SUNDAY JANUARY 8, 2017
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VOL 67
NO. 01
INSIDE
ARCHBISHOP’S NEW YEAR MESSAGE
HOME
University students deepen their faith Retreat attracts local, overseas participants n Page 2
TIME and tide wait for no man. In the humdrum of our daily activities, one day after another passes by and before we know it, we are at the threshold of yet another year. Our machinery grinds to a momentary pause as we take stock of the year in passing. Resolutions are attempted and we begin the year with a mixture of hope and trepidation of what is to come. Indeed, such anxiety is only natural as we are living in troubled times, with natural disasters, disease outbreaks, conflicts and moral decadence all around us. Added to that, the economy is gloomy and uncertain. Most of all we live under threat of terrorism and self-radicalised fundamentalists who are bent on establishing a new world order through violent and destructive means. Ironically, with all the modern technological advancement and mass communication, the world has never been more unsafe than now. Is it a surprise that history repeats itself? For even though we have grown more sophisticated with the advancement of science and technology, yet the human heart remains the same across the continuum of time. How should we as Christians face the New Year that is before us? In the liturgical calendar of the Church, the first day of the New Year is dedicated to the Solemnity of the Mother of God, which commemorates Mary’s role in the mystery of salvation. In the Eastern Church, the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus is also commemorated. This is because it falls on the octave of the
in salvation. Hence, the ushering of the New Year should not just be focused on merriment and festivity but as Catholics, the New Year should be rich with spiritual meaning for us; one that gives us much gratitude and thankfulness for the past, hope and courage to face the future ahead. We face the future not alone but with Jesus and the assistance of our Blessed Mother. Like Mary, in situations beyond our understanding, we should pray for a deeper faith, and like her who “treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Lk 2:19), we too should contemplate on situations that befall us and live in anticipation of the Kairos – God’s time for us. Hence, our future is secure only when we place our hope on Jesus and believe in His promises.
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Let Jesus be your future. Let Him be the centre of our lives and our relationships. Let us ground our faith and life in Jesus and on the Word of God. Nativity – the eighth day, on which the child was circumcised and given the name Jesus (Lk 2:21). By celebrating these two feasts, the focus is more on Christ who is named Jesus, “Yahweh saves!” The feast of Mary, the mother
of God underscores that this Jesus is one person, truly divine and truly human. In Jesus, God has assumed our humanity. He knows our pains and struggles and temptation. He is the throne of suffering to which we can turn to as He is our Leader
Today, we also mark the World Day of Peace. Faith in Jesus as the Good News, the light of humanity is also the guarantee to world peace in this troubled and divisive world. He is the source of peace. Unless we are reconciled with God, we cannot find peace within us. The source of division lies in the divided and selfish hearts of humanity. Human will is unsteady and wounded by sin, the achievement of peace requires a constant mastering of passions and the vigilance of lawful authority, a firm determination to respect other men and peoples and their dignity, as well as the studied practice of brotherhood are absolutely necessary for the establishment of peace. (Gaudium et Spes). n Continued on Page 2
Giving and receiving from needy A memorable mission trip to Pattaya n Page 4
Building a vibrant Church Archdiocesan events in 2017 n Page 8
WORLD
Middle East Church leaders’ Christmas messages They urge end to terrorism, wars n Page 12
POPE’S CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS Highlights people suffering violence Stresses that Christ child ‘gives hope’ n Page 16 & 17
COMMENTARY
About New Year’s resolutions Why make them? n Page 22
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Young people experience prayer, fellowship at university retreat
Archbishop William Goh taking a wefie with participants of the Combined University Retreat.
Retreatants deep in prayer. Photos: AMANDA HOO
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By Oswin Yeo “O Come let us adore Him.” That was the theme for this year’s Combined University Retreat (CUR), and 250 young people gathered to do just that from Dec 16-19. Organised by the Office for Young People (OYP) and held within its compound at Lorong Low Koon, the Advent-themed retreat aimed to bring university students together for a deep encounter with the Lord, to experience the joy of community, and to encourage each other in pursuing a life dedicated to Jesus. This is the third year that OYP is running the CUR. Most of the service team members were university students who had previously attended CUR and chose to return this year to serve in various areas such as facilitation, intercession, hospitality and logistics. Students also coordinated an almsgiving project. Participants,
Studying overseas, I experienced a period of spiritual dryness ... CUR [Combined University Retreat] has allowed me to surrender my struggles to God and to find Him again and experience healing and love.
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Participants praying for one another during the retreat.
service team members and OYP communities collectively donated 200 bags of essentials to the Society of St Vincent de Paul of Nativity Church for the poor in the neighbourhood around OYP. Besides students from eight universities in Singapore (NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, SIM, YaleNUS, JCU, SIT), Singaporean students studying abroad in seven different universities, such as in Australia and Ireland, attended the retreat as well. Participants attended talks by
OYP chaplains Fr Jude David and Fr Brian D’Souza, Fr Jovita Ho, and staff and members of young adult communities in OYP. The talks were based on Advent and Christmas readings and helped participants to prepare their hearts for the coming of Christ, by inviting them to consider the “crowded inns”, the “Herods” in their lives and to choose to surrender their lives to the Christ Child. During the retreat, there were prayer ministry, daily Masses and confession.
– Josephine Denise Dumont, who is studying in Australia
On the third night, participants were challenged to share their personal faith stories and testimonies over dinner. This was followed by lively music, performances and games to allow retreatants to experience the joy of community. Archbishop William Goh presided over the closing Mass on the fourth day. He challenged the young people to focus their energy and passion on the Lord and also encouraged them not to be afraid to discern their vocations. Josephine Denise Dumont, a
second-year university student in Australia, said she found the retreat healing. “Studying overseas, I experienced a period of spiritual dryness after being away from my parish and community,” she said. “CUR has allowed me to surrender my struggles to God and to find Him again and experience healing and love.” Leonie Nahhas, an Australian student doing a one-year exchange programme in NTU, shared: “This CUR experience has affirmed just how universal our faith is. That is, how our faith is inclusive and transcends cultural boundaries.” Calvin Ying, who attended last year’s CUR, said, “Serving in CUR this year was a blessed experience as I witnessed the conversion of many hearts, something that affirmed my belief that young people should not be underestimated, but we too have a tremendous capacity and desire to love and serve the Lord.” If you are a university student and wish to be connected to your campus Catholic community, write to OYP at info.oyp@catholic.org.sg, like its Facebook page or follow it on Instagram: oyp. sg n
Jesus Christ, the future of humanity n From Page 1
Reconciliation with God will bring about reconciliation with our fellowmen. Peace is not merely the absence of war. Peace is the fruit of justice, respect for all without discrimination, in any form, race, religion, language and age. Division originates from the injustice of people’s actions, the
lack of integrity, honesty and fairness, especially at home, in the workplace and in society. But we must go beyond justice to charity and compassion. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, shows us the way to being a man for others, through unconditional service, humility, compassion for the weak and forgiveness of our enemies. My dear brothers and sisters
in Christ, this New Year, let Jesus be your future. Let Him be the centre of our lives and our relationships. Let us ground our faith and life in Jesus and on the Word of God as the path to truth, love and life. Let us also do our part for a peaceful tomorrow by righting our relationships through love, patience and dialogue. May Mary, the Mother of God, inspire us to a deeper faith
and humility. May we learn to be discerning and contemplative in prayer as we seek to be instruments and channels of unity and peace in the world, beginning in our family, in the workplace and society. I wish you a blessed 2017, I wish you Jesus.
Archbishop William Goh
BUILDING THE CHURCH OF TOMORROW 3
Sunday January 8, 2017 CatholicNews
GIVING TO THE LABOURERS OF GOD
The GIFT campaign supports many needs of the archdiocese. Lydia Lim, a lay Catholic who helps others discover their personal vocations, shares why the need to give to the people who are giving to the Church stands out for her.
Young adults listen to a speaker at the Treasure retreat, typically organised twice every year by the Office for Young People (OYP). Photo: OYP In his prayer that opens the GIFT booklet distributed to parishes in November 2016 at the launch of the Archdiocese’s fundraising campaign of the same name, GIFT (which stands for “Giving in Faith and Thankfulness”), Archbishop William Goh asks God to “unleash the generosity in your people”. “Give us all a willing heart to serve you in your Church, a prayerful heart that listens to you, and a giving heart to provide what is necessary for your will to be done on earth,” he prays.
The virtue of generosity According to Greek philosopher Aristotle, from whose writings the great Catholic saint and doctor of the Church Thomas Aquinas drew much wisdom, virtues are not simply isolated actions, but a habit of acting well. In each specific situation, the virtuous action is a balance between two extremes. The virtue of generosity, to highlight the way of life at the heart of the GIFT campaign, is the mean or midpoint between between wastefulness and stinginess. A generous man will give to the right person, the right amounts and at the right times, writes Aristotle in his Nichomachean Ethics. Such a man will also take proper care of his possessions.
Generosity does not depend on the quantity of the giving but on the habit of the giver, which takes into account the amount which the giver himself has and is able to give away. Every Catholic is called by God in a unique way to use his or her gifts to serve others and the Church. We are not meant to squirrel away the gifts we have been given, or to hoard wealth for ourselves and our families as the material world tempts us to do. We are called to follow Jesus in living lives of generosity, and the closer we are to Christ, the freer we will be in our giving.
and spiritual formation programmes for youth and adults; they oversee the Church’s outreach and care for the poor and needy and its humanitarian aid overseas; they work in parishes so that we have ready access to activities that help us grow spiritually and deepen our knowledge of the faith. They do so through the archdiocesan organisations they staff and in the 31 parishes islandwide, all of which rely on the funds raised from parishioners. Such work can no longer be undertaken by priests, friars and nuns alone, with the help
it is thus a matter of justice that those of us who have access to greater material wealth, should share some of what we have with those who labour fulltime for the church, for our benefit. Giving by serving A small but growing number of lay Catholics are called to serve the Church as fulltime workers. I have met some of them. They are from diverse backgrounds. Some are young and are just starting out in life. Others are older and have families to support. The work they do is essential for the life of the Church. They draw up curricula and train the volunteers who catechise our children; they organise retreats
of unpaid and often overworked volunteers. That is because the amount of work has grown and the quality expected has also risen. The Church benefits greatly from the services of these fulltime lay Catholic workers and it is likely that over time, the need for such workers will rise.
Just wages for the workers Scripture teaches us that labourers deserve their wages as a matter of justice. The Cat-
echism of the Catholic Church tells us that “a just wage is the legitimate fruit of work” (2434). But a just wage is not that which will merely provide enough food, clothing and shelter. Indeed, in Singapore, the last is a stretch target for many fulltime church workers who find housing unaffordable and struggle to buy their own homes. To live at subsistence level is to live at the minimum condition of human dignity, and as St Thomas Aquinas wrote in the Summa Theologica, “No one is obliged to live unbecomingly”. It is thus a matter of justice that those of us who have access to greater material wealth through our jobs in the government or private sectors, should share some of what we have with those who labour fulltime for the Church, for our benefit. The Gospel of Luke teaches us: “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back” (Lk 6:38). The funds collected from the GIFT campaign will help provide for just wages for the many Church workers spread out in archdiocese organisations. The launch of the GIFT campaign is a very good time to make generosity a habit, and giving a way of life.
