JULY 07 2002 vol52 no14

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SUNDAY, JULY 7 - JULY 14, 2002

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- Mt 13:1-23

Vol. 52 No. 14

P o s it iv e

Amidst growing concern being expressed in various quarters and at world forums that little if any progress is being made in efforts at improving situations in many problem areas and in the context of the many issues being currently discussed and debated some hope is being placed on the possibility that the religions of the world might be able to bring about the change that is needed.

F o rc e it

help achieve the reduction goal of United Nations in the area of world poverty.

Bawa Jain, secretary general of the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders, said that the Council will forge links with the World Bank, humanitarian organizations, governments and governmental bodies, NGOs, business and professional associations, and labour unions and their leaders .

It will also promote Inter-religious harmony through the practice of spiritual values shared by all religious traditions, and hold world prayers and meditation to unite the human community. It also seeks to address social and environmental problems.

Religion -a positive force for achieving world peace

Vatican meeting

A special meeting was convened and presided over by Cardinal Arinze, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, at the Vatican.

The meeting itself took place from 7-8 June and brought together a small group belonging to different religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. There was also a staffmember of the World Council of Churches in Geneva. (This is a body which brings together the various Protestant Churches of the world). The meeting was a follow up to the World Day of Prayer for Peace in the World, that was held in Assisi, early this year on January 24. Apart from being a follow-up to Assisi, the meeting also took into account the deliberations of the Inter-religious Assembly held also at the Vatican towards the end of 1999.

4 The word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do. J

studied, various models would be examined, and some symbolic action undertaken, in order to convey the message that religions can be a catalyst for peace and justice.

The participants further discussed the formation of an advisory group which would cooperate with the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue in the implementation of the suggestions made."

Outcome of the meeting

Bangkok meeting

The official statement ofthe Vatican said: The participants agreed that further efforts have to be made to study together the role and resources of religions for peace both globally and locally.

They saw that religions can contribute both to the prevention and resolution of conflicts.

They envisaged the holding of a number of workshops in which fundam ental texts would be

Significantly, a few days later, another meeting took place in Nakhon Pathom, on the outskirts of Bangkok from June 12-14, to form an independent advisory body to the United Nations to be known as the World Council of Religious and Spiritual Leaders. The meeting brought together some 60 religious

leaders and 1,200 delegates from 13 religions, who pledged to work with political and civic leaders to reduce global tensions.

The council's charter states that the World Council of Religious and Spiritual Leaders will strive “to assist the United Nations and its agencies in the prevention, resolution and healing of conflicts and in eradication of their causes.”

It also pledges to specifically target tensions and potential conflicts connected with religion and culture as religion can serve as a positive force for achieving world peace.

Noting that conflicts involving religious and spiritual groups are avoidable and harmony can be achieved, the council will actively promote discussion and dialogue.

Attention will also be given to the issues of respect for women and children and the care of the vulnerable in society which have been the focus of recent world conferences under the auspices of the United Nations and its various bodies.

The charter also pledged to seek ways and means to reduce and promote the values of sharing and compassion in an effort to

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 .

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New York based

To better co-ordinate its work with the UN, the World Council of Religious Leaders will be based in New York while regional councils will work alongside U.N. regional offices.

Membership

Membership is by invitation and takes into consideration the prospective member’s skill in Inter­ religious dialogue and according to its charter will include “distinguished representatives of the major faith traditions as well as outstanding individuals of recognized spiritual stature.”

Five ofthe 12 co-chairpersons were appointed at the June 12-14 meeting. Among them were His

Holiness Somdej Phra Nyanasamrara, Thailand’s Buddhist supreme patriarch, Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, chief rabbi of Israel, and Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchipuram, a Hindu religious leader.

Also appointed were Ayathollah Mahmoud Mohammadi Araghi, president of the Islamic Culture and Relationship Organisation of Iran, and Abdul Muhsin Al-Turki, secretary general of the World Muslim League.

Comments

Ven. Thepsophon, Rector of the Maha Chulalongkorn Buddhist University in Thailand, hailed the council as “the new child of peace.” but cautioned that funding for it had to be diversified to ensure that " not only a few will have a say in it."

Roman Catholic Archbishop Vincent Concessao of Delhi said, “The council is a challenge to our new world for the values of true and lasting peace. I hope and pray that it will work.”

Thailand’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Surin Pitsuwan, a member of the World Muslim League, said that while violence and exploitation is now global due to globalization, it is to be hoped that peace is going to be global as well.

Kim Hak-su, executive secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, said the meeting was “timely and appropriate.” He told participants, “We look forward to working closely with you in this common noble endeavour.”

The Tibetan Dalai Lama, sent a message to the meeting in which he said that while, for the moment, the new charter is no more than some pages of paper, religion “has a role to play and to fulfil.”

“For us, the journey has just begun,” said Secretary General Bawa Jain.

- Vatican and UCAN reports

In te r n e t e d itio n o f T h e C a t h 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 .

JULY 7 - J U L Y 14, 2002

THE CATHO LIC NEW S

VA TIC A N 4 ...truly th e Lord has taken us by the hand and is guiding us. 9 Pope John Paul II

C N S p ho to from Reuters

Tu )e l R e m e m £ e r (J e C e le b r a te (J e J je f ie u e M u s ic In C a t h o lic W o r s h ip

A SERIES OF W ORKSHOPS

BY MARTY HAUGEN w w w .m a rty h g .c o m

Date-.

8 th to 10th A ugust 2002 Venue: C H IJ Sr J o s e p h s C o n v e n t 62 S e n g k a n g E ast W ay S ingapore 548595

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F in d n e w w a y s to im p r o v e th e q u a lit y o f

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At the visit, Archbishop Carey showed the Holy Father (see photo) the ring given by Pope Paul VI to one of his predecessors, Dr Ramsey in 1966.

The Holy Father delivered the following address to the Anglican Archbishop, his wife and the dignitaries accompanying him.

Your Grace, Dear Friends, It gives me great joy to welcome you in the “grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philemon 1:3). I am most grateful that you have chosen to pay a farewell visit here, prior to your forthcoming retirement. Your visit is, as it were, a living sign of the close relations which have continued to develop down the years between the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church.

In looking back over the past eleven years, during which you have been the Archbishop of Canterbury, my mind focuses especially on the Common Declaration which we signed in 1996. W hile acknow ledging obstacles which keep us from full communion, we determined “to consult further about how the relationship between the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church is to progress”. In recent months we have begun to see the fruits of this spirit of perseverance through the formation of the new

VATICAN CITY - A long-standing

I f Y o u a r e a n y o f th e s e :

* C h o ir M u s ic ia n

VATICAN CITY - On June 21, the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, and President of the Anglican Communion, Dr. George Carey, paid a visit to Pope John Paul II to bid him farewell as he is due to retire soon.

International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and M ission, to accom pany the continuing work of the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission.

I gladly repeat what I wrote in my Encyclical Ut Unum Sint, that “truly the Lord has taken us by the hand and is guiding us” (No. 25).

With the hope that is born of the Spirit, let us trust that the initiatives and instruments of reconciliation we have fostered and encouraged will be guided always by the same Holy Spirit, who is ever capable of bringing forth blessing upon blessing.

When we reflect on the dangers and challenges facing the world at present, we cannot but feel the urgent need to work side by side in promoting peace and justice. I know that Your Grace has been very active in trying to sustain dialogue in the Holy Land, bringing together Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders to seek a lasting solution.

May this and all your initiatives for peace with justice find support and bring hope amidst struggle and pain.

Your Grace, I pray that the next phase of your life will offer you new ways to share your gifts on the journey of reconciliation that we have undertaken. Know that you and Mrs. Carey, with the whole Anglican Communion, remain in my prayers. May the Lord abundantly bless you.

The new Archbishop of Canterbury has not yet been appointed, though the announcement is expected soon, sometime this month. □

Imposition of Pallium

(Shutrle provided tram A ng M o Kio MRT)

* C h o i r le a d e r

Bidding Farewell

* L e a r n u s e f u l t o o ls t o p l a n m e a n i n g f u l l i t u r g y fo r c h ild r e n a n d c a te c h u m e n s

tradition has the Pope blessing the Pallium that is given to Metropolitan Archbishops, on the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul, the official Patron Saints of Rome, June 29. The ceremony takes place in the Papal Chapel at the Vatican to emphasize the close unity between' the Pope and the Bishops, modelled on the Primacy of Peter in respect of the rest of the Apostles.

The Pallium is a narrow "stole"-like vestment hand-made from pure lamb's wool and are kept in a special cask in the "Confession of St Peter" (the underground chapel marking the tomb of St Peter, below the High

altar of St Peter's Basilica in Rome. The Pallium is worn over the Mass vestment, only by M etropolitan Archbishops with territorial jurisdiction.

The Holy Father held this c e re m o ny o f B le s s in g and imposition of the Pallium for 28 Metropolitan Archbishops from various countries of the world, this year as well, though the Mass itself was celebrated by Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

As is also traditional, various heads of the Greek and Orthodox Churches were present.

This year, however, an even greater representation of various churches was present at the ceremony.

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JULY 7 - JULY 14, 2002

THE CATHO LIC NEWS

ABOUT and AROUND

Ensure that you get your copy!

Working on conservation INDIA, Panaji(UCAN) — Christians and Hindus in Goa have joined together to conserve an ancient cross that many in the southwestern Indian state regard as a symbol of communal amity.

The conservation work began June 22 with compiling historical data on the cross that had served as a beacon to ships in the Arabian Sea during the 16th century.

“Today, the cross stands as a paragon of communal harmony among Hindus and Christians,” said Ana Maria de Souza Goswami, a Catholic who initiated the conservation effort.

Earlier she and other preservationists appealed to Goans worldwide through the Internet for donations to restore the cross that sits on the banks of the Mandovi river near Panaji, 1,910 kilometers southwest of New Delhi.

According to Goswami, who lives near the cross, many local Hindus pray and make offerings as they believe in the miraculous powers of the cross.

Admitting that the exact year when the 6-meter high cross was built is unknown, she said she presumes it was built along with the state’s oldest church in 1550.

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in 1932, and the cross “have striking architectural similarities,” she added.

Goswami said she approached two government bodies for help in restoring the cross, but they expressed their unwillingness to get involved so the locals and others offered to help.

The cross, set on a pedestal that resembles a Hindu structure, bears scroll-type motifs of the 16th century, explained Prajal Sekhardande, member of the Goa Heritage Action Group that has taken up the conservation work.

“It is evident that Hindu artisans worked on the cross in the early days of conversions,” the Hindu preservationist said.

Citing oral history, he said Betim, where the cross sits, was an Arab settlement before the Portuguese arrived.

Portuguese conqueror Afonso de Albuquerque landed at Mandovi in 1510 prior to using his armada

to attack local Muslim rulers in Betim.

The state remained a Portuguese colony until 1961, when it was annexed to the Indian union following military action.

Heta Pandit, the heritage group’s general secretary, said they got involved in the project “as catalysts” since they wanted to conserve the cross “in a correct fashion.” She said the conservation work would cost about 170,000 rupees (US$3,505).

Ketak Nachinolkar, a Hindu architect working on the conservation project, said the cross is “a piece of our heritage” that should be preserved.

Henry D'Souza, a Catholic neighbor, said people had forgotten the cross and local people use its rocky base as place to defecate.

He said the cross once belonged to a convent that sold it to a local family who subsequently sold it to a real estate agent. □

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JULY 7 - JULY 14, 2002

THE CATHO LIC NEWS

AROUND and ABOUT

Faith ‘helps us understand and accept’ ...say parents of leukem ia-stricken toddler w aiting for bone m arrow donor.

By Mel Diamse-Lee

THE parents of a two-year old boy stricken with a rare form of leukemia have put their trust in God and say they get the strength to deal with their son’s situation from their Catholic faith.

“Our Catholic faith has helped us both to understand and accept that God has His reasons for putting Edward and us through this challenge, even if these rea­ sons are not immediately obvious to us. We have put our trust in God, and know that he will help us in our efforts to help our son get better,” Mr John Ford said to The Catholic News.

“Both sides of the family are Catholics, so we have all found strength and comfort in the com­ mon perspective that our Catholic faith brings us. We all believe in the power of prayer, and are pray­ ing hard that Edward finds the right donor, and that he makes it through the subsequent transplant procedure and recovery period.”

Edward, two, was diagnosed in February with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, a rare form of blood cancer, particularly in children.

The disease often afflicts the middle-aged and elderly and causes an overproduction of white blood cells, which can eventually be fatal.

Singaporean toddler Edward Ford was diagnosed in February with a rare form of leukemia.

Doctors estimate that he will be needing a bone marrow transplant within 3-6 months.

Doctors believe Edward is likely to need a transplant within a 3 to 6 month timeframe, said Mr Ford, a former parishioner of the Church of St Francis Xavier who left Sin­ gapore in March last year to work in New York. His wife, Teresa Yeo, Edward and daughter Hannah, five, who are Singapore citizens, are living with him there.

Mr Ford, a Briton, said God

put the family’s life in better per­ spective through Edward's illness.

“We are conscious of how lucky we are... Edward’s problem has coincided with our stay in New York, where he has access to the best medical care and facilities in the world available to him and that his condition was picked up early.”

Mr Ford said.

