APRIL 24, 2011, vol 61, no 08

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www.catholicnews.sg SUNDAY APRIL 24, 2011

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VOL 61

NO. 8

An angel and three women are shown at Christ’s empty tomb in this painting by German artist Peter von Cornelius. CNS photo

Easter 2011 – Christ is risen, so too we will rise! JESUS died, was buried and rose again to new life. It is a historical fact that the risen Jesus radiated His new life in all its power and glory wherever He went and to whomever He appeared. The disciples to whom He appeared were suddenly transformed from a band of despairing men into a brigade of daring missionaries. Everywhere they preached the Good News of Christ’s resurrection! The power of Easter began to work in people’s lives: despair gave way to hope; darkness gave way to light; hatred gave way to love, and sorrow gave way to joy. Christianity was born! Over 2,000 years later, living in an age dominated by science, sophisticated technology and secular thinking, we may ask ourselves whether Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is still relevant. The answer is undoubtedly yes. The relevance is that by raising Jesus from the dead, *RG KDV FRQ¿UPHG WKDW WKH ZD\ RI -HVXV LV the way of life for all people in all times. What was the way of Jesus? Against

the social trends of His time, He sided with the poor, cured the sick, helped the needy, praised and blessed those who were not regarded worthy in society. He placed human beings in the centre of the stage. Identifying Himself with the poor and the lowly, He provoked the powerful. When the wise men of His time put Him to death because they rejected His way, God raised Jesus to a new life, demonstrating that the way of Jesus is the true way of life. Easter offers the world an opportunity to know the true way of life, with an assurance of the resurrection of the body after we are dead. Thus, Easter offers all believers the hope of new life in true communion with Christ. This is the Easter relevance for today. This Easter season, let us pray that we PD\ WUXO\ EH MR\ ¿OOHG SHRSOH EHOLHYLQJ that Jesus is risen and is with us. Let us pray that we may always carry out Jesus’ command to make disciples each day by how we live our lives, making Christ known and spreading the good news of love, justice and peace, reaching

out to those in need, especially those who are suffering from the aftermath of natural disasters, war and religious persecution. Pray especially for those suffering in Japan and for an end to the violence in Libya. ,Q WKHVH GLIÂżFXOW WLPHV ZH PXVW QRW ORVH hope. Rather, we must continue to pray for peace and religious freedom throughout the world, and in particular the Middle East and 1RUWK $IULFD ZKR DUH ÂżJKWLQJ IRU WKHLU RZQ rebirth. Pope Benedict XVI explained recently that religious freedom is a building block for peace, stating “religious freedom is the essential element of a state of law – you cannot deny it without undermining all rights and fundamental freedomsâ€?. Pray that world leaders may practise tolerance and respect of human dignity and that disputes may be settled peacefully by drawing strength from common bonds. Let us also pray for the newly-baptised that they may embrace their new union with Christ and live their lives by Christ’s example. My dear brothers and sisters, our prob-

lems and those of the world around us will not magically disappear on Easter morning. However, as Easter represents rebirth, renewal and hope, we are better positioned to do the work that is necessary to set ourselves on the right path. The future is bright if we accept Jesus into our lives and truly follow His way. May the Risen Lord live in us and may we radiate Him to others by our life and example, reaching out to those in need, promoting love, justice and peace, bringing hope to those in despair, light to those in darkness, joy to those in sorrow, and love to those who are neglected. Christ is risen! Alleluia! A Blessed Easter to one and all! Devotedly yours in Christ,

Archbishop Nicholas Chia

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Nuncio urges

Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli greeting Deacon Clement Chen and his wife at the Catholic Spirituality Centre.

By Darren Boon The newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore has called for unity within the Church community here and greater faith formation for laypeople. Speaking “from the bottom of his heart” to about 200 Church representatives at the Catholic Spirituality Centre on April 7, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli noted the vibrancy of the Singapore Church and the “high” attendance at Sunday Mass – a “good sign” of the laity’s faith. +H VDLG WKH ¿UVW PHVVDJH KH wanted to convey in this informal meeting was that of unity – “between priests, between Religious and priests, between faithful and priests, and between the community and its pastor, Archbishop Nicholas Chia” so as to become “the community of Jesus Christ”. Archbishop Girelli, who was former nuncio to Indonesia, also noted how Asians were deeply religious. Catholic Indonesians express their spirituality through attending Mass and being part of the community, he said. “What we need more is forma-

What we need more is formation, especially deeper formation in Catholic doctrine and the faith in general. – Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli to Church representatives on April 7

tion” especially “deeper formation in Catholic doctrine and the faith in general,” he said. He urged priests to “give more catechesis to the faithful” in this regard. The nuncio also encouraged priests and Religious to cultivate their spiritual life through the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and praying the Breviary. Church leaders and laypeople welcomed the nuncio’s message. Archbishop Chia described the nuncio as “simple, open and communicative” and said the Singapore Pastoral Institute (SPI) has been playing a role in lay formation. He added that laypeople themselves need to take the initiative to come

forward for formation. SPI director Arthur Goh said the formation Archbishop Girelli spoke about refers to the wider Catholic population. While there are courses readily available, there is a need to reach out to those who do not go to church, he said. One priest, Fr Henry Siew, noted that the nuncio’s call for formation is a reminder to the priests, and encouragement to the laity to “actively make an effort for growth and development”. Fr Andrew Wong said there are many rich Church documents and teachings, and that it is time to form the faithful in Catholic doctrine such as its social teachings, rather than just focus on devotions. A welcome Mass for the nuncio was held earlier on April 3 at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd during which he conveyed the pope’s love to the Singapore Church and described the challenges it faces. “I can assure you that Pope Benedict XVI loves you,” he told the congregation. “My presence here as his representative proves it.” Continued on page 3

ARCHBISHOP’S DIARY Apr 21 10.00am 6.30pm Apr 22 2.30pm Apr 23 9.00pm Apr 24 11.30am May 01 11.00am 5.30pm

Church of the Holy Spirit : Chrism Mass Cathedral of the Good Shepherd: Last Supper Mass Cathedral of the Good Shepherd: Good Friday Service Cathedral of the Good Shepherd: Easter Vigil Mass Church of the Risen Christ: Mass – Easter Sunday Church of St Joseph (Bukit Timah): Mass – Feastday Church of Divine Mercy: Mass – Feastday & Commemoration of the %HDWL¿FDWLRQ RI 3RSH -RKQ 3DXO ,,

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unity and formation

The nuncio with President S R Nathan on March 31. Photo: Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts

From page 2

In his homily, he noted how “the Church in Singapore is facing the challenge of modernity”. “In a city that is the most modern in Southeast Asia,” he said, “the Catholic Church has the opportunity to understand more deeply its role in a wealthy society characterised by the highest standard of living as well as good values like freedom and mutual respect, care

of children and elderly people”. However, the Church here also faces issues such as “materialism and consumerism” and “moral questions” such as the “social marginalisation of immigrants, legalised abortion, capital punishment ... gambling”. “We must face these moral questions of our times as believers courageously and in humility without assuming to be faultless,” he said. The Cathedral Choir of the Ris-

The nuncio with Archbishop Chia, ambassadors and the Cathdedral Choir of the Risen Christ during the welcome concert on April 3.

en Christ directed by Sir Dr Peter Low staged a special Easter concert, titled Pascha, that evening at the cathedral to welcome the nuncio. The crowd, together with various ambassadors and high commissioners, joined representatives from the Inter-Religious Organisation in observing a minute’s silence for victims of the disasters in Japan. A collection was also made for them and presented to the Japanese ambassador.

Archbishop Girelli arrived in Singapore on March 15. He presented his credentials to President S R Nathan at the Istana on March 31. Archbishop Girelli is also Apostolic Nuncio to Timor Leste, Apostolic Delegate to Malaysia and Brunei, and non-resident PonWL¿FDO 5HSUHVHQWDWLYH IRU 9LHWQDP Additional reporting: CHRISTOPHER KHOO, CATHEDRAL CHOIR OF THE RISEN CHRIST

darrenboon@catholic.org.sg

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Reaching out to West Kalimantan youths By Darren Boon

VIETNAMESE CHURCH DELEGATION VISITS SINGAPORE: (From left) Auxilliary Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Kham and Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man of Ho Chi Minh City, together with Fr Louis Nguyen Anh Tuan from the city’s Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre, were in Singapore in early April. They visited Catholic migrant workers here and also met up with Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, non-resident PonWL¿FDO 5HSUHVHQWDWLYH IRU 9LHWQDP DQG $UFKELVKRS 1LFKRODV &KLD

Catholics from two parishes taught underprivileged Indonesian children cooking, art and craft and jewellery-making skills recently. The group, comprising mainly parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and Holy Family Churches, visited the Mount Hope Training Centre training centre in West Kalimantan from March 17-19. The centre, started by Christians from various parts of Indonesia in 1998, houses a school and several children’s homes catering to 130 kids. The centre also includes D EDNHU\ ÂżVK IDUPV DQG IUXLW DQG vegetable plots to help the commuQLW\ DFKLHYH VHOI VXIÂżFLHQF\ During this outreach, the 13 Singaporean volunteers, including two non-Catholics, taught skills such as cooking, art and craft, jewellery-making, music, and dancing. Ultimately, the children in Mount Hope have to support themselves, said Mr Bernard Low, a Catholic. “We teach them how WR ¾¿VKÂś UDWKHU WKDQ ÂżVK IRU WKHP ´ One volunteer taught the children how to use leftover bread or bread more than a day old to make bread pudding. Another volunteer, Ms Agnes Seow, taught them how to use beads to make jewellery. The children were “eager, excited and willLQJ WR OHDUQ´ VKH VDLG DQG DGGHG that she hopes they would make

use of their newly acquired skills to earn some money for themselves. The volunteers, who are mostly from the St Vincent de Paul society of Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, also brought gifts such as second-hand clothes, small amounts of money for the children, beads for making jewelOHU\ VHHGV DQG WKHUPDO ÀDVNV

A member of the Singaporean team teaching art and craft

Mr Low points out that more help is needed for the community, such as people who can teach skills like sewing, and the provision of fertilisers and sewing machines. 0V 6HRZ ZKR ZDV RQ KHU ÂżUVW mission trip, said it was a humbling experience to work with the poor. Mr Low said he was happy to see the joy on the children’s faces. “You feel you’ve done something IRU *RG ´ KH VDLG „ darrenboon@catholic.org.sg

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‘I never say no to God’s work’ By Marie Jude Bendiola The purpose of my life is to use my gifts and talent and make a difference in as many ways as possible, says Singapore Woman Award nominee Deborah Chew. “God has given you a gift in your hands. If you keep holding it in your hands you can never spread his goodness,� says Ms Chew, 35. The parishioner of the Church of Divine Mercy, together with two other women, were nominated for the MediaCorp award. It aimed to honour a woman leader who is aware of her social responsibility, and who has a minimum of two years’ track record of outstanding achievements. Although she did not emerge winner when the results were announced on March 31, Ms Chew, managing director of creative solutions company Caelan and Sage, said being nominated was already a great blessing. This was because it gave publicity to her charitable programme for underprivileged children in developing countries, Project Happy Feet (PHF). The idea for the programme, which got her nominated for the award, started in 2007 when she and a close friend went to Siem Reap, Cambodia for a vacation. They brought along some

Smiles from volunteers and Vietnamese EHQHÂżFLDULHV RI 3URMHFW Happy Feet, ZKLFK 0V &KHZ FR founded.

Ms Deborah Chew, nominee for MediaCorp’s Singapore Woman Award.

slippers to give to children at a village they visited. Seeing that most of the children had no footwear, they were saddened that they did not bring enough for all. It was then that they decided to do more. Today, Project Happy Feet reaches out to many children in Cambodia and Vietnam, providing slippers, school supplies and supporting training and education programmes. In December 2008, PHF became a part of Caelan and Sage’s Corporate Social Responsibility. The project presently has a core team of 14 volunteers. “I keep getting reminded that what I can do is a gift from God. You realise that you can do a lot of

Photo: PROJECT HAPPY FEET

things and it’s not really by your own strength,� said Ms Chew, who is single. Apart from Caelan and Sage, she also manages her design boutique, Thinking Designs, and VSRUWV DQG ¿WQHVV FRPSDQ\ 5LJKW Impact Sporting Excellence. Ms Chew said she learnt to use her talents to help others through a spiritual experience years ago. When she was 24 and workLQJ DV DQ DGPLQLVWUDWLYH RI¿FHU for a tertiary institution, she was invited by Jesuit Fr Philip Heng to

design the Jesuits’ newsletter. She later became part of the team that set up the Jesuits’ website. In the course of this work, “I picked up simple things that helped me in my faithâ€?, she said. “One thing that the Jesuits believe LQ LV ¾¿QGLQJ *RG LQ DOO WKLQJVÂś It’s really amazing how you can ÂżQG *RG LQ WKH GHVLJQ >DQG@ WKH people you interact daily.â€? She then started helping other parishes such as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and Church of Divine Mercy in the design of

their commemorative magazines, church bulletins, brochures, newsletters and other print material. “One thing about me, I never say no to God’s work – any time any place,� she said. The other two women nominated for the Singapore Woman Award were Ms Bernise Ang, founder of an organisation that empowers youths to act as agents of social change, and Ms Nicole Yee, who created the all-female social networking site CozyCot. Ms Ang emerged as winner. „

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Informal English lesson for students of San Damiano Hostel.

M’sians, S’poreans teach English in Sabah By Darren Boon An ongoing effort of a group of Catholic Singaporeans and Malaysians to improve some Sabah students’ command of English saw the volunteers organising an English camp recently. Calling themselves Clare’s Missionaries, the 24 volunteers, comprising 17 from Singapore and seven from Malaysia, worked with students in San Damiano Hostel, Kiulu, Sabah, from March 13-18. The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC) run the hostel, one of several they manage across Malaysia. These facilities house orphans, children from poor, large, or broken families, as well and student boarders. The recent camp included an

Extensive English Reading programme, where an English-speaking environment was created for the students, and remedial lessons. Movies, games, sing-along sessions, role-play and drama were also organised to help the students learn the language. The volunteers DOVR LGHQWL¿HG VPDOOHU JURXSV RI students that could study together EDVHG RQ WKHLU (QJOLVK SUR¿FLHQF\ said Mr Gerard Lim, a volunteer. Jonathan Hee, a Singapore 3RO\WHFKQLF VWXGHQW VDLG WKH ¿UVW few days were a challenge as the students were shy. However, they were later motivated to speak up after volunteers’ encouragement. The next mission trip is planned for August. „ darrenboon@catholic.org.sg

Giving goodie bags to poor Cambodians.

