C a t h o lic N e w s S U N D A Y S N O V E M B E R 23 A N D N O V E M B E R 30, 2 0 0 3 S I N G A P O R E 50 C E N T S / W E S T M A L A Y S IA R M 1.20 M . I.T . A . (P ) No.105/01/2003 P P S 201/4/2004 V o l 53 N o .2 4
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CONFOUNDING those who think he is in the last days of his papacy, John Paul II continues to maintain a gruelling schedule meeting politicians and bishops, addressing conferences, holding audiences and participating in liturgical celebrations including beatifying five European saints. As always, the pope teaches and persuades anyone who would listen to seek the truth and do the right thing. He still intends to be at the Aug. 16-21 World Youth Day 2005 celebration in Cologne, Germany , which is expected to attract 800,000 young people.
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY -W ith
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the simple gesture of reverence for a Russian icon, Pope John Paul II and Russian President Vladimir Putin underscored their commitment to improving relations between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches. The ongoing tension between the Vatican and the Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow was one of the major topics of discussion during the pope’s Nov. 5 meeting with Putin, said Joaquin NavarroValls, Vatican spokesman. “The Holy Father wanted the sacred icon of Our Lady of Kazan to be present during this meeting,” the spokesman added. Pope John Paul made the sign of the cross over the icon and kissed it, then handed it to Putin, who kissed it. Russian reporters present at the meeting said Pope John Paul told Putin’s entourage he wanted to thank the Russian president “for everything he has done to bring the Russian Orthodox and Catholic churches closer together” and for his efforts for peace in the world. Navarro-Vails said, “Both sides expressed hope for a positive development in the dialogue between the Holy See and the Moscow Patriarchate.” The reporters said Putin did not invite Pope John Paul to visit Russia. Before leaving Moscow, the Russian president had told Italian reporters, “I do not see my task as ensuring the pope’s visit to Russia, but as helping steps toward unity.” The Vatican was not surprised or disappointed that Putin did not renew the
a n d s ta te invitation his predecessors had made, said a Vatican official involved in relations with the Russians. “The pope has never said, ‘I must go to Moscow,’ but he has insisted that Christianity itself and the European continent need to breathe with two lungs that of the Christian East and the Christian West,” the official said. The veneration of the icon during the meeting “was a beautiful gesture,” he said. “It was a sign of respect for something which is important in the Russian spiritual tradition.” While there has been a debate over whether the icon, which hangs in the pope’s private apartment, is the original 16th-century Our Lady of Kazan or a later copy, Vatican officials and Russian experts agree it has been the object of veneration for centuries. Pope John Paul repeatedly has said he wants to deliver the icon personally to a top official of the Russian Orthodox Church, but such a meeting has never been arranged because of the tense relationship with the Russian Orthodox following the rebirth of Catholic communities in Russia. Russian Orthodox officials have accused Catholics of trying to proselytize Orthodox believers and have protested the Vatican’s establishment of Catholic dioceses in Russia as a sign that the Catholic Church considers Russia to be mission territory. □ c n s
POPE John Paul II meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in his private library at the Vatican Nov. 5. The Russian icon o f Our Lady o f Kazan, an object o f veneration fo r centuries, rests on a table between them. The pontiff thanked Putin for his efforts to bring the Russian Orthodox and Catholic churches together, c n s p h o t o s
POPE John Paul II kneels in front
o f a crucifix at a Mass of beatification at the Vatican Nov. 9. The pontiff beatified Spanish Father Juan Nepomuceno Zegri Moreno, Belgian Franciscan Father Valentin Paquay, Italian Brother Luigi Maria Monti, Spanish Sister Bonifacia Rodriquez de Castro, and French Daughter o f Charity Rosalie Rendu.
Pope says charity strengthens church By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY - The church is made up of
faithful who are bound together by charity and who reject modem culture’s tendency to give value only to money, Pope John Paul II said after beatifying five European religious. During the Nov. 9 Mass in St. Peter’s Square, the pope beatified a Spanish priest and nun, a Belgian priest, an Italian brother and a French nun. The church, he said in his homily, is made up of “living stones, that is, of those united by one faith, by participation in the sacraments and by the bond of charity.” “The saints are the particularly precious stones in this spiritual temple,” he said. In his homily, the pope referred to the
Gospel of John’s account of Jesus clearing the temple of vendors and money-changers. The pope said the story calls to task modem society, “tempted at times to convert everything into commerce and profit, pushing aside values and dignity, which have no price.” Society, like the temple of Jesus’ time, must be purified so that the dignity of the human person, made in the image and likeness of God, “is defended, independent of his social condition or job,” the pope wrote. Reading the final paragraphs of his homily, the pope offered a prayer that God “would allow all of us, too, to find ourselves one day in paradise to taste together the joy of life without end.” □ CNS
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of CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School gathered at the Church of Christ the King October 29 for a thanksgiving Mass to round up the school’s 70th anniversary celebrations. They were joined by the IJ sisters and Board of
Management and many supportive parent volunteers. The year-long activities had included a food and fun fair that raised more than $500,000, a performing arts concert at Kallang Theatre and the launch of the school’s own bottled water, lifeSpriNGS, and orchid, the Epidendrum St Nicholas. The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Nicholas Chia and concelebrated by Frs Peter Koh, Andrew Wong and Fr Joseph Tan as well as Frs Johnson Fernandez and Edmund Chong, who were familiar faces in the school while
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they were serving at Christ the King. In his sermon, Archbishop Chia used the Latin roots of the word education to underscore the important role that schools play in drawing out the best in their students. Principal Helen Choo also used the occasion to acknowledge the services of members of staff who had served the school for 10 years or longer, and to thank the local Catholic community for the faithful support given to the school throughout its history. □
Youth Praise Ministry reaches out to CJC students SINGAPORE - 84 Catholic Junior
College (CJC) year one students participated in a weekend retreat Oct 24-26. The retreat was organised by teachers and Catholic Activities Council members from CJC, and assisted by Youth Praise Ministry (YPM). It consisted of insightful talks, group sharings and lively prayer and worship sessions. Speakers included Brother Michael Broughton, Freddy Gomez and YPM’s teaching head, Leonard Koh. Each spoke about some aspect of God and his relationship with us, and their words reflected closely the theme of the retreat ‘Hungry’. Led by CJC chaplain, Fr
Leslie Raj, SJ, students celebrated the sacrament of reconciliation with the assistance of a team of priests from St Ignatius parish and Fr Henry Siew. “The sense of prayer and commitment that YPM evoked in each participant through their sharing of their particular ministry was truly an inspiration,” said Brother Paul Rogers, principal of CJC. “They (members of YPM’s music ministry) are all gifted musicians, dedicated to sharing their gifts with others, and our young people felt very comfortable with the atmosphere YPM developed.” “The young people were able
to reflect on their present lives, with its challenges and dilemmas and indicated that their faith is a valuable and important dimension of life for them,” he said. “I was truly surprised and encouraged by my students at every moment throughout the three days. Never underestimate the true value and richness that lie in the hearts of our young people...they are truly God’s gift to us!” Many students were revitalised in their faith walk with God, as the retreat helped them develop a closer relationship with him. “I was a 100 steps away from God, He has taken the first 99 and is waiting for me to take the last one to him,” said participant Tammy Tham after the retreat. □ SO RRY In “A pioneering spirit” (CN Nov 9 and 16), we reported that sisters from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM) helped to start a maternity ward at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. This is incorrect. The hospital did not have a maternity ward. The sisters helped at a tuberculosis ward. □
CatholicN ews □
Sundays N ovem ber 23 and N ovem ber 30, 2003
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Head of Evangelization 2000 receives papal honour
S. FERNANDO (left) from the Sri Lankan community and Lisa Mayor from the Filipino community at Holy Family parish during a role play at the workshop. down to the level of those in need and reach out to them from where they are” instead of waiting for them to come to the help desks. Sr Bernadette’s sessions were organised by Hope Haven, which offers help on family, marital, employment and other issues.
WASHINGTON - Redemptorist
Father Tom Forrest, founder and international director of Evangelization 2000 since 1986, has received the Decoration of the August Cross, Pro Ecclesia et Pontificia from Pope John Paul II. The papal cross and parchment was presented to Fr Tom for his dedicated ministry in promoting the New Evangelization. Fr Tom, 75, is based in Washington D. C. USA. He has preached to bishops, priests, religious and laity in more thanlOO countries over 30 years. He has been to Singapore to speak at seminars and rallies. Fr Tom was ordained June 20, 1954. He founded Evangelization 2000 in 1986 in response to the pope’s call for a new evangelization. He was also the president of the International Office of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal for three terms and is a foundeing member
Colin Tan, Anne Niehaus and Julie Reiter were in Rome mid-October for the beatification of Mother Teresa. All three are interns at Franciscans International (FI) in Geneva. Colin, a
of Lumen 2000 and International Charismatic Committee for World Evangelization. Fr Tom was the chief organiser of two Worldwide Priests’ Retreat held at the Vatican City. With continental offices throughout the world, Evangelization 2000 promoted a Decade of Evangelization in anticipation of the Year 2000 and continues to offer a service of prayer, proclamation and formation into the third millennium. Singapore, which is part of Evangelization 2000 AsiaOceania, comes under Fr Gino Henriques, continental director. □ Singaporean, is a lay volunteer assisting with the advocacy work of the office. FI is a Catholic non governmental organization, advocating human rights at the United Nations.
WORKSHOPS to empower migrant workers to deal with their own issues and concerns were organised Nov 8-9 for leaders of migrant communities and volunteers of a help desk for migrants in Singapore. Good Shepherd Sister Bernadette Guzman, executive director of the Center for Overseas Workers in the Philippines, conducted the sessions for about 30 leaders and volunteers at the Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre. Sister Bernadette helped the participants to understand their role as helpers by acting out as “counselors” and “helpees” or clients in a role play. She emphasised that helpers are there to listen to the needy, helping them to come up with solutions or insights to their concerns and challenging them to make morally acceptable choices. She emphasised however that
Hope Haven is a programme of the Commission for Migrants and Itinerant People. It has help desks at #04-19 Lucky Plaza and at the Kampong Kapor Methodist Church in Little India and are open on Sundays. Migrants of all races and religions are welcome to inquire about their services at 6280-5424. □
to be effective they have to be genuine and honest with the client, able to feel what the client feels and be accepting of the client no matter what the issue is. At her Nov 8 session she challenged volunteers of Hope Haven to “be one with the lowly.” She called on the Singaporean, Sri Lankan and Filipino professionals “to go
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3.00 pm Church of the Risen Christ: Confirmation
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P r a y d a ily U s e th e In t e r n e t ! By Fr Philip Heng,S.J. SINGAPORE - Today, the world
is filled with uncertainties, made worse by the economic downturn. We are anxious about the security of our jobs and the future of our children. Most of us already find life hectic and pressured; we experience a lot of heat but often little light. We cannot free ourselves easily from such grim realities. But we must never feel hopeless. Being Catholics, we must find the way and strength to live meaningfully. One of the best ways to do this is to develop a prayerful life. This will help us see
God in our pain, joys and hopes. However, the word “prayer” immediately evokes responses such as “I don’t know how to pray,” and “I am too busy to pray”in many persons. If your response is similar, then you are like the millions of people who are adrift in the sea of secularism. We urge you to pray with the Word of God. To help you, we have designed a simple step-bystep method of daily prayer with the Gospel. You can learn more about this at www.jesuit.org.sg If you subscribe to our free Gospel Email, we will send you a three-to four-line Gospel E-message every day. These E-messages contain insights, challenges and questions that will help you deepen your faith in the Lord. If you follow this prayer method daily, we assure you that you will experience life in a more meaningful and fulfilling way. Do you want this? The choice is yours. □
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C a t h o lic d o c to r s u r g e d to g o b e y o n d p h y s ic a l h e a li n g By Mel-Diamse Lee
Catholic Medical Guild held at Oriental Hotel Oct 18. Using his experiences with patients, Prof Low spoke on the topic “Beyond tablets and injections: The four pillars for Catholics to lean on.” Saying “every patient needs counselling,” Prof Low called on doctors and caregivers to accompany their patients through the various stages of grief they have to go through, which include denial and anger. He reminded his audience that “sometimes other patients are the best advocates,” noting how a former patient of his managed to
SINGAPORE - While advances in
PARTICIPANTS hold a group discussion at the workshop.
P a r is h io n e r s le a r n c a re
to fo r th e
s ic k By Theresa Cheong SINGAPORE - Reaching out to the
sick and the elderly in the name of Christ and on behalf of the parish is one of the most wonderful lay apostolate activities that parish groups like the Ministry of the Sick and the neighbourhood groups can undertake. But most people don’t know what to say and do when visiting the seriously ill friend or relative and how such visits could be shaped into healing encounters. It was with this in mind that the Catholic Nurses Guild and the Singapore Pastoral Institute jointly organized a “Pastoral care of the sick” workshop October 24. The programme took 180 participants through topics such as “Skill in caring of the sick” led by Dr Rilly Ray, “Spiritual needs and support of the terminally ill” led by Professor Gabriel Low, a listening skills workshop and a session on “Spirituality and prayer life of the care-giver “and “When a priest is needed” led by Friar Fr John Wong.
The participants gained much from the sharing of experiences. A central theme that emerged from all the topics covered was that a listening ear, an outstretched (hand ???) and a loving heart are key ingredients for caring effectively for the elderly and the sick.Time, effort and commitment also emerged as important factors. Care-giving principles and simple direct communication were also highlighted. Said Sally after the workshop, “ the case studies that were discussed gave me so much knowledge, I now feel more confident when I visit the sick”. Another participant said , “ The workshop opened my eyes to the reality of what it takes to be an effective care giver, especially the psychological aspect of the sick and dying” The organizers have also put together a useful manual entitled “Parish Ministry to the Sick, Terminally ill and the Elderly 111”. This manual is available at SPI at $4/-. Due to the overwhelming response and numerous queries, more of these workshops will be organized to reach out to more carers in the parishes. □
VATICAN CITY - At an annual
symposium, scientists and other members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences held a closed-door discussion of the ethical application of gene therapy in cancer patients. A main issue was whether adult stem cells are as effective as those taken from human embryos in the treatment of disease, participants in the Nov. 7-11 meeting said. The academy’s meeting came at a critical time when gene therapy applied to terminal
FR COLIN Tan (right) presides at the
commissioning o f eight new doctors and members o f the Catholic Medical Guild on Oct 18. PHOTOS: ANTHONY CHAN
persuade another patient to undergo surgery after several professionals including psychologists and psychiatrists failed to convince her. Never insult patients even if they are under anesthesia, he urged. “Patient may be under anaesthesia but sometimes they can hear what goes on because their hearing faculties recover faster than their motor fibre,” he said. The four pillars Catholic doctors should lean on are compassion, loving kindness, faith and humility, said Prof Low, an active parishioner of the Church of St Joseph, Bukit Timah and a Justice of the Peace.
IN his homily, Jesuit Father Colin Tan, CMG spiritual director, challenged the doctors to be witnesses to society by living out the teachings of the church. “We have to continue to reflect on what it means to be a Christian today... in a society where at times we are unable to live out our (religious) convictions publicly. But certainly we can do so in many other ways, either personally or as a corporate body.” □
d is c u s s e s g e n e t h e r a p y cancer research was sparking wide debate in parliaments and ethical research centers around the globe. It is precisely the medical term “therapy” that the Vatican finds hard to accept if it involves use and destruction of embryonic tissue. At the academy’s symposium, experts were called to explain the facts and draw distinctions in therapeutic application of both adult and embryonic stem cells in repairing damaged genes that lead to malignant tumors. Pope John Paul II, in a
PROF Gabriel Low speaks to health care workers and their families.
Sometimes “years of clinical practice can harden our hearts and numb our souls... The heart of Catholic medical education is really the education of the heart,” he noted.
Theresa Cheong is President o f the Catholic N urses Guild.
