DECEMBER 25, 2011, Vol 61, No 26

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www.catholicnews.sg SUNDAY DECEMBER 25, 2011

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VOL 61

NO. 26

The Holy Mother and Child by Stephen B Whatley, an expressionist artist based in London. CNS

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Sunday December 25, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Archbishop’s Christmas Message

Caring for God’s Creation this Christmas The Christ Child pictured in a detail of a Nativity scene. CNS photo

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the countryside, the angels appeared to the Shepherds during the night and said, “Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people...â€? (Luke 2:10) It is with great joy that we welcome Jesus into our homes and hearts this Christmas. God’s greatest gift, our Lord Jesus, is a gift to be shared. How can we share Jesus ZLWK RWKHUV" %\ SXWWLQJ *RG ÂżUVW in our lives each day and connecting our Catholic faith to our everyday thoughts, words and actions. Jesus is God’s word made Ă€HVK EXW *RG VSHDNV WR XV DOVR through His Creation, the Earth in which we live. St Francis had recognised nature as God’s beautiful book, which speaks to us of God’s goodness. Human beings are connected

to nature, and in showing respect for our environment, we are also showing respect for human life and God himself. This Christmas, let us look beyond all the festivities and holiday trappings and focus on sharing Jesus with others through gifts which lift the human spirit and help protect God’s Creation. Let us think about the origin of the gifts we purchase and aim to give experiences rather than material items. For example, we can give tickets to a concert, art event or family activity. We can purchase gifts that support a charity. We can also give the most special gift of all – the gift of our time – to loved ones and those in need, bringing Jesus to birth through acts of kindness and humility. By reaching out to others, we can be the arms and legs of Jesus on Earth! Going forward into the New

ARCHBISHOP’S DIARY 'HF DP &KXUFK RI WKH 5LVHQ &KULVW 0DVV ¹ &RQ¿UPDWLRQ SP %OHVVHG 6DFUDPHQW &KXUFK 0DVV ¹ &RQ¿UPDWLRQ Dec 24 Midnight Cathedral of the Good Shepherd: Mass – Christmas Vigil Dec 25 10.00am Cathedral of the Good Shepherd: Mass – Christmas Dec 26 10.30am Church of St Stephen: Mass – Feastday Dec 29 8.00am CHIJ St Teresa: Blessing Dec 30 8.00pm Church of the Holy Family: Mass – Feastday Dec 31 10.45pm Cathedral of the Good Shepherd: Mass – End-ofthe-Year Service and First Mass of the Year 2012 Jan 05 7.00pm Cathedral of the Good Shepherd: Red Mass

Year, we can make small changes in our everyday habits. We can turn off lights when we leave a room, switch off computers when not in use and limit our use of aircon. We can bring our own ecofriendly bags to the grocery store for food shopping rather than relying on plastic bags, which harm animals and pollute the environment. We can make it a habit to bring our own water bottle to work, school and when moving around town to avoid purchasing bottled water. We can avoid using Styrofoam, which is a hazard to the environment. We can drive less, especially to and from Mass, and walk more, or use public transportation. Every little bit helps, and if we each focus on doing our own small part, we can make a difference in caring for God’s beautiful Creation. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, may the blessing of God’s Creation be with you all. Let us pray for those impacted by climate change and for the strength to make the changes needed in our own lives to care for the world God gave us. Peace be with you this Christmas and a blessed New Year ahead. Go forth and bring Jesus to birth this Christmas. Be His arms and legs on this Earth to help make the world a better place for all humankind! „ Yours devotedly in Christ,

Archbishop Nicholas Chia

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Sunday December 25, 2011 CatholicNews

Interfaith forum on HIV/AIDs Muslim, Buddhist and Catholic representatives share how their religions view the condition By Darren Boon An interfaith forum, comprising representatives from the Muslim, Buddhist and Catholic faiths, discussed how their religions view HIV/AIDS and care for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). About 40 people attended the Dec 6 forum held at Blessed Sacrament Church’s Damien Hall and organised by the Catholic AIDs Response Efforts. Mr Henry Baey, president of the Buddhist Fellowship, told the gathering that Buddhism does not view HIV/AIDS as a punishment and sees it as “a human disease like any other”. This is because Buddhism teaches that “life is subject to suffering … these are how things are”, he said. Contracting diseases is part and parcel of human existence, he added. There is no difference between a person with diabetes and a person with HIV/AIDS, he stressed. Buddhists view PLWHAs as “their brothers and sisters” and treat them with “unconditional love and compassion”. It is also not in the interest of Buddhists to ask why the person got the disease or to lay blame, but to help the patient deal with the condition, he added. A group of Buddhist volunteers also visit the Communicable Disease Centre to offer social and spiritual support to those suffering from AIDS, he said. Mr Feisal Abdul Rahman, a volunteer from Anak Melayu Islam Melawan Penyakit Unik HIV/ AIDS (AMPUH) under Action for

Buddhists view PLWHAs as their brothers and sisters and treat them with unconditional love and compassion.

One should regard bad things happening to people as a test from God, a way to bring believers closer to God.

– Mr Henry Baey, president of the Buddhist Fellowship

– Mr Feisal Abdul Rahman, a volunteer with AMPUH

– Sacred Heart Fr Gerardus Suyono, assistant priest, Blessed Sacrament Church

AIDs, said one should see God’s compassion and mercy in plagues or natural disasters, despite verses in the Bible and Qur’an stating how God sent these to punish mankind. One should regard bad things happening to people as a test from God, a way to bring believers closer to God. It is also a way to bring community members to care for other community members, he added. AMPUH was established in Nov 1999 to raise community

awareness, encourage community participation and enhance community support for Malay/Muslim HIV/AIDS patients. Sacred Heart Fr Gerardus Suyono, assistant priest of Blessed Sacrament Church, shared the Catholic Church’s view of HIV/ AIDS. The disease must never be regarded as a form of punishment from God, he stressed. He reiterated the Church’s position on the value and dignity of the human person, and the sanctity of each

person’s body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. Fr Suyono also said condoms do not help to check the spread of the disease. The only way to prevent HIV is through abstinence, he said. He added that the Catholic Church is very much involved in DGYRFDF\ HIIRUWV DQG LQ ¿JKWLQJ the disease in Africa. He added that it “would be beautiful” for the different faiths in Singapore “to connect and do something together”.

The disease must never be regarded as a form of punishment from God.

Fr Suyono also said he provides pastoral counselling and spiritual support to PLWHAs. Responding to a question during the question-and-answer session on the use of condoms for sex workers, Fr Suyono said the Church tries to educate them on the true meaning of one’s sexuality as well as the sacredness of the human body in the hope for a behavioural change. Mr Baey, on the other hand, said Buddhists do not object to the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Mr Feisal also said that based on the interpretation of different religious scholars, the use of condoms is permissible to prevent HIV infection. Presenting the topic on HIV Stigma and Discrimination, Ms Ho Lai Peng, principal medical social worker at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, shared that PLWHAs face discrimination in the workSODFH DV ZHOO DV GLI¿FXOWLHV ¿QGing accommodation. She urged the different faith communities to show compassion to such people. Members of the audience said they learnt much from the forum. Miss Dorothy Phng, 19, from the Church of St Anthony said the discussion highlighted the similarities among the different faiths in their response to HIV/AIDS. Her friend, Miss Genevieve Lai, 19, said it would be good if the different faiths can work together to help those with HIV/ AIDS since all have a common goal of doing good. darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

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Sunday December 25, 2011 CatholicNews

Christmas book for kids from Philippine slums By Darren Boon A local mission group has produced a Christmas story book for children living in the slums in the Philippines. Acts29 produced Ang Kwento ng Pasko or The Story of Christmas in both Filipino and English to share the Nativity story with kids lacking access to storybooks or the Bible. Acts29 coordinator Sherlyn Khong said her group could not ¿QG ERRNV RQ WKH &KULVWPDV VWRU\ in Filipino after contacting various Christian publishing houses in the Philippines. “We felt the kids would be able to relate better to books in their own language so we decided to write our own book,” said Ms Khong. The books are to be a present to the 350 children enrolled in Paaralang Pantao, a free nonformal school in Payatas, Quezon City, and Erap City, Montalban. The school prepares children for formal education. The children themselves were directly involved in the project as they did the illustrations. They were asked to draw their favourite scene after the Christmas story was narrated to them. The entire production process for the book, which started out as an idea in Advent 2010, took a few months, recounted Ms Khong. The children “were so excited to be part of the project!” she recalled. “They want so much to contribute and help others. They want to do more book projects and they want to write their own book.” Copies of the book will be sold in Singapore to raise funds for the group’s mission work in the Philippines.

