NOVEMBER 04, 2012, Vol 62, No 22

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www.catholicnews.sg SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2012

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VOL 62

NO. 22

INSIDE

Singapore Church launches Year of Faith

HOME Reaching out to women

800 priests, Religious and laypeople gather to mark special year

Seminar tackles religion, health, work „ Page 5

Photo: RICHARD KOH

By Darren Boon Parishes and Church groups received scrolls containing the Creed during a special Mass to launch the Year of Faith on Oct 11. Pope Benedict XVI had called for the special year to run from Oct 11, 2012 to Nov 24, 2013. He has asked Catholics to spend this year studying, professing and demonstrating their faith. During the local launch of the special year at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, parish priests received a scroll from Archbishop Nicholas Chia on which is printed the Nicene Creed in Latin guages. The scrolls were to be taken back to parishes and enthroned during Masses on Oct 14. Representatives of Church organisations also received a scroll of the Creed in English to be installed in their workplaces with a prayer service. About 800 people comprising priests, Religious, and laypeople attended the celebration. Before the Mass started, Vicar General Msgr Eugene Vaz led the Year of Faith. Parish representatives carrying their parish banners and priests of the archdiocese then entered the cathedral in procession. In his homily, Archbishop Chia urged all Catholics to pray

time reading the documents of Vatican II and the Catechism of on the Bible. He also expressed his desire for the Catholic community to

faith to others as well�. One highlight of the celebration was the Cathedral Choir of the Risen Christ leading the congregation in singing Credo, Year of Faith. Some Catholics shared their thoughts about and hopes for the special year with CatholicNews after the Mass. “I think that we are blessed that the Holy Father had set aside this time to remind the whole Church to go back to the roots of faith, to remember that our faith is rooted in the experience of God’s love,� said Ms Jacinta Phoon, a senior medical social worker at Assisi Hospice. She hopes that local Catholics do not “remain complacent just because our churches are full�. “Faith has to become a deeper experience and not just head understanding.� Mr Mervin Neubronner, from the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea, said he hopes to see the Singapore Church experience a “dynamic growth� during the special year. Brandon Seah, 17, from the Church of the Holy Trinity, shared that he would like to see “more avenues for outreach like praise and worship sessions� during the Year of Faith. “I hope that this Year of Faith will inject a sense of joy in the beauty and the gift we have in our faith,� said Franciscan Friar Michael D’Cruz. “And in this way, we become truly happier people and our joy welcomes others.� „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

„ More photos on Page 2

Why I believe what I believe Former Minister Lim Boon Heng shares his faith „ Page 8

ASIA M’sian Church acquisition Court hearing set for November „ Page 11

WORLD

Single released to mark Year of Faith „ Page 12

COMMENTARY Pakistani teenager is my hero’ Learning from her quest for education Seminarian Jude David holds aloft the Nicene Creed in Latin and Singa

on the Creed and the Bible, and read the documents of Vatican II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church during this special year.

„ Page 16

CANONISATIONS What the recent 7 canonisations have to teach us „ Page 19

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Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

S’pore Church launches Year of Faith „ From Page 1

Archbishop Chia presents scrolls containing the Creed to Fr John Joseph Fenelon. All parish priests received scrolls for their parishes.

Photos: RICHARD KOH

Priests in prayer during the Mass at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.

A section of the 800-strong crowd at the Oct 11 Mass.

Sir Peter Low conducting the Cathedral Choir of the Risen Christ.

MARKING 50 YEARS OF SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM: A New Missal, a New Craft, A New Evangelisation – a book marking 50 years since the publication of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, is now on sale at the Katong Catholic Book Centre (63451413) at $6. The book is published by the Episcopal Regional Liturgy Commission of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

ARCHBISHOP’S DIARY Oct 26-29

Bangkok: Divine Mercy Conference

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Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Men discerning vocations get practical tips

Choir raises funds for Cambodian charity

By Br Nicholas Lye > Z ! call to the priesthood gathered at the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary recently to learn practical tools for such discernment. Cenacle Sr Linda Lizada gave the Oct 12-13 Tools for Discernment workshop to the participants who ranged in age from 18 to 35. The workshop was part of a quarterly Diocesan Vocation Discernment Recollection organised by archdiocesan vocation director Fr Alex Chua. Sr Linda, who has had many years of experience accompanying people in their spiritual journey, told participants that “the spiritual life encompasses all of our life�. Thus, every aspect of one’s life serves as “material for our discernment�. According to her, discernment is about “being able to see who God is and who am I to God, so that I can always respond to what is of God and reject what is not of God�. She listed certain dispositions for discernment, such as a capac the desire for God and a relationship with Him, and a life of prayer. She reminded participants that “discerning a choice to make is the easy part; what is ! cerning life daily which lays the groundwork that helps us make time comes�. The workshop also provided

The Cantate Domino Choir singing at its Oct 13 concert.

Cenacle Sr Linda Lizada conducting a discernment workshop for 45 men at the seminary.

Discerning a ‘choice to make is the easy part; is living a discerning life daily.

’

– Sr Linda Lizada

Z and small-group sharing. Participants said they found Sr Linda’s pointers on discernment practical. Aloysius Tan, 19, a recently baptised Catholic from the Church of the Holy Family, shared that he has “gained much knowledge and

skills from Sr Linda’s talks and now have a clearer picture of how to discern�. He said he was grateful for help from his “brothers� in the seminary in helping him grow in intimacy with God and listening “to His small still voice�. Three participants who came all the way from Brunei also said \ $ Nicholas Jones, 20, remarked that “useful, detailed and clear methods were provided. This recollection was particularly useful to get back in touch with what God wants for me�. For more information on the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary, visit www.sfxms.org.sg or email seminariansonline@gmail. com. The writer is a seminarian. „

The Cantate Domino Choir from the Church of the Risen Christ raised close to $4,500 for a Cambodian charity at a concert. The choir, which sings at the Sunday 11.30 am Mass, donated the proceeds from its 10th anniversary concert to the Missionary Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Poipet, Cambodia. The nuns from the missionary society work in health care and other areas. They support tuberculosis and HIV patients by providing them with nutritious food, sponsor primary school students, and visit landmine survivors and people with disabilities. During the two-hour-long concert held at the Chapel of St Joseph’s Institution (International) on Oct 13, the 40-member choir took the audience on a journey of sacred choral music from past to present. The 200-strong crowd enjoyed a repertoire spanning classics such as Lift Up Your Heads and the Hallelujah Chorus from Han-

del’s Messiah, Jubilate Deo and Alleluia by Mozart, to contemporary works such as For the Beauty of the Earth and Angel’s Carol by British composer John Rutter. The sum of almost $4,500 was raised, thanks to donations and love offerings. According to choirmaster Bernard Goh, “Music is a gift and we have a duty to serve God and the community with this gift.� „

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Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Role-play exercise at NCC Day Neighbourhood Christian Communities learn about evangelisation at workshop By Amanda Yeo It was a Neighbourhood Christian Communities (NCC) Day with a difference. On Oct 13 afternoon, 200 Catholics from NCCs across the archdiocese came together for their annual NCC Day, held in Catholic Junior College. The theme this year was Go You Are Sent Forth. But this time, there was a special role-play exercise in small groups, an activity not done before. For this, people acting as “non-Catholics� were introduced to the groups, and the groups then had to “evangelise� them. The purpose was to introduce participants to the different kinds of people they could meet and

to see how NCC members could share Christ with them. A discussion was then held after the role-play and group facilitators shared their observations of various groups’ strengths and weaknesses. It was observed that the various communities interacted with the “non-Catholic� according to the three stages of evangelisation: befriending, sharing of life stories and sharing Christ’s story, in varying degrees and orders. It was noted that some communities tended to stick to befriending the “non-Catholic� and did so very well by “inviting� the person to meals, gatherings and other activities. It was also observed that some participants, possibly not wanting to appear to impose their faith on

A group prepares to receive and interact with a person playing the role of a ‘non-Catholic’ during the archdiocesan NCC Day.

the “non-Catholic�, steered clear of referring to the person of Jesus although their listener showed an openness to learning more about the faith. Participants realised they needed to do more to share their life stories and Christ’s story in a way that is meaningful for others. “We are a makan people� was how Vicar General Msgr Eugene

Participants realised they needed to do more to share Christ’s story in a way that is meaningful for others.

Vaz put it in summarising the feedback. Jesus, too, ate with different people, particularly those who were considered outcasts in society, and this was His way of reaching out, said Msgr Vaz. He noted that this is where the work of evangelisation could begin. Participants said the workshop gave them much food for thought. It helped NCC members “take a look at themselves and how they are promoting the NCCs,� said Mr Eddie Low from the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea. Sr Geraldine Ee, from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood, said she found the group work and role-

play “good�. However, she felt the day’s programme could have been longer to give more time for deliberation. Archbishop Nicholas Chia, in his opening address, encouraged participants during the Year of Faith to discover the person of Christ, and to study the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In his homily during Mass, catechetical director Fr Erbin Fer ^ of the good work that they were doing. The NCC Day is organised by the Singapore Pastoral Institute. „

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Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Women’s seminar tackles religion, health, work By Martin See †

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Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Sr Susan Thomas speaking at The Rights and Roles of Women seminar.