Lenten mission in Siem Reap, Cambodia By Fr Peter Wee, CSsR Catholics from various parishes, together with some non-Christian friends, distributed food and school stationery to poor families in Cambodia recently. From March 19-25, the 31 Catholics and four non-Christians, calling themselves the Divine Love Group, visited the Catholic parish of St John the Apostle in Siem Reap. They went to three lake villagHV ÂżYH ODQG YLOODJHV RQH SXEOLF hospital, one state prison and the orphanage of the Missionaries of Charity Sisters.

Working with parish priest, Jesuit Fr Stepanus K and his team, the Singaporeans fed 2,200 children with rice soup and gave them bread, jam, butter and milk-chocolate drinks. Seven hundred poor families received rice, cooking oil, salt, sugar and noodles. The visitors also gave exercise books, pencils, pens, erasers, school bags and clothing to the parish-run learning centres. Generous donors from Singapore provided these gifts. 7KLV ZDV WKH JURXSœV ¿UVW Lenten mission to the parish though the volunteers had been on mission trips here before. „

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School teaches Christian music to its students Faith Music Centre has for the past three years been helping students learn the genre and perform for others. By Darren Boon For the past few years, a Catholic-run school has been teaching Christian music using the keyboard, guitar, drum, ukulele and other instruments. Faith Music Centre started in mid-2008 in Blessed Sacrament Church to “plant the seeds of Christianity by teaching Christian music to studentsâ€?. It now has three other venues in community centres and the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped. Students range IURP DV \RXQJ DV ÂżYH WR WKRVH LQ their 70s, from different religions and races. The school does not directly evangelise people, says the centre’s founder and deputy chief H[HFXWLYH RIÂżFHU $OYLQ <HR However, as music is a universal language, people can still identify with Christian music even if they do not completely understand the words, he added. One thing is sure. The school encourages its students to use their musical talents for others. Last year, the school organised performances at the Singapore Leprosy Relief Association (SILRA) Home, Canossaville Children’s Home, and Society for the Aged Sick, among others. The school also collaborated with ministries in Blessed Sacrament Church to support the World Day of Prayer for the Sick, said Mr <HR The school is now looking for musical talents for performances on April 30, and May 17 and 28. Students say they have benHÂżWHG IURP WKH OHVVRQV Madam Roseline Tan, a selfconfessed music lover with no previous music background, says she can now play whatever songs she likes, praise God with music and perform for the less fortunate. Madam Tan, who is in her 70s, has performed a few times at various homes and is part of the keyboard ensemble, Active Bloomers, which the school helped form for those in their 60s and 70s. “I feel happier ‌ younger,â€? she says of her musical activities. Ms Charissa Chiong, who is in her mid-30s, says attending the VFKRRO KDV JLYHQ KHU FRQÂżGHQFH LQ performing, socialising with others, as well as the chance to form a band called Cactus Rose.

Ms Chiong, who is not a Catholic, said she learnt about Jesus through the songs. She is now attending the Alpha programme at Blessed Sacrament Church. Faith Music Centre’s students go through eight levels of classes, each comprising 10 lessons. To ERRVW WKHLU RQVWDJH FRQ¿GHQFH the students put on a performance for friends and relatives as they graduate from each level. Students are also encouraged to form ensembles or bands. Apart from Active Bloomers and Cactus Rose, other bands include 5060, a band of 50- to 60-year-old taxi drivers; Aloof, a teenage band; and Fairy Tails, a band for kids under 12.

Music instructor teaching a young student.

The fundamentals of Christian music are the same as pop music, VD\V 0U <HR ,WV FKRUGV VWUXFWXUH and rhythms can also be applied to other musical genres. Students with no music background start by learning Amazing Grace. They learn the chords of the song and learn to apply these to other songs, says Ms Melissa Tan, head of the school’s Centre of Operations. The difference between Christian and pop music is the spiritual meaning behind Christian music, which is to praise God, says Mr <HR Those interested to join Faith Music Centre in its upcoming performances may contact Clarence Chan at 8316-3362 or email clarence_chan@faithmusic.com. sg for more information. „ darrenboon@catholic.org.sg

Faith Music Centre’s instructors provided musical support at Blessed Sacrament Church’s World Day of Prayer for the Sick celebration on Feb 11.

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Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

John Paul II exhibition set to tour parishes An exhibition that attempts to capture the spirit of Pope John 3DXOÂśV SRQWLÂżFDWH LV set to tour parishes and schools starting from the weekend of April 30-May 1. The archdiocesan Catechetical 2IÂżFH LV RUJDQLVLQJ WKH GLVSOD\ titled John Paul II – PONTIFAX (Bridge Builder), which will open at the Church of Divine Mercy. The exhibition, to mark WKH ODWH SRSHÂśV EHDWLÂżFDWLRQ RQ May 1, is expected to last until the end of the year. ,W ZLOO FRPSULVH SKRWR SDQels portraying different facets of the pontiff, says Catechetical OfÂżFH GLUHFWRU )U (UELQ )HUQDQGH] “It is more a prayerful celebrative experience,â€? he said. “There will be a CD ‌ playing in the background with his voice praying, and talking and singing.â€? The display aims to remember how the late pope was instrumental in bridging East and West, Christianity and other religions, the sacred and secular, and young DQG ROG VDLG )U )HUQDQGH] “My hope is that this exhibition will help us to remember the life of this great pontiff and inspire us to recommit ourselves anew to the work of the New Evangelisation in every sector of public life.â€? „ „ Page 14: Oct 22 feast day for Blessed John Paul

Pope John Paul II seen in an image released in March by the postulation RI KLV VDLQWKRRG FDXVH +H ZLOO EH EHDWLÂżHG RQ 0D\ CNS photo/Grzegorz Galazka, courtesy of Postulation of Pope John Paul II

Reaching out to Japan disaster victims

Fr Patrick Goh, parish priest of Holy Family Church, with members of the Japanese Catholic community and CHARIS board members, at a reception after Mass.

A Mass was held recently at the Church of the Holy Family to pray for those affected by the disasters in Japan. It was organised by the Singapore Catholic Japanese Group and CHARIS (Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives) on April 10. During the celebration, members of Japanese Catholic community presented the gifts of bread and wine, while other members led in singing two Japanese hymns. Homemade Japanese cup-

cakes and cookies were also sold before and after the Mass and a total of $11,116.90 was raised. “It was sad that the disaster happened, but I’m happy to see the Japanese community coming together to help each other,� said Sr Yumiko, a Japanese nun from the Franciscan Sisters of the Annunciation, who is presently learning English in Singapore. CHARIS has provided an urgent grant of $126,000 to Caritas Japan in early March and says it will be giving more. „

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Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Sri Lankan Church urges speedier de-mining efforts &16 ÂżOH SKRWR

A soldier stands next to two internally displaced Sri Lankan Tamil children as they wait to go home at Kathankulam village in Mannar in late October 2009. A delay in clearing EDWWOHÂżHOGV is putting civilians at risk. MANNAR, SRI LANKA – The slow pace of land mine clearance is putting lives at risk and the government needs to do more to renGHU IRUPHU EDWWOHÂżHOGV VDIH DJDLQ Churchmen and lawmakers say. Two years after the end of the civil war, and one year after the government resettled thousands of displaced civilians, delays in clearing mines is preventing people in resettlement areas in Mullativu, Kilinochchi and Mannar districts from leading a normal life, critics say. “Though the government has given assurances on solving the problems of resettled Tamils, it still has not done so. The government

must ensure better lives for Tamils who have suffered for 30 years due to war,â€? Tamil legislator M A Sumanthiran told parliament recently. Presently, worried parents have to escort their children wherever they go to stop them wanderLQJ LQWR PLQHÂżHOGV “There is a serious risk of loss of life or limbs from these mines and other ordnance that remain in these areas,â€? said Fr Anthony Victor Sosai, head of Caritas in Mannar diocese. “The slightest deviation from a path could easily result in a fatal accident,â€? the priest added. $OWKRXJK VWDWH RIÂżFLDOV DORQJ with NGOs are conducting aware-

ness programmes to help parents and children take precautionary measures, much more needs to be done – and quickly, he said. Fr Sosai said the Church is XUJLQJ JRYHUQPHQW RI¿FLDOV WR speed up mine clearing by sending more workers. Many people are already forgetting to take precautions. In spite of efforts made in relation to de-mining and mine risk education, parents and children are paying less attention and are becoming more and more careless, according to Fr Arulanandam Johnaly Yavis, president of the Jaffna Diocesan Priests Union. „

HONG KONG – A priest has voiced

practices and give stricter penalties to those who violate it, he said. “We need to uplift our fellow citizens through moral education. *LYLQJ XS PRUDO HWKLFV IRU SURÂżWV would hurt the image of China eventually,â€? he noted. Thousands of tons of pork were recently found to contain the toxic additive clenbuterol hydrochloride that comes from adulterated pig feed. The chemical enhances muscle mass and is used by farmers as a relatively inexpensive way to increase production of lean meat. Compared with normal pork, this kind of pork has almost no fat and pigs raised this way carry a high price. The drug is banned for use in China and in March, authorities in central Henan province prosecuted 72 people for selling pork with clenbuterol. Some Catholic pig farm owners in the northwestern Shaanxi,

Gansu and Xinjiang regions observed that the drug has been in use over the past decade but that they had stopped using clenbuterol after their priests told them not to do so. Mr Peter Wang, a Catholic corn merchant from Shaanxi’s Yangling pointed out that despite WKH WHPSWDWLRQ RI KLJK SURÂżWV KH tries never to sell adulterated feed. A Catholic farmer from Shandong province said, “God gave us a spirituality and wisdom to live a meaningful life. We should by no means create harmful substances to deceive people and make money.â€? Research shows that eating meat containing clenbuterol leads to nausea, dizziness, weakness and shaky hands. The drug is dangerous to those with heart disease or high blood pressure. China’s Ministry of Agriculture has announced it will launch a yearlong crackdown on illegal additives in pig feed. „ UCANEWS.COM

Elected bishop candidates problematic: China observers HONG KONG – Eleven dioceses

in China have elected their bishop candidates and are awaiting the approval of the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China, says the head of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. The candidates were being HOHFWHG WR ÂżOO YDFDQW GLRFHVHV LQ China and for the spread of the Gospel, Bishop Johan Fang Xinyao of Linyi, chairman of the government-sanctioned Church authority said in an article pubOLVKHG E\ WKH RIÂżFLDO &KLQD 'DLO\ Vacancies in 44 out of 97 dioceses have seriously hindered evangelisation work in China, where there are around six million Catholics, he noted. Church observers say the decision to elect bishop candidates is problematic. “The news sounds provocative,â€? said one observer, who warned Catholics in mainland China to check the canonical status of these candidates as not all of them have been approved by the Vatican. “We don’t know who these 11 candidates are but we are certain that if anyone accepts to be ordained without a papal mandate, he is exposing himself to sanctions envisaged by canon 1382 of the Code of Canon Law,â€? said Mr Anthony Lam Sui-ki, executive secretary of the Holy Spirit Study Centre in Hong Kong. Illicit ordinations contribute nothing to the Church and act against the communion of the Church, he said. It could also be a “slap in the face for Beijingâ€? as no one can be sure that illicit bishops might not ask for communion with the Vatican, Mr Lam noted, citing that Bishop Joseph Ma Yinglin, who was illicitly ordained in 2006, had written to the pope to seek com-

munion with the Universal Church. One should avoid doing things that “sadden the Church while embarrassing the central government�, he added. China-Vatican relations have been tense since the organising of an illicit ordination in Chengde and the staging of the Eighth National Catholic Representatives Congress last year.

A Catholic woman prays during Christmas Eve Mass at a church in Changzhi, Shanxi province.

Both incidents were to be discussed at the Vatican’s China commission’s three-day plenary meeting, which ended recently. Pope Benedict XVI established the commission in 2007 to study major issues surrounding the Church in China. „ „ Page 12: Bishop approved by both China and Vatican

Muslim seeks protection for China Catholics want end to drugged pork Catholics in West Sumatra Chinese Catholics’ concerns over contaminated meat amid calls for government action. Fr Lu, a parish priest in Zhejiang province, appealed to Catholic businessmen and farmers to have the courage to resist unethical ways of making money. “Fraud goes against the Church’s teaching,� he said. Catholics want the China Consumers Association and relevant government departments to take action against those contaminating pork and guarantee that the most popular meat in the country is safe to eat. “I wonder if such fraud is due to the lack of regulation by the authorities or a defect in the Chinese people’s conscience?� asked a layman called Joseph, from Shaanxi province. The government should enhance the monitoring of business

UCANEWS.COM

PAINAN, INDONESIA – A local ofÂżFLDO LQ :HVW 6XPDWUD VD\V UDGLFDO Muslims have forced Catholics to worship in secret and has called for assistance in providing protected prayer houses for them. Mr Deri Susanto, a village leader in Indrapura Utara subdistrict, said religious freedoms for non-Muslims in the resettlement area are under threat, and he is unable to give much assistance because he is “just a low ranking RIÂżFLDO´ He said Catholic families still pray in secret after their prayer house was burned down eight years ago by a group of radicals, who said the Catholics were outsiders and should not have used the house. “Local people, mostly Muslims, did not have a problem with Catholics using the house. They just wanted people to live in harmony,â€? Mr Susanto told an

interfaith forum on April 6 in Painan, capital of Pesisir Selatan district. Members of the provincial forum later visited Indrapura Utara to talk with local leaders about religious harmony in the area and WR ÂżQG ZD\V RI ERRVWLQJ LQWHUIDLWK cooperation. Fr Alexius Sudarmanto, who visits the area once a month, said Eucharistic services were being conducted secretly in the house of a lay Catholic. “If I did not visit them, they would not have Sunday Mass. Some have to travel 60 kilometres to neighbouring Bengkulu province,â€? he said. After the prayer house was destroyed, another place of worship was offered by a local military commander, which was condemned and could not be used anymore, the priest said. „ UCANEWS.COM