Our archdiocese envisions a more vibrant, missionary and evangelistic Church. As the fundraising arm of the Archdiocese of Singapore, the Catholic Foundation has launched the Giving in Faith & Thankfulness (GIFT) campaign to urge every Catholic to participate in making the vision of the archdiocese a reality.
VISIT
GIFT.CATHOLIC FOUNDATION.SG TO SUPPORT THE ARCHDIOCESE TODAY
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Migrant workers learn to bake with the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant People (ACMI). Photo: ACMI
Catechists from parishes across Singapore pose for a group shot at an annual retreat organised by the Office for Catechesis (OFC). Photo: OFC
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Late Opus Dei head honoured By Dominic Cooray and Ivan Clement Despite the short notice, some 300 people turned up at the Church of the Holy Spirit for a requiem Mass for the late Opus Dei leader, Bishop Javier Echevarria. Fr Avelino Marin, Regional Vicar of Opus Dei in Southeast Asia, was the main celebrant at the Dec 16 Mass. The other concelebrants were two other priests of Opus Dei – Fr Michael Chan and Fr Jose Lopez – and Fr Luke Fong. Bishop Echevarria was 84 when he passed away in Rome on Dec 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He was the second successor of St Josemaria Escriva as head of Opus Dei. In his homily, Fr Marin recalled that “the last moments of Bishop Javier were something beautiful: they tell us that death is something different when one has been faithful to God”. The peace that Bishop Eche-
Bishop Javier Echevarria died on Dec 12. Celebrating the requiem Mass for Bishop Javier Echevarria were (from left): Fr Jose Lopez, Fr Luke Fong, Fr Avelino Marin and Fr Michael Chan.
varria enjoyed in his last days tells us that it is worthwhile to say yes to God, said Fr Marin. He added that despite weakness and discomfort during his last days in hospital, Bishop Echevarria was attentive to the needs
of those around him – his nurses, doctors, the friends who were accompanying him and the other sick people in hospital. The late bishop’s great capacity to love others flowed from his love for God and his prayer life,
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) sent the following Christmas and New Year greetings to Archbishop William Goh:
said Fr Marin, adding that prayer was the most important part of Bishop Echevarria’s day, no matter how busy his schedule was. A particular aspect of his spirit of service was his desire to serve the Church and his love for those
who represent Christ on earth – the pope and all bishops, said Fr Marin. Some of those who attended the Mass recalled their personal encounter with Bishop Echevarria during his visit to Singapore in May 2014. Despite his age and frailty, he made himself available to the requests of all, they recalled. n
Serving people with special needs in Pattaya
Parishioners of the Church of the Risen Christ playing games with the kids at Father Ray Children’s village in Pattaya, Thailand, during a recent mission trip.
A mission trip to charitable institutions in Pattaya, Thailand, serving people with special needs proved to be a moving experience for the Singapore participants. “Even without their sight, they could do many things,” said 15-year-old Sumaryan d/o Cyril James, referring to her experience with the students in the Redemptorist School for the Blind. Sumaryan was among the 28 youths and adults from the parish of the Risen Christ who embarked on the Dec 1-9 mission trip to Redemptorist institutions in Pattaya. Led by Redemptorist Fr Simon Pereira, they visited the Redemptorist Vocational School for People with Disabilities, Father Ray Children’s Home, Father Ray Centre for Children with Special Needs, Father Ray Outreach Work and Drop-In Centre, and the Redemptorist Foundation for People with Disabilities, among others. Some of the things the Singapore group did were teaching the blind children to use their white cane and teaching the orphans English.
Participants were also encouraged to take photos of moments which touched their hearts. They then gathered together with Fr Simon every evening to share their experiences with one another. “Empathy is the vital thing which allows one to feel what another feels,” Fr Simon stressed. For Chrisment Teo, 16, one experience at the Redemptorist School for the Blind proved particularly memorable. Chrisment, who is partially blind himself, noted that during one of the activities, “I was blindfolded and the blind children had to guide me instead” through the school compound. That experience moved him. “We went there with the intention to help them but instead they helped me,” he shared. The learning experience extended to the adults as well. Mr David Teo, 53, shared: “The encounters with the orphans, the blind, the abandoned and the handicapped opened up my mind and touched me.” n
Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
AES students score despite challenges Nurturing environment Life is rarely smooth-sailing and for young students, having to cope with life’s challenges while focusing on GCE N-Level studies can seem overwhelming at times. For 16-year-old Veron Ching Jiaxian, it must have felt that way when her father passed away in 2013. Nevertheless, with determination and the support of her family and friends at Assumption English School, she went on to score 5 As and 1B to become one of the school’s top Normal (Technical) students this year. What kept Veron going in difficult times? She credits her older sister who graduated from the
very same school in 2014. She says her sister’s determined endeavours in her studies spurred her to work hard despite difficult days. Veron’s mother also provided unceasing encouragement and affirmation that helped her in her studies. The memory of her father was perhaps her biggest motivation. Veron says that her father would not have approved if she had given up without a fight. The school’s nurturing and caring environment also played no small part. Veron said her teachers were approachable whenever she needed help, and most importantly, they were always encouraging. She also had a group of close friends who studied hard with her. They were part of the reason she did not move to the Normal (Academic) stream despite her stellar academic performance in Secondary 2 and 3, which permitted her to opt for such a lateral transfer. Veron said she believes that with this motivated bunch of friends, they will be able to succeed no matter which academic stream they are in. The teenager says she hopes to be an accountant in the future.
Overcoming shyness Sixteen-year-old Andrew Mak Iann-Hoe used to struggle with his
Students Veron Ching and Andrew Mak topped Assumption English School’s Normal (Technical) stream this year in the GCE N-Level examinations, despite facing various challenges. Seen with them are their teachers Ms Meera Devi and Ms Wendy Chan.
reading comprehension and was extremely shy and reserved in his early years in Assumption English School. All this changed when he started Secondary 2 and made a group of friends who motivated each other to study hard. Andrew also credits his form teacher, Ms Meera Devi, for giv-
ing him leadership opportunities in class to help him overcome his shyness and learn to communicate effectively with his peers. Andrew was one of the school’s top students in the Normal (Technical) stream scoring 5 As. He said he would like to thank his parents who are his pillars of
support as well as his older brother who is someone he can always turn to for good advice. Andrew will be receiving the Ministry of Education’s Edusave Character Award, which recognises students who demonstrated exemplary character and outstanding personal qualities through their behaviour and actions. n
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Mrs Jessie Goh telling kids Christmas stories at Jurong Point Shopping Centre. Photo: ZHAO YI OF INFOCOMM ASIA HOLDINGS
The Daughters of St Paul Christmas outreach kiosk at the shopping centre.
Christmas storytelling at the mall Children who visited Jurong Point Shopping Centre recently had a rare treat as they listened to stories such as the birth of Baby Jesus and the Little Drummer Boy. Mrs Jessie Goh, a Holy Family parishioner, enthralled them with these and other stories on Dec 18, as part of an outreach by the Daughters of St Paul. For over 15 years, the nuns have conducted an annual Christmas outreach at the shopping centre, entitled Bringing Christ
to the Marketplace. During this period, they make their spiritual books and media materials available at a push-cart, in the hope of also reminding shoppers that Jesus is the real reason for the season. This year, the nuns extended their outreach with an afternoon of storytelling for children conducted in two sessions. Mrs Jessie Goh, a storyteller with the Storytelling Association (Singapore), started each session
asking the children what Christmas meant to them. She then told them the story of the birth of Jesus, followed by the story of the Little Drummer Boy, who had nothing to give Baby Jesus except his gift of drumming. Here she invited the children to discover the joy of sharing the gift of their talents. Her final story was about a school which invited its students to fill up shoeboxes for the poor. One little girl, who was poor her-
self, nevertheless gave her father a shoebox at Christmas. When he opened it, he found it empty. But when he asked if it was a joke, she replied that she had filled it with all her love. The children were thus reminded that love is the greatest gift of all. The session ended with the kids folding a piece of paper into the shape of a heart, which they could give to their parents. The children, who numbered between 20 and 30 for each session, also received
a paper cut-out gift from the mall and chocolates from the Sisters. Mrs Goh, a retired teacher from CHIJ Katong Convent and Opera Estate, who had taught Daughter of St Paul, Sr Wendy Ooi, told CatholicNews: “After the two sessions that day, I felt I had reached out to many because not only did the children and their parents listen, many others were hanging around the railings of the two floors above looking down and listening too!” n
Sec 3 youths take part in Project G.O.D. By Vanessa Lim Teenagers from the Church of the Holy Cross cooked meals for the needy and helped raise funds for a charity serving them as part of an Advent project. The parish’s Sec 3 confirmands visited Willing Hearts a few weekends before Advent to find out more about the organisation, its operations and to understand the kind of help they needed by speaking to its founder, staff and volunteers. A secular, non-affiliated charity, Willing Hearts – located at the Kembangan-Chai Chee Community Hub – is wholly run by volunteers, apart from a handful of staff. It operates a soup kitchen that prepares, cooks and distributes meals to the poor and needy. To get a better idea of the service the charity provides, the youths also served as volunteers to cook and distribute meals to the needy. This social mission project taken on by these young people was part of the parish’s Advent charity project. For the last decade, the parish has organised this annual
project titled Project G.O.D. (Gift of One Dollar). Each year, the parish selects a charity to give to, and for 2016, the parish chose Willing Hearts to be its beneficiary. With guidance from members of the Emmaus Disciples, a Holy Cross youth community, the Sec 3 confirmands also made videos and conducted interviews to conscientise fellow parishioners, helping them to be aware of the needs of Willing Hearts. Four videos were made to be flashed after every Mass on the weekends during Advent. Parishioners were then encouraged to donate $1 or more to the cause. These special weekly collections amounted to about $101,000. Together with the proceeds from the parish’s annual Advent fair, a total of about $106,000 was donated to Willing Hearts. This fundraising initiative aimed to assist Willing Hearts in supporting the underprivileged, rehabilitate people back into society, and help restore their dignity. On top of that, the young volunteers also got the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the significance of Advent. n
Newly confirmed youths from the Church of the Holy Cross distributing meals as part of a social mission project.