Above: Ang Kwento ng Pasko or The Story of Christmas was produced by acts29. Right: Julius, an eight-yearold former slum kid, with his illustrations for the book.

More book projects could also be expected, said Ms Khong. She said that acts29, which is dedicated to mission, evangelisation and the strengthening of faith, plans to register as an NGO in the Philippines next year. A formation house, which accepts orphaned, abandoned children as well as those from single parent households from Payatas, began this year, said Ms Khong. The kids enter a rehabilitation programme, are given faith for-

mation and later enrolled in formal school. Ms Khong estimates the cost of registering as an NGO, buying a plot of land and constructing a centre will amount to $160,000. “So hopefully the books can help us raise some funds,” she added. For more information on acts29, visit http://www.acts29mission.com darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

Sunday December 25, 2011 CatholicNews

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Sunday December 25, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Choir’s Advent project for needy

Marriage Encounter Singapore coordinators Patrick and Rachel Tee (third and fourth from right) pose for a photo with their Vietnamese guests.

Detail of cover of cookbook produced by the 11am choir of the Church of St Francis of Assisi. Proceeds will go towards aiding the needy.

By Darren Boon A choir’s project to celebrate their parish feast day has become an Advent fundraising project to help the poor and needy. The 11am choir of the Church of St Francis of Assisi released a 30-page cookbook in October featuring 26 dishes such as soups, rice, noodles, meats and desserts. The recipes include those from Peranakan, Italian, German, Greek, Korean and Thai cuisines. The initial idea was to defray the cost of the parish’s feast day celebrations, held in October. However, the Advent season has seen the choir wanting “to share our faith and the love of God with the poor in the parish�, said Ms Conny Hunke, a choir member. Proceeds from the cookbook sale will be used to aid the needy. One of the parish’s initiatives is providing free lunches to the poor. The choir had wanted to do

something unique to mark the parish’s feast day and thought about coming up with a collection of members’ favourite dishes as they enjoy cooking together, said Ms Hunke, a German national. “I realised there is a longing to spend time together outside of our choir duties,� she added, noting also that parish is made up of people of different nationalities. “It did not matter where my friends hailed from. What mattered was that this cookbook contained the yummiest recipes. This also helps me to in some way ‘bring’ my friends with me in the form of their favourite dishes when I return to Europe one day,� she said. Some recipes came from the choir members while the rest came from other parishioners serving in various church ministries. To buy the cookbook ($10 each), email SFA@chunke.de „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

Vietnamese couples attend Singapore ME weekend By Darren Boon Marriage Encounter (ME) Singapore hosted a priest, two Religious and six couples from Vietnam during a weekend held from Dec 2-4. This is the third time ME Singapore has hosted guests from Vietnam since Dec 2010. These special weekends were arranged after Fr John Nguyen van Dich, who hopes to bring ME to his home country, shared about the programme with a priest friend in Vietnam, and invited him to attend a weekend in Singapore. Fr van Dich, assistant priest at Church of St Vincent de Paul, acted as a translator and presenter at the weekends. He also met with the Vietnamese participants after each presentation to reinforce the message. ME Singapore coordinators Patrick and Rachel Tee said they are “excited� that “Fr John had sowed the seeds ... for the possible start of the Marriage Encounter movement in Vietnam�. Fr Louis Nguyen Anh Tuan, director of the Diocesan Commission for Family Life in Ho Chi Minh diocese, who attended the

weekend, said he is interested in programmes that “help families stay strong especially in the face of many threats to family lifeâ€?. “I learnt much from the weekend and am convinced of the effectiveness of the Marriage Encounter weekend in strengthening family life,â€? he told CatholicNews through email, adding that he saw KRZ MR\ÂżOOHG WKH FRXSOHV ZHUH during the recent weekend.

Seeds sown for possible start of Marriage Encounter movement in Vietnam. These weekends are precious for couples in strengthening their relationship through dialogue and sharing, he added. The priest said he hopes to start ME weekends in Vietnam and, for a start, plans to send some English-speaking couples to weekends in Singapore. ME could also send a team to present a weekend to couples in Vietnam before the Vietnamese

ÂżQDOO\ VHW XS WKHLU RZQ WHDP WKH priest suggested. The Tees agreed, saying it might EH PRUH FRVW HIIHFWLYH WR Ă€\ SUHsenters over so that more couples can experience the programme. “Marriage Encounter Singapore will consult the Marriage Encounter Asian Secretariat on this outreach project. Perhaps we can work in collaboration with ME movements in other Asian countries to form presenting teams to go to Vietnam,â€? the Tees told CatholicNews in an email. Fr Tuan said the challenge is to persuade couples to attend the weekend as many Vietnamese work half a day on Saturday. He said he hopes the weekends will EHQHÂżW \RXQJHU FRXSOHV HVSHFLDOO\ Mr John Khong Duc Nhuan, who attended the recent weekend with his wife Maria, said the presenters shared experiences and examples that participants could identify with. “From this weekend, I recognise that we are very important to each other as spouses and we must keep this love forever,â€? he said. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

Bible retreatants trek up Mt Ophir A trek up Johor’s Mt Ophir was a highlight of a retreat for Church of the Holy Trinity parishioners. Of the 24 who took part in the Dec 2-4 Bible-Centred Retreat in Johor, led by Fr Albert Ng, 10 climbed halfway up the summit, or 554 m. The ascent (left) proved tough in some parts and climbers had to grab onto trees and ropes. One participant shared on her Facebook page, “Throughout this retreat I learnt nothing is impossible through Him ... through the power of the Holy Spirit.� According to Fr Albert, the mountain trek was to help retreatants encounter God in nature. „ BY ANASTASIA AL

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Sunday December 25, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Reaching out across ASEAN

Left: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) students teaching English to children in Payatas, Philippines, through activities. Right: A CHIJ teacher conducts a science class in Yangon.

Seventy-two students from CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) and more than 10 staff members from the primary and secondary schools visited neighbouring countries recently in a volunteer project. The programme, IJ Beacon (short for “Be Emphathisers And Champions Of the Needy�) was set up in 2007 to enable the secondary school staff and students to reach out to disadvantaged students locally and overseas. From Nov 7-11, four teachers and 24 students went to Siem Reap, Cambodia, where they visited three villages, a farm and a Missionaries of Charity home. The students engaged the children with activities as such colouring, decorating puppets and masks, and origami. The village children also participated in interactive songs. At the end of each visit, each Cambodian child received a goodie bag. From Nov 14-18, 26 students and four teachers visited Kampot, also in Cambodia, where they interacted with children at the Kampot Mission Centre, run by Fr Un

TURNING POINTS, a musical production on the life of St Ignatius of Loyola, was staged at the SJI Performing Arts Centre on Dec 10 and 11. Turning Points was organised by St Ignatius parish in conjunction with its golden jubilee. The play juxtaposed the life of its patron saint with the struggles of Tom and Tessa, a high-achieving Singaporean couple. In the play, the protagonists ¿QG WKHPVHOYHV GUDZQ LQWR GLVFRYering God’s plan for their lives. „

Helping children in Siem Reap, Cambodia, make a hand puppet.