That the first drug to effectively

keep the leukemia at bay and ”to buy Edward some more time to find a donor", was made available in the US in May last year is “through God’s kindness”, said Mrs Ford. “To our knowledge it is still not available for general use in the UK and Singapore.”

Most of all, Mr Ford said; they have been blessed with “support­ ive families, friends, both old and those newly acquired through this episode, to help us through this".

“We know that all these good things have been provided by God, and we are grateful for them. We just pray that He doesn’t need little Edward to be one of his angels just yet, and that we can keep him with us here for a long while longer.”

According to the Fords, for Edward's type of leukaemia, a stem cell transplant offers the only pros­ pect of a cure.

However, owing to his mixed parentage, Edward is most likely to find a donor match in an Asian or someone with a similar racial mix.

The Fords expressed concern about finding a match “given the fact that there are too few Asian and Eurasian donors on the bone marrow donor registers worldwide”.

He cited that out of 320,000 donors on the UK registry, only 529 are of Chinese origin and 6,329 are of other Asian origin.

Hannah, Edward’s sister, is a

partial match, which means that her bone marrow can at best en­ sure a 50% survival rate for Edward.

Singapore’s Bone Marrow Do­ nor Programme is linked with that of the United States, Australia, England, Japan, United Kingdom and Hong Kong so that anyone who wishes to become a donor can approach the relevant agency in the country.

Fr John Sim, pastor of the Church of St Francis Xavier, re­ called being told by the family of Edward's ailment when the Fords were in Singapore earlier this year.

He put an appeal for bone marrow donors in his parish bulletin for 34 weeks, he added.

At least two other churches put up the appeal for donors in their weekly church bulletins last month.

Those who wish to register for the Bone Marrow Donor programme may go to the Singapore General Hospital Haematology Center, Block 7, Level 2. Opening hours: 9am 4pm (weekdays only) Potential do­ nors need to inform the centre that they are doing the blood test for the bone marrow donor programme." □

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VIETNAM, Ho Chi Minh City (UCAN) — A Catholic couple in southern Vietnam has helped orphans, poor youths and former juvenile delinquents have a better life by training them with vocational skills.

Inspired by Saint John Bosco, Joseph Ngo Van Hien and his wife Therese Nguyen Thi Minh Hao opened vocational classes for youths in 1989. Since then about 300 youths have received vocational skills in their centres, they said, adding that 50 others are currently studying in their workshops.

Hien and Hao, who have been married for 25 years and have three children, live in Thien An parish of Ho Chi Minh City archdiocese. The couple, former members ofthe Eucharist Children Association, told UCA News that before they were married they were inspired to educate youths in the spirit of Saint John Bosco.

Hao recalled how they once saw a film on Saint John Bosco’s life and felt moved by the saint’s efforts to educate street children to be good citizens.

“We aim to help them live worthily by working for a living, and not living off others,” Hao said, adding, “We do not give them fish but fishing poles.”

Hien said that at first he sent the youths to his friends’ small workshops to learn skills, but later opened four small vocational centres to train the youths himself.

Small centres are both inexpensive and suitable as they

are easier to manage the young people, he said.

“The boys learn how to make stainless steel, iron, aluminium and glass household items, while the girls learn to be dressmakers or sales clerks,” Hien said. He added that his centres serve as a place for training and to produce household utensils to sell at their shops.

Besides skills training, every Sunday the youths learn about human values, he said, adding that at the gatherings they also talk about difficulties in their lives and quarrels among themselves.

He said the youth are offered free education and accommodation and after nine months of being an apprentice they begin to receive monthly salaries.

The youth are accepted irrespective of religion. “I never force them to convert to Catholicism,” he said. “The youth who study at my centres come from different backgrounds but most were abandoned by their families," he said, adding that many have been in trouble with the police.

A student, who asked not to be named, told UCA News that he once broke the law and used to live “a life without a future.” He said he hopes to stand on his own and have a better future after completing the skills training.

Youths, who are not orphans, are trained until they can practice their profession. They then are given tools and encouraged to return to their native village or

town to make a living.

When youths can make a living by themselves, they are asked to help other youths under the same circumstances, Hien said, adding that they keep in touch to help each other.

Hien said orphaned youths live together after finishing vocational training and they make a living by themselves. Hien added that the youths are encouraged to finish high school studies and take higher education.

Pierre Hoang van Thuyet, a vocational trainer, told UCA News, “It was Hien’s love that encouraged me to finish my high school studies.” Thuyet said he is responding to Hien’s challenge by teaching skills to other youths.

Marie Pham Thi Tuoi, 21, who comes from a northern province, told UCA News, “This is not only a place where I can learn a skill but also a place where I can learn to be a good person.”

Asked how they educate youths, Hao said, “Only with true love and by letting them experience a real family life. We also meet with each of them to find out their expectations,” adding that the most important thing is to set a good example.

The 19th century Saint John Bosco was known for his ministry with youths in Turin, Italy. He organized the Salesian Order to work among poor boys in 1859, and Daughters of Our Lady, Help of Christians, a community of religious women, to help poor girls in 1872. □

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JULY 7 - J U L Y 14, 2002

THE CATHO LIC NEWS

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W e lco m e fo r P a p a l V e s a k M e ssa g e VIETNAM, Ho Chi Minh City (UCAN) - A Buddhist scholar in Vietnam has welcomed the Vatican’s Vesak message urging Buddhists and Christians to work together to defend human life.

“I fully agree with and highly appreciate the Vatican’s call for respect and protection of human life in a society where life is not respected,” said Minh Chi, head of the Buddhist studies department of Van Hanh Buddhist Institute in Ho Chi Minh City.

The message from the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue for the day commemorating Buddha’s birth, and for some Buddhists his enlightenment and death also, shows the Vatican’s positive attitude of solidarity with Buddhism in protecting human life, Chi told UCA News.

The researcher, who also teaches at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Ho Chi Minh City, said the Vatican’s call for protection of human life from the moment of conception until death is fully compatible with Buddhist doctrine.

The Vesak message signed by Cardinal Francis Arinze, president of the pontifical council, was sent to Buddhists ahead of Vesak, which most Buddhists celebrated in May this year, though not all on the same day.

Chi, 83, said Buddhism advocates peace and tolerance, and considers as sacred all forms of life, whether a person or an animal, strong or weak, big or small, visible or invisible.

Throughout its long history in various historical and geographical contexts, he said, Buddhism has always promoted “ahimsa,” the principle of not harming sentient beings. He added that Buddhism denounces all forms of war and violence and always promotes peaceful and friendly relations among people and nations.

Chi clarified, however, that though abortion, euthanasia and suicide should be condemned, there should be flexibility and respect for the people involved. “We should not denounce mothers who undergo abortion in such cases as rape,

incest or the contraction of AIDS” in the face of their stigmatization by family and others in Vietnamese society, he said. Some cases of euthanasia should also be allowed for humanitarian reasons, he added, such as if a patient is suffering too much from an incurable illness.

Some Buddhists, though, disagree with Chi on this matter.

Venerable Nguyen Thong Nhat, a monk in Ho Chi Minh City, told UCA News that any killing in any circumstance violates Buddhist teaching. “Victims should bear their suffering until natural death to adhere to ahimsa,” he said.

Similarly, Nguyen Thi Puong, a laywoman, said that Buddhists cannot even kill an ant intentionally.

“Women who get pregnant due to rape or incest, and people suffering from severe illness need to be protected, cared for and loved,” she added.

Chi said that to overcome the “culture of death,” Buddhists and Christians “should lead a good life, respect human dignity and build a peaceful world.”

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Heading for Canada INDONESIA, Jakarta (UCAN) —

Six Catholic youths from Indonesia will attend the World Youth Day celebration in Canada, a Church official said.

“We have appointed six persons to attend the international event.

They will be accompanied by Sacred Heart Father Yohanes Sujono,” said Jesuit Father Josephus Adi Wardaya, secretary of the Youth Affairs Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia.

The priest told UCA News that the youths were selected by the bishops’ conference in consultation with officials of their home diocese.

“Those who were selected are known to have experiences in youth accompaniment and in Church activities,” he added.

Besides the selected delegates, Father Wardaya added, some other young adults may also attend the meeting at their own expense.

Father Wardaya said it is very important for the Indonesian youths to attend the July 18-28 event in Toronto, Canada, in order to build relations, learn from others and share experiences with Catholic youths from other countries.

He also explained that every country could send as many delegates as it wants as the organizing committee did not set a limit on the number of parti-cipants.

However, he said they were unable to send more than six people because the fund to defray their trip and accommodation expenses is limited.

Father Wardaya expressed hope that the Indonesian delegates would learn from other participants of other countries and contribute to the youth building program in Indonesia.

The delegates will leave for Toronto on Juiy 16 and will stay there for two weeks, he said. At the

event, they will offer reports on the situation of Indonesian youths and their contributions to the Church, society and the country, he added.

Father Wardaya said that in preparation for the event, the youth delegates will hold a meeting to share information about youth activities in Indonesia.

Father Sujono, the youth chaplain, told UCA News June 7 that the Toronto event is a good opportunity for Indonesian youths to open their horizons and develop friendship with young people from other countries.

Catholic youths from all over the world should unite and make direct contact to support each other in faith, said the priest, who is moderator of the Indonesian Catholic University Student Association of Purwokerto diocese in Central Java.

“We must learn from youths of other countries,” he said.

“ ...W h e r e it g iv e s lig h t f o r ^ ^ * ^ e v e r y o n e in th e h o u s e .”

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THE CATHO LIC NEW S

JULY 7 - J U L Y 14, 2002

CHILDREN’S CORNER Results of Contest No. 3 (1st.

Holy Eucharist

This quiz is open to children who are preparing to receive Holy Communion and are attending classes

1

at their Parishes.

2

It has to be the children's own effort and parents are asked to use this as an opportunity to teach the children the value of honesty.

3

Prizes will be awarded to the first three correct entries to reach the Editor, AFTER midnight Wednesday/ Thursday 10/11 July 2002, by e-mail to steeple(3)sinanet.com.sa. The first three correct entries will be based on the date and time as recorded in the "Inbox". The Editor's decision is final.

Closing Date: midnight. Fri/Sat 12/13 July.

4

All that is needed to send the answers, is to use the numbers of the clues as indicated and state the answer for each clue.

5

Children must give their full names, addresses, and the First Communion Class they are attending at their Parishes.

6

Do not forget to provide your OWN contact, otherwise it will not be possible to advise you, if you have won. All entries will be acknowledged.

7

Winners, the first three correct entries, will be announced in the following issue of the Catholic News, and will be informed of how they can collect their prizes.

Com m .)

CLUES Across 3. Can you receive Communion more than once in the same day? YES 4. When you receive Communion, the priest says:”The Body of Christ”.

You must answer: AMEN 5. When you receive Communion you see BREAD 9. You must have very great RESPECT for the Eucharist.

10. Must you receive Communion every Sunday? NO 11. Normally we receive the Eucharist during MASS Down 1. When you receive Communion you must be free from SERIOUS sin.

2. There is no time limit for WATER 6. When you are going to receive Communion you must not EAT from one hour before.

7. Neither can you DRINK from one hour before.

8. You receive JESUS in the Holy Eucharist.

NOTES:

2

Contest No. 4 (1st Comm.)

R eco n ciliatio n

The whole Crossword dealt with the PRACTICAL things you need to know about receiving Communion.

3

3

CLUES Across

7

■

[iilil

a

t2.

Created by CNews with EclipseCrossword. © Copyright 2000-2002 by Green Eclipse Software.

Prizes for Contest No. 4 (1st Comm.)

RECONCILIATION are very kindly sponsored by: a donor who wishes to remain annonymous.

Children please take note:

1. The priest who hears our confession, forgives us in the name of Jesus. This is called the 3. The correct word for what we have to do to show that we are sorry is _________ 6. Confession is actually the Sacrament of 9. One thing we have to do when receiving the sacrament is to ;___________ our sins.

11.Sins that are not serious are called_______ sins.

12.We have to DO something to show that we are truly sorry. This is called________ Down

2. We must receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least_______a year.

4. We express sorrow for our sins when we recite th e ____of Contrition.

5. We must, however, confess all our ________ sins.

7. We must also be truly sorry for them. This is called_______.

8. Do we have to confess ABSOLUTELY ALL our sins?

10.The priest will also give us some_______

You need to look at the DATES when you are to send in your answers and YOU NEED TO KEEP TO THEM.

- Normally you should receive Communion once in a day, but if you go for some other special celebration, like a wedding Mass or funeral Mass, you may receive Communion again.

4 -Answering "Amen" is like a renewal of yourfaith in Holy communion being the "Body and Blood of Christ."

5 - Holy Communion is the Body and Blood of Jesus under the appearance of bread. So what you see is "bread" but what you receive is "Jesus". (8 ) 9 - It is Jesus in the Eucharist, so obviously we need very great respect for Holy Communion. We should be very prayerful when going to receive and after we receive. Certainly we should not be playing around and talking to one another.

10 - There is no obligation to receive communion every Sunday. The Church rule is that we must receive Communion AT LEAST once a year (and that also is for Confession) during Easter time. It is what we refer to as "Easter Duty".

11 - Normally we receive Communion during a Mass, but one can also receive Communion in the hospital or at home if one is very sick.

Then it would just be receiving Communion, without the Mass.

1 - If we have serious sin, we need to go to confession before receiving Communion.

