JANUARY 12, 2014, Vol 64, No 01

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www.catholicnews.sg SUNDAY JANUARY 12, 2014

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Peace impossible without fraternity based on Christ: pope CNS photos

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VOL 64

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INSIDE HOME S’pore chapel built in Holy Land 9 ; „ Page 5

ASIA Nepal’s political parties vow reconciliation < = „ Page 7 Above: A girl at an anti-human traf

WORLD Refugees receive message of hope

fraternity ‘Without it is impossible

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to build a just society and a solid and lasting peace.

Allowing kids to choose euthanasia

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POPE FRANCIS Pontiff gives another interview ! " # $ % & '

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OPINION Want to engage in new evangelisation? 9 4 „ Page 16

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Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

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opened and blessed By Darren Boon Having a Catholic Centre at Waterloo Street is like coming back “full circle� to the time when the archdiocese had a building, also called the Catholic Centre, at Bras Basah Road. Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia made these remarks to some 200 guests attending

" lic Centre at 55 Waterloo St, on Dec 27. Apostolic nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli was also present at the event. In his speech, Archbishop Chia noted that the original Catholic Centre – a twostorey bungalow house built decades ago and which housed diocesan organisations and a cafeteria, was located opposite the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. However the government later acquired the land and the organisations moved to the Catholic Young Men’s Association Building, also at Bras Basah Road. It was then decided that the one-storey bungalow at 55 Waterloo Street, housing the Marist Brothers who ran Catholic High School, would be demolished and replaced by an eight-storey building. The property

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was donated by a Catholic philanthropist. Catholic Welfare Services was in charge of the project. The building was named Catholic Welfare Centre and completed in 1982, before its name changed to Catholic Centre /

# “We want this to be a truly Catholic hub in the city. This will be a place for connecting, for learning, for respite, and for care,� said Archbishop Chia.

Mr Willie Cheng, chairman of the Catholic Centre building committee and member of the Archdiocesan Land and Properties Singapore (ALPS), said the idea of a Catholic hub at 55 Waterloo Street was conceived by Caritas Singapore in 2009 as part of the organisation’s vision. Mr Cheng also highlighted the design of the building – a building framed by aluminium tubes resembling pipe organs and a

Art therapy ministry gets a space Heartspace Ministry, which has its roots as an art therapy ministry at Church of St Mary of Angels, has taken up residence on the fifth storey of the Catholic Centre. Ms Joanna Tan, a registered art therapist, said the location is “central and would be a good place for people to meet�. Ms Tan describes the place as a “space

for inner work� in the hearts of people through art therapy – using the creative process of image making and one’s imagination. She also added that she is open to working with other Catholic organisations in the building. „ For more information Heartspace and its activities, visit www.joannatan. com or email jo@joannatan.com

Premises of Heartspace Ministry

giant cross on the front. The evening’s ceremony saw Archbishop Chia presenting tokens of appreciation to the 36 consultants, contractors and subcontractors who worked on the building. Archbishop Girelli later led the prayers in the blessing ceremony. Together with Archbishop Chia and seven other priests, they went to various levels of the building to bless the premises. Archbishop Chia also ++ 2 / all the tenants in the building. $ / the old building while renovations works were taking place, said they were glad to be back. Ms Bernadette Lau, Caritas Singapore’s 2

/ 4 ( ) “beautiful�, with a spacious working environment for staff. She added that there is also a dedicated space for volunteers. Mr James Chew, Catholic Welfare Servic 2

/ lockers and computer terminals for its clients. Archdiocesan chancellor, Franciscan ! ' $ the centre, said facilities such as the Cross " ^ = “together another component of Catholic life that potentially could be attractive to this part of Singapore�. _ " building include CANA, the Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore, ALPS, Catholic Foundation, Caritas Singapore, Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives Singapore (CHARIS), Catholic Welfare Services and Heartspace Ministry (see other story). The Apostolic Nunciature will also be returning to the centre. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

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Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Clara Lai reviews a musical on how spiritual personalities across the centuries responded to God’s call If Mother Teresa could just sing away all the problems of the world, how great that would be. In a Dec 20 concert staged by the St Francis Xavier Youth Choir, a choir member acting as Mother Teresa comforted a child dressed in rags. “Just rest now, don’t worry, I’m here to hold you, my little one, God loves you so, just like He told you,� she sang in a soothing voice. But of course, everyone knows that the work Blessed Teresa of Kolkata did in her lifetime was far from easy. Halfway through the song, another choir member, dressed in a white robe and acting as Jesus, appeared and sang the same reassuring words back to her. The melodious duet that followed, Just Rest Now, from American Fr Francis O’Brien’s musical Can You Hear Me Now?, was simply beautiful. Denis Leong, the choir’s resident conductor, said he chose this musical, staged at St Joseph’s Institution (International) Chapel, as “it’s quite a good theme for our modern generation�. People today experience many “distractions and a lot of noise� and it is “not easy� to hear God’s voice, he said.

Blessed Teresa of Kolkata, Mother Mary and other biblical characters were portrayed in the musical, Can You Hear Me Now?, staged by the St Francis Xavier Youth Choir.

The two-hour production started with a voiceover of Singaporeans lamenting the irritations they face, such as having their food orders delayed or fac # ( waited very long leh� was one complaint. Then a different voice, appar-

ently representing the voice of God said, “Hi. Remember me? I know it is tough to listen to me through all the distractions. Well, I hope I’ve caught your attention. My children, can you hear me now?� The audience is then transported centuries back in time to

see how familiar biblical characters answered God’s call for them – characters such as Abraham and Isaac, Angel Gabriel and Mother Mary, St Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa and even an ' ! # Each soloist performed his or her part well with the choir pro-

ducing a well-polished sound. The group’s clear enunciation of words and smooth changes of key between verses were particularly impressive. At the end of the musical, the voice representing God speaks in a voiceover, “My child, we are coming to the end of our journey. I have brought you back to where we began. Please do not shut me

# ~ 1 1 #) The choir sang six songs for the encore, including a graceful O Holy Night, which saw the sopranos hitting the high notes powerfully, and When You Believe from the 1998 animated movie, The Prince of Egypt. To sum it all up, the heartwarming concert made for an inspiring Friday evening. The St Francis Xavier Youth Choir was established in 1987, and has garnered numerous accolades on the international front. Its biggest choral achievement was from the Grand Prix St Petersburg (World Choir Festival) 2010 in Russia, during which < church choir to clinch three Gold awards. „ clara.lai@catholic.org.sg

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Sunday January 12, 2014 CatholicNews

Archbishop William Goh and parish priest Fr Adrian Yeo blow out the candles on the anniversary cake as apostolic nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli (far left) and Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia look on. Photo: RICHARD KOH

Immaculate Heart of Mary marks 60th anniversary Parishioners of the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary gathered at the Orchid Country Club for a gala dinner to mark the culmination of the parish’s diamond jubilee celebrations. Archbishop William Goh was the guest-of-honour for the Dec 8 event, which marked the end of the yearlong celebrations. Apostolic nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli and Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas were also among the 550 or so people who attended the event. The evening celebration included musical entertainment by veteran Singapore band, Matthew & the Mandarins, and the cutting of the anniversary cake. At the dinner, the church also launched its quarterly newslet-

ter, Heart Beat, and its revamped website, http://www.ihm.sg. According to information on

the site, the church, located on Highland Road, started as a chapel in 1953 to serve the Catholics of Serangoon 5th and 6th mile, and the Paya Lebar areas. In 1992, extensions were made to the building to cater to increasing parishioners. However, as the numbers grew over the decades to more than 6000, there was a pressing need for a new church building. In 1999, the parish assembly approved plans to build a new church but insisted that the “kampong spirit” of the church be retained, i.e. no high buildings. The current building (left) has only one tall structure, its belfry.

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Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Singapore team contributes to chapel in new Holy Land basilica By Dr Gabriel Oon This country may be a little red dot, but it has left its mark in one of the four chapels at the new Basilica of St Mary Magdalene in Magdala, the Holy Land. Thirty benefactors and a few members of the Singapore Order of Malta were present at the dedication and blessing of the < 0 Land on Dec 20. This was part of the Magdala Project, which was encouraged by Pope John Paul II in 2004, soon after the second intifada and Christians needed encouragement to come back to the Holy Land and stop the growing numbers of emigration. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI blessed the cornerstone, and it is now hoped that Pope Francis will

Q U 0 V # * 0Z[\]']]] 0 at the St Mary Magdalene basilica in the Holy Land.

consecrate the whole basilica during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. < . -

CHANCERY NOTICE

December 21, 2013

In a rescript from the Holy See of 11 October 2013, Fr Vincent Lee of the Archdiocese of Singapore has been granted a dispensation by Pope Francis from all obligations arising from sacred ordination including that of clerical celibacy.

Fr John-Paul Tan, OFM, JCL, Chancellor, Chancery of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore #07-01 Catholic Centre, 55 Waterloo Street Singapore 187954 Email: chancery@catholic.org.sg

bishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia in 2007, and on its completion, Archbishop William Goh gave a congratulatory message, where he also prayed that “pilgrims who come to seek the Lord, in the 0 prayer and quiet contemplation of His ministry in Galilee�. The Singapore team had chosen the theme of Jesus walking on water, while the three other chapels are dedicated to Jesus calling

from Mary Magdalene, and raising Jairus’ dead daughter. Each chapel can hold about 60 people. A total amount of US$355,006 (S$410,610) was put together by local donors to build the Singapore chapel initially, but El Salvador also helped with an additional contribution of US$85,000. $ / ; to be held in the basilica, which was built over the market of the

the birth of Christ. The celebrant

! < Charge of Notre Dame of Jerusalem and initiator of the Magdala Centre, and concelebrated by Fr Eamon Kelly. During the Mass, the Singa = and the national anthem sung. In a bid to bring more pilgrims to the Holy Land, there are other works currently ongoing including the construction of the Pilgrims Hotel, a restaurant, a media centre and an archaeological centre. „

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Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

‘Integrated Curriculum’ offered to preschools, childcare centres

Catholic preschool educators pose for a photo at St Anne’s Church Kindergarten during their annual gathering.

By Stefania Hartley SINGAPORE – More than 130

educators and managers, including religious supervisors, from 12 Catholic preschools and childcare centres met for their annual Thanksgiving Day on Dec 27. The gathering, held at St Anne’s Church Kindergarten, is now in its fourth year and is an occasion for building communion as well as sharing best practices. During the event, a new curriculum created by ACCS (Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools) with outside expertise, was made available to the preschools and centres. This “Integrated Curriculum� integrates the character development and religious education components with the academic –

or core curriculum – component. It incorporates the Catholic perspective while complying with the latest directives of the ECDA (Early Childhood Development Agency), the regulatory and developmental authority for the early childhood sector in Singapore. The Thanksgiving Day also sessions being run in English and Mandarin in separate rooms. Teachers from St Joseph’s Church Kindergarten and Holy Trinity Church Kindergarten shared with fellow language teachers from the other preschools their journey towards attaining SPARK (Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework) accreditation. Ms Maria Goh, vice principal of Nativity Church Kindergarten and a Chinese language teacher,

also shared how an attachment to Brisbane Catholic schools, and the Australian International School (AIS) in Singapore, inspired her to make changes to the way Chinese is taught in her school. During the tour of the host school, St Anne’s Church Kindergarten, the 11 principals and supervisors heard from the principals of St Joseph’s Church Kindergarten, Ms Angeline Wong, and Holy Trinity Church Kindergarten, Ms Shirley Tan, about how they achieved SPARK accreditation. Participants said they learnt much from the Thanksgiving Day. “What struck me is that we’ve come a long way towards achieving Catholic identity,� said Ms Marie Rose Ng, principal of Good Shepherd Convent Kindergarten. „

A sharing session in Mandarin during the Thanksgiving Day for preschools and childcare centres.