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– Ms Michelle Soliano, Family Life Society’s programme manager

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Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Campus outreach group holds ‘Teh-O-logy’ session Tertiary students discuss campus ministry issues over tea and snacks The dialogue session was called “Teh-O-logy�, and it was what Living Stones Campus Outreach (LSCO) organised to celebrate its 10th anniversary. LSCO said “Teh-O-logy�, a light-hearted reference to the local coffee-shop beverage, was inspired by the American Catholic concept of Theology on Tap, in which young people discuss faith issues over a beer in a relaxed pub setting. LSCO, which aims to provide spiritual formation to tertiary-level students, invited Catholic students from local universities and polytechnics to discuss the issues facing them and how campus ministries can help deepen their faith. Close to 60 campus ministry leaders from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, Singapore Institute of Management, and Singapore and Ngee Ann polytechnics, together with LSCO members, brainstormed various issues over tea and snacks at the Church of St Bernadette. Campus ministry is “more than just an ECA for which my poly awards points�, one participants shared during the Sept 29 event. “It is where I have experienced the ‘realness’ of God.� Another student said, “Studies-wise, we are at undergraduate level. But faith-wise, we are still at Sec 3. We need to level-up and mature in our faith and service!� Students also said they see campus ministry as a way of getting to know other young Catholics from different backgrounds. Serving in campus ministries also has its share of challenges,

Paris Foreign Missions (MEP) priest, Fr Bruno Saint Girons, has been appointed superior of the MEP Fathers in Singapore and Malaysia. The priest, from the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, takes over from Fr Michael Arro. „

! victims in Philippines

Campus ministry members present points raised in their small group discussions. Issues highlighted included leadership succession and burnout in ministry.

we are at undergraduate level. ‘ButStudies-wise, faith-wise, we are still at Sec 3. We need to level-up and mature in our faith and service!’

– Comment from a student

participants noted. At a time in their lives when there are many priorities competing for attention, students shared that they needed constantly to discern God’s will and draw strength from Him to avoid burnout in ministry. Another concern was that of leadership succession, given the short three or four years that students spend on campus. The dialogue session concluded with a Mass celebrated by Jesuit Fr Christopher Soh, chaplain for the NTU Catholic Students Apostolate (CSA). In his homily, he challenged participants to make outreach the

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central focus of their ministries – to make Christ known on campus. LSCO coordinator Irving Teo told CatholicNews that his group decided to create “a casual setting� to help students “share their thoughts and ideas�. “Campus life is that important transition stage where students need to encounter Christ...and make a difference in their workplaces upon graduation,� he added. The group said it will continue to work closely with campus ministries and their chaplains to discern future directions. For more information on LSCO, visit www.livingstones-online.org „

CHARIS, the archdiocesan umbrella body for overseas humanitarian work, has sent relief aid to the Philippine’s Luzon region, which experienced widespread

` west monsoon. CHARIS, in September, shipped $31,000 worth of supplies to Caritas Philippines to aid

! ƒ ! who were affected by the midAugust rains. Mr Frederick Foo, CHARIS’ director of operations, went to < Manila on Sept 23 to take stock of the supplies which had arrived the previous day and joined staff there in repacking them for distribution. The following day, the supplies – comprising blankets, tarpaulin sheets and mosquito nets

– were distributed to about 700 families in Calamba City in the province. > ! !en to the St Pablo Diocesan Social Action Centre. The centre “is now able to respond to crisis situations where clean water is needed�, said Mr Foo. The water “can produce 1,000 litres of clean water per hour. This will help to reduce numbers falling sick or contracting skin problems�. To assist CHARIS in its humanitarian work, send a crossed cheque payable to “Humanitarian Aid Fund�, together with your name and address, to CHARIS, 55 Waterloo Street #09-03A, Singapore 187954. For more information, contact Albert Lim (6338-0182) or email info@charis-singapore.org „

Flood victims live in a ‘tent city’ in Calamba City.

Coming up: Battle of the Bands By Darren Boon The young people of Blessed Sacrament Church are organising a band competition as part of the parish’s year-end countdown celebration. Battle of the Bands is open to all bands regardless of age, race or religion. The organisers have told CatholicNews that they want to “make use of this special event to evangelise and spread God’s love� by encouraging young people to bring along their non-Catholic friends. Bands can perform their own compositions or song covers but heavy metal music and music with satanic themes are prohibited, the organisers said. Registration for the competition is now open and ends on Oct 30. A maximum of six people can form a band. Preliminaries

are held on Dec 1 and 2. The top six bands from the preliminaries to make it into the #* \ top three positions and prizes. The competition is part of the Lodestar Countdown initiated by Blessed Sacrament Church’s youth to gather young people across parishes in Singapore to “praise God and thank Him for all the wonderful blessings He has showered upon us in year 2012�, according to the organisers. The countdown will begin at 8 pm with praise and worship and will include prayer and dance performances. To participate, email lodestar.countdown@gmail.com. The organisers will then reply to the email with a registration form. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

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Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Trained doctor is ordained priest New Carmelite priest Fr Edward Lim says lessons he learnt as a doctor could be useful in his priestly ministry Photos: ANSON A SUA

By Darren Boon Recently ordained Carmelite priest Fr Edward Lim gave up a promising career as a doctor to answer the call to the priesthood. The 39-year-old was ordained by Archbishop Nicholas Chia at the Church of Christ the King on Oct 15. Speaking to CatholicNews a few days after his ordination, Fr Lim, a convert, said that the call to the Religious vocation had always been there, and he wanted to answer it. The prompting came after he was baptised as a teenager. He had read a lot about Carmelite nun St Therese of Lisieux soon after his baptism, and was attracted to her spirituality, and to silence and prayer. He approached the Carmelite nuns and received encouragement from them. However, as he was still young and needed time to explore the Religious vocation, he ventured into medicine as he wanted “to be able to heal [and] help people�. He said he enjoyed speaking to his patients and being with them. “But I realised too that what I can do is also ... limited,� he said, adding that his patients had much to teach him themselves. There were lessons Fr Lim said he learnt as a doctor which could be useful to his priestly ministry, such as the realisation of the fragility and uncertainty of life, how people are more important than science, and being able to multitask and stay focused. Fr Lim joined the Carmelites in 2005 after completing his bond with the government.

Fr Lim said he about the fragility of life as a physician But the journey towards

culty. There were times when he questioned himself about what he was doing and the “meaning of it $ 5 ! enforced life in the monastery‌ contacts with friends and family

Fr Edward Lim being ordained by Archbishop Nicholas Chia on Oct 15.

had to be kept low or even minimum, having to travel overseas for studies�.

These questions lingered even before he took his solemn profession.

However, with the help of his spiritual directors and friends in the Religious life, he was able to maintain his focus, he shared. 5 journey was joining the Religious life without the blessings of his non-Catholic parents who could not accept his decision. “So I just packed my bags and left,â€? he said. % ! and also for me because there were many things that could not be said, or were not able to be said at that point of time.â€? Nevertheless, his parents attended his ordination. “Well it seems as if they are [accepting]‌but they never said so. But I suppose by them being present, it meant a lot to them and also to me,â€? he said. Now that he is a priest, he said he prays that he would be able to “show what God wants me to show to His people, to ... communicate His love for His people in the way I think He wants me toâ€?. Fr Lim says he still hopes to still be able to work as a doctor but not on a fulltime basis so as not to affect his priestly duties. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

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Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

‘Why I believe what I believe’ Former Cabinet minister Lim Boon Heng was one of several speakers who shared their faith stories at events to mark Mission Sunday By Darren Boon His Christian name is Paul, former Member of Parliament and ex-Cabinet minister Lim Boon Heng shared at a talk to mark World Mission Sunday. That was one nugget of information the former politician gave to the 300-strong crowd gathered at Blessed Sacrament Church on Oct 16. The parish had invited Mr Lim and three other speakers to share the importance of their Christian faith in their lives, in talks that had the theme, Why I Believe What I Believe. The talks were held over two evenings. Mr Lim, who is now chairman of NTUC Eldercare, shared that though his mother was Catholic, his father was not. As a result, the faith was not practised at home, which also had no religious images. He attended Holy Innocents’ English School which was later renamed Montfort School, and credited the school environment and his friends for inspiring him to know more about the Catholic faith. He took catechism in Teochew along with his friends, but stopped when his father found out, Mr Lim recounted. Later in secondary school, he received one-to-one instruction in the faith but once again his father objected to his baptism, Mr Lim added. When Mr Lim went to study at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom, he attended Mass at the small chapel there and the chaplain even encouraged him to serve at Mass. Mr Lim was eventually baptised at the age of 21. He shared that some of the teachings he still holds dear today include the Parable of the Widow’s Mite, the Beatitudes, and the university chaplain’s advice to “distinguish between form and substance� – about doing things in the right spirit. “The Catholic Church not just

" # $

Former Cabinet minister Lim Boon Heng (seen here with Fr Anthony Hutjes) shared his faith journey at Blessed Sacrament Church on Oct 16.

