MARCH 31, 2002, vol 52 no 7 by CatholicNews

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f l t h f l h f r N ew s SUNDAY, MARCH 31 - April 7, 2002

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4 I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full. (Jn 10:10)

Vol. 52 No. 7

St Francisof Assisi parish

“ Peace, peace to, each and every one of you. Happy E aster!” With these words our Holy Father concluded his letter to priests for Holy Thursday 2002. The greeting is certainly valid for all of us as we celebrate once more the Resurrection of Christ. CNS photo from Crosiers

Yet, the Pope points out in the same letter: "We have all experi enced a new momentum in the Church at the dawn of the new millenium, in the sense of "start ing afresh from Christ". We had all hoped that this momentum might coincide with a new era of brotherhood and peace for all hu manity. Instead we have seen more bloodshed. Once again we have been witnesses of wars. We are distressed by the tragedy of the divisions and hatreds which are devastating relations between peoples." Sadly, the very land where Jesus lived, died and rose again is caught up in the throes of the traqedies of division and ha tred. It is difficult not to be dis heartened by what one sees in the world around us. Yet the message of Easter is clear. We need to rise to a new life, not just in the world around us, but still more so in the life of the Church. Recently the Church has suf fered very deeply from scandals involving its clergy and there has been a build-up of expectation in the press around the world, as to what the Pope would say in his Letter to Priests for Holy Thurs day, which has become a tradition of his for several years. He had been accused by sectors of the world press of maintaining silence on the issues in which the church in America, particularly, has been embroiled in and speculation was rife that surely he would have to address the issue in what had become his annual letter to priests of the world. When the embargo on his letter was lifted with the Press Conference at the Vatican at 11.30 am on Thursday 21 March, one could detect the disappointment

ourselves more fully to the search for holiness. We must beg God in his Providence to prompt a whole hearted reawakening of those ideals of total self-giving to Christ which are the very foundation of the priestly ministry." The world press and among them several Catholic ones have tried to make whatever capital th ey could a bo ut th is b rie f reference, and in doing so have perhaps overlooked the whole context of the Holy Father's letter which was all about the Sacrament of Penance and the role that the priest has in bringing about reconciliation between God and Man. Rising with C hrist entails conquering sin and death in ourselves. Rising to newness of life is therefore, intricately bound up w ith the S a cra m e n t of

of Press reports that while he did indeed break his silence, the Pope did not deal particularly with the issue of the scandal. It was al most, only in passing, in just one paragraph, that the Holy Father made reference to the matter. "At this time too, as priests, we are personally and profoundly afflicted by the sins of some of our brothers who have betrayed the grace o f O rd in a tio n in succumbing even to the most grievous forms of the mysterium iniquitatis (mystery of iniquity) at

work in the world. Grave scandal is caused, with the result that a dark shadow of suspicion is cast over all the other fine priests who perform their ministry with honesty and integrity and often with heroic self-sacrifice. As the Church shows her concern for the victims and strives to respond in truth and justice to each of these painful situations, all of us - conscious of human weakness, but trusting in the healing power of divine grace - are called to embrace the “mysterium Cruris"and to commit

A r c h d io c e s e o f S in g a p o r e h o m e p a g e , V e r ita s : h t t p ://w w w .c a t h o lic .o r g .s g .

Reconciliation. We have come through that special season of Lent when we were supposed to have taken stock of our lives, in order to re o rie n ta te them to God. Interestingly enough, the symbols of Easter - the Easter eggs and the Easter bunnies, the season of Spring itself with its bursting forth of new leaves and flowers on the barren stems and branches of w inte r trees and plants underscore "new life". Hopefully, now that we are celebrating Easter we will be taking concrete steps to ensure that this new season will bring new life to our lives, just as the secular symbols of Easter indicate so vividly the deep spiritual realities of what we are celebrating - the newness of life.

Easter bunnies and chicks - furry symbols of new life - Ropix.

In te r n e t e d itio n o f T h e C a th o lic N e w s : h t t p ://w w w .c a t h o lic .o r g .s g /C N .

Editor

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

LOCAl

IRO marks 53rd anniversary on World Peace and Harmony Day

New Regional Superior

R e lig io u s le a d e r s a n d g o v e r n m e n t r e a f f ir m c o m m i t m e n t t o p r o m o t e h a r m o n y a n d u n d e r s t a n d in g . Photo: M A T T H E W

LEE

By Noel Tan THE Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) marked its 53rd anniversary this year by launching its website and holding a panel discussion at the Suntec City on March 17. Representatives from the nine major religions began the event with prayers for peace. President S R Nathan, who was the guest-ofhonour, also launched the IRO book "Religions in Singapore" and the official IRO website. In his short address, he said: "The Inter-Religious Organisation is symbolic of the nature of our soci ety, of tolerance between various faiths, of respect for each other and promoting inter-religious harmony. They have done good work and I think all of us who subscribe to their belief should follow their work." In his keynote speech, Commu nity Development Minister Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, talked about the role of religion in nation building, and how important the spirit of tolerance and harmony is for the country. Citing the recent Hindu-Muslim conflicts in India, he cautioned that sometimes religion is manipulated into becoming "a force for divisive ness and destruction". "Religious harmony is some thing that has to be constantly worked on," Dr Yaacob he said. "It is so fragile that one lapse or inci dent could destroy all that we have

^ *■■ . ■■ ----------1 Representatives from the major religions in Singapore opened the IRO celebration on March 17 with prayers for peace. worked for." Stressing the need for modera tion and interaction between faiths, he talked about the government's Inter-Racial Confidence Circle (IRCC) programme, through which the government hopes to establish a platform for interraction between community and religious leaders. The day's programme also fea tured cultural performances from the different religious communities and a panel discussion where people from different faiths answered ques tions posed by the audience.

CN asked various leaders about their insights to the day’s theme. Rabbi Mordechai Abergel said, "I believe children must be taught to interact with people of other faiths. Much misunderstanding comes from a lack of knowledge between people, and children should learn about different reli gions at an early age." Said Mr V R Nathan, a Hindu and IRO's vice-president: "We have 24 Hindu temples, all are open for anybody to walk in. We have no fear of going to other temples. I go

to Novena Church and the Buddhist temple at West Coast Road. We are not prevented from doing so. We respect any religion that be lieves in God." Christian Brother Michael Broughton said, "Christians have got to perhaps examine or reexamine their policies of exclusivity. Because of our theological understanding of salvation, it’s very easy for us to interpret that they exclude everyone else from salvation. If we don’t ex amine this in detail and how we practice such belief in a big society, giving room for other people, then we are disadvantaged. We would already have the qualities of dishar mony within our own religion." IRO president, Venerable Shi Ming Yi said: "We must understand people’s traditions and practices, that’s how we understand each other. We will not be blaming people for creating noise, or saying they are superstitious." He noted that very few people really know most religions, "so these are things which we should teach people”. Founded in 1949, the IRO is said to be the oldest organisation of its kind in the world. It represents the Hindu, Jewish, Zoroastrian, Bud dhist, Taoist, Christian, Muslim, Sikh and Baha'i faiths in Singapore. □ The official website o f the IRO is http://www.iro.org.sg.

Fr Gregoire van Giang (above) has been elected Regional Supe rior of the Paris Foreign Society (MEP Fathers) for Malaysia and Singapore. He took office on Feb 23 succeeding Fr Michael Arro. Fr Van Giang, a Vietnamese, was born in Cambodia in 1952. He joined a seminary in Cambodia and then in Vietnam before going to France to join the MEP Fathers in 1990. He was or dained to the priesthood in France in 1993. Following his ordination, Fr van Giang was assigned to Singapore, to become an assistant priest in the parish of St Francis of Assisi in Boon Lay. While serving at the parish, he also started learning Man darin. In 1997, he was posted to the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, where he is currently par ish priest. Fr Michael Arro

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MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

LOCAL At lenten walk, young people begin journey to happiness

All-round support for jobless in St Francis of Assisi parish

A speaker from the Community Development Council (in his private capacity) during the Jan 22 session. Young people writing their reflections during one of their stops at a park on March 17. By Sr Sandra Seow WHAT could have been an other wise short journey took six hours for some 20 young adults and mis sionaries who took a lenten walk on March 17. Throughout the walk from Alexandra Park to Labrador Park (6-hour), the young adults were challenged by the Verbum Dei Mis sionaries to reflect on their lives based on the theme Journey to Happiness. Through talks, activities, group sharing and songs, the participants aged 18-30 were encouraged to reflect on questions like, “What is happiness for me? In which stage of my life did I experience authen tic happiness? Am I searching for more?” They were urged to personally experience the love of God in their lives, which is the only true love that can give them permanent and stable happiness. However, it is not only to enjoy happiness from experiencing His love, but also to experience joy from loving others with His quality of love. This demands of them to get out of themselves and to overcome the obstacles that pre vent them from loving, in order to give themselves fully to their family members, friends, colleagues and the people they meet every day. The walk ended after lunch. But for the young adults, it was not the end but the start of their jour ney to happiness. As a reminder

By Francis Mane

that they were not alone in their journey they were each given a small, hand-made pouch contain ing inspiring messages to urge them on in their search for happiness. Said Mr Krish Jon Mathavan, 25, “It was very refreshing during Lent to focus on the theme of happiness. While it was hot and humid during the walk, it was still enjoyable to be sharing about how God is the only one who can give constant and unconditional happi ness and how we as His people can help spread this happiness by learning to love all around us. It sounds simple but it is indeed something noble to strive for dur ing this period of Lent.’ Miss Bernadette Lim, 20, said the lenten walk was “a very unique journey with very thought-provok ing questions posted during the sessions. The reflection sessions enabled me to find out even more things about myself. Indeed, the journey (to happiness) is long, but we should not forget that the Lord is also journeying with us." □ For more information on Ver bum Dei Missionaries visit http:// www. civo. com/verbumdeisingapore/

THE Church of St Francis of Assisi has formed a Social Concern Com mittee (SCC) to support jobless pa rishioners financially, emotionally and spiritually. The committee’s roles are to: ■ Provide a place for the jobless to meet and show solidarity with one another and those willing to give them support; ■ Uplift their spirituality; and ■ Visit the jobless and their families to better understand their needs. About 35 parishioners attended the first session organised by SCC on Jan 22. An SCC member named Paul shared his experiences as an un employed man for three months. After returning from his studies in the United States and Australia, he had difficulties getting a job. He nearly lost confidence and self-esteem. It was a very stressful time, he said, but he had complete faith in God and support from his family. He man aged to secure a job in February.