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Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Timor Leste’s newest diocese struggles WR Ă€QG LWV IHHW MALIANAI, TIMOR LESTE – Timor Leste’s newest diocese is not only struggling to cope with the demands of local people and establishing an infrastructure, it is also trying to address various issues related to its status as a “border dioceseâ€?. Established on Jan 30 last \HDU GLRFHVDQ RIÂżFLDOV VD\ EHLQJ a border jurisdiction with Indonesia throws up added problems made worse by the fact that diocesan facilities have yet to be fully established. Created after the division of Dili diocese, Maliana geographically stretches over an area of 3,646 square kilometers covering Liquica, Bobonaro and Covalima districts, where most people are Catholics. Its 10 parishes serve around 200,000 Catholics. “The Church frequently handles cases of illegal entry, cattle and motorbike theft, which worries local people,â€? said diocesan secretary Fr Marcal Diaz Ximenes. In response to these issues,

Bishop Norberto do Amaral of Maliana, 54, who was ordained on April 25 last year, established a diocesan commission for social issues. Other commissions are also being formed, and are in the process of getting the right people for various positions. Fr Natalino Verdial De Sousa Gama, head of the diocesan commission on education and youth, said the diocese is also tackling problems resulting from broken families. He said almost all the border issues require serious work as they can lead to other problems. Illegal entry, for instance, could spread HIV/AIDS cases and the black market trade along border areas, he said. He admitted the Church’s preparation and response to these issues have been slow as the diocese is also focusing on establishing facilities including a bishop’s residence, cathedral, parishes, and chapels, as well as structuring the commissions and organisations. „ UCANEWS.COM

Manila archdiocese lets nothing go to waste MANILA – Manila archdiocese says a project it introduced several years ago for a cleaner environment achieved “zero wasteâ€? by turning garbage into building material. For six years, the archdiocese, with the help of “waste pickersâ€?, converted trash from three Catholic institutions into construction material. The garbage collected was mixed with sand and cement to make construction blocks to build LWV HFRORJ\ PLQLVWU\ RIÂżFH LQ &DULtas Manila’s compound. The archdiocese said the

blocks were also used for improvements to the recycling facility, and the construction of a chapel and kiosks at San Carlos Seminary. The archdiocese on April 13 marked the end of the recycling project at Manila Archdiocese’s Resource Recovery Facility in Tondo. In a statement, the archdiocese said its Ministry on Ecology has encouraged and actively involved the urban poor, especially the homeless, unemployed and impoverished, “to gain dignity as humans�. „ UCANEWS.COM

Brother of slain Pakistani minister says he forgives murderers &16 SKRWR

ROME – Mr Paul Bhatti, brother

of the former Pakistani minister for minorities who was murdered by Islamic extremists, said he and his family forgive his brother’s assassins. Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic, who spoke out against Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy laws and encouraged religious freedom, was killed on March 2. Mr Paul Bhatti told reporters in Rome on April 5 that his family has forgiven Shahbaz’s assassins “because our faith teaches us to do thisâ€?. The brother participated in a conference sponsored by the Community of Sant’Egidio, a Catholic lay organisation active in international affairs. The conference was designed as a memorial to Shahbaz Bhatti and as a way to encourage the continuation of his mission of promoting interreligious dialogue in Pakistan. The day after the conference, Mr Paul Bhatti attended Pope Benedict XVI’s weekly general DXGLHQFH DQG VSRNH WR KLP EULHĂ€\ The assassinated minister’s brother told the conference that his brother never compromised his faith-motivated work for social justice and, he said, Shahbaz Bhatti once said explicitly that he “left his life in the hands of Jesusâ€?. While Mr Paul Bhatti said he and his family have forgiven the assassins, he said there was a need WR FODULI\ ZKDW KDSSHQHG DQG ÂżQG the perpetrators to prevent a similar crime from occurring. “The person who killed him did not extinguish his light because we will continue his battle with strength and determination.â€? Mr Paul Bhatti recently as-

Syed Muhammad Abudl Khabir Azad, imam of the mosque of Badshahi of Lahore, Pakistan, shakes hands with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on April 6. Looking on is Mr Paul Bhatti, brother of Shahbaz Bhatti, former Pakistani minister for minorities, who was murdered by Islamic extremists.

sumed the position of the Pakistani president’s “special advisorâ€? for religious minorities and he WROG UHSRUWHUV KLV ÂżUVW SULRULW\ LV to promote the real integration of minorities into Pakistani society, “talking with Muslims and reducing sentiments of hatredâ€?. He said he has the support of the Pakistani government; “the fact that they have asked me to continue my brother’s work shows their desire for changeâ€?. Meanwhile, ZENIT news agency has reported that people worldwide are invited to join in a day of prayer for all victims of the anti-blasphemy laws, such as Ms Asia Bibi.

Ms Bibi is a Pakistani Christian woman condemned to death for alleged blasphemy. The Special Day of Prayer for Asia Bibi and for the Victims of the Blasphemy Law is an initiative that is being launched globally, the woman’s lawyers from the Masihi Foundation told Fides news agency. Foundation director Haroon Masih said “the initiative intends to bring into communion all believers and all people of good in prayer and to light a candle, imploring God’s salvation and freedom for this woman and all who suffer the consequences of being falsely accused of blasphemy�. „ UCANEWS.COM, ZENIT

Religious groups demand aid for N Korea SEOUL – A multi-faith group has asked the South Korean government to resume humanitarian aid to North Koreans who are suffering from hunger. Religious Solidarity for Reconciliation and Peace of Korea held a press conference at the Korea Press Centre on April 12. In the conference, Buddhist, Catholic, Chondogyo, Protestant and Won-Buddhist leaders announced that 658 religious people signed a petition to appeal to the government to resume humanitarian aid to the North. Venerable Pomnyun, representative of the Peace Foundation, reported that the North has KDG GLI¿FXOW\ LQ REWDLQLQJ IRRG EHFDXVH RI PDVVLYH ÀRRGV Food prices are also 100 times higher than before the currency

A caretaker holds a malnourished infant at an orphanage in Chongjin, North Korea. &16 ÂżOH SKRWR

reform in the North in 2009, he noted, so many North Koreans are dying of hunger. North Korea had also asked for food aid from US and international organisations recently, he said. Fr Augustine Ham Sei-ung, former president of the Korea Democracy Foundation said that international organisations such as Caritas Hong Kong and countries like Germany “have been actively aiding North Koreans but our concern for the North has been decreasing, which is shameful�. He argued that resuming humanitarian aid to the North is “the demand of the times and our duty.� At the end of the conference, the participants issued a statement and urged the government to allow civil groups to help North Koreans. „ UCANEWS.COM

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Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Archbishop calls for arrest of US pastor over Qur’an burning LONDON – The president of the Pakistan Catholic bishops’ conference has called for the arrest of a US Protestant pastor whose decision to burn the Islamic sacred book has caused fury in the Muslim world and the deaths of more than 20 people. Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore said the US government should seek to diffuse mounting tensions by detaining Rev Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center Church in Gainesville, Florida, who oversaw the burning of the Qur’an by his assistant on March 20. “The US government should detain the pastor for some time,� Archbishop Saldanha told the British branch of Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic charity for persecuted Christians around the world. “In view of the effects his actions have had all over the world, he should be controlled and understand the harm that has been done,� he said in an April 4 telephone interview. “The US government talks about religious freedom – but we

‘The US government talks about religious freedom – but we call upon the US government to prevent such actions by fundamentalist Christians.’ – Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore, Pakistan call upon the US government to prevent such actions by extremists and other fundamentalist Christians,� the archbishop said. He added that although there had been no reports of attacks on Pakistani Christians by Muslims outraged by the burning, he feared the situation “could become ugly�. The act by Rev Jones and his assistant, witnessed by a small number of people, went unnoticed until a video of the burning was

posted on YouTube. Since then, Muslims in the Middle East have reacted violently, with demonstrations in Afghanistan and demands for US troops to leave the country. The worst incidents involved an April 1 attack on a UN base in the Afghan city of Mazar-eSharif, in which 14 people were killed, seven of them UN staff, and the killings of 10 other people in the southern city of Kandahar April 2. „ CNS

Caritas Seoul’s new Braille programme

)LOH SKRWR RI 7KDL YLOODJHUV ZDGLQJ WKURXJK ÀRRG ZDWHUV &KXUFK LQVWLWXWLRQV DUH ZRUNLQJ WR KHOS WKRVH DIIHFWHG E\ ÀRRGLQJ LQ WKH VRXWK

Thai Church assists YLFWLPV RI à RRGV BANGKOK – Catholic Church in-

stitutions in southern Thailand are KHOSLQJ SHRSOH DIIHFWHG E\ Ă€DVK Ă€RRGV WKDW KDYH KLW WKH UHJLRQ “Many churches and schools were affected. We have supported the affected people with food and drinking water and are now assessing the situation for further support,â€? said Fr Amornkit Prompakdee from Surat Thani diocese. $ &DULWDV 7KDLODQG RIÂżFLDO WROG ucanews.com that the organisation has “sent a team to the region to see what help is required and have called on Church institutions to help support affected peopleâ€?. Sr Jintana Rattanasakchaichan of Mariapitak school in Nakhon Sri Thammarat province said, Âł2XU VFKRRO ZDV Ă€RRGHG E\ P KLJK Ă€RRGZDWHUV :H KDYH QHYHU

IDFHG VXFK KHDY\ Ă€RRGLQJ OLNH this before.â€? Her school, she said, has to delay the start of classes. “We were supposed to open summer class on Monday for our 400 students. We hope we can open our school next week,â€? she said. Food too is scarce in the region. As roads around the school ZHUH Ă€RRGHG WKH QXQV KDG RQO\ instant noodles to eat, she said. Other Catholic schools in the region also had to delay their summer classes, said Fr Watthanasak Srivorakul, principal of Darunothai School in Trang province. Fr Suwat Luangsa-ad of Surat Thani diocese said the Church will conduct an assessment shortly and provide support for affected schools. „ UCANEWS.COM

SEOUL – A newly developed Braille translation program in South Korea is set to offer to the visually handicapped easier access to information. The programme, HasangBraille, developed by Caritas Seoul’s Hasang Rehabilitation Centre (HRC), automatically edits MS Word documents into Braille and helps publish Braille books. HRC director Pio Kim Ho-sik said, “The existing Braille translation programmes were inconvenient because of lack of accuracy, and we had to separately use a translation programme and an editing programme when we published booksâ€?. But the new programme can translate and edit at the same time, he stressed, and convert Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese languages into Braille. Meanwhile, Caritas Seoul was scheduled to hold a festival on April 16 to mark national Disabled Persons’ Day, in which some 600 Catholic disabled people were expected to act as volunteers. &DULWDV RIÂżFLDOV VDLG GLVDEOHG people would play a key role in managing this event. There would also be also a Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Basil Cho Kyu-man of Seoul and a cultural performance. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labour, Korea had 2,429,000 registered disabled people in 2009. „ UCANEWS.COM

12 ASIA

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

China bishop ordained, approved by both govt and Vatican Photo: UCANEWS.COM

JIANGMEN, CHINA – Father Paul

Liang Jiansen, 46, was recently ordained Bishop of Jiangmen, PDNLQJ KLP WKH ÂżUVW ELVKRS WR EH FRQVHFUDWHG LQ &KLQD WKLV \HDU +H LV DOVR WKH ÂżUVW ELVKRS RUdained with both papal approval and government recognition after China-Vatican relations cooled in ODWH 7KLV ZDV DIWHU %HLMLQJ ordained a bishop illicitly and convened the National Congress RI &DWKROLF 5HSUHVHQWDWLYHV The March 30 ceremony was KHOG DW WKH &DWKHGUDO RI ,PPDFXlate Heart of Mary in Jiangmen FLW\ *XDQJGRQJ 0U .ZXQ 3LQJ KXQJ DQ H[SHUW on the Church in China, said this “dual-approvedâ€? ordination conveys a positive message, but “in light of current China-Vatican relations, we should not over-interSUHW LW DV D VLJQ RI ZDUPLQJ WLHV´ Both sides still hold different views over the selection and appointment of bishops, which may be seen in the near future said Mr .ZXQ ZKR LV EDVHG LQ +RQJ .RQJ The new bishop said he plans to train lay leaders to help priests and nuns in catechesis and evangelisation as there is a shortage of UHOLJLRXV YRFDWLRQV LQ WKH GLRFHVH Bishop Liang said his coat of arms bears the images of St Francis Xavier and Fr Matteo Ricci, and expressed his desire to model KLPVHOI RQ WKHP The two Jesuit missioners inspire him to work harder to spread the Gospel as many people have QRW KHDUG DERXW -HVXV KH VDLG Jiangmen diocese holds a speFLDO SODFH LQ &KLQD &KXUFK KLVWRU\ St Francis Xavier arrived on 6KDQJFKXDQ ,VODQG LQ EXW

Bishop Paul Liang Jiansen.

died months later while waiting WR HQWHU WKH PDLQODQG +LV WRPE LQ -LDQJPHQ LV D SLOJULPDJH VLWH Fr Ricci spent six years in Zhaoqing in the northern part of today’s Jiangmen diocese, where he built a church and prepared for KLV PLVVLRQ WR PDLQODQG &KLQD Bishop Liang invited his seminary classmates – Bishops Joseph Gan Junqiu of Guangzhou, Joseph Liao Hongqing of Meixian (Meizhou) and Paul Su Yongda of Zhanjiang, all from Guangdong – WR RI¿FLDWH DW KLV RUGLQDWLRQ The bishops of Nanchang, Nanning and Haimen and about SULHVWV FRQFHOHEUDWHG WKH 0DVV Priests and laypeople from Hong .RQJ DQG 0DFDX DOVR DWWHQGHG The cathedral accommodated 400 people, while 1,000 sat in the FRXUW\DUG +XQGUHGV ZLWKRXW WLFNets watched the ceremony on TV VFUHHQV RXWVLGH WKH FRPSRXQG „ UCANEWS.COM

Filipino job-seekers get their rÊsumÊs blessed MANILA – As the Philippines’

employment market becomes increasingly more competitive, many job-seeking graduates are now resorting to having their rÊVXPpV RU TXDOL¿FDWLRQV EOHVVHG Nica, a nursing graduate, was RQH RI WKHVH ³:H DOO NQRZ KRZ GLI¿FXOW LW LV WR ¿QG D MRE QRZDGD\V VR , ZDV WKLQNLQJ PD\EH LI , SUD\ KHUH DQG have my rÊsumÊ blessed it would help me land a job,� said Nica, who went to the Monasterio de Santa Clara in the suburbs of QuH]RQ &LW\ IRU WKH EOHVVLQJ 0VJU &OHPHQWH ,JQDFLR UHFtor of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Manila, said he is not surprised people think that they would have a better chance of landing a job if they have their UpVXPpV EOHVVHG ³,WœV ULJKW WR DVN EOHVVLQJV from God because based on our experience many prayers are re-