V a tic a n By Michael Severance
surgical and medical technology are good and essential, doctors have yet to explore and effectively use the “human touch, the invisible hand of healing,” in their medical practice, Prof Gabriel Low Cheng Hock, a doctor trainer at Tan Tock Seng Hospital said. “It is not just science and technology but the art of healing that makes you a good doctor,” the professor told some 150 doctors, their families and other caregivers during the annual dinner and Fr Edmund Dunne Lecture of the
speech to participants, reiterated the church’s position that it is illogical and immoral to sacrifice the life of an embryo for that of the patient. Instead, he encouraged research on use of adult stem cells. One Vatican expert, who attended the symposium and asked not to be named, said experimentation with adult stem cells has had favorable results. “In the particular case of gene therapy, vaccination of cancer patients by injecting stem cells taken from adult muscle and fatty tissues is more than enough to stimulate regeneration
in
c a n c e r tr e a tm
of damaged genes (that produce) cancerous cells”, he said. Professor Nicola Cabibbo, the pontifical academy’s president and a particle physicist at Rome’s La Sapienza University, said that genetic research must bring with it the perspective that all stem cells, whether embryonic or adult, are “human” and therefore involve special ethical considerations. The November meeting marked the academy’s 400th anniversary and was commemorated with the casting of a bronze medal with the figures of Pope John Paul and
e n t
astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564-1642). The medal was given to each of the academy’s 80 members. On the medal’s reverse side, a caution is given to scientists in the Latin: “A Deo uritur fidei rationisque” (“Both faith and reason originate in God”). The symposium’s keynote speakers included geneticists Thierry Boon-Falleur of Brussels, Belgium, and Alain Fischer and Francois Sigaux, both of Paris. Also speaking was Helen Blau, a cancer research specialist at Stanford University in California. □
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Lozano Barragan, president o f the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, speaks to Pope John Paul II at the Vatican Nov. 14. A three-day Vatican health care conference covered the topic o f depression. The pontiff told participants that growing rates o f depression around the world were cause fo r alarm, c n s p h o t o
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spiritual trial, and those suffering from the illness should receive special support from their priests and parish communities, Pope John Paul II said. “The illness frequently is accompanied by an existential and spiritual crisis that causes one to no longer see the value of living,” the pope told a Vatican health care conference focused on depression. Pope John Paul, addressing conference participants Nov. 14, thanked medical and mental health professionals who dedicate their lives to helping those suffering from depression, and he offered special prayers for the patients’ family members, who suffer along with them. The pope said growing rates of depression around the world are a cause for alarm and indicate that “human, psychological and spiritual fragility” are increased by societal factors, including consumerism and the idea that every desire could and should be satisfied immediately.
IN caring for people with depression, he said, the strictly therapeutic role of health care professionals must be supplemented by the care of family members, ministers and parish communities. Their role, he said, “consists above all in helping (the patient) recover self-esteem, faith in his own abilities, interest in the future and the desire to live.” “It is important to extend a hand to the sick, help them perceive the tenderness of God, integrate them in a community of faith and life where they can feel listened to, understood, supported and worthy - in other words, able to love and be loved,” the pope said. Pope John Paul said reading
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the psalms, “in which the sacred author expresses in prayer his joys and anguishes, can be of great help.” Participating in the Eucharist and in the community gathered for the Mass also can be a source of hope and peace, he said. “Knowing well how much effort it costs a person who is depressed to do that which to others seems simple and spontaneous, one must help with patience and delicateness,” the pope said. Pope John Paul said the church’s message to the depressed, and to all who suffer, is that God is always close to them and will help them in their trials.
EARLIER Nov. 14, retired Chilean Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez spoke to participants about “depression and Christian hope.” The former head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments said he was speaking from “human and priestly experiences” of being with people who are depressed. If the patient is Catholic, he said, a spiritual guide should complement the work of therapists by helping the patient regain a sense of God’s goodness and wisdom, God’s desire for each person to be happy, God’s merciful love demonstrated by the sacrificing of his son for the salvation of all, God’s knowledge of every human limitation and sin and his desire to forgive. “If the patient recovers a feeling of trust in God, the loving father, and in his own possibilities, he will have made a great step toward healing,” the cardinal said. Cardinal Medina said the patient also should be helped to live Christian virtues: loving and allowing oneself to be loved, prudently seeking the help of doctors and therapists, seeing medical care as an act of justice
owed to one’s health, strength in trying to accomplish something each day and patience in expecting results. The most important, and most difficult, virtue for a depressed person to cultivate is hope, he said. “One who is living the harsh experience of depression needs, from a spiritual point of view, to recover a profound sense of trust in the God who saves and whose grace is powerful enough to overcome the most rending trials,” the cardinal said.
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• Personal Injuries (including m o to r accidents & THE Nov. 14 session of the three-day conference also included the input of Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist leaders; the Vatican published summaries of their texts. Kamel Ajlouni, a physician in Jordan, told the conference that the Quran and the example of the prophet Mohammed help Muslims avoid depression or help them recover from the ailment. According to Islam, he said, “the true believer is fortified by his faith against anything that causes despair, hopelessness and frustration.” Muslims find a model in Mohammed, “who faced the severest calamities and difficulties without being weakened, yielding or losing heart,” Ajlouni said. Worship and an attitude of total reliance on God provide protection from depression, he said, as does belief in the hereafter. Bharati Patil, a psychiatrist from Mumbai, India, told the conference that Hinduism and the other religions and philosophies of India have a recognized function in psychology. Religions answer questions about the ultimate meaning of life; they provide emotional support, social cohesion and a sense of belonging; and they offer followers guidelines for living their lives, he said. “India has been the nursery of saints and sages,” scientists and founders of major world religions, he said. Yoga and other forms of prayer and meditation have been found to help people “achieve a steady state of mind,” he said. □ c n s
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FATHER Desmond Reid, 82, was asked to spend some time in Singapore while enroute to a oneyear posting in Hong Kong. He liked the Singapore weather and he liked the people. He liked Singapore so much, he asked to come back. That was in 1969. His request was granted and he came back in 1972 and has stayed since. Desmond Reid was bom in 1921 in Dublin, Ireland, the eldest son in a close-knit Catholic family of 10 children. He joined the Jesuits and was ordained July 31, 1953. Fr Reid had no inkling then that he would one day live so far from home. He enjoyed his work and had a schedule that oveflowed - lecturing in industrial relations, counselling on family and marriage, editing Jesuit publications and conducting retreats. His heavy workload led to his being asked to take a “rest” by working a year in Hong Kong. On the way there, he was asked to spend some time in Singapore. “The warmth of the weather was surpassed by the warmth of the parishioners I found here in Singapore,” he said. Fr Reid’s first taste of pastoral work came at Church of St Ignatius, built by Irish Jesuits in 1961, and he took to it like a duck to water. He experienced the spectrum of parish work from being parish priest to conducting bible study sessions during his 32 years at the parish. He also worked in the Jesuit Novitiate.As the Jesuit Refugee Services contact in Singapore, Fr Reid worked with Vietnamese boat people in the Hawkins Road Camp in the 1970s and 1980s. When asked which aspect of pastoral work he enjoyed most, his response was quick. “I liked teaching catechism
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to the little ones,” he said, his eyes lighting up with his smile. These days, Fr Reid leads a more sedentary lifestyle, mainly because of doctor’s orders. He still maintains a fairly full diary although he considers himself in semi-retirement He continues to be in great demand as a spiritual director and counsellor, conducts bible study classes, and is spiritual director to a neighbourhood group and the parish newsletter, Sharing, which he initiated in the early 1980s. He is the house historian too and now has the time to update its history. Thin and tall, Fr Reid can often be seen stretching his legs in the evening in the grounds of the Jesuit House in Victoria Park Road, stopping now and then to admire the beauty of flowers and shrubs, seeing in them the
bite-size morsels. He is always there when you need him; whether you need a listening ear, some practical advice - or a good kick to get you started. Fr Reid is a humble man of simple tastes, with no interest in material things; preferring to focus on what is important to God than to the world. In typical fashion, he focused on others rather than on himself at his Golden Jubilee celebration last July. He asked forgiveness of anyone he might have annoyed or hurt over the years and gave thanks to “my Father who has always been there when I needed him, to my wonderful family for so much love, to my second family here in Singapore among whom I feel so at home, and to my Jesuit brethren for their
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beauty that God has created. What strikes one most when speaking to Fr Reid is that everything he says and does is coloured by his unshakeable conviction in the tenets of the Catholic faith. “I always tell people to be grateful for what they have. We always want more...and we pray and pray and pray,” he said. “Well, I tell people that when they want something more, to thank God for what they have a bed to sleep on, food to eat.” He himself thanks God that he is still able to walk, that his mind is still sharp, and that he is still able to serve the Lord although he is no longer able to say Mass in church. To many parishioners, Fr Reid is a friend and director. He has a knack for condensing the complex facts of our faith into
unceasing patience and support.” It is difficult to do justice to a priest who has given so much to the parish community, and Father Gerry Keane might have said it best when he wrote in the Jubilee commemorative magazine: “You all have made the acquaintance of a man of the deepest faith; of basic principles made long ago his own and which still form the basis of life, albeit life that has changed beyond recognition; of a huge desire for meals that were the favourite of his childhood; of selective simplicity in clothes, pastime and conversation; of support in times of trial and loneliness; of unexpected fretfulness in matters trivial; of the great gift of story telling and, above all, of acknowledged and enduring kindness. The house and the parish are grateful for a rare gift.”
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CATHOLICS pray the rosary at a small shrine outside a church in Sheshan, about 19 miles from downtown Shanghai, c n s p h o t o s
By Cindy Wooden ROME - As China opens its markets to the world, it clutches onto control over the religious lives of its people with even greater strength, said a missionary who lived there. Father Bernardo Cervellera, who lived in Hong Kong for years before teaching in Beijing from 1995 to 1997, said there is a growing desire for religion among the Chinese and a huge interest in Christianity. Yet, he said at an Oct. 30 press conference, as the government opens economically to the West, it has launched new campaigns of repression against religion. The Italian priest, former director of the Vatican’s Fides missionary news agency, spoke at a conference marking the release of “China Mission,” a book recounting his experiences in the country and looking at recent developments he has followed through continuing contacts with people in China. With a new wave of repression over the past year, he said, “even those who belong to (the government-recognized) Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association are persecuted.”
More than 80 percent o f bishops in Patriotic A ssociation are secretly in formal com m union with the pope, says priest with China experience. Father Cervellera said police drop in on priests and bishops unannounced, and they monitor where bishops go and whom they meet; a decreasing number of foreign professors are allowed to teach in Chinese seminaries; and seminarians once again are being subjected to weekly government indoctrination sessions. The priest, like a top Vatican official two days earlier, said it is erroneous to speak of members of
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m a r k e ts b u t t ig h t e n s c o n t r o l o v e r r e lig io n the Patriotic Association and members of the underground Catholic community as if they were two distinct groups. Father Cervellera said, “More than 80 percent of the bishops in the Patriotic Association are in formal communion with the pope,” having made declarations of faith and pledged their allegiance to the pope - usually, but not always, secretly because it is illegal. “In the great majority of cases, the so-called official church and the so-called underground church work together,” he said. “What is important is their communion with each other and with the pope,” and not so much what they tell the government or allow the government to pretend. Making a distinction between the two communities, Father Cervellera said, “serves the government’s purposes more than that of the Catholics.”
Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, retired president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, told another press conference Oct. 28: “In China there are not two churches - one legal and the other underground - but two faces of the same community which struggles to be Catholic and faithful to the pope while observing the laws of the country.” The cardinal said there had been misunderstandings between the communities, particularly over how far one could go to ensure the survival of Catholicism in China while still being Catholic, but they are growing closer and finding ways to dialogue with each other. Father Cervellera said Pope John Paul has used various channels of communication to encourage bishops in the Patriotic Association to be bolder in proclaiming the fullness of their
faith while encouraging the underground Catholics to be patient and merciful with their brothers and sisters in the Patriotic Association. The missionary said he believes the declared interest of the Chinese in learning about Christianity stems from their search for religious responses to the new economic and social turmoil their country is facing. While China is growing as an exchange partner in the international market, poverty and unemployment in the country are skyrocketing. Internal economic tensions combined with a disastrous health-care system evident from the country’s difficulty in coping with last year’s SARS crisis - are shaking the foundations of tranquility and hope, he said. “Peace and harmony are the highest cultural values in China, and they are threatened,” the priest said. “People are looking at different religions to help restore these values.”
“China needs Christianity,” Father Cervellera said. Christianity preaches that human rights, including the right to religious freedom, are inalienable, and a government cannot demand they be set aside for the good of the collective, he said. Christianity also would promote solidarity not only within China, but internationally, he | said. Father Cervellera encouraged potential investors in China to do what some U.S. companies already are doing: insist that contracts be awarded only to Chinese entities that will guarantee their labor force a decent salary, safe working conditions, health care, education for their children and decent housing. If China’s economic opening is used only for economic gain in the West, he said, investors may make money, but they will have lost an opportunity to help their fellow human beings. “If we want to embrace China,” the priest said, “we must know the real situation there and embrace the whole nation and its people.” □
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Relic of Blessed Mother Afghanistan Teresa tours Calcutta parishes worries Vatican CALCUTTA - Nirmala
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Joshi, Mother Teresa’s successor as superior of the Missionaries of Charity, accompanies a relic containing the blood o f Blessed Mother Teresa o f Calcutta to a Mass of Thanksgiving in Calcutta Nov. 8. The relic, which was blessed by Pope John Paul II during Mother Teresa’s Oct. 19 beatification at the Vatican, was to be taken to parishes in Calcutta during the coming week. □
draft constitution would declare the country an Islamic state and curtail freedoms of other religions, a Vatican agency said. The constitution, unveiled in early November, does not provide much more religious freedom than the policies of the previous Taliban government, said a Nov. 10 article published by Fides, the Vatican’s missionary news service. “The hope is that in this discussion phase of the constitution, Western diplomats can exert pressure and ask that authentic freedom of religion be recognized in the new Afghanistan,” the agency said. □
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C A R D IN A L Ja vie r Lozano B arragan, president o f the V atican’s P o n tific a l C ou n cil f o r H ealth Care Workers, speaks a t a press conference Nov. 12 on depression. C a rd in a l Lozano said that C hristia n fa ith has much to offer about the to pic o f depression, c n s p h o to
Science, theology, culture: V a tic a n s e rv e s a s c ro s s ro a d s o f id e a s By John Thavis VATICAN CITY - If anyone feared a post-25th anniversary slow down at the Vatican this fall, they should have been around in mid-November. A month after Pope John Paul II celebrated his silver jubilee, the Vatican was humming with symposiums, study seminars and conferences on such varied topics as genetically modified food and the causes o f depression. The pope played a marginal role at these gatherings, addressing participants briefly, if at all. But the fact that the Vatican has becom e an important crossroads o f ideas - scientific, theological and cultural - is a big part o f this pope’s legacy. For example, it was Pope John Paul who established the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers in 1985 and encouraged it to focus on the “emerging illnesses” o f modem society. That led council officials to explore what they saw as an “epidemic” o f depression in today’s world and to invite more than 600 experts on the illness to a Nov. 1315 conference at the Vatican.
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It was the pope who, at the beginning o f his papacy, beefed up the Pontifical Academ y o f Sciences and used it to open a deeper dialogue between the church and science. This November, at the academy’s elegant headquarters in the middle o f the Vatican Gardens, more than 100 specialists and academy members were discussing two cutting-edge issues: the relationship between mind and brain, and the most recent research on stem-cell therapies.
WHEN Pope John Paul became pope, the Council for Migrants and Travelers was a small com m ission linked to another Vatican agency. The pope made it independent and broadened its activities, aware that global migration was bringing with it a multitude o f new problems. In November, the migrants’ council was hosting dozens o f experts at a world congress to examine the state o f the migrant crisis in the world, the advancement o f migrants’ rights and the specific pastoral steps the church can take.
