if we can get the abandoned houses sealed or reha bilitated, the druggies and the pros titutes will have no place to go," Fr Bazzoli told The Catholic Standard and Times, newspaper of the Phila delphia Archdiocese. "There is won derful housing in this neighbourhood, if we can only bring it back." "I’ve lived in the neighbourhood for 28 years," said Ms Pat Smiley, a

member of the project’s administra tive team. "It’s only in the last five years that we’ve seen a rapid in crease in empty or abandoned houses." The problem, she said, is that "once there is one abandoned house on a block, everyone’s value goes down 20 to 25% and you get more abandoned houses." That’s why, according to her, St Joachim plans to concentrate on the blocks where there are only one or two abandoned houses and bring them back first. □ c n s

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MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

VATICAN

Divinely Chosen -No one should imagine that a scarcity of priestly vocations would be com pensated for by an increase in apostolic com m itm ent on the part of the laity.

PaPal Greetings IN his regular Sunday address to pilgrims at St Peter’s Square on Sunday, 10 February, after the recitation of the "Angelus", the Holy Father said: "A significant portion of the human family is preparing to celebrate the Lunar New Year on the 12th of this month." "I am thinking," he said, "of the Chinese, the Vietnam ese, the Koreans and the many others who will be celebrating on this occasion. They are people who are particularly dear to me, and I am pleased to extend to them my wishes for peace, prosperity and spiritual growth." Every five years, all bishops of the world are expected to visit the Holy Father personally to report on the state of the territories entrusted to their care and to meet with m em bers of the various Congregations (the equivalent of government ministries) that are pertinent to their pastoral work.

Recently the Bishops of our region made this visit, known as the ad limina visit. (Literally, in Latin, this means "to the portals" in reference to the offices of the Pope). Making reference to this sort of visit, the Holy Father added: "The recent visit ad limina of Bishops from these regions has given me the opportunity to feel closer to the peoples who live there, peoples who are always present in my thoughts and in my prayers." — Editor, from Vatican Press Report

Catholic Education Priests in Singapore at the Episcopal Ordination of their new Archbishop, His Grace the Most Rev Nicholas Chia, V A TIC A N — It has becom e traditional that the Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome, of which the Holy Father is the Bishop, leads the clergy to meet with their Bishop at the beginning of the Lenten Season. On Thursday 14 February, the day after Ash Wednesday, the Pope metwith his Vicar General, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the parish priests and clergy and the deacons of his Diocese of Rome. In his address to them the Pope chose to address the question of priestly vocations. Taking as his starting point the passage of Me 3 -, 13-15 .... the Holy Father went on to point out that these words highlight the profound link that exists between the divine vocation heard in the obedience of faith and the Christian mission to be witnesses of Christ, humble but courageous collaborators in his work of salvation. He urged them to pay special attention to vocations especially to the priesthood and religious life. The Holy Father stressed the need for vocations and warned that a decrease in vocations in a diocese or nation results from a decreased intensity of faith and spiritual fervour. Nor, he warned, should anyone imagine that a scarcity of p rie s tly v o c a tio n s w ou ld be compensated for by an increase in apostolic commitment on the part of the laity. On the contrary, the Pope pointed out, the greater the number of laity desiring to live their baptismal commitment to the full, the greater would be the necessity of the work of ordained ministers. The Bishop of Rome admitted that not only in Rome but in a great part of the western world there were obstacles to a positive response to the call of the Lord. There was, for many reasons, a growing difficulty for individuals to assume a life-long commitment which is complete and definitive, still more so when such a

commitment results not so much from their own choice but results, in the first place, from a call from God, which arises from his loving and merciful design for each individual. At the core of the understanding of vocation in the Church is a realization in faith involving all, laity, priests and re lig io u s, w hich d isco ve rs th is fu nd am e nta l dimension of faith which sees every life as a call from God and which can only reach its positive fulfilment through answering this call. The Pope pointed out that the tre m e n d o u s re a lity o f life considered as a gift is manifest already in our baptismal vocation but this is eminently so in respect of the priestly vocation. Indeed it is at the same time a gift and a mystery, a mystery of divine choice: You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you so that you may go forth and bear fruit, fruit that will last. (Jn 15:16). The Pope appealed to his priests: "Yes, my dear brothers in the priesthood, our vocation is a m ystery.... Therefore when we speak of our vocation we need to speak with great joy and gratitude, at the same time with great humility, knowing full well that God calls us not because of what we are but simply because of his own choice and his grace." Thus, the Pope pointed out, it becomes very clear that it is only through prayer that we can have an increase in vocations: "The harvest is great, pray therefore the Lord o f the harvest that he sends labourers into his harvest. Prayer is not, as it were, a last resort when all else has failed. What is needed is prayer on the part o f the w hole C hristian community and especially on the part of the young people who are at that point when they have to decide what to do with their lives. Prayer, however, needs to be

accompanied by a whole pastoral approach beginning with parents of families, who need to bring their children up with a consciousness that each of us has a special vocation in God’s plan and that we need to discover this in our lives. This initial consciousness has to be followed through with catechesis through all the stages of the individual s growth, and which is particularly emphasized through the various stages of the youth as th e y go th ro u g h s ch o o l and in s titu te s o f h ig h e r lea rn ing . P a rish e s and C h ris tia n communities must also take into account the perspectiveof life being a vocation from God. However, the Holy Father told the priests that it is obvious that we ourselves as priests have a special role to play not only through prayer and our ministry, but above all through our witness. "If teenagers and young adults see priests who are overly involved with too many things, prone to discontent and quick to grumble, and at the same time, careless in prayer and the work o f their ministry, it would be difficult for them to be fascinated by the path of the priesthood. If, on the other hand, they sense the joy in us of being ministers of Christ, if they see our generosity in the service of the Church, if they notice our readiness to care for the human and spiritual growth of the persons entrusted to our care, then they might well ask themselves whether such a life could also be theirs!" The Pope ended with an appeal to all his brother priests to place their solicitude for vocations in the hands of Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church and Mother, especially, of us priests. "The Church needs holy priests," he concluded. Editor - from Vatican Press Report

PARTICIPANTS attending the Ple nary session of the Congregation for Catholic Education (for Seminaries and Institutes of Study) met Pope John Paul II at a special audience on Monday 4 February. He welcomed the Cardinals, Bishops, Priests and all the partici pants and in his address highlighted various issues. In particular, he mentioned the work that the Congregation had done in respect of Guidelines for recourse to psychological sciences in the ad mission and formation of candidates for the priesthood, which had been proposed as a useful instrument in determining the suitability and voca tion of candidates in the best inter ests of the candidates themselves and the whole Church. However, he cautioned that while such instruments are indeed useful, they must be integrated in the broader framework of the whole for mation of the candidates so as to safeguard the role of spiritual forma tion. It is in the climate of faith, the Pontiff stressed, that the response

to the vocation received by God must grow and mature. While recognizing the contribu tion and usefulness of psychology, he reminded his audience that it does not eliminate every kind of dif ficulty and tension but can favour a greater consciousness of freedom of choice with the help of grace for which there is no substitute. He urged the members present to engage experts in psychology who can integrate with their science, a profound understanding of the Chris tian concept of life and vocation to the priesthood, so that they would be in a position to make the necessary integration between the human and supernatural dimen sions. Briefly touching on the Catho lic school, he noted that its particular characteristic consists in the presence of consecrated per sons (Brothers and Sisters) and la ity, and stressed the need to com bine spiritual, ecclesial and profes sional competence with the pursu ance of the mission of the Church. Editor, from Vatican Press Report

Pope: Satan still at work VATICAN CITY — Before beginning a weeklong Lenten retreat, Pope John Paul II warned that Satan is still at work in a world often "domi nated by evil and sin." "The devil, the "prince of this world,’ continues his deceitful action even today. Every person, beyond his own desires and the bad exam ple of others, is tempted by the devil — all the more when he notices it least," the pope said at a Sunday blessing on Feb 17. He was commenting on the Gospel reading on the first Sunday of Lent, which described Christ’s temptation by Satan in the desert. He said the lure of sin remains a constant for men and women of today, and "one needs to remain vigilant in order to react with readi

ness against every attack of temp tation." He said the sp iritu a l tools against evil are ancient and effec tive ones: prayer, the sacraments, penitence, vigilance, fasting and at tentive listening to the Word of God. Earlier in the day, saying Mass at a parish in Rome’s northern sub urbs, the pope said the Gospel's account of Christ’s temptation of fered a valuable lesson to modern people, who face frequent invita tions to evil as they cross the "desert of daily life." He said Lent offered Christians a unique opportunity for reflection and self-examination, a chance to recognize one’s own faults and make progress on the path to con version. □ CNS

MARCH 3 - 10, 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

FAITH IN LIFE' 3RD SUNDAY IN LENT

4 T H S U N D A Y IN L E N T

THE LOVE OF GOD

CALLED TO THE LIGHT

The Texts: The First Reading is one exam ple of how God cared for the people he chose as his very own. The people had been grumbling to Moses, their leader: Is the Lord with us or not? The incident has a parallel in the Gospel story, when Jesus gives water to the Samaritan woman to drink. However, water is now given an added spiritual dimen sion —the living spring of eternal life: ... anyone who drinks the water that I shall give will never be thirsty again. In the Second Reading, St. Paul establishes the link between faith, hope and charity (love). It is our faith in Christ s redemp tive work that saves us, and this gives us hope that we will share in the transfiguration of Christ in glory. This hope St. Paul says, is not deceptive, because the love o f God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy S p irit. But the basis of our hope is certain, since we are sure that God loves us with an infinite

Application in life "Almsgiving" is always associ ated with Christianity and espe cially so with the Season of Lent. The graphic illustrates this. There will always be in every country, at whatever stage of development they have reached, some people who are in need of help from others in society, and there will also be those who have enough, and even more than enough. It is only natural that those who have sufficient and more should go to the assistance of those who are in need. Institutions have always existed to help the needy in society but this does not exon erate the individual from the obli gation to help others in need. God cared for his people in the Old Testament, and Jesus too, in the New Testament, showed his concern for people not just in terms of their spiritual needs but even of their material needs. There is a tendency to link "charity" or "almsgiving" to giving money. This is certainly a very fundamental way of help ing others in need. To restrict our whole concept of helping others to giving money would, however, not be quite adequate. Giving m oney is ce rtainly the least "tro u b le s o m e " and m ost "convenient" way of discharging our obligations. Hopefully, we don’t think only along these lines! During the Season of Lent, in our Singapore churches, there is an annual "Charity Week" when collections are taken to help those in need, but it would also be a good idea for us to think in terms of volunteer services which we could render either through es

love. The proof lies in the fact that Christ died for us, and that he continues to nourish us with his Word of life. ... what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us when we were still sinners.

