www.catholicnews.sg SUNDAY JANUARY 27, 2013
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lead people to Christ: pope Public approval ‘is not the criterion to which we submit’, he says VATICAN CITY – In their task of leading people to the light of Christ, bishops must have the courage to face opposition and
Pope Benedict XVI said. Meeting the approval of the wider public “is not the criterion to which we submit. Our criterion is the Lord himself,� the pope said on Jan 6 as he celebrated the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord with a Mass in St Peter’s Basilica. “The fear of God frees us from the fear of men. It liberates,� he said. During the three-hour ceremony, the pope also ordained four new archbishops, including his longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Ganswein, 56, who became prefect of the papal household, a job that involves organising the pope’s daily round of audiences and meetings. In his homily at the Mass, the
Three Kings, the wise men who set out from the East in search of Jesus; the pope drew comparisons between them and the mission to which the new bishops are called. Like the Magi, he said, the bishop, too, must not be content with his position, but want to be “seized by God� and “gripped by God’s concern for men and women�. Prayer, in fact, helps “detach us from our false sense of security, from our being enclosed within material and visible realities� and gives “us a restlessness for God and thus an openness and concern for one another�. Like the wise men, who probably were scorned or ridiculed for following a star in search of the promised king, a bishop must know that seeking the truth is more important than “the taunts of the world, so apparently clever�. “The humility of faith, of sharing the faith of the Church of eve-
VOL 63
NO. 2
INSIDE HOME Serving Cambodians, Myanmar migrants Local Catholics go on mission trips „ Pages 4-5
Poverty, marginalisation in S’pore Young adults learn about pressing social issues „ Page 7
ASIA Govt backs down from land acquisition
Like the Magi, the bishop, too, must not be content with his position, but want to be ‘seized by God’ and ‘gripped by God’s concern for men and women’.
Kuantan Church wins victory „ Page 8
Light ‘dawning’ in Myanmar?
– Pope Benedict XVI
ry age, will constantly be in con
of those who cling to what seems certain,� he said. But a bishop, who must guide today’s men and women to the way of faith, hope and love, must have “the courage to contradict the prevailing mindset� of agnosticism, which is “extremely intolerant regarding anything that would question it and the criteria it employs�. However, “this courage or forcefulness does not consist in striking out or in acting aggressively, but rather in allowing oneself to be struck and to be steadfast before the principles of the prevalent way of thinking�. “We are not provocative; on the contrary we invite all to enter into the joy of that truth which shows us the way,� the pope said. „ CNS
Yangon archbishop cautiously optimistic „ Page 9
Four new archbishops lie prostrate during their ordination by Pope Benedict XVI in St Peter’s Basilica on Jan 6.
WORLD Protests against samesex marriage Thousands take to streets in Paris
The Episcopal Ordination Mass for Coadjutor Archbishop-elect William Goh has been set for Feb 22, the organising committee has announced. Another announcement will be made once the venue for the event and details of These details were still unavailable at press time.
„ Page 10
FOCUS New faces at major seminary Two young men share why they decided to join „ Page 13
2 HOME
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
From ministries to communities Rediscover ways in which the faith can be effectively transmitted to a new generation who live in an increasingly secularised world, Archbishop Nicholas Chia told catechetical coordinators and catechists recently. “We cannot give what we do not have ourselves,� he told the 150 participants at a Jan 6 event to launch the new catechetical year. “If we want to witness to the
ticipants who came from 24 parishes. He encouraged those who may feel discouraged in their work to persevere by “keeping [their] eyes !
hope� and by regularly celebrating the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation. In his address to participants, catechetical director Fr Erbin Fernandez observed how Church ministries often plan events that may give people a “high�. However, these may lack follow-up, which is a longer term "
where real conversion to Christ usually happens, he said. In order to be effective evangelists, catechists should have # munity, he said in his talk titled The Great Challenge of the New
Archbishop Nicholas Chia poses for a photo with catechists who have completed the Basic Catechist Course Level 1, at an event to launch the catechetical year.
Evangelisation: From Ministries to Communities. This is so that they can induct the young people they catechise into such a community, where
they can be supported and grow in
$ During the event, about 30 catechists who have completed the Basic Catechist Course
To be effective evangelists, catechists should have an experience of Christian community, says catechetical director Fr Erbin Fernandez.
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Archbishop Chia. Mementoes were also given to parishes participating in the Parish Team Trainings as well as to members of the Secondary Catechetical Core Team who
have been working on the new secondary-level catechetical curriculum. Ms Jane Lau, coordinator of parish catechesis, earlier outlined
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plan which includes initiatives for a new curriculum for special needs children as well as formation programmes for families. These initiatives are part of an ongoing renewal of catechesis in the archdiocese that started in 2010. 9 pressed enthusiasm about the plans. Mr Jeremy Aloysius from the Church of St Ignatius said he was keen to involve parents more in the lives of their children in catechesis. Ms Wendy Loe, a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd catechist from Christ the King parish, said she was looking forward to living more as part of a community than functioning as a ministry. The Jan 6 event was held at the Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre. The theme for the catechetical year is Catechists as Agents of the New Evangelisation. „
ARCHBISHOP’S DIARY Jan 23 6.30pm St Patrick’s School: Mass – 80th Anniversary Jan 25 7.30pm Church of St Joseph (Bukit Timah): Mass – Ordination to the Diaconate of four seminarians Jan 26 6.00pm St Anne’s Church: Mass – Commissioning of Principals Feb 1 6.00pm Church of St Teresa: Mass – Consecrated Life
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Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
Nuns, lay people work on ordination vestments FMM team making stoles, vestments and mitres for Msgr William Goh’s episcopal ordination By Martin See A team of nuns and lay people are now busy making stoles, vestments and mitres for Coadjutor Archbishop-elect William Goh’s episcopal ordination on Feb 22. “We will be making 200 stoles [for priests and bishops], 20 vestments [for bishops] and four mitres [for the consecrating bishops and the coadjutor archbishop], all in matching design for this important occasion,� said Sr Teresa Lee, a Franciscan Missionaries of Mary nun, who is in charge of the project. A stole is a long, narrow strip of cloth which a priest or bishop wears around his neck when celebrating Mass. The mitre is the ceremonial headgear worn by bishops. “When we were asked to make these vestments, we were excited and happy at the privilege to serve the Church and our bishop-elect, just like how we felt when we made vestments for Pope John Paul II when he came to visit Singapore� in 1986, said the nun. The team making the ceremonial garb comprise four full-time lay staff working for the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) and three FMM nuns. They are staff of the FMM’s Atelier workroom at Holland Road, which produce priests’ vestments throughout Singapore.
Msgr Goh’s vestments will be of pure silk with printed gold motifs and crosses, said Sr Lee. The other stoles, vestments and mitres are made to match Msgr Goh’s vestments and mitre. “I drew inspiration for the design of the vestments by the grace of God and with the help of Fr Ignatius Yeo,� chairman of the Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission, said Sr Lee. “We decided to use silk as an inculturation of our Asian roots and the fabric is also a source of reference for my inspiration,� she added.
we were asked to ‘When make these vestments, we were excited and happy at the privilege.
’ – Sr Teresa Lim, FMM
The oldest member of the team, 87-year-old Sr Anastasie Hao from Inner Mongolia, told CatholicNews, “My passion is for embroidery handwork and I enjoy making intricate designs for the vestments.� She has been working in the Atelier since it started in 1954. The team, which works a full = plete their task “by mid-February�, said Sr Lee. „ martin.see@catholic.org.sg
Members of the team seen here with the fabric to be used for the vestments (from left): Sr Mary Chua (in charge of adminstration), Ms Mary Chia, Ms Annie Keat, Sr Maria Doan Thi Thieu Huong, Ms Tan Lay Hua, Ms Dorothy Tan and Sr Teresa Lee.