Som, and at the Chum Kiri mission centre, run by Fr Gianluca. The Singaporeans also visited the Banteay Prieb Centre for landmine victims and polio patients and two Missionaries of Charity centres. 2Q 1RY ÂżYH WHDFKHUV from the primary and secondary schools went on a mission trip to Yangon, Myanmar. At the Pyinya Sanyae Institute of Education (PSIE), teachers from the primary school conducted workshops for trainee teachers on storytelling and writing lesson plans, while other teachers taught science. The teachers also visited the

Nyaung-Don Boarding School, in a rural area of Yangon, which has 53 children aged 11 to 17. From Nov 21-25, three teachers and 22 students visited Payatas in the Philippines. The students taught in the Paaralang Pantao (School of Humanity) centres and visited a home for the elderly. They taught the Filipino children to campaign against drugs and to stand up for their rights. The Singaporeans also visited the Anawin home for the elderly where they entertained residents with songs and spent time conversing with them. „

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Sunday December 25, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Coming up: a movie for fathers Ken Bevel and Ben Davies star in Courageous, a movie coming to Singapore. SINGAPORE – The Archdiocese

&RPPXQLFDWLRQV 2IÂżFH DQG )DPily Life Society have joined with &DPSXV &UXVDGH 0HGLD )RFXV RQ WKH )DPLO\ DQG &DWKD\ FLQHPDV WR screen a movie on fatherhood. Courageous is the story of IRXU ODZ HQIRUFHPHQW RIÂżFHUV who face a challenge that none of them are fully prepared to tackle: being a father. The movie addresses the important role a father plays in a family and the challenges fathers face when trying to raise their children

in a way consistent with their faith. The movie has been a box of¿FH VXFFHVV LQ WKH 86 It opens in select Cathay theatres here on Jan 5 will run for about two weeks. More information on the movie can be found at http://www. courageousthemovie.com/home. Parishes have been encouraged to organise advance, group bookings to ensure ticket availability. Those who would like to form a group and make a block booking should contact their parish priest for more information. „

Nobel laureate talks with Church leaders YANGON – Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi told a meeting of Catholic bishops and Protestant Church leaders on Dec 9 that securing peace in the country ZDV WKH ÂżUVW VWHS WRZDUGV PDNLQJ democratic reform a lasting reality. In her meeting with 15 bishops, two priests and four Protestant pastors at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar compound in Yangon, Ms Suu Kyi said WKH SHRSOH RI 0\DQPDU PXVW ÂżUVW be aware of the meaning of peace. “Only when we have peace will our country be developed,â€? she said. She stressed the importance of a proactive approach to political and social change, saying religious leaders had a vital role to play in fostering tolerance and unity. “People must try to obtain their rights whenever we get the

People greet Cardinal Renato Martino, special Vatican envoy to Myanmar, after a Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral in Yangon on Dec 8. He also met with Ms Aung San Suu Kyi (below). CNS photos

opportunities,� she said, adding that cooperation among people of different faiths was crucial. The nobel laureate said improving the country’s educational infrastructure, including bettertrained teachers, more textbooks and additional schools was also essential to reinforcing political reform. The recent meeting followed the visit of papal envoy Cardinal Renato Martino on Dec 8-9 to mark the 100th centenary of St Mary’s Cathedral in Yangon. Archbishop Charles Bo of Yangon said the cardinal met with Ms Aung San Suu Kyi and conveyed the Vatican’s encourage-

ment of her efforts in fostering a spirit of social and religious cooperation to meet the challenges that lie ahead. „ UCANEWS.COM

Manila archbishop installed MANILA – The new head of Manila archdiocese has urged Catholics to look at reality through Jesus’ eyes. “Then we see differently,� he said. “A child, especially, the unborn, is no longer seen as a burden, but a gift. The youth are not a problem but a promise. Women are not objects but persons. “Labourers are not machines but partners. The poor are not a nuisance but our jewels, and creation is not an object of manipulation but a sign of God’s sustaining love.� With this statement, made dur-

ing his installation Mass on Dec 12, Archbishop Luis Tagle (photo) reiterated the Church’s stance on issues related to reproduction, which Philippine lawmakers are now grappling with in proposed legislation on reproductive health. Many are looking to the new head of the LQÀXHQWLDO DUFKGLRFHVH to unite the Church, which some feel is being divided by this issue in the majorityCatholic country. The proposed measures call for providing full access and government assistance to the poor to pay for contraception. „ CNS

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Sunday December 25, 2011 CatholicNews

Call for world day against Christian persecution VATICAN CITY – A top Vatican of¿FLDO FDOOHG IRU WKH HVWDEOLVKPHQW RI D ZRUOG GD\ GHGLFDWHG WR UDLVLQJ DZDUHQHVV RI UHOLJLRXV LQMXVWLFHV VXIIHUHG E\ &KULVWLDQV $UFKELVKRS 'RPLQLTXH 0DPEHUWL WKH 9DWLFDQ¶V WRS IRUHLJQ DIIDLUV RI¿FLDO DGGUHVVHG PHPEHUV DW WKH WK PHHWLQJ RI WKH 2UJDQLVDWLRQ IRU 6HFXULW\ DQG &RRSHUDWLRQ LQ (XURSH RU 26&( RQ 'HF LQ 9LOQLXV /LWKXDQLD ³7KHUH PD\ EH PRUH WKDQ PLOOLRQ &KULVWLDQV RI GLIIHUHQW FRQIHVVLRQV ZKR DUH LQ GLI¿FXOW\ EHFDXVH RI OHJDO DQG FXOWXUDO VWUXFWXUHV WKDW OHDG WR WKHLU GLVFULPLQDWLRQ ´ WKH DUFKELVKRS VDLG ³7KH FHOHEUDWLRQ RI DQ LQWHUQDWLRQDO GD\ DJDLQVW SHUVHFXWLRQ DQG GLVFULPLQDWLRQ RI &KULVWLDQV PLJKW SURYH WR EH DQ LPSRUWDQW VLJQ WKDW JRYHUQPHQWV DUH ZLOOLQJ WR GHDO ZLWK WKLV VHULRXV LVVXH ´ KH VDLG 7KH /LWKXDQLDQ 26&( FKDLU-

celebration of ‘anTheinternational day might be a sign that governments are willing to deal with this issue.

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– Archbishop Dominique Mamberti (left)

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Pope lights world’s largest Christmas ‘tree’ VATICAN CITY – 3RSH %HQHGLFW ;9, WDSSHG D WDEOHW FRPSXWHU DQG VXFFHVVIXOO\ OLW WKH ZRUOG¶V ODUJHVW HOHFWURQLF &KULVWPDV ³WUHH´ ORFDWHG LQ WKH ,WDOLDQ WRZQ RI *XEELR %HIRUH WXUQLQJ RQ WKH WUHH ZLWK D WDS RQ WKH 6RQ\ 6 7DEOHW ULJKW WKH SRSH DGGUHVVHG WKH FLWL]HQV RI *XEELR YLD D YLGHR OLQN IURP KLV DSDUWPHQW LQ 9DWLFDQ &LW\ RQ 'HF FDOOLQJ RQ &KULVWLDQV WR VHUYH DV D OLJKW LQ WKH OLYHV RI RWKHUV ,Q KLV WDON WKH SRSH VDLG WKDW MXVW DV WKH WUHH GHVLJQ LQ *XEELR ZDV PDGH XS RI WLQ\ LQGLYLGXDO OLJKWV HDFK SHUVRQ QHHGV WR EULQJ OLJKW WR WKH SHRSOH DQG SODFHV LQ WKHLU OLYHV WR WKHLU IDPLO\ ZRUNSODFH QHLJKERXUKRRG WRZQ RU FLW\ ³(YHU\ VPDOO DFW RI NLQGQHVV LV OLNH D OLJKW LQ WKLV ELJ WUHH WR-

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10 LETTER/OPINION

Sunday December 25, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Fortnightly newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore

+LJKODQG 5RDG 6LQJDSRUH 7HOHSKRQH )D[ :HEVLWH ZZZ FDWKROLFQHZV VJ MANAGING EDITOR: Father Johnson Fernandez: johnson.fernandez@catholic.org.sg

IN MEMORIAM: Susan Lim: memoriam@catholic.org.sg

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Christopher Khoo: christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Richard Paul: subscriptions@catholic.org.sg

STAFF CORRESPONDENT: Darren Boon: darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

ADVERTISEMENTS: Elaine Ong: advertisements@catholic.org.sg WEBMASTER: Medona Walter: medona.walter@catholic.org.sg

EDITORIAL MATTERS AND QUERIES: cnedit@catholic.org.sg

Please include your full name, address and phone no. for all letters to the editor. Published submissions will be edited.