DOO\ EHLQJ DQVZHUHG ´ KH VDLG “A blessing is also a prayer ‌ it is not done on sacred objects RQO\ ´ KH DGGHG The priest, however, said people should not feel bad if they do not get the result they want from WKHLU SUD\HU “All prayers are answered but it depends on how God answers our prayers because sometimes there LV D EHWWHU SODQ IRU XV ´ KH VDLG Bishop Joel Baylon, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Youth, said job apSOLFDQWV VKRXOG DOVR GR WKHLU SDUW Âł,WÂśV 2. WR DVN IRU KHOS EXW an individual should also make some effort because a career is not something that is automatically JLYHQ WR XV ´ KH VDLG The Philippine Commission on Higher Education said around 431,000 students are expected to JUDGXDWH WKLV \HDU „ UCANEWS.COM

ASIA 13

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Mission to Ivory Coast blocked Clashes and airport closure hinder papal envoy’s trip to the troubled country VATICAN CITY – Fighting in Ivory

Coast and an airport shutdown prevented the pope’s personal envoy from entering the country for talks aimed at peace and reconciliation. Cardinal Peter Turkson, presiGHQW RI WKH 3RQWLÂżFDO &RXQFLO IRU Justice and Peace, had been stuck in Accra, Ghana, since April 1 and returned to Rome on April 8 after KH ZDV XQDEOH WR JHW D Ă€LJKW LQWR Ivory Coast. “It was not possible to enterâ€? DQG WKH RQO\ Ă€LJKWV LQWR WKH FRXQtry were for United Nations’ staff, he told Vatican Radio on April 9. The cardinal said he asked the UN if he could travel on one of its planes leaving from Accra, but they “did not want to take this risk of bringing a person who was not a member of its staff into a very delicate and dangerous situationâ€?. He said he spoke by phone with the nuncio in Abidjan and with the president of the Ivorian bishops’ conference to talk about the unfolding situation there. “I wanted to bring the pope’s message to the Ivorian bishops’ conferenceâ€? in person, he said. Pope Benedict XVI had sent the Ghanaian cardinal as his personal envoy to show his solidarity with the people affected by the FRQĂ€LFW DQG WR RIIHU VXSSRUW IRU HIforts for peace and reconciliation. Army forces and militia supporting then president-elect Alassane Ouattara had been clash-

Cardinal Peter Turkson, president RI WKH 3RQWLÂżFDO &RXQFLO IRU -XVWLFH and Peace

ing with security personnel and mercenaries loyal to outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo, who UHIXVHG WR OHDYH RIÂżFH DIWHU 0U Ouattara was declared the winner of elections in November. French and UN forces on the JURXQG LQ $ELGMDQ DUUHVWHG 0U *EDJER RQ $SULO 0U 2XDWWDUD KDV VLQFH DVVXPHG RIÂżFH In an informal interview with journalists on April 11, Cardinal Turkson said he had wanted to go to Ivory Coast as a follow-up to a February gathering in the country that had gathered political, religious and community leaders in an effort to resolve the post-election impasse.

Former Anglican leader talks about papal meeting LONDON – 0VJU .HLWK 1HZWRQ KHDG RI WKH ÂżUVW &DWKROLF GLRFHVH for former Anglicans in England and Wales, says the pope is showing “great interestâ€? in it and is keeping it in his prayer. 0VJU 1HZWRQ DIÂżUPHG WKLV LQ WKH RIÂżFLDO QHZVOHWWHU RI WKH 3HUsonal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, in which he spoke of his April 1 private audience with the Holy Father, reports ZENIT news agency. The pontiff was “keen to hear about the clergy and faithful joining [the ordinariate] this year, and of our hopes and plans for the fuWXUH´ 0VJU 1HZWRQ VDLG The former Anglican bishop of Richborough said he was “able to express our sincere appreciation for the generous provisions made in ‘Anglicanorum Coetibus’ and for the warmth of welcome we have received from the Churchâ€?. The apostolic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus allowed the reception of groups of disaffected Anglicans into the Catholic Church.

Msgr Keith Newton, head of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.

According to ZENIT, dates for many of the ordinations of deacons and priests of the ordinariate have been set, and will run WKURXJK 0D\ DQG -XQH 7KHUH DUH seven ceremonies scheduled to orGDLQ GHDFRQV LQ 0D\ DQG WKH RUGLnations of priests in Westminster will take place on June 10. „

“While I couldn’t get my foot into Ivory Coast,â€? he said, the people, including top political leaders, “knew I was trying to get inâ€? and that the pope and the Vatican were concerned about the escalating violence. $ &DULWDV RIÂżFLDO VDLG WKH VLWXation still calls for caution after 0U *EDJERÂśV DUUHVW “In several districts of Abidjan youth from both sides were armed, DQG ÂżJKWLQJ EHWZHHQ WKHP FRQWLQXHG ´ 0U -HDQ 'MRPDQ GLUHFWRU RI 'HYHORSPHQW DQG +XPDQ 3URPRtion for Caritas in Abidjan, told Fides news agency. “When security forces backed by the UN are deployed to the neighbourhoods, they will risk confrontation with the various armed groups.â€? Pope Benedict XVI has appealed for an end to the bloodshed in Ivory Coast and Libya, saying hatred and violence never led to victory. “Violence and hatred are always a failure! For this reason I am making a new and urgent appeal to all sides involved to begin working for peace and dialogue and prevent further bloodshed,â€? Soldiers loyal to then president-elect Alassane Ouattara move through the he said at the end of his weekly main city of Abidjan on April 6. CNS photos general audience on April 6. „ AGENCIES

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Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Blessed John Paul’s feast day Vatican sets up meeting with bloggers to be celebrated on Oct 22 VATICAN CITY – The feast day RI %OHVVHG -RKQ 3DXO ,, ZLOO EH PDUNHG RQ 2FW HDFK \HDU LQ 5RPH DQG WKH GLRFHVHV RI 3RODQG When the Vatican made the anQRXQFHPHQW RQ $SULO LW DOVR VDLG Catholics throughout the world will have a year to celebrate a Mass in WKDQNVJLYLQJ IRU KLV EHDWLÂżFDWLRQ While thanksgiving Masses for D EHDWLÂżFDWLRQ DUH XVXDOO\ OLPLWHG to places where the person lived or worked, “the exceptional charDFWHU RI WKH EHDWLÂżFDWLRQ RI WKH 9HQHUDEOH -RKQ 3DXO ,, UHFRJQLVHG by the entire Catholic Church spread throughout the worldâ€?, led to a general permission for the thanksgiving Mass, said a decree from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. The decree was published in the Vatican newspaper, /Âś2VVHUYDWRUH 5RPDQR A local bishop or the superior general of a religious order is free to choose the day or dates as well as the place or places for the thanksgiving Mass, as long as the 0DVVHV DUH FHOHEUDWHG E\ 0D\ ZKLFK LV RQH \HDU DIWHU WKH EHDWLÂżFDWLRQ WKH GHFUHH VDLG 2FW ZDV FKRVHQ DV WKH GD\ to remember him because it is the anniversary of the liturgical inauJXUDWLRQ RI KLV SDSDF\ LQ

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican is in-

A woman in St Peter’s Square holds photos with the words “Blessed Pope John Paul II� in Italian. CNS photo

2XWVLGH 5RPH DQG 3RODQG ELVKRSV ZLOO KDYH WR ÂżOH D IRUmal request with the Vatican to receive permission to mark the feast day, the decree said. The local-only celebration of a %OHVVHGÂśV IHDVW LV RQH RI WKH PRVW noticeable differences between EHLQJ EHDWLÂżHG DQG EHLQJ FDQRQised, which makes universal public liturgical veneration possible.

The text of the opening prayer for the Mass in honour of Blessed -RKQ 3DXO LV ³2 *RG ZKR DUH ULFK in mercy and who willed that the %OHVVHG -RKQ 3DXO ,, VKRXOG SUHVLGH as pope over your universal church, grant, we pray, that instructed by his teaching, we may open our hearts to the saving grace of Christ, the sole redeemer of mankind. Who lives and reigns.� „ CNS

viting Internet bloggers to Rome for an unprecedented meeting to foster “informal exchange and contactâ€?. The May 2 event aims to take DGYDQWDJH RI WKH LQĂ€X[ RI LQWHUQDtional bloggers coming to Rome IRU WKH EHDWLÂżFDWLRQ RI 3RSH -RKQ 3DXO ,, D GD\ HDUOLHU While all are invited to apply, only a limited number of blogging attendees will receive a formal invitation to attend the meeting at WKH 6W 3LXV ; DXGLWRULXP 3DUWLFLSDQWV ZLOO EH VHOHFWHG with reference to the timeliness of request, blog subject and the language and geographical location of the blogger. Attention will also be given to the nature of blogs as institutional or private, multivoice or personal. 7KH HQFRXQWHU PDUNV D ÂżUVW IRU the Church, which has put emphasis on opening up channels with new media platforms through a series of initiatives in recent years. The Vatican has only gradually entered social networks, setting up YouTube and Facebook acFRXQWV IRU WKH 3RSH DQG HYHQ SURPRWLQJ 3RSH -RKQ 3DXO ,,ÂśV 0D\ EHDWLÂżFDWLRQ WKURXJK 7ZLWWHU According to an April 7 statement from the Vatican, the May 2 event is “to allow for a dialogue

between bloggers and Church representatives, to listen to the experiences of those who are actively involved in this arena, and to achieve a greater understanding of the needs of that communityâ€?. During the meeting, Church initiatives to engage those who work in new media will be presented and panel discussions held. 7KH ÂżUVW SDQHO ZLOO LQFOXGH ÂżYH bloggers representing the Italian, (QJOLVK )UHQFK 3ROLVK DQG 6SDQish languages, respectively. A second panel of still unannounced Church communications personnel will offer their experiences in new media and look at initiatives meant to engage bloggers. Vatican representatives taking part in the encounter include Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli of the 3RQWLÂżFDO &RXQFLO IRU 6RFLDO &RPmunications, Cardinal Gianfranco 5DYDVL RI WKH 3RQWLÂżFDO &RXQFLO for Culture, and Fr Federico LomEDUGL 6- GLUHFWRU RI WKH +RO\ 6HHÂśV 3UHVV 2IÂżFH 9DWLFDQ 5DGLR and the Vatican Television Centre. The Vatican statement says the organisers see the meeting as “an opportunity for informal exchange and contact between those attending with a view to opening further avenues of interactionâ€?. „ CNA/EWTN NEWS

WORLD 15

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Âś&KXUFK FXOWXUH PXVW FKDQJH DIWHU DEXVH VFDQGDO¡ MILWAUKEE, USA – Much more

remains to be done to “turn around the culture of an institutionâ€? that allowed thousands of children to EH DEXVHG E\ SULHVWV LQ WKH $UFKdiocese of Dublin, the head of the archdiocese told an international conference on the clergy sex DEXVH VFDQGDO RQ $SULO 2SHQLQJ WKH WZR GD\ FRQIHUHQFH DW 0DUTXHWWH 8QLYHUVLW\ /DZ 6FKRRO LQ 0LOZDXNHH $UFKELVKRS Diarmuid Martin was harsh in his DVVHVVPHQW RI PRVW RI WKH SULHVW abusers he had met since becomLQJ DUFKELVKRS RI 'XEOLQ LQ “I can honestly say that with SHUKDSV WZR H[FHSWLRQV , KDYH not encountered a real and unconditional admission of guilt and UHVSRQVLELOLW\ RQ WKH SDUW RI SULHVW offenders in my diocese,â€? ArchELVKRS 0DUWLQ VDLG Âł6XUYLYRUV KDYH UHSHDWHGO\ told me that one of the greatest LQVXOWV DQG KXUWV WKH\ KDYH H[SHULenced is to see the lack of real rePRUVH RQ WKH SDUW RI RIIHQGHUV HYHQ ZKHQ WKH\ SOHDG JXLOW\ LQ FRXUW ´ 7KH ,ULVK DUFKELVKRS VDLG D )HE /LWXUJ\ RI /DPHQW DQG 5HSHQWDQFH DW WKH 'XEOLQ FDWKHGUDO “was a truly restorative momentâ€? for many abuse survivors who “felt that they had encountered in it a Church which was beginning to identify with their hurt and WKHLU MRXUQH\´ Âł%XW WKHUH DUH VR PDQ\ VXUvivors who have not yet had that H[SHULHQFH RI EHLQJ VXUURXQGHG by a Church in lament, rather than a Church still wanting to be in FKDUJH ´ KH DGGHG The Dublin leader said the Church must analyse whether “the culture of clericalismâ€? might have “somehow facilitated disastrous abusive behaviour to continue for VR ORQJ´ DQG PXVW UHSHQW IRU WKH “false understanding of mercy and human natureâ€? that allow offendHUV WR FRQWLQXH WR DEXVH FKLOGUHQ Âł6HULDO VH[XDO DEXVHUV PDQLSulatively weaved their way in and

&16 ÂżOH SKRWR

¾0DQ\ VXUYLYRUV KDYH QRW \HW KDG WKDW H[SHULHQFH RI EHLQJ VXUURXQGHG E\ D &KXUFK LQ ODPHQW UDWKHU WKDQ D &KXUFK VWLOO ZDQWLQJ WR EH LQ FKDUJH œ – Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin

out of the net of mercy for years, when what they really needed was WKDW WKH\ EH ÂżUPO\ EORFNHG LQ WKHLU SDWK ´ KH VDLG $UFKELVKRS 0DUWLQ DOVR XUJHG greater attention to seminary formation and warned against acFHSWLQJ FDQGLGDWHV IRU SULHVWKRRG who “may be looking not to serve EXW IRU VRPH IRUP RI SHUVRQDO VHFXULW\ RU VWDWXV ZKLFK SULHVWKRRG PD\ VHHP WR RIIHU WKHP´ +H VDLG KH SODQQHG WR UHTXLUH DOO IXWXUH SULHVWV WR ÂłFDUU\ RXW VRPH SDUW RI WKHLU IRUPDWLRQ WRJHWKHU ZLWK OD\SHRSOH VR WKDW WKH\ FDQ HVWDEOLVK PDWXUH UHODWLRQVKLSV with men and women and do not GHYHORS DQ\ VHQVH RI WKHLU SULHVWKRRG JLYLQJ WKHP D VSHFLDO VRFLDO SRVLWLRQ´ „ CNS