The Texts: You were darkness once, but now you are light in the world", pro claims St. Paul in the Second Reading. That is what being a Christian implies. Like David in the First Reading, we are spe cially chosen and called by God.

Hence it is that we are exhorted today to listen to his voice and harden not our h ea rts (Responsorial Psalm). ..He is our God and we the people who belong to his pasture, the flock that is led by his hand. Lent is essentially a call from God to re pentance and conversion. But that call is not merely a verbal call. It is essentially a call to respond to love by love. That response is referred to as listening. Listening is not just hearing, but essentially heeding and responding by action. And indeed the call is: Love the Lord, with your whole mind and your whole strength, and your neigh bour as yourself. A response to that sort of call can only be a response of love in action. It is to this that we are called during this Lenten season. □

tablished institutions which would always welcome volunteer help, or in one’s private capacity. Our Holy Father in his Lenten message had this in mind when he spoke of giving testimony of the love that we have received from God. What better way than to give of ourselves to others, and not just of our money.

generous inwoRKsof

CHARITY

"Almsgiving" should be broad ened to include the giving of one’s time and energy or other re sources at one’s command to help those who are in some kind of need. It would be up to the individual to think creatively of how he or she could come to the aid of those who are less fortunate. If we break away from our usual a sso cia tio n o f "c h a rity " and "almsgiving" with money or even time, we might be surprised by what we can come up with in terms of "helping", and in ways that are even more productive, useful and enduring. Ultimately, the best way to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves would be to help them to rise out of th e ir "dependency" on others, if possible. Very often this is actually possible, and very often actually giving them money is NOT the best way! It is certainly the most convenient way, since all it takes is signing a cheque or dropping money in a box. But it hardly satisfies the need for giving a living witness to the love of God. It might be well worthwhile for us to seek more creative and effective ways of giving the greatest gift we can give —the gift of ourselves to others in imitation of Christ, who gave himself to us. □

moRe eagerIncele bratingtfja M' bywhichwg anareborn Graphics: The Order of St. Benedict Texts: Dr (Rev) R. Balhetchet

goodness and right living and truth." We have been given the light of faith. We too, in Christ, have triumphed over sin and death. All that remains for us is to LIVE as children of the light. Lent is a time for us to assess where we stand in our Christian lives. Do we reflect in our lives the light of Christ which we have re ceived? We have the whole of revelation and the guidance of the Church. Are we perhaps still blind?

In the Gospel, Jesus himself de cided to restore the sight of the blind man. There is a symbolism in this cure which results in the ability to see. Faith differs from reason in that it is not based on evidence. In religious faith, we trust in the person of Christ who reveals the Father to us: "He who has seen me has seen the Father." Religious faith is essentially a gift from God. If is he who enables us to see and believe with eyes of faith.

For the blind man in the Gospel, the restoration of his physical sight led him on to faith in Jesus. "Do you believe in the Son o f Man?" Jesus asks him. The man replies: "Tell me who he is so that I may believe in him." When he is told that he is actually looking at him, the man replies, "Lord, I believe."

Christ is the "light o f the world" (Acclamation), and he has called us to himself. He restores our sight to us: "... anyone who follows me will have the light o f life". We must be like "children o f light", living, as St. Paul says, "in com plete

We have lived through many Lenten Seasons. What effect have they had on our lives? Is the path our lives are taking, bringing us closer to Christ? Essentially that is what we are being called to. That is what our response must be. □

Application in life

behind us and get on with the business of cultivating the newness of life which we shall be celebrating with Christ at Easter. If we are going to wait till H oly W eek to m ake o u r confession, when are we going to work on the change of direc tion that is expected of us during Lent?

We are now halfway into the season of Lent. It is time for us to take stock of the progress we are making in achieving a deeper relationship with Christ. The close association of Lent with practices of penance cer tainly does not exhaust the mean ing of Lent. It is first and foremost a period of preparation for the celebration of the great event of our salvation. Easter celebrates Christ’s resurrection after his tri umph over sin and death. If we are to enter fully into the spirit of the liturgy, Easter must be a cel ebration of OUR resurrection to newness of life after our triumph with Christ over sinfulness. There is a tendency to forget that Easter ought to be, in fact, such a celebration in our own lives. At Easter, we are not only celebrat ing Christ’s resurrection —we are celebrating OUR resurrection as well. But we cannot celebrate our resurrection if we do not manifest any "newness o f life". Easter has always been associ ated with "Easter confession" and confessionals always experience a greater influx of penitents dur ing the few days preceding Easter. It might be a better idea to make our Easter confession much ear lier during Lent. Lent is a time to acknowledge our sinfulness. It is, as was said at the imposition of ashes, a time to "turn away from sin and return to the Gospel". However, we ought not to be spending six w eeks o f Lent m e re ly a c k n o w le d g in g o u r sinfulness and wallowing in our guilt. We ought to put our sins

There are only three weeks more to Easter Sunday. It is not too long a time to get some change effected in our lives. Not too long to change direction for the better. If nothing has changed, we would have to wonder what Lent meant to us. Has yet another Lent passed us by without any impact? What will celebrating the Passion and Death of Christ mean? And still more importantly, what will Easter Sunday mean to us? What does all the rich liturgical celebration mean to us during this period? Is it all merely a kind of "play-acting” while we remain untouched by the Spirit? Our Holy Father, at the very be ginning of Lent, exhorted us to give testimony to the love of God for all humanity. The Passion and death of Jesus is a compelling testimony of his love for mankind — "greater love than this no man has than that a man lay down his life for his friends." Jesus has done that for us. The least we can do to show our gratitude for His love, is to do the same, not, perhaps, through death, but through the giving of our lives and of ourselves to others. While this is not enduring physical death, it does constitute death to ourselves in order to give a better life to others. Then we can truly rise to new life. □

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

__ FEATURE!

Ever thought of it? Texts are quotations from Jean Vanier’ - presentation at press release of Pope’s Lenten Message, Vatican City

A transforming experience I can witness that many young volunteers live an experience of transformation. Jesus is waiting for them in the poor and the weak. They discover something fundamental about being human and about being a follower of Jesus.

They discover that to be human and to be Christian means to love people. Things and projects are important but should always be orientated towards people. Martin Buber, the Jewish Philosopher, says that when societies put too much emphasis on acquiring things, they tend to lose the importance of relationships. And yet the treasure of us human beings is precisely relationships, the heart. The road to conflict resolution and justice can only come through dialogue, relationship and love.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNT

They realise how closed and prejudiced they were

Many discover or deepen their faith through compassion.

before, how they were only

It is a road to Jesus.

concerned about their own immediate family or group

They discover

or religion or culture and

that God is waiting for us in the poor and the weak.

they begin to understand how richer cultures oppress the poorer ones.

They gradually discover their own hearts, their own deepest self. People with learning disabilities are crying out for affection, faithful

This shared experience

friendship and understanding. They have a mysterious way of

with suffering and weak

breaking down barriers around peoples’ hearts.

people helps them to discover what it means to

They awaken what is deepest within us: our hearts

be part of the human

and our desire for relationship. We see in the parable of the

family.

"good Samaritan", how the wounded Jewish man left lying In the street somewhere between Jerusalem and Jericho touched and awoke the heart of the Samaritan who was passing by.

Many young volunteers want to do good to the poor, b u t.. what they discover is that it is the weak and the poor who are healing and transforming THEM, leading them into compassion.

They realise that they can do something beautiful with their lives just by being with people, learning to love them intelligently.

They discover that Christianity is not first of all a theology, a catechism or moral laws, but a relationship with a person, the PERSON OF JESUS.

"Volunteering as the outcome of a studied choice offers to society more than just a real service. It offers a valuable witness of gratuitousness. In this sense it is an eloquent testimony of a value which is diametrically opposed to individualism, which, unfortunately, is so widespread in our societies, especially those which are richer. For Christians, the root of volunteering is found in Christ. It is because of the love of Jesus that the volunteer devotes his life to his brothers and sisters and does so gratuitously. Their work can be for non-believers a real stimulus to experience the depth of the Gospel message. Vulunteers demonstrate, in a very concrete manner, that the Redeemer of man is present in the poor and the suffering and desires to be recognized and loved in every human creature." Pope John Paul II

Isn’t that what John, the beloved disciple, reveals when he says in his letters: "Beloved, let us love one another because love is from God and whoever loves is born o f God, and knows God." (1 Jn 4)

"But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?" (1 Jn 3:17)

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

if e L in

Bulletin o f the Fam ily Life Society, Archdiocese o f Singapore

FAMILY LIFE SOCIETY is a non-profit organisation registered under the Societies Act of Singapore in 1985. It was established under the auspices of the Catholic Archbishop of Singapore to make the family apostolate a priority of the local Church. We aim to promote a deeper un d e rs ta n d in g The F a m ily Life S o c ie ty

a n d re s p e c t fo r m a rria g e , fa m ily a n d h u m a n life

and to make our services available to all.