ABOUT THE CURRICULUM The new “Integrated Curriculum� is the result of a double pilot programme implemented in three Catholic kindergartens in 2013. The programme involved the Core Curriculum Programme (for the academic curriculum) and the Character Education Programme. It was a joint effort between ACCS, Dr Margaret Carter, a senior lecturer in education at James Cook University, Townsville, Australia, and three Catholic kindergartens. The pilot programme

was in response to the recent changes in early childhood education with an increased emphasis on social and emotional aspects of children’s learning. The results and feedback from the programme guided the formulation of the “Integrated Curriculum�, which is one tool towards the achievement of SPARK (Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework) accreditation. Currently, St Joseph’s Church Kindergarten and Holy Trinity Church Kindergarten have SPARK accreditation.

Film on Filipino martyr released

Portrait of St Pedro Calungsod, who was martyred in 1672.

MANILA – A movie based on the life of Filipino saint, St Pedro Calungsod, was released on Christmas Day and is being hailed as an effective tool of evangelisation. The movie, Pedro Calungsod, Batang Martir (Child Martyr), depicts the life of the second Filipino saint in the Church who was martyred in 1672. He was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012. La Salle Br Narciso Erguiza, president of the Catholic Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP) applauded the movie which he said was an inspiration for youth. “We hope to bring St Pedro Calungsod closer to the stu-

dents through new evangelisation such as this film. With all our collaborative efforts, we can inspire more children and young students to be heroes and saints [in the future],� he said. “We hope that Pedro Calungsod will be an inspiration for the Filipino people with the message that we can reach sainthood through our everyday lives especially as we can all relate to him for he was a youth, an overseas Filipino worker, a catechist, a missionary and a faithful friend,� Br Erguiza added. The president of the CEAP, which boasts over 1,400 Catholic schools, universities and colleges

throughout the Philippines, called Filipino youth. The movie depicts the life of Calungsod, who left the central Philippines island of Visayas with Spanish Jesuit priest Fr Diego de San Vitores for a mission to the Marianas Islands, now Guam, in 1668. The missionaries arrived in the Marianas where the young Pedro, a trained catechist and mission assistant, worked for San Vitores and helped in baptising the islands’ inhabitants. Despite the threats to their lives, Calungsod and San Vitores continued their missionary work. „ ZENT, UCANEWS.COM

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Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Nepal’s political parties vow reconciliation, mark pope’s birthday KATHMANDU – The leaders of

Nepal’s Maoist, Marxist-Leninist and conservative parties have sent birthday wishes to Pope Francis and announced their intention to overcome differences that have = Š # This comes a month after the Nov 19 elections won by the Nepali Congress (NC) to renew the Constituent Assembly. Since the monarchy was abolished in 2008, the country has been without a constitution. NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel said that “this year the pope spoke many times about reconciliation between the leaders of religions, ideologies and groups. “We are ready to take this step to bridge the gaps within our society, form a new government and write a constitution that gives longlasting stability to the country.� $ ‹ " of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) and the Communist Party of Nepal‹ ; 2 9 Œ" Š' UML) also welcomed the calls for peace and reconciliation issued by

Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel. ‘This year the pope spoke many times about reconciliation,’ he said.

the pope in recent months. Although his party suffered a major blow in the polls, UCPNM leader Posta Bahadur Bogati stressed the need “to end the transition in the country by overcoming differences between the parties� adding that “we took advantage of Pope Francis’ birthday [on Dec

17] to agree to work together on the reconciliation process�. On behalf of the Communist Š Œ‹ ; 2 ' Leninist), deputy party secretary Bam Dev Gautam announced on Dec 18 that his party would also send a congratulatory message to the pope and Christians in the country and abroad. “Francis’ birthday,� he noted, “has brought together all the parties around the shared goal of giving the country a new secular constitution.� Elections were held on Nov 19 / and four coalition governments. In 2006, Nepal emerged from a decade of civil war that brought down the Hindu monarchy. However, the king’s fall did not end divisions in Nepali society. In recent years, the country has seen clashes between former Maoist guerrillas – winners of the elections to the Constituent Assembly of 2008 – and conservative parties, bringing the country to the brink of a new civil war. „ ASIANEWS

Church-govt row ends as bishop is buried TANGSHAN, CHINA – The burial

of a bishop in Tangshan diocese on Christmas Eve ended a tense standoff between government authorities and the local Church. Disagreement over Bishop 9 ! 4 place had escalated since the 92-year-old bishop’s death on Dec 11. He had wanted to be buried at Lulong Cemetery, where

4 7 op Ernst Geurts, was interred in 1940. The site became a Church cemetery after several priests and nuns were buried there but it was wrecked during the political turmoil of the 1950s, shortly after the Communists took power. Since then, it has been used as farmland, and in 1993 – with the government’s permission – Bishop Liu reburied Bishop Geurts and other clergy in a corner of the 2.6 hectare site. Bishop Liu had demanded the return of the site several times during his lifetime. Another bishop, Bishop Peter Fang Jingping told ucanews.com that the government had effectively ended the dispute by purchasing a new 0.33 hectare plot at Beigang village in Qianxi county

to replace the former cemetery. Parishioners agreed to bury Bishop Liu there. The diocese in Hebei province had announced on Dec 17 that it would not bury Bishop Liu unless the government returned the disputed land. _ dral the next day and took clergy < . ministration for Religious Affairs. The mobile phones of all priests and nuns in Tangshan were also apparently monitored. After days of discussions, government negotiators warned the diocese that the talks would end if the latter did not accept the alternative plot in Beigang, according to a Church source who requested anonymity. “The provincial government did not want to get involved in a standoff,� said the source. ($ $ felt that they had little room to manoeuvre because Lulong county, belonging to neighbouring Qinhuangdao city, was not under their administration,� he added. “It is Christmas and the standoff has lingered for days, so the most important thing was to bury

#) „ UCANEWS.COM

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Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Bishops warn of ecological damage in Manila Bay reclamation MANILA –

ident Benigno Aquino, 21 Philippine bishops, including Cardinal 9 . $ 1

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2press their concern about 38 works in progress, which would affect the coastal area of the capital. According to plans, the recla 1 of the sea. However, the bishops 1 1 to have “far-reaching consequenc ) # � search, the 21 bishops warn the / # $ = # < / 2 / = = phoons, as was the case in 2011 " Š / / $ 0 #

age of water into the ground, where fragile foundations of buildings and structures would be /

/ quakes that hit these regions.

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Typhoon survivors light candles to mark 40 days of mourning

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

bishops ask whether the approval ( )# $ of Catholic social teaching is the (" )# “This is what should guide us in ) # „ ASIANEWS

Manila Bay... Philippine bishops say they are aware of 38 projects involving reclaiming 26,234 ha of the bay. ZERWELL/ENGLISH LANGUAGE WIKIPEDIA

A typhoon survivor decorates a Christmas tree amid the rubble of destroyed houses in Tacloban. CNS photo TACLOBAN, PHILIPPINES – Sur/ / $ 0 1,200 candles in an effort to bring 1 “ &&& Philippines. $ $ +” •& ' # � and headed to the local church, of for their lost loved ones. . . / 1 of Palo archdiocese, told ucanews. •& Christians because “it is believed

" ‘ •& 0 fore ascending to heaven�. ( those whose lives were snuffed

1 " heaven,� added Fr Virgilio Caùete #

It is believed that ‘ Christ stayed on Earth for 40 days after His resurrection and before ascending to heaven.

’

– Fr Amadeo Alvero

Catholics lighted candles +& 1 the airport to the coastal district of . / # < / / who left the devastated provinces 9 < (

those ascending to the afterlife�. _ 1

( ) / ( sure to a tragic event that crushed

of the people�. Ms Jenette Ruedas, a local tel / 2

/ / # ($ 1 4 ) # “We should never take for / ) she thought she would die. Ms Fae Cheska Marie Esperas, / ( / – )# (

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/ tle in,� she said. Mr Albert Villanueva said that despite the death and disaster “we will be forever grateful to the Lord for keeping us all safe�. „ UCANEWS.COM

Business leaders and new evangelisation BANGKOK – An Asian conference for Catholic busi-

ness leaders will be held in Bangkok to discuss Catholic social teaching and the vocation of the business leader. “The Church has to address and prepare for the

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$ " 7 4 " " Š . # The Asian Conference on the Vocation of the Business Leader in the New Evangelisation seeks to " 4 2 " # $ � _ < 0 7 1 1 $ ; 20-22. " $ 1 " ! / 1 -

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/ 4 # ( / ter life, that is true love and that is Christian teaching,� he observed. ( " successful and fruitful,� he said. „ CNA/EWTN NEWS For more information on the conference and registration, visit www.cureourworld.com

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Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Refugees in Lebanon hear Christmas message of hope BEIRUT – More than 800 Syrian

and Iraqi refugees were bused to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon for a Christmas Mass in an atmosphere of “great sadness�. “The assembly could not stop their tears, especially upon seeing many young children and youngsters moving their arms, imploring the mercy and help from on high,� said Syriac Patriarch Ignace Joseph III Younan. The Beirut-based Syrian Patriarchate bused the refugees to the shrine for the Dec 21 Mass. The patriarch told Catholic News Service that among the offertory gifts were large maps of Syria and Iraq dotted with photographs of some clergy members and laypeople “murdered by terrorist fanatics�. He said that, in his homily, he acknowledged that many Christians in the Middle East, particularly the Syrian and Iraqi refugees in the basilica, “could not share in the joy of Christmas, because of the horrendous events

Lebanese and Syrian Maronite Catholics praying for peace in Syria in Jounieh, Lebanon, earlier this year.

going on in their countries�. The patriarch said he told the faithful that they should never lose hope, but instead “renew their hope, against all hope, that the light of the Divine Infant of Bethlehem will conquer the darkness, and justice will be made to all those persecuted

or uprooted from their land�. He also told them their plight could resemble the hardship of

0 = homeland following the birth of Jesus. Lebanese authorities say there are more than 1.2 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, equal to

Violence won’t stop referendum on new Egyption constitution: bishop CAIRO – A Dec 26 attack in Cairo

and other violence will not keep Egypt from going ahead with its planned referendum on a new constitution, said Coptic Catholic Bishop Antonios Aziz Mina of Giza, Egypt. “These explosions will not prevent the mass mobilisation for the referendum on the constitution. On the contrary, they increase our determination ... to follow through with advancing the nation,� Bishop Mina told the Egyptian online newspaper, Al Youm Al Sabea, after an explosion hit a Cairo bus, wounding / # The attack was one of several Egypt has witnessed since the military ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi last July and the ensuing crackdown on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, which the interim government labelled a terrorist group on Dec 25. On Dec 24, a suicide car bomber attacked a police facility in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura, killing 16 people. Bishop Mina strongly condemned “the terrorist attacks� he said were taking a toll on Egypt’s civilians, according to the newspaper report. In an interview earlier in December, the bishop told Catholic News Service that the negative