2,6,7 - Out of respect for Jesus in Communion, we are not supposed to eat or drink anything before the time of Communion itself. If we are talking about Sunday Mass, you can count half-an hour after Mass starts before you get to Communion time, and if you think of travel time (unless you live next to the Church!) as about another half hour, practically it is a question of not eating or drinking (except water) from the time you leave home. Practically, don't eat or drink along the way nor at the Church. Of course if you have to take medicine, that's different. You don't have to wrorry about that.

The WINNERS ARE .....

1

Another correct entry was from: Sharmaine Cheng Jing Yi

2 Jonathan Chua Wei Jin: Class : Pri 3 (Luke) St Anne's

Class : (Sunday 8.30am) Our Lady of Perpetual Succour

The reason for the dates is because some children would receive the Catholic News as early as the Wednesday BEFORE the Sunday that it is dated. For example some will get this issue on Wednesday, 3 3 July, when it comes off the press! Others will get it on Saturday or Sunday 6/7 July. Still others will get it through the mail, even later.

The winners are the first three correct entries, between those dates, according to the times indicated in the "Inbox".

J e n n if W o r l d w id e M o v e r s

Roshini Jeanne Miranda

Class : (Pri 2) Holy Trinity

Brigid Rose-Marie De Souza

Congratulations to you as well.

Class : (Saturday-3.45 pm) St Vincent de Paul

You will receive a consolation prize.

C o n g r a tu la tio n s You

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Francesca Kok Si Hui

JULY 7 - J U L Y 14, 2002

THE CATHO LIC NEW S

WORLD

World Refugee Day

Five years later (Food and Agriculture Organization) - The ITALY,

Rome.

*World Food Summit: five years la te r " ended with positive results

for food security and sustainable development, as 43 new signatories to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, bringing the total number of signatories to 56, including 35 developing countries and 20 developed countries, and the European Community.

The Treaty was adopted by consensus at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Conference in November 2001. Its objectives are the conservation of plant genetic resources, their sustainable use, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use, including monetary benefits resulting from commercialization.

Plant genetic resources are essential to sustain agriculture and food security for humanity now and in the future.

The FAO estimates humans have used some 10,000 species for food throughout history. Today, no more than 120 cultivated species provide around 90 per cent of our food. In addition, most

of the biodiversity of these cultivated species has been lost in the twentieth century.

This binding International Treaty provides for farmers rights, and establishes a multilateral system to exchange the genetic resources of some 64 major crops and forages important for global food security.

Signatory countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, European Community, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Senegal, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Questioned whether rich countries should drop protection of their agriculture through subsidies, UN Secretary General,

Kofi Anan replied: Oh, absolutely.

I know it’s a major political issue, but we cannot talk of free trade and truly open markets if we are going to do that.

You put yourself in the shoes of a small developing country which can not export its agriculture products because of restrictions and tariffs, a small developing country that cannot compete on the world market even if it could export because the richer farmers in the richer countries are heavily subsidized.

And obviously one can say we do give them assistance, we do send in food aid, we do that. But the food-aid helps in the short term. In the longer term, it makes it difficult for the local farmers to produce and compete, not only locally but on the international market. So there is no point in giving with one hand and taking it with the other.

What's the point of helping, for example, dairy farmers in the developing countries and then selling subsidized powdered milk in their economy, which makes it difficult to continue their production? □ UN Report

UN Headquarters - The number of refugees has been steadily increasing all around the world for various reasons. There was a time when refugees were mainly the result of war. Now, however, there are political refugees and economic refugees as well. The problem has become so acute that indigenous populations are beginning to react unfavourably to the influx of migrants and refugees to their countries.

To mark World Refugee Day, 20 June. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued the following message

On this second World Refugee Day, we look back on a year that gave many refugees a new lease on life. In Afghanistan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has helped a million refugees return home. In East Timor, more than 200,000 refugees returned home in time to celebrate their country’s independence and to vote in its first presidential election. Refugees from Sierra Leone and Angola also have new reason to hope that their long years of exile may soon be over.

But in some parts of the world, the situation of refugees has taken

an alarming turn for the worse. An increasing number of countries appear determined to close their borders to refugees, breaking with

half a century of accumulated international norms and practices.

In several countries in the industrialized world, asylumseekers are being stigmatized as potential criminals.

Those who have fled violence and persecution deserve protection and assistance, not suspicion and contempt. Let us not forget that the great majority of the world's refugees and asylum-seekers are women and children. That is why

the focus of this year’s World Refugee Day is on refugee women.

These women face tremendous challenges. Yet they show enormous courage and determination in holding their families together. Today is a day to pay tribute to their vital role and contributions.

On this World Refugee Day, let us remember that, like those of us fortunate enough to have a home, refugees and asylumseekers have families and feelings - but they often have little else.

And let us remind ourselves that one day, any one of us could be knocking at someone else’s door, asking for help. Q UN Report

Toronto, here we come!

Rev Fr Michael Siiaram, Youth Chaplain of Singapore Archdio­ cese, will be leading a delegation of 21 youths from Singapore to the 17th World Day of Youth, events for which wili be from July 18-28 in Toronto, Canada.

The 21 youths from Singapore are from the parishes of Holy Fam­ ily, OLPS, Star of the Sea, Sts. Peter & Paul, St. Theresa, Holy S p irit, St. Ig na tius and St. Bernadette.

Some of the youth have been sponsored by their parishes and on the weekend before they leave (i.e. 14th July 2002), each of them wili go back to their parishes & they will be given a blessing & send off from their priests for the WYD. They will also separately meet our Archbishop - Nicholas Chia to receive his blessings.

Highlights of the event will be the all-night Vigil beginning on Satur­ day 27 July at 7.30pm , at Downsview Park, the main venue of the celebrations, and culminat­ ing with the Celebration of Holy Mass on Sunday 30 July at 10.00 pm.Thursday, 25 July for the wel­ come by the youth at 4.30 in the afternoon at Exhibition Place in Toronto.

The group will leave Singa­ pore, first for Ottawa for a 3-day retreat (from 18 - 21st Jul 2002) under the Youth Arise International (YAI). From there, they will join the participants in Toronto for WYD celebrations from 22nd - 28th July

2002.

The youth w ill have the opportunity to see and hear the Holy Father who will be present at the beginning of the Vigil and will preside the Mass. They wili already have welcomed him, earlier, at Exhibition Place in Toronto on Thursday, 25 July.

Fr Sitaram said that excitement

jt it ;k, nuth of Sir

*>>««• * CNS Photo by Bill Wittman

The WYD cross which went through all the dioceses in Canada and is now erected at Downsview Park, the main venue for the World Youth celebrations.

runs high among the youth for this event as it will give them a great opportunity to meet other youth of the world and learn from the exchange of experiences. The euphoria of such an event, he added, hightened by the encounter with the Holy Father who is noted for his great love, concern and enthusiasm for the youth of the world, whom he has termed the "future of humanity”, will certainly fire their enthusiasm. Hopefully, he said, this enthusiasm will be able to ignite theri fellow youth when they reutrn to Singapore and share their experiences.

For the Archdiocesan Youth Chaplain himself, this will be a particularly poignant trip. Only a few months ago he was knocking

Pope John Paul II is to bless this statue o f St. Francis o f Assisi when he comes to stay on Strawberry Island in Ontario.

The small island on Lake Simcoe, north o f Toronto, is home to a Basilian retreat and vacation center.

Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, national director for World Youth Day 2002, meets with members o f the WYD organizing team June 22 on Strawberry Island in Ontario. The Pope will have a special meeting with the Organizing Committee o f Wrold Youth Day on Sunday 30 July at 6.00 pm.

A Grotto o f Our Lady on Strawberry Island in the grounds o f the property o f the Basilian Fathers, where Pope John Paul II will be staying during his visit to Toronto for World Youth Day.

8

JULY 7 - J U L Y 14, 2002

14 Ordinary

THE CATHO LIC NEW S

FAITH IN LIFE

15 Ordinary

July 7

July 14

KNOW ING GOD The Texts:

1 Rd: Zech 9:9-10 2 Rd: Rom 8:9, 11-13

Resp: Ps 144 Gospel: M t 11:25-30

First Reading: This is a passage from the Prophet Zechariah with an allusion to Christ's entry in Jerusalem before his Passion and Death.

There is aiso a suggestion of a spiriutal kingdom rather than a temporal vision of the Messiah that the Jewish People usually cherished.

"ORDINARY TIME" Liturgical Colour Green Symbolizes 'HOPE" in the Christian context hope in eternal life, founded on Christ's promise.

The focus is on our Response to God revealing himself throughSalvation History.

2 Rd: Rom 8:18-23

Resp: Ps 64 Gospel: Mt 13:1-23

First Reading: The brief passage from Isaiah the prophet personifies the word of the Lord and emphasizes its effectiveness: T h e word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do." Yet this is tempered

Second Reading: St Paul in the passage from his letter to the Romans speaks of the world in slavery and decadence waiting with expectation to be freed from slavery to attain freedom and glory as the children of God.

are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit o f God has made his home in you.

Gospel: Knowing God is not "knowing about God". " I bless you, Lord o f heaven and earth, for hiding these thngs from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children." The "knowing about" is

some sort of revelation in order to know God. It is a question of whether we are actively seeking to know God.

The Texts: 1 Rd: is 5 5: 1 0 -11

, you fill it with riches.

speaks also of the spiritual characteristicsof life in the Spirit, urging his community in Rome to live spiritual lives. He says to us: Your interests

by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him ." This deos not mean that we just sit around for

RECEIVING THE WORD

Responsorial: Psalm 64 which is used, falls in line with this theme of growth and water that contributes to this growth. It underlines the part that God himself plays in all this: You care for the earth, give it water

Second Reading: St Paul in this passage of his Letter to the Romans

Jesus' words merit reflection: .... " Everything has been entrusted to me

S unday)

by the fact that there are factors that are necessary in the analogy of seed and growth.

Reposnsoriat: The Psalm paints a picture of a benevolent, kind and compassionate God and a kingdom which is obviously spiritual. The Lord is kind and full o f compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love., faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds., supports all who fall and raises all who are bowed down.

a human knowledge which one can acquire through study. Pursuing such studies will enable us to know a lot about God. Not that this is a bad thing to do. It can certainly help to understand our faith. Ultimately what makes the difference to our lives, is not a "bookish" knowledge of God, but what is often termed the 'spiritual experience’ of God and the knowledge that comes from such spiritual experiences. This is what would constitute "knowing God" in contrast to knowing about him.

( B ib le

W A L K T tie n A s d - n iib R e n

O F L lO llT / F O R T h c F R X /1 T o f T he l i o I t t is m

o o p fc m e s s A n o ju s T ia e /v n fc > n ^ rrti

Gospel: This is the very well-known Parable of the Sower with its interpretation proivded by Jesus himself. The link with the First Reading and the Responsorial is very obvious. The Parable itself speaks of the dispositions of those who receive the word, and the corresponding outcome that various dispositions produce.

One might wonder how one is supposed to reconcile what is said here with what we heard in the First Reading concerning the efficacy of the Word of God not returning without succeeding in what it was sent out to do. The point we must note is that the First Reading does not say that the Word will change what it encounters. It carries out what it was sent to do. The Word of God comes to us and does what it is sent to do. Whether the outcome of that is our conversion or not is beside the point, in a sense. If we receive the word in good dispositions then it is to our benefit. However, if our dispositions are not what they should be, then we will incur the condemnation that the Word of God necessarily implies for those who do not respond. It will carry out God's will and succeed in what it was sent to do! Jesus spoke of bringing judgement to the world. He spoke of separating the good from the evil!

Application in life

Application in life

if Christian living is a response to God's love, Jesus' call to discipleship and the Spirit's promtings within us, it must follow that we must know whom we are respnding to. Essentially, a response is not to "something" but to "someone". The pertinent question is : WHO are we responding to?

The various soil conditions represent the various attitudes and disposi­ tions that we could possibly have towards the Word of God. Practically, Jesus identifies four different types of receptivity.

First (on the "edge o f the path") there are those who hear without understanding, in the sense of seeing the application of God’s Word in their lives. The Word of God is completely lost as far as they are concerned. This is "physical hearing" in contrast to listening.

Obviously, the answer is "God". But another question immediately poses itself: Who is God? The answer certainly cannot be about God in his "abstract" theological nature. We could hardly be responding to the "Mystery o f the Blessed Trinity". Our response can only be meaningful in the context of the God we know through experience and to whom we want to respond. And that means that our response is going to be conditioned very much by how each one of us perceives God. A very critical question for the nature and quality of our response would definitely have to be: Who is God to ME?

Secondly, ( on "rock") Jesus identifies those who receive the Word, see its application and in fact welcome it, but then, either don’t act on it, or don’t make a sufficient effort at acting on it. The Word of God does not have a lasting impact. This is "listening" and "understanding with the mind". Resolve and determination and action are lacking.

Jesus has something to say to us in the Gospel of today about knowledge of God. "I bless you, Father, Lord o f heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and clever and revealing them to mere children”. Jesus can only be hinting at one thing. This knowledge of God does not come from erudite learning. A degree in Theological studies will indicate a certain quantum of knowledge about God, but it

will not necessarily produce a great response to the love of God - to his person. Jesus adds: "... no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son CHOOSES to reveal him “. Perhaps we could ponder on our knowledge of God and the source of our knowledge - is it a "bookish" knowledge, or is it somehting that arises from an experience of God in our lives.