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OVER at the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Vatican officials sponsored an unprecedented study seminar on one o f the hottest and most controversial o f m odem bioethics topics: the advantages and risks o f genetically m odified foods. Although the council was accused by som e o f stacking the list o f participants in favor of such foods, the council’s president, Cardinal Renato Martino, insisted that the Vatican had not passed judgment on the moral questions involved. Instead o f acting like “mater et magistra” - the “mother and teacher” o f Pope John XX III’s famous phrase - the church in the case o f genetically modified foods was “a student, attentive and diligent in listening and learning from you,” Cardinal Martino told the guest experts. But in all these encounters, the Vatican also has points to make. Often, the church’s arguments challenge the prevailing wisdom o f scientists and the world at large. Almost always, they caution against blind acceptance o f the latest scientific developments. The pope and his aides are convinced the church has a unique, Christian perspective to offer on these issues. In the discussion on depression, for example, they carefully laid out the case that spiritual and religious conviction
are powerful antidotes to the anguish and fear that prompt depressive reactions. On migration and refugee issues, the Vatican said the church’s activities may be seen as political or social, but its primary motivation is the Gospel and its main model is Christ, who w elcom ed the poor and homeless. To scientists researching the breakthrough o f using human stem cells to combat disease, the pope and others reiterated the church’s position that such cells may not be taken from human embryos that are discarded. And on the mind-brain debate, the church offered this perspective: As scientists increasingly recognize that the activity o f the human mind transcends biological activity, are they not indirectly acknowledging the human being’s “spiritual dimension” and his relationship with God? It w asn’t just science and technology month at the Vatican, either. One little-noticed press conference gave a clue to the
church’s strategies in lands where Christians are a minority.
IN recent years, the church has established scores o f Catholic cultural centers that offer programs linked to art, history, religion and current events. They are attracting everyone from the merely curious to local intellectual leaders, and some of the most popular centers are found in Asia and Africa. Cardinal Paul Poupard, president o f the Pontifical Council for Culture, said these centers avoid proselytism but do present Catholic thought and ideas in a positive light, as a basis for dialogue. He said that in places like North Africa some o f these institutions draw a 99 percent M uslim audience, including Islamic scholars who see the centers as a space for the free exchange o f ideas. The centers could be seen as a key part o f the church’s answer to the feared “clash o f cultures” in the m odem world. □
Special Mass helps parents grieve loss of child By Tara J. Connolly BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Parents and fam ilies who have lost a child through miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth or in early infancy need to tell their stories and need other people to help them in their grief, a priest told those gathered for a special Mass in the D iocese o f Allentown. “The truth is that we don’t have all the answers about death. We do have answers about life so w e must ask ourselves, ‘Why life?”’ said Father Patrick H. Lamb in his homily during the “Forever in Our Hearts” Mass at Notre Dame o f Bethlehem Church in Bethlehem. Sponsored by the diocesan offices o f Pro-Life Activities and Family Life Ministries, the Mass was designed to give public recognition o f the loss of young lives and to allow people to grieve. W hile experiencing grief, he explained, people often wonder where God is and question why it seems he has abandoned them. “We need to focus on the cross to see where God is. Jesus is compassion from the Father. When we look at Jesus on the cross, w e know one thing for sure and that is God is suffering with us,” the priest said. Father Lamb emphasized that fam ilies’ loved ones who have died, including those who lost their lives in the womb or in early infancy, “are with God right now waiting to welcom e us into heaven.” “When we all unite in heaven there will be no more
suffering, no more tears and no more sadness,” he said. During the celebration, members o f the congregation were invited to enroll their child in the Book o f Innocents, a ledger that m em orializes young lives. If parents lost their baby before they could name the child or even leam the baby’s gender, they were asked to reflect and choose a name. The “Forever in Our Hearts” Mass was established in October 2001 by the pro-life and family ministries offices as an outreach o f Project Rachel, a program offering post-abortion reconciliation and healing. The Mass was later extended to include mothers, fathers, siblings and family members suffering from the loss o f a child through miscarriage, stillbirth or death in early infancy. “It is an area o f grief that doesn’t seem to get a lot o f focus from the church. Prenatal and early infancy losses are often m inimized in our society, but their impact in a person’s life can be just as devastating as the loss o f an older child,” said Maryann Dunn, director o f the O ffice o f Pro-Life Activities. “We believe that life begins at conception, yet there are not rituals in place to recognize or honor that life when it is lost early, or in the case o f abortion by the mother’s own decision,” she added. The Mass has drawn hundreds o f people in its threeyear history, including mothers who experienced a miscarriage 30 or 40 years ago but the loss of life was never acknowledged. □
CatholicNews □ Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003
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Pope offers reflections on meaning of death, life By John Thavis
By Joseph Young ROSEVILLE, Minn. - The winning Powerball ticket held by 16 wom en from Holdingford in central Minnesota could put them into Porsches rather than Fords. But many seem ed to be counting their good blessing as a vehicle for doing good unto others first, then themselves. The women are 15 kitchen workers and one custodian, em ployed by the Holdingford School District. A ll happily hopped a chartered bus Oct. 27 to the Minnesota state lottery headquarters in R oseville to claim U S$95.45 million, a half-share of
the Oct. 25 jackpot. A second winning ticket - sold in Indiana to Regina Mandabach, 29, a single mother o f two - also matched the winning numbers 6, 17, 4 5 ,4 7 , 48 and the Powerball o f 4. After taxes, each Minnesota woman will receive either about US$2.1 million in a single payment or more than US$4 million over 30 years, depending on which payment option she chooses. The winners are all married women aged from 35 to “old enough to retire.” Fifteen o f the 16 are Catholic; one o f them has no parish affiliation. Since 1990, the women had been putting a quarter from each
C h urch reaches out to M uslim s d u rin g R am adan VATICAN CITY - The Vatican and local Catholic communities are using this year’s Ramadan as a fertile time to plant seeds o f peace and reconciliation with M uslim neighbours. For the approximately 1 billion M uslims around the world, Ramadan represents the holiest month o f the year. The faithful fast from dawn to dusk every day and this form of penitence, together with prayer, offers M uslims one way of getting closer to God and strengthening bonds with family and community. This emphasis on community spirit makes Ramadan an auspicious time for Christians to foster Muslim friendships, Msgr. Felix Machado, undersecretary o f the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, told Catholic N ew s Service Nov. 10. “Interreligious dialogue is all about forming friendships and it’s only as a friend that one’s words can gain credibility and ensure that dialogue has a fruitful outcome,” Msgr. Machado said. “W e’re not asking Christians to imitate their Muslim brothers and sisters,” he added, “but rather to show deep respect for
their traditions and, when possible, participate together in a common gesture o f solidarity.” The cleansing power of fasting is emphasized in both Christian and Muslim traditions. But Msgr. Machado said that “witnessing our Muslim neighbours take part in a full month o f daily fasting is edifying.” During Ramadan, he said, “w e Christians can see how obedient M uslims can be to God and we can be m oved by their dedication and find it reawakens in us the necessity o f sacrifice and penitence.” The secretary o f the interreligious dialogue council, Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, took part in the Muslim “breaking o f the fast,” called “Iftar,” in Turkey’s capital, Istanbul. His participation added an international presence to the Ramadan event, which saw local church members invited by M uslim leaders to participate in the evening meal and celebrations. Events such as this one took place in many parts o f the world, but especially in countries where the Christian communities represent a decided minority. □
SIX T E E N women w orkers o f M innesota’s H o ld in g fo rd School D is tric t celebrate th e ir m u ltim illio n -d o lla r lo tte ry w in a t the state lottery headquarters in Roseville Oct. 27. A ll but one o f the women are C atholic. One said she is “p ra y in g to do the rig h t th in g ” w ith her p o rtio n o f the w innings, c n s p h o to s
paycheck toward four Powerball tickets. Before Sunday morning Mass Oct. 26, one o f the w om en’s husband spread the good news to Father Donald Wagner, pastor o f St. M ary’s where some o f the winners attend Mass. “I rejoice with you ,” Father Wagner told the winners. “There’s lots o f excitement now, but I encourage you to take it to the Lord in prayer later and ask for blessings o f the Spirit to guide you in all the decisions you will be making.” Schumer, a winner, said she is “praying to do the right thing,” and plans to contribute some of her winnings to make this holiday season happier for families without food and children without toys, for example. If St. Mary’s builds a new church, she said she also plans to contribute to that. Schumer has not m issed any work since learning o f the windfall. □ c n s
VATICAN CITY - Making two brief appearances on the feasts of A ll Saints and A ll Souls, Pope John Paul II offered reflections on the meaning o f death and eternal life. The pope sounded tired and out o f breath as he read the talks Nov. 1 and 2 from his apartment w indow above St. Peter’s Square. U nlike previous years, this year he did not descend to the crypt in St. Peter’s Basilica to pray at the tombs o f deceased pontiffs. Marking A ll Saints Day, the pope said those in heaven remind people that “it is above all prayer that helps us to never lose sight o f our eternal destiny.” A s he has done often in recent months, he recommended praying the rosary as “a simple path to
holiness, accessible to all,” and reminded his listeners that attaining holiness is the vocation o f every Christian. October marked the end o f a special year dedicated to the rosary. On A ll Souls Day, when all the dead are remembered, the pope emphasized the importance o f praying for those who have died. “It is important and proper to pray for the dead, because even if they died in G od’s grace and friendship, they may still need a final purification to enter into the joy o f heaven,” he said. He said this kind o f prayer can take many forms, including visits to cemeteries. Pausing at a gravesite can offer people a useful space for reflection on the meaning o f earthly life and help increase the hope o f eternal life, he said. □
A Y O U N G F ilip in o boy spends time Nov. 1 a t the gravesite o f a loved one a t a cemetery in M a n ila , P hilippines. Thousands o f F ilip in o s p a id th e ir respects to th e ir deceased relatives f o r A ll Souls' Day. Pope John P a id I I said that prayers f o r the deceased can take many fo rm s, in cluding visits to cemeteries.
12 Days Los Angeles Religious Education Congress/Holiday Join over 30, 000 Catholics at this annual Congress! Here is an opportunity to m eet and hear some o f the best in liturgy, catechesis, spirituality, morality, justice & peace issues, RCIA, etc... Joyce Rupp; Richard Rohr; David Hass; Christopher Walker; Thomas Groome; Helen Prejean (author o f Deadman Walking); Patrick B rennan,.... Experience liturgy as never before! Over 200 exhibitors! Come and experience all things Catholic! F o r more information, visit the Congress website: www.recongress.org Plus; Visit to the new LA Catholic Cathedral; Crystal Cathedral; Missions; , ' Universal Studios; Grand Canyon and other places o f interest!
Fnq uiries to: petra(asingnet.com.sg Dates: Febraarv 13-24,2004 Ivn Congress dates: February 19-22 or tel: t 6446-0909 / 9756-0239 (Janet) ( ’losing date: D ecem ber 15, 2003 Cost: SS2500- per person twin sharing L im ited places
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Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003 □ CatholicNews
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Specie I Rep o il indomitable spirit but he was disturbed by the relative absence o f male involvement. The explanation was probably in the statistics - 80% o f refugees were women and children. Most o f the men had been killed by war or disease,or simply disappeared. Those in the refugee camps were either old or young, maimed or traumatized by war.
“The po o r are very generous. They give us much more than w hat we give them ,” - M other Teresa.
The three Singaporeans braced themselves for heartbreaking scenes of extreme poverty, desperation and hopelessness. But they were in for a surprise. DAVID and Jessie Lau, a married couple from the Church o f St Anthony in Woodlands, and seminarian Brother Valerian Cheong were visiting Sri Lankan refugee camps in Tamil Nadu,
THE three Singaporeans had joined a Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Singapore team on a w eek’s visit to seven refugee camps across 640 km o f Tamil Nadu.
THERE’S HOPE A T T H E V A LLE Y O F D EA TH THEY lived in fear as children growing up in Sri Lanka. Ms Theresamma Y had a narrow escape when her hostel was attacked by the Sri Lankan Army. If she had not ducked under the table in the nick o f time, she would surely have been killed by the flying bullets. Mr A Suros R oshan’s fisherman father was beaten up by soldiers. A ll Mr S Rajasingam could remember o f his Sri Lankan childhood was fear. “I was always eating in fear, sleeping in fear and walking in fear,” he said. N ow in their 20s, they had fled by boat with their families to South India .Most o f the refugees who fled from 1983 to the 1990s to escape the civil war that was tearing Sri Lanka along ethnic, linguistic and religious lines.have stayed for at least a decade in the camps. “M y main concern is education o f these young children and young people,’’said Fr RS. Amal SJ. “They know education is the only wealth they can bring home (to Sri Lanka).” Fr Amal is Director o f the Jesuit
A M O ST touching moment f o r Jessie Lau and B ro ther Valerian as they come fa ceto-face w ith the refugees.
India on a Jesuit Refugee Service m ission tour. Things were not all they expected. The refugees were determined to maintain as normal a life as possible despite trying circumstamces.The camps were well-organised .Women took the lead in raising fam ilies and organising camp activities such as teaching children, cleaning and hygiene. Some sold handicraft. Like David and Jessie, 36year-old Brother Valerian was struck by the w om en’s
The Jesuit Refugee Service brings hope to refugees trapped for years in squalid camps
By Teresa C heong
David, a father o f children aged two, four and six and owner o f a car accessories’ business, had felt a strong desire to “accompany” the refugees after a talk by JRS during a RCIA class at his parish.Friends and relatives tried to dissuade him and Jessie from going, saying, “You have young children and a business to manage.How can you go?” Going on m ission would have been out o f the question for David
Refugee Service (JRS) in South A s ia . He faces the task o f raising U S$106,000 to provide education for thousands o f refugee students.
Reason for war SRI Lanka has a Sinhala majority (74%) and minorities comprising Sri Lankan Tamils (12%) and Upcountry Tamils (6%). Upcountry Tamils are descendents o f immigrants from India. After independence from British rule in 1948, Sinhala and Buddhism were made the official language and religion. Strict quotas on Tamils in higher education and civil service employment were imposed. Inter ethnic animosities erupted into violent racial riots, and the Liberation Tigers o f Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers) conducted a secessionist war. The 19-year old war has killed 65.000 people, internally displaced 630.000 and caused an exodus of 320.000 refugees mainly to India. Today, there are about 81,600 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in the camps and another 60,000 are unaccounted for. Across the Palk Strait, a
narrow stretch o f sea separating North Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, are refugee transit camps. The Jesuits maintain a large parish of 1,000 refugees or about 250 fam ilies in Mandapam. The new refugee arrivals stay in the transit camp for three to six months before being transported to one of the 103 refugee camps that are scattered all over Tamil Nadu. Fr Singarayan SJ, a Jesuit priest
in his 70s, explained his work in Mandapam:“My role is to counsel, console and comfort the refugees. Every day, I celebrate Mass with the Catholic refugees.” He then told a sad story o f a woman refugee with a mentally retarded daughter. Arrangements had been made for their repatriation to Sri Lanka. Two weeks before departure, she became paralysed. Her daughter also died. “Now, she lies on the floor,” he said. “But she has a big smile on her suffering face whenever I visit her. That’s my work - being present with the refugees in their suffering.” The old priest is being assisted by Brother Justin, a diocesan regent.
H O M E to the S ri Lankan refugees is a shed w ith thatched coconut leaves and d ir t flo o r.
and Jessie, both 32, if not for thei conversion to Catholicism three years ago. “I was lost. I was in debt. The banks were chasing me for unpaid credit card bills. I had no regular job. There was no direction in my life. I only knew how to live and spend for the moment. Even after a severe accident in 1 9 9 5 ,1 did not K change.” f An ex-colleague invited Jessie to a retreat for non| Christians at the St Francis X avier’s minor seminary. She came home excited and persuade him to attend the RCIA with her. Feeling a deep em ptiness in his life, David agreed to give it a try and within a year, David and Jesi; and their children were baptized. After three years as baptized Catholics, the Laus felt an inexplicable desire to do more foi God so “w e went in faith,” said David. Coming face-to-face with refugees was a m oving experienc for the couple. At every camp, the refugees w elcom ed them with flower garlands and Hindu dances and songs. Said Jessie,“I have never felt so w elcom e in my life.The refugees were so overjoyed and excited to see us. How can they be so happy when they are so >
Appalling conditions
REFUGEES live in makeshift > camps built by the Tamil Nadu governm ent. There are about 80(1 to 1,000 people in each camp. Each refugee family is given at uncemented house measuring 10 feet by 10 feet, one 45 voltage light bulb, one floor mat and one bedsheet, two cooking vessels, two plates and one spoon, and rice and kerosene at subsidized rates. Each house has one window and one d o o r, and a thatched roof made of coconut leaves. Toilets are the fields outside the camp. Each head o f household receives a 200 Rupees’ (S$8) subsistence from th|l state government a month.