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Paul also encouraged those who were jobless to have confidence in themselves and respond to any job advertisement immediately. A job placement officer from the Community Development Council (CDC) on his own initiative, came to share his experiences. He also high lighted the services provided by the CDC to support the jobless. He encouraged the participants to think positive and to take oppor tunities to start work as soon as possible or enroll in retraining courses and be paid at the same time and still be assured of a job after the course. Stan, from another parish, called on all to begin each day with a prayer as each day brings new life in God. As long as one is happy with one’s goals and is confident in God, one will be able to meet one’s needs, he said. The solidarity gathering helped the participants to see each other as neighbours. After the gathering, SCC mem

bers said they planned to visit the unemployed at home or meet them in church to get to know them better and understand their family situa tions and needs. SCC also hopes to get assist ance from parishioners. Those who have jobs to offer may put up an nouncements at the church notice board or get their job offers pub lished in the parish bulletin. Through such deeds, parishion ers will be able to immerse them selves in the lives of the jobless and “be light and salt of this earth” . The idea for the SCC was raised by members of the Small Christian Community and the Christian Fam ily And Social Movement of St Francis of Assisi. They noted the jobless people's need for emotional and spiritual sup port, in addition to financial aid, to avoid further stress resulting from prolonged unemployment. A week before the gathering, the SCC circulated registration forms at all the Masses. □

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THE CATHOLIC NEWS

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Witness vs Numbers KUALA LUMPUR - Catholics in Malaysia should not be concerned about their small number, but rather with how to witness their faith and to dialogue with other religions, Auxiliary Bishop Murphy Pakiam of Kuala Lumpur said. According to government cen sus figures and Church statistics, Catholics make up a little over 1% of the 18.5 million population in peninsular Malaysia. Despite this low percentage, the Catholic Church is in no hurry to go on an evangelizing spree to in crease the number of its flock, Bishop Pakiam said in an interview. The bishop emphasized that evangelization in the country should

not be about "pulling people into the Church," but of Catholics becoming witnesses of the faith by their way of life, and letting God do the rest. However, Bishop Pakiam stressed the need for the local Church "to dialogue with other reli gions, to build up relationships with people of other faiths and to see God's love extend to other people." "Despite being multi-racial, multi cultural, and different from each other, we can still be united with our bonds of friendship. All these are binding us together. This is the beautiful sign of what God can do for us," he added. The auxiliary bishop noted that God's mission is to create greater

love and unity. "That's why we have Masses in different languages. It makes us Catholics realize that we are different, but we can be open and appreciative of each other." "We can rejoice about our cul tural diversity and welcome it posi tively to express our oneness as children of our Father in heaven," he explained. Catholics can be proud of their faith through worship, he said. "Faith is not only instructions in sermons, but also coming together as a com munity to pray.The Catholic faith is a communitarian faith, adding that because we have experienced faith, we are open to people of different religions and culture, u c a n

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KUALA LUMPUR — A parish in M alaysia has o rg a n ize d an exposure trip to a Buddhist institute where Catholic students jo in e d B u dd h ist s tu d e n ts in studying Buddhism and had their first taste of interreligious dialogue. “The reason we organized this trip is to expose students to activities of other religions. The im p o rta n c e and need fo r interreligious dialogue must be instilled from a young age,” said B e tty Leong, ca tech ism coordinator of the Church of St. Anne in Port Kelang, near Kuala Lumpur. She brought prim ary- and secondary-level students Sunday March 3 for an educational visit to the Buddhist Institute Dhamma School in Kuala Lumpur. The visit

was part of the Sacrament of Confirmation program for older students. “Students need to be exposed to other religions so that they will have a better understanding of how other people practice their faith. This is important because we are living in a multireligious society,” Leong said. The highlight of the visit was when the C atholic students, divided into their respective age groups, joined their Buddhist counterparts in their lessons. Grade 11 students, the oldest among them, then engaged in an interreligious dialogue session on the d iffe re n c e s betw een Catholicism and Buddhism. The Catholic students were also taken on a tour of the institute and

witnessed the Buddhist students chanting prayers. In his welcom ing speech, Venerable K. Dham-maratana Thera, principal of the Dhamma school, said, “Whether we are Buddhists, Christians, Muslims or from any other faith, we are all human beings, and we can learn from each other.” He also expressed hope that one day the students from his school would visit the Church of St. A nne to o b se rve how catechism classes are conducted. Leong said that the visit had helped her u n d e rsta n d the m eaning behind the different positions of Buddha depicted in statues and that pagodas are the burial places of the relics of Buddhist holy people, u c a n

Church to the Rescue JALANDHAR, INDIA — A Church programme to prepare socially neglected Catholic students for top government administrative jobs has met limited success, Indian bishops were told. The C a th o lic B is h o p s ’ Conference of India started the centers in 1998 to coach dalit (low caste) and tribal Christian students for competitive tests that are used to select the government’s top administrators. “Even though this program has been partially successful, there are some hurdles,” said Father S. Lourduswamy, secretary of the b is h o p s ’ C om m ission for Scheduled C astes/Tribes and Backward Classes. In his rep ort on the com m ission’s activities at the bishops’ biennial assembly, the priest said the program meant for “social transformation” of former untouchables and indigenous people now faces “serious financial problems.” The p ro g ra m ’s overseas sponsors now plan to meet only 60 percent of the expenses and want the rem aining am ount raised locally, he told the bishops March 7 in Jalandhar town, 360 kilometers northwest of New Delhi. Noting that the students in the coaching centers “are extremely poor and are unable to pay,” the

priest asked the country’s 143 dioceses to make some “generous contributions.” Father Lourduswamy later told UCA News that about 60 percent of the 16 million Catholics in India belong to the former untouchable castes of the Indian social system and that Church efforts for their socio -e co no m ic advancem ent have not been entirely successful. Although Catholic missioners have contributed to the country’s educational system, the “vast majority of our dalits” remain educationally poor and socially neglected, he said. In d ia ’s C o n stitu tio n has reserved a certain quota of government jobs and educational seats fo r d a lits and trib a ls. However, dalit C hristians are denied those privileges on the pretext that their religion does not practice casteism. Responding to the situation, the Church first set up two centers in Ranchi, eastern India, and Madurai in the south to prepare dalit Catholics for the competitive exams. Three centers were added in 1999 in Hyderabad and Kottayam in southern India and Shillong in the northeast with each center enrolling an average of 40 students initially. The centers have so far coached

about 540 students, but attendance is down in H yderabad and Kottayam, Father Lourduswamy said. The students in southern India are “easily discouraged,” as they are “first generation students,” the priest said. They seem to conclude from their social interaction that such top jobs are “beyond their reach,” he added. He said that southern Indian students have no role models in their communities and parents seldom encourage them. Their medium of instruction is English, while those in eastern and northern India use local languages. He said that the strategy is to coach students for the highest posts and make them sit for lower grade exams to improve the success rates and their confidence. The report noted that eight students have so far become deputy collectors, the second top administrative job in a district. W hile fo u r students have become deputy superintendents of police, 22 have become officers at lower levels, 11 college lecturers and 26 bank officers. Stressing that the upward social mobility of former untouchables w ould create a social transformation, the priest said, “If the Church is serious, all have to support this cause.” u c a n

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

REGIONAl Profile of the Asian Family MANILA — A team of researchers from a pontifical university in Manila is planning to conduct a study of fam ilies and the im pact of globalization on the institution in Asia. The C a th o lic B ish o p s’ Conference of the Philippines commissioned the Social Research Center of the Dominican University of Santo Tomas for the study tentatively entitled “An Assessment of the Status of the Asian Family Towards Pastoral Renewal in the 21st Century.” Bishop Antonio Ledesma of Ipil, the conference’s research director, said findings of the study are to be presented to the 8th plenary assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) in January 2004 in Seoul. The assembly will follow the Fourth World Meeting of Families Jan. 23-26, 2003, in Manila, which the pope is expected to lead. Eight professors and research and program coordinators from the university are currently reviewing published material on the topic, said Amor Pedro, the project’s leader. The team proposed to examine the “perception of evangelization in Asia” by families and review the status o f the fo rm a tion and

development of Basic Ecclesial Communities. It aims to analyze the effects of population grow th, global migration, mass media and modern technology on Christian values, especially among the young. Bishop Ledesma said the researchers hope to complete by December this year the first part of the study examining the status of Filipino families. The two-year project will include Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Thailand. The Jesuit bishop said the research team may hold consultations with some Asian delegates at the 2003 World Meeting of Families. Pedro, coordinator of the university’s sustainable develop ment and ecological anthropology program, told UCA News that Archbishop Orlando Quevedo of C otabato, p re sid e n t o f the Philippine bishops’ conference, would link the researchers with bishops and family ministries of other Asian countries. Also, the u n iv e rs ity ’s

coordinator of Poverty, Women in D evelopm ent program and researchers from the Institute of Religion are assisting with general profiles of the Asian economy and fam ily life, grassroots Church communities, evangelization, youth, migration and cultural communities. The output will be used as “the basis for the renewal of pastoral programs for families in Asia,” said Ernesto Gonzales, the university’s research center director. E stablished in 1979, the research center has conducted socio-economic and socio-cultural stu die s and im plem ented community projects in response to situations it studied. The bishops and university officials had agreed in July 2001 to collaborate in the technical and administrative coordination of the Asian family project, Gonzales said. The bishops’ five-year-old Research Office closed down last year due to lack of funds, its former director Opus Dei Father Roberto Latorre told UCA News. The FABC Central Committee meeting chose the Asian family as the theme of the Seoul assembly during its last plenary in January 2000. UCAN

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As I have said before, Muslims and Christians here have lived their faith properly. All religions teach their followers to maintain harmony in life. As to what should be done in the future, he said: We should not be satisfied with the present condition. Continuous e ffo rts fo r the prom otion of in te rre lig io u s harm ony are necessary, especially for our young people. They do need to learn and would be learning it much better from real life examples of their parents and adults in general. I am glad to see that Catholic and Protestant schools in this province are open to Muslim inchildren. It is amazing that Muslim children in Christian-run schools are not proselytized. I think this is a good way to promote interreligious harmony, through formal education. The schools allow their students of varied religious beliefs to build good relations with each other. Even in public schools, the children associate in a normal way, and do not group on the basis of religion. Such good habits need to be continuously promoted among the youth. For adults, good relations and cooperation among people of different religions in day-to-day living need to be developed. It is also necessary for followers to deepen their knowledge about their own religion so that they can live their religion properly. But having better knowledge about other religions and religious practices is also necessary to avoid misunder standing and to build respect. Dialogue among religious leaders at all levels, from the province to the district and down to the village level, w ill greatly contribute to the creation of harmony in the province. Questioned about the rumor of an Islamization movement in East Nusa Tenggara he said:

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Recipe for Co-existence KUPANG, Indonesia - Mutual respect is the key for people of various religions to live together in peace and security in Indonesia, a Muslim leader says. Haji Ridwan Pedang, 61, a board member of the East Nusa Tenggara province chapter of the Indonesian Islamic Ulemas Council, shared his view on peaceful coexistence with UCA News in mid-February. People in this province are fo rtu n a te th a t we are not experiencing such conflicts. And I think this is mainly because our people have the rig ht understanding of their religion and practice it correctly. I, personally, and Muslims this province realize that we are living in a mainly Christian region. The Muslim population here is only eight percent (of the 3.7 million people). But we are secure here. However, in November 1998, some u n id e n tifie d people succeeded in provoking people to attack the Muslims here, during which a number of mosques and Muslim houses and properties were burned. But after the incident, it was surprising to see that people resum ed life in peaceful coexistence. The promotion of interreligious harmony among the people must be done continuously. As an Islamic ulema (scholar), I always asserted in my sermons in mosques that we human beings who believe in the same and one God, the Creator, must not be hostile against each other. Asked if Muslims, being a minority, felt excluded from social interaction there, Haji Ridwan Pedang replied: I do not have such an impression. Muslims here, have good relations with people of other religions. The Muslims who are native here have family members who are Catholics or Protestants.