It is a matter of reflecting on our lives and trying to see or rather listen to what he is saying to us. Life situations change, our knowledge of God is continually changing, growing, gaining new insights and perceptions.

We have to be attuned to God. Only then can we make an appropriate response in Christian living to a “personal” God. But again, it is not a question of examining every event and happening in our lives, and every person we encounter, and then trying to fathom what God is telling us or revealing to usin this situation, or happening or through this particular person. We could end up very puzzled if we tried doing this, and even frustrated, just because we can't find a reason or answer for every single thing. Indeed, very often we are not going to fathom the reason or purpose or what God is trying to tell us at that moment or through that precise situtation. While there are times when it could happen, more often than not, we will only perceive later, as things unfold. We need to accept the fact that our "vision" is limited. □ Feasts of the week:

Tues. 11 - St Benedict Sat. 12

- St Henry

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The third category (among" thorns") refers to those who hear the Word but are so caught up with the worries and preoccupations of life that they have no time to reflect and act on it. It is stifled. A question o f distraction , being too busy with too many things.

The fourth group ("rich soil") are those who hear, understand and act on it. For these, the Word of God has a lasting impact.

In all the four categories, the Word of God is, in fact, received. There is no rejection, only certain conditions are not fulfilled. We are all receivers of the Word of God, not just in the Scriptures or during sermons, but above all, in our personal life situations.

The Word of God in the Scriptures does not come alive except in the context of our lives and our day to day situations. It is in these that we find the application of the Word, and in these, that a response is expected of us - IN OUR DAY TO DAY LIVES!

Responding to the Word of God in Scriptures themselves would amount to an intellectual response. We don’t reject God’s Word, but it must act in our lives, it must transform our lives. The question we have to put to ourselves today is: Which category do we fall into? What are we going to do about it?

While it is Bible Sunday, it is not just a question of deciding to buy one if we don't already have one. Nor is it a question of deciding to read 5 or 10 verses every day. It is a question of seeking the God who reveals himself through the Word in the Bible, in our daily living. □

Graphics: Copyright.. The Order o f St.Benedict

Texts: copyright 2002. Dr (Rev) R.Baihetchet

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Feasts of the Week .

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Mon. 15 — St. Bonaventure Tues. 16 - O.L. of Mt.Carmel

JULY 7 - JULY 14, 2002

THE CATH O LIC NEWS

FEATURE 1.

What is the Bible?

Why is it seen as Sacred?

The BIBLE witnesses to the real experience of God, in and through the events of time. The word “Bible” comes from Greek; it is a plural noun, ta biblia. and means “the books.” When this word was taken over into Latin, it became singular, and thus, “the Bible.” The Bible is more than a book; it is a library of books recording God’s sacred plan for humankind's fulfillment (or salvation), i.e., Salvation History, experienced through secular human history (... of Israel). It is the account of God’s involvement in human history and is primarily, therefore, sacred history.

BIBLE SUNDAY 14 July 2002

“Who am I? What is the purpose and meaning of my life? How do I achieve it?” are some of the key questions that are reflected upon and which we are helped to answer, in the Bible. Throughout the Bible, we recognise God’s tender and loving call to humankind to enter into friendship and communion with Him; from the different responses recorded, we come to realise that our salvation and fulfillment comes about only through living out our “YES” to God.

2.

IS THE BIBLE HISTORICAL?

Facts are historical because they are interpreted and given a meaning. There are past facts which have been forgotten immediately because they have no meaning; they are “in history’ but not “historical.’

An historical event is one that leaves a trace in the memory of a person or group, a fact that lasts in history because it is found to have meaning and significance.

The Bible and its message are certainly historical. The Bible,

as we have it today, went through a long process of composition; initially not written, it was passed on through oral tradition. Later, this was put into writing by believers (inspired by God), based on their faith experience in concrete situations. These believers were part of the people who had a “covenant experience” with God : He was their God, they were His people. They constantly reflected on and discovered within their life-situations the call of God and the response they needed to make.

THE BIBLE: GOD’S INVITATION TO FULLNESS OF LIFE IN HIM

Part 1

by

Rev Ambrose Vaz 3.

AUTHORSHIP

The Bible is a collection of writings ; 1) about God; 2) about God’s relationship with humankind; 3) about our relationship - as a people and as individuals - with God, and 4) about how God wants people to relate to one another.

Another way to put it would be to say that the Bible is the collection of sacred books, composed under the positive influence of the Holy Spirit, written at various times and various places by men chosen

by God for this purpose, and accepted by the Church as inspired

by God. This means that God is the author of the Bible. He chose certain

people who made use of their powers and abilities so that, with the Holy Spirit acting in them and through them, they, as true authors, wrote everything and only those things that God wanted. The Bible, therefore, teaches firmly, faithfully, and without error that truth that God wanted put into the sacred writings for the use of our salvation.

4.

INTERPRETATION

The Bible was not written in order to teach the natural sciences or to give information on merely political history, but to communicate to us God's plan of salvation.

Thus, to understand God’s word demands careful investi­ gation of the meaning the sacred authors really intended and what God wanted to manifest by means of their words. We must understand what the writer is aiming at in order to interpret his words correctly. We must realize that the writers used distinct types of literary composition, each

with its own style, idioms, and usages - all in accord with their own time and culture.

Also, we must take into account the living tradition of the whole Church, along with the harmony which exists between elements of the faith.

All interpretation of Scripture is subject finally to the judgement of the Church who is the guardian

and interpreter of the word of God. Catholic Bibles are approved by Church authority as a sign that the text is authentic and that the footnotes and commentaries are in full accord with Church teaching.

Care must be taken to avoid interpreting the Bible in a literal or fundamental manner.

In attempting to interpret the Bible we must take note of :

P ro fe ss o r o f S a c re d Scripture at S t F rancis X a v ie r's M a jo r S e m in a ry

5

T H E BASIC C O N T E N T O F T H E BIBLE

The table of contents in the Christian Bible groups these writings into a twofold division : the “Old Testament’ and the “New Testament." The word testament, in the Bible, means “agreement" or “covenant."

The Old Testament, for the most part, is a collection of books about the agreement or covenant between God and our Jewish ancestors in the faith.

The books of the New Testam ent are about the agreement or covenant between God - through Jesus - and his people. A covenant is a special kind of contract. Ordinary contracts are made between people who are equals.

Covenants are usually made between the greater and the lesser, very much the case of God’s covenant with his people : “I shall be you God and you shall be my people.” (Lev 26:12) Most (but not all) of the writings of the Old Testament are what Jews mean when they speak of “the Bible” today. The Old Testament remains an important part of the Christian tradition, even as it was also the only Bible for the earliest Christians. It is the story of the people of Israel whom God had chosen and made a covenant with. It leads up to and is (God’s) preparation for the New. The Old Testament is fully understood only in the light of its fulfillment in the New Testament : God’s love which is revealed in the Old Testament is but a foreshadowing of the fullness of God’s love in Christ.

Christians should be careful not to think of the Old Testament as a second-rate collection, simply because of the adjective “old,"for, as the second Vatican Council reminds us: “Now the books o f the Old Testament, in accordance with the state o f mankind before the time o f salvation established by

5a

OLD TESTAMENT >

God’s covenant with Israel : “I am Yahweh, I will free you ...I will release you from slavery ...

I will deliver y o u ... I will be your God, and you will be my people.

Then I will bring you to the land ... and will give it to you as your own.” (Ex 6:7)

God chose Israel to be his own people, to be the messenger of his love and light : “I have c a lle d yo u in righteousness; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes o f the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon” (Is 42:6-7)

a) the culture and situation of the people of the Bible;

God showed in many ways how He loved Israel : cf. the Exodus events. - the plagues

b) the original language it is written in and its distinctive literary forms: e.g. Stories, epics, laws, poetry, oracles, teachings, wisdom writings, narratives, etc. The meaning of a piece of writing cannot

and the deliverance from Egypt - their sojurn in the dessert and their entry to the Promised Land.

be fully perceived without knowledge of its literary form; the sacred writers used different literary forms as vehicles of revelation, of divine truth; c) the need to see any part WITHIN the CONTEXT and MESSAGE of the WHOLE; we need to see the Bible as a whole : the revealed

plan of God’s salvation. Thus, the Bible cannot be fragmented.

God invited Israel to respond to his love; more often than not, Israel failed to respond in obedience : (cf. Is 5:1-7) - I expected it to yield grapes. Why did it yield sour grapes instead?

Christ, reveal to all men the knowledge o f God and o f man and the ways in which God, just and merciful, deals with men.

These books, though they also contain some things which are incom plete and tem porary, nevertheless show us true divine pedagogy. These same books, then, give expression to a lively sense o f God, contain a store o f sublime teachings about God, sound wisdom about human life, and a wonderful treasury o f prayers, and in them the mystery o f our salvation is present in a hidden way. Christians should receive them with reverence” (Dei Verbum. Ch. IV, N o.15).

The New Testament is made

up of sacred writings peculiar to Christians that were written after the earthly life of Jesus. Through the New Testament writings, we Christians believe that God has made his plan of salvation definitive and explicit in the person and teachings of Jesus.

Thus we read the Old Testament in the light of the New Testament, with both Testaments illumining one another: “God, the inspirer and author o f both testam ents, w isely a rra n g e d th a t the New Testament be hidden in the Old and the Old be manifested in the New. For, though Christ established the New Covenant in his blood (cf. Lk 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25), still the books o f the Old Testament with all their parts, caught up into the proclamation o f the gospel, acquire and show forth their full meaning in the New Testament (cf. Mt 5:17; Lk 24:27; Rom 16:25-26; 2 Cor 3:14-16) and in turn shed light on it and explain it" (Dei Verbum.

Ch. IV, No. 16).

The New Testament tells of the fulfillment of God’s plan. God made a new and final covenant, sealed in the blood of His Son (Jesus Christ), with a new people : the Church.

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NEW TESTAMENT

God’s covenant with us in Christ : “But Jesus has now obta ine d a m ore e xcellen t ministry, and to that degree he is the m ediator o f a better covenant, which has been e n a cte d through b e tte r promises.” (Heb 8:6)

In Jesus Christ, God fully revealed his love : “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.’XJn 3:16)"God's love was revealed among us in this w a y : God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. ”

(1Jn 4:9) Jesus Christ revealed God’s love in his words and actions : “The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.” (Jn 14:10')

In Jesus Christ we see perfect obedience to God : “He humbled himself and became obedient to the point o f death even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:8)

10

JULY 7 - J U L Y 14, 2002

THE CATH O LIC NEW S

FAMILY

PASTORAL LETTER

Bible in the Home With Bible Sunday on 14 July it might be a good idea to do some­ thing about making the whole family more conscious of the Bible. It is, after all the Word of God and absolutely central to Christianity.

In the "old days" just about all Catholics were reasonably familiar with the Bible - at least with the New Testament, since almost all of us received our education in Catholic Schools which weren't only nominally run by Brothers and Sis­ ters, but had a good number of Staff who were religious, and whose Principals were not only Catholics, but were always a reli­ gious Brother or Sister. Catechism was always on the timetable of every class and "Scripture" as it was called, was on the timetable of all Secondary Classes since we took Scripture as a subject at Senior Cambridge as it was called then, O-level now.

That situation doesn't obtain any more. The result is that, de­ spite Catechism Classes at Parish level, there are whole generations of Catholics with a somewhat skimpy knowledge of the New Testament, let alone the whole Bible.

The family can certainly play a part to fill the gap. Sure, the Sun­ day liturgy can and should also contribute to a deepening of a knowledge and appreciation of the Bible, but the Cycle of readings while covering all the Books of the Bible, would certainly not cover all the content.

Parents, of course, can hardly be blamed for feeling inadequate, if they themselves have not had sufficient instruction. One way to acquire deeper knowledge and understanding would be to attend some of the regular courses that are offered in our Archdiocese. But then, again, with parents already so busy with work and the chil­ dren, attending courses might not be that feasible.

One practical idea might be to purchase a commentary which is not too difficult to be able to get explanations for various parts of the Bible. Of course, to begin with, it is assumed that families do pos­ sess a copy of the Bible!

All the academics, aside, it would also be very helpful to take the readings from the Sunday Mis­ sal and discuss them as a family at some suitable time, at home.

One could just take one Reading for "discussion". Never mind if the

children are small - one could be very surprised at how children perceive things - "out of the mouth of babes"! It is not some sort of academic exercise that we are proposing, but a prayerful reflec­ tion on the Word of God which is alive and active and which goes out and does not return till it has accomplished its purpose.

This reflection and exchange could take about 15 minutes to half an hour and to reduce TV watching by that amount would not harm anyone, and indeed could be the nucleus of a shared family prayer and time with God. The results would be very noticeable, not to mention deeply spiritual.

Another practical way to get started might be to purchase a copy of the book "JESUS" (see cover below). It is the story of Jesus according to the Gospel of St Matthew and comes with 2 VCD's of the film. The text in the booklet is bi-lingual with English on one side and Mandarin on the other. It is the text of the Gospel of St Matthew. The VCD's are a film version. One could watch an epi­ sode with the family and then discuss it with the text at hand in the book. Remember, this is not an academic exercise. The family members should share what it means to them, what strikes them, what sort of application and con­ nection they see between the incident or ideas expressed and their own personal lives, or the lives of the family. Then personal prayer could follow from this ex­ change.