9DWLFDQ¡V QHZ Ă€QDQFLDO QRUPV VATICAN CITY – Individuals car-

rying more than 10,000 euros (about S$18,000) into or out of Vatican City State must declare it to authorities under a new law aimed at meeting international norms against money-laundering DQG ÂżQDQFLQJ WHUURULVP The new measures to guarDQWHH ÂżQDQFLDO WUDQVSDUHQF\ LQ the Vatican went into effect on $SULO DQG UHĂ€HFW WKH ODWHVW (XURSHDQ 8QLRQ UHJXODWLRQV Vatican gendarmes have the DXWKRULW\ WR VWRS DQG VHDUFK YHKLcles, bags or other objects if they KDYH UHDVRQ WR VXVSHFW WKH FXUUHQcy declaration has not been made, VDLG D 9DWLFDQ VWDWHPHQW

,Q 3RSH %HQHGLFW ;9, established the Financial InforPDWLRQ $XWKRULW\ DQ LQGHSHQGHQW agency to oversee monetary and commercial activities of all VatiFDQ UHODWHG LQVWLWXWLRQV 7KH SRSH HVWDEOLVKHG WKH RYHUsight agency after Italian treasury SROLFH LQ D PRQH\ ODXQGHULQJ SUREH VHL]HG PLOOLRQ HXURV WKDW WKH 9DWLFDQ EDQN KDG GHSRVLWHG LQ D 5RPH EDQN DFFRXQW 7KH 9DWLFDQ FULWLFLVHG WKH FRQ¿VFDWLRQ VD\LQJ WKH GHSRVLW ZDV OHJLWLPDWH The Vatican has been working with Italian and international auWKRULWLHV WR FRPSO\ ZLWK SURFHGXUHV to ensure funds are not used for terURULVP RU PRQH\ ODXQGHULQJ „ CNS

16 WORLD

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Assisi meeting won’t include interfaith prayer: Vatican VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict

;9, DQG UHSUHVHQWDWLYHV RI WKH world’s major religions will make speeches and sign a common commitment to peace when they meet in Assisi, Italy, in October, but they will not pray together, the Vatican said. In fact, Pope Benedict’s forPDO SUD\HU VHUYLFH ZLOO EH KHOG DW WKH 9DWLFDQ WKH HYHQLQJ EHIRUH WKH 2FW HYHQW LQ $VVLVL ZLWK OHDGers of other Christian communiWLHV DQG UHSUHVHQWDWLYHV RI WKH world’s main religions. The gathering will commemoUDWH WKH WK DQQLYHUVDU\ RI 3RSH John Paul II’s “prayer for peaceâ€? encounter in Assisi. The 1986 HYHQW ZDV VHHQ E\ PDQ\ DV D PLOHstone in interreligious relations but was criticised by some Catholics who said it appeared to inappropriately mix elements from Christian and non-Christian religions. 7KH 9DWLFDQ SUHVV RIÂżFH LVVXHG D VWDWHPHQW RQ $SULO JLYLQJ WKH theme for the 2011 meeting, titled Pilgrims of Truth, Pilgrims of Peace, DQG D JHQHUDO RXWOLQH RI HYHQWV Âł(YHU\ KXPDQ EHLQJ LV XOWLmately a pilgrim in search of truth and goodness,â€? the Vatican statement said. The search requires people to enter into dialogue with others,

Pope John Paul II and leaders of other faiths at the 1986 interfaith prayer gathering in Assisi, Italy. &16 ÂżOH SKRWR

ÂłEHOLHYHUV DQG XQEHOLHYHUV DOLNH ZLWKRXW VDFULÂżFLQJ RQHÂśV RZQ identity or indulging in forms of syncretismâ€? where elements of different religions are used indiscriminately, the statement said. “To the extent that the pilgrimDJH RI WUXWK LV DXWKHQWLFDOO\ OLYHG it opens the path to dialogue with the other, it excludes no one and it FRPPLWV HYHU\RQH WR EH D EXLOGHU of fraternity and peace. These are WKH HOHPHQWV WKDW WKH +RO\ )DWKHU wishes to place at the centre of reĂ€HFWLRQ ´ WKH 9DWLFDQ VDLG The statement said Pope Benedict will prepare for the Assisi gathering by hosting a prayer

VHUYLFH ZLWK &DWKROLFV IURP WKH 'LRFHVH RI 5RPH LQ 6W 3HWHUÂśV %Dsilica on Oct 26. Other Catholic dioceses and other Christian communities are encouraged to organise similar SUD\HU VHUYLFHV WKH VWDWHPHQW VDLG The Vatican said the pope was LQYLWLQJ WR $VVLVL UHSUHVHQWDWLYHV of other religions, other Christian communities and representaWLYHV RI WKH ZRUOGV RI FXOWXUH DQG science who do not profess a religious belief, but who “regard WKHPVHOYHV DV VHHNHUV RI WKH WUXWK and are conscious of a shared responsibility for the cause of justice and peaceâ€?. „ CNS

‘Priests, laity need more spiritual warfare training’ VATICAN CITY – A call to take up

the spiritual weapons of the rosary and prayer rang out at a recent international conference on exorcism in Rome. The Church needs more training of priests and laypeople in ÂżJKWLQJ WKH LQĂ€XHQFH RI WKH GHYLO and bringing spiritual healing to those in need, attendees said. Âł:HÂśYH ORVW WKH FRQFHSW RI spiritual warfare,â€? said Msgr MarYLQ 0RWWHW RIÂżFLDO H[RUFLVW RI WKH 'LRFHVH RI 'DYHQSRUW LQ 86$ The 80-year-old priest said that about once a month he sees a serious case of possession and ÂłWRQV´ RI FDVHV RI GHPRQLF LQĂ€Xence in which people are being ÂłERWKHUHG RU DWWDFNHG E\ HYLO VSLUitsâ€?. Those kinds of cases, he said, are “a daily thingâ€?. He was one of 60 people who attended a course on exorcism DQG 6DWDQLVP DW WKH /HJLRQDULHV of Christ’s Regina Apostolorum 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ 5RPH IURP 0DUFK $SULO 7KH DQQXDO HYHQW LV co-sponsored by the Vatican ConJUHJDWLRQ IRU 'LYLQH :RUVKLS DQG WKH 6DFUDPHQWV DQG WKH &RQJUHJDtion for Clergy. The course, which did not train people to become exorcists, attracted many who were already experienced with exorcism. Most participants were priests, but some were lay doctors, psycholo-

JLVWV RU SDULVKLRQHUV DFWLYH LQ prayer ministry. The course looked at the theological and spiritual elements of exorcism as well as the psychological, sociological and criminal aspects of demonic cults, sects DQG 6DWDQLVP Msgr Mottet and other exorcists VDLG MXVW DV WKHUH DUH GLIIHUHQW OHYHOV RI WKH GHYLOÂśV LQĂ€XHQFH RQ D SHUVRQ so there are different methods to counter it – with exorcism being UHVHUYHG WR SULHVWV ZKR KDYH WKHLU bishop’s permission and are certain the person is experiencing demonic possession. The more common problems of temptation and general demonic LQĂ€XHQFH WKH\ VDLG FDQ EH UHVROYHG E\ UHFHLYLQJ WKH VDFUDPHQWV HVSHFLDOO\ WKH 6DFUDPHQW RI 5HFonciliation, or prayers for healing DQG GHOLYHUDQFH ZKLFK WUDLQHG OD\ Catholics can recite. A parish priest should discern when a person needs medical, psychological or pastoral care, DQG ZKHQ KHDOLQJ RU GHOLYHUDQFH prayers, rather than exorcism, is needed, they said. &RQYHQWLRQDO )UDQFLVFDQ )U -RKQ )DUDR D 86 SULVRQ FKDSODLQ added that going to church regularly, taking part in the sacraments and KDYLQJ ÂłD VWURQJ VSLULWXDO OLIH LV WKH JUHDWHVW SURWHFWLRQ DJDLQVW 6DWDQÂśV LQWHUDFWLRQ LQ RXU OLYHV´ „ CNS

WORLD 17

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Coming up: Document on baptism in the Holy Spirit

Small group sharing during the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services meeting in Rome.

By Gerard Francisco ROME – A pastoral document on

the baptism in the Holy Spirit is expected to be published soon by the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (ICCRS). Some 150 theologians and Catholic Charismatic leaders from 43 countries met in Rome recently to discuss the topic before the document is updated and released. The March 17-20 Colloquium on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit aimed to study the experience of BHS from a biblical, theological and pastoral point of view in relation to the sacraments of baptism DQG FRQÂżUPDWLRQ Participants were those who had written or taught about baptism in the Holy Spirit (BHS) in an in-depth way. Among those present were Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, head of WKH 3RQWLÂżFDO &RXQFLO IRU WKH /Dity, and Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher to the Papal Household. Fr Raniero emphasised that the Catholic Charismatc Renewal and BHS bring back the Christian traditions of the early Church. The ÂżUVW FRQVHTXHQFH RI %+6 DV VHHQ today, is to proclaim Christ. Dr Mary Healy, lecturer at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary in

the US, said there is a renewed interest in the renewal and BHS in her country because of the challenges the Church faces there. 6HPLQDULHV DUH QRZ RIIHULQJ /LIH in the Spirit Seminars for seminarians and priests. Mr Ralph Martin, a lecturer at University of Steubenville in the US, emphasised that BHS is linked to Christian initiation, and offers a release of the grace already present since the baptism. The fruit is a new zeal for mission. Theologian Fr Peter Hocken from Austria said he noticed the fruits of the Charismatic renewal and BHS in fostering ecumenical dialogue. Other participants also shared about the positive impact of the renewal and BHS in their countries. Prior to this meeting, the ICCRS Theological Commission had compiled an 85-page pastoral document on the BHS after circulating the original draft to theologians in many parts of the world and receiving their comments. The commission will now compile an updated version of this document, which is expected to be published soon. The meeting was sponsored by ICCRS in collaboration with the 3RQWL¿FDO &RXQFLO IRU WKH /DLW\ „ Additional reporting: ZENIT

18 LETTERS/OPINION

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Fortnightly newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore

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

IN MEMORIAM: Susan Lim: memoriam@catholic.org.sg

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Christopher Khoo: chriskhoo@catholic.org.sg

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Richard Paul: subscriptions@catholic.org.sg

STAFF CORRESPONDENT: Darren Boon: darrenboon@catholic.org.sg

ADVERTISEMENTS: Elaine Ong: advertisements@catholic.org.sg WEBMASTER: Medona Walter: medona@catholic.org.sg

EDITORIAL MATTERS: cnedit@catholic.org.sg

Please include your full name, address and phone no. for all articles and letters. Published submissions will be edited.

DESIGN / LAYOUT: Christopher Wong: design@catholic.org.sg Elaine Ong: elong@catholic.org.sg

Financial reports for parishes? A few Sundays ago, I attended Mass at St Mary of the Angels. The Church wardens distributed to all parishioners the Statement of Income and Expenditures for 2010 and Budget for 2011, while Fr John-Paul Tan WRRN WLPH WR EULHĂ€\ H[SODLQ WKH report. I think St Mary of the Angels

did an excellent job informing and sharing with parishioners how the monies/donations are being utilised. This is truly transparent and the right way to go. I urge all Catholic churches to follow what St Mary of the Angels has done by publishing their ÂżQDQFLDO UHSRUW DQG GLVWULEXWLQJ WR parishioners.

In this way, should there be any shortfall, parishioners will be more than willing to contribute. The people should have the right to know where the collections and/or donations are being used. „ Gerard Lee Singapore 128754

Plastic palms not good idea I refer to Mr John Wee’s letter, Save our Earth on Palm Sunday (CN, March 27). Mr Wee’s suggestion to replace palms with plastic ones, though well-intentioned, misses the point of “savingâ€? the Earth altogether. Perhaps he is not aware that plastic is one of the major pollutants of our earth, air and water. Plastic, being non-biodegradable, is practically indestructible. Toxic chemicals are released during its production and disposal Âą LQ ODQGÂżOOV EXUQLQJ DQG HYHQ recycling efforts – that damage the ecosystem of our planet, not to mention threats to our personal health.