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I heard the rumor, but I think it is only a provocation by certain people who want to play Muslims a g a in st n on -M uslim s in this province. However, there is no evidence about it so far. I have never heard about a village or a region where people as a group turn from Christianity to Islam. I have never heard, either, about Muslims roaming from one village to another to persuade Christians to become Muslims. It is true there were some Muslims who became Christians, and C h ris tia n s who becam e Muslims due to marriage, but their number is very small. Commenting on reports that an Islamic jihad group has entered the province Haji Ridwan Pedang said: I heard about the presence of the group, but I have never met any of its members. If the presence of the group is true, and I happen to meet them, I would ask them to live according to correct Islamic teachings. Jihad in Islam has a noble goal, that is to fight a duel for the defense of truth and justice. Duel literally means that there is a formal fight between two persons, without the help of other people. So if there is a group of Muslims who come to help fellow Muslims in a region, that is not jihad. That would be a political move using the religion’s label. I do not agree with people who use religion for their momentary political interest. Asked about a move to turn Indonesia into an Islamic state Haji Ridwan Pedang commented: Muslims are required to live according to Islamic teachings, not to set up an Islamic state. Islam teaches us to live in peace with people from different religions. I am very happy with the present harmonious situation here, and as a Muslim leader, I would not allow this good situation to be disrupted by any Muslim group, u c a n

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MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

VATICAN

The Church and Culture Given the very vigorous exchange of views from the pews about the postponement of the imposition of ashes and the fasting and abstinence to go with it at the b e g in n in g o f the re ce n tly concluded Lenten Season it might be useful to ponder what the Holy Father had to say about the C hurch and C ultu re on the occasion of the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Culture which took place in Rome on the 16 of March 2002. It w ill be noted that the question of inculturation in the Church is not a question of merely introducing some elements of the cu ltu re o f peo ple into the celebration of the Liturgy, but it is a far deeper and much more complex issue of understanding what underlies the values, and consequently the thinking and behaviour of a given people so that the message of Christ can be presented in a way that will address, precisely, the values of the people to be evangelized and therefore enable them to make th e tra n s itio n to a fu lle r understanding of their values in the light of Christ's teaching. Greeting and welcoming the Cardinals, Bishops and Members of the Assembly, the Holy Father, speaking in French, noted that their Assembly coincided with the 20th Anniversary of the setting up of the Pontifical C ouncil for Culture.

Culture and Mission Thanking them for the work that had been done by the Council for the past twenty years the Pope encouraged them to continue their generous collaboration in the service of the universal mission of the Successor of St. Peter, and to continue with renewed zeal their relations with cultures of the world to create bridges between men of varying cultures so as to open our brothers to the Gospel. This, the Pope said, can be realized by open dialogue with all people of good will, who, despite being different by their ways and traditions, and marked by their re lig io n and b e lie fs , are nevertheless united in the same humanity and called to share in the same life of C hrist the Redeemer of all mankind. Purpose of the Council for Culture The Pontifical Council for Culture was created for the purpose of

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giving the Church a common thrust in its encounter of the message of the Gospel with the p lu ra lity o f c u ltu re s , in the diversity of peoples to whom the Church has to bring the fruits of grace. All this was in line with the thinking and decisions of the Second Vatican Council. The Fathers of the Council had, in fa c t v ig o ro u s ly emphasized the central place of culture in the life of men and its importance for the penetration of the values of the Gospel, as well as the diffusion of the Gospel m essa ge in c u s to m s , the

b ecause m any o f o u r c o n temporaries are submerged in cultural milieux that are often bereft of any spiritual dimension and interiority in situations that are dominated by values that are essentially materialistic. More than ever there has never been another period in history where there has been a greater ru p tu re in the p ro ce ss of transmission of moral and religious values between generations which has led to a sort of heterogeneity between the Church and the contemporary world. It is in this perspective that the Church has a

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continues to sciences and the arts. Noting that the merging of the Pontifical Council for Dialogue with Non-believers and the Council for Culture in one council on the 25 March 1993 was to promote the study of the problem of non-belief and religious indifference that is present in various forms in various cultural milieux. Such studies would provide the Church with great help in its m ission of evangelization and inculturation of the Gospel. The transmission of the Gospel message in today's world is p a rtic u la rly d iffic u lt, m ainly

very important role to take note of the developm ent of d ifferent cultures and the questions that man continues to ask, and on the other hand to explore the possible relations between the various cultures and the Christian faith so as to be able to propose new ways of evangelization that start from the concerns of our contemp oraries. T his in v o lv e s , in e ffe c t, meeting people where they are, with their pre-occupations and questions that are theirs, so that they may discover moral and spiritual values that are necessary

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Obstacles Among the stronger stumbling blocks are the difficulties which are encountered by families and schools which have the onerous task of transmitting to younger generations the human, moral and spiritual values which will enable them to become social men and women to lead a life of personal dignity and to engage in the life of society. At the same time, the transm ission of the Christian message and the values which flow from it and give rise to the c h o ic e s and b e h a v io u r constitutes a challenge to which all ecclesial communities must rise to, particularly in the domain o f c a te c h e s is and c a te ch u menate. There have been periods in the history of the Church, for e xam ple in the tim e o f St. Augustine and more recently during the 20th century one notes the contribution of numerous Christian philo-sophers who have been able to root our way of sp ea kin g and our w ay o f e v a n g e liz in g on sound anthropology and philosophy. In effect, it is when philosophy meets Christ that the Gospel can truly begin to spread through all nations. It is therefore urgent that p ro ta g o n is ts o f e d u c a tio n a l syste m s engage in s e rio u s anthropological studies to take into account what is man and what it is that makes him live. Families are in great need of help from educators who respect their values and who help them to re fle c t on the fu n d a m e n ta l questions that the young pose, even if they seem to run counter to the propositions of actual society. At all times, there have always been men and women who have defended and pro pounded the truth with prophetic courage. This same attitude is what is required today.

Globalization The phenomenon of glo-balization has become a cultural fact today, and it constitutes a difficulty but

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for existence in conformity with our specific vocation and to see in the call of Christ the same hope that does not fail, following the example of the Apostle Paul in Athens. It is to be noted that attention to culture allows one to as fa r as p o s s ib le when encountering people. It is therefore a privileged mediation between co m m un icatio n and e v a n g e lization.

an opportunity at the same time. While it tends to level the specific identities of different communities and reduce them sometimes to simple souvenirs of folklore and traditional antiquities devoid of all original significance and cultural and religious significance, this phenomenon of globalization all brings about the dismantling of barriers between the cultures and offers to persons the possibility to encounter and to come to know one another; at the same time it is incumbent on the leaders of Nations and on men of good will to ensure that what is proper to individuals and to cultures is respected in order to ensure the good of individuals and people and fo s te r b ro the rho od and solidarity.

Perennial Questions S ociety as a w hole is also confronted with questions about man and his future especially in the areas of bio-ethics, the use o f the w o rld 's re s o u rc e s , e c o n o m ic and p o litic a l dispositions so that man may retain his dignity and retain his position as a person in society and the ultimate criterion of social decisions. The Church in no way seeks to substitute itself for those who are charged with conducting public affairs but she wishes to have a place in the deliberations to clarify consciences with the light of the meaning of man that is written in his very nature.

Exhortation It falls on the pontifical Council for Culture to pursue its action and to bring its conclusions to the bishops, catholic communities and to all institutions who desire them, so that Christians will have the means to witness to their faith and to their hope in a coherent and responsible manner and that all men of goodwill will be able to engage in the building up of a society in which the development of the whole person is promoted. The future of man and cultures and the message of the Gospel and the life of the C hu rch are a ll m u tu a lly dependant. Inasmuch as you contribute to a greater consciousness of the place of culture for the future of man and of society, as well as evangelization, in that same measure will man become more free and use his freedom in a more responsible manner. Editor - from Vatican Press Report

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THE CATHOLIC NEWS

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002 •

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A new Missal How the Mass is celebrated.

At a press conference held in the Vatican on Friday, 22 March 2002, the Third Typical Edition of the Roman Missal was launched.

The greatest

What is the “Roman Missal”? The Roman Missal is the official book for the Roman Rite in the Catholic Church that governs the celebration of the Mass. When a new edition is launched it is known as a "typical edition". This edition is always in Latin and is to be considered the "official" text for the Mass in the Roman Rite. All translations into vernacular lan guages must conform to this Latin text and must be submitted to the Vatican for approval before its use is adopted in a given region.

change ~

Apart from texts to be used in the Mass, the Missal also con tains what are known as rubrics (printed in red). These are de tailed instructions as to how the Mass is to be celebrated, the vest ments to be used, the gestures, colours, rituals, place, conditions and so on. In a word it compre hends everything to do with the celebration of the Mass.

two species.

History of the "Typical Editions" After the Second Vatican Council and, in particular, after the publi cation of the Constitution on the Liturgy, a new typical edition of the Missal was launched in 1970, and this was known as the First Typical Edition. The Second typi cal Edition came not long after, in 1975. Now, after nearly 30 years, the Third Typical Edition is being launched. The new Edition At the Press Conference, His Eminence Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacra ments pointed out that the Third Typical Edition of the Missal was the fruit of a protracted work of revision and updating which started in 1991. He emphasized that it was not just another printing edition, but a true typical edition that is official and will be the basis for the cel ebration of the Mass in Latin and which constitutes the basis for translations into the various na tional languages. This work of translation is left to the different Bishops' Conferences around the world, who have to ensure that it conforms to the content and sense of the Typical Edition. The trans lations must then be sent to the Holy See for approval before be ing adopted for use. Apart from the texts of the Missal with all the prayers which form the bulk of the content there is a very important section at the beginning which is known as the "General Institutions". This part,

administration

The Secretary drew attention to the fact that the Third Typical Edition following in the direction of the Bishops' Ceremonial (1984), considers the Eucharist, presided over by the Bishop together with his priests, as constituting what is to be considered the principal vis ible manifestation of the Church.

Gregorian Chant

to the faithful of communion under

Msgr. Tamburrino referred to what he called "the extraordinary riches" of this Third typical Edition - the insertion of an enormous quantity of Gregorian musical texts, which, he emphasized, are not found, as in the past, in an Appendix, but are inserted in the appropriate places where they are to be sung in the celebration of the Ordinary or Proper of the Mass. In the General Instruction of the Mass, a quotation appears from the C onstitution on the Liturgy (Vatican II) that "Gregorian Chant should have the principal place , other things being equal, in the liturgy, since it is proper to the Roman Rite."

the Cardinal emphasized, is more than just a set of instructions on how Mass is to be celebrated, but it contains theological, liturgical, pastoral and spiritual notes. The purpose of these is to ensure a dignified celebration and a rea so na ble u n ifo rm ity , w ith o u t excluding legitimate variations and adaptations which have been duly approved for active participation and the spiritual good of the faith ful. The new edition incorporates some elements in these General Institutions by way of providing clarifications.

chapter is obviously very relevant and of great importance. The c h a p te r c o n ta in s v a rio u s princip les and c riteria which should guide Bishops' Confer e n c e s w he n th e y w ish to introduce changes and adapta tions outside of those already forseen in the Instructions of the Third Typical Edition. Obviously such a d a p ta tio n s are to be considered exceptional and par ticular to the region and can only be justified by necessity, dictated by the spiritual good of the com munity concerned, but taking into consideration always the sub stantial unity of the Roman Rite.