PROGRAMMES AND SERVICES Family and M arital Therapy (Counselling Services) 6488 0278 A confidential service managed and provided by experienced family and marital therapists for those with marital, psychological and social problems. Celebration of Life 6488 0287 A Pro-life programme on human sexuality education for chastity and the promotion of the sanctity of life message, thus promoting the culture of life in society. If you would like to book a session, please contact COL. Pregnancy Crisis Service 6339 9770/ 6488 0281 A hotline service for teenagers facing unwanted pregnancies, and who are likely to turn to abortion as an easy way out. Youth Life-Line 6252 6300 A youth crisis hot line offering help for youth in distress. Joyful Parenting 6488 0286 A hotline service to support breastfeeding mothers and help parents cope with family life. Catholic Legal Aid Services 6488 0278 Provides legal advice on family-related matters to members of the general public.

AFFILIATE ORGANISATIONS Marriage Encounter 6281 6468 A weekend stay-in programme for married couples to look more deeply into their relationship with each other and with God. Engaged Encounter 6245 8371 A marriage preparation stay-in weekend programme for engaged couples. Choice 9307 7752 / 9671 0767 A weekend stay-in programme for singles between 18 and 32, with the aim of helping one know oneself and in relationships with family, friends and the larger community. Marriage Preparation Course 6256 6353 A six-weekend programme for engaged couples preparing for marriage. Retrouvaille 6346 1927 (Hotline)/ 6752 5057 For troubled marriages (including separated or divorced couples) who want their marriage to work. Couples For Christ 6386 3836 A family life renewal programme for singles and married couples to look more deeply into their relationship with each other and with God. Natural Family Planning 6256 8123 Based on the knowledge of the fertility periods during a woman's menstrual cycle, it is the only morally acceptable form of family planning allowed by the Church as it is in accordance with the moral natural law. HOPE 6488 0278 A peer support group for the divorced, separated and widowed.

A Life lin e f o r M a r r ie d C o u p le s The C ha lle ng e o f R e la tio n s h ip s Someone once said, "Marriages may be made in heaven, but they sure take a lot of work on earth." In our society, with the pressures of conflicting demands and too little time, personal relationships are often taken for granted. With all the distractions, we easily forget that strong, caring, loving relationships take work. Without attention and care, marriages wither. Couples slowly and quietly drift apart or are being torn apart by terrible words and actions. Many are married in name only, or just stay together "for the sake of the kids." For many, it has been ages since they knew the joy of a loving relationship. When infidelity, alcohol abuse, or drug dependency is involved, the situation may seem even more hopeless. Retrouvaille is about helping couples putting back the pieces together in their relationship. Retrouvaille, pronounced "re tru vai," is a French word meaning "rediscovery." If your marriage is tearing the two of you apart, if there is little or no meaningful communication, if you are considering separation or divorce, we believe Retrouvaille can help you.

A C om m on D e n o m in a to r

Post W eekend

All ages of couples come to Retrouvaille from many walks of life and ethnic backgrounds. Some have already separated or divorced, but want to try again. Many are struggling to stay together. What all these couples have in common is a sincere desire to build a stable, loving marriage. Retrouvaille is Catholic in origin and orientation, but is open to all married couples regardless of religious background.

A follow-up series of presentations, which provides a time and place to work on your relationship, is an important phase of the Retrouvaille healing process. The hurt and the pain of falling out of love cannot be healed in a single weekend experience. This phase of the Retrouvaille programme offers a more relaxed setting to explore other subjects relating to marriage and love, to renew your commitment, and to develop new insights and skills.

R e tro u v a ille P rogram m e

H is to ry

Retrouvaille consists of a weekend experience and a series of 12 follow-up presentations over the next six weeks.

Retrouvaille had its beginnings in the Province of Quebec, Canada. In 1977, the first Weekend programme was presented to French-speaking couples. Later it was translated into English by the Retrouvaille community of Toronto who strengthened the contents and developed the Post Weekend phase.

R e tro u v a ille W eekend Retrouvaille begins with a weekend experience in which

This year's show promises to be bigger and brighter, reuniting more class acts of yesteryears such as:

H ope is a p h o n e c a ll a w a y If you want to talk to someone, or if you want more information or if you want to register for the Retrouvaille Programme, please call - 6346 1927. If you wish to remain anonymous when calling for more information, you do not need to identify yourself. If you wish to register for the programme, please be assured that all names are kept confidential

C ost On the weekend, you will be asked to make a donatior to cover the expenses of lodging, food, and materials for both the Weekend and the Post Weekend phase. A non-refundable registration fee of SS50.00 pei couples is required to confirm your reservation, fooc and lodging. There is limited capacity, so early registration is necessary. No couple is ever denied the chance to heal anc renew their marriage because of financial difficulties This concern should not influence your decision to come to Retrouvaille.

W e e ken d S ch ed u le For more information on the programme, please cal 6346 1927. We have scheduled three weekends for 19-21 April 2002 19-21 July 2002 18 - 20 September 2002 Retrouvaille Weekends are held at The M.E. House, 201B Ponggol 17th Avenue, Singapore 829651. Visit our website at http://www.retrouvaille.org

F I N D I N G T IM E F O R F A M IL Y We sometimes think that to find time for our families, we just need to be more efficient in the way we work. Having completed our tasks efficiently, we expect to have extra 'spare time' to spend with our family members. While it is good to be time-efficient, it is more critical to be time-effective, that is, to use our time to achieve our goals. To be more time-effective, we need to spend more time on the things that really count, and spend less time on those things that don't. The key to managing oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time is to be able to differentiate between the urgent and the important. Urgent matters demand immediate attention. For instance, how urgently do we feel the urge to answer a telephone that is ringing! On the other hand, important matters have great consequence on our lives, our major goals or on our key relationships.

Im p o rta n t & U rgent

Im p o rta n t b u t N o t U rgent

A life-threatening emergency

Family relationships

A major problem at work

Resolving a misunderstanding with a close friend

N o t Im p o rta n t b u t U rgent

N o t Im p o rta n t & N o t Urgent

Joining in a leisure activity when everyone else is waiting in the car

Watching excessive TV Idle chit-chat on the phone

By John Ooi

The table above gives examples of how these two come together in different combinations. Some matters may be both urgent and important-these we clearly have to attend to immediately. However, noting the definitions of urgent and important, many matters that consume our time can be relatively unimportant. And of course, many of us seek relief from the pressures acting on us by pursuing pleasant but unimportant activities, such as excessive entertainment that goes beyond our need for recreation. To use our time more effectively, we should often stop to examine our activities. The matter before us may feel urgent. But how important is it really? Knowing our first things means knowing what is important to us, and refusing to be distracted from these by other matters. In particular we need to focus on matters that are important but which do not urgently demand our attention. Relationships with our spouse and children usually fall into this category and are often placed in the backseat for later attention, which unfortunately comes rather late for many parents. The time to spend on these important matters must necessarily come from the unimportant. This requires that we identify the important matters, distinguishing them from

those that are merely urgent, and that we say no where necessary, even to good but unimportant things. We need to consciously choose how we will spend our time. When reflecting on the match between my priorities and use of time, I have found the following helpful:

Where is your treasure? For where your treasure is, there will be your heart, and there also you will find your time. It is true that there is too little time for each day's manifold demands; that is why we need to manage our time; that is why we need to be orderly and efficient. But it is also true that frorr many competing concerns, we choose one to spend the time we now have on. It is inaccurau to say I have no time. It is more correct to say that I have no time for this because I am spendinc my time on something else that I value more. Everyone has 24 hours a day. Where a person spends his time depends on where he places hit heart, his priorities. So fundamental to time management is the question, time for what? (Author unknown,

Celebration of Life Sexuality Trainers' Camp The O ctober Cherries, ReQuests Ifo rm er Quest m em bers!, Vernon Cornelius, Wilson David, Patrick Lee & Speedway, The Trailers, The Tornados, Harvey Fitzgerald, The Thunderbirds, Ram on R ahm at IThe

Family Life Society is proud to present - Down Memory Lane II, a fund raising dinner & show on Sunday, 5 May 2002,7pm at SICEC Suntec Ballrooms 1, 2 & 3.

In 1982, the Toronto community began sharing the programme with other communities throughoul Canada and the United Stated. Retrouvaille communities are actively serving most of the United States, many of the provinces of Canada, as well as Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama. Paraguay, Philippines, South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe and Singapore.

2002:

Down M em ory Lane II! If you enjoyed Down Memory Lane held in September 2000, here is your chance to relive the memories of the good old times againl

husbands and wives are encouraged to re-establish communication and to gain new insights into themselves as individuals and as a couple. This part of the programme is presented by three married couples and a priest. The team couples, who have experienced disillusionment, pain, anger, and conflict, offer hope as they share their personal stories of struggle, reconciliation and healing. You will find courage and strength in the realisation that you are not alone in your struggle. The weekend is not a spiritual retreat, nor is it a sensitivity group, seminar, social gathering or counseling session. You will not be asked to share your problems with anyone. However, you will be encouraged to put the past behind you, to look beyond the hurt and pain, in order to rediscover each other in a new and positive way. The Retrouvaille Weekend offers a very different message from the current secular themes of selfÂ gratification and self-reliance. The weekend will help you discover how listening, forgiveness, communication, and the dialogue process are powerful aids for building a loving and lasting relationship.

Blackjacks), Joe Chandran IThe X-Perim ent), R obert Fernando, BDS Jazzte t an d m ore!

So hurry, book your tickets now! Tickets are priced at $1,200 for a table of 10. Single tickets are priced at $150, $200 and $250. So get together your friends and call our ticket hotline - 6281 2005 or log on to our website www.familylife.org.sg/dml for more details.

Celebration of Life, a pro-life programme on human sexuality education, will be holding its Sexuality Trainers' stay-in weekend camp from 15-17 March 2002 at IHM Retreat Centre, 46 Kovan Road. W h o is th e c a m p fo r? Young adults involved in youth ministries, catechesis and family life education, school counselors as well as undergraduates, pre-U and JC students are strongly encouraged to attend. Participants will be trained in topics such as human sexuality, chastity, bioethics, Catholic moral teachings, communication skills and basic leadership and motivational skills.