• Milestone Conference (18 Feb) • JFE 101 (25 Feb)
• SOW Opening (8 Jan to 4 Mar)
• ONE Day (7 Jan)
Office for Young People (OYP)
Office for the New Evangelisation (ONE)
• EMC Day (11 Mar)
• Love matters
May
• Servant Leaders’ Meeting (21 Jan)
• ‘Come To Me’ • School of Healing Eucharistic Adoration Prayer Level 1 (Duquesne 50th (11, 12, 18 & 19 Anniversary) (18 Feb) Mar)
• Affiliates & Board Connect (ABC) (7 Jan)
• Mission Trip (Cambodia) (12-18 Feb)
• Bread Basket Formation • Migrant Support Day Event (19 Feb)
• BCC – ICP & CM • Learn to Listen & Facilitate (1,8 Apr) • CEC – Church History • CCW (18 Apr) • BCC – Morality (20 Apr-18 May) • Catechists’ Retreat (28 Apr-1 May)
• Word & Mission Course (18 & 25 Apr)
• BCC – Morality • CEC – Special Needs Catechesis 2 (9-30 May) • RCIA Coordinators Gathering (13 May) • CCW (17,24 May) • ACT Programme: Maryvale Certification in Catechesis (27, 28 May)
• World day of prayer
• Caritas Board Retreat • Charities Week Collection • Launch of Charities Week on 11/12 Mar
• Lenten Rally (every Wednesday in Lent)
August
• CEC Virtues (6 July-17 Aug) • OFC Open House (8 July) • Catechists’ Dialogue (19 July) • CCW – Planning Confirmation Retreat for Youths (26 July) • RCIA Sponsors Training (22, 23 July)
• Humanitarian Forum & Fair 17 (10 June)
• Retreat
• Caritas Round Table 5
• Migrant Think Tank • Gospel Art (13 Jul) Conference (3 Jun) • Bread Basket Formation • Skills Development Centre – 1st Semester Graduation Day (18 Jun)
• LOWC Workshop (17-21 Jun) • Intro to RCIA (29 Jun-1 July) • BCC – Liturgy: The Mass (27 Jun-18 July)
• Nox Gaudii (15 Sept) • Poly Leaders’ Retreat
September
November
• Combined University Retreat (15-18 Dec)
December
• Bread Basket Formation • Migrant Support Group Event (20 Aug) • Exodus V (31 Aug-3 Sep)
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• Conversion Experience Retreat (Mandarin)
• Mission Trip
• Fundraising launch • Mission Trip in Archdiocese • Volunteers Appreciation Night
Compiled by Office for the New Evangelisation (ONE), www.one.org.sg
• Missioners Gathering
• Volunteer Appreciation lunch
• Befrienders’ • Migrant Symposium • Exodus V • Migrant Sunday Orientation & (9 Dec) (31 Aug-3 Sep) (1 Oct) Formation (5 Nov) • Bread Basket • Outreach Program • Happiness to Migrant Workers Workshop (8 Oct) • Gospel Art (12 Nov) Formation • Bread Basket • Migrant Support • Skills Development from dormitories Formation Group Event Centre – 2nd (17 Sep) • Skills Development (19 Nov) Semester Centre – 2018 Graduation Day Enrolment (29 Oct) (17 Dec)
• Faith Formation for • Teachers’ Day Mass Teachers (9 Sept) (25, 26 Aug) • Catholic Education Sunday (10 Sept)
• CCW – Praying the Divine Office (10-24 Oct) • RCIA Coordinator’s Meeting (14 Oct) • CEC – Church History (S’pore) (21, 28 Oct) • NCO (18 Oct) • BCC – ICP & CM (25 Oct-6 Dec) • BCC – Human Sexuality (26 Oct-30 Nov) • Special Needs Mass (29 Oct) • Learn to Listen & Facilitate (31 Oct-28 Nov)
• ACT Program: Maryvale Certification in Catechesis (4, 5 Nov) • BCC – ICP & CM • Learn to Listen & Facilitate • RCIA Sponsors Training (11, 12, Nov) • Coordinators’ Retreat (25, 26, Nov) • Evangelisation Conference – RCIA (31 Aug-4 Sept) • Catechetical Awareness Weekend (9, 10 Sept) • BCC – Catholic Social Teachings (14 Sept-12 Oct) • CCW (20 Sept) • EV&M Retreat & Workshop (23, 24, Sept, 7 Oct) • CEC - Church History
• CEC – Church History (15 Aug-12 Sept) • CEC – Liturgical Principles (17 Aug- 7 Sept)
• Charismatic Rally/ Launch of School of Charisms (10 Dec)
• Inner Healing Retreat (11 & 12 Nov) • School of Healing Prayer Level 3 (2, 3, 9 & 10 Sep)
• FIRE! Weekend (19 & 20 Aug)
• Intercession Workshop (14 & 15 Oct)
• Conversion • Awaken Experience Retreat • New Year • Prayer Experience Countdown Retreat • Couples Retreat
• Watchman Retreat • Servers Day • Leadership (9-12 Nov) (16 Dec) (14 Oct) • Village Fest • JFE 102 (21 Oct) (18 Nov) • Choir Day (28 Oct)
• Nox Gaudii • Vinea Retreat (OYP Turns 4) (2-6 Oct) (3 Nov) • Day of Recollection (21 Oct)
October
• Couples Retreat • Prayer Experience • Kerygma Retreat • Conversion Retreat Experience Retreat • Conversion Experience Retreat (Mandarin)
• JFE 102 (8 July) • Labourers in the • Evangelisation • Youth Day (22 July) Vineyard Retreat Conference – RCIA • Wardens Day (5-9 Aug) (31 Aug-4 Sept) (29 July) • NEw wiNE Conference • JFE 101 (16 Sept) (12 Aug)
• Introduction to • CCR Golden Jubilee • LISS Training Healing Course in Singapore Workshop (17, 24 May) (4 Jun) (8 & 15 Jul) • Love in Action School • School of Healing • Servant Leaders’ in Kkottongnae, South Prayer Level 2 Meeting (29 Jul) Korea (23-28 May) (17, 18, 24 & 25 Jun) • CCR Golden Jubilee in Rome, Italy (31 May-4 Jun)
• Happiness Program • Bread Basket • Befrienders’ (FDW) (12 Mar) Orientation & Formation • Befrienders’ Formation (14 May) • Gospel Art (FS) Appreciation Day • Migrant Support (19 Apr) (26 Mar) Group Event • Skills Development (21 May) Centre – 2nd Semester Enrolment Day (30 Apr)
• Catholic Education Conference (13 Mar)
July
• Awaken • Disciple Retreat • Corpus Christi Vigil
• Jesus Mary Rally • Pentecost Rally • JFE 102 (8 Apr) (4 June) • Easter for everyone (6 May) • SCC (21 May) (29 Apr) • JFE 101 (27 May) • Lectors Day (28 May)
Note: For more information, please refer to the respective Organisation’s website. This information is correct at the time of printing.
Archdiocesan Commission for Tamil Speaking (ACTS)
Archdiocesan Commission for Apostolate of Mandarinspeaking (ACAMS)
Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives, Singapore (CHARIS)
Caritas Singapore (Caritas) • Annual Thanksgiving Mass on 14 Jan
Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ACMI)
Archdiocesan Commission • Margaret Carter’s for Catholic Schools (ACCS) Workshop (5 Jan)
• RCIA Coordinator’s • ROE (4, 5 Mar) Office for Catechesis (OFC) • Launch of Cat Yr (2 Jan) Meeting (11 Feb) • BCC – ICP & CM • Cat Sunday (7, 8 Jan) • EV&M Retreat & (18 Mar-12 Apr) • BCC-Scripture Workshop • CEC – Church (10 Jan-7 Feb) (11, 12, 25 Feb) History • Learning to Listen (25 Mar, 1 Apr) & Facilitate (11, 18 Feb) • CEC – Special Needs Catechesis 1 (14 Feb-14 Mar) • CCW (23 Feb)
Singapore Archdiocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal (SACCRE)
June
• Kickstart (9-10 Jun) • Communion in • Treasure #8 • Day of Recollection • School of Christian Leadership • Nox Gaudii (16 Jun) Mission Experiment (31 Aug-3 Sept) (1 Apr) (7-16 May) Retreat (Early July) • Treasure #7 • Graduating University • Community (20-23 Apr) Students’ Recollection Leaders Retreat • Nox Gaudii (19-20 May) (14-16 July) (28 Apr) • Poly Leaders’ • Asian Youth Day Commissioning (30 July-6 Aug) (3 May)
April
EVENTS BY ARCHDIOCESAN ORGANISATIONS IN 2017
• SOW Closing • Combined Poly Camp (14-17 Mar)
March
• Prayer Experience • Internal Leadership • Conversion • Prayer Experience Catholic Spirituality Centre • Conversion Experience Retreat Retreat (16-19 Feb) Formation Retreat Experience Retreat (CSC) • Kerygma Retreat
• Nox Gaudii @ Cathedral (18 Feb)
• Jason Evert LIVE in Singapore (14 Jan)
Archdiocesan Commission for the Family (ACF)
February
January
BUILDING A VIBRANT, MISSIONARY AND EVANGELISTIC CHURCH
Organisations
Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
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10 ASIA
Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN ASIA
IN CHINA: A boy prays during a Christmas Eve Mass at a Catholic church on the outskirts of Taiyuan, in China’s Shanxi province.
Martyrs, who were killed by communists, beatified in Laos LAOS – Catholic unique, unheard of for this small martyrs from various nationalities country and very young Church.” have been beatified in Laos, in the The French priest was describfirst such gesture towards commu- ing the Dec 11 beatification Mass nist regime victims in Southeast in Vientiane’s Sacred Heart CaAsia. thedral, attended on “The Catholic the pope’s behalf by Church in Laos is Philippine Cardinal very small, humble, Orlando Quevedo almost hidden; its as well as 15 bishstory is not wellops and 150 priests, known,” Oblate Fr mostly from neighRoland Jacques, vice bouring countries, postulator of the marand 6,000 laypeople. tyrs’ cause, said in a A website statecommentary for the ment by the FrenchMissionary Oblates Philippine Cardinal Or- based order said all of Mary Immaculate, lando Quevedo attended 17 martyrs had died to which six martyrs the ceremony on behalf of at communist hands belonged. from 1954 to 1970 the pope. CNS file photo “Planted with the before Laos came sweat and blood of three genera- under full control of the Maoist tions of missionaries, it can rely Pathet Lao regime in 1975. today only on its own forces, supCatholics, estimated at 60,000, ported by a handful of priests from make up just 1 percent of the traVietnam or Thailand. That goes to ditionally Buddhist population of show how much this event was Laos. n CNS
VIENTIANE,
IN PAKISTAN: Worshippers pray during Christmas Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Islamabad. CNS photos
Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs take part in peace rally UDAIPUR, RAJASTHAN, INDIA – A peace rally established by a
church group eight years ago has become an annual event involving major religions in the Indian city of Udaipur in the desert state of Rajasthan. Some 10,000 people – Christians, Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs – joined the 8-km walk through the city streets on Dec 19. “Jesus Christ is beyond religion, and He came to the world to bring peace. That is the reason this peace rally is conducted just before Christmas,” said Fr Norbert Herman, director of Maitri Sadan (Friendship Home), who first organised the rally. Camel carts depicting Nativity scenes and other stories of Christ’s birth were a part of the rally, as were environmental or pro-life themes from some
of the 20 schools that joined the event. Mr Chandra Singh Kothari, city mayor and chief guest of the programme, said that “peace is the need of the hour in this tumultuous time and Jesus came to bring peace and joy in the world”.