CN, March 27

I would rather not have palms than be stuck with a plastic one that would only add to our environmental problems. If every parish were to grow a row of palm bushes in its grounds, we could have a little harvest of

homegrown palms. Parishioners who have gardens could also add to the supply by growing palms in their own backyard. „ Anne Lim Singapore 550115

The roots of forgiveness IN ONE of James Carroll’s early novels, he offers this poignant image: A young man is in the delivery room watching his wife give birth to their baby. 7KH GHOLYHU\ LV D GLI¿FXOW RQH DQG VKH LV LQ GDQJHU of dying. $V KH VWDQGV ZDWFKLQJ KH LV GHHSO\ FRQÀLFWHG He loves his wife, is holding her hand, and is frantically praying that she not die. Yet the impending birth of their child and the danger of his wife’s death conspire to make him acutely aware that, deep in his heart, he has not forgiven her for once being unfaithful to him. He has expressed his forgiveness to her but he realises now, at this moment of extreme crisis, that in his heart he still has not been able to let go of the hurt and that he has not truly forgiven her. As his wife hovers between life and death, he sees in her face a great tension, a struggle to give birth to someone even as she desperately struggles not to die. Her agony accentuates the deeper lines in her face and he sees there a dual struggle, to give birth and to not die. Seeing this, he is able to forgive her in his heart. What moves him is not simple pity but an empathy born of special insight. His wife’s struggle to give birth, while wrestling to stay alive, highlighted by the agony of her situation, is like a light shining on her whole life helping to H[SODLQ HYHU\WKLQJ LQFOXGLQJ KHU LQ¿GHOLW\ And it’s the same for all of us: The deepest instinct inside each of us is the instinct to stay alive, to not petrify, to not unravel, to struggle against every obstacle so as to stay alive. Closely tied to that is a congenital pressure, at every level of body and soul, to give birth, to perpetuate our own seed, to leave behind some child that’s ours, to create an artifact, to co-create something with God. That dual pressure ultimately undergirds most everything we do, inchoately colouring our every motivation and forming the deep context out of which we act. It’s what invites us to virtue and tempts us to sin. The struggle to stay alive and to give birth is at the base of both our heroLVP DQG RXU LQ¿GHOLWLHV And it shows in our faces. It shapes the deeper contours of our countenance. Our faces ultimately reveal who we are, both at the surface and at our depth. That can be a frightening thought: It’s not consoling to know that, in the end, we cannot hide our pettiness, greed, lust, self-centredness, anger, bitterness, nor even how dull and bland we are. It shows through, physically. $V -HDQ 3DXO 6DUWUH RQFH DI¿UPHG ZH FUHDWH RXU RZQ IDFHV DQG after age 40, what we are underneath, our virtue and sin, begin to trump our genetic endowment in terms of what people see in our faces. People begin to see who we are. And it isn’t the fat cells or the wrinkles that are WKH PRVW WHOOLQJ 6HO¿VKQHVV FRQFHLW DQG ELWWHUQHVV DUH QR ORQJHU FXWH after 40! Oscar Wilde, in his novel, A Picture of Dorian Gray, makes this point very powerfully, His hero, Dorian, a young man of stunning good looks, has his portrait painted by a master artist who produces a masterpiece. Everyone is taken by its beauty. But, and this is the catch, the portrait is painted when Dorian is young, innocent, and of gentle and good heart. His face in the portrait is beautiful because of these qualities, not just because of his extraordinary good looks. This becomes clear later, when Wilde, in a twist that smacks of something between magic and a bargain with the devil, has the portrait of Dorian’s face change so that as Dorian grows vain, lustful, arrogant, and cruel, the painting changes and begins to show his vanity, lust, arrogance and cruelty. Dorian hides the painting and only occasionally, in HLWKHU D ¿W RI UHPRUVH RU RI XWWHU F\QLFLVP ORRNV DW LW $QG KH VHHV LQ KLV changing face the state of his soul. And this is true for all of us. Our changing faces reveal the state of our souls. But this is not as frightening as it may seem. Unless through long years of dishonesty we have so perverted ourselves so as to commit what the Gospels call the unforgiveable sin against the Holy Spirit, our deepest beauty-lines remain intact. Beneath our aging genetics, beneath our fat cells and wrinkles, beneath the greed and self-preoccupation that sin has painted into our faces, beneath the bitterness put there by every rejection we’ve endured, EHQHDWK WKH IDFDGH WKDW WULHV WR KLGH RXU ZHDNQHVVHV DQG LQ¿GHOLWLHV DQG underneath even our virtues and quiet martyrdom, there lies the tension that James Carroll’s young man saw in his wife as she struggled to give birth to their child even as she struggled not to die. That struggle forms the deepest contour of the human face. Seeing it can give birth to forgiveness. „

FOCUS 19

Sunday April 24 2011 „ CatholicNews

Chinese Catholics struggle with idea RI XQLĂ€HG &KXUFK 9DWLFDQ RIĂ€FLDO VATICAN CITY – While Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged Catholics in mainland China to reconcile with one another and form one community united with Rome, some Chinese Catholics believe the only way to be faithful to the universal Church is for the underground Church to continue, VDLG D &KLQHVH 9DWLFDQ RIÂżFLDO Archbishop Savio Hon TaiFai, the Hong Kong-born secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, told the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire, “The clandestine commuQLWLHV VWLOO KDYH D UHDVRQ WR H[LVW ´ In the interview published on April 1, Archbishop Hon said that while some Catholic bishops have been forced by the Chinese government to participate in public events against their will, other bishops DQG SULHVWV KDYH JRQH ZLOOLQJO\ The archbishop referred speFLÂżFDOO\ WR WKH RUGLQDWLRQ LQ 1Rvember of a bishop not approved by the pope and to the December VHVVLRQ RI WKH 1DWLRQDO &RQJUHVV of Catholic Representatives, which elected leaders for the government-approved Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China and the Chinese Catholic 3DWULRWLF $VVRFLDWLRQ The bishops’ conference and the patriotic association are responsible for the public life of the &KXUFK LQ WKH FRPPXQLVW FRXQWU\ Âł1RW DOO RI WKH SDUWLFLSDQWV ZHUH IRUFHG WR JR 6RPH ZHQW spontaneously, just as some spontaneously adhere to the policy of the ‘autonomy’ of the Chinese Church from the pope and the +RO\ 6HH ´ WKH DUFKELVKRS VDLG He said 45 bishops, most of whom have been accepted as bishops by the pope, participated in the national congress in December; “some of them were taken WKHUH E\ IRUFH RWKHUV ZHUH QRW´ “The number of opportunLVWV KDV JURZQ ´ KH VDLG DQG WKH only way to counter the trend is to improve the formation of the clergy and for the Vatican to be

very, very careful about accepting ÂłFRPSURPLVH FDQGLGDWHV´ IRU WKH RIÂżFH RI ELVKRS “Selecting good candidates is GLIÂżFXOW 7KH JRYHUQPHQW PDLQtains that in presenting [to the Vatican] lists of the candidates who are acceptable from its point of view, it already is making a big concesVLRQ $QG LI WKH +RO\ 6HH UHIXVHV to gives its ‘placet’ [or approval], then it threatens to have them conVHFUDWHG DQ\ZD\´ OLNH LW GLG LQ 1RCoadjutor Bishop Wang Renlei of Xuzhou greeting Catholics after his ordination Mass in Xuzhou, China, in 2006. He was ordained without Vatican approval. CNS photo/UCAN

Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai says that while some bishops have been forced by the government to participate in public events, other bishops and priests have gone willingly.

YHPEHU WKH DUFKELVKRS VDLG Archbishop Hon told Avvenire that sometimes the government’s candidates to be bishop go ahead with an ordination ceremony without Vatican approval, thinking that they will go to the pope later, ask for forgiveness and be IRUJLYHQ “Care must be taken to avoid WKLV NLQG RI PDQLSXODWLRQ +DYLQJ said that, though, one must always remember that the Church is the body of Christ and if one part of this body is breaking off, we can’t just let it go, but must try to recover it with justice and also with PHUF\ ´ KH VDLG „ CNS

20 FAITH ALIVE!

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

‘Life in abundance’ and the Easter Vigil The entire salvation story unfolds through the Vigil’s readings which describe the new life that comes from believing in Jesus, says Fr Gerald O’Collins, SJ. RECENTLY, I saw an ad on television for a new housing development. Houses were being sold through the slogan: “This is the life.â€? Children played around a lake, adults chatted with each other, and everyone seemed to be enjoying a relaxed existence. Of course, young couples and their families have every right to own and enjoy decent homes in a happy and safe neighbourhood. %XW LQ D PXFK PRUH VLJQLÂżFDQW sense, we might look around our church community at the Easter Vigil, and quietly say to ourselves: Indeed, “this is the lifeâ€? to be desired above all other lives. What we share with one another on that holy night is life in abundance, and if we have any doubts about that, the expanded number of readings during the Vigil will underscore the magnitude of what we have been gifted with. The Easter Vigil is the only occasion in the whole liturgical year where we listen to more than three readings. The nine readings in the Lit-

urgy of the Word together capture the whole story of how God created the world and mankind, delivered us from the oppression of evil, and continues to bless us with the new life that comes from believing in Jesus and being baptised into His community. Adam and Eve are cited as the high point of the divine work of creation, Abraham is tested, and God’s chosen people are liberated from slavery in Egypt. Next we hear from the prophet Isaiah about how God will establish a new order, with all of humanity centred on a gloriously beautiful, new Jerusalem. With an invitation to “come to the water�, Isaiah then calls on the people to “seek the Lord while he may be found� (55:1,6). After a passage from Baruch (a friend and secretary of the prophet Jeremiah), who alludes to the Incarnation by speaking of Wisdom that has “appeared on earth, and moved among men� (3:38), we hear the promise from Ezekiel that God will wash his people clean and give them “a new heart and ...

Catholics lighting their candles from the Paschal Candle during the Easter Vigil. CNS photos

a new spiritâ€? (36:26). 7KHQ ZH UHDFK WKH UHĂ€HFWLRQV of St Paul on baptism as an occasion of dying with Christ, and so being freed from the lethal dominion of sin, we begin “living for God in Christ Jesusâ€? (Romans 6:11). The Gospel joyfully announces Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, the unique event of God’s power and wisdom in which all of the baptised share. Imagine that: We share a new existence as brothers and sisters of Jesus, and will live with Him forever! This is a reality that we have WKH SULYLOHJH RI UHĂ€HFWLQJ XSRQ DW this very special time of year. In one sense, during the liturgi-

cal year, we read the “small printâ€?. Now we are to focus on the great headlines about creation and the new creation that the nine readings at the Easter Vigil put before us. At the Vigil, many parish communities gather around catechumens, now called the Elect. After being instructed in the faith and obligations of the Catholic Church, the Elect receive the sacUDPHQWV RI EDSWLVP FRQÂżUPDWLRQ and the Eucharist. All those present at the vigil are invited to light their small candles from the great Easter Candle and renew their baptismal vows. The candle symbolises Christ, who continues to guide our lives

In one sense, during the liturgical year, we read the ‘small print’. Now we are to focus on the great headlines about salvation.

and will guide the lives of the newly baptised. The Easter Vigil reminds us that the power and reality of baptism remain with us and in us throughout our lives. It continues to nourish a dynamic, ongoing relationship with our glorious and transformed Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit. The whole community of the baptised looks forward to being gathered together into God’s eternal kingdom. Every tear will be wiped from our eyes; our mourning and weeping will end, and death will be no more! Joined with our risen Lord, we will rejoice in the presence of God forever and ever! „ Jesuit Father O’Collins, has taught theology at Gregorian University, Rome, and is a published author.

Learning to love the emptiness of the Lord’s tomb By Dolores R. Leckey I HAVE always loved St Mary Magdalene, maybe because I grew up in a parish named after this dynamic saint. I can still see her statue in the parish gardens – she embracing the cross of Christ, he limp and lifeless upon the cross. The garden featured red roses with lots of thorns, all rich images for childhood imagination. With age and the experience of change and loss in their many dimensions, I’ve felt an empathy with Mary Magdalene’s sorrow as she faced an empty tomb. How do you love the emptiness? As usual, Jesus shows the way. As Mary Magdalene stares and weeps, the risen Jesus calls her name. I imagine her feeling the power that comes from naming. You can sense the change in her as grief turns to hope. We know from Scripture and from cenWXULHV RI UHÀHFWLRQ RQ WKH HYHQWV OHDGLQJ XS to Easter that this exquisite moment of revelation and peace followed a time of dark-

ness and suffering. There seems to be an intrinsic relationship between these two experiences. The &KXUFK JLYHV XV VXIÂżFLHQW WLPH Âą VHDVRQV of Lent and the Eastertide – to help us to see more clearly the depth of the relationship. This year, I began Lent in a state of uncertainty, fear, fatigue and loneliness. My husband of two-and-a-half-years was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, which was advancing quickly. We had known each other in our youth, and then, after 50 years, “had a renewalâ€? (as my parish priest referred to our relationship). I realised that I could no longer care for KLP DW KRPH :H ZHUH EOHVVHG WR ÂżQG DQ “alternative homeâ€? for people with memory impairment and I’m able to visit Joe almost every day. Visiting, however, is not the same as living together, sharing the rhythms and intimacy of daily life. As such, this year Lent has had an aura of absence. Yet, despite tears and longing, I know that the decision is right for Joe and for me too.

Still, this knowledge did not bring peace ¹ XQWLO , UHÀHFWHG RQ (DVWHU ZLWK LWV VWRU\ RI the empty tomb and the Christ encounter. Mary Magdalene is so overcome with joy at recognising the risen Jesus resplendent in His new life that she tries to embrace Him, but He stops her. The time is not right. I’m reminded of a Mary Oliver poem, In Blackwater Woods, in which the poet muses that to live in this world we must be able to love what is mortal, hold it close, know that your life depends on it, and when the time comes, let it go. Mary Magdalene learned this hard lesson at the beginning of the Christian era; and this Easter I’m trying to enter the world of letting go too, trusting that somehow, VRPH GD\ &KULVW ZLOO ¿OO WKH HPSWLQHVV %XW ¿UVW OLNH 0DU\ 0DJGDOHQH ,œOO KDYH to resist grasping and clinging – and just let it be. Alleluia! „ Illustration of Mary Magdalene’s encounter with Jesus after his death.

The writer is a senior fellow at Woodstock Theological Center, Georgetown University, USA.