The greatest change

The Roman Calendar

What can be termed the greatest change in these instructions are those which concern the adminis tration to the faithful of communion under two species.

In the calendar of celebrations and feastdays, there are some additions to the various possible Memorials both obligatory and non -o bliga to ry. Eleven new ce le b ra tio n s of fe astda ys of Saints have been added as well, to reflect the universality of the Church.

There is now a much greater extension of faculties to intro duce m ore s itu a tio n s and circumstances under which Com munion may be given under two species. The primary competent authority to decide this is now the Bishop of the Diocese without needing previous authorization from the Episcopal Conference. Furthermore, the Diocesan Bishop can delegate this permission to individual priests of a particular community to exercise at their own discretion, when this can be done and in what circumstances.

The Order of the Mass This refers to the actual parts of the celebration of Mass. Changes here are to be found in the Prefaces. There is a new one for Martyrs. The Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been enriched by texts from the Collec tion o f Masses o f the Blessed Virign Mary. Masses for various occasions, have also some addi tions.

and contribute to the unity within the Roman rite. He hoped, too, that it would provide an incentive for greater understanding of the Mass and a more active level of participation in the celebration of the liturgy.

The Secretary’s Presentation Taking over from the Prefect of the Congregation, His Excellency Msgr. Francisco Pio Tamburrino, Secretary of the Congregation, proceeded with his presentation. He began by drawing attention to the fact that this Third Typical Edition has taken into account various adaptations of the Ro man Missal that have taken place in the past thirty years with the authorization of the Holy See. In this sense, he added, one could call this a development of the Roman Rite. The Creed One area where this can be noted is in the Creed. In addition to the Nicene and Apostles' Creed, there is a possiblity to use interrogative formulae that are akin to that used in the Baptismal Rite. There are also other small changes of vocabulary which al though seemingly insignificant are nevertheless not without impor tant links with principles. Prayers over the People

Inculturation A new Chapter has been in s e rte d in the In s tru c tio n s , Chapter 9, which deals with li tu rg ic a l in c u ltu ra tio n . T his

The Cardinal concluded his presentation with the hope that this new Third Typical Edition would be a useful instrument at the service of the People of God

Here, too, changes in dispositions are to be found that underscore the fact that the new edition wishes to preserve the old traditions of the Roman Rite.

This, however, the Secretary pointed out, does not preclude other forms of singing as long as they contribute to the spirit of the liturgical action and favour the participation of all the faithful. Whilst the Missal favours and encourages the participation of the faithful in song, the General Instructions of the Roman Missal do indicate in two places the use fulness of moments of silence which would help to give an at mosphere of intensive prayer and contemplation to the celebration. The Secretary concluded his presentation with the hope that this Third Typical Edition of the Roman Missal would contribute to the growth in faith through the proper celebration of the liturgy.

An assurance Whilst this Third Typical Edition of the Roman Missal has been launched, it does not mean that we are all going to be confused and upset by yet more changes in the way Mass is celebrated. First of all it will be some time before translations in the various languages are made, bearing in mind that these are not just done on an ad hoc basis by each coun try or diocese. Up to now, our region has used the translation of the International Commission for English in the Liturgy and pre sumably will continue to follow their translations. Neither are we all going to be receiving Holy Communion under two species beginning on Easter Sunday! Editor - from Vatican Press Reports.

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

TH IN LIFEi

TER - DIVINE M ERCY

T R U E L IF E

R E B IR T H

The Texts: Christ is risen from the dead. He has conquered the power o f death and opened for us the way to eternal life. (Opening Prayer). This is the message of Easter - this is the reason why we rejoice and are glad. (Response). This is what Christ has ordered us to proclaim to his people. (First Reading) Only a few days ago, we com memorated the events of the pas sion and death of Christ. That should have been more than enough proof of the fact that God loves us. The Easter event is truly the greatest proof of God’s tre mendous love for us. For this we have to give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his love has no end. (Responsorial Psalm). However, it is not sufficient to be simply convinced of the love of God for us as proven in his sacri fice for us. He has risen from the dead and that means that we too have risen with him. St. Paul points out very clearly for us in the

The Texts: Second Reading Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven. .. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things , not on the things that are on the earth.. That is what Easter must dignify for all of us. It must signify the new life that Christ has given us.

Blessed be God the Father o f our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead. The resurrection of Christ is the pledge of our own resurrection and a "sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away. (Second Reading).

resurrection. St. Paul talks of a new birth: Blessed be God... who in his great mercy has given us a new birth as his sons. St. John, the writer of today's Gospel alludes to our faith in the resurrection and adds that it is through our faith in the resurrection and that we have been reborn, that, believing this you may have life through his name.

The Liturgy of Holy Week is extremely significant, but like all liturgy, it can very easily remain just a series of ceremonies. While Easter signifies that we have re ceived newness of life, it can only become a reality if our lives are evidence of the newness of life that we have received through the triumph of the Cross of Christ. We must proclaim the resurrection not only with our lips, but above all through the active witness of our lives. Hopefully, we have died to sin and to ourselves during the Lent. The transformation would certainly not be total, but, at least, it should be progressing each year.

It is our belief in the resurrection which gives us the courage to persevere in the Christian struggle despite the difficulties and trials we experience, even though you may for a short time have to bear being plagued by all sorts o f trials. Indeed, without the resurrection, our lives as Christians would not make much sense . It is faith such as this which merits the praise of Jesus in the Gospel today: Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.

Our faith in eternal life must have an impact on our present living. It had an impact on the life of the early Christians as described in the First Reading. They all lived together and owned everything in common ... they praised God and were looked up to be everyone. ' Baptism was our introduction to a new life since it associated us with the life of Christ. Many years have passed since our Baptism, but are we really reborn with Christ? Do we continue to grow deeper in our relationship with Christ? Are we more identified with his image?

However, it is not sufficient to merely claim to have faith in the

Application in life Application in life

With Lent behind us we are now celebrating Easter. As disciples of Christ we have answered his call to follow in his footsteps. But what does that really mean to us? Answering the call of Christ to follow him must involve our lives. It must mean a certain commit ment to the way of life taught by Christ. It must mean duplicating in our own lives the events of Christ’s life that we have been commemorating and celebrating these past few days. W hat th is m eans is that Christ’s death to sin must be re flected in our own lives through the reality of our having died to sin ourselves. Christ’s bodily res urrection must be reflected in our own lives through the reality of our having conquered sin in our lives and our having risen to new lives of grace. Christ’s resurrec tion must also be our resurrec tion. It must be a resurrection to new life, already here on earth. Our resurrection to a new life is intimately connected with our Bap tism. St. Paul says that the resur rection of Christ is the pledge of our own resurrection, but he also says first that God the Father has given us a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus from the dead. The p le d g e o f our resurrection is therefore not referring only to something that is only going to occur after our death, but something that has already taken place - that has given us a new birth as his sons. Is this new birth which Christ has given us, a reality in our own lives? Christ’s resurrection was a victory of sin and death. If we associated ourselves with the death of Christ then we should

It is on Christ’s resurrection that the Christian hope of resurrection from the dead is based. Without the resurrection, Christian life would be meaningless. Why suffer? Why deny oneself? Why die to sin and to ourselves? Indeed, the whole effort of Christian living, of following Christ’s teaching at a cost to ourselves, would be totally meaningless.

have died to sin. Our belief in the Resurrection of Christ is what gives meaning and sense to our lives here on earth. It is what gives us the courage to persevere in living our Christian lives to the full. The Resurrection of Christ should have a profound effect on our present living. We were baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ, and that demands a transforma tion of our lives. We simply have to bear witness to the resurrection of Christ in and through our own lives. Practically speaking what does all this imply? It simply means that with our conversion to Christ in Baptism, our lives must take on a whole new vision - a spiritual vision which gives more impor tance to Christ’s values rather than those of the world. We cannot c o n tin u e to have the same priorities as those of the world. We cannot be living lives that do not reflect a belief that this world is only transitory and that there is a world to come. In a word, our lives simply must change for the better. Each Lent and Easter must mean a progression in the trans formation of our lives. But it is not just a question of ensuring our own salvation. Like the Apostles we too are witnesses of Christ’s resurrection and triumph over sin. But we can’t be effective witnesses to the world unless we actually reflect a death to sin and a resurrection to a new life of grace. Only then can we hope to give witness to the world of the transforming grace of Christ. Only then can we continue C h ris t’s m ission of salvation. □

ME T H t Of W S G RACE

St. Paul expresses all this very pointedly in his first letter to the Corinthians: If there is no resurrec tion o f the dead, Christ himself cannot have been raised, and if Christ has not been raised you are still in your sins. And what is more serious, all who have died in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate o f all people. But the impact will not be felt only in terms of the spiritual life. Inequalities and injustices of all kinds, suffering, sickness, pain and death itself would all be quite frus trating if there was no hope in a life after death. Without this belief that we too will rise with Christ to a new and eternal life, a lot of questions about life in this world would re main unanswered, a lot of things would go unexplained and indeed life would become quite incompre hensible in many of its aspects. Did the Easter we have just celebrated bring home to us this realization? Or was it just one more period of special church cer emonies to be attended out of custom and tradition or habit? Does

the message of Easter, Christ has risen, really have an impact on our lives? Does it provide the hope it is meant to provide in our times of difficulties, in our struggle to be faithful followers of Christ? If the celebration of Easter does not mean all this to us, we need to ask ourselves why not. Could it be that our faith in the resurrection is only lip service? Could it be that our efforts during Lent were not what they should have been? Could it be that our celebration of Easter means only Christ’s resurrection from the dead but not our own? We cannot expect to rise with Christ unless we died with him to sin. We would do well to ponder these questions during the Easter season. Even if we have not been too successful during Lent in dying to ourselves to sin, there is still time to make the effort at conversion. Lent is a special season when the challenge to reform ourselves is issued to us, but such a challenge is not restricted only to the six weeks of the Lenten season. The whole of our lives must be a con stant struggle to renew ourselves. The change th a t Lent is supposed to bring about is not going to happen just in a span of six weeks. Changing one's life is not easy to achieve. It certainly will not be a once for all event. It will necessarily be a process. However, it is up to us to ensure that the process is really taking place gradually in our lives. □

Note on Divine Mercy Sunday

The Holy Father, in a decree dated 23 May 2000, approved a proposal of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship that the 2nd Sunday of Easter should be called “Divine Mercy Sunday”. This is so that we should be made more aware of the tremendous mercy of God in sending His Son Jesus to save us from our sins.