Investigators check a damaged bus after a bomb blast near Al-Azhar University campus in Cairo on Dec 26. CNS photo

effects of dictatorship, corruption and theft in Egypt would take decades to overcome but that the country’s new constitution was a step in the right direction. The bishop was one of 50 people on a national assembly tasked with producing a draft for a new constitution, which the group # $ draft will be put to a nationwide referendum on Jan 14 and 15. “The new generation grew up with no democracy and with cor theft, where the clever takes ad-

vantage of his peers. All the morals that disappeared will take a long time to return, not in a year, or 10, but it can take 30 or 40 years,� Bishop Mina told Catholic News Service. He said it would take sustained improvements in education, increased democracy and a general “respect in society for all Egyptians�, regardless of creed, in order for the predominantly Muslim country to rebuild and prosper, and that the new constitution could set the tone for this to happen, if “properly implemented�. „ CNS

about one-quarter of Lebanon’s population. Meanwhile, the exodus of Christians from Iraq has reduced their numbers from 1 million to less than 400,000, said the Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate. . = < ian violence were Iraqis who had sought refuge in Syria after the violence in their country; they are now refugees again. The patriarch implored the international community “to clearly condemn the targeting of civil areas where no combatants are " ancient sites�. He also appealed for the release of all those kidnapped in Syria, including archbishops, nuns and priests whose fate remains unknown. Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan Gregorios Yohanna of Aleppo and Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo were kidnapped on April 22 in northern Syria while on a humanitarian mission. The nuns were kidnapped on Dec 2 from the ancient Christian village of Maaloula, Syria. „ CNS

Pope to visit Holy Land? VATICAN CITY – Latin-rite Patri-

arch Faoud Twal of Jerusalem told reporters he expected to host Pope Francis on a visit to the Holy Land in May. Listing “upcoming events for next year�, Patriarch Twal began with “the pope’s visit to the Holy 9 2 ; Jordan, then in Israel-Palestine�. At his Dec 19 meeting with

/ dates for the trip. At the Vatican, Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, the spokesman, told reporters it would be up to the pope to decide when to announce the trip’s dates, although the spokesman * / had already visited. Israeli newspapers had re ; ,• = Amman, Jordan, and a May 25-26 visit to Jerusalem and to Bethlehem in the Palestinian territories. Pope Francis told reporters in July he hoped to travel to Jerusa ‘ umenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. The Orthodox patriarch suggested they meet in Jerusalem in 2014 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s meeting with Patriarch Athenagoras, a meeting that set the stage for Catholic-Orthodox reconciliation and dialogue. „ CNS

Firms to help Vatican improve on its communications, accounting VATICAN CITY – The Vatican has hired two international consulting agencies in an effort to streamline and modernise its communications structures and bring its accounting practices in line with international standards. The global management-con ; ˜ ™ " pany and the Nether ' and administrative KPMG were hired after a “bidding and selection process�, the Vatican said in a Dec 19 statement. The new partnerships were initia / cal Commission for Reference on the Fr Lombardi Organisation of the Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See, a panel of business and legal experts Pope Francis created in July to help the Vatican simplify and better coordinate its scattered resources, budgets, properties and assets. ; ˜ ™ " hired to provide recommendations for an “integrated plan� that would help make the Holy See’s communications’ outlets more ( ) * can statement said.

The Vatican has nearly a dozen separate communication outlets dently of each other. $ Council for Social Communications; the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano; Vatican Radio; the Vatican television station, CTV; the Vatican Information Service, VIS; the Vatican press hall; Fides missionary news agency; the main Vatican website; the news. va news aggregator; the Vatican publishing house LEV; and the Vatican printing press. Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press hall and general director at Vatican Radio, told journalists that McKinsey would consider how to coordinate or integrate the many different outlets and adapt them to the world of digital communication. KPMG will work with the commission to determine how to bring the accounting practices of / * line with international standards, the Vatican statement said. „ CNS

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Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Belgian bishops slam vote allowing kids to choose euthanasia OXFORD, ENGLAND – Belgium’s

Catholic bishops have deplored a parliamentary vote paving the way for sick children and dementia patients to choose euthanasia. “The voices of religious leaders have plainly not been listened to,� said Jesuit Fr Tommy Scholtes, bishops’ conference spokesman. “While everyone wants a gentle death, public opinion appears unaware that euthanasia is a technical act that ends life abruptly. This is why we reject it and believe palliative care offers a better solution,� he told Catholic News Service. He said Church leaders would continue to back a silent vigil near Parliament in Brussels to highlight the dangers, but he expected

/ proval early next year. The Belgian Senate voted on Dec 12 to approve the legislation, which would allow euthanasia for dementia patients and children “capable of discernment� and “affected by incurable illness or suffering�. Meanwhile, the bishops’ conference president, Archbishop Andre Leonard of MechelenBrussels, said all main faiths in Belgium were united against the proposed measure, adding that he regretted mass protests could not be mobilised as effectively as in neighbouring France. “We don’t easily raise our voices here but this is something extremely important, and I hope the political class will be persuad = ) . 9 ard told KTO Catholic television on Dec 14. Euthanasia was made legal

‘

We don’t easily raise our voices here but this is something extremely important.

’

– Archbishop Andre Leonard of Mechelen-Brussels (above)

in Belgium in 2002. In 2012, the Belgian Health Ministry recorded more than 1,400 deaths from euthanasia, a 25 percent increase over 2011. The law restricts euthanasia to terminal patients, but researchers say reasons for patients choosing euthanasia have included blindness, anorexia and botched operations. In a November open letter, 16 paediatricians backed the proposed bill, claiming children facing illness and death “develop a great maturity very rapidly�. However, the claim was rejected by professors from the Catholic University of Leuven,

who said in a Nov 29 statement the concept of “unbearable suffering� should not be left solely to doctors and psychiatrists. Meanwhile, a Catholic palliative care unit director, Ms Catherine Dopchie, told KTO on Dec 14 that suffering was “subjective and not measurable�. She said the legislation risked depriving patients of hope and making medical staff “intolerant and incompetent�. “Euthanasia is a cheap technical way to pay off the account of human suffering,� the oncologist said. “A doctor who believes he is capable of predicting human suffering may be even more dangerous than a doctor who believes in aggressive therapy.� During the heated debate in the Senate on Dec 12, Senator Philippe Mahoux said euthanasia was already practised on terminally ill children at some Belgian hospitals. He said giving children the right to “die with dignity� would be the “ultimate gesture of humanity�. „ CNS

Teenager rapes 85-year-old nun PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, USA – An 18-year-old Pennsylva-

nia man has been charged in the Dec 13 rape of an 85-year-old retired member of the Sisters of St Joseph of Baden. The nun, who has not been

privacy, was attacked in the parking lot of St Titus Church in Aliquippa, about 43 km northwest of Pittsburgh. Andrew Bullock, 18, of Aliquippa, was arrested later that day in connection with the attack on charges of felony rape, aggravated assault, sexual assault, indecent exposure, simple assault and reckless endangerment. He was taken to the Beaver County Jail in Beaver where he was held on US$50,000 (US$63,000) bond pending a preliminary hearing on Dec 19.

The US nun was attacked in the parking lot of a church. Aliquippa police said Bullock admitted to the attack during questioning after initially denying any involvement. The victim was taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment and released on Dec 14. “The Sisters of St Joseph are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the assault of one of our Sisters,� Sr Mary Pellegrino, congregational moderator, said in a statement released to the media. ( sitive time, we ask that you hon-

our and respect Sister’s privacy. As we offer continued prayers of healing for our Sister, we also pray for the young man who has been arrested in the assault,� she said. The victim told police she was walking in the church parking lot when she was approached from behind by a man who asked her if she needed help. She said she told the man she didn’t need help and thanked him. The man then exposed himself, the victim told police. She began to walk away, and the man attacked her, punching her head and face, and sexually assaulted her, she told police. A fellow nun reported that the victim did not suffer any broken bones but underwent surgery to reset her jaw, which was dislocated in the attack. She will recuperate at the motherhouse. „ CNS

WORLD 11

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Catholic-Orthodox ties in CNS photos

OXFORD, ENGLAND – The Cath-

olic Church in Russia predicted a “steady improvement� in ties with the predominant Orthodox Church after a visit by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the " Christian Unity. “Catholic-Orthodox relations have improved markedly in recent years and this visit is the latest step toward strengthening and developing them,� said Msgr Igor Kovalevsky, secretary-general of the Russian bishops’ conference. “We now have many common objectives, from preventing persecution of Christians in the Middle East to defending the fundamental values of contemporary civilisation, and these were reiterated during Cardinal Koch’s meetings with Orthodox leaders,� he said. Cardinal Koch visited Russia on Dec 14-19 and met with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill and / # Msgr Kovalevsky told CNS on Dec 20 that Catholic activities continued to be impeded in Russia by “huge problems of corruption and bureaucracy�. However, he said that the Church’s relations were “developing well� with the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Catholicism is a minority faith here, and our communities aren’t numerous. But there’s con-

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Cardinal Koch visited Russia and met with its Orthodox Patriarch Kirill siderable media interest in our work, and especially in the new pope,� he explained. Speaking on Dec 19, Patriarch Kirill said Orthodox leaders believed dialogue with Catholics was now “essential�. He said both Churches had “much in common on issues of concern to many people�. “We pin great expectations on the election of Pope Francis because much of what the pope formulates today and suggests for the Church and the world and society coincides with our own vision,�

! * & q

said the patriarch, whose speech was reported by the Interfax news agency. Catholic-Orthodox ties, long tense over complaints of Catholic encroachments in the former Soviet Union, are widely believed to have improved under Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. Msgr Kovalevsky said the Russian Orthodox Church needed better relations with the Vatican in its efforts to “defend basic evangelical values�. However, he added that the Catholic Church agreed that an eventual meeting between Pope Francis and the Russian patriarch still needed “careful preparation�. “We can’t expect over-hasty solutions to problems still existing between us. We must be patient,� he said. „ CNS

Ukraine bishops urge prayers, fasting for peace in their nation CNS photo

OXFORD, ENGLAND – Bishops

from Ukraine’s minority Latinrite Catholic Church have called for prayers and fasting in an effort to end the current social unrest in the country. Catholic social teaching recognises the right of citizens to courageously defend their legitimate concerns, said a statement from the bishops’ conference read in parishes on Dec 15. And, as for the government’s reaction, they said, “restricting human rights, especially the right to express views freely, is unacceptable and disgraceful�. The letter was read as supporters and opponents of President Viktor Yanukovych held rival rallies in Kiev, three weeks after his withdrawal from a historic freetrade landmark agreement with the European Union. The decision sparked mass protests, started by young people on Nov 21. The withdrawal was said to have angered many Ukrainians who want closer ties with the EU. The bishops called on all Catholic parishes to pray for “peace, justice, truth and honesty�, and to hold a day of fasting on Dec 16 as “a sign of solidarity

Prince Charles ‘deeply troubled’ by plight of Middle East Christians

Britain’s Prince Charles speaks to religious leaders during a visit to a Syrian Orthodox Church in London on Dec 17. CNS photo LONDON – Prince Charles said he “Christianity was literally is “deeply troubled� by the plight born in the Middle East,� he said, of Christians in the Middle East. “and we must not forget our MidIn a Dec 17 address at Lon- dle Eastern brothers and sisters in don’s Clarence House, the Prince Christ.� of Wales said the Mideast’s Prince Charles told his audiChristians were being perse- ence that, for 20 years, he has cuted by “Islamworked to “build ist fundamentalist bridges between I have for some militants�, and he Islam and Christime now been called upon the foltianity to dispel lowers of Christiignorance and misdeeply troubled anity, Judaism and understanding�. by the growing Islam to unite to But he said that “we have end the suffering. by the Christian “I have for now reached a crisome time now sis where bridges communities in been deeply trouare rapidly being various parts of bled by the growdeliberately de

stroyed by those faced by the Chriswith a vested inter– Prince Charles to religious leaders on Dec 17. tian communities est in doing so�. in various parts He said Chrisof the Middle East,� said Prince tians accounted for just four perCharles, heir to the British throne. cent of the population of the Mid“It seems to me that we can- dle East, and he predicted that not ignore the fact that Christians the loss of the “irreplaceably prein the Middle East are increas- cious� Christian presence in the ingly being deliberately targeted region would be a “major blow� by fundamentalist Islamist mili- to world peace and reconciliation. „ CNS tants,� the prince said.