Help from JRS
JRS South A sia ’s work with the Sri Lankan refugees started in 1990 when 123,000 refugees arrived by boat. “When I stood on the seashon in 1990 receiving refugees, the first feeling one gets as one sees lt another human being fleeing his *1 home with his past and future virtually nullified, was the extraordinary spiritual resources needed to carry on,” recalled Fr A m a l. “I stood on that seashore every day for three months, receiving hordes o f refugees. It was a shattering experience,” he said. “The man weeping in front o f you might have lived as a rich man until the previous day; a bombing in the afternoon might have flattened his house, killed
CatholicNews □ Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003
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poor? The refugees had so little but they gave what they had, and even prepared a feast for us.” For David, the sight o f a mother bathing her daughter with a bucket o f water on the street stirred deep em otions. “I immediately thought o f my eldest daughter. W hy are people still ) living in such a world in 2003? After seeing the slum conditions and the poor with m y own eyes, I I felt I had to do more for the poor.” Brother Valerian could not forget the refugees’ simple, unpretentious ways and the joy in the children’s eyes when they received visitors. A 10-year old boy was so proud and happy to bring him to his house, but “there was nothing, no possessions, only pots and pans and photographs on the walls o f family members who had died during the war, ’’said Brother Valerian: “The emptiness of the house and the photographs tell us so much about the suffering and pain the refugees have gone through.” He also met a Brother Justin, another diocesan regent like him self during the trip. Brother Justin was attached to a Jesuit parish in Mandapam, a transit camp at the tip o f Tamil Nadu. “The whole experience o f meeting Brother Justin and the refugees
two or three o f his sons or daughters. N ow he stands in front of another human being, seeking acceptance, looking for a glass o f water or a morsel o f food after a torrid sea journey” After 13 years o f “accompanying” the refugees, the witty and affable Jesuit was posted to JRS Liberia to handle yet another desperate refugee situation. JRS provides free education to more than 8,000 refugee children in evening tuition centres which are located in or near the camp sites. JRS also sends young k school dropout girls to Grihini P Centres where they learn incom egenerating skills like writing, V handicraft or tailoring, and ! cultural and social skills. B oys are enrolled in local technical schools for computing, mechanical and technical courses. JRS also trains and em ploys refugees as teachers at the tuition centers or as camp coordinators. Able students are given scholarships to study up to university level in local universities or through correspondence courses. Besides education, “young widows and special needs people need our help,” said Fr Amal. “My concern is to see that the widows are protected from sex and genderbased violence, and that they can learn skills to sustain themselves and their children.”. Refugees may have become handicapped sometimes because o f fear and trauma from seeing killings and brutality or had been tortured “or
has helped me to develop a broader missionary outlook which is an important part o f my spiritual formation as a future diocesan priest,” said Brother Valerian. St Anthony parish has plans to send four youths on a m ission trip with JRS Singapore, Brother Valerian revealed. “It’s important for our teens to be exposed to such situations o f poverty and need, and let them see that there are young people o f their age who live quite a different lifestyle and are in need o f our help.” These refugees had lost their homes and loved ones, their possessions and identities. Yet David, Jessie and Brother Valerian felt they (the refugees) had given much more than they had received. “They were so generous with the very little they had,” said Jessie, who was m oved to tears by the experience. As part of Advent preparation, St Anthony parish will be holding a photo exhibition on the Sri Lankan refugees with the help of JRS Singapore. Fr P.S Amal SJ, Director of JRS South Asia, has been invited to preach at Masses during the second week of Advent and give a talk Dec. 8 □
they could have stepped on landmines,” Fr Amal explained.
Repatriation Hopes
A HANDICAPPED refugee lies on the flo o r.
AFTER being in exile for over 10 years, many refugees are yearning to go home. Ms B ella S Christabel, 20, who is Catholic, said, “I feel I have lost respect for m yself. I feel inferior. Yes, I want to go back to Sri Lanka.” However, hopes for an early repatriation have been diminished by recent political actions initiated by Sri Lanka’s President Kumaratunga who suspended parliament and sacked three cabinet ministers apparently for making too many concessions to the Tamil Tigers. Still, JRS’work continues. “Our core mission is to bring hope... to rebuild a human family from the valley o f death.” said Fr Amal. □
More information at JRS Singapore tel: 64636022 or email: jrs@jesrefsg.org
VIETNAMESE g irls , one as young as 8, sit on a bed in a brothel in the Cam bodian village ofS vay Pak near Phnom Penh in M arch
2002. A governm ent crackdow n on brothels to stop sex trade rackets fa ile d to p u t an end to the industry in C am bodia, where sex w ith underage g irls can easily be bought f o r around US$30. CNS PHOTO
( M o s t r e t u r n s to C a m b o d i a to licit) A ( 0 8 v i c t i m s BANGKOK - A Cambodian priest said he returned to his country from a “wonderful life” in Canada in response to his calling to serve Cambodians. Father Song Un is one o f only a handful o f Khmer priests in Cambodia, reported U C A N ew s, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. On a recent trip to Bangkok, Father Song Un, 42, spoke to U C A N ew s about his life journey, Cambodian society and his ministry to marginalized people. Based in Phnom Penh, Father Song Un works with AIDS patients in a center staffed by three priests. “I work with boys with HIV and teach them to understand and meditate on the Bible,” he said. He said young people are thrown out o f their family home if found infected with AIDS, and his role is to help care for them by ensuring they receive medical attention. He said one o f the special challenges o f serving in Cambodia is confronting gender stereotypes, in which women are expected to marry young and forgo an education. “I explain to parents and young girls that they can better prepare for life by getting an education,” he said. “Many families are large and often have more girls than boys. With them, dialogue may not be easy, but I need to help them understand life today and encourage them to study,” he said. Father Song Un lives at Phnom
Penh’s only Khmer Catholic parish, located in a neighborhood surrounded by brothels. “A lot o f families send their children into prostitution. We try to stop that,” he said. “With the influence o f the church, attitudes have changed a lot.” N o Khmer priests survived the 1975-79 rule o f the Khmer Rouge, a radical communist group responsible for the deaths o f about 2 million Cambodians
RIN Sophy, 26, sits w ith her 5 -yea r-o ld child, Veasna, both infected w ith A ID S , in a hospital in Phnom Penh, C am bodia in this Decem ber 1999 photo. CNS PHOTO
before Vietnamese troops forced it from power. Father Song Un fled Cambodia into Thailand in 1975, about four months into Khmer Rouge rule. His parents stayed in Cambodia. W hile in the refugee camps, he became a Buddhist monk. “M y teacher monk told me, ‘D on ’t forget to pray for your parents,” ’ he said. Father Song Un later went to
Canada, and he said he became a Catholic because o f the example o f his sponsor family. “When I was a refugee, they took care o f me, loved me and took me into the family as one of their children and helped me understand life. Before, I had not received such care. I had no one to help me or educate me,” he said. He said he was also influenced by reading about the lives o f saints and missionaries, like Blessed Mother Teresa, “who were dedicated to helping the poor.” “Their actions helped m e reflect on my life,” he said. He returned to Cambodia in the early 1990s to help rebuild the church, he said. After converting he felt a call to the priesthood, but his parents were intent on seeing him married and tried to arrange several marriages for their son. “Each time, I rejected marriage with the girl they had found for m e,” he said. He spent five years in a seminary before being ordained with three other Khmer men in D ecem ber 2001.There was one Khmer priest left in the world prior to their ordination. Father Song Un said his duty as a priest is “to help those in difficulty.” “W hen you are a priest, som etim es you think you should have chosen something else. Life is difficult, but I am happy because my life has value,” he said. □ u c a n .c n s
Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003 □ CatholicNews
i 1' a i t i l o x I V i f o
Building fund, building faith - what some CHU Toa Payoh girls long for
PEER pressure, homework, tuition, popular girls, cute boys and hot pop stars... the average Singaporean schoolgirl’s life is a busy one indeed. So many decisions to make, so many things to attend to - how is one supposed to fit God into this hectic timetable? It’s not all that hard, say four of CHU Toa Payoh Secondary School’s Legion o f Mary members. You just have to make time. Not a whole day or even an hour, but just 20 minutes before the school bell goes off in the mornings. Ethel Jiang, Cassandra Lek, Clara Lin and Vanessa Koh, all 14 and in Secondary 2, are better known in the Toa Payoh school as Legionaries. They have been Legionaries since they joined the school in Sec 1. To them, prayer is a central part o f school life. All four girls pray in the school prayer room every morning. They take turns with the other Legion members to lead the rosary or sing hymns. They also spend quiet time in the prayer room when the pressures o f school get too much, or simply because they have free time with nothing to do. But praying, in the eyes o f their schoolmates, is not the coolest way to spend the day. Said Vanessa: “I try to encourage m y friends to com e with me, but I have to literally drag them to com e here (the prayer room )... When I tell them I ’m going to pray, they look at me as though I am speaking a different language.” God is lagging behind in the secondary school’s popularity poll. It is evident in the poor attendance o f the Legionaries’ morning prayer sessions. Each day, about six girls, apart from the prayer leader, show up. Often, the faces are the same.
VANESSA thinks a more inspiring and centrally located chapel could help boost attendance. She said: “The prayer room here is in a building on its own. The doors are small and it doesn’t look attractive. Maybe if it was closer to the canteen and there were bigger doors, more people might come.” Ethel added that m ost o f the students simply assumed that the prayer room was meant for use by the Legionaries only. This is not true, she said. Everyone is w elcom e to pray there. In the old days, when the school was situated at Victoria Street in the building now known as Chijmes, the pews in the chapel were often filled. The chapel was shared by the nuns at the convent, the students and the orphans at the orphanage there. And when the examinations drew near, it would be packed with anxious girls, said CHU’s vice principal Mrs Matthews Shu Quo.
Please, may we have a chapel?
projectors, podiums, and other random pieces o f school furniture. The girls look forward to m oving into a real chapel. Said Vanessa: “Then maybe w e can finally hold Mass there.” A ll 200 or so o f the school’s Catholic girls can hardly fit into the current space.
CHIJ Secondary and Primary schools are now raising funds for the new school, which w ill be connected by the new chapel. One o f its features is likely to be a four-storey high stained glass
“A Catholic college cannot exist if the chapel is not at the centre, and if we d on’t show through our lives that the chapel is the centre,”
L egionaries (from le ft) Vanessa, E th e l and Cassandra meet every m orning f o r p rayers in this room. They hope to be able to p ra y in a real chapel w ith a b e autiful stained glass p a n e l (rig h t, a proposed design) a t th e ir school soon.
T H E o rig in a l Town Convent chapel a t V ictoria Street was a m agnificent structure w ith beautiful stained glass wndows. THE tiny prayer room at CHIJ Toa Payoh’s holding school grounds is about the size o f one classroom. Efforts by the girls to create a serene and prayerful atmosphere are obvious. Colourful
candleholders stand at the feet o f a statue o f Mother Mary, holy pictures and essays cover the walls, and flowers litter the linoleum floor. But the statue o f the virgin Mother looks so forlorn standing amongst heaps o f stacked wooden chairs - which the girls arrange when they hold small prayer meetings - white boards, overhead
- Archbishop Giuseppe Pittau, secretary o f the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education
panel designed by Ms Elenora Koh (See “The story behind the glass” on page 13). Plans for the new school started four years ago. It w ill bring the secondary and primary schools together into one building. They were previously housed in separate buildings. The schools have to raise a total o f about $5 million. The secondary school has already raised $900,000 through various fund-raising activities such as a car rally, a fun run and a carnival. The schools are also “selling”
classrooms. There are 37 secondary classrooms and 38 primary classrooms. They each are going at $20,000. So far, five have been “sold” to individual well-wishers. Said Mrs Matthews: “We would like to challenge our old girls to com e back as a class and sponsor a classroom. In a class o f 40 girls, that w ill mean just $500 per girl.”
THE CHIJ alumni are raising funds for the chapel, which will cost about $600,000. They have raised about $130,000 so far. The chapel is a central part o f education at CHIJ - as important as a science laboratory or home econom ics kitchen might be. It is, after all, G od’s classroom. And for many o f the old girls, the memory o f the Victoria Street chapel spurs their cause. Said Ms Anne Marie Lui: “The chapel in Vic St was part o f the Convent experience o f Masses and retreats. In later life, I have always popped into a chapel or church to make decisions and resolve inner conflicts. The chapel and the school started a habit in m e.” This is what the girls don’t want their daughters to m iss out on today. Said Ms Audrey Thng from the class o f 1980: “I only needed to remember the comfort and inspiration I used to draw when I sat in our old chapel at Victoria Street to know that I also wanted to play a part in my daughter being able to pray in her own school chapel too.”
THE CHIJ Alumni Association can be reached at chij_alum ni@ yahoo.com Those who wish to help make the CHIJ chapel a reality may make out a cheque payable to “CHIJ Alumni Association - Chapel Fund” and mail it to CHIJ Alumni Association, 500 Thomson Road, Singapore 298133. □
Beautiful windows S 1 M \ F I) glass windows decorate Catholic churches everywhere. I'hey depict sainls ind scences from the Bible to teach and edify. Most churches in Singapore also \ have them, many beautiful, some magnificent. The best of them were \ made by Belgian a rtis t, Jules Dobbelaere around 1*>()t for the to w n Convent Chapel (now Chijmes Hall). Dobbelaere's designs was the inspiration for the Church of 1he Holy Family's circular stained glass depicting the Holy Family and Hi scenes from the Bible . F r Anthony Ho, who was in charge o f the reconstruction of Holy Family at the time, said he wanted the stained glass to be sim ilar to the Dobbelaere windows in C hijmes so they tracked down the F re n ch a rtis ts who h a ndle d the restoration of I own Convent. I'hey made the window in I von, France fo r $360,(10(1 and it was installed at the new church in Sept I »>»>*>. \
This window of Saint Bait! is one of live main pieces at the Church of Sts Pe ter and Paul. It was made in France and installed around 1870.
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CatholicNews □ Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003
THEY rise like pillars of light in churches and chapels around Singapore, their sheer size and beauty lifting the thoughts of many to God. Some may simply regard the stained glass panels as part and parcel of the church but, for one woman, these glass windows tell a story of quiet strength and resolve. They are, for her, symbols of the miracles faith and hope can work in the most desperate of times. MS ELENORA KOH, 43, is the hand behind the beautiful stained glass work in the SJI chapel, the Church of St Francis Xavier, and St Teresa’s Church, among many others. But success did not come easy. Ms Koh had quit her advertising job in Singapore to accompany her husband to the US in 1988 where he studied. Newly married, they were young and starry eyed. They arrived in Arizona with very little. As her husband pursued his studies, Ms Koh took on whatever jobs her visa allowed her. As the wife of a foreign student, she could take on only low paying jobs, such as baby sitter, maid, or housekeeper. Life was tough. The prospect of living the same way for years and years was not encouraging. So when they heard that Canada allowed the spouses of students to work, the young couple set off north They traveled by Greyhound bus, finally arriving in Canada in the early hours of the morning. It was freezing. They had come from sunny Arizona with their summer clothes, not anticipating the chilly Canadian weather. Their first few nights were spent in a cheap hotel above a girly bar. The future did not look promising at all. When the couple finally settled in a small studio apartment, Ms Koh set about looking for work.
“I HAD to make calls from a public phone because we couldn’t afford a phone then,” she recalled. Ms Koh believes what happened then was by the hand of God. Some of her coins got stuck in the pay phone so she jiggled the lever to get them out. What came out instead was a torrent of change. “It was like a jackpot machine,”
M S K O H displays one o f se veraipancls she is making fo r F a ith M e th o d ist Church.