“The Word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty" (Is. 55:11)

We are always in need of God’s word in order to have abundant life. But today we stand in even greater need of this word. For the world, especially since the attacks of September 11 last year, has gone through very rough times.

Many innocent lives have been lost through violence. World peace has been greatly threatened and together with it the whole human family is in danger of being destroyed.

The Holy Father’s message for this year’s world day of prayer for peace strikes at the heart of true peace: “No peace without justice.

No justice without forgiveness.”

Appealing to the good sense of all humanity through this message, Pope John Paul II also called for prayer and took the initiative to invite leaders of world religions to join him in prayer for peace in Assisi on 24lh January this year. In his message, he holds out this hope: “By the grace of God, a world in which the power of evil seems once again to have taken the upper hand will in fact be transformed into a world in which the noblest aspirations of the human heart will triumph, a world in which true peace will prevail.”

For us Christians, it is clear that the Pope’s message is rooted in the Word of God in the Bible.

God is Himself a “God of justice” (Is. 30:18) and loves justice (Ps. 33:5; Is. 61:8).

He therefore

executes justice (Pss. 140:12; 146:7; Prov. 29:26; Jer. 9:24) and calls for the practice of justice (Is. 1:17; 5; 56:1; Ezk. 45:9; Am. 5:15).

At the same time, God is a “god of mercy” (Ex. 34:6) and shows mercy (Dt. 13:17; 2 Sam. 14:14; Ps. 119:156, Jer. 16:5; 31:30). He desires mercy (Mt. 9:13; 12:7; Lk. 10:37). In His mercy, God forgives (Ex. 34:7; Num. 14:18,19; Mt. 9:5; Eph. 4:32; Col. 2:13; 3:13). He also asks us to forgive (Mt. 6:1215; 18:21-22, 35). The Pope concludes his message with this wish: “In these troubled times, may the whole human family find true and lasting peace, born of the marriage of justice and mercy!”

Just as the word of God in the Bible provides the Holy Father the basis for his call for justice and forgiveness in order to foster peace in the world, so also it provides us food for life - our lives on earth which we are to live fully so as to have eternal life. Jesus came to sow the word of God in our hearts.

Is. 55:11 gives us the guarantee that this word will not return to God empty - that is, “without achieving what it was sent to do”.

Is. 55 is part of what is called Second Isaiah, spanning from chapter 40 to chapter 55. Second Isaiah was addressed to the people of God in the Babylonian exile. In this historical context, the word of God was sent to bring about the return of God’s people from exile to their homeland. Applied to our Christian context, the mission of the word is to liberate us from bondage to sin and bring us to a life of grace on earth and ultimately to eternal life in God’s kingdom. The parable ofthe sower in Mt. 13:1-23

upholds that the soil on which the word is sown must be “good soil” that is, of the right condition for the word to bear fruit. This fruit is the life of grace translated into good works in the life of every Christian - and indeed, every person on earth.

In today’s context, these good works include efforts towards achieving lasting peace, through justice and forgiveness.

The “right condition’’ comprises three factors: openness to the word; proper understanding of it; and response to it. In Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei , many are thirsting for God’s word. Reading of God’s word has become part of the daily programme of many a serious Christian. The Regional Bible Commission seeks to offer them help to understand and respond to God’s word properly.

To this end, it has planned out a three-year course on the Bible.

Herewith is a brief description of the course.

With this pastoral letter, the 3year Bible Course commissioned by the Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei is launched. It is now for each diocese

to see when and how to implement.

May this course achieve its purpose and help many Catholics reach a better and deeper understanding of God’s word in the Bible. May God’s word find fertile soil in every Christian and yield a rich harvest abundant life, thus “achieving what it was sent to do” Rt Rev Dr John Ha, DD.SSD Auxiliary Bishop of Kuching President Regional Bible Commission Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei

Recapturing spirit of kampong life at Family Nite

By Kelvyanne Teoh

The set of the book and the 2 VCDs costs $6 and should be available from your parish or from the Catholic News Office at 2 Highland Road.

BIBLE COURSE FOR THE LAITY announced by the President of the Regional Biblical Commission A 3-year course of three levels, with Basic and Intermediate Levels taking up one year while the Advanced Level takes two years.

The Basic Level starts with a study of the Gospel of Mark to encounter the person of Jesus. It then takes the students through salvation history.

The Intermediate Level seeks to help students understand : a) divine revelation through a study of Vatican Il's important document: on Divine Revelation; b) the need for a historical-critical study of the Bible.

The Advanced Level brings the student to a more in-depth study of the Old and New Testament.

The course will be conducted in

To all members of the Clergy, Religious and Laity,

every diocese and is meant for any Catholic who has a desire to learn more about God’s word and is willing to set aside for three years: a) two hours a week for class; and b) a few more hours a week for personal study.

Opportunities will be given to those who aim at a diploma to be awarded by the Bishop’s Conference ofMalaysia-SingaporeBrunei. These students will have to satisfy the requirements laid down for the diploma - namely, regular attendance, periodical assignments, tests and examinations - and attain the stipulated grade. □

RECAPTURING the kampung spirit under the stars was what 50 families and about 180 people enjoyed at Kampung Nite held at Morning Star Family Care Centre on June 15.

Families consisting of grandpar­ ents, single and married parents, children and singles from all walks of life traded stories and took the oppor­ tunity to get to know one another.

Participants gave a rousing ren­ dition of songs like Burong Kakak Tua and Di Tanjong Katong after which they walked down memory lane with a slide show featuring pho­ tos of what kampung life was like.

Fr Augustine Tay, from the Church of the Nativity, also gave a valueadded sharing on his experiences with kampung life by showing the children how to weave ketupat casings.

While the adults certainly knew that no kampung event would be complete without chatehs, paper balls, five stones or purchasing items at the tikam tikam stall, it was a time of discovery for many of the children of this technological age.

Said Ms Joan Lim, 43, “I liked how the children were able to play these fun games that people don’t play anymore.”

Everyone was able to try being the chateh champion or win the hearts of the audience by sporting

Some of the 180 people who participated in the Family Nite programme of Morning Star Family Care Centre on June 15.

the best “curry-puff’ hair-do that was so popular in the 60s and the 70s.

This event was one of the Fam­ ily Nites organised every first and third Saturday of the month, for families to come together for fellow­ ship, sharing and activities that promote family growth.

According to Morning Star direc­ tor Christian Choo, 39, “The Family Nite programme was launched in September to strengthen families and develop relationships so that people feel connected and supported.”

Family Nite participants have prac­ tised affirming one another, identified

the priorities of family life, discussed the impact of the Internet on the family and how to manage its influ­ ence and explored many other issues.

As a family care centre, Morning Star provides services such as indi­ vidual and family counselling, family life workshops, volunteer develop­ ment and student care. The centre is also preparing for the Common Sense Parenting Workshop sched­ uled to start on July 13. □ Enquiries regarding Family Nite, workshops or other services, can be directed to Ms Kelvyanne Teoh (6285-1377).

11

TH E CATHO LIC NEW S

JULY 7 - J U L Y 14, 2002

VIEWPOINT

CATHOLIC NEWS EDITO R Dr (Rev) Robert P. Balhetchet

When all else fails

M ANAG ER Rev Fr Johnson Fernandez

Whether by reading, listening or watching or a combination of all three, keeping track of world news can be a rather depressing exercise, particularly with the visual media.

There seems to be so much animosity, greed, selfishness, intransigence, violence, suffering, and death resulting from tragedies of every sort, both natural and man-made that one wonders what is the meaning of the progress and development that we boast of having achieved down through the years.

STAFF CO RRESPO NDENTS Rev Fr Richards Ambrose Christopher Khoo Mel Diamse-Lee 2 HIGHLAND RD #01-03, SIN G APO RE 549102 TEL: 858-3055, FAX NO. 858-2055 e-mail: cathnew s@ catholic.org.sg.

The phenomenon called "globalization" has undoubt­ edly brought many benefits to mankind, but

BY DR (REV) the process has not left untouched, the ROBERT P. darker side of man. Everything else has BALHETCHET a'so become "globalized" - the threat of war, terrorism, hunger and disease, poverty, drugs, human trafficking, crimes against humanity, the problem of refugees - name it, and it's global!

To send letters, articles and fo r editorial enquiries e-mail: .com.sg

From the Pews :

The multiplicity of "Global Summits" that have been called in recent months is testimony to the realization that global issues need to be addressed globally if they are to be resolved globally! But the sad fact is that despite these efforts, solutions don't seem to be on the horizon. The recent declaration of yet another such "Summit" in Geneva deplored the fact that the goals of the Millenium Summit don't seem to be even realizable, certainly not by the target dates that had been set.

e-mail:

steeple@singnet.com.sg please include full name, address, contact number/ e-mail address.

Against this backdrop of gloom, there shines, however,

FROM THE PEW S TO THE PEWS There are no letters for this issue.

The focus that is coming up in the next issue will continue on the theme of the current issue, namely the BIBLE.

Jail for desecration INDONESIA, Ende (UCAN) — The Court of Justice of Ende in Flores, eastern Indonesia, has sentenced a woman to four years imprisonment for degrading “the most sacred object in Catholicism."

Judge of the court Bambang Utomo said in Ende, East Nusa Tenggara province, “The court has sentenced Esteriana Nona Eni to four years in prison after it found her guilty of humiliating the most sacred object in Catholicism.”

The woman was declared guilty of violating Article 156 of the Criminal Law for humiliating a recognized religion in Indonesia.

On March 28, Holy Thursday, Eni, a Protestant, attended Mass along with her Catholic friend at Christ the King Cathedral in Ende.

Eni went up to receive Holy Communion with the Catholics and upon returning put the consecrated host under her seat.

According to Public Prosecutor Mahmudi, a Muslim, Eni had desecrated the most sacred object in Catholicism and hurt Catholic sentiments. “The act of the accused has created unrest ... and hampered religious harmony,” he said.

Eni said before the Court of Justice, “I apologize to Catholics for the desecration that has hurt their feelings.” She explained that she heard the announcement from the rostrum that only worthy Catholics may receive Holy

Communion but out of curiosity she proceeded to receive it.

On May 22, Father Vincentius Sensi, director of Ende archdiocese’s Pastoral Center, gave an explanation to the court about the sacred host in the Catholic faith.

Responding to the court's request to bring the host to the court as a matter of evidence, the priest asserted, “The sacred host is the core of the Catholic faith, so it cannot be used as evidence.”

The act of making the sacred host a piece of evidence, the priest said, would be “a desecration of the sacred host which is believed to be the body and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ himself."

Asked by the court if Eni could be forgiven if she apologized, Father Sensi said she could be forgiven if she repented.

The priest told the Court of Justice that non-Catholics are not prevented from attending Mass, but they are prohibited from receiving Holy Communion.

Archbishop Longinus da Cunha of Ende told UCA News, “We personally forgive her, but we cannot interfere with the court decision.”

According to local Church records, the predominantly Catholic Timor and Flores islands have seen a number of desecration cases.

Ende is 1,630 kilometers east of Jakarta.

a glimmer of hope, as it were, as a last res&rt, when all else fails. Recently, some leaders of religions ( not quite another summit!) met in the Vatican with Cardinal Arinze, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, as a follow-up to the Day of Prayer for Peace in the World, held in Assisi on 24 January. They discussed the role that religions could and should play in achieving peace and justice in the world. This meeting was followed, very significantly, a few days later by a meeting in Thailand of members of different religions, the outcome of which was the setting up of a body to work with the United Nations to address some of the major problems in the world.

Skepticism might be harboured about the success of such an endeavour, but we need to remain optimistic that, when all else fails, Man seems to turn to God as a last resort. He certainly should not be considered "a last resort", but as it is said, better late than never.

As our Holy Father once pointed out, during the recent "Seige of Bethlehem", God can move the minds and hearts of even the most stubborn and intransigent. Indeed, that is what is needed most of all.

When one ponders the problems that beset the world today, one cannot but realize that the so-called "problems" are not really problems at all in themselves, but it is people who are causing the problems. It is people who have attitudes and mindsets/couched under the term often used: "lacking political will" - whatever that is supposed to mean!

Terrorism and the Catholic Press THAILAND, Sam Phran, (UCAN) — Religious and lay communication workers from Southeast Asia have pledged to promote peace and understanding through more credible and balanced reporting of conflicts in the region.

The 10 communicators and a teacher of journalism from Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand assembled at the Baan Phu Waan Pastoral Training Center in Sam Phran, west of Bangkok, to reflect on thetheme “The Mission of the Catholic Journalist Amid the ‘War on Terror.’”

The June 20-23 assembly ended with a resolution signed by Father Anthony Vorayuth Kitbamrung, secretary of the Catholic Social Communications Commission of Thailand and president of the Southeast Asian Catholic Press Association (SEACPA) that organized the meeting.

Acknowledging religious diversity and ethnic and cultural pluralism in their region, the participants committed to be sensitive, professional and ethical in reporting on conflict and peace issues.

“We commit to be careful in our choice of words and ensure that our writings do not aggravate conflicts we report,” their statement read.

Participants encouraged colleagues to pursue in-depth reporting so that conflict and other issues they write about are

advised the writers on religious understood in their proper context. issues to “find materials in the “We also vow to encourage tra d itio n .”