‘

’

Iraqi govt declares Christmas a holiday BAGHDAD – In a new and impor-

& q ' { ' % \| } { # ~ called for prayers and fasting in an effort to end the current social unrest.

with our brothers and sisters�. Meanwhile, the conference’s vice president, Archbishop Petro Malchuk of Kiev-Zhytomyr, said it was natural for Ukrainians to “strive for better things�, but added that it should also be remembered the country was “multiethnic and multiconfessional�. “No perfect state system has

been invented – but nor has anyone thought up a better system than the Western one,� Archbishop Malchuk said in a Dec 14 Catholic News Service interview. Eastern- and Latin-rite Catholics make up about 10 percent of Ukraine’s 46 million people, while about a third of the population traditionally professes Orthodoxy. „ CNS

tant step towards the Christian minority, the Iraqi government accepted a request by the Chaldean Patriarchate to recognise Dec 25 and a national holiday for all of the country’s citizens. It comes after His Beatitude Mar Raphael Louis Sako I wrote a letter to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki last week, asking him to make Dec 25 a “day of rest for all Iraqis�. For the patriarch, such a recognition would be a way to acknowledge the value and importance of a community that has for centuries actively contrib-

uted to the development of the nation. In his letter, the Chaldean Patriarch explained that “Jesus did not come just for Christians, but for everyone�, stressing the “special respect� Muslims “have for Him�. In response, the Iraqi cabinet chaired by Prime Minister al-Maliki took this “important decision� on Dec 22. In Baghdad, local authorities also decked out some areas of the capital with Christmas lights and trees to “show their respect for and closeness to� the Christian community at this time of celebration. „ ASIANEWS

12 POPE FRANCIS

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Pope Francis preaches during Mass in the chapel of his residence. From 2014, ordinary parishioners from Rome can attend his private morning Masses. CNS photo

Retired Pope Benedict XVI greets Pope Francis at his residence, the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, on Dec 23. They met again for lunch on Dec 27, this time at the Vatican guesthouse. CNS photo

Retired Pope Benedict visits Pope Francis for lunch VATICAN CITY – Three days after

Pope Francis paid his predecessor a visit on Christmas Eve, retired Pope Benedict joined the pope for lunch at the Vatican guesthouse. The two shared the meal on Dec 27 at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where Pope Francis lives. According to a report by Vatican Radio, the pope and the retired pope were

joined by their personal secretaries and by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states, and US Msgr Peter B Wells, assessor in the Vatican Secretariat of State. Pope Francis had invited Pope Benedict to lunch on Dec 24, when the pope visited the retired pope in his residence to offer Christmas

greetings. Pope Benedict lives in the former Mater Ecclesiae convent, also in Vatican City State. During the pope’s visit, the two prayed = 1 privately for about half an hour. Following their private talk on Christmas Eve, Pope Francis greeted members of Pope Benedict’s household, including the consecrated women who assist him and his personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Ganswein, who also serves as prefect of the papal household under Pope Francis. „ CNS

Pontiff’s morning Masses to include Rome parishioners VATICAN CITY – Ordinary members of parishes in Rome will be able to attend Pope Francis’ private morning Masses in 2014. Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said the cardinal vicar of Rome would tell local pastors how to apply on behalf of their parishioners beginning in January, according to a Dec 27 report by Vatican Radio. The pope celebrates Mass every morning in the Vatican guesthouse, where he lives. Excerpts from his short, offthe-cuff homilies there have attracted worldwide attention for their frank, spontaneous style and have occasionally made news with remarks on such

controversial topics as the salvation of atheists and the credibility of purported Marian apparitions. Most of Pope Francis’ morning congregations so far have consisted of Vatican employees. The guesthouse chapel was constructed to accommodate 120 cardinal electors and a few attendants during a papal conclave. Fr Lombardi said Rome parishioners would probably be admitted in groups of 25 at a time. Blessed John Paul II and retired Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass every morning in a private chapel in the Apostolic Palace; Blessed John Paul’s congregation frequently included invited guests. „ CNS

POPE FRANCIS 13

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Pontiff prays for persecuted Christians

VATICAN CITY – Observing the

" 4 tyr, Pope Francis prayed for Christians suffering persecution and discrimination around the world, even in countries that nominally honour religious liberty. The pope made his remarks on Dec 26, the feast of St Stephen, before praying the Angelus from his window overlooking St Peter’s Square. “Today we pray in a particular way for Christians who undergo discrimination because of their witness to Christ and the Gospel,� he said. “We are close to these brothers and sisters who, like St Stephen, are unjustly accused and made targets of violence of various kinds. I am sure that, unfortunately, there are more of them today than in the early days of the Church. There are so many. “This [persecution] happens, especially where religious liberty is not yet guaranteed and fully realised,� Pope Francis said. “But it also happens in countries and societies that protect liberty and human rights on paper, but where, in fact, believers, especially Christians, encounter abridgements of liberty and discrimination.� The pope then led the crowd in the square in prayer for per

"

Portrait of St Stephen, martyr of the Catholic Church. His feast day is Dec 26. CNS photo

a moment of silence and then with a recital of the Hail Mary. Pope Francis said that commemorating St Stephen’s martyrdom might seem to clash with the spirit of Christmas, the “feast of life which inspires us with sentiments of serenity and peace. Why disturb its enchantment with the memory of such atrocious violence?� But the pope said the feast of St Stephen, who died asking forgiveness for his killers, is “fully in tune with the deep meaning of

Christmas. In martyrdom, in fact, violence is defeated by love, death by life.� Pope Francis said remem “false image of Christmas, sugary and fairy-tale like, which is not found in the Gospel. The liturgy recalls for us the authentic sense of the incarnation, linking Bethlehem to Calvary and reminding us that divine salvation implies the struggle against sin and passes through the narrow gate of the cross.� „ CNS

professional, refrain from gossip VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis said

* / universal Church with professionalism and holiness, particularly by abstaining from a vice endemic to their workplace: gossip. The pope made his remarks on Dec 21, in his Christmas address

Roman Curia. The annual speech is when popes to review important events of the previous year and lay out their priorities for the fu

Francis focused on the qualities he seeks in his closest collaborators. Pope Francis said the most im 3 * is “holiness of life�, expressed by “constant prayer, deep humility and fraternal charity in our relationships with our fellow workers�, as well as “discreet and faithful pastoral service, zealously carried out in direct contact with God’s people�. The pope said holiness entails resistance to gossip, which he called an “unwritten law of our surroundings�. 0 2 their right of “conscientious ob-

Remember those who are homeless: pope VATICAN CITY – Seeing a protest Christmas days, I ask everyone – insign in St Peter’s Square that read dividuals, social agencies, authori“The poor cannot wait�, Pope ties – to do everything possible so Francis urged individuals and that every family can have a home.� government leaders to recognise The sign was carried by prothe pain, struggles and rights of testers who had been demonstratfamilies – like Jesus, Mary and ing across Italy. Known as the Joseph – who do not have a home. “pitchfork movement�, it includPope Francis ed farmers, truckers read the sign out and families proPope Francis loud on Dec 22 aftesting taxes and urged people to ter reciting the midgovernment austerday Angelus prayer recognise the pain, ity programmes. from the window of struggles and rights Pope Francis the apostolic palace. praised social inof families – like “It’s beautiful,� volvement, but he Jesus, Mary and he said. “It makes insisted that citime think how Jezens must resist the Joseph – who do sus was born in a not have a home. temptation of viostall, not a house. lence and defend And reading that their rights through sign I think today of all the fami- dialogue. lies without homes, either because He also prayed that Christians they never had one or because they would learn to entrust themselves lost their home for some reason. fully to God like Mary did and “A family and a home go to- that, like Joseph, they would “pregether,� the pope said. “It’s very dif- fer to believe the Lord rather than 1 - listening to the voices of doubt out a home to live in. During these and human pride�. „ CNS

Papal visit to Rome’s children’s hospital VATICAN CITY – With lots of

kisses, but very few words, Pope Francis spent more than two-anda-half hours visiting sick children, their parents and doctors at Rome’s Bambino Gesu children’s hospital on Dec 21. In the end, the little patients gave 1 tle notes containing descriptions of their prayers and their dreams. “Thank you,� the pope told the children. “We will present them together to Jesus. He knows them better than anyone; He knows what is in the depths of your hearts. “Especially with you children, Jesus has a special bond,� the pope said. “He is very close to you.� More than 3,000 parents, children and staff gathered outside the main entrance, keeping Pope Francis busy for a long time listening to prayer requests, giving blessings and exchanging tight hugs. Mostly without cameras following him, the pope also visited the 12 babies in the neonatal intensive care

Pope Francis receives a letter from a child during a visit to the Bambino Gesu children’s hospital in Rome on Dec 21. CNS photo

unit, the eight children in intensive care and the 18 youngsters in the hospital’s nephrology department. He also wandered throughout the hospital, visiting dozens of rooms, kissing the tops of heads, accepting drawings and even blessing a stuffed animal. „ CNS

Jesuit companion of St Ignatius declared saint Pope Francis exchanges Christmas greetings with cardinals during an audience with members of the Roman Curia at the Vatican on Dec 21. CNS photo

jection to gossip�, a vice he said is “harmful to people, harmful to our work and our surroundings�. . * cials, he pointed to St Joseph, “who was so silent yet so necessary� in his care for Mary and Jesus. Pope Francis stressed that / only the pope but also the needs

of dioceses around the world. “When the attitude is no longer one of service to the particular churches and their bishops, the structure of the Curia turns into a ponderous, bureaucratic customs house, constantly inspecting and questioning, hindering the working of the Holy Spirit and the growth of God’s people,� he said. „ CNS

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis issued a decree declaring one of his favorite Jesuits, Blessed Peter Faber, a saint. The decree is what the Vatican terms an “equivalent canonisation�, in which the pope inserts the name of the new saint in the universal calendar of saints without verifying a miracle performed through his intercession and without holding a formal canonisation ceremony. The Vatican announced on Dec 17 that the pope formalised the Church’s recognition of the

16th-century priest, who with St Ignatius of Loyola and St Francis Xavier, was a founding member of the Society of Jesus, by “inscribing him in the catalogue of saints�. The same day, the pope advanced the sainthood cause of Sr Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a member of the Sisters of Charity of St Elizabeth in Convent Station, New Jersey, who died in 1927. By recognising a miracle attributed to her intercession, the cation ceremony to be held. „ CNS

14 POPE FRANCIS

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Christmas is time to feel God’s closeness, experience peace: pope

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POPE FRANCIS 15

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Pope talks about Marxism, women cardinals and ecumenism VATICAN CITY – In another wide-

ranging interview with an Italian journalist, Pope Francis denied he was a Marxist but said he took no offence at the label; dismissed the notion of women cardinals; ecumenism. The pope made his remarks in an interview with Andrea Tornielli of the Italian daily La Stampa and the website Vatican Insider. The interview was conducted on Dec 10 and published on Dec 14. “Marxist ideology is wrong, but I have met many Marxists in my life who are good people, so I don’t feel offended� at being branded one, Pope Francis said. Following the publication of the pope’s apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, (The Joy of the Gospel) on Nov 26, US radio show host Rush Limbaugh denounced what he called “pure Marxism coming out of the mouth of the pope�. “There is nothing in the exhortation that cannot be found in the social doctrine of the Church,�

Pope Francis denied he was a Marxist, following a US radio show host’s comments that there was ‘pure Marxism coming out of the mouth of the pope’.