Above: Sr Anastasie Hao, oldest member of the team. Right: A team member making mitres for the consecrating bishops.
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Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
NTU students in Cambodia Members of Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Catholic Students’ Apostolate (CSA) went on a mission trip to western Cambodia recently where they taught English, music, art and craft. The 22 NTU students collaborated with the Marist Brothers in reaching out to students at various schools around Pailin. According to Mr Aloysius Monteiro, chairman of the project, called Project CORE (Cambodian OutReach Expedition), the Dec 9-20 mission trip was the second such trip CSA has undertaken. >
'*&&$ The Cambodian students they served ranged in age from seven to 20 years, he said. In addition to teaching sessions, the visitors also took 50 students, aged seven to 12, to a swimming pool in a resort to enjoy themselves.
Members of NTU’s Catholic Students’ Apostolate distributing shoes to Cambodian students in Pailin, (left) and conducting a class for Cambodians.
The Cambodians apparently appreciated the outreach efforts of their Singapore friends. Said one Cambodian to a CSA member who taught her English:
“I hope you come back to Cambodia next year so I can talk to you in better English.� A member of the Singapore team shared that the Cambodians
“have touched our lives and hopefully, through our lesson and interactions, we have touched theirs too�. The visitors were assisted by
sponsors who donated items such as shorts, shoes, stationery, food and mosquito nets. CSA is expected to visit Pailin again in December. „
Musician releases album for charity Blessed Sacrament parishioner Hillary Francis sings a song from his Peace album at the Church of the Risen Christ.
By Martin See Veteran singer-songwriter Hillary Francis performed My Peace Concerto, a song from his new album, after Masses at the Church of the Risen Christ on Jan 5 and 6. The Blessed Sacrament Church parishioner was promoting his album titled Peace, and says he intends to donate part of the proceeds to Caritas Singapore, the social service arm of the Catholic Church here; Community Chest and The United Nations Children’s Fund. “My purpose of producing this album is to promote peace in the world,� said the musician about his new CD, which features songs on peace. It has 18 tracks comprising ballads and songs with $ “It took about one year to produce but I had conceived the idea and wrote some of the songs about 10 years ago,� he added. His album is a collaborative effort that he wrote and sang alongside homegrown artists such as rapper Sheikh Haikel and veterans
like Ann Hussein and Jatt Ali. All the musicians and singers who contributed to the CD did so for free, he said. The Father Damien’s Youth Choir from Blessed Sacrament Church and the Singapeace Choir from Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea also backed him up on some songs. Francis says he hopes to perform at various churches in Singapore to raise funds for charity, and has produced 2,000 copies of the album. In 1997, Francis released a CD, A Tribute To Mother Teresa, in the wake of her death. Peace ($20) is available at Mustafa Centre. „ martin.see@catholic. org.sg
Visual from CD cover.
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Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
Transforming lives in Siem Reap
Serving Myanmar migrants in Phuket
A team from Novena Church gave rice packages to 1,000 families and fed 4,000 children in six Cambodian villages By Phoebe Pong For some 30 lay volunteers from Novena Church, the last Christmas season was an experience of charity and humility as they spent time serving the poor in Siem Reap, Cambodia. From Dec 27-Jan 4, the volunteers, led by Redemptorist Brs Celestine Toh and Albert Khoo, distributed rice packages to 1,000 families and fed 4,000 children in six villages. The mission team also visited a hospital, an orphanage and a prison Besides entertaining the village children with Christmas carols, the volunteers also distributed food and gifts to each child. Some kids also received a haircut and a $ At Preak Toal, one of the villages the team visited, lay volunteer Luo Yanqi recognised some of the children she had befriended the year before. Ms Luo, 30, who was taking part in this mission outreach for the second time, said the children gave her a warm welcome upon recognising her. “This year, I am reminded in the faces of the children ‌ that we are not just helping a faceless crowd, but truly making a difference to individuals – the future of our world,â€? she said. Jesuit Fr Stepanus Winarto, parish priest of St John’s Church in Siem Reap, said he was grateful for the generous support of the Singapore donors, who made the Christmas season a life-giving experience for the local people. “A lot of poor families and children not only received rations and gifts, they also got to experience the joy of Christmas even though most of them are nonCatholics,â€? he said. “I believe that God always sends His good people to strengthen our little Church.â€? Of the donations, which came from the family and friends of the Singapore mission team, some US$5,000 (S$6,123) were contributed to expanding the Cow Project, one of the many initiatives of St John’s Church. The money will allow the church to purchase 10 cows over
A volunteer conducting a drawing lesson for Myanmar kindergarten children.
By Darren Boon
Redemptorist Br Albert Khoo feeding a young boy.
the next two years, enabling more families to take ownership in raising the animals for agriculture or produce. For lay volunteer Colin Sim,
Distribution of rice to Cambodian families.
‘I am reminded in the faces of the
children ‌ that we are not just helping a faceless crowd, but truly making a difference to individuals.’
– Ms Luo Yanqi
37, this trip changed his perspective on life. “Throughout the trip, it was disturbing to discover how a fellow human being could survive in such dire conditions. Yet, it was amazing to see how contented one could be,� he said, adding that it " rience�. „
A group of Singapore Catholics visited disadvantaged Myanmar migrants in Phuket, Thailand, conducting classes for the children and organising a sports day for them. According to the 12-member group, they wanted to spread Christmas joy while empowering the children with the knowledge that there are people who love and care for them. The group, which included Good Shepherd Sr Agnes-Clare Koh, comprised members of the Church of St Bernadette Chinese Youth Group and the Church of St Francis of Assisi young adults’ group who organised the outreach, as well as friends from the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Risen Christ parishes. During the Dec 16-19 trip, the volunteers visited the Learning Centre run by the Good Shepherd Sisters, which caters to the education of Myanmar migrant children from age three to 14. These children are unable to enrol in a local school as they lack legal documents to stay in Thailand
> $ The Good Shepherd nuns have been working with marginalised Myanmar migrants who are seeking employment in Phuket. During their mission outreach,
the Singapore group visited the homes of these migrants, located ing villages where they earn their living. The group also held classes for the children, and taught them to sing, draw and create origami art work. In addition, the Singaporeans organised a sports day and put on a Nativity skit for the migrants at a Christmas party organised by the centre’s staff. “The children were overjoyed and touched by our presence,â€? said Ms Serene Tan, a member of the Singapore group. One girl offered her ice cream to the volunteers and another girl mimicked the actions of characters from the Nativity skit, said Ms Tan. The children also hugged and kissed the volunteers farewell on the last day of the trip. The trip was a “humbling experienceâ€?, said Ms Tan, adding that she saw how “God used me and my team members as His instruments to produce much fruit – fruits of love, kindness, compassion and patienceâ€?. Another volunteer, Ms Lillian Law, said the trip helped her to realise “that every moment in my life ‌ is truly a gift that I should be more thankful for.â€? „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg
6 HOME
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
Don Gurugay speaks to some O Level students who beat the odds to score good grades
He recovers from blood clot and scores in exam
From left: Louis Teo, Patricia Siswandjo and Frank Yau seen here with Assumption English School principal Mabel Leong.
Malaysian Louis Teo, whose family lives in Johor Bahru, faced the prospect of a two-hour commute to school each day. He explained that he chose to
and stay at Boys’ Town as a boarder for four years so that commuting was no longer a problem. As the main language of instruction in his primary school was not English, he had to strug-
gle to cope with English in his early secondary years in Singapore. His academic efforts paid off and he managed to score an aggregate of nine for the O Levels. Indonesian Patricia Siswandjo also faced a language challenge initially. She said that she had to study Mandarin which she was unfamiliar with. Nevertheless, she managed an aggregate score of 11.