He noted that interaction with other secular and religious journalists and to utilize • presentations of Islam in the media have been largely reliant on modern means of communication “ethnicized” interpretations prone to to promote networking, even with stereotyping. colleagues of other faiths,” the He cited the misuse of the term participants added. jihad, an Islamic concept involving Venerable Mettanando Bhikku, “an effort or struggle to resist Buddhist Affairs special advisor to instincts that seek to drive people the World Conference on Religion away from belief in God." The media and Peace, addressed the Catholic uses jihad to refer to “holy war, ” he journalists’ meeting. noted.

The challenge of peace after Militant Muslims who promote the Sept. 11 attacks in the United jihad as a “holy war” are “groups on States is to avoid excessive focus the fringe,” he said. A larger group on the terrorists but instead to with moderate Islamic modernists destroy terrorism, the Buddhist is open to dialogue with other monk said. religions, Yusuf explained.

“We have to address bad SEACPA, established in Manila fortune before it happens,” he in 1976, is an association of some added, citing “the culture of 30 Catholic journalists, publishers, ignorance” and poverty as roots of and teachers of communication or conflict. journalism in Indonesia, Malaysia, Explaining the Buddhist Myanmar, the Philippines, concept of omen, he said, “The Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. challenge of humankind is that It is a regional subgroup of the bad things that happen can be a International Catholic Union of the window to better things in the Press (UCIP). future.”

Its June meeting heard the Venerable Mettanando said the report of Maryknoll Father Robert attacks in the United States and Astorino, executive director of the the bombings in Afghanistan that Union of Catholic Asian News, on followed call attention to the neglect the statutes of UCIP ratified in 2001 of women who are the teachers by the Church’s official organization and nurturers in many cultures of the press. and religions.

Father Astorino urged the Asian “The empowerment and group to review its identity in light education of our women is of the new statutes of UCIP on important because they are the which its identity has been based main vehicles for establishing a and the “diminishing quality, culture of peace,” he said. relevance and usefulness of Professor Imtiyaz Yusuf of Catholic newspapers in Asia.”

Assumption University in Bangkok

12

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Miracle of Love MALAYSIA, Taiping (UCAN) — Daniel Teoh is a walking, talking miracle. One year ago, the Malaysian boy was lying in a hospital bed in a deep coma.

In June 2001, Daniel sustained head injuries in a motor accident and underwent emergency brain surgery in Taiping, 220 kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur.

The miracle was not the medical treatment but the family, friends and parish that gave spiritual, physical and emotional support that helped the Teoh family pull through the crisis.

With Peter, the boy’s father, having to work, and two sisters in college, the onus of nursing the 14-year-old comatose boy fell on his mother, Miranda who is a former nurse. She was not alone, however. Church members rallied around her and her son became the focal point of a great deal of prayers, tears shared, uncountable hospital visits, cooked meals and an endless stream of visitors.

A round-the-clock prayer chain was set up and so was a duty roster to organize the care givers.

Daniel was in coma for three weeks and during that time, the outpouring of love and help rendered by friends and relatives had the hospital staff and other observers, mostly of other religions, commenting on how united Christians are.

Daniel's young friends who came to visit presented the most touching scenes. Unlike adults who

seemed to know what to say and do, these youngters, most in school uniform, just stood around gazing silently at their comatose friend.

“Tell him some jokes and what is happening in school. He may be able to hear you,” someone suggested.

Friends who visited read to him and prayed with him, never sure whether he could hear them or not. A popular Bible story recounted several times was of Daniel in the lion’s den.

His sister recorded Daniel’s puppy’s barking and played it back for him. His favorite music and computer games were turned on at low volume and placed next to his ear.

Church people came in a constant stream, talking and whispering to him, all using their own devices to help Daniel wake up, which he did after 20 days.

One of the- earliest scribbling Daniel undertook when he woke up from his coma was “Thank you friends and teachers.” Initially unable to talk or focus his eyes on what he was doing and being paralyzed on one side, the scribbles were his only way of communicating.

When he could talk a little, he asked questions about his scoutmates such as when their band would be playing at a nearby fishing village to celebrate the feast of Saint Peter. He also requested a friend to take over his duty as a

Care for Migrants VIETNAM, Ho Chi Minh City (UCAN) — A priest in southern Vietnam has begun various programs to serve migrants who make up a majority of his parish.

E -m a il: j r j .e a s t v a le @ p a c if ic . n e t.s g

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Tel: 6252-3390 email: wellsp@singnet.com.sg web: www.wellsprings.com.sg

a

THE CATHO LIC NEW S

Father Jean Baptiste Doan Vinh Phuc, pastor of Thien An parish in Ho Chi Minh City archdiocese, said it is a challenge to serve Catholic migrants as they came from many parts of the country and have various customs.

Besides, these people live scattered around and do not register at the parish, said Father Phuc, whose parish has 5,300 Catholics, 3,500 of whom are migrants. He said his parish has about 100,000 people of other religions.

Joseph Dinh Viet Thin, a member of the parish council, said many migrant Catholics in the parish do not go to church, because they have to work all the time as they are poor, and some of them have parents who are not Catholics.

Father Phuc, head of Tan Son Nhi deanery, said, “Many families cannot take part in parish activities since they live far from the church and they have no transportation or time to come to church.”

A local Church source said many parishes in Ho Chi Minh City are faced with the challenge of providing pastoral services to migrants. The archdiocese does not have any concrete pastoral programs for them either, the source said.

Nevertheless, Father Phuc said he has initiated a couple of programs to help build up the parish.

He launched a parish ministry course for 82 adults. “These people will work with me in serving the parish and take up various positions in the parish associations,” he said.

He added that the parish also runs a catechism gourse for youths, aged 18-25, who have never had catechism classes or received the Sacraments before.

Father Phuc said the parish also gives religious education training to catechists. They will teach catechism to families living far from the church, he added.

The 73-year-old priest, who has had 12 medical operations and is suffering from diabetes, said he also launched free remedial classes for poor children. In the last school year, there were 170 students, all of them Catholics.

Father Phuc told UCA News, “We have the responsibility to educate children and expect them to have a better future.”

“The local government has encouraged the parish to open more classes,” the priest said, adding that some 300 students will be accepted for the new class.

A lay leader in charge of youths said the parish also offers youths a place for activities. “About two-thirds of the 80 young migrants gather in the church yard every Sunday evening to share the word of God and study catechism,” he added.

Father Phuc said every year the parish gives presents to poor families, visits the elderly and sick and supports them materially and spiritually.

The priest said that “in Masses I always call on my parishioners to live in unity, and help and visit each other to bear witness to Christ.”

“I tell them that God will be generous to us if we are generous to others, especially the poor,” he said. “I wish to visit all the families in the parish to learn about their lives,” he added.

patrol leader to conduct a scout meeting.

One year later, Daniel is back in school. On June 1 this year, the Teoh family held a thanksgiving Mass and dinner to show their gratitude to the surgeon, doctors and nurses, friends, relatives and fellow parishioners.

“As we journeyed with Daniel to complete recovery, it was a traumatic time, but it was also a journey of faith. We frequented Our Lady’s grotto at St. Louis Church (in Taiping) and visited the Blessed Sacrament daily.”

“At our lowest ebb we had no words to express our pain, and so wordlessly, helplessly we remained in deep silence, waiting for the Lord to comfort us,” she added.

During that dark time, many friends went to sit with the family in church, holding their hands and weeping with them.

“In a strange kind of way, despite the fact that Daniel did not recall anything about his accident and all that transpired after that, I believe that Daniel was soaked in God’s love through the unceasing prayers whispered into his ears daily,” Miranda said.

Daniel must have absorbed all that love and now he has changed and become a gentle and forgiving person, Miranda said. “I can never thank God enough for surrounding me with great friends - the parishioners of my Church,” she said. □

Hospital award INDONESIA, Maumere (UCAN) — St. Elisabeth Hospital, run by Servants of the Holy Spirit nuns in Flores, Indonesia, was honored with a “best service” award from the provincial government in the childcare category among general hospitals in East Nusa Tenggara province.

Sister Maria Fidelis Edis, deputy director of the hospital, received the award June 17 from Doctor Asih, chief of the Health Ministry’s Family Health Directorate.

Among those present at the ceremony Were Ignatius Henyo Kerong, chief of Sikka district’s health office, and Brigitte Bruun and Martha Santoso Ismail, representatives of the United Nations Population Fund.

Kerong, a medical doctor, told UCA News that St. Elisabeth Hospital deserved the award due to its longtime service to Flores people, most of whom are Catholics.

“Thanks to its service which corresponded with the Church social teachings, the hospital gained people’s trust,” said Kerong.

Owned by the Archdiocese of Ende, the hospital was founded in 1930. The present director, Sister Conchita Cruz, a Filipino who has worked in Flores for 28 years.

In 1952, the hospital opened a nursing school, which in 2001 was upgraded to an academy. The hospital has 100 beds, made up of 50 in general wards, 28 in smaller wards and 22 in first-class rooms, and a total of 250 professional staff. About 100 patients visit the hospital every day.

The sisters also run St. Gabriel Hospital in Kewapante, about 9 kilometers east of the capital city.

St. Gabriel Hospital is also known for its research and development of traditional medicines.

13

THE CATHO LIC NEW S

LOCAL

mm

Called to the Lord There was a time when Malaysia and Singapore were one diocese, the Diocese of Malacca, and later the Archdiocese of Malacca-Singapore, and the older priests were well known to each other since they could be posted anywhere from Alor Star in the north of West Malaysia to Singapore in the south.

It was during this time that Fr Emile Fernandez was posted to the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Singapore from October 1947 to August 1948.

Even after the division of the ecclesiastical territories, many of the older priests in Singapore would still remember Fr. Emile Fernandez very well, because they would go to his parish in Kluang, Johore to collect palms, which were culti­ vated on the church land, for Palm Sunday.

Fr. Emile Fernandez under­ went his Seminary training, as all priests of Malaysia and Singapore at that time, in the Minor Seminary in Singapore for three years be­ fore proceeding to the General College in Penang for another six years. Like all the priests at that time, Fr Emile was ordained in the Chapel of the General College, in Penang, on 13 September 1942, during World War II. His first posting was to St. Anthony's Church, Kuala Lumpur.

Later, after his stint at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Singapore he returned to Kuala Lumpur, to St John's Church, where he re­ mained till 1952.

On 22 Feb 1952, he went to St Louis Church, Kluang, where he

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE T w entieth A nniversary In loving m em ory o f

S. SUSARETNAM Departed: July 12,1982

It’s now 20 years since you left us.

W e often think of bygone days when we w ere together And the m em ory o f you will ever linger Through the passing years.

D eeply m issed by wife, children and loved ones.

A M ass will be celebrated at the Church o f O ur Lady o f Lourdes, Ophir Road on July 14, 2002 at 8 am.

JULY 7 - J U L Y 14, 2002

COMING UP CHIJ ST THERESA'S OPEN HOUSE All Primary 6 Girls who wish to know more about a value added secondary education in our happy and motivating environment are invited. Date: July 13, 9 am to 12 pm„ Venue: CHIJ St Theresa’s, 160 Radin Mas. COMMON SENSE PARENTING WORKSHOP The workshop developed by Boystown, USA has helped parents use easy-tolearn skills and a method to-manage behaviours and guide their children in making responsible choices. Parents with children aged 5-16 are encouraged to attend. Dates: Saturdays, July 13-Aug 24 except for Aug 10, 2.30-4.30 pm.

Venue: Morning Star Family Care Centre at 4 Lor. Low Koon. Fee: per six sessions $20. Enquiries: Kelvyanne/Juliana (62851377) email mstarfcc@singnet.com.sg

Rev. Fr. Emile Fernandez Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

served as assistant and later as Parish Priest, succeeding Fr Inno­ cent Fernandez. Fr Emile was responsible for the rebuilding of the old Church in the 60's and initiating the building of a new Parish complex.

He celebrated his Silver Jubi­ lee in the new church on 13 September 1967, and also his Golden Jubilee in 1992.

Fr. Emile Fernandez would have celebrated 60 years of serv­ ice to the Lord in September this year, but was called by the Lord to his reward on 20 May 2002.

We extend our heartfelt con­ dolences to his family and relatives.

- from report

by A E Pereira, Kluang First Anniversary In loving memory of

MALACCA-SINGAPORE RECOLLECTION Come and join the young adults (18-35 yrs old) of Malacca and Singapore for a weekend ofdiscovery on Aug 9-11 .Venue: Good Shepherd Seminary (Malacca).

Enquiries: Gary (9790-2533/ glee@alumni.nus.edu.sg) Serene (94776197/ renoir@pacific.net.sg).

Organised by Verbum Dei Missionaries.

SHARING THE GIFT OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER For those interested to learn and know about Christian Meditation. Organised by The Christian Meditation Community.

Date: Aug 1 to Oct 3 (10 Thursdays), 8-9.15 pm. Venue: Church of Christ the King, 2221 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8.

Registration: $10/- payable to Daulet Manecksha 147 Devonshire Rd #04-02 S239894. Enquiries: Daulet 6737-6279 daulet@pacific.net.sg I Rebecca 6445-8062 rebeccaiim@pacific.net.sg ADULT CATECHESIS Under the New Evangelization Team, catechesis in English and Dialect is provided for housebound senior citizens.

Enquiries: Elizabeth Tay for catechesis in English (9324-0471) or Andrew Goh for catechesis in dialect (9502-0402).