DESIGN / LAYOUT: Christopher Wong: design@catholic.org.sg Elaine Ong: elaine.ong@catholic.org.sg

/(77(5

2I Ă LS Ă RSV /DWLQ and kneeling at Mass It’s been a long time since I attended Mass at this particular church. That morning, I noticed a couple of wardens staring at the feet RI SDULVKLRQHUV Ă€RFNLQJ LQ IRU Mass. It was not until we were stopped at the entrance that we realised the reason for their strange behaviour. “Sorry, she [my wife] cannot HQWHU EHFDXVH VKH LV ZHDULQJ Ă€LS Ă€RSV <RX FDQ JR LQ EXW VKH PXVW stand outside to listen ... she cannot receive Communion too.â€? I was taken aback by this. 7KDW GD\ ZDV WKH ÂżUVW WLPH LQ KHU OLIH WKDW VKH ZRUH Ă€LS Ă€RSV DQG LW was really coincidental that such D FRQĂ€LFW KDSSHQHG OLWWOH GLG ZH know that this rule in this church had stirred up quite a bit of controversy in the past months). Saddened and not wanting to kick up a fuss with the warden ZKR ZDV SUREDEO\ IROORZLQJ LQstructions), we walked away. The next week, we attended Mass at this church again. This time round, my wife was not ZHDULQJ Ă€LS Ă€RSV :H JDLQHG HQtry since our dressing was acceptable but we also were given another surprise during Mass itself. The Lord’s Prayer was in

Latin instead of English. Naturally I was unable to recite the text VKRZQ RQ WKH VFUHHQ DV Ă€XHQWO\ and sincerely as I wished. I was not alone. There was at most a soft murmuring with the loudest voice coming only from the presiding priest. Another occurrence that left me a little unsettled happened during the Eucharistic celebration when the stern voice of the priest boomed, “All those standing at the back of the Church, please kneel!â€? Maybe I could have mistaken the tone of his instruction but what

Wife prevented from entering church ‘because she is ZHDULQJ Ă€LS Ă€RSVÂś I’m certain of is that it was by no means inviting to say the least. I hope to share my opinions on the above issues. It is understandable with regards to the concerns of some parishioners who are uncomfortable with certain inappropriate dressing in church. However is there a need to go right down to footwear too? Does it mean that a person who is sincere of heart should be discredited of his faith just because he does not wear the right footwear in the presence of God? What about the poor among us who do not even own a pair of decent looking shoes?

The Lord’s Prayer is probably the most important prayer in our faith formation for the words came directly from Jesus Himself. Being forced to speak in a foreign language does not make our recitation of this prayer more sincere. It merely causes confusion, frustration and potentially casts a shadow of doubt on the real motives behind such a strange rule. Besides, why is this practice found only in this parish and nowhere else? I’m not surprised that many parishioners do not realise that Jesus is present at every Eucharistic celebration. Hence, some may not kneel at the designated time. Some may not even bother at all. However, shouldn’t that be their own account with God? There is no element of “force� and no insistence whatsoever when it comes to faith. We can always consistently encourage the congregation to be mindful of dressing and habits. This can be done through the announcement period towards the end of Mass. A couple of minutes to explain the reason behind the need to kneel during the Eucharist will go a long way. The same principle goes for the usage of mobile phones and texting habits in Church. There is really no need to go to extremes on footwear or to scrutinise the congregation for such behaviour. The time spent by the wardens on this work can be better used for other ministerial roles. „ Aloysius Cheong Singapore 670623

Regaining that strength of heart ONE of the reasons we need to pray is so that we don’t lose heart. We all do sometimes. We lose heart whenever frustration, tiredness, fear and helplessness in the face of life’s humiliations conspire together to paralyse our energies, deaden our resiliency, drain our courage, and leave us feeling weak in depression. There are many examples in scripture of men and women being driven to mountaintops or to their knees in prayer because they are paralysed by fear, discouragement or loneliness. For our purposes, I will highlight two highly illustrative examples of this. We see an example of praying so as not to lose heart in the prophet Elijah when he is being threatened because of his prophetic message. Elijah had been a true and a courageous prophet, but at one point in his ministry he became dangerously disconsolate. His own people had ceased listening to his message, he had witnessed some of his fellow prophets being martyred, and his message had deeply upset Jezebel, the most powerful woman in the kingGRP ZKR KDG QRZ VHQW RXW PHQ WR NLOO KLP 7R Ă€HH -H]HEHO (OLMDK climbed up Mount Horeb. However as he retreated into a cave, he was confronted by God’s voice, asking him what he was doing there. Elijah confessed his discouragement, his fear of losing his life, and his loss of heart. Having confessed his fears, Elijah retreated into the darkness of the cave, to sit paralysed in his own fear and depression. But God, through the sound of a gentle breeze, lured him out to the mouth of the cave where Elijah again confessed his depression and fear; but this time in the form of a prayer. And through that prayer, he regained his strength of heart and came down the mountain ready to face his ministry and all its dangers with renewed energy and courage. When all of his own strength had dried up, Elijah approached God with his weaknesses and that movement renewed his heart. We see the same thing in Jesus when, facing His passion and death, He prays in the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s the low point of Jesus’ life and ministry: The people have stopped listening to Him; the religious authorities are conspiring with the civil authorities to have Him killed; those few, His inner circle of disciples, who are still listening to His message, are not understanding it, and He feels utterly alone, “a stone’s throw away from everyoneâ€?. So as not to lose heart, He drops to his knees in prayer, a prayer so intense that He “sweats bloodâ€?. But that prayer eventually ends in consolation, with “an angel from heaven coming down to strengthen Himâ€?. He brings His beaten-down, misunderstood, fearful and painfully isolated heart to prayer, and He is strengthened, given all the sustenance He needs to regain his courage. And, in that, Jesus is contrasted with His apostles. At that very moment, they too are discouraged, lonely, and fearful. But they are asleep while He prays, and their sleep, as the Gospels hint, is something more than physical. They are, we are told, “asleep out of sheer sorrowâ€?. In essence, they are too depressed to be awake to the full strength of their own OLYHV 7KLV ORVV RI KHDUW KDV WKHP SDUDO\VHG LQ IHDU DQG ZKHQ WKH\ Âżnally do act, they act in ways contrary to what Jesus had taught them. 7KH\ DWWHPSW YLROHQFH DQG WKHQ Ă€HH 7KH\ FRXOG QRW IDFH LPSHQGLQJ suffering as Jesus did because they did not pray as He did. They lost heart. No matter who we are or how rich and blessed our lives may be, it is impossible to go through life without, at times, feeling bitterly misunderstood, becoming deeply disconsolate, succumbing to a paralysing tiredness, and simply losing heart. We are human and, like Jesus, we will have days when we feel “a stone’s throw away from everyoneâ€?. And what’s paralysed inside of us is what’s highest in us: our capacity to forgive; our capacity to radiate huge, generous hearts; our capacity for empathy and understanding; our capacity for joy and our capacity for courage. Frightened and discouraged, like Elijah, we retreat into the inner darkness of a cave. But in moments like this, we might understand ourselves this way: Like Elijah, we are paralysed by loss of heart; but God is at the mouth of the cave, a gentle breeze, luring us back out where everyone we love will be back within our reach. „

LETTERS 11

Sunday December 25, 2011 CatholicNews

Being God’s leaven in S’pore

CN, Dec 18

Mr Mike McCormack had asked for letters to the CatholicNews (CN, Dec 18), so I shall take up the offer. I am of the view that Mr McCormack has misinterpreted the nuncio’s call for the local Church to be more vocal as an invitation to debate on Church matters. On the contrary, in his frank assessment of our circumstances, the nuncio commented that we seemed to have lost our ground by not being more proactive and effective in promoting Gospel values in an increasingly secularised Singapore, where religions and their values are commonly relegated to a cramped, hardly visible corner at the table of public discourse, if at all. I welcome the nuncio’s challenge for us, as a Church, to be more involved, visible and united in living and seeding Gospel values in our social, economic and political establishments, and to do so in creative ways so as to be God’s leaven in our society. This is a mission for the whole People of God: clerics, consecrated Religious and laity. But the Church has given a unique mandate to the laity, whose special vocation it is to seek the kingdom of God by engag-

ing in temporal affairs and directing them according to God’s will. By doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus (Col 3:17), lay people in their homes, workplaces and wider society illuminate and order secular matters that these may be to the glory of God DQG FRQWULEXWH WR WKH VDQFWL¿FDWLRQ of man (cf Lumen Gentium 31,2). In the years following Vatican II, the laity’s participation in our baptismal vocation as priest, prophet and NLQJ KDV WHQGHG WR EH IXO¿OOHG DG LQtra in Church life and ministries. These are important, but in the more secularised environment today, we must also live our baptismal vocation in society, recognising that our responsibility to spread and grow the Gospel cannot be delegated to another or restricted to the converts. Forum letters should be welcome, in so far as they promote truth and creative ways for us to be God’s leaven in Singapore. But if we end up debating internal matters, my Christmas wish would be to have less of them. Simon Ho Singapore 140130