Frank Yau
in his early secondary years. He shared that he was on the verge of having to leave the school, but pulled up his socks in Secondary Three and worked his way up to Sec Four. Not even a leg infection, which saw him being absent from classes for three months, dampened his spirits and he went on to score an aggregate of 11 points. „
Matthew Tan seen here with SJI principal Koh Thiam Seng. Tan suffered a blood clot in the brain after a judo competition in 2010 and attributes the ‘power of prayer’ to his recovery and good grades.
Taiwanese artiste performs at parish By Darren Boon A Taiwanese song-writer who composes Catholic faith-inspired songs played to an audience of about 300 people at Blessed Sacrament Church’s Damien Hall on Dec 30. Lu Dan Yan, who goes by the pen name “Crimson Bird�, performed 10 of her compositions that evening with her Crimson Bird Band, and shared the inspiration behind her works. One of her songs, for example, Flying against the Wind, was inspired by a visit to cancer stricken patients at a hospital, she said. She told the audience she ded
by the disease and hoped they would be able to overcome their sufferings with the love of God. The evening’s performance opened with a performance by
By Don Gurugay
Catholic songwriter Lu Dan Yan (with hat) performing with her Crimson Bird Band on Dec 30 at Blessed Sacrament Church.
the St Cecilia Choir from the Commission for Apostolate of Mandarin-speaking in Singapore (CAMS). It ended with the choir performing a Hokkien number, God’s Full Blessings, with the Crimson Bird Band.
Agnes Kay from the St Cecilia Choir said she felt the concert went well despite both groups having little time to rehearse. She said she especially liked one of Lu’s songs titled Perseverance, as she could identify with the song’s theme of not giving up
$ Lu started composing Gospel songs since 1991. A check on the Internet revealed that she has about 40 compositions to her name. She had served as a pianist at a parish in Taipei since Primary Five. In 1994, she started a Catholic music group in her native Kaohsiung which attracted a number of young people in the diocese. The concert was organised by CAMS. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg
Just like his classmates, Matthew Tan from St Joseph’s Institution was preparing for his O Levels in 2010. However, his plans were abruptly halted in April that year after an accident in a judo competition caused a blood clot in his brain. The prognosis from the doctors was bleak – he would lose his cult and sight in his left eye would be affected. But amazingly, almost one year later in March 2011, he studied for Sec Three-level exams, battled his handicap and went on to sit for his O Levels in 2012, obtaining an aggregate score of 11 points in the process. “It was the power of prayer,� said the parishioner of the Church of St Mary of the Angels, as he recounted how he battled his handicap. “Since I couldn’t talk at the time, in my mind I just prayed to God. It was a miracle for me. I also couldn’t sit properly and $
“Later when I was in a wheelchair I heard a voice telling me, ‘You will be a walking testimony of what true perseverance is.’�
> >
walking and just about manages to take the bus. The sight in his left eye is also impaired. He credits his family, teachers and priests in his parish for the recovery he has made. “God blessed me with many angels,� he said. Tan, who shared that he visited the school chapel regularly, said, “I think I inspired other students because they could see that in spite of my handicap I was determined to go to the chapel.� He said he didn’t expect such good, results. “Siting for the exam was a miracle in itself,� he said. Tan says he wants to study social work at Nanyang Polytechnic. “One day during my rehabilitation, I was early for my appointment and I saw how the therapists helped other people in a similar situation and I was so inspired by how they helped people in this situation that I decided to take a course so I could serve the disabled,� he said. When asked what advice he would give to others who may be experiencing what he went through, he said, “Everything that happens can be turned for the good. God has a plan for you. You have to look to see what God’s plan is for you in every situation.� „
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Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
Young adults learn of marginalisation, poverty in S’pore Guest-of-honour Ng Kok Song (left) and former Cabinet Minister Lim Boon Heng view exhibits at the Montfort Heritage Gallery.
Montfort Schools launch heritage gallery
Caritas chairman George Lim speaking on social issues facing Singapore at the Come and Encounter event.
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8 ASIA
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
New leader for Kota Kinabalu KOTA KINABALU, MALAYSIA –
Archbishop John Wong’s installation is scheduled for Jan 24.
Coadjutor Archbishop John Wong is now Archbishop of Kota Kinabalu after the pope accepted the resignation of Archbishop John Lee on Dec 1. Archbishop Wong’s installation ceremony is scheduled for Jan 24 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. When asked if he would announce any new programmes for the archdiocese, Archbishop Wong, 44, said, “At the moment, I shall focus on continuing what has already been established.� However, in conjunction with the Year of Faith, Archbishop Wong said he wants all the activities and programmes of evangelisation in the archdiocese to promote faith and morality. At the Synod of Bishops meeting in Rome last year, Archbishop Wong emphasised that dialogue between religions is an important
‘At the moment,
I shall focus on continuing what has already been established.
’
– Archbishop John Wong
agenda for the new evangelisation. >
in Malay, English and Chinese, also acknowledged that the rights of Christians as the minority in
protected and their faith strengthened. The election of then Fr John Wong as a coadjutor archbishop was announced on June 21, 2010, by Archbishop Lee, who was 76 at the time. The news apparently came as a surprise to the whole Catholic community including the archbishop-elect. “I still do not know what my leadership style should be. All this time I was just following the guidelines of Archbishop John Lee,� said Archbishop John Wong two years ago when interviewed by the Herald. „ HERALD
Govt backs down from acquiring Church land KUANTAN, MALAYSIA – The Malaysian government has agreed to withdraw its planned acquisition of Church land in Kuantan, the head of the Church legal team announced. Dato Bastian Vendargon told a large group of parishioners from St Thomas Church in Kuantan, led by their parish priest Fr Mitchel Anthony Joseph, of the development on Jan 11. The group was at the Kuantan High Court for the hearing of the judicial review application by the Church against government acquisition of land on which St Thomas Secondary School is located. This decision was recorded in court “by consent of all parties involved�, said Mr Benedict Wong, another member of the Church’s legal team. The proposed acquisition case began after the Church received a notice from the Government Land / $
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hearing on Sept 19. It was adjourned to Sept 24 and further adjourned to Nov 2 when it was $ The judge reserved judgment until Nov 16 when she granted leave to the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur to commence proceedings for a judicial review. According to Dato Bastion, this case brought up by the Church has created history as this was the
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of land has been challenged based on unconstitutionality, in this case the infringement of the constitutional right to freedom of religion. ‚ `
thanks to the legal team representing the Church, the Catholic community for their solidarity, and many other Christian groups and well-wishers for their prayers and support. „ HERALD
ASIA 9
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
Light ‘dawning’ in Myanmar, says archbishop LONDON – The Archbishop of €
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the military junta seized power `
slowly starting and the country’s three million refugees should return home. According to Zenit news agency, in a Christmas homily reported by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Archbishop Charles Bo said “the opportunity� has come for the country’s massive exiled community to “come back to their motherland�. The archbishop’s appeal extended to the country’s one million internally displaced people. Archbishop Bo’s message comes amid widespread change ` $ { ian government was installed in ` '*&& ter the release of pro-democracy campaigner Aung Sang Suu Kyi. Last November, US President Barack Obama paid a landmark visit to the country. Archbishop Bo called for the release of “political prisoners� jailed abroad and said the peo-
ple’s debts should be cancelled, ` "
on a loan, despite our resources�. He appealed for an end to in
sands had died in “senseless� violence and called for efforts towards reconciliation, saying that justice and peace were both vital. “We are a refugee nation, we $ `
three million people are outside our country without proper papers ... most of them are living in hiding, living an inhuman life. “Some of them have not seen their family in decades. Our sons and daughters must come back to their motherland,� he said. Calling for a renewal of con – "—‚ ˜
suffering are slowly giving way to hope. The message is the message of empowering the weak, the vulnerable and the marginalised.� He highlighted the country’s long period of suffering, stating that in 1962 “a darkness engulfed�
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was frozen, her beauty was hidden, her sons and daughters were
Supporters of the National League for Democracy hold a portrait of Myanmar prodemocracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a byelection last year.
