FEBRUARY 22, 2015, Vol 65, No 04

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

SINGAPORE $0.70 CENTS / WEST MALAYSIA RM$2.10

MCI (P) 005/08/2014

PPS 201/04/2013 (022940)

VOL 65

NO. 04

INSIDE HOME Archbishop’s Lenten message ‘Mercy in the city’ My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The season of spring ushers in a neZ year ¿lleG Zith Moyful hope anG neZ beginnings $s Ze Zelcome the Chinese Lunar New Year, we as Church give praise ¿rst anG foremost to *oG from whom all blessings Àow, especially when we celebrate the th year of our Nation as well The LorG has blesseG our $rchGiocese with many able leaGers, 5eligious anG laity whose fervour anG Moy for the New Evangelisation greatly encourages me in my pastoral worN Let us start this New Year ¿rstly by being a people of gratituGe 6ingaporeans are famous for complaining :e taNe for granteG the peace anG prosperity that we enMoy ± clean water, amenities at our Goorstep, freeGom of worship etc :e who celebrate the Eucharist (which means thanksgiving), must live as Eucharistic people :e must cultivate gratituGe, for it nurtures in us humility anG compassion anG keeps us from priGe, envy anG greeG 6t Paul reminGs us “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thes 5:16-18). Not only shoulG we be grateful for our blessings but we in turn shoulG be a blessing for others The Chinese character yang means goat or sheep $s we enter the Year of the *oat in , we note the special characteristics of this animal The goat/sheep is often seen as being meek anG gentle anG commonly useG as a sacri¿ce to *oG in the 2lG Testament +ence, -esus Christ is portrayeG

as the Lamb of *oG who is the living sacri¿ce for the sins of mankinG “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Mt 5:5).

Let us imitate the meekness anG humility of the goat in our Gisposition, incluGing our Gocility to the will of *oG, with faith in the *ooG 6hepherG who leaGs

us Like -esus who sacri¿ceG Himself on the cross, we too can unite our struggles anG sacri¿ce with His, in loving anG generous service to others Finally, Chinese New Year celebrations have always been communal in nature, beginning from the reunion Ginner to the visiting of relatives anG frienGs There is a Gisturbing trenG these

Gays to use this festive time to go on holiGays abroaG insteaG It is in this context that I want to stress the importance of maintaining familial anG community ties Pope Paul 9I tells us, “The family is experiencing a profound cultural crisis… the weakening of these bonds is particularly serious because the

family is the fundamental cell of society.”

2ur families are *oG’s gift to us The vocation of the family is a call to communion, to share in the love anG life of *oG In the family we learn to live anG belong to each other Gespite our Gifferences It is also where parents pass on the faith to their chilGren so that chilGren, being

rooteG anG establisheG in love (Eph ), come to realise their iGentity anG vocation in living their faith with courage anG bolGness in this worlG Hence, I urge all families to Mourney together as one, treating one another with kinGness anG tenGerness “May we never tire in loving one another with brotherly affection and honouring another above yourselves” (Rom 12:10).

6imilarly, as Church, Catholics shoulG not stop short at attenGing 6unGay Mass but be involveG in groups to pray anG share their faith with one another For faith is not Must a personal belief it neeGs the Christian community to grow $s Pope Francis reminGs us, “There’s the danger of forgetting that He saved us individually, but at the same time as part of His people and community.

Salvation is not just for me. The privatisation of salvation is the wrong path.” Let this Lunar New Year therefore be a time for renewing anG strengthening ties amongst your families, frienGs anG communities In conclusion, I wish you all a %lesseG Lunar New Year May the LorG continue to shower His abunGant blessings anG protection on us Let us go forth striving to be a Eucharistic people ± one with Moyful gratituGe, sacri¿cial meekness anG in loving communion with one another

Page 2

Young Christians learn about Catholicism Parish hosts ecumenical gathering Page 8

WORLD Murdered Jordanian pilot Christians offer prayers, Masses Page 15

POPE FRANCIS On women’s role in Church: ‘Not guests, but full participants’ Page 16

FOCUS Individuallydirected retreats These are getting popular Page 21

FOREIGN COMMUNITIES

Xin Nian Kwai Le.

A look at the Indonesian community

Yours in Christ,

Page 23

$rchbishop :illiam *oh

CatholicNews wishes our readers a blessed Lunar New Year!