Pope Francis greets veteran Vatican journalist Andrea Tornielli aboard the V } „ ‚ ++ † % \] " ' pope spoke about Marxism, women cardinals and ecumenism.

the pope said. He acknowledged rejecting what he termed “trickle-down theories� of economic growth, but said such a position “does not mean being a Marxist�. Pope Francis repeated earlier calls for an end to world hunger, recounting a recent encounter

during a public audience with a woman holding an infant. “The child was crying its eyes out as I came past,� the pope said. “‘Please give it something to eat!’ I said. She was shy and didn’t want to breastfeed in public while the pope was passing. I wish to

say the same to humanity: give people something to eat!� Asked about the possibility of creating women cardinals, Pope Francis said: “I don’t know where this idea sprang from. Women in the Church must be valued, not clericalised. Whoever thinks of women as cardinals suffers a bit from clericalism.� $ mitment to ecumenism, noting that Christians around the world are already bound together by their common experience of martyrdom.

Homeless men invited for breakfast to celebrate pontiff’s birthday CNS photos

VATICAN CITY – As part of a

low-key celebration of his 77th birthday, Pope Francis had breakfast with three people who live on the streets near the Vatican. A small dog, belonging to one of the homeless men, was also on the guest list. The pope started the day with his usual morning Mass held in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence where he lives. However, he requested that the Mass be attended by the residence staff “in order to create a particularly family atmosphere for the celebration�, the Vatican press of

Dec 17. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, represented the world’s cardinals at the Mass, and Archbishop Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, attended. After the Mass, all those present sang “Happy Birthday� to the pope, the Vatican statement said. The pope then met with everyone, including three homeless men who were brought there by Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner, the pope’s chief almsgiver. $ / group of men he had found early

that morning sleeping under the large portico in front of the Vatican press hall on the main boulevard in front of St Peter’s Square, according to the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano. “Would you like to come to Pope Francis’ birthday party,� he asked them, reported the paper. The men, in their 40s, were from Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic. They loaded all their belongings in the archbishop’s car; the dog rode in the middle. When they got to the residence, they waited for the Mass to end, then greeted the pope. Together with Archbishop Krajewski, they gave the pope a bou3 = always turn toward the sun like the Church turns toward its sun, Christ, the archbishop explained. The pope invited the men to have breakfast with him in the residence dining room, where they talked and shared a few laughs. One of the men told the pope, “It’s worthwhile being a vagrant because you get to meet the pope,� the paper said. „ CNS

As part of a low-key celebration of his 77th birthday, the pope celebrated morning Mass and had breakfast with three homeless men on Dec 17.

„ See related story on right

The men gave the pope a bouquet of

they always turn toward the sun like the Church turns toward its sun, which is Christ.

Children watch as Pope Francis blows out candles on a birthday cake presented to him during an audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican on Dec 14.

“Those who kill Christians don’t ask for your identity card to see which Church you were baptised in,� he said. “We are united in blood, even though we have not yet managed to take necessary steps toward unity between us, and perhaps the time has not yet come.� Pope Francis mentioned a German priest pursuing the sainthood causes of a Catholic priest and a Lutheran pastor, both killed by the Nazis for teaching the catechism to children. “This is what ecumenism of blood is,� the pope said. Recalling Pope Paul VI’s historic visit to Jerusalem in 1964, when he met Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople, Pope Francis said the Vatican was preparing for him to mark that event’s 50th anniversary in 2014 with a papal visit to the Holy Land, including a meeting with the current Patriarch Bartholomew. „ CNS

Other birthday celebrations for the pope For the pope’s birthday on Dec 17, there were many other celebrations planned, some of which were held in advance. < * homage to the pope in different ways: Ĺ– The Vatican television centre created a special video of visual highlights of Pope Fran 4 ' ' Ĺ– $ * posted on the vatican.va website an e-album of images and quotes by the pope. Ĺ– The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, rolled out a newly designed website at www.osservatoreromano.va that lets readers easily share stories on social media. A group of children receiving assistance from the Vatican’s St Martha Dispensary, a maternal and pediatric clinic, had given the pope a surprise birthday party on Dec 14 marked with singing, a real cake with candles and a sweater as a gift. When presented with the cake, the pope blew out the candles with the children and joked, “I’ll tell you later if it’s good or not.â€? Pilgrims gathered for the Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square on Dec 15 also sang “Happy Birthdayâ€? as they waited for the pope to appear at the window of the apostolic palace. The pope was scheduled to carry out a normal workday, the Vatican said. „ CNS

16 OPINION

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

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LETTER

New evangelisation must start from pulpit I am writing in response to the front page article, Why New Evangelisation Is Vital For Church Renewal (CN, Dec 15). The article highlights several fundamental issues that the Church needs to address like the 1 ( " ) and the importance of the family in faith transmission. However, there is one area that I think is critical to the success of the new evangelisation – solid, unapologetic preaching from the pulpit done in clarity and with charity. In other words, we need better homilies. We need priests who "

also for the Church. The Church is where the beauty, richness and fullness of Truth resides. Our hom = # $ to kindle in our hearts not only a love for Christ but also the Church. Pope Francis recently reminded us that we cannot go to Christ without the Church. A saint also said that “one cannot have God as his Father, if he does not have the " ; )# 0 not know or understand the beauty, richness and goodness found in the teachings of the Church? How do these teachings lead us to a fuller understanding of God’s will in our lives? How can living out these teachings bring us closer to God? Many homilies nowadays just touch on general themes like not being judgemental, forgiveness, love, trusting in God, having a personal relationship with our Lord etc. These are important themes of course, but what seems to be missing is the teaching or catechising aspect of the preaching. Many adults who have regularly attended weekly Masses for years are still in the dark with regard to many Church teachings, especially 1 gences, divorce, homosexual acts, # ; have not even read a page of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The lack of good homilies on Church teachings has resulted in

many adult Catholics (especially cradle Catholics) not being well catechised. When they start a family, they will be unprepared to pass on the faith and will hand over the responsibility to their parish. The parish, which already faces a shortage of catechists because its congregation is made up of mostly the same adults who are not well catechised, will end up either recruiting volunteers who are not suitable (which will result in another generation of poorly catechised catholics) or volunteers who are suitable but, because their numbers are so small, they get discouraged and leave due to the workload. Poor catechising also results in

They may even openly disagree with some teachings because they have not heard a good explanation from the Church. A Church that breathes through both lungs is our Holy Father’s desire. Not one that is just that is just doctrinal. By omitting Church teachings, our homilies have made our conscience our personal yardstick for what is right and wrong, forgetting to mention that it is true only if our conscience is properly formed. It used to be love the sinner but hate the sin, but now it seems like it is just love the sinner. Sin, hell, the devil etc seem like old fashion

CN, Dec 15, 2013

There is one area I think is critical to the success of the new evangelisation – solid, unapologetic preaching. polarising views. Some Catholics may know the teachings of the Church but were not taught the spirit behind the teaching and thus become very pharisaic and doctrinal in their views. Some do not know Church teachings but because of the weekly preaching on general issues like love and forgiveness, they feel that they do not need to learn more about Church teachings as long as they, in their opinion, lead a good life and attend weekly Mass. Those who vaguely know some teachings may think that they are optional or not relevant to their life because they never hear any priests preaching on them.

stuff not to be spoken of. That way relativism has crept into our faith and with relativism comes lethargy in our mission. If we do not stand for something, we will fall for anything. Whatever initiatives that are launched for the purpose of the New Evangelisation will bear little fruit if there is no change to our weekly homilies during Holy Mass. This is because weekly Mass is the only time the majority of lay Catholics come into contact with the faith. The New Evangelisation must start from the pulpit. Edmund Augustine Loh Siew Kuan

Singapore 821105

Waking from spiritual sleep IN HIS autobiography, Report to Greco, Greek writer and philosopher Nikos Kazantzakis recounts a conversation he once had with an old monk. Kazantzakis, a young man at the time, was visiting a monastery and was very taken by a famed ascetic, Fr Makarios, who lived there. But a series of visits with the old monk left him with some ambivalent feelings as well. The monk’s austere lifestyle stirred a certain religious romanticism in Kazantzakis, but it repelled him too; he wanted the romanticism, but in a more palatable way. Here’s their conversation as Kazantzakis records it: “Yours is a hard life, Father. I too want to be saved. Is there no other way?� “More agreeable?� asked the ascetic, smiling compassionately. “More human, Father.� “One, only one.� “What is that?� “Ascent. To climb a series of steps. From the full stomach to hunger, from the slaked throat to thirst, from joy to suffering. God sits at the summit of hunger, thirst, and suffering; the devil sits at the summit of the comfortable life. Choose.� “I am still young. The world is nice. I have time to choose.� Reaching out, the old monk touched my knee and said: “Wake up, my child. Wake up before death wakes you up.� I shuddered and said: “I am still young.� “Death loves the young,� the old man replied. “The inferno loves the young. Life is like a lighted candle, easily extinguished. Take care – wake up!� Wake up! Wake up before death wakes you up. In a less dramatic expression that’s a virtual leitmotif in the Gospels. Jesus is always telling us to wake up, to stay awake, to be vigilant, to be more alert to a deeper reality. What’s meant by that? How are we asleep to death? How are we to wake up and stay awake? 0  . 1 inside the present moment, to not be asleep to the real riches inside our own lives. The distractions and worries of daily life tend to so consume us that we habitually take for granted what’s most precious to us – our health, the miracle of our senses, the love and friendships that surround us, and the gift of life itself. We go through our daily lives not only 1 = / 1

touch of resentment as well – a chronic, grey depression, as US Jungian psychoanalyst and consultant Robert Moore calls it. We are very much asleep, both to God and to our own lives. How do we wake up? Today there’s a rich literature that offers us all kinds of advice on how to get into the present moment so as to be awake to the deep riches inside our own lives. While much of this literature is good, little of it is very effective. It invites us to live each day of our lives as if was our last day, but we simply can’t do that. It’s impossible to sustain that kind of intentionality and awareness over a long period of time. An awareness of our mortality does wake us up, as does a stroke, a heart attack or cancer; but that heightened awareness is easier to sustain for a short season of our lives than it is for 20, 30, 40, or 50 years. Nobody can sustain that kind of awareness all the time. None of us can live 70 or 80 years as if each day was his or her last day. Or can we? Spiritual wisdom offers a nuanced answer here: We can and we can’t! On the one hand, the distractions, cares and pressures of everyday life will invariably have their way with us and we will, in effect, fall asleep to what’s deeper and more important inside of life. But it’s for this reason that every major spiritual tradition has daily rituals designed precisely to wake us from spiritual sleep, akin to an alarm clock waking us from physical sleep. It’s for this reason we need to begin each day with prayer. What happens if we don’t pray on a given morning is not that we incur God’s wrath, but rather that we tend to miss the morning, spending the hours until noon trapped inside a certain dullness of heart. The same can be