12 FAITH ALIVE!

Sunday December 25, 2011 „ CatholicNews

The prologue to

St John’s Gospel

Why it makes for fascinating Christmas reading By Joseph Kelly

C

ATHOLICS attending a later Mass on Christmas Day are often surprised by the Gospel reading. There is no mention of shepherds, Magi, angels, Bethlehem or Mary and Joseph. Instead, it starts: “In the beginning ZDV WKH :RUG ´ DQG LW FRQWLQXHV WR speak only of the Word of God. What people are hearing is the prologue to John’s Gospel. But why is this a Christmas Gospel reading? John wrote his Gospel after Matthew and Luke had written theirs, and those are the two Gospels with WKH DFFRXQWV RI -HVXVÂś ELUWK Matthew has the Magi and the Ă€LJKW LQWR (J\SW ZKLOH /XNH KDV WKH $QQXQFLDWLRQ WKH FHQVXV DQG WKH VKHSKHUGV 7KH\ IRFXV XSRQ WKH birth of the human Jesus. Matthew’s *RVSHO HYHQ LQFOXGHV D JHQHDORJ\ WKDW WUDFHV -HVXVÂś KXPDQ DQFHVWRUV DOO WKH ZD\ EDFN WR $EUDKDP John, however, wanted to emphasise Jesus’ divinity, and this EHJLQV ZLWK WKH SURORJXH ,Q IDFW the prologue is a type of divine genealogy, speaking of Jesus’ eternal generation from the Father. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.â€? But why does John say “Wordâ€? rather than “Sonâ€?? %HFDXVH OLNH DOO WKH HYDQJHlists, he wrote in Greek, and in that language, the word for “Wordâ€? PHDQV ÂłWKH SHUIHFW H[SUHVVLRQ´ 7KH 6RQ RI *RG LV WKH SHUIHFW H[pression of the Father, i.e in His

human form He will present the divine reality to us humans. The prologue emphasises that ÂłWKH :RUG EHFDPH Ă€HVK´ EHFDXVH WKLV ZDV D UDGLFDO LGHD IRU WKH DQFLHQW ZRUOG $OWKRXJK ZH DFFHSW this today, for some people in WKH DQFLHQW ZRUOG LW ZDV MXVW WRR PXFK WR DFFHSW Although the Gospel of John will tell primarily about the words and deeds of Jesus during His SXEOLF FDUHHU WKLV PDJQLÂżFHQW SURORJXH IRFXVHV RQ ZKDW WKH :RUG GLG EHIRUH EHFRPLQJ Ă€HVK DQ DSSURDFK WKDW KDUPRQLVHV ZLWK other New Testament books. For example, in his epistle to the Romans, St Paul presents Jesus as the new Adam. The seer of the Book of Revelation, written about the same time as the GosSHO PDNHV PDQ\ FRPSDULVRQV EHtween the beginning of the world and its end. In this prologue, John DOVR DOOXGHV WR WKH FUHDWLRQ He tells his readers that the Word “was in the beginning with *RG´ DQG WKDW ÂłDOO WKLQJV FDPH WR be through him, and without him QRWKLQJ FDPH WR EH´ VR WKH LQFDUQDWLRQ LV QRW WKH ÂżUVW WLPH WKH 6RQ KDV EHHQ FRQFHUQHG ZLWK DOO RI FUHDWLRQ -RKQ KDV HIIHFWLYHO\ OLQNHG WKH Word with the world Jesus would FRPH WR VDYH (YHQ PRUH WKH SKUDVH ÂłLQ WKH EHJLQQLQJ´ UHFDOOV WKH YHU\ ÂżUVW ZRUGV RI *HQHVLV -RKQ PDLQWDLQV WKH FUHDWLRQ motif in the next verse: “Through him was life, and this life was the OLJKW RI WKH KXPDQ UDFH WKH OLJKW shines in the darkness.â€?

-RKQ VSHDNV DERXW -HVXVÂś ELUWK EXW LQ WHUPV RI WKH GLYLQH :RUG SUHVHQW DW WKH FUHDWLRQ EHFRPLQJ DJDLQ SUHVHQW WKLV WLPH WR FUHDWLRQ -HVXV UHSUHVHQWV WKH UH FUHDWLRQ of the world, so John again takes XV EDFN WR WKH ÂżUVW GD\ RI FUHDtion when God separated the light from the darkness, and “God saw that the light was goodâ€?. Readers who also know Matthew’s Gospel ZRXOG UHFDOO KRZ WKH OLJKW RI WKH star led the Magi to Jesus. But John’s prologue looks HTXDOO\ WR /XNHÂśV LQIDQF\ QDUUD-

tive. John speaks of “His glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Sonâ€?. 5HDGHUV IDPLOLDU ZLWK /XNHÂśV DFFRXQW ZRXOG UHFDOO WKDW WKH DQJHOV sang to the shepherds, “Glory to God in the highest.â€? When we attend Mass, we do QRW DOZD\V UHDOLVH KRZ &KXUFK leaders and liturgists have diligently worked to give meaning to every liturgy. Choosing the pro-

logue of John’s Gospel was not an HDV\ GHFLVLRQ WR PDNH Like Matthew and Luke, John speaks about Jesus’ birth but in terms of the divine Word, present DW WKH FUHDWLRQ EHFRPLQJ DJDLQ SUHVHQW EXW WKLV WLPH WR WKH FUHDWLRQ 7KH ZRUOG ZDV FUHDWHG WKURXJK Him, and now it would be redeemed through Him via His human birth. This prologue makes for a superb Christmas Gospel reading. „ CNS

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What are your deepest longings this Christmas? By Mary Jo Pedersen MY EIGHT-YEAR-OLD nephew wants his two front teeth for Christmas. He’s missing four, but he thinks two would be a big improvement. The question, “What do you want for Christmas?â€? is a very different question from “What is your greatest wish or longing for this Christmas?â€? I spent a day asking folks these TXHVWLRQV 7KH ÂżUVW HOLFLWV D ODXQdry list of things: iPads, toys, a toaster oven, gold earrings, teeth! Most items in the want list were PDWHULDO WKLQJV RQH FRXOG EX\ DW D store, on TV or the Internet. 7KH DQVZHUV WR WKH VHFRQG TXHVWLRQ ZHUH QRW DERXW FRQVXPDEOHV they were more thought-provoking DQG ZHUH KDUGHU WR DFTXLUH KDYLQJ the whole family together, good health, a loved one return from mil-

LWDU\ VHUYLFH D UHSDLUHG UHODWLRQVKLS ZLWK D FKLOG RU ZRUOG SHDFH The wishes and longings were matters of the heart, emerging from deep within the human spirit. For most adults who gave this question some thought, the longings were about bringing family or loved ones together or ending long disputes or separations from others. As the age of the respondents LQFUHDVHG WKH SULRULW\ RI PDWHULDO JLIWV IRU &KULVWPDV GHFUHDVHG Today, Christians are inundated with Christmas gift ideas from FDWDORJXHV ZHEVLWHV DQG VKRSping malls. However, many peoSOHÂśV H[SHFWDWLRQV JR EH\RQG ZKDW FDQ EH ERXJKW ZLWK PRQH\ I simply want things to slow GRZQ WR EH OHVV EXV\ DQG FKDRWLF VDLG RQH \RXQJ ZRPDQ DV she thought about her Christmas longings.