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– Archbishop Charles Bo of Yangon
literally taken to the slavery of silence, many to martyrdom, many to long nights of silent tears. "`
millions became illegal migrants eking out an inhuman life in modern forms of slavery.� But now, he
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years, we have come together as a people who have walked in the
darkness to see the light. “The light of truth that shines on us, the light of freedom whose streaks are slowly waking our people, the light of opportunities that is slowly emerging‌ the light of hope is slowly starting. “Our journey is long – but
tly in our golden land. Praise be to
God. Thanks to men and women who made that happen.� ` { 9
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Pope sends video message Prominent Churchmen called to the Lord Two prominent Church ` { @ to Cambodia’s Catholics men in the Philippines – an Amernalism, Literature and Creative MANILA –
VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict
XVI has sent a rare video message to Cambodia’s small Catholic
lation into Khmer of key Church documents. The pope’s message was shown on Jan 7, the last day of the Cambodia Church’s national congress in Phnom Penh, which focused on the Second Vatican Council. The pontiff recalled the “period of troubles that precipitated your country in the darkness� during the Khmer Rouge regime. He praised the “faith, courage and perseverance� of Cambodia’s Church leaders and Christians who died in a “noble testimony to the truth of the Gospel. “Be assured of the prayers of your brothers and sisters whose
he said. “This testimony,� he added, “has become a priceless spiritual strength to rebuild the Church community in your country.� The pope invited Cambodia’s Catholics to “be a leaven in the dough of your society, witnessing the love of Christ for all, building bonds of brotherhood with members of other religious traditions, and walking on the paths of justice and mercy�. Cambodia’s Catholic community was persecuted and almost
Snapshot of Church life: Children perform a dance on the feast of St Isidore at Tahen Catholic Parish near Battambang.
disappeared during the 1975&š‰š `
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was celebrated only in 1990 and 90 percent of the country’s Catholics have only been baptised in recent years. According to Church statistics, today there are around 20,000 Catholics in Cambodia, less than one percent of the population. The Phnom Penh apostolic vicariate, led by French missionary bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, has recently bought some land in the capital to build a new cathedral. „ UCANEWS.COM
ican priest and a liturgist – have been called to the Lord. After some 70 years of service in the Philippines, American Jesuit priest Fr James Reuter died at the age of 96 on Dec 31, following a stroke. Filipino bishops described Fr Reuter, who was known for his use of modern media, musicals, plays and movies, to preach the Gospel, as a “great communicator of the Good News�. He was director of the Na / ` `
helped organise UNDA/ASIA, the region’s international Catholic association for radio and television. He was also a founder of the Philippine Federation of Catholic Broadcasters, a union of 41 Catholic radio stations nationwide.
Fr James Reuter’s mass media work brought a string of awards.
In 1981, Pope John Paul II honoured him for his “outstanding service to the Catholic Church $ !
later received the Pro Ecclesia et 9
award given to any individual. In 1989, he received the Ra-
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most prominent liturgust, Fr Anscar Chupungco, died on Jan 9, a few weeks before he was to re
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award from the Vatican. He served as consulter in the Sacred Congregations of the Divine Worship and the Sacraments of the Vatican and lectured to bishops’ conferences and clergy the US, Africa, Asia and Europe. In 2011, he criticised the state of liturgical reform following Vatican II. Liturgical reform, he said, “is being put to task by a movement known as the ‘reform of the reform’�, reported the National Catholic Reporter. „ UCANEWS.COM
Asian domestics most badly treated: report MANILA – Domestic workers in
Asia receive among the worst treatment globally, according to a report released on Jan 9 by the International Labour Organization. Of the 21.5 million domestic { =9
three percent are entitled to a weekly day of rest against around half of all the butlers, maids and gardeners employed worldwide, according to the ILO report. Similarly, just one percent of domestic workers in the region have statutory limits to their
standard maximum weekly working hours versus three-quarters of counterparts in Latin America. Asia scored particularly badly on maternity leave, a key indicator of rights given that women make up 80 percent of all domestic workers worldwide. Only 12 percent in the region enjoy such
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convention that sets a framework for legislation governing conditions. Other countries in the region are close to doing so, he added. “It’s very encouraging that some Asian countries, such as Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore, are moving in the right direction with labour reforms,� he said. “But this report makes it clear that more action is needed by more countries.� „ UCANEWS.COM
10 WORLD
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
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Thousands of demonstrators march in Paris on Jan 13 to protest France’s planned legalisation of same-sex marriage. CNS photo PARIS
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POPE BENEDICT XVI BAPTISES A BABY during a Mass in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on Jan 13. The pope baptised 20 babies as he celebrated the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. CNS photo
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WORLD 11
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
Politics that ignore God ‘bound to fail’: ROME – Politicians who want to
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“The politics we have today in Europe and North America without ethical foundations, without a reference to God, cannot resolve our problems, even those of the market and money,� said Archbishop Gerhard L Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doc
‚ $ The archbishop, coordinator of the project to publish the complete works of Joseph RatzingerPope Benedict XVI, said one of the key teachings of the pope is the importance of faith and reason $ Speaking on Jan 11 at a Vatican bookstore in downtown Rome, Archbishop Muller said, “Faith and reason are like two people who love each other deeply, who cannot live without each other, and who were intimately made for one another, so much so that they cannot be considered separate from one another and cannot
$ He quoted Pope Benedict XVI’s speech to diplomats on Jan 7: “It is precisely man’s forgetfulness of God, and his failure to give Him glory, which gives
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no longer make reference to an objective and transcendent truth, how is it possible to achieve an authentic dialogue?� Archbishop Muller said that in the current run-up to Italian elections he has heard that some politicians want the Catholic Church
The politics we ‘ have today in Europe and North America without ethical foundations, without a reference to God, cannot resolve our problems.
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– Archbishop Gerhard L Muller, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
to “talk about love, charity and mercy of God� but not insist that
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12 LETTERS/OPINION
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
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 Facebook: www.facebook.com/catholicnews MANAGING EDITOR: Father Johnson Fernandez: johnson.fernandez@catholic.org.sg
IN MEMORIAM: Susan Lim: memoriam@catholic.org.sg
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Christopher Khoo: christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Richard Paul: subscriptions@catholic.org.sg ADVERTISEMENTS: Elaine Ong: advertisements@catholic.org.sg
STAFF CORRESPONDENTS: Darren Boon: darren.boon@catholic.org.sg Martin See: martin.see@catholic.org.sg
WEBMASTER: Medona Walter: medona.walter@catholic.org.sg
EDITORIAL MATTERS AND QUERIES: cnedit@catholic.org.sg
Please include your full name, address and phone no. for all letters to the editor. Published submissions will be edited.