We received good response for last year's camp and participants have found the camp useful for their work and ministries. H o w m u ch w ill it co s t? A nominal fee of $30 per person to defray accommodation, meals and material costs. H o w do I sign up? Please sign-up online at www.prolife.org.sg or email andrewk@veritas.org.sg. For more information, please contact Andrew Kong at Tel: 6488 0287.

THE CATHOLIC NEWS____________

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

CATHOLIC NEWS EDITOR Dr (Rev) Robert P. Balhetchet MANAGER Rev Fr Johnson Fernandez STAFF CORRESPONDENTS Rev Fr Richards Ambrose Christopher Khoo Mel Diamse-Lee 2 HIGHLAND RD #01-03, SINGAPORE 549102 TEL: 858-3055, FAX NO. 858-2055 To send letters, articles and for editorial enquiries, please e-mail cnedit@catholic.org.sg. All other enquiries: cathnews@catholic.org.sg.

For correspondence "FROM THE PEWS" \ write to: The Editor Catholic News 2 Highland Road #01-03 SINGAPORE 549102

\ or e-mail steeple@singnet.com.sg

T h e m o s t w e ca n g iv e I The Church has always been concerned with the To use an old cliche: Time flies! This issue will see us needs of humanity, without restricting the concept of halfway and beyond through the Lenten Season. How needs to mere material needs. It sees its whole mission far have we come in heeding the call of our Holy Father from Christ in the perspective of all needs, spiritual (in in his Lenten message, " .. to give without counting the it’s broad sense and not just ’religious’) as well as cost"? material. Before we start reaching out for our cheque books, The gift of oneself to others draws its inspiration from we should stop and think how much we are going to give. God’s gift of himself through the Second Person of the Before we decide on a sum or a percentage, we should Trinity who assumed humanity through Incarnation in stop again and think what the greatest gift could be! No, order to give himself to us. This is the greatest gift of it’s not a question of dollars and cents! The f g r e a t e s t gift any of us can give — and it’s nothing all which is sacramentalized in the Eucharist. As an ROBERT P. to do with our financial status — is the gift of expression of our gratitude to God for the gift of himself BALHETCHET to us, we need to give ourselves to our fellow men, in ourselves! turn, sacramentalizing God’s gift to them. This is what is at the heart of the Pope's Lenten Even from a purely psychological point of view, it is message. This is why he started out with outlining what we have received from God — the gift of life, natural and only when a person gives himself or herself to others that he or she experiences a full realization of himself or supernatural. We have received everything from God, herself. The Second Vatican Council in one of its which is why we have to give testimony of this love that greatest documents, The Church in the Modern World, God has for all humanity. (Gaudium et Spes) expressed this in these words: "Man Unfortunately, with our typically materialistic mentality, can not find himself fully except through the sincere gift we immediately think of those with material needs and of himself." what we can do to alleviate those needs in terms of Perhaps, this Lent, we could give serious consideration monetary donations. Certainly, material needs are very to how we could practically give this greatest gift of real and they can be really pressing, but they are not at ourselves to others. It would indeed be a new direction all the only needs that people experience. One can very not just for Lent but for our lives. ,□ well be exceedingly rich and yet be in great need!

FROM THE PEWS

"Pom p and C ircum stance" The Holy Father has appointed Nicholas Chia the Metropolitan Archbishop of Singapore. I then read from the Code of Canon Law no. 437 stating that a metropolitan archbishop is obliged to request the pallium from the Holy Father. I am therefore wondering whether our new Archbishop will be given the pallium by our Holy Father. Masses celebrated by bishops have always interested me. I was in Melbourne for quite some time before returning to Singapore, and attended Sunday Mass regularly at St P a tric k ’s C athedral in Melbourne. The Sunday Mass was celebrated by the archbishop. The Archbishop at that time was the Most Rev Dr George Pell, who has since been transferred to the Archdiocese of Sydney to replace the retired Cardinal Clancy. I noted that the archbishop paid very detailed attention to the wearing of the mitre, the use of the crozier, and the wearing of the skull-cap during Mass. He also wore the pallium. Every Sunday, this archbishop would wear the skull cap throughout the whole mass, whenever he did not wear the mitre, except during the eucharistic prayer, when he had to remove the skull cap. In addition, he wore the mitre during the liturgy of the word, th ro ug h ou t the 1st and 2nd Readings, and the Psalms. He then removed his mitre during the Gospel reading, but held the crozier in great devotion while listening to the Gospel being read by the priest. The archbishop then put on his mitre and with his crozier walked to the pulpit to deliver his sermon.

He continued wearing his mitre while delivering his sermon. After his sermon, he walked back with his crozier to his chair (cathedra). During the offertory, he wore the mitre to accept the gifts of wine and bread from the congregation. Such are some of the details that greatly enhance the liturgy. I have been to many Western countries and have attended m asses ce le b ra te d by th e ir bishops, and even the Pope. I note that all of them carry out the same practice. It is not often that one gets to see the archbishop celebrate Mass, and such details really make a great difference to the whole celebration o f the liturgy. A foreigner who enters the cathedral or the church at any time will im m e d ia te ly know th a t the celebrant is a bishop and not a priest. In Singapore, for some reason, the celebration by a bishop appears m uch sim p ler, w ith o u t the observance of such details. I am sure many Singaporeans who do not have the benefit of attending masses celebrated by bishops overseas, will not realise that they are m issing som ething really different. M ost tim es, S ingaporean Catholics only see the bishop wearing the mitre and crozier while entering the church and leaving it. Once the bishop reaches the altar, the mitre and crozier are promptly taken away from him and kept in some corner by the altar servers. The mitre and crozier then appears only at the end of the mass for the bishop to leave the church.

Perhaps, the instructions when to wear the mitre and/or hold the crozier may tend to be a little complicated, and our altar servers would need to be properly trained in this. Nevertheless, the practice of using the mitre, skull-cap and the crozier should be followed as closely as possible, to be in union with what the rest of the Catholic world practises. It is certainly necessary for priests and our altar servers to be familiar with such details to assist the bishop in the proper celebration of the mass by a bishop. I hope that with our new archbishop, such details in the use of the crozier, the mitre and the skull cap will be reinstated, to enhance the liturgy, to give due recognition to the celebration of the eucharist by an archbishop, and to be in union with the rest of the Catholic world. P GOH Singapore

You have made some very de tailed observations which indicate a very attentive participation at Episcopal ceremonies. You are to be congratulated on the accuracy o f your observations. What you have mentioned is also p e rfe ctily in accordance with liturgical requiremnts. The answer to your query concerning a uni formity o f practice in Episcopal ceremonies is a definite "Yes". We have had occasion in a previous issue to refer to uniform ity, in general, in what is known as official liturgy o f the Church. Apart

from covering the ’usual’ and ’com m on’ liturgical ceremonies like the Mass and the administration o f the Sacraments, there is also a set of directives for ceremonies presided over by Bishops and this includes the apparel o f the Bishop as well as all the practical details o f how he is to conduct Masses and administer Sacraments and how he p re s id e s o v e r various ceremonies. All these directives are con tained in a book known as the "C e re m o n ia l of B is h o p s " (Ceremoniale Episcoporum). The edition that is in force at present was published in 1984 in accord ance w ith the decree "Sacrosanctum Concilium" o f the Second Vatican Council and ap proved by Pope John Paul II on 7 September 1984 for the Congre gation o f Divine Worship. Obviously, we can’t go into all the details, but it might be instruc tive to point out that the whole Ceremonial for Bishops takes its inspiration from the theological un derstanding o f the Episcopate as set out in Vatican II and which sees the Bishop as the foundation and focal point o f the local church that is entrusted to his care. A diocese (or archdiocese) is NOT to be seen as a sort o f purely administrative territory assigned to the care o f some kind o f CEO. The Bishop is viewed as the High Priest o f a portion o f Christ’s flock, around whom the People o f God in a given location is gathered by the power o f the Spirit. The diocese or ’p articular church’ is the manifestation o f the Universal Church. The Bishop governs the particular church as the vicar of

Christ under the authority o f the Roman Pontiff. It is for this reason that the liturgy over which the Bishop p resides is accorded special "pomp", not for the sake o f pomp, but to illustrate and emphasize the very special position oifthe Bishop vis-a-vis the ministers who are his collaborators and from whom they derive their authority and function, as well as the members o f the flock who are gathered under his authority. Special symbols o f the Bishop together with the whole way he is to conduct ceremonies, especially in his Cathedral church, if properly explained and understood by all concerned, can contribute greatly to a better understanding o f what the Church is and stands for and the deepening o f an ecclesial sense o f faith. □

We are much heartened by the voices from the pews. Due to space constraints we can’t publish all letters in one issue. We will however do so in later issues! Maybe we might need to build a bigger church to accomodate more "pews"!

All replies and comments are from the Editor. Confidentiality is assured, IF REQUESTED

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

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Mr Dizon’s view that the volunteers and priests are not experienced in undertaking such building work may not be not entirely true. Nearly all the Churches that have recently been reconstructed, extended or renovated were carried out with eminently qualified volunteers and consultants who have taken much pains in translating their respective p a ris h o n e rs w is h -lis ts into effective parish centres and places of worship. This is evident in St. Ignatius’ and St. Anne’s Churches, and probably at the Holy Spirit, Christ the King, Immaculate Heart of Mary, St Francis of Assisi and Nativity Churches as well. I dare say that all of the volunteers have understood their God-given responsibilities well and made good on them. I firmly believe that every parish priest has e x e rc is e d p ru de nce in a p p o in tin g th e ir re s p e c tiv e Building Committees. To believe otherwise is almost to say that our Lord failed to exercise care in rebuilding His churches.