Many people say they long to bring family or loved ones together, or end long disputes and separations from others. &16 ÂżOH SKRWR

An unemployed man said he just wanted a job. Another said he ZLVKHG WKDW 6DQWD FRXOG JHW KLP RXW RI WKH GHEW KH LQFXUUHG LQ DQ DXWR DFFLGHQW A woman whose daughter has UXQ DZD\ ZDQWV KHU FKLOG EDFN IRU Christmas. The brother whose sibOLQJ KDV FDQFHU ZDQWV D UHWXUQ WR

IXOO KHDOWK $ GLYRUFHG PDQ ZKRVH family is separated wishes he FRXOG VSHQG WLPH GXULQJ WKH KROLGD\ ZLWK KLV FKLOGUHQ For those who are lonely or ill, DGGLFWHG RU DOLHQDWHG &KULVWPDV LV D GDUN WLPH -RKQÂśV *RVSHO FDUULHV the Christmas promise that Christ LV RXU OLJKW *RG LQFDUQDWH VKLQHV

in the darkness and nothing in our OLYHV FDQ RYHUSRZHU WKDW OLJKW The Christmas message sustains our desire to be united with RQH DQRWKHU WR EH ORYHG XQFRQGLWLRQDOO\ DV IDPLO\ DQG WR ¿QG SHDFH $FFHSWLQJ &KULVW LQWR RXU OLYHV IXO¿OV WKRVH SURIRXQG KXPDQ QHHGV O\LQJ XQDUWLFXODWHG EHQHDWK WKH FRPPHUFLDOLVHG KROLGD\ Christmas is the time to ask the better question about what we long for, the non-perishable gifts we seek that will satisfy or heal or EULQJ XV SHDFH Asking the right question about Christmas reveals the deepHVW KXPDQ QHHGV WKDW WKH ZRUOG FDQ never satisfy, and it empowers us WR UHFHLYH WKH JUHDW JLIW RI &KULVWmas, Jesus Christ our light. „ CNS 3HGHUVHQ LV D YHWHUDQ FRRUGLQDWRU RI PDUULDJH DQG IDPLO\ VSLULWXDOLW\ SURJUDPV LQ WKH 86

FAITH ALIVE! 13

Sunday December 25, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Staying awake for Christmas

When choosing gifts, think sustainability for the sake of our children and the generations to come. &16 ÂżOH SKRWR

By Anne Lim ADVENT reminds us to prepare spiritually for Christmas. In St Mark’s Gospel, Jesus taught the importance of staying awake (Mk 13:34). To stay awake, we have to be “clear-minded about the illusions that lure us and the fears that control usâ€?, says Fr Laurence Freeman, 26% LQ KLV $GYHQW :HHN UHĂ€HFtions (shared with the World Community for Christian Meditation). As we approach the Christmas VHDVRQ ZH PD\ ÂżQG RXUVHOYHV sleepwalking through tinsel town, lured by the glitz of neon light-ups and all manner of “mall-illusionsâ€?. Like the comic-strip cat GarÂżHOG ZH DUH WHPSWHG WR KROG RXW DQ open giftbox and say, “Here is an empty box. Put something in it and give it to me.â€? The response from the cat’s owner is telling. “Ah, the spirit of Christmas,â€? he says. Despite the cynicism, the cartoonist is actually giving us a wake-up call, so to speak. PerKDSV ZH QHHG ÂżUVW RI DOO WR EH aware of “the fears that control usâ€?. There is the fear of not measuring up to expectations and the stress of preparing for Christmas feasting and merry giving. To be awake to the true spirit of Christmas, however, is to choose meaning over materialism. And then there is the other thing about the innkeeper who turned away Joseph and the expectant Mary. In what ways are we like that unaccommodating innkeeper? In not giving the space and the time, not wanting to respond to the real, urgent need that is right there, in our face? That is also another type of turning away from God’s grace. Still, we know, from being given the greatest sign of hope in the coming of Jesus incarnate, that this beautiful Earth is indeed God’s gift to us, for us to take care of. “If not now, then when?â€? as the old saying goes.

Yes, with some inspiration and creativity, we can make healthier, more meaningful and planetfriendly choices in our preparations for Christmas. The poor, who have less to spend, cannot afford to buy expensive presents or go on exotic holidays. We can take a leaf from their naturally green practices by cutting down on extravagances and limiting our spending. We can donate, on our family’s behalf, to a worthy cause such as the Jesuit Refugee Service’s project, Hope for the Horn of Africa (www. jrssingapore.org) Then spend less on gifts but give more of our time and attention to being joyfully present to our families and friends. When choosing gifts, think Sustainability for the sake of our children and the generations to come. And, in the weeks to come, why not take care of your health by consuming less meat but more veggies? Better still, choose organic and support our few local organic farmers. Some “Green Giftingâ€? Ideas. Pick gifts that suit the recipient and have more lasting value (not necessarily more expensive): „ A lovely photo of your children in a nice picture frame; a potted plant of herbs such as basil, mint or rosemary; an inspirational calendar or diary with uplifting quotes and Nature pictures; a liturgical biblical diary; a de-stressing massage or IRRW UHĂ€H[RORJ\ VHVVLRQ „ Give a WiGE (Wild Green Experience) present! Create a “wildâ€? e-card or homemade one to invite the recipient on a hike in the forest, such as the Treetops Walk, a free concert cum picnic at the Botanics, or a bumboat trip to Pulau Ubin. Check out the Nparks website (www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/) for DIY walking or cycling trail guides. „ The writer is a parishioner of the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with a special interest in Creation Spirituality.

14 MASS TIMES

Sunday December 25, 2011 CatholicNews

Christmas Mass Schedule CITY CATHEDRAL OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Dec 24: 9.30pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 10.00am, 6.00pm CHURCH OF ST ALPHONSUS (NOVENA CHURCH)

Dec 24: Carolling and Pageant at 10.00pm followed by Mass Dec 25: 7.00am, 8.30am, 5.30pm, 10.15am (Tagalog) CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART

Dec 24: 9.00pm (M*), 11.30pm Dec 25: 9.00am, 10.30am, 12.00pm, 5.30pm CHURCH OF ST TERESA

Dec 24: 8.00pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 8.30am, 10.30am, 12.30pm CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL

Dec 24: Pageant 7.15pm, Mass 8.00pm, Pageant 11.00pm, Carolling 11.30pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 8.00am (M*), 9.30am, 5.30pm

CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

Dec 24: 9.00pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 8.30am, 11.00am, 6.15pm

CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE

Dec 24: 9.00pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 8.00am (M*), 9.30am, 11.00am, 3.30pm (Indonesian) ST JOSEPH’S CHURCH

Dec 24: 9.00pm Dec 25: 8.30am, 10.30am, 5.00pm

CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY

Dec 24: 9.00pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 9.15am, 11.15am, 6.00pm (M*) NORTH

CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES

Dec 24: Carolling 8.30pm, Mass 9.00pm, Carolling 11.00pm (T*), Mass 11.30pm (T*) Dec 25: 7.30am & 11.00am; 9.00am & 6.30pm (T*)

CHURCH OF THE RISEN CHRIST

CHURCH OF STS PETER AND PAUL

Dec 24: 10.00pm (M*), M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.30am, 9.00am, 11.00am, 5.30pm

Dec 24: 9.00pm (M*), M’nite Mass Dec 25: 8.30am (M*), 11.00am, 4.20pm. EAST CHURCH OF ST STEPHEN

Dec 24: Carolling 11.30pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.30am (M*), 9.00am, 10.30am, 3.30pm (Malayalam), 5.30pm CHURCH OF DIVINE MERCY

Dec 24: 5.30pm (Children’s Mass & Pageant), 9.00pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.00am, 9.00am, 11.30am, 5.30pm CHURCH OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE

Dec 24: 9.30pm (M*), M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.30am (M*), 9.00am, 10.30am, 6.00pm CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR

Dec 24: 9.00pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.30am (M*), 8.45am, 10.30am, 12.15pm, 6.30pm CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY

Dec 24: Children’s Carols/Pageant 7.15pm, Children’s Mass 8.00pm, Carolling 11.35pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 6.45am, 8.00am (M*), 9.30am, 11.15am, 6.00pm

Dec 24: 8.00pm, 11.00pm Dec 25: 7.00am, 8.15am (M*), 9.45am, 11.30am, 6.00pm ST JOSEPH CHURCH

CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Dec 24: Children’s Mass 5.30pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.00am, 9.00am, 11.00am CHURCH OF ST ANTHONY

Dec 24: 9.30pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.30am (M), 11.00am, 6.00pm CHURCH OF OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA

Dec 24: 5.00pm, 6.30pm (T), M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.30am (M*), 8.45am, 10.00am, 11.30am, 5.00pm CHURCH OF CHRIST THE KING

Dec 24: Christmas Cantata 5.30pm, Children Mass 6.00pm, Christmas Cantata 8.30pm, Mass 9.00pm, Christmas Cantata 11.30pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 8.15am (M*), 9.45am, 11.30am, 5.30pm SERANGOON ST ANNE’S CHURCH

Dec 24: 8.00pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.15am, 9.00am, 11.00am, 6.00pm

