www.catholicnews.sg SUNDAY JUNE 17, 2012
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1 million at families’ meeting in Milan
VOL 62
NO. 12
INSIDE HOME Learning sign language Catholics learn how to join deaf during Mass
Church-organised event focuses on balance between work demands and family needs
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MILAN, ITALY – From May 30-June
Schools’ joint IP/ JC programme
3, about one million people from 153 countries braved dawn wakeup calls, shouldered supply-laden backpacks and prodded along sleepy kids to take part in the World Meeting of Families in Milan, Italy. During the closing Mass, Pope Benedict XVI called for Church unity, emphasised marriage as between a man and a woman, urged parents to keep the transcendent alive in a world that adores the high-tech over high ideals, and urged kids to respect and love their family. The Church-organised event is held every three years to help families live out their Christian values. meeting was how to balance work demands, family needs and religious celebration. The pope upbraided economic theories that advocate that the best policies, markets and work ethics are those that push the most prod “The one-sided logic of sheer conducive to harmonious development, to the good of the family or to building of a more just society, because it brings in its wake ferocious competition, strong inequalities, degradation of the environment, the race for consumer goods and family tensions,� he said. Such a “utilitarian mentality� takes a toll on the family and social relationships “reducing them to a fragile convergence of individual interests and undermining the solidity of the social fabric�, he added. The pope spent nearly three full days meeting local citizens, Religious, government and business leaders, and Catholic young people and families from around the world.
‘The one-sided logic of sheer utility and not conducive to the good of the family.
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– Pope Benedict XVI to families
Pope Benedict XVI waves as he arrives for an evening service with families during the World Meeting of Families in Milan, Italy, on June 2. CNS photo
He also hosted a lunch for 100 poor families who live in Milan, but come from various countries. God, who suffered with humanity made people capable of sharing the suffering of others and of turning that pain into love, he said on June 1. He urged faith communities and secular governments at events
held from June 1-2 to work together for the common good by having people of faith live their values in all areas of life. The Church offers its teaching and input as a service to society, he said, as he urged governments to be just and guarantee liberty, based on natural law, for everyone “beginning with the right to life of
which its deliberate suppression can never be allowed�. On June 2, at Milan’s San Siro soccer stadium, he told some 80,000 boys and girls who were or they, too, can be saints as they let the Holy Spirit guide them to use their talents for the good of the community. “You are called to great things,� he said, telling them to keep their aims high. He told them to study and work hard, obey their parents, cause egoism is the enemy of joy�. At an evening vigil marked by testimonies from families all over the world and international music by well-known artistes, the pope shared the joys and sufferings of the world’s families. Five couples and families went up on stage one group at a time to ask him a personal question or appeal for advice. from Vietnam, wanted to know what it was like growing up in his home. The pope said that even though Germany at the time was suffering from dictatorship and war, his childhood was “unforgettable� and joyful as his home was always „ Continued on page 11
Collaboration between St Nicholas, Catholic High, SCGS „ Page 8
ASIA Former La Salle Brother who became a priest M’sian born clergyman talks about his experiences „ Page 9
WORLD Vatican’s US nuns’ group takes aim at decision to reform it „ Page 12
Verifying Marian apparitions Vatican publishes guidelines for bishops „ Page 13
FEATURE Combining singing with social mission St Bernadette choir reaches out to poor in Philippines „ Page 17