FAITH ALIVE! 21

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

‘My life as a Catholic’ Some of those who will be baptised this Easter tell Darren Boon how they plan to live their lives as Catholics

Setting an example in the family

Being less judgemental

Mr Luke Leong wants to be an example of a good Catholic in his family – by being a good parent and a more caring person. His wife, Susan, and three sons Jonas, 13, Roy, 11, and Joshua, eight, will be baptised together with him at the Church of Divine Mercy. However, he feels a little regret that his 16-year-old daughter has not chosen to accept Christ just yet. He said he would continue to pray for his daughter’s conversion and set an example as a good Catholic parent. One way, he says is to curb his temper and impatience. For a start, he resolves to stop swearing when other motorists make mistakes on the road, and when drivers swear at him, he said he would ask his children to pray for the other party’s well-being. This helps to instil good Catholic values, he added. He said his family would continue to pray together, and he would encourage his sons to be active in the parish’s ministries. Mr Leong, who is in his 40s, said he hopes to be a more caring son to his mother, who was ini-

As a fashion student, external appearances used to be important to Jasmine Wong. After embracing Catholicism, however, she hopes to make an extra effort to “be a more ... understanding person who looks at the hearts of people� rather than their appearance. “I hope to be less judgemental and more genuine. I hope eventually when people look at me, they’d say, ‘Yes, she’s walking in the light of the Lord,’ and they feel inspired to learn more about the faith,� said the 19-year-old. The people in her Rite of Christian Initiation for Youth (RCIY) journey inspired her in the way they lived their lives, she said. That is why she now wants to inspire others. She is presently looking forward to accompanying teenagers embarking on their faith journey through the RCIY programme. The life of a Catholic is challenging, she said. It is more than just memorising Scripture and attending Mass, but committing

Mr Luke Leong and his family

tially against his conversion. Since embracing the Catholic IDLWK KH VDLG KH QRZ ÂżQGV LW HDVLHU to forgive others instead of resenting them. He has also found joy in givLQJ 7KHUH LV IXOÂżOPHQW LV VSHQGing one dollar to buy a packet of tissue from an elderly person than to pick up a dollar from the ground, he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Leong’s sons say they are excited about their baptism. Being Catholic means one has to be responsible and not tell lies, says Jonas, adding that he wishes to set an example to his younger siblings. Respecting Jesus also means not making his siblings and parents angry, says his brother, Joshua. „

Continue learning about Catholicism Mr Willie Joseph Yeo uses a motorised wheelchair to bring him from home to church. Coming for RCIA classes at the Church of Sts Peter and Paul from his home in North Bridge Road is not an easy task for Mr Yeo who suffers from several medical ailments. However, he has not allowed these nor inclement weather to hinder him. Speaking to CatholicNews before an RCIA class, Mr Yeo noted that despite a downpour earlier, he did not let that affect his resolve to attend the class. The rain eventually stopped. “If you believe in Jesus, everything will go through nicely,�

Mr Willie Joseph Yeo

said Mr Yeo, who is in his 40s. After his baptism, he intends to continue learning more about the Catholic faith, he added. Mr Yeo, who is receiving aid from the parish’s St Vincent de Paul Society, said it was when he approached the church for help that he found out about the RCIA programme. The people really love and care for me, he said. Mr Yeo had wanted to be baptised as a Catholic during his teenage years but he said his granduncle had objected. This was because Mr Yeo, being the eldest grandson, was supposed to bear the responsibility of praying to his ancestors. „

May join church choir Student Bernice Ong says she is considering joining a ministry in which she can use her talent. She enjoys singing and may join a church choir, says the member of the Singapore Management University’s Catholic group Fides. In her daily life, she says she wants to be more forgiving, bring joy to others, lend others a listening ear and see Christ in oth-

HUV GHVSLWH FRQÀLFW Her RCIA journey had not been entirely smooth sailing, she admits. Even thought she had been attending Mass with her aunt since young, at one point in her faith journey, she doubted God. Her entry into university also stressed her, she said. However, a youth camp she attended helped her to discover that God loves her. „

Bernice Ong

Jasmine Wong

oneself to the faith and following the teachings of Christ regardless of the circumstances, she said. With help from friends and the coordinators in the RCIY, she understood that her spiritual life requires continuous growth. “We do not become enlightened and holy people ... overnight, but rather, it is a never ending process as a Catholic to deepen our personal relationship with God and do good according to Him,� she said. „

Helping her kids’ faith Ms Eleanor Lim says she hopes to be able to help her two children, who will be baptised with her at the Church of Sts Peter and Paul, grow in their faith. She admits that it is GLIÂżFXOW DW WKLV PRPHQW to say how she could be a good Catholic example to her children as she is new to Catholicism and still learning about it. “I am just trying to imitate, to learn all the good points I think I should, and later on, teach my kids,â€? she said. Ms Lim, 40, says she is currently reading The Imitation of Christ and hopes that through reading, she would be able to “change the way she lives and see thingsâ€?. Another way to learn more about the faith is by attending Mass and listening to homilies, she says. She adds that she has learnt to forego the pursuit of material things and hopes to inculcate this in her two children, Justin, 10, and Trudy, 13. Ms Lim has also taught her children the rosary and prays it with them. Her husband, she says, is not yet ready to be baptised, but encouraged her to join the RCIA nevertheless. „

Ms Eleanor Lim and her family

22 FOCUS

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Holy Week and Easter schedule No morning Masses on Holy Thursday Apr 21 and Holy Saturday Apr 23, 2011. Holy Thursday: Apr 21, 2011 Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Good Friday: Apr 22, 2011 Service. No Mass. Holy Saturday: Apr 23, 2011 Evening Easter Vigil Easter Sunday: Apr 24, 2011 CITY DISTRICT CATHEDRAL OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD Holy Thursday: 6.30pm Good Friday: 2.30pm, 5.30pm Holy Saturday: 9.00pm Easter Sunday: 8.00am, 10.00am, 6.00pm ST JOSEPH’S CHURCH Holy Thursday: 6.30pm Good Friday: 9.00am, 6.45pm Holy Saturday: 8.00pm Easter Sunday: 8.30am, 10.30am, 5.00pm CHURCH OF STS PETER AND PAUL Holy Thursday: 6.00pm (M*), 8.00pm Good Friday: 10.00am (M*), 3.00pm Holy Saturday: 6.00pm (M*), 9.00pm Easter Sunday: 8.30am (M*), 11.00am,

1.00pm (Cantonese), 4.20pm

CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY Holy Thursday: 6:15pm Good Friday: 10.00am, 3.00pm Holy Saturday: 8.00pm Easter Sunday: 7.00am, 8.30am, 11.00am,

6:15pm

CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER Holy Thursday: 6.30pm Good Friday: 9.00am, 11.30am, 3.00pm,

and English)

3.00pm, 6.00pm (T*); Way of the Cross: 2.30pm, 5.00pm (T*) Holy Saturday: 8.00pm, 10.30pm (T*) Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 9.30am (T*), 11.00am, 12.30pm (Sinhala), 4.00pm (Malayalam), 6.30pm (T*) CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART Holy Thursday: 6.00pm Good Friday: Way of the Cross followed

by service: 10.00am (M*), 2.30pm, 5.30pm Holy Saturday: 7:15pm (M*), 10.00pm. Easter Sunday: 9.00am, 10.30am, 12.00pm, 5.30pm

CHURCH OF ST TERESA Holy Thursday: 5.00pm, 7.00pm Good Friday: Way of the Cross followed

by Service: 10.00am, 2.30pm. Children’s service at the Auditorium with Passion Play: 10.00am. Holy Saturday: 8.00pm Easter Sunday: 8.30am (Children’s Mass / Infant Baptism), 10.30am, 12.30pm, 6.00pm CHURCH OF ST ALPHONSUS (NOVENA CHURCH) Holy Thursday:7.00pm; Night Prayer till

midnight

Good Friday: 3.00pm, 10am (morning

prayer, Passion Play and Way of the Cross) Holy Saturday: 8.00pm Easter Sunday: 7.00am, 8.30am, 10.15am (Tag*), 5.30pm, CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE Holy Thursday: 7.30pm Good Friday: 9.00am (M*), 11.30am

(Indonesian), 3.00pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 8.00am (M*), 9.30am, 11.00am, 3.30pm (Indonesian), 5.30pm CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL Holy Thursday: 8.00pm Good Friday: Way of the Cross followed

by Service: 8.00am (M*), 11.00am, 2.30pm Holy Saturday: 8.00pm with Baptism and Confirmation Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M*), 9.30am, 6.00pm SERANGOON DISTRICT CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Holy Thursday: 6.30pm Good Friday: 8.00am, 10.00am (Way of

the Cross in Teochew), 10.30am (M*), 1.00pm, 3.00pm, 5.00pm Holy Saturday: 7.00pm (M*), 10.00pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 9.15am, 11.00am, 5.30pm

10.30am, 6.00pm

CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR Holy Thursday: 5.00pm, 7.00pm Good Friday: Way of the Cross followed

5.30pm

by Service: 7.30am (M*), 10.30am, 2.00pm, 5.00pm Holy Saturday: 8.00pm with Baptism Easter Sunday: 7.00am (M*), 8.45am, 10.30am, 12:15pm, 2.30pm (Children’s Mass), 4.00pm (Tag*), 6.00pm

ST ANNE’S CHURCH Holy Thursday: 7.00pm Good Friday: 8.00am, 11.00am, 3.00pm Holy Saturday: 8.00pm Easter Sunday: 7.15am, 9.00am, 11.00am,

CHURCH OF ST STEPHEN Holy Thursday: 6.30pm Good Friday: 3.00pm, 6.00pm Holy Saturday: 9.00pm Easter Sunday:7.30am (M*), 9.00am,

Outdoor Way of the Cross: 6.30pm

Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7.00am, 9.00am, 11.00am,

6.00pm

10.30am, 3.30pm (Malayalam), 5.30pm

CHURCH OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL Holy Thursday: 8.00pm; adoration till

midnight

Good Friday: Way of the Cross followed

by Service: 3.00pm, 5.30pm

Holy Saturday: 8.00pm with Baptism Easter Sunday: 7.00am, 9.00am, 11.00am,

6.00pm

CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES Holy Thursday: 6.30pm (Liturgy in Tamil Good Friday: 10.00am (Malayalam),

Good Friday: 9.00am (M*), 3.00pm Holy Saturday: 6.00pm (M*), 9.00pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M*), 9.00am,

Ecosystems, the food chain and nature’s balance

NORTH DISTRICT ST JOSEPH CHURCH (BT) Holy Thursday: 7.00pm Good Friday: 9.00am (M*), 11.00am,

3.00pm

Holy Saturday: 8.00pm with Baptism Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M*), 9.00am,

11.00am, 5.30pm

CHURCH OF ST ANTHONY Holy Thursday: 9.30pm Good Friday: 9.00am, 11.30am Way of the

Cross followed by service (M*), 12.00pm (T*) (at basement), 3.00pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M*), 9.15am, 11.00am, 6.00pm CHURCH OF OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA Holy Thursday: 6.30pm, 9.00pm Good Friday: 9.00am (M*) with Way of

the Cross, 11.00am (T*), 1.00pm, 3.30pm, 5.30pm (Tag*) Holy Saturday: 8.00pm Easter Sunday: 8.00am (M*), 10.00am, 11.30am, 5.00pm CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Holy Thursday: 7.00pm Good Friday: 10.00am, 3.00pm Holy Saturday: 7.00pm Easter Sunday: 7.00am, 9.00am, 11.00am,

5.30pm

CHURCH OF THE RISEN CHRIST Holy Thursday: 4.00pm, 6.00pm Good Friday: 8.00am (M*), 10.30am,

2.30pm, 5.00pm

Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7.00am, 8.15am (M*),

9.45am, 11.30am, 3.00pm (Tag*), 6.00pm

CHURCH OF CHRIST THE KING Holy Thursday: 6.30pm Good Friday: 7.30am, 10.00am, 11.00am

(Tamil in Chapel), 12.30pm (M*), 3.00pm, 5.30pm, Holy Saturday: 7.30pm with Baptism Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M*) with Baptism, 9.45am, 11.30am, 5.30pm EAST DISTRICT CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY Holy Thursday: 7.00pm; adoration till

midnight

Good Friday: Way of the Cross: 8.30am;

Service: 9.00am, 12.00pm, 3.00pm, 5.30pm (M*) Holy Saturday: 8.00pm with Baptism Easter Sunday: 7.15am, 9.15am, 11.15am, 6.00pm (M*) CHURCH OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE Holy Thursday: 6.30pm (Bilingual Mass)

CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY Holy Thursday: 6.00pm, 8.00pm Good Friday: 8.00am (M*), 11.00am,

3.00pm, 6.00pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm with Baptism Easter Sunday: 6.45am, 9.30am, 11.15am, 3.00pm (M*) with Baptism, 6.00pm CHURCH OF DIVINE MERCY Holy Thursday: 6:15pm; adoration till

Boys plant mangrove seedlings on the Indonesian island of Nias. The mangroves will grow to provide better habitat for seafood as well as limited protection against tsunamis. &16 ÂżOH SKRWR

By Anne Lim

midnight

Good Friday: 9.00am, 11.30am and 3.00pm. Children Service in the Chapel: 11:30am and 3:00pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm with Baptism Easter Sunday: 7.00am, 9.00am, 11.30am, 5.30pm

WEST DISTRICT CHURCH OF ST IGNATIUS Holy Thursday: 7.30pm; adoration till

midnight

Good Friday: Way of the Cross: 9.00am,

10.15am (by youth); Service: 12.00pm, 3.00pm, 6.00pm Holy Saturday: 8.30pm Easter Sunday: 6.45am, 8.15am, 10.15am, 12.00pm, 6.00pm BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH Holy Thursday: 7.00pm Good Friday: 10.00am, 12.30pm (M*),

3.00pm

Holy Saturday: 8.00pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 9.00am (M*),

10.45am, 5.30pm,

CHURCH OF ST MARY OF THE ANGELS Holy Thursday: 6.30pm, 8:15pm Good Friday: 11.00am, 1.00pm (M*),

3.00pm, 5.00pm (Way of the Cross with night prayer: after 5pm Service) Holy Saturday: 9.00pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M*), 9.00am (Children’s Mass), 10.45am, 12.30pm, 5.30pm, 7:15pm CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI Holy Thursday: 7.30pm, 8.00pm

(Malayalam)

Good Friday: 7.30am (T*), 10.00am,

3.00pm (M*), 5.30pm Holy Saturday: 6.30pm (M*) with Baptism, 8.30pm (Malayalam), 9.30pm with Baptism Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 9.00am, 11.00am, 6.00pm (M*), 7.30pm (Malayalam) CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS Holy Thursday: 6.00pm, 7.30pm Good Friday: 7.30am, 10.00am, 12.30pm,

3.00pm followed by Way of the Cross, 6.00pm (M*) followed by Way of the Cross Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 9.30am, 11.15am, 1.00pm (M*) Note: (T*): Tamil; (M*): Mandarin; (Tag*): Tagalog All information provided correct at press time. Please contact the individual parishes for updates.

Since the beginning of time, God has provided for our every need through creation. We could say that from God, we received the sacred gift of the dance of the universe – one that sang of harmonious relationships among all creatures. In the language of science, we call this ecology. From the Greek oikos, the word eco means “houseâ€? or “homeâ€?. Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with their environments, in their one big home, Earth. Life on Earth is made up of ecosystems of all shapes and sizes. These are complex webs of interconnected relationships. Any area that supports a population of living things – from a puddle of ZDWHU WR WKH 3DFLÂżF 2FHDQ IURP our tiny Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to the Earth and the entire universe – is an ecosystem. Life on our planet is about the PRYHPHQW RI HQHUJ\ WKDW Ă€RZV in cyclic patterns of producing nutrients, consuming and decomposing, only to support life again and again. How do we know this? Take a look at what scientists call the food chain. Not only are its components interlinked, they are constantly “cyclingâ€?. In an ecosystem, there are three primary categories of living organisms known as producers, consumers and decomposers. Plants are producers that make food with the help of sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. Animals (including us) eat plants, so that makes us consumers. When plants and animals die, the nutrients in their tissues break down with the help of bacteria and fungi, and are released back into the soil. Microorganisms feed on the bacteria and fungi and populate the soil, continuing the cycle. A healthy ecosystem does not deplete resources but maintains

a state of equilibrium among its members. Any change in one ecosystem will cause changes in others. Too much change will result in a collapse of ecosystems. Today, we are seeing increasing evidence of this in climate changes. Consider this: after nearly four billion years of evolution, it took humans only 200,000 years to upset the balance of the planet (watch the Home movie on YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU). Activities such as livestock grazing, ORJJLQJ DQG ¿VKLQJ KDYH SXW D WUHmendous strain on ecosystems.