DESIGN / LAYOUT: Christopher Wong: design@catholic.org.sg Elaine Ong: elaine.ong@catholic.org.sg
LETTERS
Loud music at Communion Z
cult these days to contemplate the
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during Mass because of loud music during Communion. This is not to disparage the invaluable contribution of the choir but rather to suggest improvements so that the experience of the Mass for the congregants can be further enhanced. Though the Mass is a thanksgiving ceremony, joyous and celebratory in nature, there should not be an over-exuberance in music so as to eclipse the contemplative component, which is equally important. Ideally, the music during Com
toned down to provide a tranquil ambience to facilitate contemplation on the real presence of Christ. With very few congregants participating in the hymn and the vast majority with heads bowed and eyes closed, I can only sur-
Music during Communion should down to facilitate contemplation. mise that many are struggling to shut out the distracting music to treasure a poignant moment of union with our Lord. There is a profound moment during the consecration of the sacred host when the silence is almost deafening as the congregation is fully absorbed in reverential worship. The sacred space after receiving Communion is, in my opinion, equally deserving of silence and should be preserved from the intrusion of loud music. The constant reminders that
“only Catholics are allowed to receive Holy Communion� is a pronouncement of a fundamental doctrinal difference between Catholics and Protestants. What sets us apart from our Protestant brothers, who believe only in a “symbolic presence�, is our faith in the true bodily presence of Christ in the Eucharist. In this Year of Faith, let us treasure our Catholic identity as believers in Christ’s sacramental presence in the Eucharist and reevaluate the role of the music ministry in re-establishing the quiet, contemplative element of Mass. The music ministry should complement, not compete with, the Mass. In a secular world inundated by the culture of noise, let us restore the sanctity of “Sacred Silence� to our Holy Mass. Joseph Chng Singapore 560104
Clarifying some points Please allow me to clarify the misconceptions of Ms Estella Young (Non-biblical Traditions?, CN Jan 13) and Louis Figueroa (Not Rooted In Pagan Celebration, CN Jan 13) and to state what I wanted to say in my letter that was glossed over by your readers both in print and online. Ms Young mentioned that “adults dress as zombies or mutilated corpses – the bloodier, the better� is not the point I’m saying. The point I am making is that Halloween can be redeemed by going back to the early practices of our Irish Catholics and to help our children celebrate Halloween by praying for the dead as what All Saints and All Souls are all about, and that we need not be afraid of the dead as what the secular world teaches. Secondly, all celebrations whether it be Chinese New Year or National Day (as Ms Young points out) – that “it is a time where we honour our elders, visit friends and family to spread good tidings of God’s peace and blessings, and even have a special Mass where we thank God for a good Lunar New Year ahead� –
are congruous with our Catholic faith and so are teaching points for
$ Mr Figueroa misread my sentence: “Jesus wasn’t even born on Dec 25, it has its roots as a pagan celebration of the Sun God.� His point, “the Dec 25 feast of Sol Invictus appears to have been the Romans’ attempt to paganise a Christian festival, rather than the other way around�, is exactly what I said in the sentence above. To explain what I was trying to bring across is that the New Testament gives no date or year for Jesus’ birth. In the fourth century AD, Christians imported the Saturnalia • ‹
duced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week-long period of lawlessness celebrated between Dec 17 and 25. It was imported hoping to take the pagan masses in with it. Christian leaders succeeded in converting to Christianity large numbers of pagans by promising them that they could continue to celebrate the Saturnalia as Christians. The problem was that there was nothing intrinsically Christian about Saturnalia. To rem-
edy this, these Christian leaders named Saturnalia’s concluding day, Dec 25, to be Jesus’ birthday. > #
observed the Nativity on Dec 25 did not do so thinking that Christ was born in that month, but because the heathens’ Saturnalia was at that time kept in Rome, and they were willing to have those pagan holidays metamorphose into Christian ones. Because of its known pagan origin, Christmas was banned by the Puritans and its observance was illegal in Massachusetts between 1659 and 1681. The point I was making with this is that we do not stop celebrating Christmas just because the secular world celebrates it with excessive dining, wining and partying. We should use Christmas as a teaching tool that Christmas is about God giving us His Son Jesus and not the copious food, wine, presents and parties. Ellen Tan Singapore 578840 Managing Editor: With this letter, we close the discussion on the topic
Keeping clear of hysteria IN VIRTUALLY all his novels, Czech writer Milan Kundera manifests a strong impatience with every kind of ideology, hype or fad that makes for groupthink or crowd-hysteria. He is suspicious of slogans, demonstrations and marches of all kinds, no matter the cause. He calls all these the great march and, to his mind, they invariably lead to violence, all of them. Kundera likes artists because they tend to steer clear of causes, wanting to paint or write rather than march. > |
wounds in our world that demand our involvement beyond our wanting rather to paint or write. Still Kundera’s severe judgment on marches and demonstrations of all kinds, the great march, is fair warning. Why?
to get caught up in ideology, hype, fad, group-think and crowd-hysteria in a way that leaves us mindless. It’s hard to know what we really think and believe, as opposed to what the cultural circles we move within prescribe for us. It’s hard not to be caught up in the fashion of the moment. But it’s even harder for us to ground ourselves in something deeper. How can we ground ourselves in a depth that immunises us from ideology, fad, hype, fashion, and the subtle group-hysterias that plague every culture? In Luke’s Gospel, the disciples sense that Jesus is drawing His wisdom, calm, strength and power from somewhere beyond Himself, that He is grounding Himself in something beyond both the enticements and threats of the present moment. >
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to connect to this depth and power and they have come to realise that prayer is the route, the only route, to take them there. And so they ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. What did He teach them? How do we pray in such a way so as to ground ourselves in something truly beyond our own individual and collective narcissism? Metaphorically, this is described for us in the passage in Scripture which records the martyrdom of St Stephen. This is the scene: A crowd of very sincere, though misguided, persons, driven by religious fervour, but caught up in some group-hysteria, gather to stone Stephen to death. Here’s how Scripture describes it: “They were infuriated when
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the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘Look! I can see the heaven thrown open,’ he said, ‘and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.’ All the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they made a concerted rush at him, thrust him out of the city and stoned him.� (Acts 7, 54-58) Stephen’s death was real, but the description of his dying is replete with metaphors that tell us what it means to pray and what it means to not pray. What does it mean to not pray? The crowd, notwithstanding their religious fervour and sincerity, do not pray. The description here says it all: Their gaze is on Stephen, at whom they are looking with misunderstanding and hatred. Moreover, his message of love is at that moment an inconvenient truth so they are stopping their ears so as not to hear. And they are in the grip of group-hysteria. They are not seeing the heavens laid open, but rather a very earthly person whom they hate;
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That is why their gaze never rises above their bitter glare at Stephen. They are solely in the moment, in the now, seeing only what is below the heavens, and that is non-prayer. No matter how sincere we are religiously, what has just been described is not prayer. Indeed sometimes even our sincere prayer together is nothing more than the deepening of our group narcissism and a deeper enslavement to the maddening crowd. Our eyes are still on each other and not on God. Stephen, on the other hand, is praying. He is described as having his eyes turned upward (a metaphor, not a pictorial description) and he is gazing into heaven and seeing the heavens laid open. His gaze is beyond the crowd, beyond the moment, beyond human divisions, beyond hatred, beyond even the fear of his own death. He is gazing into something beyond the crowd and the present moment. This, and only this, is prayer. I share Kundera’s fear about the great march and how easily and blindly I, and most everyone else, can fall into step. His hunch is that art can help ground us outside the maddening crowd. I would add that prayer is even more helpful. „
FOCUS 13
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
For two 20somethings, 2013 will be a lot different from previous years as they enter the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary By Darren Boon One felt he received the call to en
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The other had always wanted to
$ Both of them started their studies at the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary on Jan 14. “God has convinced me to a point that I cannot deny it‌I can
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God initiated the call and all I did was to answer His call, he said. The former staff member of a polytechnic’s Student Development Unit said he felt the call to '**‰
which he sought spiritual direction and discernment. Shawn Wong, on the other hand, said he had always had a desire to
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Xavier, his parish, and credited Fr Gerard Weerakoon, who was assistant priest then, for inspiring him to join the priesthood. Fr Weerakoon guided and supported him when he became the leader of the altar servers, he said. This and other experiences of reaching out to parishioners allowed Wong to better understand the role of a diocesan priest, which convinced him even more of his priestly vocation, he added. “Most importantly, it was the experience of God’s love in my life, through the challenges, the
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“That was what convinced me that God was calling me to share His love that I have experienced with the people around me. What
better way to do that than through
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Wong said he was ready to join the seminary last year, but then decided to go to New Zea
evangelisation with people from around the world. The experience |
priesthood, he said. Before that he was a customer service agent with Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS). As for Robert, he said that while he enjoyed his job as well
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Michael, which included being an
has convinced ‘God me to a point that I cannot deny it‌ I cannot say, ‘No, I won’t do this.’