Camel carts depicting Nativity scenes and other stories of Christ’s birth were part of the rally held in the Indian city of Udaipur. Bishop Devprasad Ganawa of Udaipur and leaders of other religions gave messages of unity, peace and joy. Mr William D’Souza, principal of St Anthony’s School in Udaipur and one of the participants in the rally, said it felt good that the festival brought
people from different religions together. “The rally is a joint effort by all that has set an example of love and brotherhood among all communities,” he said. The diocesan area has some 8 million people but Catholics number only 25,000 in the Hindu dominated area. Christians are a tiny minority in the state of 84 million people, 89 percent of them Hindus. But events such as the peace rally “prove to be beneficial for all”, said Mr Sandeep Singhatwadia, president of the Sarv Dharam Maitri Sangh, an interfaith forum. “All religions teach peace, love and brotherhood. Only the presentation is different,” he said, adding that the rally helped build a new generation convinced of the need for religious amity. Muslim leader Mushtaq Chanchal and a rally participant told ucanews.com that people are always very enthusiastic about the event each year. “Such programmes have a very positive impact on the society and need to be carried out at a larger scale,” he said. n UCANEWS.COM
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Myanmar cardinal urges fasting and prayer on New Year’s Day for peace MANDALAY, MYANMAR – Cardi-
nal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon has appealed to people of all religions to set aside Jan 1 as a day of prayer and fasting for peace. “Let us spend the day in prayer for peace and take a daylong fast to change the hearts of all people,” Cardinal Bo said in an appeal letter on Dec 11. He urged people from all faiths to flock to monasteries, churches, temples and mosques carrying placards and flags with the words, “Stop all wars.” Cardinal Bo said various civil wars that have been raging in Myanmar for more than 60 years were futile. “The silent majority have just been spectators to the chronic wars in Myanmar,” he said. “It is time for us to come together: all religions and all ethnic groups, to make 2017 a really happy year,” he added. Since Nov 20, fighting has intensified in the states of Kachin and northern Shan between the military and ethnic armed groups, including the Kachin Independence Army who are Christians. Thousands of people have been displaced. In his Christmas message, Cardinal Bo called on all war-
ring parties in Myanmar to commit to a meaningful and just peace. “I call upon Christians and my countrymen, without our effort there will not be any peace. Those who believed in arms did not bring any results. As people of faith, we can move mountains,” he said. “How can we celebrate Christmas justly when thousands of our brothers continue to lan-
guish in camps at this very moment, because of our wars?” said the 67-year-old cardinal. “I do hope the new government, the army, the armed groups make war history. Peace will bring prosperity,” he said. “Once we were the richest country in the region. Now we are one of the poorest,” he said. “I do hope this is the last Christmas when we need to pray for peace in Myanmar.” n UCANEWS.COM
is time for us ‘toItcome together: all religions and all ethnic groups, to make 2017 a really happy year.
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– Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon
Church in India to fight discrimination against ‘untouchables’ NEW DELHI – India’s Catholic bishops say they have taken a large step against discrimination in the Church by ordering dioceses to prepare “their long and short term plans” to fully include Dalits or former “untouchables.” Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, president of the Indian bishops’ conference, released the Policy of Dalit Empowerment in the Catholic Church in India in New Delhi on Dec, 13 calling it a historic step to end discrimination against them. “It is a sin to practise ‘untouchability’ in the Church and society,” he said. The policy book also details the theological and biblical value of inclusive Christian communities. Churches should end all forms of “untouchability”, discrimination and exclusion of Dalit people at every level of Church life, the document said, and made recommendations on how to do so. All parishes should start programmes to educate Dalit people, include them in administration and decision-making bodies, and address their liturgical needs, the
document says. Dalit women and children should be given their due space in the Church and there should be programmes to develop Dalit young people, train men and women for political action and encourage them in employment and entrepreneurship. Fr Z. Devasagaya Raj, secretary of the Indian bishops’ office for Dalits and indigenous people said that although several earlier documents and statements recommended actions to fight discrimination, “this is more comprehensive in seeking ground-level action”. He said his office expects to collect action plans from each diocese and establish a team for the “implementation and moni-
toring” of the plans. India has some 27 million Christians and at least half of them come from Dalit or tribal origins. They have suffered centuries of social exclusion and discrimination from upper-caste people who considered themselves superior. The upper-castes thought that merely touching a Dalit person, always engaged in menial and despised jobs, would pollute them. Although abolished by law, “untouchability” in various forms continues and Dalits are not allowed to share water sources, public places and worship spaces. Some parishes have reportedly demarcated space for Dalit people in churches and cemeteries. n UCANEWS.COM
12 WORLD
Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
In Christmas messages, patriarchs call for peace amid Christian persecution BEIRUT – Lamenting the exodus of Christians from their ancestral homelands, Catholic patriarchs of the Middle East pleaded for peace and security in their annual Christmas messages. In separate statements, the prelates shared their anguish regarding the persecution and uprooting of Christians from the region. Cardinal Bechara Rai, patriarch of Maronite Catholics, appealed to the international community to work to end terrorism “that is killing and displacing families and depriving them of their rights and dignities”. He also called upon the UN Security Council “to work seriously to find political solutions to the wars, aimed at bringing comprehensive and lasting peace and the repatriation of refugees back to their homelands.” In his message, Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignace Joseph III Younan called attention to “our beloved brothers and sisters of Syria and Iraq ... deprived of the Christmas joy, having endured the horrible consequences of war, violence, and all kind of persecutions.” They suffered “all this hardship” because of their Christian faith and their willingness “to persevere in faithfulness to Jesus the Saviour,” he added. Patriarch Younan reiterated that Christians were “uprooted from their lands and driven out
Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignace Joseph III Younan called attention to ‘our beloved brothers and sisters of Syria and Iraq ... deprived of the Christmas joy, having endured the horrible consequences of war, violence and all kind of persecutions.’
Women light candles before attending Christmas Eve Mass at the Melkite Catholic Cathedral in Damascus, Syria. In their annual Christmas messages, Catholic patriarchs of the Middle East pleaded for peace and shared their anguish regarding the persecution and uprooting of Christians from the region. CNS photo
unjustly from their homes by barbarian terrorists, in Mosul and the Plain of Nineveh, Iraq,” referring to the exodus of some 100,000 Christians – among them more than 60,000 Syriac Catholics – when the region was overtaken by Islamic State militants in 2014. Melkite Catholic Patriarch Gregoire III Laham, in his mes-
sage, stressed that “today in the Middle East, the cradle of Christianity, the Christian presence is threatened ... by wars that have given rise to this terrifying exodus, especially of Christians.” “This is a prayer for the peace of Christmas to protect our suffering countries, especially Palestine, Iraq and most especially our be-
loved Syria,” the Syrian-born patriarch wrote. “I continue to repeat my motto: give us peace and security, because that is the warranty and condition for Christian resistance, presence, role and witness.” Patriarch Laham urged the region’s Christians to stay in their homelands, stressing that “our presence here is of great, global
and historical significance!” “If Christians emigrate,” Patriarch Laham added, “it is as though Christ were leaving His country and homeland.” From Baghdad, Iraq, Chaldean Patriarch Louis Sako, wrote: “Amidst the concerns and worries of Iraqis, Syrians, and people of the Middle East, in which children and civilians are victims of a harsh war, millions of persons are displaced from their homes, driven out of their lands and are living in tragic conditions, after the destruction of their towns’ infrastructure.” He expressed his hope that “this feast may revive our people’s hope to return to their homes, ancestral lands, history and memories.” n CNS
Germany’s Christian Churches denounce growing arms sales OXFORD, EnglanD – Germany’s Catholic and Protestant Churches have denounced their country’s growing arms sales to the Gulf states and demanded tighter export controls on weapons manufacturers. “Over the past 20 years, the fed-
eral government’s reporting of contracts has become quicker and more transparent, while public awareness and debate around the issue has also intensified,” said Msgr Karl Justen, director of the German Church’s Catholic Office in Berlin and cochairman of the Catholic-Protestant
Joint Conference on Church and Development, known by its German acronym as GKKE. “But while government policy allows exports to third countries in regions of crisis and conflict only in justified individual cases, the data show otherwise – this is
FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY: The adoration of the Magi is depicted in this icon by artist Ayman Fayez. The feast of the Epiphany is observed on Jan 8 in 2017. CNS photo
why we’re asking for a new law opment said arms exports to states requiring the reasons for arms ex- outside the North Atlantic Treaty ports to be stated,” he said. Organization (NATO) and the EuSpeaking on Dec 12 at the ropean Union should remain the Berlin launch of the joint confer- exception and urged the German ence’s latest report, the priest said parliament to “send a strong siggovernment licences and German nal” by demanding an embargo arms exports had risen 96 percent against Saudi Arabia, including a in 2015 to a value of US$13.6 bil- ban on weapons components. lion (S$19 billion). The report said Msgr Justen called a new arms export The Joint it “completely unaccontrol law should Conference on ceptable” that US$798 combine existing Church and million in arms were regulations with insold over the same creased transparency, Development period to Saudi Araalso strengthsaid a new arms while bia, and US$1.77 ening parliamentary export control billion to Qatar. control powers. While Qatar was Founded in 1973 law should “massively violatas an ecumenical ing human rights and combine existing working group, the regulations supporting Islamists Joint Conference around the world,” on Church and Dewith increased the priest added, both velopment conducts transparency, countries were also talks on the arms and engaged in a war in pharmaceutical inwhile also Yemen which had dustries, finances, tax strengthening “trampled internaand poverty reducparliamentary tional humanitarian tion, with parliament, law underfoot” and control powers. government and soleft 10,000 dead. cial interest groups German newspapers say the in Germany, and issues statements country is now the world’s third- and publications in co-operation largest arms supplier, after the US with the Catholic Church’s justice and Russia. and peace commission and the In its 118-page report, the Joint Lutheran Church’s Bread for the Conference on Church and Devel- World. n CNS
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Vatican diplomat: anti-Christian prejudice in public sphere on rise some parts of the world, “maniVATICAN CITY – Governments need to report, condemn and ad- festations of intolerance, hate dress all forms of discrimination crimes and episodes of violence against Christians, including in- or vandalism against religious tolerance shown in the media and places or objects continue to inpublic debates, said a Vatican dip- crease”, he said. In addition, he said, “offendlomat. “The peaceful contribution of ing, insulting or attacking Chrisreligion to public life seems not only tians because of their beliefs and to be rejected, but also contested” in their values, including in the memany areas, said Msgr Janusz Ur- dia and in public debate, based on a distorted and misbanczyk, the Vatican’s permanent representaThe peaceful interpreted concept of freedom of extive to the Organisacontribution pression, often goes tion for Security and uncontested”. of religion to Cooperation in EuThis “worrying rope (OSCE). public life seems trend,” he said enAnd wherever not only to be tails “aggressively “fundamental freedoms are questioned, rejected, but also orchestrated actions, especially in the mesecurity also can be contested. dia and in public disendangered”, he said on Dec 14, during a – Msgr Janusz Urbanczyk course, against Christians and all others special conference in Vienna on combating intoler- who express peacefully their reliance and discrimination against gious views, traditions and values”. “This seems to be true in parChristians across the OSCE region, which includes 57 countries ticular for those who defend huin Europe, Central Asia and North man nature from being reduced America. He made three different to mere matter and from the new speeches on the topic during the ideological colonisation that incourse of the day’s many sessions. vades human thought, under the Msgr Urbanczyk said that pretence of virtue, modernity and even though the OSCE region new attitudes, and which is condoes not see “blatant and violent temptuous of reality as God has persecution” of Christians like in created it,” he said. n CNS
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CHRISTMAS IN ALEPPO: Christmas decorations hang from a balcony in Aleppo, Syria. Middle East Catholic leaders are urging people to put aside ideology and blame and work to rebuild the violencetorn city of Aleppo. CNS photo
14 POPE FRANCIS Pope urges peace in Congo after deadly protests VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis ap-
pealed for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo following the killing of protesters demonstrating against President Joseph Kabila in several cities across the country. After meeting recently with the heads of the Congolese Bishops’ Conference, the pope renewed his call during his weekly general audience on Dec 21, urging the people of Congo to “be authors of reconciliation and peace.” “May those who have political responsibility listen to the voice of their own conscience, may they be able to see the cruel suffering of their compatriots and have at heart the common good,” the pope said. He expressed his “support and affection for the beloved people of that country” and prayed that government leaders would work for the good of their people. Government security forces shot and killed 26 protesters during scattered demonstrations throughout the country against President Kabila, who has exceeded his presidential mandate, according to the Reuters news agency. President Kabila and government authorities have rejected calls by local opposition leaders and the international community to respect the constitution and step down. n CNS
Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Offer love, prayers for persecuted Christians, pontiff says Despite increased persecution and attacks against Christians, the faithful must strengthen their courage and joyful desire to follow Christ no matter the cost, Pope Francis said. By choosing God’s path of truth, “light and life” over all else, Christians continue to give witness and persevere in “living according to the logic of the Gospel and refusing the logic of the rulers of this world,” he said at a noon blessing on Dec 26 at the Vatican to those gathered in St Peter’s Square. The pope spoke on the feast of St Stephen, the first martyr, saying that by choosing truth, St Stephen also “became victim of the mystery of wickedness present in the world. But in Christ, Stephen won.” Jesus forewarned His disciples that they would be hated and suffer in His name, the pope said, adding that such persecution continues today with so many men and women experiencing oppression, violence, hatred and even martyrdom because of their faith. “Why does the world persecute Christians?” the pope asked. For the same reason the world hated Jesus, “because He brought God’s light and the world prefers darkness for hiding its evil deeds.”