The parishoners, or more b ro a d ly the C a th o lic s of Singapore, have always been a generous lot, both in good times and in bad. There is never a perfect tim e to contribute to building funds, in the same way there is no perfect way to build a building perfectly. The present trend of lower prices, attentive c o n s u lt a n t s , c o n s c ie n t io u s c o n tra c to rs and g en erou s donations are all now at a moment of synergistic optimum. One very strong point that is missing, and Mr. Dizon pointed this out correctly, is the importance of an art programme. He is absolutely spot-on this aspect and it would do well for all Parish Building Committees to heed this call even though they may have already completed their rebuilding. The issue of Church Art and A e s th e tic s re q u ire s s p e c ific funding, concerted organisation and im p le m e n ta tio n , and maintenance. And all this has to be done from the standpoint of Canon Law in relation to liturgy and the C athe chism o f the Catholic Church. The C a th o lic C hurch in Singapore is relatively young. We can almost trace the different waves of growth in church property since Singapore’s founding in AD 1819. With each significant historical event (e.g. World War II), a new surge of church developm ent follows. What we are experiencing now is the post-economic boom of the mid-1990s. In terms of the cycle of the church building boom o f the 1950s and 1960s, undertaking their renovations and re c o n c o n s tru c tio n now is unavoidable and even necessary 40 to 50 years later.

2. CURRENT CONDITIONS IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY

3. FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR CHURCH PROPERTY

The current slump in the building industry and the economy as a whole is in many ways favourable to an extensive programme of construction and renovation for our church buildings. To build now is wise and prudent. In the context of age of such affected churches, it is also necessary as all buildings need a pro gram m e of maintenance and repairs.

This is one aspect which I believe that, perhaps, the Senate of Priests should place on their agenda to consider how better to look after Church property in terms of their real estate for both the Missions and the Archdiocesan realms. There will always be the economy of scale and benefits of shared information and resources. Another aspect is in the area

of columbaria built within some parishes. I fear that, 50 or 100 years from the day they were first built, many of the occupied niches will be forgotten or abandoned due to m igration, neglect by relatives or simply a loss of contact due changes of address. This also needs consideration now as it will present itself as a significant financial and maintencance burden in time to come. I humbly propose that our Archdiocese, under the guidance of our Archbishop Nicholas Chia and the Senate of Priests, consider the following: a. Set up an Archdiocesan A d visory C ouncil on C hurch Property with a clear mandate on operations and finance; b. C on du ct a rese arch program m e to help create a renaissance in Church Art and Iconography in Singapore with an aim to raise all levels of Church Aesthetics. This aspect will have a tre m e n d o u s im p a ct on perceptions and learning in terms of both biblical evidence and church history and traditions. c. Establish a pool of expert advisors and consultants for the simple aspects of property issues in te rm s o f legal advice, maintenance, repairs, renovations, aesthetics, a cou stics,liturgica l a p p ro p ria te n e s s , and management. This is to help alleviate the burden of such work from the Priests. d. Conduct short and light training programmes conducted by Catholic consultants for our Parish Priests to up-date them on the plethora of local statutory rules, regulations and obligations on buildings and property. This will help to make our Priests more confident when they interact with th e ir re s p e c tiv e B u ild in g Committees and Parish Councils. Mr Al Dizon’s points, which he calls his "two cents’ worth", are indeed invaluable. I believe he speaks with the a uthority of experience from his home country in te rm s o f church a rt and a e s th e tic s . O ur re s p e c tiv e parishes Building Committees would benefit much from his writing on this issue, both now and in the future. Mark Chin Yew Wei, Singapore Architect o f a new church

5 1 B T em p le S tre et

A D V O CA TES & SO LIC ITO R S Td !”65?M23-2565

I re fe r to the a rtic le "The Challenges of Building Churches" w ritte n by Mr. Al R. Dizon published in the Catholic News of Feb. 17-24, 2002. Mr Dizon has pointed out some very important aspects which the majority of the laity in the Church in our Archdiocese are probably perceiving from the current wave of ch urch re c o n s tru c tio n , e x te n s io n a n d re n o v a tio n programmes here in Singapore. I would like to mention several aspects of my own personal observations in this respect: Allow me to elaborate these points: 1. VOLUNTEERS:

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SPECIALISED IN WALL SEEPAGE AND WATERPROOFING WORKS

Lenten ‘debate’ I agree with the writer C.A.L.P.(17 Feb issue) on the postponement of Ash Wednesday. What is becoming of the Catholic Church here in Singapore?. I find it difficult to accept the reasoning that Ash Wednesday was postponed as it was felt that it would not be very appropriate to begin the Lenten Season with a Lunar New Year celebration What will happen then if the Lunar New Year in the near future tiappens to fall on Good Friday? Will the Catholic Church bend Canon law further. Where do we draw the line?. If that is the case then it is pointless for the Church to have a liturgical calendar of its own. The Church might as well follow the Lunar Calendar.

For traditional catholics like myself, we find this decision by the Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore very disturbing. My Chinese Catholic neighbour, too, felt that there was no need for the postponement. The psychological impact this decision will have on the community will be felt for a while. I am sure that there are Catholics out there whose faith in the Church may be shaken. Is the Church in Singapore aware of the disquiet on the ground? A Disturbed Catholic + others equally perturbed! The last question raised by the writer is indeed worth noting. The Church does need to "listen to the

ground". This however, is easier said than done. Our "From the Pews"is one channel, through which the ground can be heard. However, it is only the English literate who coud be able to use it. Then, one needs to exercise caution, because very few individuals would make use of this channel, and indeed, in any society or group there is only a small vocal minority who would be willing to express their views publicly. There are, o f course, ways and means of opinion gathering, but this is a whole area of "research", which can certainly be very useful to the Church. The setting up o f a sort of "feedback unit" could well be worth considering!

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

NEWS Respect for domestic workers Children in catechism class at SFX parish learn how to show respect to their house helpers.

CATHOLIC SERVICES DIRECTORY

V illa Francis H om e for the A ged, 6269-2877 Fax: 6368-4505 St Th eresa’s H om e For The Aged, 6256-2532 Fax: 6256-5610 S t J o s e p h ’s H om e, S r Maria Sim 6268-0482 Fax: 6268-4787 nc0071b@ cyberw ay. com. sg

C hristian Fam ily and Social M ovem ent, Francis Tam el M ane 9586-9938, 6792-6701 See page 10

Y O U TH S e e p a g e 15

M orning Star Fam ily Care Centre, 6285-1377 Fax: 6285-2715 Galilee C entre, 6454-0528 Fax: 6454-3167 C lem enti C h ild ren ’s C entre, Ms M aria S w ee 6777-3893 ijhcc@ singnet.co m .sg Canossaville Children’s Home, S r Rose Low/Ms Anne Siew 67485777 canossa@pactfic.net.sg M arian C entre (before and after school care), 6250-0877 M arym oun t B oarding, 63542245/6253-6816 Fax: 6353-4809 G ood S hepherd C entre, 67556496 Fax: 6752-0670 Good S hepherd Child C are Centre, Ms Helen Tan 6242-5695 Fax: 6448-3454

Two domestic workers from the parish of St Francis Xavier perform a skit on how children can show respect and courtesy to their domestic helpers.

C atholic O ffice for the H earing Im paired, Friar R ow land Yeo, OFM row landyeo@ hotm ail.com

By Mel Diamse-Lee

Canossian S chool For The H earing -Im paired, 6749-8971 Fax: 6749-8976

CHILDREN taking catechism les sons at the Church of St Francis Xavier are now also learning how to show more respect and courtesy to their domestic help ers at home. The parish coordinator for cat echism, Mr Theodore Tan, has en listed the help of the archdiocesan Commission for Migrants and Itin erant People (CMI) and the Filipino praesidium of the Legion of Mary in the parish to conduct the teaching sessions for children from Kinder garten to Secondary 3. Said Mr Tan: "As Christian par ents, we need to educate our chil dren about how to treat our domes tic workers well. We tend to forget that they are also children of God. We have to also understand that our helpers get angry once in a while because they are also human beings." Mr Tan noted that the majority of his co-parishioners employ do mestic workers. Sadly, he said, many Catholic employers "do not treat their helpers well". CMI held its first session with some 60 Primary 5 catechism pu pils on Feb 10 at the CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel, where the parish

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holds Sunday catechism classes. Filipino Legionaries presented a skit about a domestic helper, her de manding ward and busy employer. The story portrayed the role of the helper as a compassionate care-giver who could be counted on to lovingly care for her ward while her parents are at work. Later, the children were asked to list down ways they could show respect to their domestic helper. Many of th e ir responses were enlightening. A student who identified herself as Lavinia said one can show respect and courtesy to a domestic helper by thanking her for the things she had done, helping her with the housework, praying for and sharing experiences and jokes with her. A nother student, Joanne Cheah, wrote that one should not shout or be rude to the helper and should be obedient to her. "Show her your appreciation by helping her," she added. Mrs Janet Munoz, the president of the Legion’s praesidium based in the church, also shared about her early life as a domestic helper in Singapore, serving a family of eight, including an elderly woman. She said that her biggest joy was the conversion to Catholicism of her em ployer and his two children. "In the past, they called me by my first name, now they call me godma," she proudly said. MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS The Sri Lankan Catholic Community meets on the 4th Sunday of every month at the Marymount Chapel on Thomson Road, where Mass is celebrated for them. S ri L a n k a n C a th o lic s .

C hange

p ro g ra m m e

and

nam e.

Nazareth Centre Kindergarten has ceased operations since December. In its place, the FMM Sisters are running a programme for children with learning difficulties. It is called the Nazareth Special Learning Centre. For information contact Sr Anne May Chua, FMM (6276-3200).