His Catholic values and faith have guided his work in pub ' ƒ Â

/ told CatholicNews in an email interview. The same values have also guided him in his work at NTUC, said the former NTUC secretary-general. “The Catholic Church teaches us to help the poor. Thus I paid particular attention to the lower-wage workers,� he said. He said he had no problems being a Catholic as well as a politician. “The only time I faced a con ! Mr Lim said. He added that this led to his “very public expression� of his views on the matter.

Burden of proof

Assoc Prof Malcolm Murfett

Ms Andrea Fang

in Singapore but everywhere has done a lot to live the faith and that is what inspires others,� Mr Lim said. Her schools have contributed to conversions, and non-Catholic students there learn that the faith is open and inclusive, he said.

have to know God and what we believe in�, she said. Through the parents’ love for their children, the children will also experience God, she said. She encouraged parents to be consistent in their values and standards and to be non-negotia-

A second round of sharings was held on Oct 21. Assoc Prof Malcolm Murfett, from the National University of Singapore’s history department, said he grew up in a humble Anglican family in the English countryside and enjoyed Sunday school. He also assisted in teaching three-to-eight-year-olds when he was only 11, and also acted as a guide and prompter for the priest at the Holy Communion service

Children and faith Ms Andrea Fang, ex-principal of St Stephen’s School, spoke on the topic, Leaving our Children a Legacy of Faith. She said that one of the best gifts parents can leave their children is the love of God and the knowledge that God would be there in everything the child goes through in life. And in order to do that, “we

The teachings Mr Lim says he still holds dear today include the Parable of the Widow’s Mite, the Beatitudes, and his university chaplain’s advice to ‘distinguish between form and substance’. ble on certain issues, such as attending Mass on Sundays including during examination period. Ms Fang also encouraged parents to send their children to Catholic schools. “It does make a great difference,� Ms Fang said. Children “don’t have to go to top schools in Singapore. Catholic schools will bring your children up [as] good children, good daughters and sons, good wives and husbands and very loving people�. The Catholic school also inculcates the habit of prayer, she added.

when the priest became blind. At that age, he “already sensed that God existed�. “I couldn’t explain why I knew, I just did,� said Prof Murfett, who later converted to Catholicism. Among his favourite Bible passages were the Christmas story and the story of the Prodigal Son, the history professor said. As a young adult, he decided to read more of the Bible after learning about the Big Bang Theory and the theory of evolu-

During a press conference in 2011 to introduce the PAP candidates for the General Election, he broke down in tears when he recalled his reluctant decision to support having the casinos. During the debate on Integrated Resorts (IRs) in 2005, Mr Lim said his answer would be “no� to casinos due to the social costs, but he could not ignore the jobs the IRs would create for Singapore. “The other issue that posed ! \ said Mr Lim. “However, on this issue, we go by our conscience. Other than these, I have had no \ life.� „

tion that seemed to contradict the Book of Genesis. “In my jousting with the atheists and humanists who stridently championed disbelief in God, we always came back to the ‘burden of proof’ argument,� he said. “While I couldn’t use a mathematical proof to show God’s existence to them, I felt deeply that Jesus had died as the saviour for mankind and those feelings couldn’t be rejected by plausible, \ ! ! dence brought by the non-believers in an effort to make me think again and reject God,� he said. “Faith, evidently, is a gift of the Holy Spirit,� he said. “I’m sure, however, that while it is ours to keep we must also share God’s message of love with as many people as possible.� Prof Murfett also added that Catholics must be “careful not to denigrate others�, such as other Christians, “who don’t share our Catholic faith�. The other speaker, Mr Longinus Chew, chaplain of Assumption English School and Boys’ Town, shared with the audience how he converted from Buddhism to Catholicism. Ms Regina Ong, who attended ` ! the sharing and testimonies helped the audience “understand what the love of God means�. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

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Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Catholic doctors urged to see Christ in the faces of their patients

Filipinos, Indonesians, Japanese attend Mission Sunday Mass

By Dr Colin Ong ‰ \ Archbishop Nicholas Chia told Catholic medical doctors, medical students and their families, who came together to celebrate the Catholic Medical Guild’s (CMG) 60th anniversary on Oct 21. In his homily during the Mass, / ‰ < Archbishop Chia told those present that medicine was not a ca

Š $ Medicine, he said, is a vocation and calling from God. By seeing it in this light, he continued, Catholic doctors would be able to avoid making a routine of their work and avoid being burnt out by the pressures of such work. Such an attitude would bring a spiritual dimension to their daily tasks and make their work more meaningful, he said. Doctors then become God’s hands – effective instruments of God to serve the sick and the suffering. Archbishop Chia cited the parable of the Good Samaritan as an

€ ` ! Catholic doctors are called to, and reminded them that they must always see in their patients the face of Christ. The Mass was followed by a dinner that began with a video presentation on the past contributions and future aspirations of the CMG. The highlight of the dinner was the Fr Edmund Dunne Memorial Lecture delivered by Bishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney’s < $ /

From left: Archbishop Nicholas Chia, Bishop Anthony Fisher, and Dr John Hui and Dr Sally Ho from the Catholic Medical Guild pose for a photo.

professor of moral theology and bioethics at the John Paul II institute at Melbourne Australia. Bishop Fisher said that bioethics was the study of ethical issues that arise in medicine, the life sciences and biotechnology, which are all advancing at an incredible pace. / ` \ used principles in medical ethics ( Š \ Z ( lenged the audience with real life issues that doctors commonly face such as whether or not to tell the truth to a patient dying with cancer, and medical care at the end of life, using these principles.

/ ciples were not so much principles that should be used to determine whether a medical act was ethical or not, but rather, that they were more akin to basic common-sense principles of any moral life. Rather than use these principles Catholic doctors be aware of how others may use these principles in ways that go against the dignity of the human person and against life. Many in the audience bought a copy of Bishop Fisher’s new book Catholic Bioethics for a New Millennium at the dinner (see review below). „

Review of Bishop Fisher’s book By Fr David Garcia, OP Is there a difference between letting a patient die with dignity and withholding medical treatment so patients are spared a long, painful process of dying? Should Catholic hospitals be different from their secular counterparts? Is there a way out of the abortion debate? Can Catholics keep themselves absolutely free from any cooperation with the many morally illicit practices the secular world is practising today? Is it possible for a Catholic politician to keep faithful to Catholic values? Perhaps the questions that beg most earnestly for an urgent and intelligent answer are the ethical dilemmas of our time. Among these, one of the greatest concerns is the ethical boundaries of the use of technology to improve (or destroy) our lives and our societies. Bishop Anthony Fisher succeeds in addressing all these questions and more in his latest book,

Catholic Bioethics for a New Millennium. Bishop Fisher is highly quali `$ / sought-after speaker and lecturer on moral issues with numerous \ $ / ! \ < cal Academy for Life and is well

acquainted with both the Catholic and the secular perspectives on bioethical matters. / \

` \ cally rigorous and an engaging dialogue. It tackles all sides of the debate before giving an intelligent answer to the issues at hand. Perhaps one of its most appreciated contributions is its unashamedly Catholic approach. The Church not only has an intelligent view on ethical matters, but has received divine wisdom as a gift that she cannot but proclaim to all people of good will, especially when it concerns the safeguarding of human dignity and those that are most vulnerable in society. Catholic Bioethcis for a New Millennium is a must read for those who want to be updated on the latest contributions to bioethical debates as well as for Catholics who want to know how to engage the world in intelligent dialogue. The book is available at www. amazon.com „

Filipinos, Japanese and Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity were among those who attended the Mission Sunday Mass.