*oG bless you

2 ARCHBISHOP’S LENTEN MESSAGE

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The entire life of Christ bears testament to the Mercy of God the Father,

Advancement in science and modern technology has led to breakthrough discoveries and improvement in many spheres of our lives. We know more about the universe than we have ever known before. Modern medicine has made it possible for people to live longer, look ageless and even replace parts of our body that are not functioning or deemed to be less than perfect.

revealed through Jesus Christ, Saviour and Redeemer of the world. As His disciples, we are called to be “Imitators of God, because we are His beloved children.” (Eph 5:1-2) Hence, through the traditional Lenten pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, the Church invites us to enter deeper into the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.

By imitating Christ’s kenosis (selfemptying), in dying to our sins and giving of ourselves more fully, we begin to understand and experience the liberation and joy of His resurrection.

The message of the Gospel therefore is ever new, for “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies

Technology has made it possible for people to be connected instantly across the world at the touch of a button. And yet, are we happier?

Are our relationships stronger? Do we have more time to enjoy the world we live in? Sadly for many, the family is no longer the bulwark against the travails of life. Relationships are strained, because people no longer have time for each other. We are consumed with work, the Internet, social media, etc, so much so that even when we do get together physically, we do not talk heart-to-heart.

As Pope Francis says, “the great

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

er give up this daily intimate contact with Jesus as the real living person – not just the idea. How can we last even one day without hearing Jesus say, “I love you” – impossible. Our soul needs that as much as the body needs to breathe the air. If not, prayer is dead – meditation only thinking.”

Just as personal prayer is important; community prayer cannot be neglected. This is because our faith cannot be nurtured on its own but needs the community of believers for it to be challenged, supported and to grow strong. Hence, form cell groups within your communities for prayer and Bible sharing. If there are fellow Catholics at your workplace, you can pray with/for each other or attend lunchtime Mass together. Together, let us encourage

danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience.

Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades.

“This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless.

7KDW LV QR ZD\ WR OLYH D GLJQL¿HG DQG IXO¿OOHG OLIH LW LV QRW *RG¶V ZLOO IRU us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ.” (EG 2) We acknowledge that the human race has passed from a static concept to a more dynamic one (GS 5). This has given rise to a whole agora of challenges to be analysed in the light of transmitting a faith that is joyful and authentic.

How can we manifest the face of God in our city and transmit God’s love to others in a tangible way? What

is Mercy then? St John Paul II encapsulates this in his encyclical Dives In Misericordia, “For mercy is an indisSHQVDEOH GLPHQVLRQ RI ORYH LW LV DV LW were love’s second name” (DM 7). We encounter the fullness of God’s mercy revealed through Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John tells us that, “No one comes to the Father, except through me” (John 14:6). Bearing witness to the truth, the Church directs the gaze of humanity towards the mystery of God’s love.

balance, to “fast” from distractions, unhealthy competition and entertainment that prevent us from developing and maintaining our relationships.

Almsgiving reminds us that we are stewards and that our blessings and SUR¿WV DUH WR EH VKDUHG Work should

be viewed as more than economic remuneration but as a service to the economy and development of people.

Almsgiving can also be in the currency of talent, time and love. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI tells us in Deus Caritas Est that love will always prove necessary even in the most just society. More than material help, love provides spiritual refreshment and nourishment for souls, something more necessary than material support.

In this aspect, we can imitate St Therese Lisieux in the manner of doing small things with great love for God and others. Hence, we can sanctify our work at the workplace or at home, by giving our best with love – Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for man. (Col 3:23)

“Being Church means being God’s people, in accordance with the great plan of his fatherly love. This means that we

How can we manifest the face of God in our city and transmit God’s love to others in a tangible way? never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lam 3:2) It is in Prayer that we come face to face with Mercy itself. As St John Paul II

says, “Our witness would be hopelessly LQDGHTXDWH LI ZH RXUVHOYHV KDG QRW ¿UVW contemplated his face. Prayer develops that conversation with Christ which makes us his intimate friends: Abide in me and I in you.” (Jn 15:4). The busier we are, the more we must pray, so that we will ¿nd strength and discernment to tackle what lies ahead of us.

This Lent, make time in your busy schedule to be with the Lord. Prayer requires commitment and discipline.

Ask God to grant you this grace. As St Teresa of Calcutta says, “He is longing to give it. Until you can hear Jesus in the silence of your own heart, you will not be able to hear him saying, “I thirst” in the hearts of the poor. Nev-

one another on this pilgrim journey.