# 4 centring ourselves in gratitude before eating, but we miss out on the richness of what we’re doing. Liturgical prayer and the Eucharist have the same intent, among their other intentions. They’re meant to, regularly, call us out of a certain sleep. None of us lives each day of our lives as if it was his or her last day. Our heartaches, headaches, distractions and busyness invariably lull us to sleep. That’s forgivable; it’s what it means to be human. So we should ensure that we have regular spiritual rituals, spiritual alarm clocks, to jolt us back awake – so that it doesn’t take a heart attack, a stroke, cancer or death to wake us up. „

OPINION 17

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

LETTER

Chatting and texting at Mass Every child of God yearns to spend some quiet time in church especially before the commencement of Mass. Like many others, I enter church 15 minutes before Mass and often sit on the pew facing the tabernacle. I have on many occasions attempted to pray silently but get distracted by the loud chatting from people who also sit in the front pews. On many occasions, I have committed a sin by giving these people a dirty stare which expresses my displeasure at their behaviour. While the priest gives his homily, there are parishioners who check their handphones, send messages or play games, even though before Mass starts there is an advisory projected on the wall advising all to switch off 1 = # During the offertory, I had on so many occasions seen those seated next to me sending texts and there are some whose handphones ring loudly. Instead of leaving the church politely to answer their call, they remain seated or standing and answer the call. During Holy Communion, they chat away like it is a party. When the priest reads aloud church announcements for the week, they start to talk loudly, giving scant respect to the priest. . being sung, they troop off in a noisy manner. I have on many occasions requested the wardens to advise these people but I don’t see that happening. To make it worse, many

tract and tempt many. I hope and pray that soon, like in the Bible, Jesus Christ will appear and chase away all those who show scant respect for the House of God as I am very sure our archdiocese can’t do much about this emerging and present trend. Our Church is no more treated with respect, holiness and sacredness. Sad, but it is indeed the truth. Paul Antony Fernandez

Singapore 541119

Time to start looking into the faces of the poor Caring for the poor involves more than just writing a cheque or donating canned food, says Joe Towalski

JUST about every day on my way to work, I encounter the face of the poor. It’s usually a different face each time at the top of the interstate exit ramp or on a corner along one of the streets on my “short cut� route back home. A man or woman stands there holding a sign asking for money – sometimes for food, sometimes in exchange for work. I’m ashamed to admit it, but all too often, I look away. I wonder for a few seconds my wallet and offer a few dollars. Sometimes, I judge their appearance and wonder if they’ll really use the money for food. Then the light turns green and I continue on my way to my warm house and a full plate of dinner. It’s not what I should be doing as a Catholic, as a member of a Church that promotes a preferential option for the poor. And, it’s certainly not what Pope Francis wants me – or anyone else who has been in my position – to do. In his recent apostolic exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, the pope said we must be “a Church which is poor and for the poor�. ( " lend our voices to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them,� he wrote. A few days later, I read an Associated Press story about the Vatican almoner – basically the pope’s chief almsgiver. A few times a week, Archbishop Konrad Krajewski hits the streets, offering money for essential needs, food from the Vatican mess halls and a listening ear. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, thenCardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (now Pope Francis) did something similar, according

Children wait to get free meals at a feeding centre in a slum area in Manila, the Philippines.

I’m ashamed to admit it, but all too often, I look away. to the story, going out to eat and talk with the homeless. “My job is to be an extension of the pope’s arm toward the poor, the needy, those who suffer,� Archbishop Krajewski was quoted as saying. “He cannot go out of the Vatican, so he has chosen a person who goes out to hug the people who suffer.� Pope Francis offers an important reminder that caring for the poor involves more than writing a cheque to charity or donating canned goods to a food shelf. While those are important and essential,

they don’t replace reaching out to people in need with a hand of friendship, a listening ear and a commitment to work together with them to make changes in society – in government policies and institutional structures – that will help to alleviate both material and spiritual poverty. We need to look more directly and more deeply into the faces of the poor that we encounter every day, avoiding every temptation to look away. Pope Francis and Christ himself would demand no less of us. Even if we are sitting # „ CNS "

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18 FAITH ALIVE!

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Serving God from where we are By Louise McNulty The word “mission� usually evokes thoughts of far-off lands, primitive conditions, and language and cultural barriers. A few years ago, I wrote an article on the topic of missions and ended up talking to several people for the story. During the process, I was surprised by their answers. I asked: If you were relieved of your ordinary duties, would you be willing to become a missionary, and how would you like to serve? I admit I had preconceived ideas, since I’d worked as a lay missionary one summer during college. Back then, I roomed with two classmates in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico in a house with a wood-burning stove, oil lamps and outdoor plumbing. We were one of several teams there. Our “mission� was simple. Children in the area had been educated in Spanish by teachers living there. The state wanted them to come down the mountain and enrol in local schools where they would receive lessons in English. We were there to help the children improve their English and prepare the young " # That summer I fell in love with the mountain people who were friendly, kind and charitable,

You don’t have to go to a jungle, a mountain or a poverty-stricken area to serve God.

Catholic Junior College students distribute packages of food and toiletries to migrant workers. Mission does not need to take place in an underprivileged country – you can do it from where you are. File photo

even though most had few worldly goods. They brought us homemade tortillas, they brought us goat cheese and other staples of their daily diet. They offered us rides on their horses and in a Jeep with only one door that opened. They warmly welcomed us into their homes. While I was teaching in New

Mexico, I realised that there was much to learn. The people, not all poor, did not separate themselves into socio-economic classes. They didn’t think their lack of tangible wealth, or that of others, meant that God did not favour them. God, they believed, had given them everything they needed:

Following the Bible’s examples By Dan S Mulhall In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis calls for Catholics to work tirelessly to " 4 spread the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone, everywhere. The pope wrote, “Throughout the world, let us be ‘permanently in a state of mission’.� He added: “I dream of a ‘missionary option’, that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channelled for the evangelisation of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation.� This word “mission� has numerous meanings. In this case it refers to the primary task that individuals or groups are charged with accomplishing. The Church’s mission that Pope Francis mentions is found clearly in the Gospel of Matthew: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.� There are many examples in the Bible of people being sent to mission. Without question, the best

health, family, food to eat, love and companionship. I learned not to look down at others, even when I offered help to those with less education and possessions than I had. I learned not to look up to missionaries who had come to spend a year with their families in the mountains, including a young stockbroker and his teacher wife who were expecting

/ # We were all equals. Those missioning and those missioned to were equals. I learned from everyone about faith, pretensions and humility. I came away with a stronger faith, a sense of accomplishment and even an ease in approaching people, one that forever transformed my personality from

shy to outgoing. That summer was short but its = ' # discussing this experience with others during the reporting of the article about becoming a missionary, I realised most of them thought you had to leave home to serve God. An Ohio grandmother said she couldn’t imagine herself cutting a swathe through the jungle, but she had an easy rapport with old people and would like to spend time with nursing home residents. A postal worker I interviewed said he wanted to carry out his mission by starting after-school tutoring sessions for kids and a employment and job training. Yet another person I interviewed, a mother of teens in Vermont, said if she could she’d set up a centre, perhaps at a church, where kids could get together, play music and just hang out in a healthy moral atmosphere. Though their answers weren’t what I had expected when I set out to explore what others thought of the word “mission�, I imagine if these three people could have their wishes, they’d learn that you don’t have to go to a jungle, a mountain or a poverty-stricken area to serve God. You can do it just where you are.„ CNS McNulty is a former missionary and a freelance writer who lives in Akron, Ohio.

Spelling out several meanings of ‘mission’ A US soldier of Colorado Springs reaches for his Bible. There are many examples in the Bible of people being sent on mission.

example is St Paul, whose missionary journeys are documented in the Acts of the Apostles. In the many letters he wrote, Paul explains how / provides guidance on how we are to live our missionary journey. In Genesis, Adam and Eve are commanded to be “fertile and multiply� and “to cultivate and care for� God’s creation; a missionary command also is given by God to Noah, who built his famous ark to rescue God’s creation from destruction. Throughout the Old Testament, God continually calls ordinary people and sets them to accomplishing challenging tasks. Exodus presents the mission God gave

to Moses and his brother Aaron to free the Israelites from slavery and bring them to freedom. $ a mission from God to speak truth to power and to call the Israelites away from sin and back to the Lord. ‘ ‘ / thing to follow God’s call. Amos, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah proclaim God’s message of repentance and forgiveness even when their own lives are in danger for doing so. In many ways, being on a mission from God is the story of the Bible and of Christianity: God calls and the faithful respond to that call. „ CNS Mulhall is a US catechist.