S h a ttered b u t n o t b ro k en -
“My first job brought in $4,000. It was like the sky had opened up,” she said. She rented the garbage dump in her brother’s factory in Tuas to use as her office and studio. Said Ms Koh: “The floor was uneven and all I had was an old conference table and a small fan. One night, as I worked, the security guard turned off all the lights. I felt so much pity for m yself then.” Work was lonely and difficult, but her love for her baby kept her going. It was difficult finding jobs. Rejection after rejection sent her confidence spiraling.
“OUT of desperation, I called Brother Joseph McNally,” she said. Her heart was in her throat as she went to meet Brother McNally. “I told God, if you allow this to happen, I will always give priority to church projects over the more lucrative commercial ones,” said Ms Koh, who, at the time, was not even baptized. She was baptized five years later in 1998, and is now a parishioner o f St Mary of the Angels.“Broke as I was, my desire was (and still is) to create work that inspire, question and raise the
The story behind the she said. “The money kept on coming out.” She returned the money to the phone company by using the change to make calls all over town. She was willing to take on any job. No one would employ her - until she called Kitsilano Stained Glass. The company desperately needed cutters and when they met Ms Koh, they were amazed by her skill. She had no formal training, but had learned to cut glass in Singapore. Her artistic talent was a gift from God - she had always had a flair for art - and her new employers were delighted. Before long, the proper papers were arranged, and Ms Koh took on more and more responsibilities at the studio. By the time she left five years later, she was practically running it. But while money was finally taken care of, her marriage was in shambles. The lack of money and the long hours she had to work to support herself and her husband (who had to pay international rates for his studies) and living in a foreign land put immense pressure on her relationship with her husband. He eventually returned to Singapore, leaving Ms Koh behind. She was pregnant then. Alone, she plodded on, attending antenatal classes on her own and making
arrangements for the delivery of her son. When her water bag broke, a friend took her to hospital. In December 1992, Ms Koh returned home. “I came back for the family support,” she said. “I was alone in Canada. With the baby, I felt I needed to be around family.”
BACK in Singapore and now a single parent, she found herself looking for work once again. “I had to start from scratch. I looked for anything that would put food on the table, but no-one would hire me,” she said. It was not because of her lack of experience, but because most employers felt she was overqualified. Her brother encouraged her to strike out on her own. “But without savings, how was I to do it?” Her sister chipped in and gave her $3,000. With that, Ms Koh bought a 286 computer, a dot matrix printer, and with the help of a friend, printed some stationery. “With that and a telephone, I had my own company.” Art Glass Design was bom. Ms Koh made numerous calls before she finally got her first job a small etched glass project for a bank.
Today, Ms Koh has a proper studio, an office, a studio manager, and three assistants. Her little boy is in Primary Five and she is handling large projects for both Catholic and Protestant churches, schools, and even government ministries. She also makes pieces for Malaysia - her works grace Holy Spirit Cathedral and Church of St Anne in Penang - and is currently working on a panel for a church in New Zealand. Ms Koh is now designing a four-storey high stained glass for the new CHIJ Toa Payoh chapel. (See “Please, may we have a chapel?” on page 12) Nevertheless, it is her depiction o f the Holy Family in SJI’s chapel that holds a place dear in her heart.
T H E huge p an e l o f stained glass f o r the SJI chapel featu red the N a tiv ity and in it reflected M s K oh own jo y in the b irth o f her son despite being in great difficulty.
consciousness of the viewers,” she said. As it turned out, Brother McNally suggested she make a proposal for the new SJI chapel. It was the start of a new chapter in Ms Koh’s life. To be sure, life was still hard. She took on the massive project single-handedly. Her days were spent in her wretched garbage dump studio, crawling over the huge panes of glass, cutting and soldering. Her nights were spent designing as her baby slept nearby - a constant reminder of why she had to persevere. Exhausted and stretched to her limits, sometimes she would break down and cry. Her first big project - the centre panel of stained glass featuring the Nativity for the SJI chapel - was a breakthrough for her business although it barely broke even financially. She was commissioned to do two more panels for the chapel. From then on, word of mouth worked its miracles. Work started flowing in. She moved to a bigger studio and hired a prisoner on a rehabilitation programme to help her. Her business grew.
“SJI is very special for me,’’says Ms Koh. “Everytime I pass by the chapel or share with others about the project, my thoughts go back to the La Salle Brothers whose way o f handling the whole project, and whose kind words and respect for me at a time when my self-esteem was shattered, made it possible for me to be free and creative. “They have a way to bring out the best in me and it is reflected in the murals. “The SJI experience also influence the way I deal with young, struggling women, especially the single mothers. “I share with them my experiences with the hope that they too will be strong and not take the easy way out of hardship, but turn to God and walk close to him. “If you look carefully at the three murals in the chapel - Nativity/ Sacrificial Lamb; Last Supper/Jesus Crucified; and Baptism/Temptation you will see a small part of my life experiences there. “Joy of birth of my son amidst a very difficult situation of joblessness and poverty; grief of feeling abandoned by my spouse to whom I gave and gave till I did not know what to give any more and my cries to God for an answer; and asking God for signs of which way to go regarding commitment to a faith.” □
14
Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003 □ CatholicNews
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MOVIE REVIEW
Rugrats G o W ild
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By David DiCerto
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'UST after the start o f interleague baseball, here’s interleague cartoons: “Rugrats Go Wild” (Paramount), the third film in the franchise, is a fun-filled animated adventure bringing together for the first time tw o o f N ickelodeon’s most popular kids TV series, “Rugrats” and “The Wild Thornberrys.” Directed by Norton Virgien and John Eng, and promoting a positive fam ily-values m essage, this delightful cross-pollinating romp should prove satisfying for young fans o f both shows, while written smartly enough to keep parental snoring to a minimum. D espite the larger format, the film retains much o f series’ smallscreen charm, keeping the focus on the zany tykes, including bossy A ngelica (voiced by Cheryl Chase), timid Chuckie (voiced by Nancy Cartwright) and Tommy (voiced by E.G. D aily), an adventurous toddler with “a diaper full o f dreams.” Bruce W illis lends his gravel-toned pipes to Spike, their faithful dog,
transforming the milquetoast mutt into a pooch with pizzazz. As expected, the Rugrats find themselves in quite a pickle when Tommy’s dad - appropriately named Stu Pickles (voiced by Jack Riley) - books the gang aboard a rickety vessel called the S.S. Nancy. Faced with walking the plank, Stu explains that their originally planned cruise aboard an ocean liner would have offered far too many distractions from the vacation’s intended purpose: to spend quality time together. Barely out o f port, they hit the
mother o f all storms and find them selves marooned on a deserted, “dogforsaken” island. However, the Sw iss family Pickles soon discover that they are not alone. Further up the beach, the famous naturedocumentarian family, the Thornberrys, has set up camp. The Thomberry clan, including intrepid explorer Sir N igel (voiced by Tim Curry), his angst-ridden teen-age daughter Debbie (voiced by Danielle Harris) and wild boy Donnie (voiced by Flea), are currently tracking down a rare and
VATICAN CITY - Vatican Radio has given “The Matrix Revolutions” a thumbs down, saying the film represents a superficial commercialization o f Christian ideas and symbols. The m ovie, which com pletes the Matrix trilogy, engages in open looting o f the Christian story, the radio said in a review Nov. 10. For exam ple, toward the end o f the film the m essianic hero - N eo - stands against a cross and appears to turn into a Christlike figure. But N eo attains salvation for the human race “not with the heroism o f the Beatitudes, but with the labor
oTn H em s’
elusive white leopard (voiced by Chrissie Hynde o f the Pretenders). In true “Rugrats” fashion, the mischievous mites and their “Wild” playmates get themselves lost and in hot water in the island’s treacherous jungle interior. Back on the beach, the grown-ups are worried sick and ripe for epiphanies about the importance o f family and parenting mea culpas. But in order for the castaways to find their way back home, they must learn to work together - and quick, before the prowling leopard makes these TV favorites into TV dinners. W hile obviously targeted at younger audiences, the film m oves along at a good pace and packs enough o f a satirical punch to allow parents to leave the N oD oz pills at home. And whereas fans o f the highly successful TV shows w ill have fun watching their favorite little rascals on the big screen, older viewers along for the ride should get a kick out o f the many cinematic references peppered throughout. Besides the obvious allusion to “G illigan’s Island,” the film subtly spoofs “Titanic,” “Cast Away,” “The Perfect Storm,” “The Poseidon Adventure” and “Planet o f the A pes,” not to mention paying clever homage to a famous “I Love Lucy” skit. And while the animation is not in the same sandbox as Disney, the quirky, less polished artwork lends itself w ell to the characters’ edgy, oddball personalities. In addition to imparting a strong m essage about the importance o f fam ilies spending time together, the film also promotes a healthy respect for nature. □ The Office fo r Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ classification is A-I - general patronage.
and blood o f whirling and violent duels, in the oriental style so popular in today’s cinema,” it said. His sacrifice “has nothing to do with Golgotha and with the Christian path o f redemption,” it said. The film plunders Christian traditions in the most shallow way, using them “in a direction opposite that o f the original, in order to com m ercialize them,” it said. Vatican Radio said “The Matrix Revolutions” combines moments o f post-modern m ysticism with stupefying violence. “Here once again, N ew A ge and Christianity have a chance to meet, but it’s not clear for whose benefit and in the respect o f which culture,” it said. The O ffice for Film & Broadcasting o f the U .S. Conference o f Catholic Bishops has classified the film A-IV - adults, with reservations - due to its violence and recurring profanity.
Here is the Catholic Bestsellers List for Novem ber 2003, according to the Catholic Book Publishers A ssociation.
Hardcover 1. “ John Paul II: A Light for the World.” Mary Ann Walsh (Sheed & Ward) 2. “ Therese: The Saint Who Loved Us.” Arthur Cavanaugh (Paulist) 3. “ The Poetry o f John Paul II.” John Paul II (USCCB Publishing) 4. “ The Holy Longing.” Ronald Rolheiser (Doubleday) 5. “ Catechism o f the Catholic Church” G ift Edition. (Doubleday and Our Sunday Visitor) 6. “ An American Conversion.” Deal Hudson (Crossroad) 7. “ A Stranger for Christmas.” Carol Lynn Pearson (Loyola) 8. “ Butler’s Lives o f the Saints Concise Ed.” Paul Bums (Liturgical Press) 9. “ Dear Papa.” Richard & Virginia Klein (Liguori) 10. “ Heroic Leadership.” Chris Lowney (Loyola)
Paperback 1. “ Catechism o f the Catholic Church.” (Doubleday, Our Sunday Visitor and USCCB) 2. “ Waiting in Joyful Hope.” Mark G. Boyer (Liturgical Press) 3. “ General Instruction o f the Roman Missal.” (USCCB) 4. “ Return o f the Prodigal Son.” Henri J.M. Nouwen (Crossroad) 5. “ In the Name o f Jesus.” Henri J.M. Nouwen (Crossroad) 6. “ Through the Year With Padre Pio.” Patricia Treece (Servant/ St. Anthony Messenger) 7. “ Prayers for Catechists.” (Liturgy Training Publications) 8. “ Life o f the Beloved.” Henri J.M. Nouwen (Crossroad) 9. “ Essential Moral Handbook.” O ’Neil & Black (Liguori) 10. “ Winter.” Schmidt & Felch (SkyLight Paths)
Children and Young People 1. “ M y Rosary Coloring Book.” Virginia Helen Richards (Pauline) 2. “ Tear Soup.” Schwiebert & DeKlyen (ACTA/Grief Watch) 3. “ Handbook for Today’s Catholic Children.” Francine O’Connor (Liguori) 4. “ Making Things Right.” Jeannine Timko Leichner (Our Sunday Visitor) 5. “ Father McBride’s Teen Catechism.” Alfred McBride (Our Sunday Visitor) 6. “ Let’s Go to Mass.” Aileen Urquhart (Liguori) 7. “ The Holy Mass Coloring Book.” Ancilla Christine Hirsch (Pauline) 8. “ Praying in the Presence o f Our Lord for Children.” Antoine Thomas (Our Sunday Visitor) 9. “ M y Guardian Angel Coloring Book.” D. Thomas Halpin (Pauline) 10. “ M y First Bible.” Ettorina Ottaviani (Pauline)
15
CatholicNews □ Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003
Bulletin of the Family Life Society, Archdiocese of Singapore
F ro m
th e E
w ill given to us b y G od. H ow are w e to exercise o u r choices
D
freely and responsibly? We can d o th is by decid ing , today, on a path to personal holiness (N ovo M illennio Ineunte by
D ear Frie nd s o f F am ily Life, T h e re c e n tly -c o n c lu d e d A sia -P a c ific C o n g re ss on Love, Life a nd th e Fam ily w ith th e th e m e , “ Love is th e R eason”
Pope Jo hn Paul II), reading, learning and p ra c tic in g m ore o f o u r C a th o lic fa ith in o u r d aily living. T h e B ible, th e te a c h in g s o f th e C hu rch th ro u g h th e c e n tu rie s in th e
is like a breath o f fresh, life -g ivin g air in a w o rld tu rn in g
M a giste riu m and th e w ritin g s o f th e P opes have provid e d
a w a y fro m G o d and th e fam ily, a w o rld b e co m in g in c re a s in g ly e ro ticise d b y se x a nd inse n sitive b eca u se o f large d o s e s o f viole n ce. J u s t s to p and th in k fo r a m inu te a b o u t th e c u rre n t fo rc e s tryin g to u n d e rm in e o u r love fo r G o d a nd th e sacred in s titu tio n o f th e fa m ily: p rom iscu ity, a b o rtio n (in S ing a p ore , one ch ild is a b o rte d fo r every fo u r
fo r us a tru ly inva lu ab le legacy. P assionate, e d u c a te d C a th o lics w ill b e a s tro n g fo rtre s s a g a in st th e snares o f
E u c h a r is t ic
th e w o rld , d e fe n d in g o u r fa ith and help ing to s tre n g th e n
in h o n o u r o f
fam ilie s, b u ild in g in th e p ro c e s s a b e tte r s o c ie ty based on hum an v irtu e s fo r us and o u r c h ild ren .
O u r L a d y o f G u a d a lu p e -
Thank you to all the speakers fro m th e USA, Philippines,
live births), sam e-sex m arriage (legalised in the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada), increasing num bers o f divo rce s and
A
A ustralia and Singapore, th e local and overseas delegates
P r o t e c t r e s s o f tik e U n b o r n
and particip a nts, th e M inistry o f C o m m u n ity D evelopm ent
se p a ra tio n s (again, one in fo u r m a rria g es in S ing a p ore s a d ly e nd s up like th is, w ith ch ild ren th e m o st e m otio n a lly affected fo r th e rest o f th e ir lives), contraception, euthanasia,
fo r th e ir s u p p o rt o f a c o m m o n cause, o u r A rc h b is h o p N icholas Chia, priests and religious, and to all w ho su p p o rt
D A T E
us in o n e w a y o r a n o th e r in s p rea d ing th e G ospel o f Life,
e m b ry o n ic ste m -c e ll research, se x and v io le n ce in th e
Love and th e Family.
m edia, and d e te rio ra tin g fe rtility rates, a m o n g s t o th e r
Ja m e s W ong
th in g s . We are called to love chastely, and to treasure th e free
E xe cu tive D ire cto r
12 Dec 2
F
V E
The W o n d e r c ofThe r a m i l y By Rev, Thom as J. E u te ne ue r P re sid e n t, H um an L ife In te rn a tio n a l and a sp e a k e r a t th e re c e n t 1 0 th HLI A s ia -P a c ific C ongress on Love, L ife and th e Fam ily. T h e 10th H um an Life In te rn a tion a l A s ia -P a c ific C on g re ss
e xtre m e ly v ig ila n t in th e m o d e rn c u ltu re to shie ld th e ir
on Love, Life and th e Fam ily b ro u g h t m e to S ing a p ore th is
m a rria g es and k id s fro m th e in tru s io n o f th e m e d ia into
p a s t w ee k, and I am so b le ssed to have s p e n t th is tim e in
o u r h om e s and th e b ra in w a s h in g w ith se cu la r valu e s th a t
th e c o m p a n y o f so m a ny love rs o f life a nd fam ily.
re sults.