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

HOME

Habitat for Humanity

to provide howies for the hoMieless and

the hopeless Photos from Habitat Souvenitr Magazine

In what must certainly be consid ered providential circumstances we recently met up with two people engaged in building houses. That, in itself, is not unusual, except that these people are engaged in build ing houses for the homeless and the needy around the world and the circumstances were highly unusual. The persons w ere two Singaporeans, Mr Paul K F Soong and Ms Kathleen Kwan. The former is a Director with Habitat for Humanity International while Ms Kwan, an architect by profession, and a Catholic, is a volunteer for a project which will soon take her to the Republic of Mongolia with a team of other volunteers to build homes for the needy there, during her annual leave. Our first reaction was this is a unique outreach to witness ac tive ly and co ncrete ly to the message of love that Christ came to bring to all men. The second was: here are some more Chris tians who take the message of

Christ seriously and are fulfilling Our Holy Father's Lenten call to witness to the Gospel message by volunteering to work for the underpriveleged. The organization's Mission Statement says it all: Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks o f life, to develop com munities with God's people in need by building and renovating houses so that there are decent houses in decent communiites in which peo ple can live and grow into all that God intended. According to statistics, an es timated 25 percent of the world's population, more than a billion peo ple, live in substandard housing or have no home at all. Families are trapped in a daily struggle to sur vive amidst horrible, often inhuman, living conditions. Habitat for Humanity is dedi cated to the ideal that all people deserve a simple, decent, healthy place to live, on terms they can

afford to pay. In the 25 years they have been operating, they have built 100,000 homes and now they are set to build the next 100,000. They have some 2,000 affiliate groups world wide in 79 countries of which 21 are in the Asia Pacific region. The organization operates with out boundaries of race or religion and anyone can volunteer for a project. In Singapore, they have arranged for short projects to cater for those who can only take short periods of leave. They also have projects for school-going youth during Singa pore's school holidays and it would certainly be a great experience for our youth to have this experience of volunteering and awareness creation of the needs of others and above all, doing something about those needs. For those who are interested: Phone / Voicemail (65) 285-6626 Mobile (65) 9668-3512 e-mail: skfpaul@singnet.com.sg Website: www.baitat.org. □

N O V E N A T O TH E H O L Y S P IR IT 2 0 0 2

Catholic Kindergarten Registration Registration for Nursery classes for year 2003 is open to Catholic/Non-Catholic children born in the year 1999. PHASE 1

: Friday April 5, 2002. Strictly for siblings of current pupils only.

PHASE 2

: Friday April 12, 2002. Strictly for Catholics and siblings/children of former pupils only. • All Catholic children registering under this phase must produce Baptism Certificate for verification. • Siblings/children of former pupils registering under this phase must produce documentary evidence of former pupil status.

PHASE 3

April 15, 2002 to Thursday April 25, 2002. public. 8.00 am to 12.00 noon. 15 Flower Road, Singapore 549404 6283-3821

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April 3 April 10 April 17 April 24 May I May 8 May 15 May 22 May 29

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He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" l 1 John 4:4 Organised by the OLPS Charismatic Renewal Prayer Group

: Monday Open to Registration Time : Place : Tel :

Documents and fees required for registration: 1. Birth Certificate 2. Health Booklet 3. Baptism Certificate (for Catholic children) 4. 2 passport size photographs 5. $30.00 registration fee (non-refundable) There are limited places for K1 level (2003) for children born in the year 1998. Registration dates are Monday April 29, Tuesday April 30, Thursday May 2 and Friday May 3, 2002.

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

Bulletin o f the Family Life Society, Archdiocese o f Singapore

FAMILY LIFE SOCIETY The 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 deep understanding and respect for marriage, family and human life and to make our services available to all.

PROGRAMMES AND SERVICES Family and Marital Therapy (Counselling Services) 6488 0278 A confidential service m anaged and provided by experienced fam ily and m arital therapists for those with marital, psychological and social problems.

Celebration of Life 6488 0287 A Pro-life program m e on human sexuality education for chastity and the prom otion of the sanctity of life message, thus prom oting the culture of life in society. If you would like to book a session, please contact C O L

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 w ay 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 fam ily life.

Catholic Legal Aid Services 6488 0278 Provides legal advice on fam ily-related matters to m em bers of the general public.

AFFILIATE ORGANISATIONS Marriage Encounter 6281 6468 A weekend stay-in program m e for married couples to look more deeply into their relationship with each other and with God.

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m orally acceptable form of fam ily 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

1 3 R eceptionist / A d m in is tra tiv e A ssistant (Full tim e ) Needed.

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The Fam ily Life S o ciety C ath o lic A rchdiocesan E ducation C entre 2 H ighland Road #LG-01 Singapore 5 4 9 1 0 2

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

'VIEWPOINT

IT H E I

CATHOLIC NEWS EDITOR Dr (Rev) Robert P. Balhetchet

Living Life

MANAGER Rev Fr Johnson Fernandez STAFF CORRESPONDENTS Rev Fr Richards Ambrose Christopher Khoo Mel Diamse-Lee 2 HIGHLAND RD #01-03, SINGAPORE 549102 TEL: 6858-3055, FAX NO. 6858-2055 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.:

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

A very Happy Easter to all! A new day has dawned. A new Easter has dawned! At least, for us it is a new Easter. Actually, it is the one same Easter that celebrates the Resurrection o f Christ, his trium ph over sin and death, the unthinkable and boundless m ercy and love o f God that motivated our salvation by Jesus Christ. This is w hat the rich liturgy of Lent and Holy W eek brought us through. W e tend to view rising with C hrist to new life in a personal context in the sense o f having BY DR (REV) personally risen to new life in Christ after the ROBERT P. period o f Lent. This is, o f course, absolutely BALHETCHET valid, but there is another area o f rising to new life in another sense that we would like to draw attention to this Easter. The beginning of this year saw sweeping changes of appointm ents among the clergy. W hile a few took effect on 01 January 2002, the bulk o f the changes took effect after the Lunar New Year. That's about a month and a half ago. By now, the dust has settled, so to speak, or should we say that the "cheeses" have been moved. Perhaps it is a little too early to see change (real change and not ju s t changes!). However, we would suggest that it might be useful to view the whole situation in the context o f Easter - namely, rising to "new life" a new life of renewed faith. All change has its "pains". But as Our Holy Father

put it in one o f his recent homilies during Lent, any rising to new life must necessarily involve a certain dying. The Chosen People, the Pope rem inded us, were led by God to the Promised Land, but first they had to leave behind all that they w ere used to and journey into the unknown. They had to experience hardship in their wanderings in the desert before they could enter the land that had been promised to them. The New People o f God, the whole Church, is a pilgrim people, journeying in faith towards the new Promised Land. The changes that we are all experiencing pose challenges to all o f us. There will certainly be difficulties to be experienced by both the priests and the laity in adjusting to new environm ents, new people, new styles, new m odes o f doing things. If we look at difficulties as "problem s" then things are going to be really difficult. If, however, we look at all these necessary adjustm ents as "challenges" then everything will take on a very different hue. Each Easter should bring us to a renewal o f our lives as the com m unity of God's people. It should be a renewal o f our faith, not m erely on a personal level but above all as com m unities o f faith - com m unities of people who m anifest our faith through our daily lives and work - people who are concerned with our fellow men, not ju s t within our own com m unities but also in the wider com m unities of the society.

FROM THE PEWS “From the Pews” and Ash Wednesday If you are to ask me what has made reading the Catholic News so much more stimulating of late, I would say it is the print of letters from the “pews", particularly the view s expressed by various readers on the change from Ash Wednesday to Ash Friday. I believe a message underlying all the letters, whether they are for or against, is being sent to the Church “fathers” that the lay congregation is interested in how their faith is to be practised. I am a Chinese and until this point, I have kept my stand to myself but I hope our bishops should consider that the laity here is not comprised of Chinese only. I felt our non Chinese brothers and sisters have been overlooked. Incidentally, the former President of Singapore was buried on Chinese New Year. Ash Wednesday has never been a Day of Obligation and as such, is never binding on all Catholics to attend Mass. What made the church authorities change the date for celebrating the imposition of ashes remains a mystery? I will abide by the church’s decision and respect the local church’s right to change “rules” but I can e xpress som e o f the “complexities” I found myself in (a) how should I sympathise w ith my fe llo w n on-C hinese brothers and sisters who strongly observe Ash Wednesday in union with the greater part of Mother Church across the globe? (b) how can I explain to my fe llo w C h ristia n s and nonChristians about the significance of the imposition of ashes and they question me (and I quote) “why those secular church people

abdicate its proper place just because it is Chinese New Year and for that matter, it was not even the very first day of the festivities?” More concerning is the growing enthusiasm of the lay people in a deeper understanding and practice of their faith. I think our entrusted church leaders should be more discerning before issuing any instruction to the lay people. On a related note, a few months back, the Holy Father had appealed to the universal church to observe a day of fasting during Ramadan (if I recall correctly, he expressed his wishes while the regional bishops were in Rome for their alumni visit). Some of us read of the appeal in Zenit and other church news sources but strangely in Singapore, up to the Sunday preceding the appointed date, there was nothing to suggest to the Catholic population to observe that. It was only during the middle of the week just prior the appointed date, that Catholics had to resort to email and telephone to inform each other of the observance. I think there is a lot to be learned from these episodes. Just as the Catholic News is showing sign of maturity, I think it is only reflective of the Catholic population in Singapore and Malaysia. Lawrence Our Commentary in the last issue deals with the issues at length so we sh a ll n ot re p e a t them. N eve rthe less, thanks fo r expressing your sentiments. As for the last point you mention - this was a human oversight which was deeply regretted, but could not be undone. □

Appreciation

Quality of Sunday Sermons

Since Rev Balhetchet took over as editor, the Catholic News has taken on a new look, which I like. It also appears that you are publishing more serious articles in addition to the usual newsy reports. In the past two issues, I particularly liked these: the Holy Father's call for conversion (Feb 17), "The Sanctity of Marriage" (Feb 17), "Lenten Reflections" (Mar 3), the "Faith in Life” reflections (Feb 17 and Mar 3). But what I most look forward to are the readers' letters, "From the Pews". The letters touch on sensitive topics which are honestly (and som etim es h um orously) addressed by the editor. In the past, I’d throw away each issue after I'd browsed through,now I keep some issues for future reference. Thank you to the team at The Catholic News, and keep up the good work. Michael

I agree with Bernard Anthony of Kuala Lumpur that the sermons of som e c e le b ra n ts at Sunday Masses are below par. I’ve been attending Sunday Masses at various churches in Singapore, and my observation is that the serm ons d e live re d by some c e le b ra n ts are g e n e ra lly u n in te re s tin g as w ell as u n e c e s s a rily le n th y . The celebrants usually appear to be only fulfilling or trying to achieve the target of preaching at a certain minimal time, and will just drag on regardless of whether the sermon or h o m ily w ill bore the congregation. Yet there are also some priests who simply read out their sermons from prepared texts like passages from books. I just wonder whether the celebrants at Sunday Masses are obliged to preach in a certain given length or quota of time. I hope this is not to be so. It is always better for sermons to be short and interesting, rather than lengthy and boring Perhaps it would be good for

On behalf o f the team, we would like to express our thanks to you. Honest criticism helps improvement, but expresse d a pp re ciatio n motivates excellence. O

priests incapable of giving good and interesting sermons to take up lessons in public speaking.: Joseph To use the old cliche, the point made is a “wake-up” call to us who proclaim the Word o f God. It certainly is a very im portant element in the celebration o f the Eucharist. O f course, there will always be priests who are naturally gifted speakers and others who are not, training notwithstanding. But then again, God does not, fortunately, speak only through the eloquent. St Paul has some very pertinent words about this. O f course, as human instruments, we cannot make this an excuse for n e g lig e n ce and la zin e ss in preparation. Those in the pews, too, must open themselves to the Word o f God, which is NOT the words that fall[ from the s tu tte rin g (or blabbering) lips o f a human being, but theSpirit o f God who moves the hearts o f men. No, there is no specified time for the length o f a sermon! f l

The Case of the Missing Apostrophe I note and am bemused that in the past three issues o f The Catholic News, the apostrophe is missing in words that indicated its use. At first sight, I thought it was an econ om ical sa vin gs o f a space in print, but it is not so, as the space, in place o f the a postrophe, is indicated and allocated. May I ask, tongue in cheek, whether the missing apostrophe is

part of the “change and changes” in linguistic usage. Ronald Thank you, indeed, for making this observation. I have been eagerly awaiting such a comment. You are being very kind to be “bemused” about the “apostrophe”. I am not at all amused by the catastrophe! However, very early in my training I was told by one o f my professors never to “bang your head

against a brick wall". The wall, the sage said, would not crack, but you would end up with one ‘helluva’ headache. I remain indebted to him, because I do not su ffe r from headaches any more, after having done so fo r se v e ra l ye ars continuously, resulting in the loss o f a year’s training. Nevertheless, let it be said, that the catastrophe can be removed and the apostrophe restored, if the case can be broken!