In 1986, the US bishops published “is missionary by her very nature�. The Church continues the misthe pastoral statement, “To the Ends of the Earth�, in which they sion of our spiritual ancestors “by spelled out several meanings of the proclaiming to the ends of the earth the salvaword “mission�. tion Christ offers “To say To say ‘Church’ is those who believe ‘Church’ is to say to say ‘mission’, in Him�, they ‘mission’,� they wrote. wrote in the docuand the Church ‘is Jesus Himment. missionary by her self provided the That means exvery nature’, says primer for how to pressing a concern carry out our misfor the life of oththe US bishops’ sion on earth and ers, it means sharpastoral statement then “He sent the ing (the Gospel), it Church to conmeans openness, it in 1986. tinue the mission means sensitivity,

given Him by the Father and empowered her with His spirit�. what unites us, they wrote. This complements what we’ve “Together we are coming to see that any local Church has no been asked to do in the new evanchoice but to reach out to others gelisation. We can carry out our with the gospel of Christ’s love mission by how we live, according to the Gospel, so that others for all peoples,� they wrote. The Church, the bishops said, will follow. „ CNS

COMMENTARY 19

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

My dear Catechists, I greet you with a very affectionate gaze from the new born king, Our Lord and Sav ! " ¥ $ / sage to you as Archbishop and Chief Catechist of this Archdiocese. I do not need to tell you that we are living in a much graced moment of the history of our Church. We have a new Pope, our beloved Francis, who is heralding great changes for us as Church in today’s contemporary society. Here in Singapore, I feel called by the Lord to also herald into our Archdiocese a re-evangelisation of ourselves as Christians

to Singapore society. To be a Catechist in these times; one must be an evangeliser and not simply a teacher! You have chosen for this new Catechetical Year 2014 the theme – Being a People of Communion. I wholeheartedly endorse this theme. Yes indeed! Communion before Mission! In fact mission is the fruit of authentic communion! This was what Pope John Paul II said in his Encyclical, Ecclesia In Asia when he wrote, “Communion with Jesus, which gives rise to the communion of Christians among themselves, is the indispensable condition for bearing fruit; and communion with others, which is the gift of Christ and his Spirit, is the most / # this sense, communion and mission are inseparably connected. They interpenetrate and mutually imply each other, so that ‘communion represents both the source and fruit of mission: communion gives rise to mission and mission is accomplished in communion’.� (EA 24) 1 = this theme of “Communion� by drawing the insights offered by Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelli Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel (EG). Chapter Three (The Proclamation of the Gospel), section four, entitled Evangelisation and the Deeper understanding of the ˜ = # agraphs 164-173 are required reading for all Catechists. I will just endeavour to highlight some key ideas for my present purposes. $ ' / “Kerygma� or the announcement of the Good News. The Pope insists that this announcement “needs to be the centre of all evangelising activity and all efforts at Church renewal�. It is the “principal proclamation, the one which we must hear again and again in different ways, the one which we must announce one way or another throughout the process of catechesis, at every level and moment� (EG 164). Take note Catechists, the Pope insists that all “Christian formation consists of entering more deeply into the Kerygma, which is re= 1 of catechesis, thereby enabling us to under / subject which the latter treats� (EG 165). The Kerygma announces God’s saving love for us when He sent His Son to die on the cross for us while we were still sinners (Rom 5:8). The Kerygma needs to be presented in

such a way that it should not “impose the truth but appeal to freedom; it should be marked by joy, encouragement, liveliness and a harmonious balance which will not reduce preaching (catechesis) to a few doctrines which are at times more philosophical than evangelical. All this demands on the part of the evangeliser (Catechist) certain attitudes which foster openness to the message: approachability, readiness for dialogue, patience, a warmth and welcome which is non-judgmentalâ€? (EG 165). Let us examine our conscience. As Catechists have we been “experts in dire predictions, dour judges bent on rooting out every threat and deviationâ€? or “joyful messengers of challenging proposals, guardians of the goodness and beauty which shine forth in ) ÂŒÂ‘ +“¢Â’# If you are not announcing the Kergyma,

become missionary and not inward looking. The ‘pace of this accompaniment’ must be 8 = ness and our compassionate gaze which also heals, liberates and encourages growth in the Christian life.’� (EG 169) Let us be cautious here. Catechists, this “spiritual accompaniment must lead others ever closer to God� or it would become “counterproductive if it became a sort of therapy supporting their self-absorption and ceased to be a pilgrimage with Christ to the Father� (EG, 170). My dear Catechists; the implication of this second point on spiritual accompaniment means that the Catechists must have good human and spiritual formation. It is not enough for us to be doctrinally and liturgically sound, we must also be able to transmit in a simple way the beauty of the Gospel.

A catechist interacts with participants of a children’s Bible camp held in December. In a message to catechists, Archbishop Goh urges them to ‘build a deep communion’ with young people.

that is the, Good News about This entails that CatYoung people Jesus Christ, the love and echists themselves are mercy of God incarnated, it spiritually and emotionneed us to means that you have not yet ally mature, imbued with empathise with been evangelised yourself. the virtues of compassion, Unless you are evangelised, understanding, prudence their struggles that is, have encountered and patience accompanied and pains. Christ as your personal by the art of listening and Saviour and redeemer, you journeying with a person cannot proclaim the Good in a non-judgmental way. News with joy, passion and enthusiasm. Indeed, the Holy Father says that Catechists Without Kerygma, we reduce procla- must be capable of “the art of listening, mation to the teaching of doctrines and which is more than simply hearing. Listenthe practice of rituals. My dear Catechists, ing, in communication, is an openness of learn to announce the Kerygma so that you heart which makes possible that closeness may attract young people around you who without which genuine spiritual encounter realise that God loves them as they are! # 9 This learning requires you to be salted with right gesture and word which shows that we the joy and light of the gospel! Jesus in the are more than simply bystanders.â€? (EG 171) gospel reminds us, “You are the salt of the My dear Catechists, I call on you to build earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how a deep communion with the young people so  that you may evangelise them! Let us realise good for anything, except to be thrown out that “each person’s situation before God and and trampled underfootâ€? (Mt 5:13). their life in grace are mysteries which no one The second point the Pope goes on to can fully know from without. The Gospel tells develop is the idea of “spiritual accompani- us to correct others and to help them to grow mentâ€?. The deep communion generated by on the basis of a recognition of the objective the Kerygma requires us “to initiate every- evil of their actions (cf. Mt 18:15), but without one – priests, Religious and laity – into this making judgments about their responsibility ‘art of accompaniment’. It becomes critical and culpability (cf. Mt 7:1; Lk 6:37) (EG 172). to mature such a community so that they Young people need us to feel with them,

empathise with their struggles and pains. They seek to be understood, supported, encouraged, empowered and loved. They need healing and acceptance. To them we must extend the love of Christ in a concrete way by being their friends, walking and journeying with them and offer them the love and the light of Christ. The most destructive thing a Catechist must never do is to act like a judge or a saint as if he is not a sinner himself! If we form such communities of faith that have the capacity to accompany each other, bearing one another’s burdens without judgement we will truly become missionary not by promotion but by attraction! For who would not want to be part of such / /  My fellow Catechists, while the task at hand is enormous – so must we overhaul our entire way of being Church. Let us face it together! Let us be in communion with Pope Francis as he faces the same task on a universal level! Let us draw strength from his contagious joy! The joy that comes from proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ – the same yesterday, today and forever! Christ is with us! Courage be upon us! We must never allow secularism and relativism to destroy the faith and values that hold our people together in love, unity and truth. Only Christ who is the Truth can bring true love and unity in humanity. Either we evangelise the world or we will be secularised! In this spiritual warfare, there is no neutrality. Jesus says clearly, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scattersâ€? (Mt 12:30). My dear Catechists, join me in this mission of bringing the Good News to all of humanity, beginning with our young for they, when converted, will be the most impactful evangelisers among their peers and through them, the Church will become vibrant and alive, for among them, the Lord will raise priests, Religious and leaders for the Church of the third millennium. I thank you in advance for all your efforts and I ask your prayers for me a sinner, for my daily conversion to the Lord and His gospel of love. Indeed, I am too a sinner among sinners. But we are “holy sinnersâ€? because we all desire to become holy. So long as we / ÂŒ # 0 +,œ•’ Lord will grant us the grace to be holy. I too need to hear and be saturated with the Kergyma again and again so that the gospel will remain alive in my heart and that I who proclaimed the gospel might not ÂŒ+ " ÂŁÂœ+“’# Pray that I have the wisdom and the fortitude to do the right thing for the Church in Singapore as my greatest wish is that of the Universal Church, that every Catholic be fully evangelised so that they can become evangelisers of the Good News in both words and deeds. „

Yours with great affection, Archbishop William Goh

20

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Cornelius was a centurion of the cohort called the Italica who gave generously to the Jews and prayed to God continuously. On a certain day an angel appeared to him and called his name. With fear in his voice, Cornelius asked, “What is it, sir?� The angel answered, “Your prayers and almsgiving have ascended as a memorial offering before God. Now send some men to Joppa and summon one Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with another Simon, a tanner, who has a house by the sea.� Then the angel disappeared and Cornelius sent two of his servants and # On the following day Peter was up on the roof terrace saying his noon prayers. After praying, as he was preparing to eat lunch, he had a vision. He saw a number of animals that were forbidden to be eaten under Jewish

law, but a voice told him to eat them. Peter said, “Certainly not, sir. For never have I eaten anything profane and unclean.� The voice answered, “What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.� This happened three times, and when it had stopped, the visitors from Cornelius arrived at Peter’s house. After treating the men as guests, the next day Peter went with them to meet Cornelius. Peter said to his host, “You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with, or visit, a Gentile, but God has shown me that I should not call any person profane or unclean. And that is why I came without objection when sent for. May I ask, then, why you summoned me?� Cornelius told Peter about his visit from the angel, and how he had obeyed what the angel had told him to do. Peter addressed everyone in the household of Cornelius and said, “In

truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears Him and acts uprightly is acceptable to Him. You know the word [that] He sent to the Israelites as He proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.� “He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that He is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins through His name.�

1 asked, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptising these people, who had received the Holy Spirit even as we have?� No one spoke against it, and Peter ordered everyone there to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. „ Read more about it: Acts 10

Q&A \ $ & ‰ + $ & ‰

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

Wordsearch:

St Benedict Biscop

„ GENTILES „ LAW „ TRUTH „ JUDGE „ SINS „ SUMMON „ LUNCH „ SERVANTS „ ANIMALS

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Bible Accent: The Bible makes many references to Gentiles. Strictly speaking, a Gentile is anyone who is not a Jew. Through his prophets, God gave the early Israelites many laws regarding their social, religious and dietary behaviour. The Gentiles did not follow these laws. Jews and Gentiles lived in the world of the Bible together, and they traded goods and services, but they kept their religious beliefs separate. This began to change in the New Testament with the birth of Jesus. The Magi who came from the East were ! " /ers by the early Christians. Because of the faith of Peter and Cornelius, the good news of Jesus is available to us today. „

KIDS’ CLUB:

Answers to Puzzle: 1. Matthias 2. Pentecost 3. Stephen 4. Saul 5. Peter 6. Caesar

Benedict Biscop (b. 628) was born into a noble family of the court of the king of Northumbria. After a visit to Rome when he was in his 20s, he pledged to lead a life of religious study and devotion. Upon a second visit to Rome, Benedict joined the monastery in Lerins. After receiving a missionary assignment from Pope St Vitalian, Benedict travelled with St Theodore, the archbishop of Canterbury, to England. Sometime after they arrived, Theodore placed Benedict in charge of the monastery of Sts Peter and Paul in Canterbury. Two years later Benedict returned home to Northumbria, where the king gave him land on which to build a new monastery. A second monastery, which specialised in music and monastic singing, was built on another tract of land. We honour Benedict on Jan 12. „

PUZZLE: ' as hints. \ Š‚ ' ‹ ‚ (1) + " Œ 0 Š ' & ‹ (2) � Š0 ' 0 ‹ (7) [ Š0 ' ‹ . (9) / Š" ' & ‹ (9) | & Š ' ‹ (25)

Answer to Wordsearch

By Joe Sarnicola

WHAT’S ON 21

Sunday January 12, 2014 „ CatholicNews

RCIA/RCIY

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JANUARY 11 FELIZ NAVIDAD ÂĽ'ÂŁ Âœ . ' " Š Year celebration with exciting games, / – 1 choreography, spiritual talks, carols, dinner etc. By Jesus Youth Singapore Campus Ministry. Calling all students of ‹ ¤!"¤ ¤ $‘ # . " Â? " 0 ÂŒÂŁ+ $ " Â’# Â? ! %# $Âœ ÂŁ&&“ +¢¢Â• ÂŒ Â’ Âœ