From a w e s te rn e r’s p o in t o f view, it is c le a r to m e th a t
Secondly, heal broken relationships, p ast and present.
so m any a tta cks on th e fa m ily are e m anating fro m th e w est
Families are natural institutions m ade up o f fallible individuals
in th e fo rm o f h ed onism d ressed up as fa n cy lifestyles, and
w h o m u st g lu e th e ir re la tio n s h ip s to g e th e r w ith g enerous
S ingapore has n ot been spared th e ravages o f th o se attacks.
dose s o f forgiveness. The Lord o f life w ill assist us in every
F o rty years ago th e Singaporean b irthra te w as 3.0 children
a tte m p t to heal and re co n cile w ith fa m ily m e m be rs, and
per fam ily; to d a y it is an all-tim e low 1.38 children per family.
th e net re sult w ill be a g rea ter s o lid a rity w ith th o s e w h o m
St Josep 143 Vi m
Church
L
M
R o s a r y a t 5 .3 0 p m M ass at 6pm
Special blessing fo r pregnant mothers and their spouses Service (tel: 6339 9770) Family Life Society
G o d h as g iven us.
The re ality o f su ch a lo w b irth ra te h as p o te n tia lly
Thirdly, be generous in all a s p e c ts o f fa m ily life, and
d eva statin g lo n g -te rm co n se q u e n ce s fo r y o u r country, and th e g o v e rn m e n t is s e rio u sly w o rrie d a b o u t it.
th a t g en e ro sity w ill n ullify th e se lfish n e ss o f th e co n su m e r
P ro gra m s to p ay p e o p le to have b a b ie s o r g ive th e m ta x
cu ltu re in w h ic h w e live. S p o use s m u st be o pen to th e life
N E W V E N U E F O R C H O IC E
in ce n tive s fo r m ore ch ild re n are n o t w o rk in g b eca u se th e y
th a t G od gives th e m w h ic h e ssen tia lly m eans bein g open
A fte r 22 years, C h o ic e is fin ally g e ttin g its o w n retreat
d o n o t a d d re ss th e ro o t ca use o f th e b irth d e clin e: th e
to having m ore child ren ! I re m e m b e r th e tim e in th e 60s
hou se a t 47 J u ro n g W est, S tre e t 42.
m e n ta lity o f se lfish n e ss th a t co m e s w ith b irth co n tro l,
w he n m y pare n ts had ju s t had th e ir s ix th c h ild and heard
W h a t w a s fo rm e rly th e Franciscan R etreat C entre
a b o rtio n and co n su m e rism . This is w h a t w e co m m o n ly call
on th e new s a b o u t a fa m ily o f six boys w h o se parents had
has been rena m e d C h o ic e R etreat H ouse and w ill be
th e “ a n ti-life ” m entality.
ju s t d ie d in a c a r a c c id e n t. Believe it o r n ot m y pare n ts
th e n ew ve nu e fo r C h o ic e w e e k e n d retreats.
ca lle d to see if th e y co u ld a d o p t th e six b oys! T h a t is th e
T here is o n ly o n e w a y to really a dd re ss th is p rob le m , and it c a n n o t be d o n e ju s t th ro u g h g o ve rn m e n t program s.
kind o f g e n e ro s ity th a t p ays you b a c k in o ld age.
It m u st be d one one heart, one person, one fa m ily at a tim e:
Finally, keep Christ at the center o f y o u r fa m ily like
it is th e fo rm a tio n o f a no the r m entality, th a t o f o pe n n ess to
Jo se p h and M ary d id . Teach y o u r kid s to tu rn to H im w h o
S ince 1981, th e C ho ice w ee ke n d - an e nrich m e nt p ro g ra m m e fo r yo u n g a d u lts to d is c o v e r s e lf and th e im p o rta n c e o f fa m ily re la tio n ship , w a s c o n d u c te d at th e M arria g e E n c o u n te r H ou se a t P o n gg o l R oad.
life. In tru th , th e C h u rc h ’s te a ch in g s on love, life a nd th e
is th e s o u rc e o f all healing, love, g e n e ro s ity a nd strength,
fa m ily are th e a n ti-d o te fo r all th e w o rld ’s ills. If I w ere to
our jo y and our help in tim es o f need. He w ill never abandon
u p g ra d in g , C h o ic e also had to re locate its o p e ra tio n s
d is till all th e C h u rc h ’s m arria g e and fa m ily te a c h in g s into
pare n ts w h o s tru g g le to raise a large fam ily, n o r w ill He be
and w a s g iven th e re tre at hou se in Ju ron g to run its
a fe w b a s ic p re c e p ts fo r th e c o m m o n m an I w o u ld boil
d e a f to th e cries o f any o f His b roth ers and siste rs in crisis.
w ee ke n d retreats.
The new Choice Retreat House at 47 Jurong West, Street 42.
th a t yo u have sh ow n m e th is w eek. I w ill pray th a t you w ill
hou se b o a s ts 20 a ir-c o n d itio n e d ro o m s and can
The next Choice weekend w ill be held on 19 - 21 December 2003.
Th a n k you, S ing a p ore a n s fo r th e w on d e rfu l h o sp ita lity
th e m d o w n to fo u r: First, defend th e sa cred in s titu tio n o f th e fa m ily fro m
W hen th e M arria g e E n c o u n te r H ou se clo s e d fo r
Nestled am idst a tropical garden setting, th e retreat
all atta cks, cultural and spiritual. This is n ot easy in societies
b e co m e m issio n arie s o f life and th e fa m ily in y o u r o w n
a c c o m m o d a te betw e e n 40 to 100 people. It also has
To register, e-mail: choicewk@singnet.com.sg
th a t b o th n orm a lize and legalise all fo rm s o f a tta c k on th e
s o c ie ty to re bu ild th e fa m ily and invite C h ris t to be y o u r
a d in in g hall, an a ir-c o n d itio n e d c a rp e te d co nfe ren ce
o r call Terence & Stephanie Ho: 9695 6599 or
sacred ins titu tio n s o f m arriage and fam ily. Parents m u st be
healing, s tre n g th and hope.
hall and a kitch en . B e sides C ho ice , th e ve nu e is also availa ble fo r
F L S & A F F IL IA T E A C T IV IT IE S
other groups to run th e ir ow n activities such as retreats, c o n firm a tio n c a m p s and m e etin g s.
Victor & Annabelle Ong: 9105 9921. For Choice Retreat House Bookings, call 6567 9771.
Marriage Encounter Weekend 5 - 7 December 2003
Joyful Parenting - Catholic Moms Support Group Meetings
A w e e k e n d m a rria g e e n rich m e n t p rog ra m fo r co u p le s to
T h e m o n th ly p raye r m e e tin g s and s u p p o rt g ro u p is o pen
dee p e n th e ir re la tio n ship . Tel: 6 289 5349
to all C a th o lic m o th e rs.
UPDATE ON NATURAL FAMILYPLANNING
Legal Aid 1 December 2003, Monday
The to p ic fo r d is c u s s io n fo r th is m o n th ’s m e etin g is
Free legal co u n se l on fa m ily related issue s g iven b y
V o lu n te e rs fro m N atural Fam ily P lanning (NFP) re c e n tly had th e
“Religious Customs In The Family”.
pleasure o f m eeting Joan C lem ents, an experienced Billings M ethod
*
30 N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 3 ,1 1 ,45am to 1 2.4 5p m at
te a c h e r o f 20 years. M rs C le m e nts, w h o w a s in S in g a p o re as a
C h u rch o f th e H oly C ross (St M a tth e w R oom ).
speaker fo r th e 10th Hum an Life International A sia-Pacific Congress,
Tel: 9 022 7652
also c o n d u c te d a tra in in g w o rk s h o p to u p d a te th e s k ills and
e x p e rie n c e d law yers. From 7 p m to 9 p m a t F am ily Life Society, 2 H ig h la n d R oad. No a p p o in tm e n t required.
Choice Weekend 19 - 21 December 2003 A w e e k e n d p ro g ra m fo r sing le a d u lts to d is c o v e r s e lf and th e im p o rta n c e o f fa m ily rela tio n ship s. Tel: 9 307 7 7 5 2 /9 6 7 1 0767
*
7 D e ce m b e r 2003, 4 .30 p m to 5 .3 0 p m at C hu rch o f C h ris t th e K ing (Rm 109) Tel: 9271 3 335
kn o w le d g e o f so m e 30 NFP te a c h e rs and re pre se n ta tives fro m E ngaged E n c o u n te r and ALIFE. The te a c h e rs w ere u p d a te d on th e a p p ro a c h used to te a c h learner c o u p le s a nd w ere p ro vid e d w ith c u rre n t te a c h in g a id s and references. The B illing s M e th o d , d e v e lo p e d b y Drs J o h n and Evelyn B illings,
Contact us or visit our website Family Life Society Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre 2 H ig h la n d R oad, # LG -0 1, S in g a p o re 549102 Tel: 6 48 8 0 278 w w w .fa m ilylife .o rg .sg
From left: Elizabeth Cheah, Joan Clements and Dr Ian Snodgrass o f NFP.
Our Programmes and Affiliates:
is a safe and e ffe c tiv e m e th o d o f natural fa m ily pla n n in g , w ith o u t th e use o f d ru g s o r d evice s. This m e th o d
Family and Marital Counselling; Pregnancy C risis Service; Youth
o f fa m ily pla n n in g , w h ic h p ro m o te s re s p e c t fo r sp ou se s, also b u ild s c o u p le re la tio n ship s.
Life-Line; Joyful Parenting; C atholic Legal Aid; Celebration o f Life;
In S ing a p ore , m ore than 20 NFP te a c h e rs give fre e c o n s u lta tio n se s s io n s on natural fa m ily plan n in g to
M arriage E ncounter; E ngaged E ncounter; C ou p les fo r C hrist;
c o u p le s w h o are intere sted , on a w e e k ly b a s is at several c h u rc h e s a round S ingapore.
M arriage P reparation C ourse; N atural Fam ily P lanning; H ope,
For inform ation on the availability o f NFP consultation sessions, please call 6357 7400 o r log on to www.fam ilylife.org.sg/about/NFP/Natural Family Planning.htm.
Retrouvaille and Choice.
Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003 □ CatholicNews
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ItoJhyijar ■ E IJ 1 J -U M .1
T h e w isd o m o f th e o ld ta b o o s SOMETIMES it’s helpful to imagine you ’re a strip o f litmus paper and then analyse the colours you turn as you fall into the various acids o f life and religion. I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, a time both o f great stability and mind-boggling change. I had some things that helped keep me steady, wonderful parents and a strong faith community. My parents were immigrants, honest, hard-working Roman Catholics, with a deep faith. More than that, my dad was one of the most moral men I’ve ever met and my mother was generous and soft-hearted to a fault. Not bad for luck. By temperament they were both conservative, with an immigrants’ fear o f change, the world, the dangers out there. They liked things safe, solid, to be known in their consequences before they were tried. And they wanted us, their kids, to play it safe too, to venture away from home only when w e knew w e could find our way back again. They had faith in the old taboos: always be careful about your friends, your morals, your religion, your soul. Be careful too about sex. Partly this was fear; partly it was wisdom, deep wisdom that more parents ought to impart to their children. The old taboos contain not just the fears o f past generations, but the wisdom and experience o f those generations as well. In essence, what they say is that naive freedom can be dangerous, there are lots o f places you can get lost, where your mind can snap, your heart can break, you can lose yourself, and, as Iris Murdoch says, get into a muddle and never get out. There’s wisdom in that old advice: only venture as far from home as your soul can safely handle. I’m grateful that my parents started me out on such conservative footing. It gave m e the foundation I needed from which to build. When I began to study literature, philosophy, and theology, I fo u n d m y s e lf in ev e r m ore lib era l classroom s. I ’m grateful for that. M y parents gave me both wisdom and fear, and those classrooms helped free me from som e o f the fear. But it w a sn ’t w ithou t struggle: I remained my parents’ son and didn’t take to new ideas easily, but great teachers, By Fr R onald caring colleagues, wonderful friends, and R olheiser the experience o f ministry stretched my horizons against my early training, taking me, som etim es, a long way from the religious home o f my parents: immigrant Catholicism, the Baltimore Catechism, Catholic devotions, distrust o f other faiths, uncritical obedience to the letter o f the law, fear o f what’s outside m y circle. Today I’m pretty comfortable in many circles. I move with ease among Protestants and Evangelicals. I’m comfortable there, in their churches, with their prayer, their faith, their friendship. I’m growing more comfortable too with Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Native religions, even secular religion. I’m not always fully at home here, but there are aspects in all o f these faiths and cultures where I’m at home and from where I can travel easily back and forth to my own religious home. I’m not sure any more whether I’m liberal or conservative. A younger ecclesial set som etim es sees me as a (burned-out) liberal. They may be right on the “burned-out” part, but my liberal friends distrust me almost as much; they know me too w ell, and are even more suspicious now because I spend time in Rome. Liberal or conservative, it doesn’t matter, I’ve a decent comfort zone on both sides o f that ideological fault line. Much o f that is because o f my conservative roots. Because o f them I can be more free. Like everyone else, o f course, I’m still struggling to be free and creative. We never quite get there. Many o f the old taboos still have their hold on me. And I’m grateful for that too. I may be more uptight than I should be, but, on the positive side, I can still find my way home from almost any place and I can find a home almost any place in the world and inside almost any church, faith, or culture. Sometim es when I’m in Rome, I pack a lunch, walk down to St Peter’s Square, sit in the shade o f one o f its pillars, and watch people from all over the world snap photos and eat Italian ice-cream. I look across the square and see lights on inside the papal apartment and suspect that an ageing pope is sitting at his desk right now with his sleeves rolled up, over strong peasant arms, and is penning some encyclical or church ordinance, parts o f which w ill no doubt irritate me. N o matter. I’m home. It could be my dad writing that piece. Like my dad, the pope knows the value o f the old taboos, even if sometimes they express fear along with wisdom. I’m at home in Rome, just as I am with m y Protestant friends. I thank my parents for that. Conservatism is a good place to start from. □
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Sunday, N ovem ber 23, Christ the King Daniel 7:13-14; Psalm 93:1-2,5; Revelation 1:5-8; John 18:33-37
Jesus is our true king “Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.” IT’S the end o f the month, and the rent is due. Suddenly, you hear a loud knock at the door and a voice shouting, “This is the landlord, and I want my money!” You look out the window and see it’s not really your landlord. This isn’t the person who takes care o f your home. You don’t ow e this fellow anything at all! When Jesus said that his kingdom is not o f this world, he made it clear that the citizens o f his kingdom - you and I - don’t have to hand over any part o f our lives to the false claim s o f the kingdom o f this world. Often, however, w e cringe in fear of the “false landlord” who wants to rob us. And the o n ly w ay out o f this fear is through greater allegiance to our true King, Jesus. How can w e get to know our true King better? B y living in the truth and by stepping out into this world knowing that w e belong to another world. W hen he died on the cross, Jesus brought a whole new reality into the world: the joy o f being citizens o f heaven and coheirs, o f the kingdom of God. Now, each o f us is called to witness to the
lo v e that is freely offered to everyone w ho takes Jesus as their King. Jesus is coming again in the fullness o f his kingdom, and he has sent his Spirit to help us prepare the world for his return. When we speak up for the gospel or care for those who are hurting, we are making the world ready. A smile and a hello, a word of encouragement from the gospel, an expectant promise o f prayers o f intercession-actions like these can reveal the truth of God’s love to the people around us. The H oly Spirit wants to work through every one o f us to bring the world closer to the kingdom that Jesus inaugurated by his death and resurrection. A s w e pray, “Thy kingdom com e, Thy w ill be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” we join with Jesus to usher in and reveal the realm for which all o f us were bom. □ “ Jesus, my K in g , show me how I can help b rin g y o u r kingdom into this w o rld more fu lly . You are the tru th that makes life complete. L e t me be a witness to this tru th ."