By David Woon “Maybe, I’ll be a missionary, working in neighbouring countries because I believe it’ll be Š \ said Darren Lim, 15, an altar server at St Anne’s Church. Lim was among the 1,400 people who attended the Mission Sunday Mass held at St Anne’s Church on Oct 21. Members of the Filipino, Indonesian, and Japanese Catholic communities, dressed in their traditional costumes, as well as Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity in their trademark bluestriped saris, were among those at the celebration. In his homily, Archbishop Nicholas Chia mentioned that this year’s Mission Sunday actually coincided with the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council as well as the start of the Year of Faith. / \ ! € ine their own faith and renew their spiritual zeal daily through prayer and the Sacraments. They need to stand up for their beliefs but not in a forceful-

manner, he said. Some participants shared their thoughts with CatholicNews after the Mass. 5 ' + said Ms Junko Akaishi from the Japanese Catholic community. “It is wonderful to see so many people involved. They are so warm $ Ms Agustina Kedang and Ms Fransiska Raga, representatives of the Indonesian group Keluarga Katolik Indonesia Singapore, shared that theirs is a community of about 3,000. They said their group often travels to Batam, Johor and Malacca to help the poor. Other mission groups at the Mass included ACTS29, Mission Awareness Group, Lay Missionary Community and New Evangelisation Team. The Mass was concelebrated by Fr Francis Lee, Fr Robertus Sarwiseso, Fr Paul Staes, Fr Rafael Sambodo and Fr Kenson Koh. It was coordinated by the Archdiocesan Commission for Missionary Activity (ACMA). go to http://acma.sg. „

10 ASIA

S Korean Church wants Catholic values in elections SEOUL – Bishops on Oct 16 sent

The bishops also called on policy proposals to candidates candidates to abolish the death running in South Korea’s upcom- penalty and amend the Nationing presidential elections, asking al Security Law which permits ! prosecution of anyone “praistheir campaigns. ing� or “benefitting� North KoThe 31-page booklet contains rea. ! 5

! - ! ronment and econrepeal the Mother omy, said Fr Hugo / Park Jung-woo, Act which permits secretary of the Koabortion in cases of  rape, incest or when mittee for Justice there are concerns and Peace. about the mental or š5 physical well being has] a duty to pass of either parent. moral judgment Fr Park said

! ! matters when the military base unfundamental rights der construction of a person or the on Jeju Island and ! Current President Lee the layoff of more requires it,� he said. Myung-Bak is due to step than 2,600 workNine candi- down at the end of the ers at a Ssangyong dates are regis- year following the end of car factory in 2009 tered in the Dec following a bloody 19 election includconfrontation with ing Ms Park Geun-hye of security forces were also includthe ruling Saenuri Party and ed in the proposals to presidential Mr Moon Jae-in of the main op- candidates. position Democratic United ParFr Park said the Ssangyong ty. layoffs represented “a case in < ! which capital used workers as currently running neck and neck a means�, adding that humans ' +

Z

- ! \ pendent candidate. a commercial end. „ UCANEWS.COM

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Religious freedom threatened all over Asia: report ROME – +

on minority religious freedom in + tians continued or worsened in many countries in Asia last year. Issued on Oct 16 in Rome by +

; can foundation charged with help

spread the faith, the report singled out a “terrible year� for Pakistan following the killings of two top politicians, Mr Salman Taseer and Mr Shahbaz Bhatti, who opposed strict blasphemy laws. ! lations of religious freedom�, it added, while Vietnam looked to be following its northern neighbour by promoting patriotic religious $ Myanmar was seen as making little headway towards tolerance of minority religions despite its recent political reforms, while in North Korea religious freedom continued to be “totally denied�. Meanwhile, India witnessed growing enforcement of anti ! with a rise in attacks against minorities, the report said. Speaking at the Rome launch on Oct 16, Mr John Dayal, secre Z + % rise of extremist Hindu groups in

! as an Islamic threat was the main factor behind worsening religious

Fr Liu Yong Wang distributes Communion to Catholics in a makeshift chapel in the village of Bai Gu Tun, located southeast of Beijing. A report stated that China saw ‘tremendous violations of religious freedom’. CNS photo

Myanmar was seen as making little headway towards tolerance of minority religions despite its recent political reforms. persecution during 2011. “India is in a state of denial,� he said. “It refuses to acknowledge that ! ` $ With the lowest group in India’s now-discredited caste system now comprising 60 percent

\ “untouchables� could unite under the politics of the upper castes� had prompted authorities to slowly strip away their right to choose a religious faith, said Mr Dayal. Elsewhere, attacks by Mus the southern Philippines last year, + in Need report. Thailand was seen as one of the few bright spots as one of the + ` “progress in inter-religious dialogue�, it said. „ UCANEWS.COM

Asian bishops’ meeting in Vietnam

Xuan Loc Bishop’s House in Dong Nai province, Vietnam.

HO CHI MINH CITY – The coming assembly of the Federation of Asian  Â‹>+ ÂŒ ` ! \ munist Vietnam is expected to promote cooperation between the local $ 5 ; *" >+ \ in Xuan Loc Bishop’s House in ! ! *~Z ‡= \

>+ *~›"$ 5 ! ˆ" ` / ' $ “After being closed to the outside world for many decades, the assembly is an excellent opportu € its solidarity with and introduce itself to other churches in Asia and |  Pham Minh Man said. ' *‡" es in Asia and other continents are expected to attend the one-week as \ >+ )" & _ of Asia. „ UCANEWS.COM

ASIA 11

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Malaysian Church

%

KUANTAN, MALAYSIA – A case involving the Malaysian Church’s seeking a judicial review of government acquisition of Church land has been postponed to Nov 2. The case was initially supposed to be heard on Sept 19 but was postponed to Sept 24 and later to Oct 10. The postponements were apparently to allow the various parties to resolve the matter out of court, according to the Malaysian Catholic weekly, Herald. The case involves the government trying to take over part of the land where St Thomas Church and Sekolah Menengah St Thomas (St Thomas Secondary School) are located. The Herald quoted parish priest, Fr Mitchel Anthony Joseph, saying in a statement that the current Sekolah Menengah St Thomas was established in 1956 on land purchased by a priest, Fr Anthony Duvelle, in 1910. The school’s administration was under the patronage of the Marist Brothers and later the Brothers of St Gabriel up to 1996 when the administration was handed over to the government but not ownership of the land. It was also agreed then, that the Ministry of Education would build another school at a new site. Fr Joseph said that “as there was no progress on the relocation of the school, the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, as the legal owner of the land wrote to the Ministry of Education and the various educational authorities at state as well as federal level, on July 16, 2008, expressing our intention to take back the land where the school is located not more later than December 31, 2012�. Fr Joseph noted that “out of the blue, we received a notice from JKPTG� [the government’s arm for land acquisition] on June 21 on the government’s proposed acquisition.

“We have set up a legal team the acquisition at the High Court,� he said. The Herald reported that Archbishop Murphy Pakiam has written a letter stating that “the

government action ‘Thecomes as a shock. We feel it is unfair to the church. This action deprives the St Thomas Church of the school’s facilities for religious classes

’

– Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Murphy Pakiam

government action comes as a shock. We feel it is unfair to the church. This action in essence deprives the St Thomas Church of the school’s facilities for religious classes and the church development plans for Catholics in Kuantan�. „

12 WORLD

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Christians left in Syria struggle to survive CNS photo

LONDON – The Chaldean Catholic

! " # # % " &' CNS photo

Cleanup at Lourdes $ ! VATICAN CITY – Flooding at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes on Oct 20 temporarily closed much of the popular French pilgrimage site and led to the evacuation of several hundred pilgrims. The shrine church was partially open on Oct 21, but the pools where the sick bathe in hopes of spiritual and physical healing said Bishop Nicolas Brouwet of Tarbes and Lourdes. The Lourdes grotto, where Mary is reported to have appeared to St Bernadette Soubirous in 1858, was to reopen the evening of Oct 23 after

a major cleanup of mud left behind \

‰ ! _ ! $ up to four feet of water in the grotto. Pope Benedict XVI publicly expressed his concern about the

‚ ‡* itation of the Angelus after canonising seven new saints and celebrating Mass in St Peter’s Square. “We turn to the one who is queen of all the saints, the Virgin Mary, with a thought for Lourdes, ` \

‰ !

! ‰ + pope said. „ CNS

bishop of Aleppo said Syria’s second-largest city, which he “loves so much�, has been left in ruins by there are struggling to survive. <

! homes,� said Chaldean Bishop Antoine Audo. Speaking at a reception in the British Parliament on Oct 18, the bishop said that, even with the violence of “bombing and snipers�, Aleppo’s bishops have decided to stay with their people to try to prevent the loss of a Christian presence in the area. % $$$ ! their homes because of the threat of bombs, they have lost their livelihoods; schools, hospitals and other public services do not function. There is chaos,� he said. “Eighty percent of people have no job and have no option but to stay at home,� the bishop said. “Poverty is getting very serious, especially with rising prices and no salaries. The face of the city has changed. There is no security, eve in basic travel, no taxis, no buses.� He said that although many Syrian people had suffered as a result of the violence that has convulsed the region, Christians were

* + ! /7 + !9 ; + < / +

confronted by problems that were “uniquely serious�. “In the city of Homs, home to what was the country’s secondlargest Christian community, all but a few of the faithful were forced to leave after a wave of persecution – all the churches desecrated,� Bishop Audo said. “The desire to emigrate is always on people’s minds, especially Christians,� he said. “The majority of wealthy people have already left Aleppo for Lebanon

to seek schools for their children. “Those who remain in Aleppo are only the poor families. We are fearful that Christianity will de š œ as it has done over the past decade in neighboring Iraq,� he said. “If Christians in my country were reduced to a token few, it would be disastrous because, until now, ours has been one of the last remaining strong Christian centres in the whole of the Middle East. „ CNS