St Stephen, the first martyr, is seen in a mural painted by Lorenzo Sabbatini during its restoration in 2007 at the Vatican. Pope Francis said that by choosing truth, St Stephen ‘became victim of the mystery of wickedness present in the world. But in Christ, Stephen won.’
VATICAN CITY –
CNS photo
“Following Jesus means following His light, which was lit in the night of Bethlehem, and abandoning the darkness of the world,” the pope said. The same cruelty experienced in the early Church continues to exist and “there are more martyrs today” than during the early centuries, he said. The pope asked people to think of those “who suffer persecution, to
be close to them with our affection, our prayers and even our tears.” He cited the courage of Iraqi Christians, saying those who had celebrated Christmas Eve Mass in their destroyed churches were “an example of fidelity to the Gospel.” Hundreds of Iraqi Christians attended Christmas Eve Mass at St George Chaldean Catholic in Bartella, near Mosul, in northern Iraq, after the area was freed from Islam-
‘There are more martyrs today’ than during the early centuries, said Pope Francis. ic State forces who had occupied the area for more than two years. “Despite the hardship and dangers, they courageously give witness to their belonging to Christ and live the Gospel dedicating themselves to the least, the most neglected, doing good to everyone without distinction, in this way, witnessing charity in the truth,” the pope said. With Christmas being the time to make more room in our hearts for Jesus, “let us renew the joyous and courageous desire to faithfully follow Him as the one and only guide,” he said. After praying the Angelus, the pope thanked everyone who had sent him Christmas greetings and prayers, apologising for not being able to personally respond to the many messages he received. A “heartfelt thank you! May the Lord reward you with his generosity,” he said. n CNS
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Pope slams ‘homicidal madness’ Pope Francis joins ‘all people of good
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has
called for an end to terrorism following a string of deadly attacks in Berlin and Ankara on Dec 19. Similar to an attack with a truck that took place in July in Nice, France, a tractor-trailer veered into the crowded Breitscheidplatz Christmas market in Berlin and ploughed through bystanders, killing 12 people and wounding nearly 50. In a Dec 20 telegram sent by Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to Archbishop Heiner Koch of Berlin, the pope prayed for the families of the dead and the wounded, “assuring his closeness in their pain”. “Pope Francis joins all people of good will who are working so that the homicidal madness of terrorism does not find any more room in our world,” Cardinal Parolin wrote. He said the pope received news of the attack with “profound emotion” and joined the families of the victims in their mourning and “entrusts the dead to the mercy of God”. Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising, Germany, president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community, said news of the attack in Berlin had “deeply shocked me” and called on the people of Germany to “hold together and stand united as a society”.
will who are working so that the homicidal madness of terrorism does not find any more room in our world.
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– Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state
Women pray in front of a makeshift memorial at the scene where a truck ploughed into a crowded Christmas market the previous day in Berlin, Germany. CNS photo
“The violence on the Christmas market is the opposite of what visitors were seeking. My compassion goes to the relatives of the dead and injured. For all of them, I will pray,” he said on Dec 20. Police detained an asylumseeker from Pakistan who was near
the attack but he was later released. The attack in Berlin occurred not long after the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, by a lone gunman during the opening of an art exhibition in Ankara. Mevlut Mert Altintas, an off-
duty Turkish policeman, shot Karlov several times, shouting “Allahu akbar [God is great]. Do not forget Aleppo! Do not forget Syria! Do not forget Aleppo! Do not forget Syria!” The gunman was later shot and killed by police. Several family members and the gunman’s room-
mate were detained by investigators seeking a possible connection with terrorist groups. Cardinal Parolin conveyed the pope’s condolences to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, saying he was “saddened to learn of the violent attack in Ankara”. “In commending his soul to almighty God, Pope Francis assures you and all the people of the Russian Federation of his prayers and spiritual solidarity at this time,” Cardinal Parolin wrote. The Vatican also told journalists that Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Vatican secretary for relations with states, telephoned the Russian ambassador to the Holy See, Mr Alexander Avdeev, to “express his condolences for the murder of the Russian ambassador to Turkey”. n CNS
Pontiff highlights principles for ongoing reform of Roman Curia VATICAN CITY – The ongoing reform of the Roman Curia, the Church’s central administrative offices, is a process of deep, personal conversion, Pope Francis said. The reform of the Curia cannot be understood “as a sort of facelift, using make-up and cosmetics to embellish its aging body”, the pope said on Dec 22. Meeting with cardinals and the heads of Vatican offices for his annual Christmas greeting, the pope said it is “necessary to speak of disease and cures because every surgical operation, if it is to be successful, must be preceded by detailed diagnosis and careful analysis, and needs to be accompanied and followed up by precise prescriptions”. While his addresses in previous years focused on problems plaguing the Curia – such as hypocrisy and gossip – and the virtues it needs, this year’s speech laid out a 12-step programme of principles for a long-lasting recovery. The pope noted that although certain forms of resistance to reform may come from a sense of
goodwill or fear, there are others that are based on malevolent intentions dressed like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. “This last kind of resistance hides behind words of self-justification and, often, accusation; it takes refuge in traditions, appearances, formalities, in the familiar, or else in a desire to make everything personal, failing to distinguish between the act, the actor, and the action,” he said. However, no matter whether the intentions are good or bad, resistance is necessary and they deserve to be “listened to, welcomed and their expression encouraged. It is a sign that the body is alive.” Some of the pope’s 12 principles for the reform of the Curia are:
Pope Francis speaks with cardinals and heads of Vatican offices on Dec 22, and gave 12 principles for the reform of the Curia. CNS photo n Individuality (personal conversion): A person’s spiritual well-being can either strengthen the Curia or damage it. n Missionary spirit (Christcentric): Without an authentic evangelical spirit and faithfulness of the Church to its own vocation, “any new structure will soon prove ineffective”.
The pope said the Curia should mirror the universality of the Church and hire personnel from around the world while emphasising the important role of permanent deacons and the laity – especially women.
n Modernisation (updating): Vatican offices must read “the signs of times” and adapt to the needs of the universal Church. n Sobriety: The Curia must be willing to simplify and streamline, especially when it comes to offices that are “no longer responding to contingent needs”. n Synodality: Reducing or merging Vatican offices avoids fragmentation and allows for more frequent meetings between the pope and the heads of those offices. n Catholicity: The Curia should mirror the universality of the Church and hire personnel from around the world while emphasising the important role of
permanent deacons and the laity – especially women – in the life and mission of the Church. n Professionalism: Every office must adopt a policy of personal formation to avoid bureaucratic routine. n Graduality (discernment): Taking time by verifying, correcting and discerning methods and policies allows the “flexibility needed to be able to achieve a true reform”. The pope also highlighted the various steps, structural changes and continuing processes of the reform throughout his pontificate, all of which are meant to stress that “the heart and centre of the reform is Christ”. n CNS
16 POPE FRANCIS’ CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS
Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Scarred world needs Christ
VATICAN CITY – The song of the angels that heralded the birth of Christ urges men and women to seek peace in a world divided by war, terrorism and greed, Pope Francis said. “Today this message goes out to the ends of the earth to reach all peoples, especially those scarred by war and harsh conflicts that seem stronger than the yearning for peace,” the pope said on Dec 25. Migrants, refugees, children suffering due to hunger and war, victims of human trafficking as well as social and economic unrest were also remembered by the pope. “Peace to the peoples who suffer because of the economic ambitions of the few, because of the sheer greed and the idolatry of money, which leads to slavery,” he said. About 40,000 people made their way through security checkpoints into St Peter’s Square to attend the pope’s solemn Christmas blessing urbi et orbi (to the city and the world). Heightened security following the Dec 19 terrorist attack in Berlin, Germany, was evident as police cordoned off streets and established multiple checkpoints throughout the area. While police presence is standard for major events in St Peter’s, the added security was a sign of the times where crowded areas have become a target for terrorists.
Pope Francis greets the crowd after delivering his Christmas message and blessing urbi et orbi (to the city and the world) from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Dec 25. CNS photos
Prayer for peace in the world The pope prayed for “peace to those who have lost a person dear to them as a result of brutal acts of terrorism that has sown fear and death into the hearts of so many countries and cities.” Countries ravaged by the scourge of war were also in the pope’s thoughts, particularly in “the war-torn land of Syria, where far too much blood has been spilled,” especially in the city of Aleppo. The pope called on the world to support the people of Syria with humanitarian assistance and to put an end to the conflict. “It is time for weapons to be silenced forever and the international community to actively seek a negotiated solution so that civil coexistence can be restored in the country,” he said. The pope appealed for peace for the people of Ukraine, “who to this day suffer the consequences of the conflict.” The Vatican announced on Dec 23 that the first instalment of 6 million euros (S$9 million) would be distributed on Christmas Day to assist in relief efforts in Ukraine. Earlier this year, the pope called for a collection across churches in Europe to help the people of the war-torn country. Iraq, Libya and Yemen, “where their peoples suffer war and the brutality of terrorism,” were in the pope’s prayers so that they may “be
A family presents offertory gifts to Pope Francis during the Christmas Eve Mass in Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
The pope burns incense in front of a Nativity scene at the conclusion of the Christmas Eve Mass in Peter’s Basilica.
able to once again find unity and harmony.” The pope also remembered Africa, especially Nigeria where fundamentalist terrorism “exploits children in order to perpetrate horror and death” as well as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, calling on their leaders to choose the path of dialogue rather than “the mindset of conflict.” He also prayed for peace in the Holy Land and that Israelis and
“‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.’ He is the ‘prince of peace;’ let us welcome Him,” said the pope.