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

A ng Mo Kio H om e, S r Jo Tham 6459-4801

KINDERGARTEN Catholic K indergarten, Ms Edna Ng Poh Tiang 6283-3821 Fax: 62847783 cath kg @ singn et.com .sg N ativity C hurch C entre, 62856198, Fax: 6285-9556 nativity@ pacific. net.sg M agdalene’s Kindergarten, M ary G oh Boon H ow 6747-6554 C anossian C onvent K indergarten, S r Jane C hong 6469-2201 Fax: 6466-1307 cankdg@ singnet. com .sg M aris Stella, S r M arjorie A lm odiel, FM M 6474-3590 M arym ount Kindergarten, Petrina Siow 6251-5049 Fax: 6252-67904 G ood S hepherd K indergarten, C atherine W ong 6241-1802 Fax: 6445-3692

C entral C om m o dity Services (Pte) Ltd, 6337-4238 Fax: 6339-2583 ccs55@ singn et.co m .sg

MIGRANT COMMUNITY Filipino C atholic C om m unity of Singapore, Nelly Fam inialagao 9 8 3 1 -8 0 4 4 /6 8 9 3 -7 6 0 9 Francophone Catholic Com munity of Singapore (French-speaking Catholics), S abine et A ntoine H uet Tel/Fax: 6472-5840 G erm an -sp eaking C atholics, 6468-1534 Fax: 6468-2402 Hong Kong C atholics, 6737-9285 Fax: 6737-8502 Indonesian-speaking Catholics, Josephine Handojo 6235-2820 J ap anese C atholics, Kiyoko Jarnes 6552-4060 ja rn e s @ p a cific .n e t.s g Korean Catholics, E sther You 6242-5607 T h e C om m ission for M igrants & Itinerant People (CM I) 6280-5424 or m igrants@ singn et. com .sg Jesu it R efugee Service, jrs@ jesrefsg.org Fr Colin Tan S.J. 6463-6022 cxtsj@ singnet.com.sg China Catholic Com munication, Patrick Lee Kim Hwee 9060-5080 mait@ zt.per.sg

SOCIAL SERVICE C atholic W elfare S ervices, M ichael C hua 6 3 3 7 -6 1 6 5 / 6337-7954 Fax: 6336-1513 N a z a r e th S p e c ia l L e a rn in g C entre, Sr Anne M ay C hua, FMM 6276-3200

S P IR ITU A LITY C enacle, 6565-2895 Fax: 6565-3875 cenacte@ m box4.singnet.com .sg C entre For Ignatian S pirituality and C ounselling, Br Gerard C hoo, SJ 6467-6072 Franciscan R etreat C entre, 6567-9771 Fax: 6567-9786 In fan t Jesu s R etreat and Youth C entre, S r Gerard Lee 6760-2461 Fax: 6769-9369 Life D irection Team , S r Theresa Koh, FMM 6474-2422 Fax: 6472-5895 S r Florence W ong, FM D M 6753-9602/ 9264-6733 LifeSprings C anossian S p irituality C entre, S r Lily Tan 6466-2178 Fax: 6466-1307 tifsprng @ singn et.co m .sg St Francis Xavier M inor Sem inary (S FX R etreat C entre), 6288-7901 F a x:6 8 5 8-2 7 1 6 s fxrc@ sing net.com .sg Website: httpttw w w .catholic.org. s g lS F X The S ojourners C om panions, 9268-6723 sojoumets_companions@yahoo.com

COMING UP SPI C O U R SE S Praying th e Psalm s with Ms Regina Chin. D ate: W ed A p r 3, 10, 17, 24 M ay 8, 15, 7.45-9.45 pm. S p irituality For O ur Tim es. Date: A p r 4, 11, 18, 25 M ay 2, 16 23, 7.45 to 9.45 pm. Facilitators: Br G hislain, Fr Paul Kee, C SsR, S r Florence W ong, FM DM and W e ndy Louis. G od jo u rn e yin g with us through the bible. Facilitator: Mgr Eugene Vaz. Date: A p r 5, 7.45 to 9.45 pm and thereafter every Friday till N ov 15. Enquiries: 68583011 "SIN & R E P EN TA N C E " R ETR EAT D a te :T u e s , M ar 5 — Fri, M ar 8, 8.30 am — 10 pm daily. Ministered by Fr V ince n t w ith A lex Loo & team . IN TE R C ES S IO N PRAYER RETR EAT Date: Sat, M ar 9 — Sun, M ar 10, 8.30 am — 6 pm Anim ators: S FX Intercessory Team. "IN N E R H EALIN G " R ETR EA T Tim e/D ate: 9.30 am — 9.30 pm (M ar 14 & 15), 9.30 am — 6 pm (M ar 16). Preacher: Fr Fiorello M ascarenhas, SJ

B ible C orrespon dence C ourse in Chinese, Fr John B aptist Tou 6 337-2465 C atholic A udio-Visual Centre, 6858-3077 Fax: 6858-2077 C hina C atholic C om m unication (Zhonglian C entre), P atrick Lee Kim H wee 9060-5080/6286-1826 m ail@ zl.p e r.s g web: w w w .zl.p e r.s g Hai Sing Pao, Ms Catherine Chia 6337-2465 carto@ cam s.org.sg Website: http:ttw w w.cam s.org.sg The C atholic News, 6858-3055 Fax: 6858-2055 c ath new s@ veritas.org.sg A postolate o f the M edia, 68921639 F a x :6 5 6 2 -5 8 5 7

R E TR E A T IN TA M IL R etreat by Fr Antoni P onnudurai. Venue: Blessed S acram ent C hurch on Sunday M ar 17, 2 to 6 pm follow ed by 7pm Mass Rite o f C hristian Initiation fo r Youth C om m encing on Sat. M ar 9, 6.30pm - 8pm a t C hurch o f St M ichael. Enquiries: Brian (9437-0573 / ellbrian@singnet.com.sg o r A lbe rt (6 2 9 1 -8 2 7 3 / aing@ verita s.o rg .sg ) Hosanna! M usic M inistry is looking for volunteers. V isit http:/ /w w w .hm m online.org Enquiry: Tam m y (9747-8570) /A ndrew (9648-1103) or em ail ta_m ee@ hotm ail.com .

C arlo C atholic Society, 63377489 Fax: 6334-4370 carto@ cam s.org.sg Website: http:ttw w w .cam s.org.sg

O Holy St Jude, apostle and martyr, great in v irtu e and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who C atholic T e a c h e rs ’ M ovem ent, invoke your special M rs Gail S iow (R) 6454-4094 patronage in times of need. To you 1 have The C atholic M edical G uild of recourse from the depth S ingapore, D r John Hui Keem Peng johnh ui@ cyb erw a y.co m .sg of my heart and humbly beg you, to whom God has given such great SPECIAL SERVICES power, to come to my C ath olic A ID S R esponse assistance.Help me in E ffort (C AR E), P eter Lau my p resen t urgent 6353-4976, 9745-8991 petition. In return I promise to make your R. C. Prison M inistry, S r Gerard name known and cause Fernandez, RGS 6250-9151 you to be invoked. St Fax: 6250-1804 Jude pray for me and all who invoke your Heartville, S usan W illiam aid. Humbly in need of 6542-6559 Fax: 6542-9486 your in tercessio n . S ingapore A nti-N arcotics Amen. Thank you for Association — C atholic Aftercare answering my prayers.

C ath olic New s B ook & Media, 6858-3066 Fax: 6858-2055 Katong Catholic Book Centre Pte Ltd, 6345-1413 Fax: 6440-0272 katongcathotic@pactfic.net.sg

A postleship o f the Sea (C atholic Seam en s M is s io n ),F rR o m e o Y u Chang, C IC M 62718-464/ 9783-5191 Fax: 6271-1175 p o rtchap@ sin gnet.com .sg Website: w w w .stellam aris.net Gift o f Love H om e, S r M A ndrianne, MC 6251-6004 'R ose V illa ’, 6253-6556

STEPHEN KIM WEE LIM 11.5,1909-29.1,2002 Passed away in Adelaide, Australia Aged: 92 years Dearly loved husband of the late Agatha Loving father & father-in-law of Francis & Phyllis, John & Dawan, Simon & Clare, Theresa & Joseph, Mary & Patrick. Devoted grandfather of 10 grandchildren and their families. Day by day, O dear Lord Three things I pray To see thee more clearly To love thee more dearly To follow thee more nearly Day by day. Always loved and remembered by loved ones. Twenty-second Anniversary In loving memory of

MARY GOH SIEW KHENG Departed: Mar 10,1980 Dearest Mother/ grandma, Her weary hours and days of pain, Her sleepless nights are past, Her ever patient frame Has found sweet rest at last. We who love her know How much we lost twenty two years ago. Mass will be celebrated at Church of Christ the King on Sunday Mar 10 at 11.30 am. Always remembered by children, grand children and all loved

TH A N K S G IV IN G

C atholic N urses G uild of Singapore, M iss Janet Chan Poh Goon 6442-8546

(C ounselling) Service Com m ittee SA N A C o-ordinator: Tan Lee Hoon 6732-1122 F a x:6 7 3 2-4 5 6 4

In loving memory of

Fifteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

V enue: S FX R etreat Centre. R eg ister with the S FX R etreat C entre, (6288-7901).

PROFESSIONAL

C arlo C ath o lic S ociety, 63372465/6337-7489 Fax: 6334-4370 c a r lo @ c a m s .o r g .s g W ebsite: h ttp:llw w w . cam s. org. sg

UN MEM0RIAMI

My heartfelt thanks to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate M other M ary of P erp etu al S uccour, S aint Jude, Saint Anthony, Saint John Bosco, Saint Therese and all the Angels for prayers answered and also for the graces and b lessin g . A m en. Maggie & Family

Holy S aint Jude, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, thank you for answering all my prayers especially in time of our great need and despair. I promise, to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. Saint Jude, pray for us and all who invoke your aid. Amen. M aggie and Family

BASIL CLARENCE PAUL Bom: Jan 1, 1970 Departed: Mar 24, 1987 Mass at Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Singapore at 6 pm on Saturday Mar 16,2002. Remembered by all loved ones. Tenth Anniversary In loving memory of

M AURICE JO SEPH CHELLIAH Departed: Feb 24,1992 Rest in peace, dear loving father, Ten long years have passed away; You’re gone, but are still living In the hearts of those who stay. Fondly remembered by family and loved ones. T hird Anniversary In loving memory of

Thank you Lord Jesus, Mother Mary and St Jude for answering my pray ers. P lease continue to grant my spiritual and temperal needs. Sebastian S. Dear St Jude, my wife and I greatly appreciate your help during our d iffic u lt tim e, for answering our prayers and giving us your, guidance. We were able to feel Christ's love and care through you. We want to thank you fo r ev ery th in g and being part of our lives. Thank you St Jude very much. Philip & Irene

JO H N TOH BAH BAH Departed: Mar 15, 1999 His life was earnest, his actions kind A generous hand and an active mind Anxious to please, loath to offend A loving husband, father and faithful friend. Deeply missed and remembered by loved ones.