C H R IST E N T H R O N E D is depicted in an icon a t St. M a ro n ’s C hurch in M inneapolis, M in n . The fe a s t o f C h ris t the K in g , honours C h rist's sovereignty over a ll persons, fa m ilie s , nations and the universe.
Sunday Novem ber 30 Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2; Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36
Be prepared y o u r lib era tio n is n ea r a t h a n d ” ONE day, while tending to his garden, St Francis o f A ssisi was asked, “If Jesus were to return to earth today, what would you do?” Without pause, Francis replied sim ply, “I w ould continue my gardening.” D o you think you would be so calm if you found out that Jesus was com ing to visit you after Mass today? Or would you scramble to get your life, duties, morals and relationships in order? Or m aybe you w ould at least clean your hom e! W ouldn’t it be a relief to feel confident enough, like Francis, to carry on your regular Sunday routine without interruption? Today begins the season o f Advent, a time when we are encouraged to prepare for Jesus’ com ing, both as a baby at Christmas and as the glorious Lord at the Second C om ing. A ccording to the Catechism o f the Catholic Church, “W hen the Church celebrates the liturgy o f Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy o f the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Saviour’s first com ing, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his Second Coming” (CCC, 524). Today’s Gospel reading may seem to stand in sharp contrast to the sense o f hope and expectancy
Advent: By sharing in the preparation forJesus’ first coming, we renew our desire for his Second Coming we are called to have as w e prepare for Christmas. But the heart o f Jesus’ m essage here is not gloom and d o o m . In stea d , the m e ssa g e is , “Your redemption is at hand” (Luke 21:28). Jesus wants us to be always ready to m eet him! W hile today’s readings may be a warning to the unprepared, those who are alert and strive to stay close to Jesus have nothing to fear. God is for us, not against us! Just remember that being prepared doesn’t mean being perfect, just humble and trusting enough, to welcom e Jesus into our daily lives. May w e all be open to receive the blessings he has for us this Advent season! □ “ Jesus, I eagerly a w a it yo u r a rriv a l in my life not only a t Christm as and at y o u r Second Com ing but rig h t now - today! M a rana th a l L o rd Jesus!”
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CatholicNews □ Sundays November 23 and November 30,2003
y ie v y p e in te C a th o lic N e w s Fortnightly newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore Managing Editor Fr Johnson Fernandez Staff correspondent Ms. M el D iam se-Lee Layout: Ms. Elaine Ong Consultant: Mr Francis Yeo TO CONTACT US Editorial Email: cnedit@catholic.org.sg Please include your full name, address and telephone number. Advertisements: Ms. Elaine Ong Email: elong@catholic.org.sg In Memoriam:Ms. Susan Lim Email: suslim@catholic.org.sg Subscriptions: Richard Paul Email: rpaul@catholic.org.sg
CN should carry more articles on Catholic schools THANK you for publishing my letter about Canossa Convent having been awarded the Sustained Achievem ent Awards (Physical Fitness) for the second time. When I was posted to Canossa Convent Primary, I realised that in many o f our Catholic schools, Catholics make up the minority o f our pupils. I began to ask friends and acquaintances where their children were being educated. To my surprise, many had placed their children in nonCatholic schools and reasons
cited include a preference for Chinese-speaking environment and a strong emphasis on academic achievement. Through my discussions, I realised that many were unaware o f the excellent academic and cocurricular programmes, the good PSLE results and the many awards attained by Catholic schools, and a few seemed to feel that our Catholic schools were not as rigorous as government schools! Thus I was very pleased to see that Catholic N ew s has begun to address this lack o f awareness with articles
Address:
The Catholic News Office 2 Highland Road #01-02 Singapore 549102. Telephone: 6858-3055
T h e d e v il’s m issio n THERE is a lot o f truth in what Mr Moti Vaswani said in his letter, The D evil is “good” (CN N ov 9 and 16). Doubtless, everyone of us is distracted when we pray and I agree with the importance of giving our full concentration to it. This is because prayers are most essential to us. They are our only means o f communication with God where we tell him we love him, seek his forgiveness for our sins and ask for the grace to be Christ-like and the strength to battle our daily problems. They are our way to salvation. The devil knows this and is not happy. That is why he is hell-bent on cutting off this line o f communication by putting all sorts o f distractions in our minds when we pray. It is part o f his evil scheme o f things. His sole mission is the ruin o f souls. God has given us the Ten Commandments to guide us along the long and narrow road. But the devil wants us to break every one o f them. Every minute o f the day, he tempts us by saying, why bother? Explore the by-ways. D o all the forbidden things you want to do. It’s all right. D on’t be oldfashioned. It’s more fun and exciting. Enjoy yourselves. The struggle against the devil is a constant and arduous one. But w e can overcom e him, with divine assistance. We will get it by praying and fully concentrating on what w e say. As James advises in 4:7-8, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” It is sound advice to follow, and damn the devil!
Anthony Oei Singapore 575146
“O n e o f th e g re a te st co n trib u tio n s o u r ed u c a tio n a l fa c ilitie s , a n d a ll C a th o lic in stitu tio n s, ca n o ffer so c ie ty to d a y is th e ir u n co m p ro m isin g C a th o lic ity .” - Pope John Paul II
E u ch a ristic a d o ra tio n fo r v o ca tio n s SOMETIMES an idea is so simple it is just brilliant. The Circle o f Prayer recently got a request to help promote a campaign for an increase in worldwide vocations. A website in the U S has launched a great idea - Eucharistic Adoration for Vocations all over the world. By Christmas 2003 they hope to present the pope with 100,000 hours o f Eucharistic Adoration dedicated specifically for vocations. The worldwide effort has already attracted registered adorers from the United States, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Germany, Venezuela, Austria, Singapore, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, N ew Zealand, Slovakia, Uruguay, Ireland and Swaziland. It’s easy to sign up - just go to www.vocation.com and complete the form. But perhaps you might think about helping out too. It’s really very simple! Here in Galway City we have a Perpetual Adoration Chapel and I know many o f the Adorers don’t have computers or internet access. So a poster and some forms were printed and left in the Chapel. Within just 4 days w e had over 100 dedicated Holy Hours for vocations. The Circle o f Prayer website (www.circleofprayer.com) is visited by folk from all over the world who have internet access, but I’m sure there are people spending time in Adoration Chapels or times o f Eucharistic Adoration in hundreds of thousands o f parishes worldwide who don’t have computers or internet access. So, in order to harness this powerful medium to the very best o f outcomes, we
have placed both a poster and a form on plain pages to allow folk to print them off and display them in their own areas where Eucharistic Adoration takes place. A ll it needs is a date, time, signature and location every time someone dedicates their Holy Hour for vocations. The form has a returning address on the bottom and the folk at Vocation.com have set Decem ber 20 as the deadline for this campaign, in order to be able to get everything together and presented to the pope or sent to Rome in time for Christmas. If any o f you reading this would like to promote Eucharistic Adoration for Vocations in your own area just print off the posters and as many forms as you need, available from the Circle of Prayer link above, suggest the campaign to your Parish Priest and ask if you can leave them in your churches or Adoration Chapels. You must be responsible for their collection as our priests have so much to do without adding to their workload. You can either email vocation.com your list o f Adorers, their times and their location, or post the completed forms back to the US using the mailing address on the bottom o f the form, but please allow for postage delays during the Christmas period. This initiative is one which w ill run long after Christmas, I think, and once started there may be no stopping it. But like all good ideas, from tiny seeds do great things grow.
Mary Mullins Galway
such as that on the Sustained A chievem ent Awards won by our schools. May I suggest that future issues o f Catholic N ew s also carry articles about our schools, their achievem ents and programmes? This would be very useful to parents especially in the Jan and Jun period when they begin to think about registering their 6 year old in the 2004 Primary 1 Registration Exercise. I would be more than pleased to contribute an article on Canossa Convent Primary.
Once again, I would like to invite you to our Open House on Friday, N ov 14. We would be m ost pleased to have you present, and to show you the school, tell you a little about our programmes and to explore ways in which w e can work with the church to provide a conducive educational environment for our children to grow up in.
Christina Teo Vice-Principal, Canossa Convent Singapore
D ivine providence provides all our needs THE article “Thanksgiving Mass for Blessed Mother Teresa” (CN N ov 9 and 16) reported that a CD o f songs dedicated to Mother Teresa was put on sale at the Thanksgiving Mass in St A nne’s Church for the beatification of Mother Teresa October 28. The report stated that the proceeds of the CD on sale would go to the projects o f the Missonaries of Charity congregation I wish to clarify that we the MC do not accept or give consent for any organization or person to
N ow I realise dam age done to our children I COMPLIMENT Brother Collin Wee on his constructive article, ‘If your marriage fails, what you can do to protect your children’s emotions’(CN Nov 9 and 16). The words he used were very simple and down to earth. It is common for married persons to quarrel and fight. I have been married for 22 years and have a 20 year old son and 14 year old daughter. My wife and I have had numerous quarrels At times the verbal exchange got so heated the words “let’s divorce” would be said. We did not realise how badly these quarrels affected our kids. They kept their emotions to themselves and cried in their rooms. Six years ago, soon after my mother died, I lost my well-paid job and a beautiful landed property and incurred other liabilities because o f a jealous colleague. My wife and I had countless quarrels due to these problems and we were thinking o f going our separate ways. As I could not settle the liabilities, we had to put our apartment for sale. N o one helped me to resolve the monetary problems. Eventually, out o f desperation, I
raise funds or put on sale anything about our Mother and Society. We depend on divine providence for all our needs. Mother Teresa has taught us to depend entirely on divine providence. He will never let us down. We have experienced beautiful examples o f Jesus’ tender love and care. We continue to place our trust in him.
Sr Andrianne, me Superior, M issionaries o f Charity Singapore
turned to God for forgiveness, help and mercy. I prayed very intensely and one w eek before I was to be sued for bankruptcy, God came to me in m y sleep and guided me. I follow ed the path he showed me, and persevered through all obstacles. The liabilities were eventually resolved through a compromise with my creditor and I did not have to sell our apartment. We are always aiming for personal goals so much so that we neglect God and take him for granted. We only turn to him in times o f trouble. I recently resigned as a building consultant due to health problems. Because o f overwork which resulted in depression, stress and anxieties, I lost my memory during a Mass in St Francis Xavier’s Church. I had to undergo psychiatric treatment and take medication to regain my memory. I thank God that I regained my memory within one month. My w ife and I had quarrel after quarrel due to the problems. After reading Brother Collin W ee’s article, I realise the serious em otional impact w e inflicted upon our children when they see their parents quarrel and the word “divorce” com e out from either mouth.
Michael Singapore
Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003 □ CatholicNews
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Reminiscences on F a t t ie r P a u l
O’Malley Jones CSsR Fr Paul O’Malley Jones died in Australia Oct 23, 2003. Fr Paul Pang CSsR,who was persuaded to become a Catholic and a Redemptorist by Fr Paul O’Malley Jones, writes this eulogy. O
N F ebruary 2 6 , 1 9 5 4 , tw o yo u n g R edem ptorists, Father Paul O ’M alley Jones, aged 26, and Brother Bernard Heaney, aged 25, arrived from Perth, Australia on the SS Gorgon. As they stepped ashore onto Singapore soil, they were met by Father Gerald Joyce and Father Gregory Dobson. S eein g these tw o skinny, reedy you ng m en, Father Joyce said: “The first thing w e have to do is to fatten you up.” In the years which follow ed, Father Paul certainly made a great impact on the church in Singapore. I rem em b er h im as a y o u n g , dynamic preacher giving retreats to the stu d en ts at St. J o s e p h ’s Institution. He preached sim ply and addressed us directly with the consoling and sometimes sobering truths o f our Catholic Faith,which inspired and strengthened us to turn to Christ. We always looked forward eagerly to the retreats which were an annual event. They were retreats in the strictest sense, for in those days, w e kept the silence. The retreats and the N ovena devotions given by the Redemptorists made a deep impression on me as a young boy and was certainly instrumental in my conversion to the Catholic Faith and eventually influenced my vocation to the Redemptorist Congregation.
Q . Why are priests called Father? F ath er Joh n D ietzen answers:
A. The practice o f calling clergy Father began in the earliest centuries o f Christianity. It has been used ever since, though through the ages the name was applied more consistently to monks than to secular, or diocesan, priests. Some non-Roman Catholic denominations still observe the custom, at least occasionally. Protestants, however generally abandoned its use after the Reformation. The reasons for calling the priest Father are simple and, at least from the witness o f long Christian custom, very natural. First, he is the usual minister o f
Father Paul’s one great passion was preaching parish M issions. He took me out on m y first M ission, at St John’s Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur,on my return from Australia. Here was a young and inexperienced M issioner now preaching beside a seasoned Missioner, one who was looked up to by the boys at SJI. But the late sixties and early seventies were a time o f change. And even though I did not learn to conduct M issions exactly in the tra d itio n a l m anner from F ather P a u l, h is irrepressible enthusiasm and his intense, apostolic zeal was an invaluable lesson I learnt and had never forgotten. His zeal also bore great fruit in the Convert Classes as they were called before the RCIA was introduced into Singapore. Every so often I meet people who tell me with obvious gratitude that they are Father Paul O ’M a lley J o n e s’ converts. Father Paul had a great sense o f humour and he possessed the grace o f being able to laugh at himself. He said Provincial Father R eg g ie O ’C onn ell sent him to Singapore and not the Philippines because he (Fr Pail) did not have the brains to learn a new language. We thank God that Father Paul did not possess the ability to master T a g a lo g , fo r w hat w a s the Philippines’ loss is M alaysia’s and Singapore’s gain. Father Paul was a good, sincere, inspiring and zealous priest, a wonderful confrere and a model Redemptorist. May our Mother o f Perpetual Help and Jesus our M ost H oly Redeemer receive our Father Paul O ’M alley Jones into the eternal peace and joy o f the heavenly Kingdom. □
The p r a c tic e o f c a llin g c le r g y “ F a th e r” those sacraments o f the church that give us new birth in Christ and the life o f grace, baptism, Eucharist, penance and so on. By his continuing care, support and instruction, a good pastoral priest nurtures the supernatural life o f Christ we share as Christians in a manner similar to the way our physical fathers nurture our natural lives. For this reason, St. Paul does not hesitate to call him self the
father o f his Christian converts. “Even if you should have countless guides to Christ,” he told the believers in Corinth, “yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus” through the preaching of the Gospel (1 Cor 4:15). He also twice calls Timothy his son because he had brought Timothy’s family to faith in Jesus Christ (Phil 2:22 and 1 Tim 1:2). If w e accepted that passage from Matthew literally, it would mean w e are forbidden to call our physical fathers by that name or to call our instructors teachers. The whole context makes clear that Jesus is not hung up here on the word “father” or “teacher” but that he condemns the practice o f some leaders to heap titles on themselves out o f pride and self-importance. □
(n ( .o y i tw Sixth Anniversary In loving memory of
Eighth Anniversary In loving memory of
CMI COUNSELLING SERVICE Hope Haven, a counselling service project of the Commission for Migrants and Itinerant People (CMI) is available for all foreign workers in Singapore. Trained volunteers handle employer-employee crises, recruitment agency issues, depression, loneliness, family or marital problems, etc. Help Desks operate on Sundays in LuckyPlaza (#04-19) and Kampong Kapor Methodist Church in Little India. For information or to avail of our counselling service call 6280-5424. or email hopehaven_help@yahoo.com.sg
DOMINIC TEO JACOB LIM BOON MENG SIN HEE Departed: Nov 22,1997 Departed: Nov 26,1995 Eight years have His life was earnest, passed and loving his actions kind, memories of you A generous hand continue to linger and an active mind, OTHERS in our minds Anxious to please, and in our hearts. loath to offend, CENACLE ADVENT DAY OF Fondly remembered A loving brother PRAYER by children, and faithful friend. grand-children Date: Tues, Nov 25,9 am-5 pm. Venue: Dearly missed by and loved ones. 47 Jurong West St 42. Conducted by Sr mother, sisters, MariA.Ramos,rc Enquiries: 6565-2895. brothers and friends. Fourth Anniversary In loving memory of FOLLOW UP SEMINAR Second Anniversary ON HOMOSEXUALITY In loving memory of The Catholic Medical Guild of Singapore, Family Life Society and The Catholic Lawyers Guild are co-organizing a follow up seminar on homosexuality. Speaker: Dr Melvin W. Wong, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Family, Forensic & Neuropsychology, USA. Date: Saturday, Nov 29,2-5 pm. Place: Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre, 2 Highland Rd. Topics: 1. The Roots and CONNIE MOK Causes of homosexuality. 2. Caring for the LYE KUM Departed:Nov 28, 1999 homosexual - a clinical and pastoral CAECILIA THIO approach. This seminar will be helpful for W e miss you in so NEE LAUW PIT NIO many ways doctors, nurses, psychologists, Departed: Nov 28,2001 We miss things you counsellors, parents, catechists, educators, God took her home, used to say social / health workers, therapists, and it was his will, And when old times clergy. Admission is free, but advance But in our hearts we do recall registration is required. To register: email It’s then we miss you we love her still, dianal@veritas.org.sg or call 6488-0278. most of all. On earth, she always did her best Always remembered MASS WITH HEALING SERVICE Grant her, by Anthony, Jenny, Jesus heavenly rest. Venue: Church of St. Michael, 17 St. Jessie and all loved ones. Michael’s Rd, every 1st and 3rd Always missed by Saturdays of the month. Time: 6.45pm husband, children, Twenty-ninth Rosary, Praise & Worship & 8pm Mass. grand-children and Anniversary loved ones. In loving memory of WORLD AIDS DAY MASS Everyone is invited. Date: Mon, Dec 1, Third Anniversary In loving memory of 6.30 pm. Venue: Novena Church. Celebrant: Rev. Glenn De Cruz, CSsR. Concelebrant, Rev. Gerard Victor, OFM. CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT GRAND OPENING EVENTS Parish Carnival on Sunday, Dec 7 from 8am to 2pm. Venue: Church of the Holy Spirit, 248 Upper Thomson Rd. Theme: CatholiCity - Where Communities Gather.