Palestinians turn away from hate and revenge while having “the courage and determination to write a new page of history.” Praying for an end to current tensions, the pope also called for peace in Venezuela, Colombia, Myanmar and the Korean peninsula. Christ’s birth, he said, is a sign of joy and a call for the world to contemplate “the child Jesus who gives hope once again to every person on the face of the earth.”
Pope Francis prayed for ‘peace to those who have lost a person dear to them as a result of brutal acts of terrorism that has sown fear and death into the hearts of so many countries and cities.’
Midnight Mass After his address, the bells of St Peter’s rang loudly, pealing throughout the square as they did in the evening of Dec 24 following the proclamation of Jesus’ birth during the Christmas Eve midnight Mass. The darkness of the night sky over St Peter’s Basilica was broken by the bright lights emanating from the colonnade and the Christmas tree from the square. The cold weather didn’t stop thousands of people unable to enter the packed basilica from participat-
ing in the Mass, sitting outside and watching the celebration on giant screens in St Peter’s Square. In his homily, the pope said the love of God is made visible at Christ’s birth on a night of glory, joy and light “which would illuminates those who walk in darkness.” The shepherds are a witness to “the enduring sign” of finding Jesus when they discover Him wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger;” a sign that is given to all Christians today, the pope said. “If we want to celebrate Christmas authentically, we need to contemplate this sign: the fragile simplicity of a small newborn, the meekness of where He lies, the n Continued on Page 17
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
st, says pope at Christmas n From Page 16
not allowed to be born, by those who cry because no one satiates tender affection of the swaddling their hunger, by those who do not clothes. God is there,” he said. have toys in their hands, but rather This sign of humility, he added, weapons,” he said. also reveals a paradox: God who Christmas is not only a mystery chose not to reveal Himself through of hope but also of sadness where power, but rather through the “pov- “love is not received and life discarderty of a stable” and “in the sim- ed” as seen by the indifference felt plicity of life.” by Mary and Joseph “In order to dis“who found the doors If we want cover Him, we need closed and placed Jeto go there, where He sus in a manger.” to celebrate is: we need to bow That same inChristmas down, humble ourdifference, he said, authentically, selves, make ourselves exists today when small,” the pope said. commercialism overwe need to The image of the shadows the light contemplate this of God and “when child in the manger, he continued, is sign: the fragile we are concerned a challenge for all for gifts but cold tosimplicity of a Christians to “leave wards those who are behind fleeting illusmall newborn, marginalised.” sions” and “renounce “This worldliness the meekness of has taken Christmas insatiable claims.” It is also a callhostage. It needs to where He lies. ing for the world to be freed!” the pope – Pope Francis respond to the suffersaid departing from ings of children in this his prepared remarks. age who “suffer the squalid manHowever, the hope of Christgers that devour dignity: hiding un- mas is the light that outshines this derground to escape bombardment, darkness and “draws us to Himon the pavements of a large city, at self” through His humble birth in the bottom of a boat overladen with Bethlehem,” he said. immigrants,” the pope said. Noting that Bethlehem means “Let us allow ourselves to be “house of bread,” the pope said challenged by the children who are that Jesus was born to nourish us,
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The Holy Father kisses a figurine of the baby Jesus as he arrives to celebrate Christmas Eve Mass in Peter’s Basilica.
creating a “direct thread joining the manger and the cross.” “In this way, He seems to tell us that He is born as bread for us; He enters life to give us His life; He comes into our world to give us His love. He does not come to devour
or to command but to nourish and to serve,” the pope said. Pope Francis said that like the shepherds, who although marginalised are chosen to witness the birth of Christ, Christians are reminded of God’s closeness and can enjoy
the true spirit of Christmas: “the beauty of being loved by God.” “Contemplating His humble and infinite love, let us say to Him: thank you, thank you because you have done all this for me,” the pope said. n CNS
18 OPINION
Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
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COMMENTARY
Sharing goodness, positivity in 2017 Some suggestions on how to celebrate blessings in the New Year by Charlie martin A new year begins for our lives. And it’s all of 525,600 minutes. What will you do with this gift of time? You can turn 2017 into a year when the presence of love within you supports the lives of many others. So, where should you start? How about right with the people you live with? There is a multitude of ways, but why not start with appreciation? Everyone needs to be appreciated, but the routines of family life can lead to taking people for granted. Make it your active practice during 2017 to notice even the little aspects of good in each family member, and then mention to each of them how you value these attributes of who they are. Dedicate yourself to being a mirror of the goodness that dwells in each person of your family. Next, look back over the past year and see how many acts of service you brought to others, such as through gestures of kindness. Such acts of caring need to be given simply to help someone else have a better day. Seek no recognition and, when possible, do so without being asked. This could occur just about
Fireworks explode over Sydney Harbor bridge and opera House during a new year celebration. CNS file photo
anywhere you interact with others. Be on the lookout! Be spontaneous!
Make it your practice during 2017 to notice even the little aspects of good in each family member, and then mention to them how you value these attributes.
Life can be challenging. Sometimes, we cannot help others with their difficulties, but we can bring a certain lightness of heart to many situations. We never want to devalue another’s suffering, but at times we can help him or her avoid getting lost within this hurt. Share your humour, a positive perspective, or words of hope and encouragement. Arrange mini-celebrations when good things happen to others, for example, when a friend passes a test that he or she was doubtful about achieving, or even something routine like getting a driver’s licence. Every goodness deserves acknowledgement. Be the one who finds ways to celebrate the small blessings that come into your friends’ lives. Yes, you’ve got 525,600 minutes called 2017. God invites you to be a co-creator with Him for the blessings that can flow from your love in this new year. n CNS
Our churches as sanctuaries WHENEVER we have been at our best, as Christians, we have opened our churches as sanctuaries to the poor and the endangered. We have a long, proud history wherein refugees, homeless persons, immigrants facing deportation, and others who are endangered, take shelter inside our churches. If we believe what Jesus tells us about the Last Judgment in the 25th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, this should serve us well when we stand before God at the end. Unfortunately our churches have not always provided that same kind of sanctuary (safety and shelter) to those who are refugees, immigrants and homeless in their relationship to God and our churches. There are millions of persons, today perhaps the majority within our nations, who are looking for a safe harbour in terms of sorting out their faith and their relationship to the church. Sadly, too often our rigid paradigms of orthodoxy, ecclesiology, ecumenism, liturgy, sacramental practice, and canon law, however wellintentioned, have made our churches places where no such sanctuary is offered and where the wide embrace practiced by Jesus is not mirrored. Instead, our churches are often harbours only for persons who are already safe, already comforted, already church-observing, already solid ecclesial citizens. That was hardly the situation within Jesus’ own ministry. He was a safe sanctuary for everyone, religious and non-religious alike. While He didn’t ignore the committed religious persons around him, the Scribes and Pharisees, His ministry always reached out and included those whose religious practice was weak or non-existent. Moreover, He reached out especially to those whose moral lives were not in formal harmony with the religious practices of the time, those deemed as sinners. Significantly, too, He did not ask for repentance from those deemed as sinners before He sat down at table with them. He set out no moral or ecclesial conditions as a prerequisite to meet or dine with Him. Many repented after meeting and dining with Him, but that repentance was never a pre-condition. In His person and in His ministry, Jesus did not discriminate. He offered a safe sanctuary for everyone. We need today in our churches to challenge ourselves on this. From pastors to parish councils, to pastoral teams, to diocesan regulators, to bishops’ conferences, to those responsible for applying canon and Church law, to our own personal attitudes, we all need to ask: Are our churches places of sanctuary for those who are refugees, homeless, and poor ecclesially? Do our pastoral practices mirror Jesus? Is our embrace as wide as that of Jesus? These are not fanciful ideals. This is the gospel which we can easily lose sight of, for seemingly all the right reasons. I remember a diocesan synod within which I participated some 20 years ago. At one stage in the process we were divided in small groups and each group was given the question: What, before all else, should the Church be saying to the world today? The groups returned with their answers and everyone, every single group, proposed as its first priority apposite what the Church should be saying to the world some moral or ecclesial challenge: We need to challenge the world in terms of justice! We need to challenge people to pray more! We need to speak again of sin! We need to challenge people about the importance of going to church! We need to stop the evil of abortion! All of these suggestions are good and important. But none of the groups dared say: We need to comfort the world! Handel’s Messiah begins with that wonderful line from Isaiah 40: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” That, I believe, is the first task of religion. Challenge follows after that, but may not precede it. A mother first comforts her child by assuring it of her love and stilling its chaos. Only after that, in the safe shelter produced by that comfort, can she begin to offer it some hard challenges to grow beyond its own instinctual struggles. People are swayed a lot by the perception they have of things. Within our churches today we can protest that we are being perceived unfairly by our culture, that is, as narrow, judgmental, hypocritical, and hateful. No doubt this is unfair, but we must have the courage to ask ourselves why this perception abounds, in the academy, in the media, and in the popular culture. Why aren’t we being perceived more as “a field hospital” for the wounded, as is the ideal of Pope Francis? Why are we not flinging our church doors open much more widely? What lies at the root of our reticence? Fear of being too generous with God’s grace? One wonders whether more people, especially the young and the estranged, would grace our churches today if we were perceived in the popular mind precisely as being sanctuaries for searchers, for the confused, the wounded, the broken, and the non-religious, rather than as places only for those who are already religiously solid and whose religious search is already completed. n
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
‘From within families, the joy of love spills out into the world and radiates to the whole of society.’ – Pope Francis
VATICAN CITY – Calling for a
new style of politics built on peace and non-violence, Pope Francis also called for disarmament, the eradication of nuclear weapons and an end to domestic violence and abuse against women and children. “Violence is not the cure for our broken world,” he said in his annual message for the World Day of Peace on Jan 1. “It is a challenge to build up society, communities and businesses by acting as peacemakers. It is to show mercy by refusing to discard people, harm the environment or seek to win at any cost,” he added. “Active non-violence is a way of showing that unity is truly more powerful and more fruitful than conflict,” he said. While differences will sometimes lead to difficulties, “let us face them constructively and non-violently” so that tension and opposition can turn into “diversified and life-giving unity”, preserving “what is valid and useful on both sides”. His message, which the Vatican sends to heads of state around the world, stressed that building a new politics of non-violence starts in the human heart and the home.
It is in the family that people can learn how to communicate, be generous and caring, and resolve conflicts “not by force but by dialogue, respect, concern for the good of the other, mercy and forgiveness”. From within the family, “the joy of love spills out into the world and radiates to the whole of society”, he said. This “ethics of fraternity and peaceful coexistence” can never be “based on the logic of fear, violence and closed-mindedness, but on responsibility, respect and sincere dialogue”.
In his annual message for Jan 1, Pope Francis stressed the importance of ‘active non-violence’. CNS photo
“Hence, I plead for disarmament and for the prohibition and abolition of nuclear weapons: nuclear deterrence and the threat of mutually assured destruction are incapable of grounding such an ethics,” he said. “I plead with equal urgency for an end to domestic violence and to the abuse of women and children.” In fact, an important “manual” for peacemaking, he said, is Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, where He presented the Beatitudes.