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

FROM THE PEWS' Comment on “POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE”

Job vs Ministry I remember once I was late for church due to some urgent matter, but I didn’t want to miss the Sunday mass, I was then scolded by the warden in the church for being late. I forgive him in my heart, but it will be sad if I am a non-Catholic coming to look for God, and am not welcomed. I sometimes hope that the church had a training Center or renewal center, etc. Maybe we should learn from our Christian brothers from o th e r c h u rch e s/ d e n o m in a tio n s . T ha nks fo r reading my mail. Annabella Appended to Annabel!a's note was this piece which could be very useful to ponder.

even though nobody recognises your efforts, it is a MINISTRY. It’s hard to get excited about a JOB. It’s almost impossible not to be excited about a MINISTRY. If our concern is success, it’s a JOB. If our co nce rn is faithfulness, it is a MINISTRY. An average church is filled with people doing JOBs. A great and growing church is filled with people involved in MINISTRY. Where do we fit in? What about us? If God calls you to a MINISTRY, don’t treat it like a JOB. If you have a JOB, give it up and find a MINISTRY. God does not want us feeling stuck with a JOB, but excited and faithful to Him in a MINISTRY.

Not o nly should P Goh be congratulated on the accuracy of his observations, you too should be c o n g ra tu la te d fo r yo ur “diplomacy' in tackling his rigid observations by applying good Liturgical sense. However, with regard to the question of requesting a “Pallium” in accordance to CIC no.437. The question lies not in a liturgical preference but rather “Canonical right." This “Canonical right” , however, is not applicable to the Archbishop of Singapore. If one is attentive to the plaque “The Shepherds of the Flock” erected by you while you were still Rector of the Cathedral; one would notice that Singapore in 1972 b ecam e a D ioce se For correspondence "FROM THE PEWS" write to: The Editor Catholic News 2 Highland Road #01-03 SINGAPORE 549102

JOB vs MINISTRY Some people have a JOB in the church; others involve themselves in a M IN ISTR Y. W h a t’s the difference? If you are doing it just because no one else will, it’s a JOB. If you are doing it to serve the Lord, it’s a MINISTRY. If you quit because somebody criticized you , it was a JOB.If you keep on serving, it’s a MINISTRY. If you 'II do it only as it does not interfere with your other activities, it is a JOB. If you are committed to staying with it even when it means letting go of other things, it’s a MINISTRY. If you quit because no one praised you or thanked you , it was a JOB. If you stay with it

The

WE DON’T CHANGE GOD”s MESSAGE HIS MESSAGE CHANGES US!!! I am in sympathy about what you experienced and what you say. Again, witnessing is so important. The thing is that we tend to focus on a ll s o rts o f ru le s and regulations, and a whole lot o f other things which revolve around appearances and suchlike and neglect the simple basics o f C hrist's m essage which was indeed very simple - the "new" commandment that he gave us, indeed the ONLY commandment. One can't help wondering if he wouldn't direct his descriptions o f a group that existed during his time, to us! Horrible thought!! □

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DIRECTLY under the Vatican. This rightly, is in accordance with the provisions provided in the Post Vat II document Christus Dominus Chap III, Para II no.40 Sect (2) on The Boundaries of Ecclesiastical Provinces and the E re c tio n o f E c c le s ia s tic a l Regions. As such, the Archdiocese of Singapore in 1972 ceased to be a M e tro p o lita n A rc h d io c e s e without any suffragan dioceses. Therefore the Archbishop of Singapore is not a Metropolitan. If P Goh had been attentive to his reading of CIC no. 435, the new code, distinguishes Archbishops from Metropolitans, while differing from the 1917 Code that treated Archbishops and Metropolitans synonymously. We recognise the fact that there are Archbishops who are not Metropolitans in accordance with the new provisions in Christus Dominus. As a result, the Archbishop of Singapore has no Canonical right nor is he bound by the Canonical obligations of CIC no. 437 in regards to the PALLIUM. Moreover, should our Arch bishop have the “right" to apply for a pallium, the proper and

correct time for it to be ‘im posed’ upon him, in accordance w ith the BOOK OF RITES, the RITE of IMPOSITION of the PALLIUM takes place at the L itu rg ic a l cerem ony of his Canonical possession of the Diocese in his Cathedral Church. I hope, dear Reverend Father, you w ould not co nside r my co m m en ts as in tru d in g or imposing. Thank You for bearing with me, in my “idiosyncrasies.” Meus cibus est ut faciam voluntatem ejus qui misit me, ut perficiam opus ejus! Rev Deacon Ignatius

site www.lituravhours.org which has uploaded the version of the H ours as approved by the United States bishops in 1974 be brought to the attention of the faithful as well. That site also has the prayers formatted to little booklets for easy parish use. Frankly, I disagree with using OHP in churches and would cringe at the idea of a computer s cree n re p la c in g the Sacramentary, Lectionary and Book of the Gospel. Blessings, Simon Put aside every fear and uncertainty: Remember that you must be th e'sen tine ls of the m o rn in g ,' a lw a ys rea dy to proclaim the advent of the new day, which is the risen Christ

- Pope John Paul II to the youth

Thank you, Reverend. I certainly don't consider yo ur comments as intrusion nor an imposition though I did wonder whether you would better fit into a section entitled "from the Pulpit" or "from the Sanctuary". But it's good that you do comment. Indeed if o th e rs from the P u lp it o r Sanctuary would like to offer their rejoinders, that would be m ost welcome! F u rth e r c la rific a tio n is forthcoming! □

Breviary on line Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! I’m a Singaporean studying in the US and it is helpful to have a means to keep in touch with ecclesiastical happenings back in Singapore. I certainly hope that more news articles about the local and regional church would be uploaded on the website in the future. One comment on the recent Liturgy of the Hours link. I tried accessing the site and couldn’t really find a page for the Hours, except a link to a Universalis site that does contain the hours. The version put up by the folks there h ow eve r is not the o ffic ia l v e rs io n , due to c o p y rig h t considerations. Hence I’d recommend another

o f the world, 2002

Simon Y our co m m en ts are m ost welcome. Yes, the website, am ong many other things, contains the O ffic e as p ro d u c e d by Universalis. Incidentally, we did try the website you mentioned but were thoroughly put o ff by the n e e d fo r re g is tra tio n , password, etc. By the way, the United States version is not the one for our home region. Our a p p ro v e d te x ts a re ICEL (International Commission for English in the Liturgy). Your quotation is m ost apt, indeed. Scrolls were replaced by books, so who knows ....!! □

Reverence and The Eucharist After almost four decades since the gift of Vatican II, we have seen how the Eucharist is made more accessible to the people of God. Some claim that this is at the expense of changing the Sacrifice into a Meal, and hence the loss of reverence. In many churches overseas, for example, in Sydney (Australia), we have returned to the Roman Missal guidelines on reverence to the Eucharist. The churches in Singapore may do well to set up Liturgical Study Groups to re-discover the strength of our liturgical traditions and what is the recommended practices. Over the course of two y e ars, I have v is ite d m any parishes and noticed that many norm s have given w ay to im provisations which are not approved by the Bishop or Magisterium. In particular, I hope that Catholics in Singapore will respond to following the General

Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), and the instructions “Inaestimabile Donum" confirmed by the Holy Father in 1980. In the US, many local dioceses uphold that for all those who are able to, they should genuflect before receiving communion if standing, or make a deep bow before a pp ro ach ing the com m union Minister. I hope that the Catholic News will assist in promoting this rule so that it comes to the wider attention ofthe faithful. Likewise before communion there are gestures of reverence and faith made by both the celebrant and the people who receive com m union. For the celebrant the GIRM no. 115 and the Order of Mass no. 133 have “. . . then the priest genuflects, takes the host” etc.; and for concelebrants the GIRM directs: “One by one the concelebrants come to the middle o f the altar, g e n u fle ct, and

reverently take the body of Christ from the altar. Then holding the eucharistic bread in the right hand, with the left hand under it, they return to th e ir pla ces. The concelebrants may, however, remain in their places and take the body of Christ from the paten presented to them by the principal celebrant or by one or more of the concelebrants, or from the paten as it is passed from one to the other” (GIRM no. 197). As for the people, when they receive the eucharist standing, they are able to make some sign of reverence (GIRM nos. 244c, 245b, 246b, 247b): Not 14 (1978) 535-536, no. 11.

Thomas Indeed, as in many things that we do, repetition very often does degenerate into loss of meaning and awareness. Point well taken.