Each time we wipe out various species with our exploitative practices, we compromise ecosystems’ ability to support life. Each time we wipe out animal and plant species with our exploitative practices, we compromise the ability of our ecosystems to support life. This Holy Week, let us remember that this Earth was created for the Incarnation. “Creation became the material home for the Incarnation during Jesus’ life on Earth. Creation was capable of holding Jesus’ body, and Jesus left footprints for us to follow.� (Delio, et al, Care for Creation, p 33-34.) April 22 is Good Friday. It is also Earth Day. When we fast and abstain from meat, let us do so with a renewed sense of “ecoconscienceness�. This Easter, we have another chance at “dying to the old self� and living the resurrection – living in our true Christian identity. „ The writer is a parishioner of the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with a special interest in spiritual ecology

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

23

24

Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

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Sunday April 24, 2011 „ CatholicNews

EVENT SUBMISSIONS We welcome information of events happening in our local Church. Please send your submission at least one month before the event. Online submissions can be made at www.catholic.sg/webevent_form.php MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSE 2011 July 10 and Oct 9. It is recommended that couples intending to get married attend MPC sessions at least 6 months prior to their weddings. Allocation of places on a ¿UVW FRPH ¿UVW VHUYHG EDVLV 7 E: mpcsingapore@gmail.com; W: www.catholic.org.sg/mpc April 17 FRANCISCANS FRIARS’ ASPIRANTS EVENING 5.30pm: Come for an evening of brotherhood and sharing. E: johnderrick@stmary.sg (Friar Derrick). April 21 CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER THROUGH SONG 8.30-10pm: Prayer and meditation led by Fr Damien’s Youth Choir with contemplative Taize hymns. At Blessed Sacrament Church (1 Commonwealth Drive). T: 9105 7446 (Gerry); E: gerry_cord@yahoo.com Thursday April 21 to Sunday April 24 EASTER TRIDUM SEMI-DIRECTED

RCIY/RCIA A journey in faith for those seeking to know more about the Catholic faith. Baptised Catholics are also invited to journey as sponsors. Wednesdays and Sundays RCIA@CHURCH OF HOLY FAMILY Every Wednesday 7.30-9.30pm and Sunday 11am-12.30pm (from June). T: 9666 6542 Saturdays from April 2 RCIY@ST MARY’S 3.30pm: A call to all youths (13-20 years old). To register, E: andNdrew@hotmail. com; T: 9100 4382 (Andrew) Thursdays from May 5 RCIA@BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH 7.30-9pm: Every Thursday evening. At Blessed Sacrament Church (1 Commonwealth Dr). T: 9147 8890 (Dominic), E: rcia@bsc.org.sg Fridays from May 6 RCIA@CHURCH OF ST TERESA 7.45pm: At St Paul Room (Level 4, Parish House). Registration forms available from 3DULVK 2I¿FH RU SULHVWV RI WKH SDULVK T: 6271 1184; E: stteresa@singnet.com.sg Saturdays from May 7 RCIY@ CHURCH OF ST IGNATIUS 4-6pm: Inviting youth (15 to 22 years) for an introduction to the Catholic faith and to discover God and self. Information session on May 7. To register, T: 9689 6500 (Noel), 9762 6330 (Evelyn); E: stignatiusRCIY@hotmail.com; W: http://stignatiusrciy.blogspot.com

RETREAT: PASSION AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST Thu 4pm-Sun 5pm: A residential semidirected silent retreat by CISC spiritual directors for those who want to experience the Paschal Mystery of Christ through mental prayer and liturgy. Cost: $105 (non-aircon), $180 (aircon). By Centre for Ignatian Spirituality and Counselling. At Kingsmead Hall (8 Victoria Park Rd). T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com Friday April 22 to Sunday April 24 HEARTSPACE@ST MARY’S Fri 10am-3.30pm, Sat and Sun 10am3.30pm: Spend some time in prayer and UHÀHFWLRQ XVLQJ WKH SURFHVVHV RI LPDJH making and self-expression. Each day is a stand-alone retreat but participants are encouraged to attend all the three days. Cost: $50 (per day with meals and materials). Payment to be made to Church of St Mary of the Angels by April 15. At Church of St Mary of the Angels. Registration is needed. E: jo@joannatan.com Tuesdays April 26 to June 7 THE ETHICS OF LOVE AND SEXUALITY: BUILDING THE FAMILY 7.30-9.30pm: Fr David Garcia, OP, conducts this core module as part of Personal Compass, a year long course in moral theology. By Wonderfully Made! and SPI. At CWS Auditorium 8th ÀRRU &:6 %XLOGLQJ :DWHUORR 6W Registration and course details T: 6858 7012 (Janice); E: janice@catholicspi.org; W: http://www.catholicspi.org

Thursdays from May 12 RCIA@CHURCH OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL 7.30-9pm: Every Thursday evening. RCIY (English) and RCIA (Mandarin) DOVR RIIHUHG 7 3DULVK RIÂżFH Tuesdays from May 24 RCIA@CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE 8-9.30pm: Every Tuesday evening. At Church of St Bernadette (Mt Tabor Room) (12 Zion Rd). T: 9060 0789 (Janice), E: st.bern_rcia@yahoo.com.sg; 5HJLVWUDWLRQ IRUPV DW SDULVK RIÂżFH RU W: http://www.stbernadette.org.sg Thursdays from May 26 RCIA@CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 8-10pm: Every Thursday evening. Explore the teachings and life of the Catholic Church with a view to possibly becoming a member of the Church. At Church of the Holy Spirit (248 Upper Thomson Rd). T: 9010 2829 (Kim Ho); E: kim_f_ho@yahoo.com Tuesdays from June 14 RCIA@CHURCH OF ST IGNATIUS 8-10pm: Every Tuesday evening. All sessions conducted by Fr Philip Heng, SJ. T: 9630 8346 (Terese) Wednesdays from June 26 RCIA@CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY 7.45pm: At Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Hall A/B) (24 Highland Rd). T: 9627 3835 (Nancy); E: rcia@ ihm.sg; W: http://www.ihm.sg/rcia

Wednesdays April 27 to May 25 INTRODUCTION TO THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES 8-9.30pm: Five seminars for those who want to learn Ignatian spirituality through the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius and later to make retreats according to the Exercises. Presented by Fr Ponnudurai, SJ. Cost: $50. By Centre for Ignatian Spirituality and Counselling. At Kingsmead Hall (8 Victoria Park Rd). T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com

May 22 PERANAKAN MASS 10.45am: Inviting all Peranakans to celebrate the 5th Sunday of Easter Mass. Mass in English and Peranakan by Fr Alfred Chan. At Blessed Sacrament Church (1 Commonwealth Drive). T: 9777 7400 (Grace)

10am-4pm: Vocation retreat for women between 26 and 40 years who want to live their lives as a vocation. With scriptural reading, discussions, quiet time and UHĂ€HFWLRQ LQSXWV DQG VKDULQJ /XQFK provided. At Good Shepherd Restful Waters (25 Nallur Rd). T: 6242 2925 (Lucy/Melina). Mondays May 2 to July 10 LANDINGS 7pm: A 10-week journey. Landings is a community welcoming Catholics who have left the Church but who are now seeking to return. Catholics who are interested in this outreach to inactive Catholics are also welcome. Register T: 9688 0920 (Tony); E: returning@landings.org.sg

Wednesdays April 27 to November 2 THE GREAT ADVENTURE – BIBLE TIMELINE 9.30-11.30am: A Bible foundational course that covers 14 books from Genesis to Acts of the Apostles. By Bible Apostolate Team. At Church of the Holy Spirit (Rm A2-01). T: 9815 4098 (Genevieve), 8228 8220 (Clare), 9320 0640 (Teresa); E: HSBibleApostolate@gmail.com

May 24 WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CHINA 8pm: Concelebrated Mass with Archbishop Nicholas Chia. At the Church of Sts Peter and Paul Friday June 3 to Sunday June 5 WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND Fri 8pm-Sun 6pm: Marriage enrichment programme for couples married for 2 or more years. At Marriage Encounter House (201-B Punggol 17th Avenue). T: 9670 5390 (Kenneth/Suelynn) E: register@marriage-encounter-sg.org; W: http://www.MESingapore.org

Thursdays May 5 to May 26 THE GREAT ADVENTURE – BIBLE TIMELINE 8-10pm: By Fr Ambrose Vaz. Love offering. By Christ the King Bible Apostolate Team. At Church of Christ the King. E: ctkbat@hotmail.com

April 28 CBN CHARITY DINNER 6-11pm: A thanksgiving and fund-raising event for St Theresa’s Home and Infant Jesus Homes & Children’s Centres (IJHCC). At Orchid Country Club. T: 6337 2711 (Vincent); E: cbn.vincent@gmail.com

Saturdays May 7 to May 21 ART FOR SELF-DISCOVERY 2-5pm: A 3-session art therapy programme for adults who want to explore creativity in art as a means of self expression and self-discovery. No art experience needed. Conducted by Ms Joanna Tan, a registered art psychotherapist. Cost: $180 (art materials). By Centre for Ignatian Spirituality. At Kingsmead Hall (8 Victoria Park Rd). T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com

April 29 EUCHARISTIC ADORATION FOR YOUNG ADULTS SP (YHQLQJ RI SUD\HU DQG UHĂ€HFWLRQ on what it means to be an Easter people. At St Francis Xavier Chapel (Kingsmead Hall, Church of St Ignatius). Organised by Generation CHRIST! Ministry. E: gen.christ.ministry@gmail.com

Saturdays June 4 to June 11 DISCOVERING SPIRITUALITY IN ART 2-5pm: Experience one’s spirituality through the use of imagery and art media like pastels, charcoal, clay and paint through these 2 half-day workshops by registered art psychologist Joanna Tan. No art experience needed. Cost: $120 (art materials). By Centre for Ignatian Spirituality. At Kingsmead Hall (8 Victoria Park Rd). T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com

May 11 THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CHINA – WHAT WE IN SINGAPORE CAN DO 8pm: Open forum/panel (bilingual) with Frs Henry Siew and Jerooom Heyndrickx, CICM. At Church of Sts Peter and Paul.

April 29 EUCHARISTIC ADORATION FOR CHILDREN 8-9pm: All children, parents, catechists welcome. At Church of the Holy Spirit (Room A3-02 Level 3). T: 9362 5408 (Sr Angeline); E: childreneucharisticadora@ gmail.com

Sunday August 28 to Saturday September 3 QUIETING THE SOUL – HONG KONG RETREAT Come and make a silent directed retreat at the beautiful Cheung Chau island, Hong Kong. One-to-one spiritual direction is offered. Register by June 25. T: 9722 3148 / 6565 2895; E: cenaclesisters@yahoo.com.sg; W: http://www.catholic.org.sg/cenacle

May 14 MEDITATIVE PRAYER WITH THE SONGS OF TAIZE 8-9.30pm: At the Armenian Church of St Gregory (60 Hill St). All are welcome. W: http://www.taize.fr

April 30 LIVING LIFE AS VOCATION

Crossword Puzzle 1031 1

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24 26 33

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70 www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

ACROSS 1 Pertaining to the nonordained members of the Church 5 Beliefs 9 Paul’s companion during his missionary travels 14 St. ______ du Beaupre 15 Close 16 Wise saying 17 _______ presence in the Eucharist 18 Spydom name 19 Tropical plant used in cosmetics 20 Though it does this, it may not be gold 22 Outlaw 23 More weird 24 The Sacred _______ of Jesus 26 Slayer of Abel

28 Tired 32 Tell on 35 The Infant of Prague, for one 37 Number of the commandment that instructs us to honor our parents 38 Mild oath 40 Fabled bird 41 Lively, as in sailing 42 Woody’s son 43 Presider at Mass 46 Coal scuttle 6PDOO Ă€XWH 49 “Angel of God, my guardian ________‌â€? 51 Peter and Andrew may have used this 53 Deputies 57 System of aircraft navigation 60 Eye down

62 Nun’s wear 63 Encourage in wrongdoing 64 “Terribleâ€? ruler of Russia 65 Type of dress 66 Name in computers 67 Stand-ins 68 Yard implements 69 Hosea, in the Douay 70 Being (Lt.) DOWN 1 Big 2 Administer extreme unction 3 “The bombs bursting _________‌â€? 4 Type of cross 5 â€œâ€Śfor they will _____ the earth.â€? (Mt 5:5) 6 Scorch 7 Waterlogged soil

8 _______ Lanka 9 Desert in Africa 10 Verify 11 Promised ________ +LQGX JRGGHVV RI ÂżUH

13 Center of power 21 Green and Pekoe 22 â€œâ€Śand the secret of his heart will be laid _____.â€? (1 Cor 14:25) 25 Drew forth 27 Enter by the ____ gate 29 Ark builder 30 Continental money 31 ______ Scott decision 32 â€œâ€Śyou ____ whatever you sow.â€? (Gal 6:7) 33 Culture or business opener 34 Baby powder 36 You, to Pierre 39 Church teaching 43 Scheme 44 Roman Catholic Native American leader 45 Marks 48 Speaks publicly 50 Go to bed 52 They’re at the bottom of the ear 54 Large areas of churches 55 Snares 56 Inward feeling 57 Sovereign 58 Angel’s hat? 59 Sashes 61 River in Africa 63 â€œâ€Śbegin our account without further ___________‌â€? (2 Mc 2:32)

Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1030 V I C A R

O L I V E

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S A C R I S I T V Y A N A V R A O I A L N S

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L A R A G E N E W A B D P R O T I D I A V E S N O D E T T C I Y R E O C A R B A N I L E E F S

P O M A D E

A D S L I O E E T C U S

S E P R R E O D S I N G A A K L E

U P O N

P A S T

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A S H E S

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Sunday April 24, 2011 CatholicNews

PUBLISHED BY ARCHBISHOP NICHOLAS CHIA, 2 HIGHLAND ROAD #01-03, SINGAPORE 549102. PRINTED BY TIMESPRINTERS, 16 TUAS AVE 5, SINGAPORE 639340.

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