Applying the Beatitudes, which outlines how to be blessed, good and authentic, “is also a programme and a challenge for political and religious leaders, the heads of international institutions, and business and media executives,” he said. The “politics of non-violence” also begins with each individual, who will never miss an opportunity to offer a kind word, smile or simple gesture that “sows peace and friendship”. When victims of violence resist the temptation to retaliate, “they become the most credible promoters of non-violent peacemaking” in the tradition of those who struggled actively and non-violently for change such as St Teresa of Kolkata, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr and the thousands of women in Liberia who helped end their nation’s civil war, Pope Francis wrote. Many religious traditions contribute by promoting compassion and non-violence and protecting victims of injustice, he said. For that reason, “I emphatically reaffirm that ‘no religion is terrorist’” and the name of God can never be “used to justify violence. Peace alone is holy. Peace alone is holy, not war!” “In the most local and ordinary situations and in the international order,” he wrote, “may non-violence become the hallmark of our decisions, our relationships and our actions, and indeed of political life in all its forms.” n CNS The pope’s full message is at http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/ papa-francesco_20161208_messaggio-l-giornata-mondiale-pace-2017. html
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
By Jennifer Ficcaglia At the time of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, there were Magi from the East who arrived in Jerusalem. “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” they asked. “We saw His star at its rising and have come to do Him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was deeply concerned. So he gathered the chief priests and the scribes and asked them what the Scriptures said about the place where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they replied, “for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Upon hearing this, King Herod
secretly called the Magi to see him. He asked them when the star first appeared so he could figure out exactly when the Messiah had been born. Then he told the Magi that Bethlehem was the city in which the Messiah was to be born and told them to go there. “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may go and do Him homage,” King Herod told them. The Magi didn’t know it, but King Herod was lying to them. He actually wanted to harm the Messiah, because he feared the Messiah would take away his kingly power. After their meeting with King Herod, the Magi continued on their journey. As they headed toward Bethlehem, they once again saw the star and followed it. As they came into Bethlehem, the star stopped over the place where Jesus was.
SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:
St Ita St Ita was born near Waterford, Ireland, and was said to be descended from royalty. She persuaded her father to allow her to remain unmarried so she could concentrate on her faith life. She eventually moved to County Limerick where she and some other young women served God. It is said she founded a school for young boys, and one of her students was the famous abbot and missionary, St Brendan. St Ita died in 570, and we honour her on Jan 15. n
The Magi were overjoyed because they knew they had finally found the Messiah. They entered the house and saw Jesus with Mary, His mother. The Magi prostrated themselves – which means to lay facedown on the ground – and paid homage to Jesus. Then they gave Jesus very expensive gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And before the Magi left Bethlehem, they were warned in a dream not
to return to King Herod. So they left for their home country by a different route. n Read more about it: Matthew 2
Q&A 1. Who was the person the Magi were looking for? 2. What did King Herod want to do to the Messiah?
Wordsearch: n MAGI
n CITY
n ROUTE
n MESSIAH
n CHILD
n GOLD
n RULER
n SCRIBES
n GIFTS
n STAR
n POWER n DREAM
ESSAY: What gift would you give to Jesus and why?
Bible Accent:
Answer to puzzle: 1. newborn, Jews; 2. search, child; 3. prostrated, homage; 4. Herod, destroy
PUZZLE: Use the hints provided to fill in the words missing from the following sentences. 1. Where is the __________ king of the __________? (Matthew 2:2) 2. Go and __________ diligently for the __________. (Matthew 2:8) 3. They __________ themselves and did him __________. (Matthew 2:11) 4.
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is going to search for the child to __________ him. (Matthew 2:13)
Answer to Wordsearch
Matthew 2 is the only Gospel that describes “Magi from the East” – also known as the Wise Men or the Three Kings – who visited Jesus after His birth and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2 is short on details about the Magi. For example, the Gospel does not say how many there were. Since the Magi gave Jesus three gifts, it is traditional to say that there were three. It also is traditional to say that the men were kings, although a note in the New American Bible says the word “Magi” refers to the priestly caste of ancient Persia (modern-day Iran, which is to the east of Bethlehem). The same note in the New American Bible calls the Magi “astrologers,” which means they studied the stars because they thought those heavenly bodies played a role in earthly events. Although the Bible does not refer to the Magi by name, traditionally they are called Caspar (or Gaspar), Melchior and Balthazar. The Catholic Church celebrates the Magi’s visit to Jesus on the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. This year, it is celebrated on Jan 8. n
WHAT’S ON 21
Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Please register using the following URL: http://tinyurl.com/gryfqms. For more information, contact Sylvia Stewart from the Office For Catechesis at 68583011. W: www.catechesis.org.sg
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jAN 14 MEdITATIVE PrAYEr WITH THE SONgS OF TAIZE Time: 8pm. Come and pray with fellow Christians and all who want to create greater trust and openness through meditative prayer. No registration needed. All are welcome. Organised by the Singapore Taize core group at the Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator, 60 Hill Street. For more information: E: bennycah@gmail.com; W: www.taize.fr/en
jAN 2 LAUNCH OF CATECHETICAL YEAr 2017 Time: 11am-12.30pm. Venue: Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre 2 Highland Road, S549102 St Peter’s Auditorium #02-03. Please register using the following URL: http://tinyurl.com/ jydqacm. For more information, contact Sylvia Stewart from the Office for Catechesis at 68583011. W: www.catechesis.org.sg; E: sylvia@catechesis.org.sg
jAN 15 TO jAN 21 WEEK OF gUIdEd PrAYEr AT THE CHUrCH OF ST IgNATIUS The Sojourners’ Companions invites you to learn how to pray with Scripture and develop a closer relationship with the Lord. Taster: Jan 15 2pm-5pm. Jan 16-20: Daily 30 mins of prayer at home and 30 mins with a personal prayer guide at a convenient time from 9am–10pm. Jan 21 2pm–5pm: Closure of event. Fee: $30. To register: W: www.sojourners.sg /wogp@sojourners.sg; visit St Ignatius parish office or church foyer after Mass on the weekends of Dec 10 and 11 or Jan 7 and 8.
jAN 7 MASS FOLLOWEd BY PrAYErS FOr HEALINg Time: 2pm-4pm. All are invited to join us for praise and worship and Mass followed by prayers for healing. After Mass, prayer teams will be available to pray with you for healing. Please spread the word to your family and friends. Celebrant: Fr Tom Curran. Organised by SACCRE-Praise@Work. Venue: Church of Sts Peter and Paul. For more information, E: praiseatworksg@ yahoo.com; T: 98170152 (Kristyn)
jAN 18 TO MArCH 29 BIBLE STUdY ON ST PAUL’S LETTErS TO THE rOMANS WITH Fr COrNELIUS CHINg Every Wednesday from 9.30am-11.30am. Join us for 10 sessions to study St Paul’s Letters to the Romans led by Fr Cornelius. No pre-registration required. Registration on day of first session. Venue: Church of Holy Spirit in Room 03-11. Love offerings welcomed. For more information, E: hsbibleapostolate@gmail.com.
jAN 10 TO FEB 7 BCC LEVEL 1 – SCrIPTUrE Every Tuesday from 7:30pm-10pm. Venue: Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre, 2 Highland Road, S549102. Contribution: Waived for 2017.
jAN 19 CrAFT OF CATECHESIS WOrKSHOP: PLANNINg FIrST
rECONCILIATION/FIrST HOLY COMMUNION A retreat for children. Time: 7:30pm10pm. Venue: Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre, 2 Highland Road, S549102. Contribution: Waived for 2017. Please register using the following URL: http://tinyurl.com/jpw2clo. For more information, contact Sylvia Stewart from the Office For Catechesis at 68583011. W: www.catechesis.org.sg jAN 28 TO jAN 20 ANNUAL rETrEAT Organised by the Archdiocesan Commission for Malayalam Apostolate. An annual retreat for children, teens and the elderly. Venue: Holy Innocents’ High School at 1191 Upper Serangoon Road S534786. For more information, T: 62887761; E: archmalayalamcatholic. org.sg
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FEB 1 TO MAY 10 BIBLE STUdY ON THE gOSPEL OF MATTHEW Conducted by Msgr Ambrose Vaz. Every Wednesday from 8pm-10pm. Venue: Church of St Francis Xavier. No course fee. To register: E: maisielee21@gmail.com; E: ronlee@lucas.com.sg FEB 2 TO MAY 11 LECTUrES BY MSgr AMBrOSE: THE gOSPEL ACCOrdINg TO MATTHEW Every Thursday from 8pm-10pm at the Church of St Ignatius, level 2 St Ignatius Hall. No pre-registration required. All are welcome. FOC. Come and enjoy the living word of God! For more information: E: henrythwu@gmail.com FEB 9 TO MAY 18 INTrOdUCTION TO BASIC COUNSELLINg Every Thursday from 7.30pm-10pm. A 14-week course providing an introduction to basic counselling skills and personal development. Learn about the counselling process and its benefits, as well as develop an awareness of mental wellbeing. Participants will also get to apply
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24 Season during which the Sorrowful Mysteries are used 26 Internet connector (abbr.) 27 “So, _____ you” 28 Locomotive track 32 “…the fish of the sea and the birds of the _____.” (Gen 1:26) 34 Wife of St Joachim 35 “Go away!” 37 Clerical representative
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as yourself” 64 Catholic convert who became a cardinal 68 Roman emperor who persecuted Christians 69 Hershisher of the diamond 71 Make up for sin 72 Addict 73 “Light from light, ___ God from…” 74 Italian lady 75 Suffix with Congo 76 Stimulate 77 Pry
dOWN 1 Sunday service 2 Rubberneck 3 Genesis weather 4 To fill with horror 5 Baby boomers are becoming empty ones 6 Bro or sis 7 Nordic Saint 8 Judas’ blood money bought it (Mt 27:6–8) 9 Founder of the Discalced Carmelites 10 Members of this tribe of Israel carried the Ark (Deut 10:8) 11 Person used as an excuse 12 Refine metal 13 Firefighters’ tools 21 He walked with God (Gen 5:24) 23 44 to Cato 25 Fortune-telling cards 28 Communion banister 29 Patron saint of Canada 30 Letters above the cross
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Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1174 R E S T
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W E D R L Y I O N T A D O M E A L I M M A C S E F S B A A S P A A R U N D O S T I N D I S A C T
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FEB 12 TO FEB 18 CHArIS MISSION TrIP: SIEM rEAP, CAMBOdIA Join us to train and build a biosand water filter with Caritas Cambodia and Boeung Mealea Village. This is to provide clean drinking water for the village. Organised by Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives, Singapore (CHARIS). Slots for nine participants only. Cost: $850 per pax. Closing date to register: Jan 13. Terms and conditions apply. For more information: T: 63374119; E:victoria@ charis-singapore.org FEB 18 TO FEB 19 MArITAL FIrST rESPONdErS WOrKSHOP Time: 9am-5pm. A two-day workshop facilitated by Fr (Dr) Charles Sim. It is meant for those constantly approached by close friends and relatives regarding their marital issues. With this training, these “marital first responders” can better provide frontline counselling help or a listening ear. Contribution: $250 (inclusive of lunch and tea). Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. To register: W: http://tinyurl.com/mfr2017; T: 64676072
Crossword Puzzle 1175 1
problem-solving strategies and techniques in a safe, supportive environment. Fee: $600. Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. To register: W: http:// tinyurl.com/itcc14; T: 64676072
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FEB 24 Or FEB 25 A dAY OF QUIET Time: 9am-5pm. We are opening our doors to individuals desiring some personal space and quiet in their lives. For seasoned retreatants and beginner seekers who would like to experience a day in silent prayer and reflection. Prayer and handicraft resources, labyrinth walk and spiritual direction will be available. Fee:
$60 (including lunch, tea). Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. To register: W: http://tinyurl.com/dayofquiet; T: 64676072 MArCH 5 TO APrIL 9 THE FIrST SPIrITUAL ExErCISES rETrEAT Time: 1.30pm-5pm. The retreat is made in daily life over four weeks. These exercises contain first-step exercises for beginners, new visions for searchers and solid food for those desiring more in their interior life. Fee: $170. Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. To register: W: http://tinyurl. com/1stexercises; T: 64676072 MArCH 18 FINdINg gOd IN WrITINg WOrKSHOP Time: 10am-5pm. A full-day workshop designed to help you write your sacred story. Through writing exercises and other activities, explore and express your innermost thoughts and feelings. No prior writing experience required. Fee: $80 (includes lunch and refreshments). Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. To register: W: http://tinyurl.com/writing2017; T: 64676072 MArCH 19 INTrOdUCTION TO AUTHENTIC CONVErSATIONS Time: 9.30am-5pm. The lack of authentic conversation spaces has reduced many conversations into gossip and slander. How does one facilitate and nurture safe spaces for authentic conversation that is so critically needed today? Listen to your call through the needs of the many who thirst for real conversation. Fee: $60. Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. To register: W: http://tinyurl.com/iac2017; T: 64676072
IN MEMORIAM
22 COMMENTARY
“In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell forever and ever” Psalm 22:6 Third Anniversary In loving memory of
MARY LEE SIEw HUI Departed: January 6, 2014 Gone from our lives One so dear But in our hearts Forever near Deeply missed and fondly remembered by children, in-laws, grandchildren, great grandchildren and loved ones. Sixteenth Anniversary In loving memory of
ESTHER TAN LI MIIN Born: Nov 27, 1977 Departed: Jan 8, 2001
By Erick Rommel If the Christmas decorations are not put away, it’s just a matter of time. After Mass is over, presents unwrapped and holiday feasts devoured, the Christmas season becomes a distant memory, mere hours after its occurrence. Soon, as is always the case, we’re on to the next thing. In many cases, that’s New Year’s resolutions. We shift from getting gifts for others to finding gifts of self-improvement for ourselves. Many people don’t go beyond the stock resolutions. They want to be healthier, they want to be wealthier, they want to be more patient. They reflect and decide for one day that they will make an effort to do the thing they really should be doing year-round. And then, New Year’s becomes a distant memory, mere hours after its occurrence. As moments of self-reflection, resolutions are great. As moments to fundamentally change our lives, more is needed. More than a moment; we need a philosophy. Don’t end with resolution making. Take it a step further. Ask yourself, “Why?” “Why” is one of our smallest words, but also one of our most powerful. Just by asking the question, we’re seeking an answer that’s more than superficial. Resolutions should be the start of a conversation, not the end.