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

IN MEMORIAM

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Eighteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

Departed: Mar 8, 1993 His life was earnest, his actions kind A generous hand and an active mind, Anxious to please, loath to offend A loving husband, father and faithful friend.

L. AROKIASWAMY Departed:Feb 27,2000 Not only today but every day we can feel you in our lives. We know you’re watching and praying for each of us. We love you and will always miss you. Always cherished by your loving wife, children and all loved

NEWTON EUGENE W EBSTER Departed: Mar 5,1984 Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul rest in peace. Amen. Deeply missed by wife, children grand children and great grandchildren.

FRANCISCO A. REYES

Always remembranced by wife and family.

Eighth Anniversary In loving memory of

JUCY TEO CHUAN NEO Departed: Mar 14, 1995

P e a c e fu l b e y o u r r e st, d e a r e s t J u c y I t is s w e e t to b r e a th e y o u r n a m e A s in life I lo v e d y o u d e a r ly S o in d e a th I d o th e s a m e I confess I’ve done you wrong

Second Anniversary In loving memory of

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29 Nov 1 9 2 0 - 7 Mar 1999 The grass above where you lay is still green, And to meet you now is only when we dream, Three years seems like only yesterday Yet we still miss you each and every day. We will always love you. Mummy.

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THE CATHOLIC NEWS

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1. Almost forty-eight years we were together We had never stopped longing and caring for each other All our efforts always turned into a beautiful loving spring As I honoured and treasured you like a Queen 2. Twenty-one years of your sickness, I nursed you with tender care Then your left leg was amputated, which put you on the spot And dozens of times you were hospitalised, I was always there To boost your spiritual esteem with my affectionate support 3.However, a few days before The LORD called you home, My whole world seemed to crumble My thoughts went wild, so lost and alone I became very arrogant and no more sense of humility 4.1 really don’t know why, suddenly I got so frustrated You were a nuisance, that I could not tolerate Violence overcame me and I almost used physical force But the LORD restrained me from getting completely lost 5. You shook both hands as though pleading pitifully Your eyes seemed to say “No! No! It cannot be!” “He has changed from a loving angel into a horrible monster” That would have created a sorrowful and meaningless disaster 6.Then in my angry state of mind I uttered words to you, the most unkind I do not know if you were aware But your eyes looked at me with despair 7. Never in your whole life Have I ever said “I hate you” angrily and repeatedly In doing so, I hurt you so very severely This, no one my darling, but only you can forgive me 8. Please believe, I did not mean to be so wicked and cruel to you For years, I bore your fiery temper with gentle pampering It was a great shame to me to behave like a stupid fool Unable to realise your plight and be more understanding 9. Looking back, I hate and despise myself even more For not giving way during your few precious days I never meant not giving way during your few precious days I never meant to hurt you, whom God knows I adore In that moment, if I were a Catholic, I would have prayed 10. My darling JUCY, this is the only wrong I have done I have to confess this unwarranted wrongful deed To let everyone know that I am not perfect As all the relatives and friends believed

P lease tu rn to p age 13 fo r m ore

Darling JUCY, I now ask your forgiveness, to set my heart free for I’ve done you wrong

“ In M e m o ria m ” a n n o u n c e m e n ts

Composed on 12th May 1996 (M other’s Day)

and cla s sifie d a d v e rtise m en ts.

Dearly missed and fondly remembered by all loved ones.

•tO —_____________________ n

Eighth Anniversary In loving m em o ry o f

ANTOMUS TAN CHIN HUAT (TONY) This is the Eighth Year of our separation. Only Our Lord knows how broken-hearted we are. Nevertheless, we keep praying to Him for consolation. You live daily in our thoughts. Till then, we will meet. Another place and time, Never to be separated again. Love, Your loving family, godchildren, relatives and friends.

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

iYOUNG CATHOLICS!

The aged, the handicapped God made them all

Fr Michael Sitaram is stil recu perating from his cardiac setback! He will resume when he feels up to it. We welcome feedback and comments from our youth read ers who have something to share with other readers. This page is specially dedicated to you! You could use it as a special section of "From the Pews". Maybe you could suggest a special name for this feedback section through which you, as "youth" could air your concerns and comments. We will be waiting!

"Mother’s love"

just e-mail the Editor at steeple@sinanet .com.sa. By Mel Diamse-Lee I WAS deeply moved recently by two separate incidents and I thought I would share with you the reflections that resulted from them. The firs t reflection, entitled "Uncle", was based on two Lunar New Year encounters with an old man in our neighbourhood. The second one, entitled "Mother’s love", was the result of a group session at a recent retreat I attended. The love of a mother for her intellectually handicapped child flowed forth so powerfully during her

sharing that we were moved to tears many times. As you read the reflections, I would like you to also look into yourself and examine your own relationships: with

your own parents, grandparents, sib lings, domestic helpers, friends and classmates. What makes them impor tant to you? How much do you value your relationship with them?

Crossroads Soon the "day of reckoning" will be upon us! No, this is no doomsday prediction! It’s just that the Cam bridge Exam results will soon be released. Heartiest Congratulations to those who made it - either what they expected or hoped for or even beyond their wildest dreams which made them wonder whether there was a mistake or whether the ex aminers were half asleep when going through their papers! To those who did not make it even though you tried your best our heartfelt sympathies. Don’t despair, all is not lost. There are ways and means of trying again explore all possibilities! To those who did not make it, but did NOT try their best - this may sound heartless, but you got what you deserved! Even so, all is not lost either! Mistakes are not tragedies if one learns from them. Sometimes they are very hard les sons, but as long as we learn from our mistakes, they can be very positive. To parents of those who did not make it, or make it the way you would have liked them to, please give them a break! Please don’t say: I told you so! Didn’t I warn you? Go and fool around some more! Above all please don’t say : See, your brother or sister, or your cousin or so-and-so’s son or daugh ter did so well and see what you got! Of course you told them and warned them, of course someone or another did better than them, but what they need now is a good hug, and assurance that you will stand by them and help them on to the next step. The next step is what is important. What's done is done, and can’t be undone! What one needs to do is to look to the future — what is to be done!

At this stage you are at the crossroads of your lives. Be it "O" or "A" level that you have just completed, it’s more than high time you had some pretty clear ideas of what you want to do with your life! It doesn't mean that you can’t change direction! What it does mean is that it is very important to reflect seriously on what you want to do with your life. It’s not a matter simply of doing what your parents want you to do! This is not a matter of obedience to your parents, and parents themselves must ap preciate this. Parents ought to be helping their children to discern what they would like to do. It would be a tragedy to impose one’s own dreams or desires on one's chil dren in a sort of attempt to realize one’s own unrealized dreams vi cariously in one’s children. A young person at the crossroads of his or her life will be best positioned to achieve a satisfying life and achieve well if he or she makes the choice to do what he or she aspires after. By all means turn to your parents and elders and give an attentive ear to what they have to say - they have, after all, seen more of life than you have. Discuss with them how you see your future. It may not be all that clear for now, but that is all right. None of us can see into the future. But it is good to have a dream. It’s good to have a vision of how you see your own future. Of course, you must first give serious thought to your future. And don’t forget your teachers. Do go back and thank them for what they did for you. You may not like all of them, but all of them without exception contributed and had a hand - a very important one - in your education - even the ones you "couldn’t stand" or even "hated!" Teachers are strange creatures!

They scold and harass you, but deep down they only want one thing - they want you to succeed, and nothing gives them greater joy and pride and satisfaction than to see you do just that! They know you very well. Seek their advice on your future. Their help is invaluable! Obviously — but maybe, it’s not so obvious, so it has to be spelled out — obviously don't forget God! He’s not "done with" now that the exams are over! Our Holy Father recently spoke of our lives being calls from God vocations - and he was not refer ring only to vocations to the priesthood and/or religious life. He was speaking of every life. Every Christian should see his or her life as a response to a call from God. Fundamentally, when we speak of seriously thinking of what we want to do with our lives, the "bottom line" is "What is God calling me to?” and "What sort of answer am I going to give to Him?" We need to discern this - and prayer is the only way to discern what God wants of each one of us. No, we are not advocating that you spend hours on your knees in prayer. Actually, God doesn’t need "time" to answer our prayers. He uses mega-broadband for trans mission. You’ll be surprised how quickly you get a "message" in your "In-box". All you need to do is to pray in the words of the young boy, Samuel, in the Old Testament: "Speak, Lord, your servant is lis tening!" and the words of the Our Father: "Lord, your will be done." Of course, you have to do your part! You need to work "On-line". Keep that "Net" open! You can't expect to get your celestial e-mail if you’re not even "switched-on". And do make sure you’ve got a good "anti-virus"! The Editor

I think o f Isaiah 4 9 when I think o f the neglected a n d weak. ‘Does a woman forget her baby at the breast or fa il to cherish the son o f her womb? Yet even i f these forget, I w ill never forget you. ’ God created us all: weak, poor, handicapped, strong, successful. He created us fo r each other. He is there fo r all o f us. "Uncle" Your bent, defeated figure haunts me. Why didn’t anyone remember you on Chinese New Year? Why is it that nobody seemed to care about you? And I thought Chinese New Year was meant for families to be together. Where was your family? Who else stays in your home? I still remember how dejected you looked last year, sitting on the red plastic chair at a table outside the closed coffee shop, as if waiting, willing the place to open so that it could sell you food. Yet your face lit up in recognition and graciously refused when we invited you to our home. I saw you again the other day, the first day of the Lunar New Year. Your bent figure limping, trudging towards the hawker centre. No food at home again? Or were you trying to avoid bumping into friends at the void deck? You did not even bother to dress up. You wore the same thin shirt you always do when you sit at the void deck. I don't blame you. Why bother to look good when nobody notices? When no one invites you to their home, why bother to put on new clothes? How can we help you, Uncle? How can we show you there is Someone who cares so much for you? How can we let you know that you are not alone after all?