TRIP TO FERRINGHI BEACH, PENANG Dates: Aug 2 to 4 Price: $399 per pax (inclusive of airfare, taxes, most meals and city tours). Enquiries: Caroline 9841-7592, Dolly 9824-3564 or Paul 9524-8722.

Organised by the Catholic Singles Encounter of Church o fth e Holy Cross.

Fourth A nniversary I First Anniversary In loving m em ory o f In loving m em ory of

Villa Francis Home for the Aged, 6269-2877 Fax: 6368-4505

Bible Correspondence Course in Chinese, Fr John Baptist Tou 6337-2465

St Theresa’s Home For The Aged, 6256-2532 Fax: 6256-5610

Catholic Audio-Visual Centre, 6858-3077 Fax:6858-2077 _ __

St Joseph's Home, Sr Maria Sim 6268-0482 Fax: 6268-4787

China Catholic Communication (Zhonglian Centre), Patrick Lee Kim Hwee 9060-5080/6286-1826

nc0071b@cyberway. com.sg F A M IL Y

Christian Family and Social Movement, Francis Tamel Mane 9586-9938, 6792-6701______________ Family Life Society 6488-0278 website: www.familylife.org.sg Morning Star Family Care Centre, 6285-1377 Fax: 6285-2715 C H IL D R E N

Galilee Centre, 6454-0528 Fax. 6454-3167 Clementi Children's Centre, Ms Maria Swee 6777-3893 ijhcc@singnet.com.sg Canossaville Children's Home, Sr Rose Low/Ms Anne Siew 6748-5777

canossa@pacific.net.sg Marian Centre (before and after school care), 6250-0877_____________ Marymount Boarding, 6354-2245/ 6253-6816 Fax: 6353-4809

THANKSGIVING

"IN SW'S OM/MMcM OFA m m m m n m e -, u m m R E M r/ce rn u jm s n .’

J

T hanksgiving to St Jude M ost holy apostle, dear St Jude. My heart is filled with gratitude. I cam e to you in deepest despair. You lifted me w ith powerful prayer. M ost holy advisor, dear St Jude.

My faith has grown in m agnitude.

T hrough Jesus, Mary, Joseph and you. I know God^s love is great and true. E.K. Special thanks to Sacred Heart of Jesus, O ur Lady o f Perpetual Help, St Jude and all the Saints for prayers answ ered. Love Dorothy and Sharon

T hank you St Jude for prayers answered.

Also grateful thanks to o ur Lord, Blessed M other and Holy Spirit for all your blessings, intercessions, protection and prayers answ ered. Please continue to intercede and help us in w hatever difficulties we may face and especially in helping my son to do well in his com ing PSLE. A nna & family.

http://www.cams.org.sg

Central Commodity Services (R e ) Ltd, 6337-4238 Fax: 6339-2583

ccs55@singnet.com.sg Hai Sing Pao, Ms Catherine Chia 6337-2465 carlo@cams.org.sg W e b s ite :

http://www.cams.org.sg

Katong Catholic Book Centre Pte Ltd, 6345-1413 Fax: 6440-0272

katongcathotic@padfic.net.sg Apostolate of the Media, 6892-1639 Fax: 6562-5857 Catholic News Book & Media, 6858-3066 Fax: 6858-2055 M IG R A N T C O M M U N IT Y

Francophone Catholic Community of Singapore (French-speaking Catholics), Sabine et Antoine Huet Tel/Fax: 6472-5840

H A N D IC A P P E D

German-speaking Catholics, 6468-1534 Fax: 6468-2402 ____

Catholic Office for the Hearing Impaired, Friar Rowland Yeo, OFM

rowiandyeo@hotmail. com

Hong Kong Catholics, 6737-9285 Fax: 6737-8502

Canossian School For The HearingImpaired, 6749-8971 Fax: 6749-8976

Indonesian-speaking Catholics, Josephine Handojo 6235-2820

Ang Mo Kio Home, Sr Jo Tham 6459-4801

Japanese Catholics, Kiyoko Jarnes 6552-4060 james@pacific.net.sg

K IN D E R G A R T E N

Catholic Kindergarten, Ms Edna Ng Poh Tiang 6283-3821 Fax: 6284-7783

cathkg@singnet.com.sg Nativity Church Centre, 6285-6198, Fax: 6285-9556 nativity@pacific.net.sg Magdalene's Kindergarten, Mary Goh Boon How 6747-6554______ Canossian Convent Kindergarten, Sr Jane Chong 6469-2201 Fax: 6466-1307

cankdg@singnet. com. sg Maris Stella, Sr Marjorie Almodiel, FMM 6474-3590 ______

Korean Catholics, Esther You 6242-5607 The Commission for Migrants & Itinerant People 6280-5424

migrants@singnet. com. sg Jesuit Refugee Service, jrs@jesrefsg.org Fr Colin Tan 6463-6022 cxtsj@singnet.com.sg China Catholic Communication, Patrick Lee Kim Hwee 9060-5080 mail@zl.per.sg S P IR IT U A L IT Y

Cenacle, 6565-2895 Fax: 6565-3875

cenacte@mbox4.singnet.com.sg Centre For Ignatian Spirituality and Counselling, Br Gerard Choo, SJ 6467-6072 Franciscan Retreat Centre, 6567-9771 Fax: 6567-9786 ________ FMM House of Prayer and Formation, Sr Mary Chua 6474-2526

Bakhita Search-lnn, Christina/Sr Veronica (6367-6264 / 6467-4290)

Infant Jesus Retreat and Youth Centre, Sr Gerard Lee 6760-2461 Fax: 6769-9369

Boys’ Town Fraternity,

Life Direction Team, SrTheresa Koh, FMM 6474-2422 Fax: 6472-5895 Sr Florence Wong, FMDM 6753-9602/ 9264-6733

gaudettg@boystown.org.sg Br Dominic

W ith heartfelt thanks to B lessed St Jude for your prayers and intercessions.

G rateful thanks too to St Teresa for your showers and deluge of roses. Please continue to pray for us. M aria and family

W e b s ite :

The Catholic News, 6858-3055 Fax. 6858-2055 cathnews@veritas.org.sg

Good Shepherd Child Care Centre, Ms Helen Tan 6242-5695 Fax: 6448-3454

YOUTH

PATRICK D’SILVA Departed: July 20, 2001 Gone from our lives one so dear, But in our hearts forever near.

Always remembered by loved ones and friends.

www.zi.per.sg

Nazareth Special Learning Centre, Sr Anne May Chua, FMM 6276-3200

St Francis Xavier Play Centre, Mrs Emily Goh Tel: 6280-8929

R OSALIND W EE LIN NEO B om : Oct 27, 1939 Departed:Jul 13, 2001 Peaceful be your rest, dear m other, It is sw eet to breathe your name; A s in life w e loved you dearly, So in death w e do the same.

D early m issed and rem em bered by son T erence and loved

w eb:

Filipino Catholic Community of Singapore, Nelly Faminialagao 9831-8044/6893-7609

Marymount Kindergarten, Petrina Siow 6251 -5049 Fax: 6252-67904

RT REV M GR J.R. de R O Z A RIO Departed: Jul 18, 1998 W e cannot forget you O ur loved one so dear; Y our m em ory grows S weeter year after year.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon him.

Forever cherished and fondly remembered by the staff of The Catholic News,cousins, and all loved ones.

mail@zl.per.sg

Carlo Catholic Society, 6337-7489 Fax: 6334-4370 carlo@cams.org.sg

Kiong 6769-1618 Fax: 6762-7846 Catholic Overseas Students Down Under Adrian (9836-5217) or Dennis (6274-2979) or

cosdu@yahoo.com.au

Choice, 9307-7752/9671-0767

il.com Hosanna! Music Ministry www.hmmonline.org <http://www.hmmonline.org> contact Tammy 9747-8570.

Catholic Students’ Society - University of Singapore, Mr Irving Teo 6296-0897

irvingteo@catholic. org Nanyang Technological University Catholic Students’ Apostolate, NTU Branch: Mr Budi Susanto 9478-7827.

National Institute of Education Catholic Students’ Apostolate (NIECSA), NIE Branch: Ang Mei Ling 96663234 Infant Jesus Retreat and Youth Centre, Sr Gerard Lee 6760-2461/92947521 Fax: 7699369 srtlee@yahoo.com

LifeSprings Canossian Spirituality Centre, Sr Lily Tan 6466-2178 Fax: 6466-1307 lifspmg@singnet.com.sg St Francis Xavier Minor Seminary (SFX Retreat Centre), 6288-7901 Fax: 6858-2716 sfxrc@singnet.com.sg

Website: httpHwww. catholic, org. sg/SFX The Sojourners’ Companions, 9268-6723

sojourners_companions@yahoo. com P R O F E S S IO N A L

Catholic Nurses Guild of Singapore, Miss Janet Chan Poh Goon 6442-8546 Catholic Teachers' Movement, Mrs Gail Siow (R) 6454-4094 The Catholic Medical Guild of Singapore, Dr John Hui Keem Peng johnhui@cyberway.com.sg S P E C IA L S E R V IC E S

Poverello Teen Centre, Sr Maria Sylvia Ng, FMM 6544-2603 jub2000@singnet.com.sg

Catholic AIDS Response Effort (CARE), Peter Lau 6353-4976, 9745-8991

Praise@Work Juliana 9799-9184 or email

wetcome@praiseatwork.org

Good Shepherd Centre, 6755-6496 Fax: 6752-0670

St Patrick House, (Boarding) Br Collin Wee, FSC 6345-5929 Fax: 6345-4635

R.C. Prison Ministry, Sr Gerard Fernandez, RGS 6250-9151 Fax: 6250-1804

Youth Life-Line, 6252-6300 Fax: 6285-5311

Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association Catholic Aftercare (Counselling) Service Committee SANA Co-ordinator: Tan Lee Hoon 6732-1122 Fax:6732-4564

Youth Praise MinistryHelen Lee (9029-0118) email ypmsingapore@yahoo.com.

Young Christian Students' Movement (Mandarin-speaking), Mr Stephen Chia 6286-4166 95024549__________ Young Christian Workers (Mandarin­ speaking), Maria Ng Kim Luang 6763-0137 S O C IA L S E R V IC E

Catholic Welfare Services, Michael Chua 6337-6165 / 6337-7954 Fax: 6336-1513

Apostleship ofthe Sea (Catholic Seamen’s Mission), Fr Romeo Yu Chang, CICM 6271-8464/9783-5191 Fax:6271-1175

portchap@singnet.com.sg W e b s ite : www.steiiamaris.net Gift of Love Home, Sr M Andrianne, MC 6251-6004____ ________ 'Rose Villa', 6253-6556

14

JULY 7 - J U L Y 14, 2002

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O p e n 2 4 H o u rs

Ninth A nniversary In cherish memory of In loving memory of beloved husband, father, and grandfather w ho passed away on the July 11, 1992 D earest beloved one, The life o f one we love is never truly lost.

His life on earth leaves those who love him.

Life is eternal, love is m ortal. D eath is in one tem porary parting.

W e will be together M ARIA SONG again one day.

G U A N NEO Forever loved and Departed: July 10, 1993 rem em bered by your PATRICK The depths o f sorrow loving w ife Joycelyn, GEO R G E your daughter M onica, we cannot tell PESTANA O f the loss o f one spouse Nicholas, and we love so well Bom: April 19, 1930 grandson Em m anuel Departed: July 11,1992 and loved ones.

And while you sleep a peaceful sleep Y our memory Eleventh In loving m em ory of we shall alw ays keep.

Anniversary Fondly remembered In loving memory of

by Alice, Soon Huat and all loved ones.

Tenth Death Anniversary In memory o f late

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THE CATHO LIC NEW S

A. THERESA MARY Departed: July 12,1977 Take her in Thy arms, dear Lord, And ever let her be A m essenger o f love Between our hearts and Thee.

Fondly rem em bered by husband, children and loved ones.

Fifth Anniversary In loving m em ory of

In loving m em ory of

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T w enty-first Anniversary In loving m em ory of

K. AROKIADASS Departed: July 10,1981 Upright and just in all his ways, Loyal and true through all his days, Silently suffered, patiently bore, G od took him home to suffer no more.

V ery dearly missed by wife, children and grandchildren.

Third Anniversary In loving m em ory of

M ARY CECILE K LASSEN Departed: July 6, 1999 God saw she was getting tired“and a cure was not to be.

Thirtieth A nniversary In loving m em ory of our beloved

So He put His arm s around her and whispered, “C om e w ith m e” .

W ith tear-filled eyes w e w atched her suffer and fade away.

A lthough we loved her deeply, W e could not make her stay.

A golden heart stopped beating, hard-w orking hands put to rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us he only takes the best.

D eeply m issed and alw ays rem em bered with love by husband, children, grandsons, relatives and friends.

Forteenth A nniversary In loving m em ory of

First Anniversary In loving m em ory of

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R O B ER T ONG CH EN G THYE Departed: July 8, 1997 Only the m em ory’s left, O f the happiness we knew, But the love that kindled m em ory’s torch W ill feed my whole life through.

Fondly loved and rem em bered by D innie, children and grandchildren.

DA V ID HIM AT SINGH Departed: Jul 17, 1991

M A N U E L A L L A IS (A LEX ) Bom: Aug 27, 1929 Departed: July 8,1981

His sm iling way and pleasant face Are a pleasure to recall; He had a kind word for each And died beloved by all.