Dec 24: Pageant 7.00pm, Mass 7.30pm, Carolling (M*) 9.00pm, Mass 9.30pm (M*), Pageant 11.30pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.30am, 9.15am, 11.00am, 5.30pm CHURCH OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL

Dec 24: 9.00pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.00am, 9.00am, 11.00am, 6.00pm CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER

Dec 24: 6.00pm (Children’s Mass), 9.00pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.00am, 9.00am, 11.00am WEST BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH

Dec 24: 7.00pm (M*), 9.30pm, M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.30am, 9.00am (M*), 10.45am, 5.30pm CHURCH OF ST IGNATIUS

Dec 24: 5.30pm (Children’s Pageant) 6.00pm (Mass), 8.30pm, 11.00pm Dec 25: 8.15am, 10.15am, 12.00pm, 6.00pm CHURCH OF ST MARY OF THE ANGELS

Dec 24: 8.30pm (Children’s Vigil Mass), M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.30am (M*), 9.00am, 10.45am, 12.30pm. CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS

Dec 24: 7.30pm (Family Mass), 9.30pm (M*), M’nite Mass Dec 25: 7.30am, 9.30am, 11.15am CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Dec 24: Carolling & Mass 8.30pm (M*), 11.30pm, Dec 25: 7.30am, 9.00am, 11.00am Note. M*: Mandarin; T*: Tamil

Sunday December 25, 2011 „ CatholicNews

15

16

Sunday December 25, 2011 „ CatholicNews

CHILDREN’S STORY:

By Joe Sarnicola Caesar Augustus ordered a census to count the population of the world. As part of this order, every man would have to bring his family to his hometown to be counted. A man named Joseph was living in Galilee, in the town of Nazareth, but he had to travel to Bethlehem, also called the city of David, in Judea, for the census. He also had to bring Mary, his betrothed, with him. 0DU\ ZDV H[SHFWLQJ KHU ÂżUVW FKLOG so Joseph knew the journey would EH GLIÂżFXOW IRU KHU While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to the baby, a son. She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, which was normally used as a feeding tray for livestock. Because so many people were in Bethlehem for the census,

the inns were full, so there was not a suitable room for Joseph and Mary to sleep in. In the region of Judea, shepherds ZKR OLYHG LQ WKH ÂżHOGV ZHUH NHHSLQJ a night watch over their sheep. Their quiet evening was transformed into one of glory when an angel of the Lord appeared to them, surrounded by the glory of the Lord. The shepherds ZHUH WHUULÂżHG EXW WKH DQJHO UHDVVXUHG them with a message from God. “Do not be afraid,â€? he said to them, “for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a saviour has been born to you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you ZLOO ÂżQG DQ LQIDQW ZUDSSHG LQ VZDGdling clothes and lying in a manger.â€?

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS: St Anastasia Anastasia (d. 304) was born into the family of a Roman nobleman and was privileged to have St Chrysogonus as her adviser. Although she married a pagan man, she showed compassion to the religious who were in prison because of their faith, and she visited them often. Her husband did not approve of this and would no longer let her leave the house. When he died, Anastasia also ministered to the Christians in Aquileia. She herself was arrested for her work and was put adrift on a prison ship along with a number of pagan prisoners. A vision of St Theodota appeared and he directed the ship to safety on an island. Unfortunately, Anastasia was arrested again and killed because of her ministry. We honour her on Dec 25. „

$V VRRQ DV WKH DQJHO ÂżQLVKHG KLV message, he was joined by a multitude of heavenly beings who praised God by saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.â€? After the angels had gone, the shepherds said to each other, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.â€? They immediately went into the

town and found Joseph and Mary and the baby, just as the angels had told them. They shared what had happened to them and then they returned to the ¿HOGV SUDLVLQJ *RG WKDW WKH\ KDG ZLWnessed the birth of the Messiah. „ Read more about it: Luke 2 Q&A 1. Why did Joseph go to Bethlehem? 2. How did the shepherds know about the birth of Jesus?

PUZZLE: Based on the Gospel of Luke, circle T if the following statements are true and F if they are false. Chapter numbers have been provided as hints. 1. The angel Michael visited Joseph (Ch. 1). 2. Shepherds were keeping night watch (Ch. 2). 3. Simon was a carpenter (Ch. 5.) 4. Jesus said we should love our enemies (Ch. 6). 5. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a camel (Ch. 19). 6. Jesus was betrayed by Judas (Ch. 22). 7. Mary found the tomb of Jesus empty (Ch. 24). 8. Jesus remained on earth after his resurrection (Ch. 24).

T T T T T T T T

F F F F F F F F

MAZE:

Bible Accent: 8. F (he ascended into heaven) 7. T 6. T 5. F (a colt) 4. T 3. ) ÂżVKHUPDQ

2. T 1. F (Gabriel) Answers for PUZZLE:

The story of the birth of Jesus is one of the most loved stories in the New Testament. We can read about angels announcing what is one of the most important messages they ever delivered: Jesus Christ was about to be born. Faithful and humble Joseph takes care of Mary and brings her to Bethlehem for the census. Elizabeth, who has prayed for God to give her a child, becomes the mother of John the Baptist and utters words that we use for the “Hail Mary� prayer. A special star directs the Magi from the East to the spot where Jesus lay in a manger and then they are warned by an angel to take a different route home to avoid the wrath of King Herod. And even shepherds who are merely watching over their sheep see a multitude of angels, and they, too, are privileged to visit the Christ Child. „

BIBLE TRIVIA: David Answer for BIBLE TRIVIA:

Who was the Old Testament shepherd boy who became a king and was an ancestor of Jesus?

WHAT’S ON 17

Sunday December 25, 2011 „ CatholicNews

EVENT SUBMISSIONS We welcome information on events happening in our local Church. Please send your submission at least one month before the event. Online submissions can be made at www.catholic.sg/webevent_form.php

RCIA/RCIY A journey for those seeking to know more about the Catholic faith. Baptised Catholics are also invited to journey as sponsors. Sundays from January 8 RCIY@IHM 3pm: For youths aged 14-21 years. At Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (24 Highland Rd). T: 9875 1235 (Daniel), 9710 8145 (Seishen); E: rciyihm@gmail.com; W: http://rciy.ihm.sg Sundays from February 5 2012 RCIA@CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR 7.30-9.30pm: At Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. With welcome night on Jan 30. T: 9671 8216 (Christina), 9630 3276 (Edward), 9760 0038 (Bob). Forms available at church secretariat. CHANGE OF PENITENTIAL SERVICE DATE@ST BERNADETTE CHURCH On Dec 23. 8pm. CHRISTMAS SALE@CANA 11am-5pm, Mondays to Saturdays. $W :DWHUORR 6W QG ÀRRU T: 6336 4815 (for late shopping hours) CHINESE CATECHISM 2012 @ NATIVITY CHURCH 5.45-6.45pm: Nativity Church has catechism in Chinese for children from QXUVHU\ OHYHO WR 6HF FRQ¿UPDWLRQ every Saturday. Details and registration 7 SDULVK RI¿FH 9119 2848 (Liliang)

RETROUVAILLE WEEKEND If you are serious about making your marriage work, this programme could be useful for you. Weekends on Mar 23-25, Jun 22-24, Sep 28-30 2012; T: 6749 8861; Register W: http://helpourmarriage.sg CHANGE IN NOVENA CHURCH MASS TIMINGS From Jan 1, Sunday Mass times at 7am, 9am & 5.30pm. Tagalog Mass every 2nd and 4th Sundays at 11am. No changes to weekday Mass times. December 22 EUCHARISTIC ADORATION FOR YOUTHS AND YOUNG ADULTS 8.15-10pm: Spend time with Christ despite our hectic schedules. With benediction and confession. At Church of the Holy Spirit (chapel) T: 9752 6352 (Selene), 9639 2157(Marshall), 9066 7944 (Derek) December 23 CHRISTMAS TAPESTRY CONCERT 8pm: Featuring sacred songs and Christmas tunes sung by tenor Matthew Chua and soprano Teng Xiang Ting, and accompanied by Dorothy Chia. All proceeds go to the Society of SVDP for the poor and for choir facilities upgrading. At Church of St Vincent de Paul. Cost: $15 (per ticket). Donations welcome. E: actconcert2011@gmail.com Tuesdays January 3 2012 to May 22 2012 BOOK OF PROPHET JEREMIAH 9.30-11.30am or 7.45-9.45pm. 17 sessions by Msgr Eugene Vaz on Jeremiah. By SPI. At CAEC (2 Highland Rd). Cost: $95 ($90 before Dec 20). T: 6858 3011; E: admin@catholicspi.org Wednesdays January 4 2012 to July 18 2012 THE BIBLE TIMELINE 7.45-9.45pm The Bible Timeline is basic enough to suit those who haven’t studied the Bible before. It offers ways to go deeper for the Bible-study veteran. Salvation history covered from its beginning in Genesis through the coming of Christ and the establishment of the Catholic Church. Cost: $48 (for materials). At Church of the Holy Spirit Room A2-01. T: 9833 4623 (Andrew), E: andrew_loo_ts@yahoo.com.sg