I've never met you, child, but I got to know you today through your mother. As she described what a gift and a blessing you are to your family, I saw love beaming from her eyes. I came to understand what unconditional love is all about. Your mother spoke without shame, without apology... as she spoke of her desire to protect you, to empower you, to make you feel wanted, to make you well even as she struggled with her own limita tions. As she described obstacles your young body managed to overcome, I saw joy in her face. I saw the tenderness of a mother proudly pro claiming the preciousness of her handicapped child. As she told of how often you brought her to tears of frustration because of your own needfulness, she spoke of how your fragility re vealed her own humanity. And with delight she talked of how you brought your family closer to each other. In your weakness, you brought everyone around you closer to God, she said. Little child, how I look forward to meeting you face to face one day. For now, it is enough to know you through your mother’s eyes. I THINK of Isaiah 49 when I think of the elderly and handicapped. "Does a woman forget her baby at the breast or fail to cherish the son o the r womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you."(Is 49:15) God in His wisdom created us all: weak, poor, handicapped, strong, successful. He loves us all. He created us one for another. As we continue to journey through Lent, I believe we are called to journey inwards, to spend moments examining ourselves, asking if there are broken relationships we need to restore or to establish with people we never bothered about before. Are there people we value only because of the good and fun things they can do for us and with us? What about the lessons others can teach us because of their tendency to make numerous mistakes? Let's do some soul-searching this Lent and listen to what God wants us to do.: □

DIRECTORY FOR YOUTHS/YOUNG ADULTS B akhita Search-lnn, C hristina/S r Veronica (6 3 6 7 -6 2 6 4 /6 4 6 7 -4 2 9 0 ) yscch ris @ y a h o o .c o m l can osis@ pacific.n et.sg B oys Town Fraternity, gaudette@ boystow n.org.sg B r D om inic Kiong 6769-1618 Fax: 6762-7846 Catholic O verseas Students D ow n U n d e r A d ria n (98365217) or D ennis (6274-2979) o r cosdu@ yahoo .com .au

C ath olic Students Society — U niversity o f Singapore, M r Irving Teo 6296-0897 irvingteo@ catholic. org Nanyang Technological University Catholic Students Apostolate, NTU Branch: M r Budi S usanto 9478-7827. National Institute of Education Catholic Students A posolate (NIECSA), NIE Branch: Ang Mei Ling 96663234

Choice, 9307-7752/96710767 choice@ cheerful.com

Infant Jesus R etreat and Youth Centre, Sr Gerard Lee 6760-2461/92947521 Fax: 7699369 srtlee@ yahoo.com

Hosanna! M usic M inistry w w w .hm m online.org <h ttp ://w w w .h m m o n lin e .o rg > contact Ta m m y 9747-8570.

Poverello Teen C entre, S r M aria S ylvia Ng, FMM Tel/Fax: 6544-2603 ju b 2 00 0 @ s in g n e t.c o m .sg

P raise@ W ork Juliana 9799-9184 or em ail w elcom e@ praiseatw ork. org St Patrick House, (Boarding) Br Collin Wee, FSC 63455929 Fax: 6345-4635 Y outh Life-Line, 6252-6300 Fax: 6285-5311 Y outh Praise M inistry Helen Lee (9029-0118) em ail yp m sin gapore@ yahoo.com . Young C hristian Students M ovem ent (M andarin speaking), M r Stephen Chia 6286-4166 95024549 Young C hristian W orkers (M andarin-speaking), M aria Ng Kim Luang 6763-0137

MARCH 3 - 1 0 , 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

AROUND AND ABOUT

Lenten Directions T h e s to r y o f A n to n io

• From Page 1

Antonio is a young man with severe mental and physical disabilities. He had an incredible, beautiful face and a capacity to touch hearts. When you called him by name, his face would light up. Many of us regarded Antonio as our "teacher", because so many of us have trouble accepting ourselves as we are. We may be able to walk and talk and learn, but our handicaps are more interior, we have difficulties with relationships. We are often filled with prejudices, closed up behind protective inner walls or barriers. We have difficulty forgiving others when they have hurt us. We frequently want power over others who q uickly become rivals. Sometimes we are angry or in depression. Antonio showed us how to accept our limits and to work with them so that we become more whole. If you had visited Antonio he would have touched you by his smile, his self acceptance, his thirst for love and friendship. You would also have been touched by the young volunteers alongside of him. If you had asked them: "Is it to be with Antonio and to care for him?" You might have been surprised by their answer. "I had been taught to be strong, assertive, aggressive so that I could get a good job. Later, at work, I had to struggle, to be the best, in order to climb the ladder of promotion and have more and more money. Antonio has led me into a completely different world: the world of community, mutual listening, of growth in compassion, where each person is important however weak, able or disabled."

T h e C h a lle n g e I am always impressed by the way John Paul II, day after day, proclaims a way of love, a vision of the "civilization of love". Is this just a dream ? Is this civiliza tion possible? We live in a world filled with conflicts, inequalities, a world where selfishness, hatred and violence so often seem to overshadow the works of love. What can each one of us do to change things and to bring hope to our world? G iv e fre e ly In his message for Lent, the Holy Father calls us to "give freely", because we "have received freely". He calls us in a special way to welcome each person regardless of their qualities or defects, and to accept responsibility for the sick, the marginalized, the poor and the exploited. For 37 years now I have had the privilege of living with men and women with learning disabilities who have often known the pain of being m ocked, rejected and excluded. People with mental handicaps are amongst the most oppressed people; they are not wanted in our stressful world of competition. Many consider them a .nuisance, a disturbance, less than human, having no real value. A recent survey in France has shown that 96% of the women who know that the child within their womb has a handicap, seek an abortion.

Forget the chocs, love, pass me the salt TERNI, ITALY —True love is more like salt than the chocolates that have become a standard Valentine’s Day gift, said the bishop of Terni, the Italian city St Valentine served as bishop at the turn of the third cen tury. "The love of St Valentine resem bles the salt which gives taste to one’s entire life more than a choco late which gives satisfaction for a moment, then disappears," said Bishop Vincenzo Paglia of Terni, Narni and Amelia, during a Feb 14 celebration in Terni’s Basilica of St Valentine. The bishop made the same point during the Feb 10 Mass he cel ebrated in the basilica for hundreds of engaged couples in anticipation of Valentine’s Day. "Valentine’s love is more like salt than chocolate," he told the couples. "Salt, as you know, not only pre

serves food but gives it taste. And salt does not exist for itself; it exists to give flavour. "Love is like that," he said. "Love gives flavour to one’s life, every day, everything we do. Love forgives and love overcomes obstacles we think are insurmountable. "We are all forcibly and usually unconsciously students in the school

of selfishness," making it easy to re act with violence, to put oneself first, to offend, to hate and to betray, he said. But love takes effort and may cost, the bishop told the couples. "Love is tenderness for the one near you, it is passion to make the world more beautiful, it is compas sion for the poor and weak and it is an alliance to make the work more just and peaceful," he said. Each year, couples gather at St Valentine’s burial place north of Rome to promise their love to each other and to pray for God’s blessing and help in keeping their love alive. If the city truly wants to be "The City of St Valentine", as signs on the roads leading into town say, then the citizens of the town must commit themselves "to the Lord and to the poor, the weak and those in need," Bishop Paglia said. □ c n s

Enron and 'globalization of fraud' VATICAN CITY —The scandalous collapse of Enron Corp. in the US marks the "globalization of fraud" and illustrates the need for effective controls on capitalism, a top official of Vatican Radio said. Jesuit Father Pasquale Borgomeo, Vatican Radio’s directorgeneral, said Enron was an example of the "unbridled capitalism" that can bring catastrophe to millions of people and to the market system. Its human costs — including fi nancial damage and job losses — extend around the world and will

become fully apparent only in com ing months, he said in an editorial commentary on Feb 19. "It’s one of those calamities with a planetary impact, even if this is not immediately visible," he said. "Our society should not give room to or feed this type of monster, this glo balization of fraud, with all its cruel and inhuman aspects." Fr Borgomeo said it was clear that the Enron case was "a giant exploit of economic criminality" that has already spurred some legislative measures to prevent similar situa

tions in the future. "The case demands a response, if not a form of public control then a control that is real and effective where the interests of millions of people are involved," he said. But technical solutions are prob ably not enough, because the dan gers are almost built into the reign ing market system, he said. "Perhaps it is necessary to re examine the system. In general terms, we need to learn to combat that evil that is inside our opulent societies," he said. □ c n s

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10 days Holyland Pilgrimage

13 days Montserrat/Santiago/ Fatima Pilgrimage-Holiday

Departure: 22 May -3 1 May Spiritual Director: Rev Fr Antoni Ponnudorai, SJ

Departure: 29 A p r - 11 May with Spiritual Director

15 days “Trail of St Paul’s Missionary journey in Turkey” Departure: 01 Jun - 15 Jun Spiritual Director: Rev Fr Joachim Chang

15 days Rome/Lourdes/ Fatima Holy Pilgrimage

13 Days Grand Mediterranean Fly/Cruise

Departure : 06 May - 20 May Spiritual Director: Rev Fr Fundes Motiong

Departure : May - Aug

O TH ER PILGRIM AGES

11 days Rome/Lourdes/ Fatima Holy Pilgrimage

11 days Shantou/Shanghai/Beijing Pilgrimage-Holiday

Departure: 25 May - 04 Jun with Spiritual Director

10 days Shrines of France

Departure: 25 May - 04 Jun Spiritual Director: Rev Fr Pierre Barthoulot, MEP

Departure: 30 Aug - 08 Sep with Spiritual Director

10-day Medjugorje Retreat

16 days Rome/Lourdes/Fatima Holy Pilgrimage

Departure :13 May - 22 May, 05 Dec - 14 Dec

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