London rock band sings Creed in Latin MILAN, ITALY – “Credo in unum

Deum, patrem, creatorem coeli et terrae, visibilium et invisibilium.� The words are an unmistakable copy of the Latin version of the

Creed. Except that their context is light years away from traditionalists’ liturgies. These are in fact the opening lyrics to Credo, the new single released by London rock

band Ooberfuse on Oct 11 to mark the beginning of the Year of Faith. Ooberfuse has certainly also attracted the interest of the youth pastoral of the English Episcopal Conference: In 2010 one of their songs, the hip hop piece Heart’s Cry, was chosen as the hymn for Pope Benedict XVI’s meeting with young people in Hyde Park. In 2011, Ooberfuse won a music competition launched on the occasion of the World Youth Day in Madrid, with the song Faith in You. This year, they made headlines because of two tracks about the suffering of Christians in Pakistan: Blood Cries Out – in memory of Minister Shabhaz Bhatti who was assassinated in March 2011 – and Free Asia Bibi, which asks for the woman’s release from jail where she was imprisoned in 2009 on supposed blasphemy charges. Cherrie Anderson, the band’s British-Filipino front-woman explained in an interview with Independent Catholic News, “Credo demonstrates that the subtle textures and nuances of our faith, condemned to silence because they cannot be articulated through traditional means, can be expressed through modern cultural forms and contemporary musical traditions. This insight was the vision that inspired the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council.� „ VATICAN INSIDER

WORLD 13

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Pope both praises and criticises Vatican II texts CNS photo

VATICAN CITY – On the eve of the

50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, published a short reminiscence by Pope Benedict XVI. In the essay, the pope recalls his presence at the opening of Vatican II, which he attended as a theological adviser. He both praises and criticises some of the council’s most important documents, regarding religious liberty and the Church’s relationship with non-Christian religions and the modern world. “Christianity, which had built and formed the Western world, seemed more and more to be losing its power to shape society,� he writes. “So that it might once again be a force to shape the future, [Blessed] John XXIII had convoked the council without \lems or programmes. This was the greatness and at the same time the ` before the ecclesial assembly.� A crucial question for the council fathers, Pope Benedict writes, was the “relationship between the Church and the modern world�. Pope Benedict concludes that one of the council’s best-known

Pope Benedict: Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 9 the ‘essential features that constitute the modern era’.

documents, Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, � tion of the “essential features that constitute the modern era�. Instead, he writes, the “encounter with the great themes of the modern epoch� happened in “two minor documents, whose importance has

only gradually come to light�. The Declaration on Religious Liberty, “urgently requested, and also drafted, by the American \ “freedom to choose and practise religion and the freedom to change it, as fundamental human rights and freedoms�, he writes. That declaration lent itself to troubling interpretations, the pope writes, since it might seem to imply the “inaccessibility of the truth to Man�, which would make religion a merely subjective matter. But he writes that the 1978 election of Blessed John Paul II, from a country where the state denied religious freedom, revealed the “inner orientation of the faith toward the theme of freedom, and especially freedom of religion and worship�. The pope also praises Nostra Aetate, the council’s declaration that the “spiritual, moral, and socio-cultural values of [non-Christian religions] were to be respected, protected and encouraged�. But the pope writes that a “weakness of this otherwise extraordinary text has gradually emerged: It speaks of religion solely in a positive way, and it disregards the sick and distorted forms of religion�. „ CNS

14 YEAR OF FAITH

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Vatican II ‘spirit’ recalled Pope urges revival of zeal to share Christ VATICAN CITY – Marking the 50th

anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and the start of a special Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI called on Catholics to revive the “authentic spirit� of Vatican II by re-proposing the Church’s ancient teachings to an increasingly Godless modern world. The pope spoke at a special Mass in St Peter’s Square on Oct 11, half a century to the day after the opening ceremonies of Vatican II. About 400 bishops from around the world, including 15 of the 70 surviving members of the 19621965 council, attended. Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury attended as special guests. The observances featured ceremonies recalling milestones of Vatican II, including the enthronement of a book of the Gospels used at the original gathering and a re “messages� to various categories of lay Catholics, such as artists, workers and women. Vatican II, Pope Benedict said, had been “animated by a desire ... to immerse itself anew in the Christian mystery so as to re-propose it fruitfully to contemporary man�. He noted that Blessed John XXIII, in his speech at the opening of the council, called for both the safeguarding and the effective teaching of the “sacred deposit of Christian doctrine ... this certain and immutable doctrine, which is to be faithfully respected, [and] needs to be explored and presented

in a way which responds to the needs our time�. “The council fathers wished to present the faith in a meaningful way,� the pope said, “and if they opened themselves trustingly to dialogue with the modern world it is because they were certain of their faith, of the solid rock on which they stood.� Pope Benedict’s homily celebrated Vatican II but deplored much of what followed in its wake. Many Catholics misunderstood or ignored the council’s secular culture and “embraced uncritically the dominant mentality, placing in doubt the very foundations of the deposit of faith, which they sadly no longer felt able to accept as truths�, he said. “Recent decades have seen the ! � tion.’� Fifty years ago, history offered glimpses of a “life or a world without God�, he said. “Now we see it every day around us. This void has spread.� Yet, the pope said, a “thirst for God, for the ultimate meaning of life� is still evident in “innumerable signs� including the growing popularity of religious pilgrimages. “How come so many people today feel the need to make these journeys?� he said. “Is it not be intuit, the meaning of our existence in the world?� Calling for a revival in the Church of the “yearning to announce Christ again to contemporary man�, the pope stressed that

Bishops walk in procession before the start of Mass in St Peter’s Square on Oct 11 to mark the Year of Faith and the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. CNS photos

any new evangelisation “needs to be built on a concrete and precise basis, and this basis is the documents of the Second Vatican Council�. / rejecting any expansive notions of a “spirit of Vatican II� that might be used to justify innovations diverging from traditional doctrine. “I have often insisted on the need to return, as it were, to the ‘letter’ of the council – that is to its texts – also to draw from them its authentic spirit,� the pope said. “The true legacy of the council

$ % & ' " is to be found in them.� The pope also reiterated one of his most prominent teachings about Vatican II – that it must be understood in continuity with the Church’s millennial traditions, not as a radical break with the past. “The council did not formulate

anything new in matters of faith, nor did it wish to replace what was ancient,� he said. “Rather, it concerned itself with seeing that the same faith might continue to be lived in the present day, that it might remain a living faith in a world of change.� „ CNS

Vatican II messages given to p VATICAN CITY – In a gesture recall-

Catholics from various walks of life wait to receive a message from Pope Benedict XVI after the Mass.

The pope gave out special messages to political leaders; scientists and cultural "

ing how the Second Vatican Council sought to enhance the connection between the Church and the world, Pope Benedict XVI handed out copies of the council’s messages for laypeople in various walks of life. At the end of the Mass in St Peter’s Square, the pope gave out texts of the special messages that Pope Paul VI had composed for seven categories of the faithful. Pope Benedict chose contemporary representatives of those groups to receive the messages. The symbolic gesture was meant not just to recall and commemorate an event from the past, but to “enter more deeply into the spiritual movement, which characterised Vatican II, to make it ours and to develop it according to its

true meaning�, the pope said in his homily. The seven messages, initially presented by Pope Paul on Dec 8, 1965, address the concerns and responsibilities of political leaders; ž ists; women; workers; the poor, sick and suffering; and young people. Pope Benedict gave the Message to Politicians to some members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See including ambassadors to the Vatican from each continent. The message said that the only thing the Church asks of politicians is freedom – “the liberty to believe and to preach her faith, the freedom to love her God and serve Him, the freedom to live and to bring to men her message of life. Do not fear her.�

It added: “Allow Christ to exercise His purifying action on society. Do not crucify Him anew.� Pope Benedict, who was standing and shook each person’s hand, gave an Italian physicist, a German philosopher and a German Biblicist copies of the Message to the World of Culture and Science. The message speaks of the clear possibility for “a deep understanding between real science and real faith, mutual servants of one another in the one truth. Do not stand in the way of this im

$ / ! in faith, this great friend of intelligence�. James MacMillan, a Scottish composer; Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro; and two members of

YEAR OF FAITH 15

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

at Year of Faith Mass with others at launch of special year Thousands gather for candlelight vigil with pope

Pope Benedict XVI exchanges the sign of peace with Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion (above) during the packed Mass in St Peter’s Square (below).

Pilgrims attend a candlelight vigil in St Peter’s Square, commemorating one that took place 50 years ago.