Fasting and abstinence help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart. (CCC 2043) Fast-

ing reminds of God’s providence and puts us in solidarity with our needy brothers and sisters. However, fasting need not only apply to food but also to situations at home and work. We can “fast” from being calculative at work, politicking and gossiping, and focus instead on developing skills and teamwork. Build a culture of charity, respect, courtesy and support for one another, thereby making the of¿ce another home.

Similarly on the home front, more people are suffering from alienation, depression and loneliness. Divorce is on the rise, children are left to themselves or hired help, the elderly seen as a burden and abandoned. Hence, it is important to have a healthy work-life

are to be God’s leaven in the midst of humanity. It means proclaiming and bringing God’s salvation into our world, which often goes astray and needs to be encouraged, given hope and strengthened on the way.” (EG 114) The Church teaches us that the seven corporal acts of mercy include feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, the imprisoned and burying the dead. This goes beyond performing these acts of mercy only in Lent, but constantly cultivating a disposition to manifest God’s love and mercy to those that we encounter through our witness and actions. This is how we can manifest “Mercy in the City” and contribute to the New Evangelisation for Singapore.

In conclusion, my dear brothers and sisters, I invite you this Lent, to renew your relationship with the Lord and with one another at home and at work, in the currency of love. May the

Lord guard and bless you and let His face shine on you so that you may manifest His face of mercy and compassion to others.

I wish you a holy and blessed Lent and a joyful Easter to come.

Yours in Christ,

Archbishop William Goh

HOME 3

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Catholic Junior College staff and students, past and present, posing for a photo after the school’s 40th anniversary Mass on Jan 31.

CJC kicks off 40th anniversary celebrations with Mass

By Lorna O’Hara “It’s great to be back,” said Mr Kenneth Goh, 55, from the Catholic Junior College (CJC) graduating batch of 1978.

“I think it’s wonderful that even though we’re studying in different universities, it’s events like these which bring us back together,” said Ms Jessica Vincent, 21, who graduated from CJC in 2011.

Mr Goh and Ms Vincent were among 500 people, including 13 priests, Religious, and past and present staff, who gathered to celebrate Catholic Junior College’s 40th anniversary on Jan 31.

Archbishop William Goh, in his homily during the Mass held at the school’s auditorium, said that faith formation complements academic excellence. They aren’t mutually exclusive, as in the end,

“Jesus is our teacher in truth and love,” he said.

Addressing CJC educators, he said that “the only way we can form people is through love,” as

it’s wonderful ‘thatI think even though we’re studying in different universities, it’s events like these which bring us back together.

’

– Ms Jessica Vincent from CJC’S 2011 graduating batch

students “won’t listen” if teachers only focus on building an individual’s character solely “through discipline”.

Archbishop Goh added that

even teachers could learn from their students. “When you give to others, the Lord is using them to make you a better person,” he said.

Just like when a priest listens to a penitent in the confessional, the priest “becomes more in touch with his struggles,” he said.

Following the homily, Archbishop Goh blessed the college’s crest, Àag and the liturgy for the school’s Masses.

There was also an address by the chairman of the board of directors, Mr Gerard Lee. He said for CJC’s 2014 student intake, there were only 14 percent who were Catholics. He also said that over the years, fewer Religious were part of CJC’s staff.

Nevertheless, CJC’s commitment to Christian values remains.

Other celebrations set to take

CJC’S MILESTONES 1975: CJC founded.

1987: Formal moral education programme created.

1990: Religion and ethics gramme established.

pro-

1995: Establishment of the College Community Service Programme.

Educational and Career Guidance Committee established.

1997: Transformation of Lecture Theatre 2 into a smart lecture theatre.

2010: Completion of the college chapel initiated by former principal, Br Paul Rogers.

2001: Establishment of the Community Involvement Programme and the Overseas Community Service Project.

2011: Establishment of the Ignite programme to help prepare students to face a fast changing university landscape.

Of¿cial opening of the training and development centre, the ¿tness centre and the jogging track.

Creation of the mission statement: A Thinker with a Mission, Leader with a Heart.

2009: CJC enrolled its ¿rst cohort of English Language and Linguistics students.

2013: Unveiling of new college crest.

2014: Launch of the new college Àag.

place this year include a carnival on March 14 and a gala dinner on Nov 14.