’
– Gerard Robert, 29
altar server, he nevertheless felt called to join the seminary. One thing both men agree on is that pursuing their vocation means giving up marriage and raising a family, and possibly seeing less of family members and friends. While coping with the studies appear to be the least of their worries, both acknowledge they have to make adjustments to their lives, such as adhering to the seminary’s schedules and timetable. Living a community life with people of different backgrounds would also pose its own set of challenges, noted Wong. He realises he has “to be more sensitive to the needs of my fel-
Gerard Robert (left) and Shawn Wong started studies at the seminary on Jan 14.
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seminary’s vision of supporting $
Reactions from people regarding their decision have been varied, both shared. Some were
it illogical. Others were worried the two could have made a wrong decision, while others wondered if the young men would be able to live without worldly attractions. Yet others were respectful while some kept silent, apparently unsure of how to respond.
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to explain the rationale behind his decision as he is doing it out of love for God. So rather than try to convince friends, Wong said he would set a good example by liv # $
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with their decisions. Although the way ahead is " ‹ "
is showing me this direction now. Whether there’s a turn ahead, I do not know. It is up to
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$ Becoming a priest after eight years of training is not a foregone conclusion, said Robert, as the discernment process is ongoing. "{ $ The ultimate goal is to make it to ordination, Wong said, “but only if it is God’s will. So I’m
$ “For the two of us, we’re coming in with total openness towards $
„ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg
COMMENTARY
By Bishop Thomas J Tobin. The right to own guns is not an absolute right. As a personal right it always has to be balanced with the legitimate rights of other people and with protecting the common good. That’s a principle that applies to all individual freedoms. For example, we’re guaranteed the right to free speech, but it’s not an absolute right. It was decided a long time ago that because of the common good and for rea ‡
"
in a theatre. And you want to test your freedom of speech? Try talking about your fascination with bombs the next time you’re boarding an airplane and see what happens. As a society we need always to achieve
a proper balance between individual freedom and the common good. The question about the “right to bear
als, has been forced into public debate once
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by one deranged young man. We’ll all be thinking about and praying for the victims of that terrible event for a long, long time. > #
societal questions that need to be earnestly addressed – ensuring the safety of children in our schools; improving the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness; the rampant vi
‡
these days; the stability of the family unit; and the general lack of respect for human
life and dignity in our society, come quickly to mind. It’s the control of guns, however, that’s emerged as the most emotional and politically divisive issue of the lot. It seems to me, though, that it’s an issue where a little bit of common sense would go a long way in restoring a proper balance between individual rights and the common good of society. > ‹ {
again emerged as a key player in the current $ †
NRA is not a fourth branch of government. If the association wants to be a respected and credible part of our community, it has to be part of the solution, not the source of the problem. It has to promote the common good; not protect its own interests. The NRA, too, is subject to the law of God.
One of the signature songs of the iconic folk group Peter, Paul and Mary was Blowin’ in the Wind, written by Bob Dylan. There they ask nine questions, including: "!
‡ ÂĄ In a similar way we can ask ourselves, “How many children must die, how many families must suffer, how many communi
arms? If the answer’s not clear now, it never will be. It’s time for our nation, state and local governments to enact legislation that will
arms available to the general public. „ CNS/ excerpted from the Jan 3 issue of the Rhode Island Catholic, Newspaper of Providence Diocese, USA.
14 CHRISTIAN UNITY WEEK
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
‘Christians must face secularisation together’ Ecumenical cooperation can’t ignore crisis of faith in world, says pope VATICAN CITY – Sharing an obli-
gation to spread the good news of salvation in Christ, all Christian communities are challenged by the fact that many people today do not think they need God, Pope Benedict XVI said. “The spiritual poverty of many of our contemporaries, who no longer perceive the absence of God in their lives as a privation, represents a challenge for all Christians,� the pope said in a meeting with mem 9 #
Promoting Christian Unity recently. The pope said authentic ecumenical prayer, dialogue and cooperation cannot ignore “the crisis of faith that vast regions of the planet are experiencing� nor can Christians ignore signs that many modern people still feel a need for some kind of spirituality. Efforts to reunite all Christians are an essential part of the new
evangelisation, the pope said. Responding to the obligation to share the Gospel and to heal a divided Christianity, he said, every Christian must “return to the essential, to the heart of our faith, giving the world a witness of the living God, that is, a God who knows us and loves us and in whose gaze we live; a God who awaits the response of our love in our everyday lives�. Pope Benedict said the theological dialogues the Catholic Church is engaged in with other Churches and Christian communities are important means of keeping the ecu
the faith and not simply on trying
$ “Even when one cannot see in the immediate future a possibility for the re-establishment of full communion,� he said, the dialogues “allow us to become aware not only of resistance and obstacles, but also of the richness of experiences, spir
that can become a stimulus for an ever deeper witness�. The pope said Jesus’ prayer that His disciples be one so the world would believe means that Christians cannot accept dividing differences as something normal. “It is full communion in faith, sacraments and ministry that will make the present and active power of God concretely visible in the world,� he said. Opening the council’s plenary meeting, Cardinal Kurt Koch, council president, told members that
Anglican Archbishop Michael Jackson (left) and Catholic Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, Ireland, leading an ecumenical Good Friday procession last year. CNS photos
“the ecumenical process of overcoming the division of the Church cannot help but have a consequence on the relationship modern secular
culture has with religion in general and with Christianity in particular�. Unfortunately, today, new Christian divisions are arising on
The spiritual poverty of [those] who no ‘ longer perceive the absence of God in their lives as a privation, represents a challenge. ’
– Pope Benedict XVI
the basis of differing approaches to moral and ethical questions, particularly regarding the safeguarding of human life from conception to death, he said. “If the Churches and Christian communities are not able to speak with one voice in the face of the great ethical problems of our age, that will harm Christian ecumenism and the credibility of the new evangelisation,� he said. „ CNS
CHRISTIAN UNITY WEEK 15
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
Vatican II’s quest for Christian unity A look at Vatican Council II’s Decree on Ecumenism as the Church marks Christian Unity Week Photo: WONG LEONG JEAM
Representatives of Christian Churches in Singapore bless the congregation at an ecumenical prayer service during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity last year. The special week is held from Jan 18-25 yearly.