Som e day we hope to m eet him, Some day, we know not when, T o clasp his hand in the better land, N ever to part again.

Fondly rem em bered by loved ones.

He had a smile, a pleasant way, A helping hand to all he knew, H e was kind, generous and true, O n earth he nobly did his best; G rant him , Jesus, heavenly rest.

Always remembered by loving w ife M. M ayma, sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren.

Third Anniversary In lovin g m em ory o f

A N T H O N Y TA N C H Y E SE N G Departed: July 12, 1997 O nly the m em ory’s left, O f the happiness we knew, But the love that kindled m em ory’s torch Will feed my whole life through.

A lways remembered by wife and family.

M ass will be celebrated in the C hurch o f the Holy Trinity at 11 am.

M RS TERESA R ODRIGUES Bom: Sept 1, 1928 Departed: July 18, 2001 Eternal rest grant unto her Oh Lord and perpetual light shine upon her.

M ay her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed through the m ercy of God rest in peace.

Dearly missed by your loving husband, children, grandchildren and relatives.

VAREED M ANUAL LOPEZ C ELC IS BERN A R D Departed: July 12,1988 BA TCHELOR Bom: Sept 27, 1933 O ur thoughts are Departed: July 12, 1972 always with you, O ur hearts are sore Rest in peace, with pain; dear loving father Thirty long years have This world would be like heaven pased away; If you w ere here again.

Y ou’re gone, but are still living Lovingly rem em bered In the hearts by wife M ariam , o f those who stay. children, in-laws ^nd A lways remembered grand-children.

by Pat, family and loved ones.

M ass will be celebrated at Church o f the Holy Trinity, Singapore on July 14, 2002 at 11,00 am.

Please turnto page 13for more “InMemoriam” announcements andclassified advertisements.

F i r s t A n n iv e r s a r y

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GLEN CHAI CHEE FOONG Departed: July 8, 1999

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S H IR L E Y M A Y O O I C H IT G IM D e p a r t e d : J u ly 7 , 2001 ( W i f e o f la t e L a w r e n c e F r e d d i e Y a p T io n g S e n g )

Dearest Mum —Losing you was more than we could bear No more special occasions now with you to share Time and prayers have not consoled our pain A year is gone; our lives have not been the same All our years you were our pillar of strength As our mother, guardian, counsellor and friend You could have sought a profession or a career But you chose to be OUR MOTHER through our years The days you had were sometimes filled with sadness And there were endless days you had in glorious happiness Memories of your courage and faith will inspire us and Your virtues of love and strenth will guide us along You said to us: “My duty as your mother is finally done I have watched you all grown up, one by one Ready now to surrender my illness to G od’s loving hands With His grace and peace, I embrace His heavenly plans”.

Thank you, dearest mum, for your pain, laughter and tears > Thank you for happy memories and our “growing-up” years Thank you for your selfless sacrifice, devotion and love Thank you for praying for us from your home up above Thank you LORD, for THE GIFT of YOU! Dearly missed by Phyllis Yap, Christina & Phillip Yap, Catherine & Patrick Yap, Patricia & Anthony Hoon, Mary & Jeffrey Yap, grandchildren and Yap, Ooi & Yeoh families and friends Masses at: Church o f St Francis Xavier, C hartw ell Road:

July 6 (Saturday) 6.00 pm and July 7 (Sunday) 10.45 am Church o f C hrist the K ing, Ang M o K io, Ave 8:

July 6 (Saturday) 6.00 pm, July 7 (Sunday) 11.00 am.

JULY 7 - J U L Y 14, 2002

THE CATH O LIC NEW S

YOUNG CATHOLICS

Looking to the concerns of youths G O A LS O F Y O U T H M IN IS T R Y

ON May 28 Archbishop Nicholas Chia met priests, a few nuns and myself whose ministries involve the youths. We spoke about the concerns of our Catholic youth after their Confirmation and those above 18.

The archbishop also expressed concern for the youth in the poly­ technics, and varsities, NTU and NUS. At the beginning of our meet­ ing, I spoke about the vision of the youth apostolate. I was very happy that the archbishop had taken this step to gather all the priests in­ volved with youths and to voice the youths’ concerns.

I felt that although various youth programmes from other countries could be brought in and adapted to our needs, we all needed to work together as one body to make it succeed.

What is needed is for priests to rise up and meet the needs of youths who are engulfed by the influence of the media and find the Mass boring. This is obvious by the way students show their lack of enthusiasm when Mass is cel­ ebrated in Catholic schools.

It is important that the vision of the youth ministry be understood and carried out in a way that is based on scripture and Gospel values and is person-centred just as Jesus’ ministry was: To inspire, build and support a Christ-centred youth community

Other priests also gave similar views and thoughts on youths. It was noted that very often after their Confirmation, many youths are found hanging aimlessly

Fr Michael with Singaporean youths at last year’s Asian Youth Day. He says he is planning a programme for post-Confirmation youths to keep them involved in church.

around the church. It is good that they come for Mass but after some time they may not come at all.

Obviously, they need a programme of spiritual formation that will guide them into adulthood .

The archbishop expressed the need for us priests to do our work well and gave us the green light for a Post-Confirmation pro­ gramme. If you have any feedback in this area we welcome your shar­ ing.

I would like to share what Thomas East and John Roberto Don in “Guides to Youth MinistryLeadership” said about youth min­ istry, which I find relevant to our situation: “For too long, youth ministry has been considered a task that a congregation can delegate to an individual or a group o f volunteers.

This understanding has led to burn­ out for leaders whose lifetime contributions to ministry are some­ times cut short by the frustration, isolation and disillusionment o f a solo ministry.

“This understanding has also robbed the congregation o f a life source o f energy, enthusiasm and revitalisation. These gifts come alive when a community is invited, inspired and enabled to serve youth. We must broaden our vi­ sion, continue to grow in our empowerment skills and make a commitment to a long-term invest­ ment in our communities...

If the Church in Singapore is to take youth ministry seriously, then the youth and clergy must reach out and respond to each other.

I must say that I find the move made by the archbishop, of per­ sonally appointing the District Youth Chaplains, very encourag­ ing as this would definitely place youth concerns at a higher priority level among their commitments.

In fact Monsignor Eugene Vaz, who was also present, added that all the priests and nuns who were invited for the meeting should give these concerns of youth their top priority.

The three independent goals for ministry with youth focus our attention on different emphases for promoting an active discipleship: 1.

Youth Ministry works to foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person;

2.

Youth Ministry seeks to draw young people to respon­ sible participation in the life, mission and work of the faith community: and

3.

Youth Ministry empowers young people to become disciples of Jesus Christ, who witness to their faith by living and working for justice, peace and human dignity.

At this point, I would like to reflect on the words of Pope Paul VI as early as May 9, 1975, also very encouraging and thought pro­ voking: “...we think that we have every reason to have confidence in Chris­ tian youth: youth will not fail the Church if within the Church there are enough older people able to understand it, love it, guide it and to open up to it a future by passing on to it with complete fidelity the truth which endures ... “

During the first two weeks of June I have met up with all the district youth chaplains and their youth representatives and dis­ cussed the various problems faced by youth in the parishes and I am now planning a programme for the Post-Confirmands and those above 18. I will keep you informed of the progress at a later date. Till then.

God bless. □ Fr Michael Sitaram is youth chap­ lain of the Singapore Archdiocese.

To contact him email: cathyctr @pacific.net.sg.

These are the District Youth Chaplains appointed by the archbishop: City - Fr. Albert Ng and Fr. Cary Chan

East - Fr. Erbin Fernandez and Fr. Alex Chua West - Fr. John-Paul Tan, Fr. Colin Tan and Fr. Ignatius Yeo

Serangoon - Fr. Luke Fong, Fr. Frederick Quek and Fr. Brian D’Souza

North - Fr. Adrian Yeo and Fr. Andrew Wong

NUS and chaplain Fr Michael Sitaram

NTU and Polytechnics Not confirmed

Proceeds from St Joan musical donated to home, centre for teenagers

By Anthony Siow

REPRESENTATIVES from Rose Villa and Poverello Teen Centre received cheques totalling $63,176 from the sale of tickets for the musical on St Joan of Arc,at an informal ceremony at Kingsmead Hall of the Jesuit Community on June 2.

Rose Villa, a residential home for unmarried mothers run by the Good Shepherd Sisters, has pro­ vided warmth, dignity, shelter and support for women facing crisis pregnancy for the past 40 years.

Poverello Teen Centre operates as a drop-in centre for troubled youths and is managed by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM).

With the sums raised, the two homes can continue to offer not just support but hope to those in need.

FMM Sister Maria Sylvia from Poverello summed up the senti­ ments of the beneficiaries by drawing attention to the fact that raising funds for teenagers is not as

This weekend camp is planned by the Franciscan Family for youths from our parishes for an experience and an education towards World Peace.

All youth are warmly encouraged to come along with sleeping bags for an exciting time of sharings, prayers and fellowship!

ACT members on June 2.

I n v i t i n g a l l Y o u th t o b e c o n c e r n e d f o r W o r l d P eace! easy as raising funds for children or the elderly.

Jesuit Father Leslie Raj, spir­ itual director of ACT, highlighted the theatre ministry’s mission, which in­ cluded creating social awareness.

He stressed that this was an impor­ tant dimension to the work of ACT, which is an apostolate of the Jesu­ its, because the call to serve is both

to God and mankind.

In addition to raising funds, all three musicals staged by ACT so far have profiled and highlighted the beneficiaries to create greater public awareness.

The musical Saint Joan : Maid of God, played to capacity crowds at the NUS University Cultural Cen­ tre from April 12-14. □

FM M H ou se o f Prayer and Form ation C ontact person: Sr M a rtin a K ang, FM M Tel: 6472-4521 H /P : 9120-0110 Fax: 64725895 Em ail: fm m m s@ sin g n et.co m .sg R egistration fee: $10.00 Date: 27 July, 2002 to 28 July, 2002

Speakers: Br Michael Broughton, FSC Fr Colin Tan, SJ Fr Michael Arro, MEP Friar John-Paul Tan, OFM Support Groups: Taize Prayer Group, Focolare, Inter-Religious Organisation, Youth Praise Ministry

JULY 7 -JULY 14, 2002

THE CATHO LIC NEW S

16

W O RLD

On Mission to the Americas As expected, the Holy Father will be going to Canada for the cel­ ebration of World Youth Day.

It is, however, obvious that his schedule is very different from those of other Papal visits. The number of official events and meetings has been greatly cur­ tailed and rest days are interspersed between events.

Nevertheless, the Pope will keep to the full journey to Canada and thence to Guatemala and Mexico before returning to the Vatican.

Details of his visit have been released and the emphasis is clearly on the celebration of World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada.

He departs from Rome in the morning of Tuesday 23 July, arriv­ ing at Toronto at 1 pm Toronto time. After a brief welcome cer­ emony at the airport he departs immediately by helicopter for Strawberry Island in Simcoe Lake, due north of Toronto but not far off.

He will be staying at a retreatresort run by the Basilian Fathers.

This is where he will stay and rest for two days before returning to Toronto, Thursday, 25 July for the welcome by the youth at 4.30 in the afternoon at Exhibition Place in Toronto.

Immediately after, he returns to Strawberry Island and rests again for another whole day (Friday) before returning to Toronto on Saturday 27 July, for the rest of his stay in Canada, at the Mother

House of the Sisters of St Joseph at Morrow Park.

In the morning he will receive the Governor General of Canada, the Prime Minister and the Pre­ mier of Ontario with local government officials and then lunch with the Bishops' Conference of Canada.

At 6.00 pm he goes by helicop­ ter to Downsview Park for the all-night vigil with the Youth of the World, which begins at 7.30pm. At

The Pope then goes on to Cuidad de Mexico, the captial of Mexico for the Canonization of St Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The following day he reurns to the Basilica for a celebration of the liturgy of the Word and Beatifica­ tion Ceremony of_the Martyrs Juan Bautista and Jacinto de los Angeles, during which he will de­ liver a Homily.

Immediately after, he leaves for the airport and departs at 1.30 in the afternoon to arrive in Rome the following morning, Friday 2 August at 9.00 am.

Editor - Vatican Reports

Strawberry Island in Simcoe Lake, north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

CANADA

10pm he returns to the Mother House at Morrow Park and the folloiwng morning, Sunday 29 July, returns to Downsview Park for the special Mass for the 17th World Day of Youth at which he will deliver the Homily. At 1.00 pm he

returns to the Mother House from where, the following morning, he leaves Canada for Cuidad de Guatemala, the capital of Guate­ mala.

His visit to Guatemala lasts for only 24 hours just for the Canoni­ zation Mass of a new saint, Hermano Pedro de San Jose de Betancurt.

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

GUATEMALA City of Guatemala

Mapro

th e c o n c e rt

venue

tickets

vP I O & v P t - U

M Julian97386800 Joseph96671320 hmm@catholic.org.sg HOSANNA! MUSIC MINISTRY

Proceeds wS be used to fund future ou&eaches using music as the medium of evangeSsatjon PUBLISHED BY ARCHBISHOP G. YONG, 2 HIGHLAND ROAD #01-03, SINGAPORE 549102. PRINTED BY KHL PRINTING CO PTE LTD, 57 LOYANG DRIVE, SINGAPORE 508968.