Visit http://www.cjc.edu.sg/

for more information, or to register for the dinner. lorna.ohara@catholic.org.sg

4 HOME

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

CHANCERY NOTICE APPOINTMENTS 1. Fr Erbin Fernandez has relinquished his of¿ce as Episcopal Vicar for the Of¿ce for the New Evangelisation and has been appointed as Spiritual Director of Catholic Spirituality Centre and will take up residence at the centre with effect from 1 February 2015.

2. Fr Terence Pereira has been appointed Episcopal Vicar for the New Evangelisation and will have oversight of the Of¿ce for the New Evangelisation with effect from 1 February 2015.

3. Fr Timothy Yeo has been appointed as Parish Priest of Church of Our Lady 4ueen of Peace for a term of six > @ years with effect from 1 May 2015.

4. Fr Brian D’Souza has been appointed as Parish Priest of Church of St Francis Xavier for a term of six > @ years with effect from 1 May 2015.

5. Fr Kenny Tan has been appointed as Parish Priest of Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour for a term of six > @ years with effect from 1 May 2015. . Fr Gerard Weerakoon has been appointed as Parish Priest of Church of St Stephen for a term of six > @ years with effect from 1 May 2015.

7. Fr John Khoo has been appointed as Parish Assistant of Church of Christ the King for a term of six > @ years with effect from 1 May 2015.

8. Fr John Joseph Fenelon has relinquished his role as Chair for the Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission upon assuming his new responsibilities with effect from 1 May 2015.

9. Fr Jude David has been appointed as Parish Assistant of Church of St Francis Xavier for a term of three >3@ years with effect from 1 May 2015.

10. Fr Ignatius Yeo has been appointed as Chair to the Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission for a term of two >2@ years with effect from 1 May 2015.

11. Fr Clifford Augustine OFM has been appointed as Vice-Chair to the Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission for a term of two >2@ years with effect from 1 May 2015.

12. Fr Joachim Chang will take up residence at 20 A Ponggol Seventeenth Avenue and will work from this address during the construction of the Church of Trans¿guration.

13. Ms Louisa Tan has been appointed to the board of Caritas Humanitarian Aid Relief Initiatives Singapore (CHARIS) for a term of two >2@ years with effect from 1 January 2015.

14. The following have been re-appointed to the board of Caritas Humanitarian Aid Relief Initiatives Singapore (CHARIS) for a term of two >2@ years with effect from 1 January 2015. a. Mr Edwin Sim b. Mr Lum Hon Fye c. Mr Philip Lim d. Mr Willie Cheng e. Ms Cheryl Tang f. Ms Elizabeth 4uah g. Ms Jenny Teng OTHER MATTERS Clergy Identity Card Clergy of the Archdiocese are asked to submit photographs of themselves in clerics for a Clergy Identity Card that would be issued by the Chancery.

Scanned or digitized photos, which are preferred can be sent to the Chancery.

Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore Directory The Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore Church Directory will not be published for this year. The Directory will be pub-

2 February 2015 lished biennially with the latest updates available on the website of the Archdiocese. Last year’s directory are being sold for 3.00 per copy at Catholic bookshops around Singapore.

Imprimatur The Of¿ce for the New Evangelisation has received an “imprimatur” from Archbishop William Goh DD for the publication of the 2015 Lenten ReÀection booklet “Mercy – in the city.”

Easter Vigil The Senate of Priests has reminded parish priests to observe the letter and spirit of the principle of having only one Easter Vigil in all parishes in Singapore.

Citing the Circular letter from the Holy See it states that, “The celebration of the Easter Vigil for special groups is not to be encouraged, since above all in this Vigil the faithful should come together as one and should experience a sense of ecclesial community.”1 1 Congregation for Divine Worship, Circular Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts, 20 February 1988.

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

CORRECTION: In the story, Religious Superiors Conference Features Muslim Speakers (CN, Feb 8), the caption should read: The Religious Major Superiors of Malaysia and Singapore are joined by (seated, second from left) Ms =ainah Anwar, Ms Marina Mahathir, Archbishop Joseph Marino, Associate Professor Farid Alatas (second from right) and Archbishop Emeritus Anthony Soter Fernandez of Kuala Lumpur (far right).

In the last paragraph, the Religious Brother referred to should be Gabrielite Br John Albert, not De La Salle Br John Albert.

HOME 5

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Minister Lawrence Wong (left in white) looks on as Venerable Seck Kwang Phing, president of the Singapore Buddhist Federation, enjoys some kachang puteh.