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

SFROM THE

THANKSGIVING

Liturgical Frustration I assure you that what I am about to write is not only my frustration, but that of many. Why it has never come up I do not know, but last Sunday was the last straw for my husband and myself. We are so fortunate to be living in an area with about 4 churches close by and enjoy attending Sunday Mass in other churches besides our parish. We also have to sometimes attend M ass in town or on Saturdays, due to our jobs. Imagine the distress we undergo, when we are unable to sing praises to the Lord, just because someone (or two or three) has decided that different churches can/should have different tunes (not hymns mind you) forthe main Mass [Lord, have m ercy; G lory to God; Holy,Holy,Holy; Lord’s Prayer; Lamb of God] What next? Silent Night is going to be sung with a Disco beat come Christmas Eve IN CHURCH. Did Someone up there tell someone down here that the Lord might be bored with the way we sang his praises? Latin used to be sung in every High Mass in the past. People like my parents took the trouble to learn and follow. Progress - we changed and translated the Mass to English so that EVERYONE could join in. My family is made up of Catholics and non-Catholic, but ALL attend Mass when there is an occasion - and they can and do participate. Do you think it is the same now? My family and I feel very strongly against this so-called im provem ent and are terribly disheartened at not being able to profess our faith in song in unison with the congregation. Most times we attend M ass w ith our grandchildren and nieces. I try to instill in them the importance of joining in. Knowing children, they enjoy singing their prayers. How do you explain to a four-year-old that the Lord’s Prayer is different here from the other church? Then again if we went to a third and fourth church, it would again be different. Could somebody look into this and spare us all this un necessary stress. Change the tempo or rhythm of a hymn, but please do not change the tunes in the main Mass. Could we not

Harry Potter Books Does the Catholic church have any definite position on the “Harry Potter” books? If so what is it? I would appreciate your feedback. Thanks! Sandy Sorry you had to wait so long, but I am not exactly a fan o f Harry Potter. Indeed, I've not read a single Harry Potter book. The answer to your first question is "No". The Church does not normally take a position on a book, unless it is a book which is written by a theologian or suchlike official teacher o f the Church and is against the faith and morals o f the Catholic Church. Feedback I do not have - you may get some from CN readers! However, someone referred me to a website where you might find something to think about. □ http://www.scholastic.com/ harrvpotter/books/auides/ index.htm

standardise and have uniformity in our Mass throughout Singapore, if not the world? Do we not want the whole congregation to sing out His praises in one voice? Should we leave all the singing to the Choirs so they can change the tunes weekly? Then should we hold com petitions as to which church can produce the best tunes? Should p a rish io n e rs change parish according to the tunes they know? I have been brought up to respect the Church and its decisions, but I think of my right to Praise Jesus and then I have to speak up. I may not have expressed myself tactfully or in the proper manner, but I write straight from the heart. Please give me a reply so I can explain to my teenagers and little ones, especially at this time of Lent/Easter. God Bless. Linda We e m pathize with you completely. If it's any consolation to you, we priests also experience this when we celebrate M ass in different Churches. We, too, don't always know the tunes! It's still worse when you travel to foreign countries! Then you don't even understand a word o f what's going on. But that's the price one has to pay for having the Liturgy in the vernacular languages. It's something that we have to put up with in the broader and general interests o f having the liturgy in a language that one can understand - usually, when one is in one's own country, at least. As for different tunes, well, that is something else. There are those who get tired o f singing the same thing all the time and prefer variety. It's difficult to please everyone all the time. As for explanations to little ones, maybe an analogy with food might help. Surely one wouldn't like to eat the same thing all the time at every meal. One certainly appreciates variety. (Don't push this analogy and apply it to all situations, though!) Perhaps if we adopted the strong suggestions in the New Missal which has ju s t been launched, to use Gregorian chant, it might help. I don't know if my reply helps you, but I certainly hope it does help a little, at least, to allay your frustration. I know it's easier said than done, but try to separate the externals from the essence o f what you're at Mass for - to encounter the living God and to receive Him. □

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Holy Spirit; you who make me see everything and show me the way to reach my ideal. You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank you for everything and confirm once more that I never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. Amen. Thank you St Jude for answering my prayers.

M AY TH E Y R EST IN PEACE Fifth Anniversary In loving memory of

ROCKY FENENDEES Departed: Apr 4, 1997 Just a thought of O Holy St Jude, apostle sweet remembrance, Just a memory and martyr, great in sad and true, virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman Just the love and of Jesus Christ, faithful sweet devotion, of one who thinks intercessor of all who of you. invoke your special Deeply missed and patronage in times of fondly cherished need. To you 1 have recourse from the depth by loved ones. of my heart and humbly Fifteenth beg you, to whom God Anniversary has given such great In loving memory of power, to come to my assistance. Help me in ---my present urgent petition. In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. St Jude, pray for me and all who invoke your aid. Humbly in need of your intercession. Amen. Thank you for answering my prayers. RAYMOND Dear St Jude ,my IGNATIUS JOSEPH desperate requests Departed: Apr 2, 1987 have been granted again Just a thought of through your powerful sweet remembrance, intercessoin. Pray, this Just a memory sad Novena has never been and true, known to fail, trust and Just the love and acknowledge St Jude sweet devotion. and he’ll fill rich gifts Of those who think from our Heavenly of you. Father Amen. BK Lim Dearly missed by family. Thanksgiving to St Jude Most holy apostle, dear St Jude. My heart is filled with gratitude. I came to you in deepest despair. You lifted me with powerful prayer. Most holy advisor, dear St Jude. My faith has grown in magnitude. Through Jesus, Mary, Joseph and you. I know God’s love is great and true. E.K.

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Oh Great St Joseph of Cupertino, who by thy prayers did obtain from God, the grace to be asked only the questions you knew. Obtain for me success like thine in my exams 12 S TE P S TO and, in return, I promise SPIR ITUA L F R E ED O M by Fr Roy to make your name D rake. Dates: Mon known.

A p r 22 to A p r 25, 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm. Venue: Thank you for all the H oly Fam ily Church. favours received. We will always turn to you E nquiries: LK Lifelinks 6445-8062/6478-0547 for help. Andrew rebeccalim @ pacific. net.sg o r stelkon Our sincere heartfelt @ singnet. com .sg gratitude to Sacred Heart of Jesus, St Jude, w w w .lifelinks.com .sg St Joseph, St Anthony. Our prayers have been D E DICA TIO N MASS answered. Continue to The C atholic M edical guide, bless and protect Guild o f Singapore celebrates 50 years o f my family. Kathleen G od's blessings on Cheong Buckley Sunday, M ay 1 9,6 pm.

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TH E C H U R C H O F ST A N T H O N Y celebrates the 10th A nniversary o f it's C harism atic P rayer G roup on M ay 2, 8pm. TH A NK SG IVIN G M A SS to be offered fo r S r Susila Thom as, rgs, w ho w ill be going hom e to Sri Lanka for good. Date: A p r 7, 10 am . Venue: C hurch of O ur Lady o f Lourdes.

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

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Ninth Anniversary In everloving memory of

Third Anniversary In loving memory of

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

IN MEMORIAM Fifty-eighth Anniversary

Eighth Anniversary

Second Anniversary In loving memory of

ALMALA THERESA LOURDES Departed: Mar 31,2000

A light from our home has gone Gone is your face we loved so dear A place is vacant in our home Never will your memory fade Sweet thoughts of you. W ill always remain within our hearts. A mass will be celebrated at Church of St Michael on Mar 31,2002 at 9 am. Sadly missed by loving husband and all loved ones.

Twelfth Anniversary In loving memory of

Seventh Anniversary In loving memory of

SEBASTIAN VEDAMANICKAM Departed: Apr 11, 1990 To us your name will ever be the key that unlocks memory of a dear father gone but cherished yet. A beloved face, we’ll never forget not just today but every day. You are still very much in our hearts. Always remembered by beloved wife and loved ones.

THERESA SOH AH LIN Bom: Aug 8, 1936 Departed: Apr 1, 1995 So suddenly, you left us; You had to go, it was God’s call; Our eyes with tears, were blurred and dim; But now, we know that you’re happy with Him. Dearly missed and always remembered by husband, Lucas, and daughter, Bernadette.

Tenth Anniversary In loving memory of our beloved mother

First Anniversary In loving memory of

In loving memory of

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SIMON ANTHONY Departed: Apr 8, 1993 Missed is the touch of your friendly hand, Gone is your kindness beyond recall; Gone to a world where peace and love Are given and gained by all. Deeply missed and fondly remembered by wife, children, grandchildren and all loved ones.

SEAN LOUIS LOW HWI-SHERN Age: 19 Departed:Apr 8, 1999 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 v. 6 Dearly missed and fondly remembered by grandma, dad, mum, brother Ian and all loved ones.

Departed: Apr 28,1944

Departed: Apr 7, 1994

Still loved and cherished by your children June and George. First Anniversary In loving memory of

In loving memory of

CUTHBERT LA FABER

Departed: Mar 31, 2000 Our hearts are sore As times goes by we miss you more, Your loving smile, your gentle face, No one can fill your vacant place. Dearly missed by wife, children, grandchild and loved ones.

TONY CARDOZA Departed: Apr 6, 2001 Dearest Dad, We miss you so much. The love you gave us Spoke beautifully of you. Upright and just in all his ways. Loyal and true through all his days, Silently suffered, patiently bore, God took him home to suffer no more. On earth he nobly did his best; Grant him Jesus, heavenly rest. Sadly missed and always remembered by his loved ones.

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ROLAND KENETH OLIVEIRO Departed: Mar 31, 1997 Just a thought of sweet remembrance, Just a memory sad and true, Just the love and sweet devotion, Of one who thinks of you. Fondly remembered by wife and all loved Thirtieth Anniversary In loving memory of

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Second Anniversary

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JOHN TH ESEIRA

FLO REN CE TH ESEIRA nee FLORA GOSTELOW

MRS A LIC E ATKINSON

Departed: Oct 17, 2001 (Church of St Francis Xavier - St Joseph Niche No. 21) In our hearts you will always live - Your love, your voice and your smile are forever imprinted inxtur minds. Always remembered by husband, children, grand-children and loved ones.

EDWARD FERNANDEZ Departed: Apr 1, 1972 A bitter shock thirty years ago faded into silent acceptance of G od’s will as time passed. Time takes away the edge of grief but memory turns back every leaf. We pray that you are at peace and surrounded by God’s love. Always loved and remembered by wife, Susy and children.

LILY SEET TAM NEO (MRS LILY POH PENG YAM) Departed: Apr 3,1992 Rest in peace, dear loving mother, Ten long years have passed away; You’re gone, but are still living In the hearts of those who stay. Always remembered by all your loved ones Mass will be celebrated at Church of Christ The King on Apr 3,2002 at 6.15 pm.

Second Anniversary

In loving memory of

ANTHONY LEONG Departed: Apr 13, 2001 His helping hand was always first To render any aid he could; His voice was always raised in praise, His words were wise and good. Dear Father, since you went away, The ones you loved so true, Try hard to carry on the way We know you’d want us to. Mass will be held on Saturday April 13,6 pm at Church of St Anne. Second Anniversary In memoriam

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was called home to be with the Lord on April 3, 2000

Deep in our hearts, You will always stay, Loved and remembered, In every way, No tears, no verse, Can ever say, How much we miss you every day. Dearly missed by: Beloved wife - Maylena Mother - Florence Family and all loved ones.

ALEC CROWTHER FERGUSSON Bom: Mar 14, 1934 Called to eternal rest on 26 March 2000, Age 66 “God took you home As was His will But in our hearts You live on still.” Mass to be celebrated At St Ignatius Church On Sunday Mar 31, 2002 at 9.20 a.m. Sadly missed by Law Partner Mrs Alice Tan of A C Fergusson & Partners 20 Havelock Road #03-15 Central Square Singapore 059765 Tel: 6435 9181 Fax: 6435 9180

Eighth Anniversary In loving memory of

DEREK LIM SENG CHIU Departed: Apr 10, 1994 In our hearts your memory lingers, Sweetly tender, fond and true, There is not a day, dear son, That we do not think of you. Fondly remembered by mum, dad and loved ones. Mass will be celebrate at Church of Christ the King on April 10, 2002 at 6.15 am. In everloving memory of

LOURDES NATHAN (C M PERIASAMY) Departed: Feb 19, 2002 In life, we loved you dearly. In death, we love you still. It broke our hearts to lose you, But you didn’t go alone, Part of us went with you, The day God took you home. Mass will be celebrated at St Joseph ’s Church, Victoria St, on Tuesday April 9, 2002 at 5.45 pm. Dearly missed by your loving wife, children, grandchildren and loved ones. Third Anniversary In loving memory of

GEORGE D’ SOUZA Departed: Mar 18, 1999 But still the empty chair Reminds us of the face, the smile, Of one who once sat there. Fondly remembered by wife, children, grandchildren and loved ones. ERRATUM Mar 17 issue of The C ath o lic News should have put George D ’ Souza, Departed: Mar 18, 1999 in stead of G eorge N. Rama Chandran, Departed: Mar 23, 1995. Our ap o lo g ies to the family and friends. P le a s e tu rn to p a g e 13 fo r m o re "In M e m o ria m ” a n n o u n c e m e n ts a n d c la s s ifie d a d v e rtis e m e n ts .