G. PAUL Departed: Nov 28,1974 “I amthe resurrection, and the life; he that FRANCIS LIM FEAST OF IMMACULATE believes in me CHOO POON CONCEPTION though he were dead, Departed:Nov 28, 2000 Date: Dec 8, 2003 Venue: Church of yet shall he live.” God gave us the St Peter and Paul Time: 11.45 am A Mass will be strength to bear it Prayers and Rosary, 1.00 pm Holy celebrated at And courage to Mass celebrated by Carmelite priest. Immaculate Heart of fight the blow Mary Church, What it has meant Highland Road on WIZE KIDZ PROGRAMME Thursday, November to lose you A two-day activity-based enrichment 28, 2003 at 6.15 pm. God alone programme for children ages 6-12 to will ever know. Always remembered learn how to make helpful decisions. Parents will also learn how to help their Always remembered by wife and daughters. by all loved ones. children evaluate their choices and learn Tenth Anniversary from their mistakes. Dates: Dec 12 and 13,9am to 5pm. Parents to join children Fourth Anniversary In loving memory of on Dec 13 from 1.30 to 5 pm. Venue: Morning Star Community Services at 4 Lorong Low Koon. Cost: $50 per child. Includes lunch, morning and afternoon tea, and materials. Enquiries: Kelvyanne Teoh (6285-1377). CATHOLIC LAWYERS GUILD MASS When: Dec 5, Friday at 7.30 pm. Venue: Church of St Mary of the Angels. Celebrant: Archbishop Nicholas Chia. Dinner will follow at the Church’s Parish Hall. All involved in the practice and study of law and their family members are invited. Well-wishers are most welcome. Cost for the dinner is $20. Enquiries: Cosmas Gomez at cosmas@hoh.com.sg. VIDEO SHOW St. Clare’s Fraternity of the SFO is organising a video show on “Br. Sun, Sr. Moon” on Dec 7 at 2 pm. Interested kindly register with MaryClaire 9620-7768 or Pauline 63239306.
BRO ANDREW TOK, SJ TERENCE GLASS Departed:Dec 1, 1999 Departed:Nov 23, 1993 His life was earnest, In our hearts, his actions kind, your memory lingers A generous hand Sweetly tender, and an active mind, fond and true Anxious to please, There is not a day, loath to offend, dearest Dad, A loving brother That we do not and faithful friend. think of you. Fondly remembered Forever loved and by sisters, brother, remembered by: sister-in-law, brotherBeloved wife: Corinne, in-law, nephews, Son, Daughter in-law, nieces, grandGrand Daughters nephews,grand-nieces and Mother in-law. and all loved ones.
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CatholicNews □ Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003
L a L o
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In loving memory of
M
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Nineteenth Anniversary
In sweet memory of
JOSEPHINE DAISYPANG <0>SIUTJINLIEM AUSTINZEHNDER MARYREUTENS Departed: Nov 24,1991 Called to be with the Our affectionate mother Lord on Nov 29, 1984 Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Lovingly remembered by daughter Valerie, sons Patrick, Eighth Anniversary Desmond, Barry, In loving memory of grand-children, great-grandchildren and loved ones.
Memory of you, dear, still casts agentle glow It braces our days and lights our paths wherever we may go. Remembered always by husband, relatives and friends.
Trinity Casket Pte Ltd
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Our loving grandma Bom: July 25, 1909
i:Nov22,1978 Aged: 69 years “Her weary hours and days of pain, Her sleepless nights are past; Her ever-patient womout frame, Has found eternal rest at last. Calm and peaceful she is sleeping Sweetest rest that follows pain; We who love her only know how much we lost twenty-five years ago.”
Y our R g i h t C h o ci e ....
Eighth Anniversary
FOURTH ANNIVERSARY
In loving memory of
• Complete & dignified funeral arrangements by professional and caring staff. • Catholic male & female specialist embalmers. N ote: Female em balm er w ill attend to all fem ale deceased.
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Sixth Anniversary
JONATHAN LOCK WAI MUN
Departed: Nov 24,1995 His smiling way and pleasant face Are apleasure to recall; He had a kind word for each And died beloved by all. Some day we hope to meet him, Some day, we know not when, To clasp his hand in the better land, Never to part again. Always remembered by parents, godparents, brothers and friends. Mass will be at Church of the Risen Christ on Monday, Nov 24, 2003 at 6 pm.
THOMAS TAN HOCK KIM
Fondly cherished and always remembered by wife Presila, children and loved ones.
GNANA SOUNDARI (wife of I. Susai Manickam) Departed: 30 November 2000 We will always remember all your noble deeds And all the sacrifices you made for us You are always close to our hearts. Dearly missed and fondly remembered by your loving husband, sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, mother, sister, relatives and all loved ones. Mass will be celebrated at St Joseph’s Church, 143 Victoria Street, Singapore 188020 on Sunday, 30 November 2003 at 8.30 am.
O B IT U A R Y
M AURICE D de SOUZA (ex-POW Changi)
BETSY de SOUZA
Departed: Nov 24,1985 Departed: Nov 4,1996 Dearest Mum and Dad The years may wipe out many things But we will never forget for many years to come the love and values you gave us and the time we spent together. Love from children, grandchildren and loved ones. Please turn to page 18 for more “In Memoriam" announcements and classified advertisements.
Always remembered and loved by brothers Martin, Edward, Charles, Raymond, their families, relatives and friends. MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE,
A S IA
Bom: Aug 23, 1919 Departed: Nov 4, 2003 in England Parents: Arthur de Souza (deceased) Josephine Rozells (deceased) Brothers: Cuthbert de Souza (deceased) Herman Fernandez Sister: Sybil de Wind - Perth Missed by nephews, nieces and loved ones. May his soul rest in peace.
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In loving memory of
CUTHBERT(TONY) de SOUZA
Called Home to be with theLordonNov 26.1982 Jesus said “I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believes in me though he were dead, yet shall he live.” Dearly missed by wife and loved ones.
The night does not last forever it fades with the dawning of the mom. The rose does not last forever it withers with the fading of spring. But your memories will linger forever in the hearts of all who love you. Because love does last forever.
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Third Anniversary In loving memory of
PAULOSE A. SEBASTIAN Departed: Dec 4, 2000 They who think that you are gone, Because no more your face they see, Are wrong - for in our hearts you live; And always will, in memory.
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MISS ELIZABETH PETER (Daughter of the late Mr Francis Joseph Peter and Mrs Antonia Peter of 30A Madras St, Singapore) Bom: Sept 28, 1938 Departed: Dec 3, 1999
In loving memory of
TERESA TAN LIAN NEO Departed: Dec 4, 1998 In our home she is fondly remembered. Sweet memories cling to her name, Those who loved her in life sincerely, Still love her in death just the same. Lovingly remembered by daughters, son-in-law, grandson, JANE D/O brothers, sisters and all loved ones. SUSENATHEN Departed: Nov 28,1997 Mass will be celebrated at 5.30 pm on Saturday, November 29, Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, 2003 at Church of St Michael. and let perpetual light shine upon her. Third Anniversary May she rest in peace. In loving memory of Fondly remembered by father Susenathen, mother Amalorpara Mary, brothers Edwin and Edward and sisterin-law Maryanne. Mass will be celebrated on Nov 28 at Church of Christ the King at 6.15 pm.
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Departed:Dec 1,1995 Always remembered by loved ones at home.
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Sundays November 23 and November 30, 2003 □ CatholicNews
i&Eikpyge O f ‘boo-boos’ and baby pictures:
Medical a v i ce si
1
p r o - lif e w o r k EXPECTANT mother, Jessica Kasel catches sight of an ultrasound image of her daughter, Emma, on a monitor (out of view) at Grand View Ultrasound in St. Paul. The machine provides highly detailed images of babies in the womb, c n s p h o to s
By Nancy Frazier O’Brien
^ j
WASHINGTON - “They fixed my boo-boo.” With those words in a U.S. Senate hearing room, Samuel Armas, nearly 4, put into simplest terms the medical advances that are helping to convince even the most hardhearted about the humanity o f unborn children and the need to protect them in the womb. In-utero surgery — like that Samuel underwent on Aug. 19, 1999, at Vanderbilt University M edical Center in Nashville, Tenn. - and three-dimensional ultrasound technology both offer new ways o f looking at unborn children as patients and as unique people in their own right. Samuel’s surgery came just 21 weeks after his conception. When he was diagnosed with spina bifida early in the pregnancy, his parents chose a relatively new procedure aimed at reducing the condition’s effects. Although dozens o f such operations had been performed, what made Sam uel’s operation unique was the presence o f freelance photographer Michael Clancy, who had been hired by U SA Today to photograph surgical procedures being performed on fetuses. Clancy captured the image o f Samuel reaching a hand out o f his mother’s womb and grasping the finger o f Dr. Joseph P. Bruner, who was performing the surgery. A nurse in the operating
WASHINGTON - Pro-lifers were cheering Nov. 5 when President Bush signed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act into law, but were also left wondering when the law would actually go into effect. Multiple court challenges claim ing the law is unconstitutional were filed within moments o f the president signing the bill, and three injunctions were issued to block enactment o f the law. This law w ill ultimately be reviewed by the U.S.Supreme Court At the signing ceremony,
THIS three-dimensional
ultrasound image shows baby Emma Kasel at 23 weeks’ gestation. Emma’s mother, Jessica Kasel, said she could see “theform and fat cheeks and thefeatures” of her new daughter.
“It is extremely difficult not to see the fetus as a child ...especially after one sees her smiling, grimacing, moving, sleeping, yawning, stretching, sucking a thumb, as well as responding to pain from needle sticks.” — Dr. Jim Thorp
room told Clancy that the unborn babies undergoing surgery “do that all the time.” The now-famous “Fetal Hand Grasp” photograph is featured on Web sites and on billboards, posters and on Clancy’s own Web page,
www.michaelclancy.com.
SAM UEL, bom Dec. 2, 1999, in Atlanta, is famous now, too. He responded with the “boo-boo” remark when Sen. Sam
Brownback, R-Kan., showed him Clancy’s picture during a Sept. 25 hearing before a subcommittee o f the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and asked, “Have you seen this picture o f you?” Julie Armas, Sam uel’s mother, told the subcommittee that her son is now “an active, walking 3-year-old who attends preschool and is age-appropriate developmentally.” Despite the risks involved in the surgery, she said, she and her husband chose it because, even at 21 w eeks’ gestation, “Samuel was not a hypothetical, he was already a member o f our family, our son, and deserved our best efforts to improve his life.” Sam uel’s father, A lex Armas, said increased awareness and support o f advances in fetal surgery are critical to families and their unborn children. “Progress in this field is not
only improving lives, but is also saving lives by representing an option, an alternative, a hope for parents who may otherwise choose to end their pregnancy,” he said. “Having options in fetal surgery can turn a fam ily’s initial perception o f hopelessness into an outlook o f hope and a life where little victories are celebrated and cherished. We have seen living proof o f this in our son.”
ALSO testifying before the Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space, chaired by Brownback, was Dr. Jim Thorp, a professor in the department o f obstetrics and gynecology at the University o f Florida in Pensacola and a specialist in maternal fetal medicine who has performed more than 250 fetal surgeries. Thorp quoted from Sir Albert W illiam Liley, who is credited
Joy over p a rtia l-b irth abo rtion ban tem pered by co u rt challenges Bush said, “The facts about partial-birth abortion are troubling and tragic. By acting to prevent this practice, the elected branches o f our government have affirmed a basic standard of humanity, the duty o f the strong to protect the weak.” The president said a partialbirth abortion “involves the partial delivery o f a live boy or girl, and a sudden, violent end to that life.”
The new law defines partialbirth abortion as the partial delivery o f a fetus from the womb “for the purpose o f performing an overt act that the person knows w ill kill the partially delivered living foetus” and then performing that act, killing the partially delivered foetus instead o f delivering it alive. Doctors who violate the ban could face a fine and up to
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two years in prison. The legislation allows an exception to save the life o f the mother but does not include an exception for the mother’s health. In advertisements in U SA Today and other publications, the U .S. bishops’ Committee for Pro-Life A ctivities and the Knights o f Columbus congratulated Bush and members o f Congress for
with performing the first fetal surgery in 1963: “From my clinical experience I am convinced that unborn children are individuals and human beings who are capable of receiving and responding to m edical care and who should have legal protection.” “It is extremely difficult not to see the fetus as a child before birth with the same value as a child after birth, especially after one sees her smiling, grimacing, m oving, sleeping, yawning, stretching, sucking a thumb, as w ell as responding to pain from needle sticks,” Thorp testified.
EVEN when their unborn children do not require surgery, some parents are getting a similar view from the detailed color images provided by threedimensional ultrasound machines, sometimes called 4-D. Expectant mother Jessica Kasel o f Woodbury, Minn., herself a sonographer at FairviewUniversity Medical Center in Minneapolis, went to Grand View Ultrasound in St. Paul for images o f her unborn daughter, Emma. “With 2-D , you just get skeletal im ages,” she told The Catholic Spirit, newspaper o f the Archdiocese o f St. Paul and Minneapolis. “But with 4-D , you can see the form and the fat cheeks and the features. And you kind o f get her personality, too. She was striking a pose for us.” Patty McGinnity and Jane Sieckert, sisters and co-owners o f Grand V iew Ultrasound, said they would like to partner with crisis pregnancy centers. “At 20 weeks, sometimes women don’t really feel pregnant,” said McGinnity, a parishioner at St. Gregory the Great in St. Paul. “But to see the baby just makes it so real. If they saw their baby, it would be very difficult for them to abort that child.” “There is little debate about whether the child in utero is alive, but (there is debate) about whether it is a life worthy o f protecting,” Brownback said at the Senate hearing. □ cns
bringing the United States “one step closer to a culture o f life.” The ad was signed, “With gratitude, m illions o f Catholics across the United States.” Even while acknowledging that the new law faced court challenges, the ad said: “After eight years, yo u ’ve made history. This marks the first federal restriction o f an abortion procedure in 30 years.” “I w elcom e this law,” said Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago. “Children shouldn’t be killed while being bom .” □ cns
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