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# ¤ ¤ –' / JANUARY 11 MEDITATIVE PRAYER WITH TAIZE CHANTS ¢'ÂŁ#ÂĽ& Âœ . $ . " < Œ“& 0 < Â’# $Âœ £¢¼Â” ”,%“ ÂŒ7 ’› ‘œ ÂŚ # JANUARY 12 PRAYER SERVICE FOR VOCATIONS ÂĽ'% Âœ $ golden jubilee of Archbishop

Crossword Puzzle 1101 1

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+ÂŁ _ 20 Cabbage salad 21 Unfettered ,, . 24 Country with the largest Catholic population 25 Commendation 27 “___ to us a child is bornâ€? 31 Alphabet string 34 Catholic actress

35 Gentile prophet of the Old Testament ¼” ¼£ 9 / 40 Showy •+ from 42 Monetary unit of Japan 43 Certain letters 44 Used the phone 46 Backward direction 48 Temple tree

SUNDAY JANURARY 12 TO SATURDAY JANUARY 18 WEEK OF GUIDED PRAYER Learn to pray with Scriptures using Ignatian Contemplation and Lectio / # $ ' ' meetings with a prayer guide during the 1# ! +, from 2-5pm. At Church of St Mary of the . # "

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Âœ¤¤ # # # ¤ › ‘œ ÂŚ # # WEDNESDAYS JANUARY 15 TO MARCH 26 BIBLE STUDY OF EPISTLE TO HEBREWS ÂŁ#ÂĽ&'++#ÂĽ& Âœ $ 9

Hebrews will help us to understand the " 0 Âœ " " " 1# " Âœ ÂŤ+&# 7 7 . ÂŒ.;Â’ Church of the Holy Spirit. At Church 0 < ÂŒÂ? .,'&+Â’# Â? $Âœ ¢,,¢ ¢,,& ÂŒ" ’› ‘œ 0<7 . ÂŚ # WEDNESDAYS JANUARY 15 TO APIRL 2 THE EARLY CHURCH ”#•%'+& Âœ $ * < / 1 / / hundred years of Church history. " Âœ ÂŤ+&# 7 7 . ÂŒ ;Â’ of the Church of the Holy Spirit. At " 0 < ÂŒÂ? .,' &+Â’# Â? $¤<;<Âœ £•”£ ÂĽ+,&› ‘œ # ÂŚ # JANUARY 15 SJI OPEN HOUSE FOR 2014 JC 1 APPLICATION +& 'ÂĽ Âœ 7 ÂŒ 7 Â’ # 7 talks. Curriculum and CAS exhibitions. ‘2 # Applications open for scholarships and merit bursaries. At 21 Bishan St 14. Â? Âœ # # # › ‘ 3 ‘œ ÂŞ ÂŚ # #

62 Actor Bruce ___ 63 Upon 64 Iditarod vehicle “% 7 Œ9 #’ 66 ___-do-well

,ÂŁ (ÂŞÂŞÂŞ › #) ÂŒ; ,“œ,“’ 30 “Turn Back, ___â€? ÂŒ( ) Â’ ÂĽ+ ! 4

ÂŒ #Â’ 32 â€œâ€Śand the secret DOWN of his heart will be 1 Sacre ___ ÂŞÂŞÂŞ#) ÂŒ+ " , +•œ,%Â’ black 33 Native American 3 Covered on the 35 Alien god of the inside ‘2 4 Tenant ¼“ < # ! 5 â€œâ€Śfrom now on for example will all ___ call 38 Assaulted me blessed.â€? ÂĽÂŁ 6 Hotel workers 41 You may see them ” ‘2 in the desert ¢ ‘2 44 Ten Hail Marys ÂŁ 0 45 A member of the +& = clergy ++ < 4 47 Magi leader +, Â? / •£ 7 –– 15 Catholic Surrealist %& painter 51 Spinning part 23 One of the sons of 52 Certain typewriter Simon of Cyrene keys ÂŒ;1 +%Âœ,+Â’ 26 Our ___ of Lourdes %ÂĽ ‘ ' 54 Motorcycle 28 Not any 56 Sea eagle

Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1100

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

ACROSS + ; 14 5 Brother of Cain ÂŁ 13 Theater award 14 Catholic dancer and movie star ˜ 15 Most important teaching 16 Many millennia +” < 18 One of the seven deadly sins

Nicholas Chia who celebrates his 50th anniversary on Jan 26 at Nativity Church at 5.30pm. At Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

52 Old Testament book %% ÂŒ #Â’ %” 4 a convert to Catholicism 58 Home of St. Teresa %ÂŁ $ follower 60 ___ of many colours “+ ! 4 ÂŒ •&Âœ, ÂĽÂ’

S A R A I

I D O L S

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T R E E

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S D H O E C E R T D O R D I A N L E E S C A P L A O T T N H E O S S

I N A H N E N O E N T S E S T E Y I C T A A S A R A S E D R A Y S M E B I G L E L O S E A A S I S T E N S

P O P E E N D E S E G S E N E E V A D E

A D A M

L O G E

M R E D

S N A P

T O G A

E R A S

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www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

JANUARY 15 2014 SERRA BI-MONTHLY HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS ”#ÂĽ&'¢#ÂĽ& Âœ vocations and for our priests. By Serra Club of Singapore. At Church < 7

. Â? # Â? ‘œ ÂŚ # WEDNESDAYS JANUARY 15 TO MARCH 26 THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION NARRATIVES OF JESUS CHRIST ¢'+& Âœ ; . * –

9 $ Â? Š / ! " # At Church of St Francis Xavier ÂŒ< ; Â? Â’# Â? ‘œ ÂŚ # # maisielee21@gmail.com THURSDAYS JANUARY 16 TO MARCH 27 THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION NARRATIVES OF JESUS CHRIST ¢'+& Âœ ; . * –

$ Â? Narratives of Jesus Christ. All are welcome. Free. At Church of St Ignatius Annexe Hall Level 2. ‘œ ÂŚ # FRIDAY JANUARY 17 TO SUNDAY JANUARY 19 TASTE AND SEE ” ÂŒ Â’'% ÂŒ< Â’Âœ . to silent retreats in the Ignatian tradition for those who would like to have an experience of God through meditation. This retreat is particularly suited to those who are new to retreats.

# " ÂŤ+¢& ÂŒ ' Â’ ÂŤ,,& ÂŒ Â’# 7 ˜ " Spirituality and Counselling. At ˜ " ÂŒ¢ * 1 Â? Â’# Â? ! ”# $Âœ “•“” “&”,› ‘œ ,““•Œ # › Âœ # # # ¤ JANUARY 18 CATHOLIC SINGLES DINNER AT HANS %#ÂĽ&'ÂŁ Âœ ‘/ ' attended by single Catholics from parishes island-wide. It will be a # faith based activities after dinner. . 0 " ^ ÂŒ 1 < Â’# Â? ‘œ " < ÂŚ # › 7Âœ

Âœ¤¤ # 1# ¤ CatholicSinglesSingapore TUESDAYS JANUARY 21 TO MAY 6 2014 GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW ÂŁ#ÂĽ&'++#ÂĽ& ”#•%'ÂŁ#•% Âœ

;

4 ˜ ˜  " Âœ ÂŤ+&&# 7 _ Š ‘/ – # . ".‘" ÂŒ, 0 Â? Â’# Â? $œ“¢%¢ ÂĽ&++ ÂŒ" ’› ‘œ ÂŚ # #

CLASSIFIED THANKSGIVING < ! 1 for you the job you gave me and I pray to you for more blessings upon us. Sheena Conceicao Thank you St. Jude for your most powerful intercessions to Our Lord Jesus. My grandson passed his % 2 # tinue to guide and protect him. Help him to 2 “

# < # ! never known to fail. Amen. < ! 1 you so much for answering my prayers. Your intercession has helped to solve my problems. K.S. Wong

O Holy St Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in times of need. To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you, to whom God has given such great power, to come to my assistance. Help me in my present urgent petition. In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. St Jude pray for me and all who invoke your aid. Humbly in need of your intercession. Amen. Thank you for answering my prayers. Rosalind Koh

Please turn to pages 22 and 23 for more in

SATURDAYS FEBRUARY 8 TO FEBRUARY 22 2014 THURSDAYS MARCH 6 TO APRIL 10 2014 COMMON SENSE PARENTING WORKSHOP ÂŁ '+ ÂŒ < ’› ”'ÂŁ ÂŒ $ Â’Âœ For parents of children ages 5 and above. The programme gives parents and caregivers a set of skills to manage 4 4 /

' # will learn and have the opportunity to practise a new a skill individually with a skilled and professional trainer. Cost “& ¢& # 7 Morning Star Community Services. At • 9 9 ˜ # Â? $Âœ “,¢% +¼””› ‘œ ÂŚ # # MONDAYS FEBRUARY 10 TO APRIL 14 BETWEEN GOD AND WEALTH ¢'+& Âœ ; $ ‘ Âœ " " ;# 7 Jr. This book explores the relationship of Christianity to capitalism. For those who wish to consider and pray over the proper relation between God and wealth, and are willing to devote time and effort to reading, prayer and groupsharing. Facilitated by Fr Christopher < <!# " ÂŤ+&&# 7 ˜ Centre for Ignatian Spirituality and " # . ˜ " ÂŒ¢ * 1 Â? Â’# Â? ! ÂĽ&# $Âœ “•“” “&”,› ‘œ ,““•Œ # › Âœ # # # ¤ FEBRUARY 8 CATHOLIC SINGLES CNY ELDERLY VISITATION ÂŁ#ÂĽ& ', Âœ . / / 1 / + 0 7 = " 7 1 7 1# ‘ ÂŒ 3 ¤ Â’

1 # Â? ‘œ " < ÂŚ # › 7Âœ

Âœ¤¤ # 1# ¤" < < FEBRUARY 15 DISCOVERING YOUR POTENTIAL – CELEBRATE INNER FREEDOM ,'% Âœ 1 # " Âœ ÂŤÂĽ% ÂŒ ÂŤÂĽ&Â’# 7 9 < " Spirituality Centre. At 100 Jalan ; 1# Â? $Âœ “•““ ,+”¢ ÂŒ7 Â’# ‘œ ÂŚ # # SATURDAYS FEBRUARY 29 TO MAY 30 ALPHA COURSE ”#•%'ÂŁ#•% Âœ $ . " provides an opportunity in a relaxed and informal environment to allow people to explore and talk about the Christian faith at their own pace, 1 3 they want. At Church of St Bernadette ÂŒ+, ÂŹ Â? Â’# Â? Âœ £”£¢ ””¢¢ ÂŒÂ? Â’ ¢¼,, %ÂĽ%“ ÂŒ. ’› ‘œ ÂŞ lee_4health@yahoo.com

IN MEMORIAM

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Sunday January 12, 2014 CatholicNews

PUBLISHED BY THE CATHOLIC NEWS, 2 HIGHLAND ROAD #01-03, SINGAPORE 549102. PRINTED BY TIMES PRINTERS PRIVATE LIMITED, 16 TUAS AVENUE 5, SINGAPORE 639340.

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