Wednesdays January 4 2012 to March 21 2012 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM? 8pm: Gain deeper knowledge of Jesus through 12 evening sessions reading Pope Benedict XVI’s book, Jesus of Nazareth, Vol. 1, praying, and sharing experiences and insights. Facilitated by Fr Christopher Soh, SJ. Cost: $60. By Centre for Ignatian Spirituality and Counselling. At Kingsmead Hall (8 Victoria Park Rd). Cost: $40. T: 6467 6072; F: 6468 7584; E: cisc2664@gmail.com January 5 RED MASS 7pm: The Red Mass for Catholics in the legal profession will be celebrated by Archbishop Nicholas Chia. All in the legal profession (including law students) and their families are invited. By Catholic Lawyers Guild. At Cathedral of Good Shepherd. T: 6333 1003 (Julie) January 14 TRANISTIONS THROUGH MID-LIFE CRISIS 9-11am: Feeling lost, and having selfdoubts and a strong desire to make VLJQL¿FDQW FKDQJHV WR OLIH DUH FRPPRQ in the midlife passage. Sr Linda Lizada, MA, will deal with how to negotiate WKLV GLI¿FXOW SHULRG %\ &ODULW\ Singapore.At Church of Sts Peter and Paul Level 2, Room 8 (225 Queen St). Cost: $15. T: 9710 3733; E: lightingtheway@clarity-singapore.org; W: http://www.clarity-singapore.org Saturday January 7 to Sunday January 8 THE CONTEMPLATIVE DIMENSION OF FAITH 8.30am: Seminar to deepen the spirit of friendship and collaboration among different faiths in Singapore. The focus is on the contemplative practice of religion and how the shared experience of silence in meditation can enhance interreligious dialogue. Led by Fr Laurence Freeman, OSB, with contributions from other religious leaders. By IRED, WCCM and supported by IRO. At CJC Performing Arts Centre (Whitley Rd). Cost: $50. Register T: 8411 3130/6336 4815; E: commonground2012@gmail.com

Saturday January 21 to Tuesday January 24 RETREAT IN MALAYALAM 9am (Sat) – 6pm (Tues): Rediscover yourself through the Word of God. These sessions will be held concurrently: adults’ retreat (Malayalam) by Jerusalem Retreat Centre, Kerala, led by Fr Davis Pattath; children’s retreat (4-12 years old) by Christeen, Kerala; teens’ retreat in English (13-19 years old) by Jesus Youth. By Malayalam Charismatic Group, Singapore. T: 9186 7456 (Milen), 9820 6084 (Nibu) for adults’ retreat; 9790 3482 (Joby), 9149 3328 (Beena) for children’s retreat; 9022 4690 (Ajith), 8401 4006 (Shibu) for teens’ retreat.

Friday February 9 to Sunday February 12 HEALING & FORGIVENESS: A LIVE-IN SILENT RETREAT 7pm (Fri) -1pm (Sun): Silent livein retreat for those who want to communicate with God through meditation on biblical passages, mental exercises, and individual spiritual direction to obtain God’s graces of forgiveness and healing. Retreat director: Fr Paul Goh, SJ. By Centre for Ignatian Spirituality and Counselling. At 8 Victoria Park Rd. Cost: $165 (non-aircon), $240 (aircon). T: 64676072; F: 6468 7584; E: cisc2664@gmail.com

Wednesdays February 2 2012 to April 2012 THE SCHOOL OF PRAYER 9.30-11.30am: Experience the transforming power of the responsorial psalms and see how they can help your prayer be an honest dialogue with God in this DVD-based programme by Jeff Cavins. At Church of the Holy Spirit (Room A02-01). T: 9815 4098 (Genevieve), 8228 8220 (Clare); E: HSBibleApostolate@gmail.com.

February 18 FAITH IN THE FUTURE 2-5pm,: Talk by Margaret Silf, wellknown speaker on Ignatian spirituality on what it means to be a person of faith in the 21st century world. By Centre for Ignatian Spirituality and Counselling. At 8 Victoria Park Rd St Ignatius Hall Annexe Cost: $20. Register by Feb 11. T: 64676072; F: 6468 7584; E: cisc.igevents@gmail.com

Crossword Puzzle 1048 1

2

3

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5

6

7

8

9

10

14

15

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17

18

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22

23 27

28

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33

24 30

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41

36

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55

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56

38

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65

66

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46 49

13

32

35 42

12

26

31

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11

47 51

48 52

57

53

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67

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75

64

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

ACROSS 1 Catholic sports ¿JXUH /RPEDUGL 6 Diocese or bishop starter 10 ___ and abstinence 14 Name associated with a WWII turning point 15 Refrain syllables 16 Analogy words 17 Purge 18 The righteous are as bold as this animal, according to Prov 28:1 19 Collar fastener 20 Captivated by 21 Responsibility 22 Posterior 23 Birth month of Mary (abbr.) 25 Catholic convert and author of Poustinia 27 Police call letters 30 Easter ______ 32 Mon. of St. Pat 33 Cast aside 35 Prejudice 37 OT historical book 41 Diocese of Honolulu greeting 43 Rangers’ org 44 First word in the title of a 19th century encyclical 45 Three-masted ship of the Mediterranean 46 _____ alone 48 Dweeb

49 51 53 54 58 60 61

______ pro nobis Prime rating Air (comb.) Postpone Bearded antelopes Nat’l song Omission and commission 63 Catholic actor of “Gone with the Windâ€? fame 67 Former monetary unit of Italy 68 Wife of Jacob 69 German submarine 70 Ancient Egyptian life-giving force (var.) :DIĂ€H 72 Assist at Mass 73 Moist 74 “For the Lord, the ___ High, inspires aweâ€? (Ps 47:3) 75 People looked like this to the blind man Jesus cured (Mt 8:24) DOWN 1 Sleeveless garment 2 South American Indian 3 Small recess 4 Hints 5 Merited 6 Distributing 7 There were 40 nights and 40 days of this 8 The Lord went

9 10 11 12 13 24 26

27 28 29 31 34 36

before the Israelites in a pillar of this Horse-drawn vehicle What Peter and Andrew were Up and about Slow down growth Warming drink Tavern The woman bathed Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped his feet with her ____ Cleanser or Greek hero Heap Small drop Lout Visible appearance of God Weapon David used to kill Goliath

38 Neighbourhood 39 _____ of Ars, title by which the patron saint of priests is known 1DY RIÂżFHU 42 Land measure 47 Commandment number 50 11th century theologian 52 Month of the Feast of the Assumption 54 Caesar, for one 55 Join 56 Sprinkle 57 St. Juan ______ 59 Cavalry sword 62 Bugs 64 Drill a hole 65 Wash 66 Soissons seasons

Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1047 H O S E A

A L T A R

R E A R M

I N T O

T E R N

S H U T

S H A M

C O M A

R U I N

T D E O R B P H O O I R R N A D H R U F E A R I L I N I B E S E T Y S E

A L I N E A A R O N W E D

L I I E N S E C H A A N R M A D A A N C L S O E C C E A K L L E Y E D

S P I R I T

U R S U L I N P E E A W R R L E A T H

M I L E

M O A T

A R M S

O A R S

C M I I

H E L P

O S S I E

W I S E R

S A N D S

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

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Sunday December 25, 2011 CatholicNews

PUBLISHED BY ARCHBISHOP NICHOLAS CHIA, 2 HIGHLAND ROAD #01-03, SINGAPORE 549102. PRINTED BY TIMESPRINTERS, 16 TUAS AVE 5, SINGAPORE 639340.

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