By Bishop Denis Madden When I was a boy, Catholics did not enter Protestant or Orthodox churches. We did not pray together except for an occasional prayer before a public event. Now, 50 years after the Second Vatican Council, we pray together regularly. This type of “spiritual ecumenismâ€? is at the heart of our movement towards Christian unity. The council’s Decree on Ecumenism (1964) “Unitatis Redintegratioâ€? (Restoration of Unity), opened the doors of the Church. The council exhorted “all the Catholic faithful‌to take an active and intelligent part in the work of ecumenismâ€? [Decree, #4]. We began to build relationships of trust and forgiveness with our Protestant and Orthodox neighbours. We became friends. We began to look together more honestly at the issues that divide us. The council urged us to make â€œâ€Śevery effort to avoid expressions, judgments and actions that do not represent the condition of our separated brethren with truth and fairness ‌.â€? [#4] In formal dialogues and informal conversations, we moved from mutual suspicion and some exaggerations to an honest search for the facts and the truth of the past. Often our perceived differences came from the preconceptions and emotions of times past and not from deep divisions. Our renewed relationships led to practical collaborations. Today the local food pantry or soup kitch-
en in the US is often sponsored by an ecumenical coalition of churches. Frequently, we coordinate our international efforts to aid those in need so we might be more effective. On the local level, we see Catholic parish Bible study groups. These did not exist in my youth. We see many Protestant churches celebrating the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. Protestants have shared with Catholics their love for the Bible; Catholics have shared with Protestants their love for the sacraments. Both the Vatican and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops
In dialogues, we moved from mutual suspicion to an honest search for the facts and the truth of the past. engage in scholarly dialogues with Protestant and Orthodox friends and colleagues. “Through such dialogue everyone gains a truer knowledge and more just appreciation of the teaching and religious life of both communions� [#4]. One result of these dialogues was the Joint Declaration on the † @ fully worded statement on the key theological issue of the Reformation that was agreed to by the Lutheran World Federation and the
Vatican in 1999. Z –
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alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works� [Declaration, #15]. In 2006, the World Methodist Council signed the Declaration. More recently, representatives of many Orthodox Churches and of the Holy See endorsed the Ravenna Statement on the Church. This little-known statement about the sacramental nature of the Church and its implications for Church life and authority – local, regional and universal – was a
plications for the unity of Eastern and Western Christians. Of course, there’s still some way to go, and this challenges all Christians. We are just beginning to address ecumenically some of the “hot� moral issues of our times, such as questions of sexual morality. While we have substantial agreement on many moral issues, we need to dig down deeper into the causes of our divergences. The work of ecumenism is slow but steady. We are touching the deep foundations of our lives. We all adjust slowly to change – even change for the better. „ Bishop Madden is chairman of the Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
16
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews
CHILDREN’S STORY:
By Joe Sarnicola
hands and said, “Amen, amen!� >
During the seventh month, the peo- bowed before the Lord. ple of Israel assembled in the square Ezra was assisted by some of by the Water Gate. Ezra the scribe the Levites, who helped to explain stood before them in order to read the laws. As Ezra read, he interpretfrom the laws and commandments ed what he was reading so the peoGod had given to Moses. So Ezra be- ple would understand. gan to read to the men, women and Nehemiah, the governor, also children who were gathered in front }Â? $ !
of him. He read from the time the sun people. “Today is holy to the Lord
$ your God. Do not be sad, and do not Ezra stood on a wooden platform weep.� He said this because some that had been built for the readings he of the people cried as they heard $ !
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for the people to see before he read “Do not be saddened this day, for from them. Because he was on the rejoicing in the Lord must be your platform, he was above the crowd, strength.� which made it easier for everyone Then the Levites stepped forto see and hear him. Before Ezra
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read from the scrolls, he blessed the be saddened.� So the people of Israel Lord and the people raised their stopped crying and began to rejoice
St Eystein Erlandsson
Read more about it: Nehemiah 8
Q&A 1. Why did Ezra stand on a wooden platform? 2. What did the Levites say about the day of the reading of the law?
PUZZLE:
WORDSEARCH: „ SEVENTH
„ MONTH
Eystein Erlandsson (d. 1188) was the second archbishop of the very young see of Nidaros, Norway. Prior to that ap- „ SQUARE „ EZRA pointment, he had been serving as the chaplain to King Inge. „ LAWS After traveling to Rome for an audience with Pope Alex- „ ORDER ander III, Eystein returned to Nidaros to oversee the expansion of the cathedral. He also had the privilege of perform- „ PLATFORM „ SCROLLS
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per called “The Passion and Miracles of the Blessed Olafâ€?. { ÂŚ `
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We honour him on Jan 26. „
„ ISRAEL
Unscramble the following books of the Bible:
„ SCRIBE
1. s c h e l r o c n i
„ MOSES „ BLESSED
______________________________
2. l a m p s s ______________________________
3. m a s o r n ______________________________
4. d e j u ______________________________
5. r a z e ______________________________
6. a l i n e d ______________________________
7. w h a t t e m
Bible Accent:
______________________________
Answers to Wordsearch: Answers to Bible Trivia: Seven
Scholars used to believe that the / >
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Nehemiah had been written by the same person. Now there is doubt about that claim because there is some confusion about
actually happened. ~
ever the authors were, give us one of the best accounts of the origins of the Jewish people who lived in Judah after they had returned from their exile in Babylon. Most of the information we have about the man Ezra, who was a priest and a prophet, is from Ezra Chapters ‰=&* # ™ š$ > }�
helped to preserve the laws of God for the people and to record the many years of history and traditions that had passed before the exile. „
Ezra continued to read every day and the people celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they observed a solemn assembly, according to the laws given to Moses. „
BIBLE TRIVIA: How many sacraments are there in the Church?
Answers to Puzzle: 1. Chronicles, 2. Psalms, 3. Romans, 4. Jude, 5. Ezra, 6. Daniel, 7. Matthew.
SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:
and celebrate because the laws of God had been read and explained to them. On the next day, the priests, the Levites and the leaders of the ancestral houses met with Ezra to continue studying the laws. As they did so, they discovered that God wanted the people of Israel to live in special booths during the seventh month. They instructed the people to build the booths out of branches, and the booths could be found in courtyards, on the roofs of their houses and in the square of the Water Gate.
WHAT’S ON 17
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ 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 SATURDAYS FEB 23 RCIY@ST MARY OF THE ANGELS 3.30-6.45pm: For 13-18 years old. At Church of St Mary of the Angels. T: 9746 4548 (Jeannette); E: jeanetteyeo@gmail.com WEDNESDAYS JAN 16 TO MARCH 20 BIBLE STUDY – LETTER TO THE ROMANS 8-10pm: Lectures by Fr Ambrose Vaz on St Paul’s letter to the Romans. Free. At Church of St Francis Xavier (St Mary Room). Register E: ronlee@lucas.com.sg (Ron), maisielee21@gmail.com (Maisie) JAN 24 IADORE 8.15-10pm: Eucharistic adoration for youth and young adults. Confession available. At Church of the Holy Spirit (Chapel). T: 90667944 (Derek), E: youth@holyspirit.sg
JAN 25 EUCHARISTIC ADORATION FOR YOUNG ADULTS 8-9.30pm: With rosary, scriptural $
At Church of St Ignatius (St Francis Xavier Chapel Kingsmead Hall). E: gen.christ.ministry@gmail.com JAN 26 COMMISSIONING OF PRINCIPALS & SERVICE OF COMMITMENT 6-8pm: Commissioning of principals and service of commitment for principals and vice principals of Catholic schools. By ACCS. At St Anne’s Church. T: 68587080; E: accs@catholic.org.sg FEB 1 WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR CONSECRATED LIFE 6-7pm: The Church is invited to remember with gratitude the women and men who have dedicated their lives in service to the mission of Jesus. Mass celebrated by Archbishop Nicholas Chia. At Church of St Teresa. T: 9362 5408; E: wrvocationteam@gmail.com FRIDAY FEB 1 TO SUNDAY FEB 3 MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND Fri (8pm)-Sun (6pm): A live-in marriage
enrichment programme for happily married couples to equip themselves on this till-the-end-of-time journey of love. By Marriage Encounter Singapore. At 201-B Punggol 17th Avenue. Register T: 9670 5390; E: register@marriage-encounter-sg.org SATURDAY FEB 2 AND SUNDAY FEB 3 FAITH AND LIGHT COMMUNITY SHARING Faith and Light will be sharing about its ministry – centred on people with intellectual disabilities – with everyone, especially families with these special persons. Both intellectually disabled and non-disabled persons are most welcome
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At Church of the Risen Christ. T: 9639 9660 (Kok Wing); E: wangkokwing@yahoo.com WEDNESDAYS FEB 6 TO APRIL 10 HOME RETREAT – JOURNEY TOWARDS NEW LIFE 7.30pm: A10-week retreat over LentEaster season based on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius. It is a school of prayer to learn how to pray for those who are too busy, who want to deepen
God in the midst of their daily living.