Archbishop William Goh having a go at a game at the carnival.

S’pore Catholic Church hosts 2015 Harmony Games

By Lorna O’Hara About 2,000 people including religious leaders, mingled and had some fun at the 2015 Harmony Games hosted by the archdiocese.

Held on Feb 7 at three different locations in Bishan, the event included a soccer tournament, a telematch, a carnival, and a lunch attended by various religious leaders.

Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, was the guest-of-honour at the event.

Upon his arrival at Catholic High School, Mr Wong, along with several religious leaders, took shuttle buses to the carnival held at Bishan Street 11.

Smiles were seen all around as Mr Wong, together with Archbishop William Goh and the religious leaders, had a go at games.

These included catapulting toy frogs into a basket.

After visiting the different booths manned by volunteers and students of Catholic High, the religious leaders went back to the Catholic High School hall to have lunch.

Of the 500 who attended the lunch, at least 30 religious leaders

from nine religions were present.

The Harmony Games started in the morning with 260 people taking part in a soccer tournament and telematch held at the nearby Guangyang Secondary School.

Sixteen teams from various religious organisations battled to

Guest-of-honour, Wong.

Mr

Lawrence

win the coveted title of champion.

For the telematch, 10 teams played three games – Dock Your Spacecraft, A to Z Rope, and Hole in the Bucket. They did their best to clock the fastest times.

Mr Wong presented the trophies and medals to the winning

Religious and school leaders pose for a group photo.

teams for soccer and the telematch during lunch.

Guests enjoyed a choir performance by students from the Canossian School for the hearing impaired, instrumental performances by two Catholic High School students, and a dance by Guangyang Secondary School’s dance troupe.

Archbishop Goh and Mr Wong also addressed the crowd.

Archbishop Goh spoke about the need for religious leaders to have “continual, open dialogue”, as well as to focus on “common goals” which would help to achieve peace and harmony.

Mr Wong said that more people were participating in the annual Harmony Games. He added that the reason why the games were established was to “develop better friendships”.

He added that maintaining racial harmony “depends on us working together, coming together”.

After lunch, Msgr Philip Heng, vicar general for interreligious relations, handed over the Harmony Games Àag to Mr Tan Thiam Lye, chairman of the Taoist Federation Singapore. Mr Tan and his team will host the games next year. lorna.ohara@catholic.org.sg

Teams battling it out during the soccer tournament.

A team member playing the Hole In the Bucket game during the telematch.

The choir from the Canossian School for the hearing-impaired singing a few popular songs.

6 HOME

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Religious are ‘not holy robots’ ... says Archbishop William Goh at the World Day for Consecrated Life Mass

By Lorna O’Hara Religious “are not holy robots” as they too make mistakes, said Archbishop William Goh during a special Mass for Religious and lay consecrated people on Feb 2.

But even though many in the world “harbour a lot of unforgiveness in their hearts,” Archbishop Goh said, “the beauty about Religious life” is that “we are willing to forgive”.

He was speaking to a crowd that included more than 200 Religious gathered at the Church of the Holy Trinity to celebrate the World Day for Consecrated Life.

Two Religious and a lay consecrated person gave sharings.

Canossian Sr Christina Yeo spoke about her experience prior to becoming a nun. She shared that life became more ful¿lling when she became a “Sister teacher”.

Sr Christina is a former Catholic Junior College teacher and has a sister who is also a nun.

La Salle Br Collin Wee was next to give his sharing.

He said that those on the path to becoming consecrated persons, should not “give up when things get hard”. He added that all Religious should be able to adopt “a new and fresh way” of reaching out to the younger generation.

The last sharing was by Ms Ebba Fernandez, a lay consecrated person who is a member of the Company of St Ursula: Secular Institute of St Angela Merici, Singapore.

She shared that even though she had a calling to serve the Lord, she felt frustrated as she could “not ¿t in” to Religious life. However, a Jesuit priest directed her to the secular institute.

Similar to the Religious, Ms Fernandez shared that she took the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

“There’re so many men and women who have this great love of Jesus... I celebrate it with the greatest joy,” she said. lorna.ohara@catholic.org.sg

Representatives from various Religious orders making their way to the altar to offer up candles.

Giving their sharings during the Mass (from left): Canossian Sr Christina Yeo, La Salle Br Collin Wee and Ms Ebba Fernandez.