Why do we want to be healthier? Why do we want to be wealthier? Why do we want to be more patient? Often, we want to be healthier because we know something about the food we’re eating is bad, or the exercise we don’t do is wrong. A desire for wealth, on the surface, seems greedy. The reason why is probably deeper. We want more challenges in our lives, and those challenges come with greater income. Or, we have goals we want to achieve that can only be reached with proper funding.
Resolutions should be the start of a conversation, not the end. The same is true for patience. An impatient person can be a liability. One who is aware of his limitations, is, on some level, aware of why those limitations exist. Whether a desire to do more at a faster pace or a frustration at improvement taking too long to occur, the answer to the question “why?” eliminates a liability and reveals a direction. Life is about more than answering questions, however. Life is about taking action. Once you know the answer to the question, can you take it to the next level and apply what you’ve learned? More important, what about those whose answers take
them in a different direction? In school, I had friends who were the centre of my world. I couldn’t imagine a life without them in it. Today, our contact – if any – is limited to social media comments. The people we lose aren’t people we meant to discard or hurt. They’re people on their own journey. For a brief moment, they walked in parallel with us, and then our paths diverged. I would not be the person I am today without them. They improved me and changed my path in ways I never could have imagined before we met. I am who I am today because of them. And now, for the most part, they are gone. We’re casual acquaintances with an amazing past. This occurs often in life. But, don’t forget that gone doesn’t mean forgotten. Those you separate from in school may find you again after college or after you establish your career. Bonds never disappear; they just lie dormant until needed again. That’s why I share a resolution for you. Always be there for dormant friends. Why? Because we’re better people when we believe what they meant to us today will still be true tomorrow. This is a resolution to always hold. Don’t let it become a distant memory mere hours after its occurrence. n CNS Rommel works for a nonprofit US youth organisation
“God is love and where there is love, there is God” Twenty-first Anniversary
Twentieth Anniversary
In loving memory of
THERESA KOH PETER LAU YOKE LIN PENG KUAN Departed: Jan 14, 1996 Departed: Jan 16, 1997
Always remembered by family and friends Mass will be offered at the Church of St Teresa on Sunday, Jan 15, 2017 at 10.30am.
“See! I will not Sixteenth Anniversary We think of you forget you... In loving memory of in silence I have carved you on No eyes can see the palm of My Hand... us weep I have called But still within you by your name... our aching hearts You are mine... Your memory we keep. You are precious to Me... I love you.” Mass will be offered Isaiah at 12.00 noon at the Church of Our Lady Always remembered Star of the Sea on by Dad Benjamin, Sunday, Jan 15, 2017. Mum Valerie, Grandma Mabel and Always remembered SANdANA RAJ sister Ruth and by loved ones. Departed: Jan 15, 2001 all loved ones.
In everloving memory of
Ninth Anniversary In loving memory of
EdwARd GOvINdASAMY Departed: Jan 6, 2008 Gone from our lives One so dear But in our hearts Forever near. Always remembered by loved ones.
KULANdEISAMY LAwRENCE Departed: Jan 5, 2008 We cannot forget you Our loved one so dear, Your memory grows Sweeter year after year. Sadly missed by wife Margaret, children and grandchildren.
Twenty-third Anniversary In loving memory of
Twenty-third Anniversary In loving memory of a father and a husband
MABEL ONG POH KIM Departed: Jan 7, 1994 Time takes away the edge of grief But memory turns back every leaf Her memory is as dear today As in the hour God took her away. Always remembered by loved ones.
Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
JOSEPH GOMEZ Departed: Jan 3, 1994 You had a heart of gold One of the best to behold You were generous, loving and kind These are the memories you left behind. Your loved ones.
Eighth Anniversary In loving memory of
NICHOLAS CHOONG Departed: Jan 15, 2009 Gone from our lives one so dear But in our hearts forever near. Sadly missed and fondly remembered by wife, Nancy and all loved ones.
Third Anniversary In loving memory of
ALICE CHNG CHENG YIM Departed: Jan 3, 2014 Gone from our lives One so dear But in our hearts Forever near. Dearly missed by loved ones. In loving memory of our dear parents
JOSEPH OLIvE MICHAEL LEE MARGARET LEE TECK CHUAN nee ROdRIGUES Departed: Oct 3, 1989 Departed: Jan 13, 2011 In memoriam rates Minimum $80 for an insertion not exceeding an eight-centimetre column. Additional space: $8 per one-centimetre column.
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We miss you in so many ways We miss things you used to say And when old times we do recall It’s then we miss you most of all. From your loved ones.
IN MEMORIAM 23 enth Anniver e t s r In Loving Memory
Twenty-eighth Anniversary In loving memory of
Sixth Anniversary In loving memory of
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
Our thoughts are always with you In our hearts your memory lingers Your smiling face and pleasant ways Are always a pleasure to remember KENNETH GERARD THIO SOON HOCK Went Home To Glory 1 January, 2003 Twelfth Anniversary In loving memory of
AGNES TAN SOO LUAN Departed: Jan 9, 2005 We speak your name with love and pride We smile with tears we cannot hide We thank you for the years we shared The love you gave, the way you cared. Fondly remembered by all loved ones. Sixth Anniversary In loving memory of
You are a special gift from God we treasure. Lovingly remembered by:Mom & Dad – Rosalind & Michael Wife – Jessica Cousin sister – Rina
In loving memory of
CYRIL CHEW KENG JIN Departed: Jan 6, 1989 Another year goes by But time will not change our memories of you Of your caring spirit, Your love for all of us. Your memory will forever remain in the hearts of Your loving partner in life, Grace Your children and their life partners Your grandchildren And great-grandchildren
SIAUW MIE SIOE CHOONG KOOW CECILIA SAN, FRANCIS Departed: January 4, 1981 October 27, 2014
We remember and cherish the happy times together Remembering them today and forever. Always remembered by family and loved ones. In loving memory of Forty-fourth Anniversary
PAUL LEE BOON HUAT Departed: Jan 13, 2011 Time has passed us by swiftly Still the memory of you lingers But a certainty of your happiness Fills us with hope and comfort That you now enjoy in heaven God’s eternal glory and Holy presence. Deeply missed and cherished by wife, children and relatives. Twenty-first Anniversary In everloving memory of
ANTHONY NATHAN Departed: Jan 8, 1996 A light from home has gone The voice we loved to hear is stilled Gone is your face we so dearly loved Leaving a vacuum in our home Never shall your memory fade Sweet thoughts of you will always remain. Mass will be celebrated at Church of St Vincent De Paul on Sunday, Jan 8 at 11am. Fondly remembered by children and grandchildren.
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Seventeenth Anniversary
Thirteenth Anniversary In loving memory of
GEORGE DENNIS FERNANDEZ
THERESA DENNIS FERNANDEZ
Departed: Mar 27, 1973 Departed: Jan 12, 2000
Dear Papa and Mummy, You are fondly remembered and cherished. We love you dearly. Memories of you will never fade away. Forever remembered by Sons: Francis, Johnson (deceased) and Merwyn. Daughters: Shirley and Silvia sons-in-law, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
LAWRENCE JOSEPH TAN KEE CHYE Departed: Jan 11, 2004 We speak your name with love and pride We smile with tears we cannot hide We thank you for the years we shared The love you gave, the way you cared. We remember you lovingly, Mum, Pat, Mike, Michael, Lawrence, Monica, Angie, Tony, Gerald, Justin and loved ones. Twenty-first Anniversary In loving memory of
GEORGE FREDERICK de SOUZA Departed: Dec 19, 1995 I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, even if he dies, shall live, and whoever lives and believes in me, shall never die. (John 11:25-26) Always remembered by loved ones.
MARY WONG AH LAN Departed: Jan 4, 2011 In our hearts you will always live We remember and cherish the happy times together Remembering them today and forever. Deeply missed and always in the thoughts of your loved ones. Remembered always by relatives and friends.
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Sunday January 8, 2017 n CatholicNews
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