COMMENTARY
Cinema in the Year of Faith: What makes a movie Catholic? CNS photo
By John P McCarthy NEW YORK – In Porta Fidei (The Door of Faith), an apostolic letter announcing the current Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI urges us to study the history of Catholicism, which he describes as “marked by the unfathomable mystery of the interweaving of holiness and sin�. This striking observation also
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All too often in movies, however, sin dominates and holiness is dif
$ In the spirit of the new evangelisation, the Year of Faith is an appropriate time to ask what constitutes a faithful and, more spe # $
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grade; if too broad, the designations themselves will become meaningless. > #
there are many reasons a picture might be deemed Catholic. But the dynamic between those who create a work, the work itself, and the audience beholding it is a useful shortcut. A movie may qualify as #
Catholic sensibility, if the subject matter – plot, personae or setting – involves Catholicism, and/or if a viewer offers a plausible Catholic interpretation. {
‡ tions and outlook is problematic because cinema is such a collaborative medium. Still, provided they maker’s aims and sensibility are a rich source of interpretive material. The pantheon of Catholic directors (lapsed and devout) includes Robert Bresson, Luis Bunuel, Frank Capra, Francis Ford Coppola, Federico Fellini, Alfred Hitchcock, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Martin
Ben Barnes and Warwick Davis star in a scene from the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince of Caspian.
A movie may qualify as Catholic if the
sensibility, if the subject matter – plot, personae or setting – involves Catholicism, and/or if a viewer offers a plausible Catholic interpretation. Scorsese and Andrei Tarkovsky. /
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with a Catholic theme, plot, set
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A minimum amount of respect for the Catholic subject matter must be evinced, even if strong doubts are expressed and considerable ambiguity permitted. The range of examples stretches from Carl Theodor Dreyer’s silent masterwork The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) and popular entertainments from Hollywood’s Golden Age – Bible epics and certain Bing Crosby vehicles, for instance – to more recent fare.
The latter includes the biopic Romero (1989), The Chronicles of Narnia series (2005-2010), the documentary Into Great Silence (2007) and the fact-based French / ` ^'*&&_$ When assessing subject matter, movies blatantly hostile to religion, patently heretical or obviously anti-Catholic are readily  $ >
pay lip service to religious faith or peddle watered-down beliefs are nearly as easy to dismiss. While better than many alternatives, what passes for religiosity in most mainstream movies is too shallow and generic to leave a deep impression. Humanism, non-specific ethical concerns and advocacy of a vaguely spiritual, less materialistic approach to life are not enough. \
illustrate this point. As a boy, the title character in Life of Pi embarks Â
picking and choosing from a number of different faiths, including Catholicism. Yet, as his atheist father remarks, “Believing in everything is like believing in nothing.� Many elements in the timetravelling fantasia Cloud Atlas can be considered pro-faith. But its overarching theme concerning individuals linked throughout history is $ Two other current releases underscore another important point. Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln and Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained address the immorality of slavery in very different ways. Both want to entertain and enlighten audiences about historical realities. Yet, with its revenge narrative, the graphic violence, obscene language and exploitative tenor of > ‡
any salubrious message. „ CNS John P McCarthy is a guest reviewer for Catholic News Service.
By Cenacle Sisters. At Church of Sts Peter and Paul. Register T: 6565 2895, 9181 7763, 9722 3148; E: cenaclesisters@yahoo.com.sg. FRIDAYS FEB 15 TO MARCH 22 YEAR OF FAITH 7.30-9.30pm: 6 sessions to help Catholics rediscover their faith and become joy
$ {#9>$
At Church of St Bernadette AVA Room. Register by Feb 8. SMS: 8467 6161, 8467 6363; E: acptcafe@gmail.com TUESDAYS FEB 19 TO APRIL 30 THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHETS 8-9.30pm: Lectures by Msgr Eugene Vaz. By Church of the Holy Family Biblical Apostolate Team. At Church of the Holy Family (Function Room Level 4). Register E: hfcbat@yahoo.com THURSDAYS FEB 21 TO MAY 9 ALPHA COURSE 7.15-10pm: The Alpha course is to help people have a basic understanding of their Christian faith. All are welcome. At Church of Blessed Sacrament (Damien Hall). Register T: 9239 5562; E: bsc.alpha@gmail.com FEB 24 TO APR 7 MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSE For couples intending to get married. / = =
$
Quarter 2 course from Apr 28 to Jun 2. T: 9839 9840 (Ron/Grace); E: mpcsingapore@gmail.com; Register in parishes or W: http://www.catholic.org.sg/mpc
MONDAYS FEB 25 TO MAY 6 ALPHA COURSE 7.45-9.45pm: The Alpha Course provides an opportunity for people to deepen their Christian faith or to explore it in a relaxed and informal environment. It is designed to let people think and talk about the Christian faith at their own pace. At Church of St Bernadette (12 Zion Rd). Register T: 9798 7788 (Richard), 8322 5356 (Andy); E: andy_lee_4health@yahoo.com THURSDAYS FEB 28 TO APRIL 4 COMMON SENSE PARENTING WORKSHOP ‰$+*=š$+* – { =
workshop developed by Boystown, USA, that has helped thousands of parents to walk the talk in raising responsible children. Parents will gain
approach to manage behaviours and guide children in the choices they make. By Morning Star Community Services. At 4 Lor Low Koon. Register T: 6315 8812; E: programs@morningstar.org.sg FRIDAY MARCH 8 TO SUNDAY MARCH 10 BEGINNING EXPERIENCE WEEKEND Fri (6pm)-Sun (4pm): For those divorced, separated, or who have experienced the death of a spouse. Work through one’s grief and put one’s past behind, to be $
Register T: 9647 9122 (Sue), 9828 5162 (Jean), 9661 8089(Joseph); E: josephchew@ippfa.com
20 WORLD
Sunday January 27, 2013 „ CatholicNews CNS photos
Vatican suspends acceptance of credit cards amid tension with regulator VATICAN CITY – Vatican City
State vendors, including the Vatican Museums and supermarket, stopped accepting credit and debit card payments on Jan 1,
Z thorities. Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said on Jan 2, “The arrangement between ˆ # \
and one of the POS (point of sale) providers, whose services were employed to facilitate payments by tourists and pilgrims inside the Vatican, is about to expire.� He said the Vatican already was in negotiations with other providers, and the no-plastic policy was expected to short-lived. While declining to speak on the record, sources at the Vatican did not dispute reports that the credit and debit card problem arose when Italy’s central bank denied Deutsche Bank Italia – the Vatican’s point of sale provider – permission to operate
in Vatican City State, a foreign country. The central bank, the Bank of Italy, said it discovered in 2010 that Deutsche Bank Italia had been handling the Vatican’s credit and debit card transactions without the necessary approval. Deutsche Bank applied for permission, which was denied on Dec 6 by the Bank of Italy, claiming Vatican City State did
laws stringent enough to prevent money laundering. While the Vatican negotiates with potential new credit card handlers – presumably nonItalian companies – it continues
laws and procedures to comply with international norms against
ˆ cial said. Just a few days after the Deutsche Bank petition was denied, amendments to the Vati ‡
effect, giving the Vatican’s new
Visitors stroll through the Court of the Pigna, part of the Vatican Museums.
Financial Information Authority greater independence in sharing information with other countries’ $ In December 2010, Pope Benedict XVI instituted the agency
ˆ
operations. At the same time, the Vatican promulgated a new law
established penalties – including possible jail time – for their violation. „ CNS
PUBLISHED BY ARCHBISHOP NICHOLAS CHIA, 2 HIGHLAND ROAD #01-03, SINGAPORE 549102. PRINTED BY TIMESPRINTERS, 16 TUAS AVE 5, SINGAPORE 639340.
A notice on the Vatican Museums’ website informs patrons that they will be unable to pay using credit and debit cards beginning Jan 1.