HOME 7

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

FMDM ministry of presence to world’s poorest continues

By Mel Diamse-Lee

mietta Peace Initiative between Muslims and Christians in NigeMeeting in Singapore for the ¿rst ria, “keeping the balance of hartime, Franciscan Missionaries of mony” in the area, added Sr Hethe Divine Motherhood (FMDM) lena McEvilly, also from CLT. Sisters renewed their commitment Ministering to the displaced is to carry on their ministry of pres- an urgent work for the Sisters, who ence to the poorest in the world. attend to them through counselling, Eleven regional superiors and medical care and food aid. “There members of the Central Leader- are thousands of people who have ship Team (CLT) met for two been chased away from their homes. weeks, from Jan 12-27, as a fol- The villages have been burnt to the low up to their General Chapter- ground,” noted Sr Helena. meeting in 2013.

In Zimbabwe, the rise of “We’re not going anywhere “prophetism” by Christian indifferent. We will continue to dividuals who breakaway from keep ourselves relevant in today’s their churches, is a major conworld,” emphasised Sr Jane Ber- cern. Without any training, these telsen of the CLT, which is based individuals start a “church” and at their Motherhouse in Surrey, exploit people’s poverty by promEngland. ising prosperity, said Sr Yeyani, The superiors represented regional superior in Zimbabwe.

Australia, England, Ireland, Italy, Witchcraft and Satanism are Malaysia, Nigeria, Singapore, also growing with self-proclaimed Scotland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and religious teachers playing on the the Motherhouse.

African culture and traditional beTraditionally focused on liefs. A “prophet” might say that a healthcare, the FMDM Congrega- Catholic, who is having problems, tion have over the years also be- is possessed by a spirit. If the Cathcome involved in education, spirit- olic ¿nds that the prophet’s “exorual direction, parish work, migrant/ cism” works for him, he might just refugee work, speleave the Church, escial needs and jusHealth is about pecially if he hasn’t tice and peace minbeen helped by the wholeness. istries. They respond Church, added Sr to where an urgent Yeyani.

It’s not just need is felt.

Finally, in Zamabout physical In fact, Mount bia, the Sisters’ largwell-being but Alvernia Hospiest mission ¿eld in tal in Singapore Africa, the growing the well-being and Mount Miriam number of ageing of the whole Cancer Hospital in missionaries returnPenang are the only ing to their home person. hospitals now run country has been af– Sr Ellen Munn, by the Sisters. fecting the mission, regional superior “Health is about noted the regional in Zambia wholeness. It’s not superior, Sr Ellen just about physical Munn. well-being but the well-being of the FMDM missionaries, who arwhole person,” said Sr Ellen Munn, rived in Zambia 68 years ago, regional superior in Zambia. built up the country, especially “So wherever you are«if you in the rural areas where they esare working towards making a tablished schools and hospitals. person whole, or helping to make These institutions have since been a person whole, then you are look- turned over to the local diocese or ing at the person in a very differ- other local Religious congregaent way. You are looking at the tions, but missionaries continue to person with dignity; what does be needed to train their staff. that person need now besides getIn addition to being part of ting her wounds healed?” peace initiatives, the Sisters are involved in prison ministry, eduWork with poorest cation (including those with special needs), basic healthcare, The Sisters have been present in school chaplaincy, parish work, Africa since 1946. The mission is hospital pastoral care and primary growing and vocations are on the evangelisation. rise, but at the same time the chalIn Singapore and Malaysia, the lenges are great.

Sisters are also involved in special In Nigeria for example, the needs education and HIV/AIDS Boko Haram terrorist group is ministries. In Malaysia, the Sisters affecting the daily lives of the assist kids living in shanties along Sisters and the communities they the railways outside Kuala Lumserve. The terrorists have set off pur by providing a proper place to bombs in the marketplace, not far study and supervising their homefrom where the Sisters live. “It’s a work. The brightest are being tense place to live and work in,” helped to further their education said Sr Jane. overseas after secondary school.

FMDM missionaries are taking a strong leadership in the Da- mel.lee@catholic.org.sg

‘

’

The Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood’s regional superiors who attended a meeting in Singapore from Jan 12-27. They represented Australia, England, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Nigeria, Scotland, Singapore, Zambia, Zimbabwe and their Motherhouse in Surrey, England.

8 HOME

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Young Christians learn about Catholicism in spirit of unity

By Ryan Colond An ecumenical gathering for young Christians, hosted by a Catholic parish, was an enjoyable experience for Mr Danny Watt, a 30-year old Anglican.