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16 OPINION

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Pride in subtle forms

Fortnightly newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore

2 Highland Road, #01-03 Singapore 549102. Telephone: 6858 3055. Fax: 6858 2055. Website: www.catholicnews.sg MANAGING EDITOR: Father Johnson Fernandez: johnson.fernandez@catholic.org.sg

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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

COMMENTARY

Lessons from a Pakistani teenager CNS photo

By Karen Osborne I HAVE a new hero. Her name is Malala Yousafzai, and she’s a 14-year-old girl from Pakistan. When she was 11, the Taliban took power in her valley. They enforced a harsh set of laws on the residents, among them, an edict that girls could no longer attend school. They threatened girls’ teachers and burned down school buildings. Malala, who dreamed of someday being a lawyer or a politician, wrote a blog for the BBC about her experiences in trying to get an education under the Taliban. She would do whatever it took to get to school: wear ordinary clothes, hide her books, change her daily routine. She went to school even when half her class stayed home. “If I were caught going to school, they could kidnap me or throw acid on my face or kill me,� she told journalist Rohit Gandhi in a 2011 interview. On Oct 9, two men boarded a bus Malala and her classmates were riding and shot her. She is } Kingdom after being transported to a hospital there days after being shot in the head and spine. Across the world, teens her age are often barred from going to school because of cultural, social,

$ While American teens moan and whine about the school year approaching, teens in Sudan, Ethiopia, Pakistan and Bangladesh see a proper education – with the bright future that often goes along with it – as a dream. In Taliban-controlled Pakistan, Malala and her friends were risking their lives to learn how to read and write. They risked everything to go to math class and to learn about biology, music and religion, to do all of the things that make some American teens roll their eyes. To teens in the US and nations like it, school can sometimes feel

A portrait of Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban, is displayed during a prayer service at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Lahore, Pakistan.

While American teens moan about school, teens in Sudan, Ethiopia, Pakistan and Bangladesh see a proper education as a dream. like a never-ending, annoying slog. It can be hard to deal with the home ` long school days when you’d rather be hanging out with friends. But Malala knows something that her peers in other parts of the world sometimes forget: That getting an education means more than just getting a piece of paper signifying that you successfully sat in a classroom for 13 years. Education opens doors that otherwise remain closed. Education means the end to ignorance and fear. It fosters the development of a society, an economy and a future.

When was the last time you didn’t take school for granted? When was the last time that a teacher woke you up in class, caught you texting or not paying attention? When was the last time you skipped a class or copied your friend’s homework or didn’t study for a test? When was the last time you said, “Well, I’ll never need to know that,� or “That subject is dumb�? What would you do with your life if you were told you could no longer go to school? I remember the many times I slept in class, crashed on the couch in front of the TV instead of studying or put off my homework. Malala would be ashamed of me. „€ ! ! ish the job they started. If Malala survives, they say, they’ll try to kill her again. If Malala survives, she’ll probably want to go back to school. I desperately hope she gets that chance. „ Osborne writes for the US-based Catholic News Service

ONE of the wonderful features of young children is their emotional honesty. They don’t hide their feeling or wants. They have no subtlety. When they want something they simply demand it. They holler. They cry. They snatch things from each other. And they aren’t ashamed of any of this. They offer no apologies $ As we grow up we become emotionally more disciplined and leave most of this behind. But we also \ $ ‚ become less crass, but, this side of eternity, they never really disappear. They just become subtler. The Church has, classically, named something it calls the seven deadly sins: pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. How these manifest themselves in their crassest forms is evident. But how do these manifest themselves in their subtler forms? How do they manifest themselves among the supposedly mature? Great spiritual writers have always had various treatises, some more astute than others, on what they call the religious faults of those who are beyond initial conversion? And it’s valuable sometimes to look at ourselves with naked honesty and ask ourselves how we have morphed the crasser faults of children into the subtler faults of adults. How, for instance, does pride manifest itself in our lives in more subtle ways? How pride lives in us during our more mature years is probably best described by Jesus in the famous parable of the Pharisee and Pub $ 5 <

! itual and human maturity. That’s a subtle pride of which it is almost impossible to rid ourselves. As we mature morally and religiously it becomes almost impossible not to compare ourselves with others who are struggling and to not feel both a certain smugness, that we are not like them, and a certain disdain for their condition. Spiritual writers often describe the fault in this way: Pride in the mature person takes the form of refusing to be small before God and refusing to recognise properly our interconnection with others. It is a refusal to accept our own poverty, namely, to recognise that we are standing before God and others with empty hands and that all we have and have achieved has come our way by grace more so than by our own efforts. During our adult years pride often disguises itself as a humility which is a strategy for further enhancement. It takes Jesus’ invitation to & †

! \ \ \ !  Then, as we are taking the last place and being of service, we cannot help but feel very good about ourselves and nurse the secret knowledge that our humility is in fact a superiority and something for which we will later be recognised and admired. As well, as we mature, pride will take on this noble face: We will begin to do the right things for seemingly the right reasons, though often deceiving ourselves because, in the end, we will still be doing them in service to our own pride. Our motivation for generosity is often more inspired by the desire to feel good about ourselves than by real love of others. For example, a number of times during my years of ministry, I have been tempted to move to the inner-city to live among the poor as a sign of my commitment to social justice. It took a good spiritual director to point out to me that, at least in my case, such a move there would, no doubt, do a lot more for me than for the poor. My moving there would make me feel good, enhance my status among my colleagues, and be a wonderful inscription inside my curriculum vitae, but would not, unless I would more radically change my life and ministry, do much for the poor. Ultimately, it would serve my pride more than it would serve the poor. Ruth Burrows cautions that this same dynamic holds in terms of our motivation for prayer and generosity. Thus, she writes: “The way we worry about spiritual failure, the inability to pray, distractions, ugly thoughts and temptations we can’t get rid of ... it’s not because God is defrauded, for He isn’t, it’s because we are not so beautiful as we would like to be.� And subtle pride, invariably, brings with it a condescending judgment about others. We see this most strongly perhaps in the period ! ž ! verts, and neophytes in service and justice, still caught-up in the emotional fervour of the honeymoon, think they alone know how to relate to each other, to Jesus, and to the poor. The fervour is admirable, but the pride invariably spawns a couple of nasty children, arrogance and elitism. Pride is inextricably linked to our nature and partly it’s healthy, but it’s a life-long moral struggle to keep it healthy. „

FOCUS 17

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

CITY Cathedral of The Good Shepherd Nov 1 : 7.00am, 1.15pm & 6.30pm St Joseph’s Church (Victoria St) Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30pm & 7.45pm Cardinals and bishops leave after a session of the Synod of Bishops on the new evangelisation at the Vatican. CNS photo

Passion, mercy and using the local language These and more were highlighted as the Synod of Bishops continues its meeting in Rome VATICAN CITY – If the ongoing Syn-

od of Bishops has seemed to lack a \ the Catholic Church is “in the midst of an enormous struggle between

! + dinal George Pell of Sydney. “It’s much easier to reorganise a seminary; it’s a different chal ` ! ! especially in most modern cultures, the cardinal told reporters on Oct 19 on the sidelines of the Oct 7-28 meeting of the world’s bishops on the new evangelisation. The synod is not trying to solve all the world’s problems, he said. The new evangelisation is about promoting or reviving faith in Jesus Christ, “the call to salvation and the consequences that has for social jus $ Cardinal Pell agreed that the *" have seemed plodding at times, but said that was largely because the format requires participants to sit in a hall for six hours each day listening to hundreds of speeches. “We had a framework (for the discussions). It’s logical, lov Z \

energy, that’s what the new evan \ $ “We’re in the midst of an enormous struggle between good and evil, faith and fear on a supernatu ! $ Cardinal Pell said bishops in the West constantly are being called to comment publicly on political, ethical and moral matters that touch the faith and the good of the human person. US Sr Mary Lou Wirtz, su-

perior of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and president of the International Union of Superiors General, told the meeting on Oct 17 about the obligation to reach out to Catho $ “Some have already left our institutional Church because they \ ž remain within the Church but are struggling and searching for some $ Many Catholics, nominal or not,

‘

Some have already left our institutional Church because they cannot others remain within the

nourishes their soul.

’

– Sr Mary Lou Wirtz

want to share their burdens in a nonjudgmental atmosphere, she said. “When Blessed Pope John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council, he said that the Church was to be � $ Unfortunately today, she said, many people are “alienated by judgmental attitudes or issues of power and control. This only $ Indonesian Bishop Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo of Jakarta told the meeting on Oct 16 of the problems that come with translations of the Mass from the original Latin.