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

YOUNG CATHOLICSZ

My heart will go on... ...for the youth ministry THE day was 15 January 2002. It started out like any ordinary day in my life but the events that happened as the day unfolded made it an unforgettable day... I had just come back to my parish residence (Church of St Francis Xavier) after morning Mass at the Missionaries of Charity and had started doing my morning chores beginning with by cleaning up my room. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my chest and found myself drenched in "cold sweat". I sensed that something was very wrong. I recalled that many times when I visited parishioners with heart problems in hospitals, they told me of symptoms of chest pain and "cold sweat". So I did not take the chance of "sleeping it off'. I went downstairs and asked Fr William Lim to take me to hospital. He took one look at me and without further questions rushed to get his car keys. On the way to hospital, tension mounted as there was a slight traffic jam but my condition did not worsen. I was wheeled right away into the emergency room of Mount Alvernia Hospital and as my head was laid on the bed, I was seized with the first heart attack. Between 10 am and 12 noon I had six attacks and the doctors managed to revive me each time. After my condition was diagnosed as somewhat "stable", I was warded in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Many doctors who came by called my survival a "miracle" and said that I was "really lucky". As I lay on the bed in the ICU, I began wondering how this could have happened to me. The doctors cited a very low potassium count, family history and stress as the cause

Fr Michael Sitaram (foreground) and Singaporean youths make the Stations Of The Cross in Lourdes during the World Youth Day gathering in Paris in 1997. 'I'm sure that God has sent me back again, renewed and empowered to guide and lead the youth of our diocese.' of the heart attack, not eating mutton. Many of you have been harping on the possibility that eating mutton curry and mutton soup caused my heart attack. In fact I only ate mutton on one or two occasions during the whole of last year. In spite of all the modern equipment that was used to revive me, Dr Lau Yung Sang, the cardiologist at Mount Alvernia, said that it was ultimately "God's hands" that "brought me back to life". In between the heart attacks, I experienced a beautiful sensation but I am unable to describe it as it was too short-lived because (and I'm definitely not complaining) our highly efficient doctors rapidly brought me back into consciousness. All throughout this experience, I felt that the hand of God was

present. At the morning Mass with the Missionaries of Charity, a visiting priest was present and on being told that he would be around for a month, I remember joking that I would be able to take a month's break. While ill, God provided a priest to do my duty and celebrate Mass at the Missionaries of Charity. God ensured that Fr William was around to help me get to the hospital on time. The slight tra ffic jam we encountered before reaching the hospital gave us the chance to get there as the doctors were finishing their coffee break and were about to proceed to their respective wards. Their presence near the Emergency Room when the firs t and subsequent attacks came made medical care available to me without much delay. (God's perfect timing!)

Splendid cast of AN, the movie By Anne Navarro

some of his best fights. The film also covers Ali's NEW YORK, USA - The am conversion to Islam, his name bitious biopic "Ali" is yet an change and his relationship other look at the complex and with Malcolm X. He is also fascinating man, Muhammad shown to be quite accepting of Ali. his close non-Muslim friends. Based on the tumultuous But once the film goes beyond 10-year period between 1964 this point, its dramatic arc sags. and 1974, director/co-author From Smith on down, the Michael Mann weaves in the cast does a fine job with their historical context of the time. roles, big and small. And The rise of the Nation of Islam, though this is a male-domithe protests of the 1960s, the nated film, Jada Pinkett Smith emerging influence of the media, even the cultural shifts Will Smith stars as Ali in the movie of the i me (Will Smith's real-life wife), in women's roles are all used title, nOW in cinemas. CNS photo from Columbia F ires. Nona Gaye and Michael Michele each make an impres as evidence that Cassius sion in their respective roles as Ali's Clay's (Ali’s name before embrac his character. Bulked up from his women. ing Islam) experiences and forma lanky 84 kg to a muscular 100 kg, Due to a sexual encounter, an tion were as much determined by he managed to capture the es implied extramarital affair, some vio the times as his own innate person sence of Ali. From mannerisms and lence and brief rough language with ality. vocal rhythms, to his cocky style, fleeting profanity, the US Confer But while the script is intelligent impulsiveness and monumental ego. ence of Catholic Bishops classifica and almost always absorbing, it fails His performance is convincing and tion is A-lll - adults. In Singapore, to convey what drove Ali, what was credible. it is rated PG (Parental Guidance inside his head. It is also a very The film's first hour delves more recommended). □ c n s flattering portrayal that sidesteps deeply into boxing, religion and poli Ali's skirt-chasing and minimizes his tics, and Ali’s relationships. It features Navarro is on the staff of the US unpopularity with many in the public. pivotal moments from Ali's childhood, Conference of Catholic Bishops' Of Smith has complete command of introduces those closest to him, and fice for Film and Broadcasting.

In John 11:25-27, Jesus says to Martha: "I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies, he will live and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." Yes! God gave me another chance. As some of you might say "heaven can wait!" Some say that my work with the Youth Ministry is not done yet, that's why God has sent me back. Of course, some jokingly said I'm too outspoken that's why God didn't accept me yet. But I will always speak out for the needs of our Catholic Youth, whether it is the need of a Catholic Youth Centre or the formation of youth groups in the parishes, etc. For those who say that youth

gatherings like Shine Jesus Shine! are held at expensive places, I hope that you have looked into what the other Christian denominations are doing for their youths. Ultimately, it all boils down to the word “commitment”. Yes, we need committed Christians to build the youth of the Church. We do not need voices in the background giving negative comments. We should only listen to one voice: the voice of Jesus: “Go and make disciples o f all nations” (Matthew 28:19ff) I'm sure that God has sent me back again, renewed and empowered to guide and lead the youth of our diocese. In all my weakness as I journey with the youth I leave everything in the hands of God, just as my life (and yours) are in His hands. I thank parishioners from all over the archdiocese, my fellow priests and our archbishops for their care and concern. It was their prayers that put me on the road to a speedy recovery. My heartfelt thanks to those who visited me at the hospital and at home and those who heeded the advice not to come. Special thanks to Drs Priscilla and John Lee, Bernard and Ying Thio for their help, care and concern. Last but not least, my thanks to my family members who came practically every day to see to my needs. They clearly showed that the bond of family never wavers if we trust in God as our strength and protector. God bless all of you. □

Fr Michael Sitaram is the youth chaplain o f the Singapore Archdio cese. To contact him , email: cathyctr@pacific.net.sg.

DIRECTORY FOR YOUTHS/YOUNG ADULTS Bakhita Search-lnn, Christina/Sr Veronica ( 6 3 6 7 - 6 2 6 4 /6 4 6 7 - 4 2 9 0 ) y scchris@ yahoo. c o m / can osis@ pacific.n et.sg Boys' Town Fraternity, gaud ette@ bo ystow n.o rg. sg Br Dominic Kiong 6769-1618 Fax: 6762-7846 Catholic Students' Society - NUS, Mr Irving Teo 6 296-0897 irvingteo@cathotic.org Nanyang Technological University Catholic Students' Apostolate, NTU Branch: Mr Budi Susanto 9478-7827. National Institute of Education Catholic Students' Aposolate (NIECSA), NIE Branch: Ang Mei Ling 96663234

Catholic Overseas Students Down U nder Adrian (9 8 3 6 5 21 7 ) or Dennis (6274-2979) or cosdu@ yahoo.com .au

Poverello Teen Centre, Sr Maria Sylvia Ng, FMM Tel/Fax: 6544-2603 ju b 2 00 0 @ s in g n e t. com. sg

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

The Harvesters, 6481-5912 www.harvesterscommunity.org email: info@harvesterscommunity.org

Hosanna! Music Ministry www.hmmoniine.org <http://www.hmmoniine.org> contact Tam my 9747-8570. Infant Jesus Retreat and Youth Centre, Sr Gerard Lee 6760-2461/92947521 Fax: 7 69 9 3 69 srttee@ yahoo.com

Youth Life-Line, 6252-6300 Fax: 6285-5311 Youth Praise Ministry Helen Lee (9029-0118) email ypmsingapore@yahoo.com.

St Patrick House, (Boarding) Br Collin W ee, FSC 63455929 Fax: 6345-4635

Young Christian Students' M ovem ent (M andarin speaking), Mr Stephen Chia 6 28 6-4166 95024549

Praise@ W ork Juliana 9799-9184 or email w eicom e@ praiseatw ork.org

Young Christian W orkers (M andarin-speaking), Maria Ng Kim Luang 6763-0137

You are Ambassadors of Christ!! For more information, visit: http://www.lasalle2.org/English/main1 ,html or write to the Formator: St Patrick's School 490 East Coast Road Singapore 429058

MARCH 31 - APRIL 7, 2002

THE CATHOLIC NEWS

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The Franciscans in Singapore would like to invite youth and adults to an Open House featuring talks and exhibitions on the different voca tions within the Franciscan family. •

S pring fure rising to New Life

Secular Franciscan O rder

• Franciscan Missionaries o f M a ry Franciscan Missionaries o fth e Divine M otherhood • O rder o f Friars M in o r •

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Programme 11.00 am : Sharing by Secular Franciscans 12.00 am : Franciscan Pot Luck! 1.00 pm : Sharing by Franciscan Missionaries of Mary/

Venue : San Damiano Friary 4A Chestnut Drive Singapore 679330

2.00 pm : Sharing by Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood 3.00 pm : Sharing by Friars 4.00 pm : Franciscan Mass for Vocations

©HAWKSTONE HALL INTERNATIONAL PASTORAL CENTRE, ENGLAND Hawkstone H all is an old manor house, set in spectacular parkland in Shropshire, England. The H awkstone Renewal Course is dedicated to offering priests, religious, and lay people a sympathetic space and a graced time for their human and spiritual development. The Course also gives them the opportunity to renew their attachment to Jesus of Nazareth. Course dates for 2002 / 2003 22 April - 18 July 2002 Z 9 September - 5 December 2002 ^ 6 January - 20 March 2003 ^ 28 April - 24 July 2003 ^ 8 September - 4 December 2003 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ |

3-Month Course participants in 2001

On the right, Fr Salvador Sanchez Duran MG working in Hong Kong; Bro Ambrose Loke FSC from Malaysia; Sr Maria Cleto SP from Seattle, USA; Fr Denis McBride CSsR, Rector, Kari and Josephine Desouza from Singapore. On the left, Fr Lawrence Yeo from Singapore relaxing in the common room at Hawkstone. For details of our courses, please contact: The Secretary, Hawkstone Hall, Marchamley, Shrewbury SY4 5 LG, England Email: hawkhall@aol.com Visit our Website: hawkstone-hall.com Tel: ++44-1630-685242 Fax: ++44-1630-685565 PUBLISHED BY ARCHBISHOP G. YONG, 2 HIGHLAND ROAD #01-03, SINGAPORE 549102.

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