While the Vatican has insisted on translations being as literal as possible in order to remain faithful to the full content and rich implications of the Latin terms, the Indonesian bishop said a “literal translation is not always possible, because of the diversity and com € $ With liturgical translations, he \ should apply: The local bishops ` \ cause they know the local language. A Nigerian bishop told the meeting on Oct 15 that the solemn yet exuberant liturgies of African Catholic churches are a model for other Catholic communities seeking to invigorate their parishes and reach out to lapsed members. The celebrations of the Eucharist and other sacraments must \  „ nuel Badejo of Oyo. Bishop Badejo was one of dozens of synod members who spoke about enlivening parishes as the primary agents of the new evangelisation. “This can be done if we continually update homiletics and sacramental procedure with engaging art, language, idioms and imagery, which can better communicate their power and mean \ $ “The solemn, but exuberant African parishes also helps people focus on the action of the Holy Spirit, he said, and gives them the strength needed to stand up against “consumerism, corruption, materi ! $ „ CNS

Church of Sts Peter & Paul Oct 31 : 5.30pm Nov 1 : 7.20am, 6.00pm & 7.30pm (Mandarin) Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : 12.30pm, 6.30pm & 8.00pm (Tamil) Church of the Sacred Heart Oct 31 : 5.30pm Nov 1 : 7.00am & 5.30pm Church of St Teresa Oct 31 : 7.00 pm Nov 1 : 12.30pm & 7.00pm

SERANGOON Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Oct 31 : 6.30pm, 8.00pm (Mandarin) Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8.00pm Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.15am, 6.15pm & 8.00pm Church of St Francis Xavier Oct 31 : 7.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8.00pm St Anne’s Church Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.15pm & 8.00pm Church of St Vincent De Paul Oct 31 : 8.00pm. Nov 1 : 7.00am, 6.00pm & 8.00pm WEST

Church of St Alphonsus (Novena Church) Oct 31 : 7.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 12.15pm & 7.00pm

Church of St Ignatius Oct 31 : 6.00pm Nov 1 : 7.00am, 6.00pm & 7.30pm

Church of St Bernadette Oct 31 : 6.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 7.00pm

Blessed Sacrament Church Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 7.00am, 8.30am, 6.00pm & 7.30pm

Church of St Michael Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 8.00pm EAST Church of the Holy Family Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 6.15am, 1.00pm & 7.30pm Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8.15pm (Mandarin) Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Oct 31 : 6.15pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 12.30pm, 6.00pm & 8.00pm Church of St Stephen Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 8.00pm Church of the Holy Trinity Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.00pm & 8.00pm Church of the Divine Mercy Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30am; 1.00pm & 7.30pm NORTH Church of St Joseph (Bukit Timah) Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 8.00pm Church of St Anthony Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 8.00pm Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : 6.45am, 6.30pm & 8.00pm Church of the Holy Spirit Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.00pm & 8.00pm Church of the Risen Christ Oct 31 : 7.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 12.45pm, 6.00pm & 8.00pm Church of Christ the King Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 1.00pm, 6.15pm & 8.00pm

Church of St Mary of the Angels Oct 31 : 6.30pm & 8.15pm Nov 1 : 6.55am, 1.15pm, 6.30pm & 8.15pm Church of St Francis of Assisi Oct 31 : 7.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 7.00pm (Mandarin) & 8.15pm Church of the Holy Cross Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.00pm, 7.30pm & 7.30pm (Mandarin in St Michael Room) CATHOLIC PRAYER SOCIET Y Please refer to www.cps.org.sg for details/updates. Suntec City: Nov 1 : 12.15pm &1.15pm Suntec Tower 4, The Rock (Level 3) ? @ Nov 1 : 11.30am, 12.15pm & 1.15pm China Square Central, The Acts Lifestyle (B1-05, Christian Bookstore & Cafe), Orchard: Nov 1 : 12.40pm & 1.20pm Grand Hyatt Hotel, 10 Scotts Road (Refer to event board for room venue) Shenton: Nov 1 : 12.40pm & 1.20pm Singapore Conference Hall (Shenton Way, opp DBS Bldg 1, Sectional Practice Room, Level 2) Jurong East: Nov 1 : 12.15pm Int’l Biz Park, German Center (5th Floor, Munich Room) Outram: Nov 1 : 12.15pm General Hospital, Medical Alumni Association, Level 2 Function Room Others: Science Park Nov 1 : 12.30pm Science Park (Science Hub, 87 Sck Pk Dr) Mass timings correct at press time. Please check with parishes for latest updates.

18 YEAR OF FAITH

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

Vatican II and the role of the laity As the Year of Faith commemorates the Second Vatican Council, we take a look at how the council championed the laity in the life of the Church By H Richard McCord and Marcellino D’Ambrosio COUNCILS of the Universal Church, called “ecumenical councils�, had been convened 20 times in almost as many centuries to discuss all sorts of issues. But the Second Vatican Council was the ity and its place in Church life. Vatican II emphasised the full, conscious and active participation of all the faithful. Documents spoke of lay participation in liturgical ministries, missionary activities, teaching and charitable works. This call to participation is given to laity, not as a concession from the clergy or because there is a shortage of priests, but on the basis of their baptismal dignity. So how was the role of laity seen prior to the council? Then, laity were passive spectators in the liturgy, often praying devotional prayers while they were “hearing� Mass since the readings were in Latin. Of course, lay ushers collected and counted the money, and often the choir and its director were laypeople. As for the apostolic life of the Church, laity were involved in charitable works of mercy through groups such as the Knights of Co-

A lay catechist teaches children about the Mass during a Bible camp in Singapore.

lumbus and the St Vincent de Paul Society. However, the teaching of the faith was predominantly the role of priests and nuns. There were few lay teachers in Catholic schools and a few lay theology professors in Catholic universities. The goal of the council was to promote the conscious, active participation of the laity in the

liturgy, but also to restore a much broader and richer participation of the laity in the apostolic life of the + the Apostles and the epistles. In the liturgy, laity began serving as lectors. As the numbers of priests decreased, laity also were

called to serve as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, both at Mass and, in some cases, bringing Communion to the sick. While the traditional works of mercy and their respective lay societies continued, laity came to exercise leadership in an important new

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work of mercy: advocacy on behalf of the oppressed and the unborn. Lay leadership drove social justice work and the pro-life movement in the decades following the council. Probably the biggest change after Vatican II was an explosion of lay participation in evangelisation and catechesis. Before that, those wishing to “convert� to Catholicism would receive private instruction from a priest. With the restoration of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, we see an extensive process of instruction where not only lay catechists predominate, but the laity serve in a very personal and critical role of sponsor. After the council, Catholic school teachers and administrators became increasingly lay, as did catechists and directors of religious education. But the council taught something that elevates the catechetical role of the laity even further: mary religious educators of their children. It also taught that the secular employment of laypeople, far from being a distraction from their Christian vocation, was their primary way to sanctify, not only themselves, but society. Fifty years after Vatican II, has the council’s call to lay participation been fully heard and acted upon? This then is a question for each individual to answer. „ CNS

SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT ANYONE looking at the role of the laity in the Catholic Church today can’t imagine the life of a modern parish without it. The roles lay men and women take on are crucial to a life of faith formation and a path toward sanctity for churchgoers. Few know, however, that before the Second Vatican Council, the role of the laity was different and limited. As the council allowed for more participation and the laity responded, the clergy also recognised this new path and how it would play in the life of the Church. “The risen Lord calls everyone to labour in His vineyard,� said a document issued in 2005 by the US bishops titled Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord: A Resource for Guiding the Development of Lay Ecclesial Ministry. Laypeople, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, are called to “cooperate with their

Lectors review readings before Sunday Mass at St Francis Cathedral in Xi’an, China.

*+

pastors in the service of the ecclesial community, for the sake of its growth and life�. Besides serving in parishes, the laity are called to work in Church institutions and communities. The

bishops pointed out that this sharing of gifts “is a sign of the Holy Spirit’s movement in the lives of our sisters and brothers. We are very grateful for all who undertake various roles in Church ministry�. „ CNS

CANONISATIONS 19

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

7 new saints canonised Pope prays that their example would ‘speak to the whole Church’ VATICAN CITY – Proclaiming seven

new saints on Oct 21 – including St Pedro Calungsod from the Philippines and St Kateri Tekakwitha from North America – Pope Benedict XVI said they are examples to the world of total dedication to Christ and tireless service to others. An estimated 80,000 pilgrims from the Philippines, the United States, Canada, Italy, Spain, Ger ' < ter’s Square for the canonisation of the holy women and men who ministered among their people. The new saints included Calungsod, a teenaged Philippine catechist who was martyred in Guam in 1672; Kateri, an American Indian who was born in the United States and died in Canada in 1680; Mother Marianne, a Sister of St Joseph who travelled from Syracuse, New York, to Hawaii to care for people with Hansen’s disease and died in Molokai in 1918. The other new saints are French

Portrait of St Pedro Calungsod.

Statue of St Kateri Tekakwitha. CNS photos

Jesuit Fr Jacques Berthieu, martyred in Madagascar in 1896; Italian Fr Giovanni Battista Piamarta, founder of Religious orders, who died in 1913; Sr Carmen Salles Barangueras, founder of a Spanish Religious order, who died in 1911;

and Anna Schaffer, a lay German woman, who died in 1925. In his homily at Mass following the canonisation, Pope Benedict prayed that the example of the new saints would “speak today to the whole Church� and that their

intercession would strengthen the Church in its mission to proclaim the Gospel to the world. Pope Benedict praised St Pedro, a catechist who accompanied Jesuit priests to the Mariana Islands in 1668. Despite hostility from some of the na-

tives, he “displayed deep faith and charity and continued to catechise his many converts, giving witness to Christ by a life of purity and dedication to the Gospel�. The pope prayed that “the example and courageous witness� of St Pedro would “inspire the dear people of the Philippines to announce the kingdom bravely and to win souls for God�. Pope Benedict called St Kateri the “protectress of Canada and ! + and entrusted to her “the renewal of the faith in the First Nations and in all of North America�. The daughter of a Mohawk father and Algonquin Christian mother, St Kateri was “faithful to the traditions of her people� but also faithful to the Christianity she embraced at age 20. “May her example help us to live where we are, loving Jesus without denying who we are,� the pope said. „ CNS

What the new saints have to teach us By Amanda Yeo Pedro Calungsod (1654-1672): He belonged to the Archdiocese of Cebu, Philippines. At 14, Pedro was sent as a catechist to the Marianas Islands with Fr Diego Luis de San Vitores. On April 2, 1672, Pedro and Fr Diego arrived at Tumon village in Guam to baptise an infant girl there. The girl’s father angrily objected and killed them both. Pedro died as a martyr for the faith when he would not leave Fr Diego when they were persecuted. ? @ How do I bring Christ with me in daily life? Am I able to forgive the school bully? Do I reject the small bribe even if that is the way the industry works? Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680): She was born in modern day Auriesville in upstate New York to a Mohawk chief father and Algonquin mother. She was baptised at age 20. As a Catholic, Kateri was ridiculed and her life threatened. Two years after baptism, she escaped to the Mission of St Francis Xavier in Canada – a settlement of Christian Indians – where she taught children to pray and worked with the sick and elderly. She led a life of prayer and penance. ? @ We see that it is important to lead a life consistent with the faith, just as Kateri did not give up being a Christian in $ Marianne Cope (1838-1918): In 1862, 24-year old Marianne Cope joined the Sisters of St Francis in Syracuse, New York.

How do I bring Christ with me in daily life? Am I able to forgive the school bully? Do I reject the small bribe even if that is the way the industry works? St Marianne Cope

! !

She was involved in nurse administration at St Joseph’s hospital and was often criticised for accepting “outcast� patients. In 1883, Mother Marianne, now the Provincial Mother in Syracuse, agreed to manage schools and hospitals in the Hawaiian Islands. Thus began her work with Hansen’s disease patients. When the sick were exiled to the island of Molokai by a new government, she accepted the work of caring for them. ? @ Do we reach out to those who are “outcasts�? Encouraged by Marianne, let us allow God to reveal His plans to us. Then we can respond to God’s call even if it attracts criticism.

Her injuries could not be healed despite intensive treatments and she was bedridden. She learnt to recognise God’s will for her and accepted her suffering with joy. In April 1923, her condition worsened. She was diagnosed with cancer of the rectum and soon died. ? @ We all have different gifts and strengths. In Anna’s case, she did not have to leave her sickbed to write letters that helped spread the Gospel message. What more can we do in our daily lives?

explored the Congregation of the Dominican Tertiaries (the Annunciation). She later left the Dominicans and founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of St Dominic (Religious Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception of Teaching) with the support of Archbishop Gomez Salazar of Burgos. ? @ Just as Carmen spent her life in service of education of women, children and youth, we too can do our bit to ensure that her ! $ + ing the marginalised in society?

Carmen Salles Barangueras (1848-1911): Born in Barcelona, Spain, to devoutly Catholic parents, Carmen was the second of 10 children. Carmen joined the Adores Sisters congregation where she spent the next 22 years of her life educating women so that they could get out of the sex trade and achieve a $ She did not make her profession in this congregation. Instead, she

Giovanni Battista Piamarta (18411913): He was born in Brescia, Italy. He later entered the diocesan seminary and was ordained a priest. He started in parish ministry and was later made director of the Piamarta Oratory for boys. Giovanni and Peitro Capretti, a young priest, founded Instituto Artigianelli to address spiritual lethargy and loss of faith among the young. In 1900, the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth was

! \']]&/'^&_`@ She was born in Bavaria, Germany. After making her First Communion, she hoped to enter an order of missionary Sisters. Unfortunately, in 1901, Anna met with an accident that scalded both her legs up to above her knees.

founded, consisting of priests and lay alike, who shared the same ideals and worked for the education of young people. ? @ Giovanni said it was daily prayer that helped him in his work. This is a good reminder that prayer gives us strength; prayer helps us to align our will with the will of God. 7 9 < \']{]/ 1896): He was born in France, and ordained a priest in 1864. However, after nine years as a diocesan priest, he felt a calling to the Religious life and obtained permission from his bishop to answer that call. In 1873, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Pau. While undergoing training, he felt another call, this time to the $ / Madagascar mission. Although his mission there was disrupted, this did not stop Jacques from continuing with mission work. Later, those who opposed ! trated the area he was in and tried to make him renounce his faith. He refused and was killed. ? @ St Jacques in his martyrdom shows us the ultimate cost of Christian discipleship. He chose to remain faithful even though he knew it meant being killed. We are challenged is. Are we so comfortable in a certain lifestyle that we are deaf to possible callings from God? „ The writer is with the Singapore Pastoral Institute

20

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

CHILDREN’S STORY:

By Joe Sarnicola James and John had asked Jesus if they could sit on either side of Jesus after they had all entered into glory. Jesus said that privilege was reserved for those chosen by His father. He said, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptised, you will be baptised; but to sit at My right or at My left is not Mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.� The other apostles were angry that James and John had made � | $ Jesus reminded His friends that earthly rulers sometimes abuse the power and authority they have over their people. “But it shall not be so among you,� he said to them. “Rather, whoever wishes to be great

among you will be your servant;

! \ you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.� Later, after spending a short time in Jericho, Jesus left, accompanied by His apostles and followed by a large group of people. On the side of the road a blind man was begging. His name was Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus. He could not see, but he could hear, and he knew that many people were travelling on the road at the same time. When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was in that crowd, he called out in a loud voice and said, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.� When some of the people in the crowd heard Bartimaeus, they told him to

\ � \ | $ But Bartimaeus did not stop. He called out to Jesus again. “Son of David, have pity on me.� Jesus heard Bartimaeus and said to his apostles, “Call him.� The apostles went over to Bartimaeus and said to him, “Take courage; get up, He is calling you.� Immediately, Bartimaeus stood up and made his way through the crowd and over to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, He said, “What do you want Me to do for you?�

“Master, I want to see,� Bartimaeus replied. Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.� From that instant, Bartimaeus could see, and he joined the crowd that was following Jesus. „ Read more about it: Mark 10

Q&A 1. What did James and John ask Jesus to do? 2. What did Jesus say saved Bartimaeus?

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

WORDSEARCH:

St Theuderius

„ JAMES „ JOHN „ JESUS „ GLORY „ CUP „ DRINK „ BAPTISM „ APOSTLES „ REQUEST „ POWER

Theuderius (d. 575) was born in the French region of Dauphine. He was ordained a priest and lived in a monastery in Lerins. He chose several of his disciples and founded a monastery near the city of Vienne. Following a tradition of the area, one monk who was respected by the people was asked to lead a life of solitude and prayer. This honour was offered to Theuderius, and he accepted with enthusiasm. He spent the last 12 years of his life in this special vocation at the church of St Laurence. Many miracles are attributed to Theuderius. We remember him on Oct 29. „

BIBLE TRIVIA: Which book of the New Testament tells the stories of some of the early Christians after Jesus ascended into heaven?

Bible Accent:

Answers to Crossword Puzzle

Unscramble the names of the following places that are mentioned in the Gospel of Mark. Bible references have been provided as hints. 1. hntaezra (1:9) 5. mesuealrj (10:32) 2. aeegill (3:7) 6. chireoj (10:46) 3. erty (7:24) 7. thenyab (14:3) 4. adjue (10:1) 8. laseri (15:32)

Answer to Bible Trivia: Acts of the Apostles

PUZZLE:

Answers to Puzzle: 1. Nazareth, 2. Galilee, 3. Tyre, 4. Judea, 5. Jerusalem, 6. Jericho, 7. Bethany, 8. Israel

Nazareth was a town in the region of Galilee, and most of its residents were farmers or ranchers. Before the birth of Jesus, Nazareth was not considered a very important place, and no one expected Christianity’s most important prophet to come from there. In the Gospel of John, when Philip told Nathaniel that Jesus was from Nazareth, Nathaniel asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?� Sometimes the early Christians were called “Nazarenes�. Scholars cannot agree on whether the origin of the town’s name comes from the Hebrew word for monk or branch, but both words have religious symbolism. When Jesus taught in Nazareth, the people could not accept him as a prophet because they knew him as “the carpenter’s son� (Mt 13:55). „

WHAT’S ON

Sunday November 4, 2012 „ CatholicNews

EVENT SUBMISSIONS We welcome information of 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 Wednesdays Oct 31 to Dec 16 PREPARATORY CLASS FOR CONFIRMATION ›$#"Z~ & * \ + \ $ +  $ _ 5& )›) "=ˆ‡ž „& ¢\ $ $

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IN MEMORIAM 21

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Sunday November 4, 2012 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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