It helped Christians from other Churches “to understand more clearly the Catholic perspective”, he said.

Mr Watt was among 25 young people, aged between 17 and 33, who attended an ecumenical gathering on Jan 31 at the Church of St Mary of the Angels.

The parish’s Of¿ce for the New Evangelisation (ONE) organised the event to promote Christian unity in a conÀict-ridden world.

It had invited neighbouring Christian churches join in for an

Left: Friar Derrick Yap explaining to Christians from other churches about confessionals.

Below: Participants engaging in a group sharing.

Those who attended the event agreed that Christian unity was something possible.

They also discussed how they could achieve it together. evening of fellowship and sharing.

The participants were equally divided among Catholics and other Christians. The Catholics came from the host parish, while most of the other participants came from the Aldersgate Methodist Church, the Covenant Community Methodist Church, and the Trinity Theological College.

The evening event began with participants singing the hymn, All Are Welcome. They also sang How Great is Our God by Chris Tomlin.

Franciscan Friar Derrick Yap gave a short sharing on how Pope Francis chose the name of “Francis”, and how his choice emphasised how Christians could reach out to the poor.

CITY DISTRICT Cathedral of the Good Shepherd Under renovation/restoration.

St Joseph’s Church (Victoria Street) 1.15pm Church of Sts Peter & Paul 7.20am & 2pm (M*) Church of Our Lady of Lourdes 12.30pm, 6.30pm & 8pm (T*) Church of the Sacred Heart 7am, noon & 5pm Church of St Teresa 12.30pm & 3pm Church of St Alphonsus (Novena Church) Under reconstruction Church of St Bernadette 6.30am & 6pm Church of St Michael 6.30am & 5.30pm

EAST DISTRICT Participants also watched a video on the importance of sharing the Gospel. They then shared what evangelising meant to them, and the challenges they faced in doing so.

Through the sharings, the participants found out that they had much in common when it came to living out the Gospel. They also agreed that Christian unity

was something possible and discussed how they could achieve it together.

Fr Derrick then gave participants a tour of the parish.

Throughout the tour, participants were seen mingling and discussing the symbolism behind the church’s architecture and its link to the Catholic Church’s liturgy and rites.

Church of the Holy Family 6.15am & 4pm Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace 6.30am & 4pm Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour 6.30am,12.30pm & 3pm Church of St Stephen 6.30am & 8pm Church of the Holy Trinity 6.30am, 10am & 4pm Church of Divine Mercy 6.30am, 1pm, 4.30pm & 7pm

NORTH DISTRICT

Catholics urged to participate in family survey The Archdiocesan Commission for the Family (ACF) is gathering feedback from local Catholics in preparation for an important bishops’ meeting on the family to be held in Rome.

The XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be held from Oct 4-25, and will discuss the topic, The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World.

Pope Francis himself has asked for feedback on questions generated from the Relatio Synodi, the document which concluded the work of the Synod of Bishops meeting in Rome last year. That meeting was a preparatory one for this upcoming conference.

ACF says that while priests, Religious and Church family organisations have been approached to give their input, this survey is

open to the laity as well. “The survey does not seek quantitative analysis, but rather asks openended questions in search of qualitative, descriptive answers,” says ACF. The ACF survey, at http:// catholicfamily.org.sg/relatiosynodi2015, will be online from Feb 14. The closing date for submissions is Feb 28.

See also story on Page 15

St Joseph Church (Bukit Timah) 6.30am, 1.30pm & 4pm Church of St Anthony 6.30am & 5.30pm Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea 6.45am, 12.15pm, 4pm & 6pm Church of the Holy Spirit 6.30am, 1pm & 4pm Church of the Risen Christ 6.30am, 12.15pm & 5pm Church of Christ the King 6.30am, noon & 2pm

Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary 6.15am & 3.30pm Church of St Francis Xavier 6.30am, 3pm & 4.30pm St Anne’s Church 6.30am & 4pm Church of St Vincent De Paul 17 Feb: 8pm, 18 Feb: 7am, 9am & 2pm

WEST DISTRICT Church of St Ignatius 7am & 6pm Blessed Sacrament Church 7am, 8.30am, 11am & 3pm Church of St Mary of the Angels 6.55am, 1.15pm, 4pm & 6.30pm Church of St Francis of Assisi 6.30am & 4pm Church of the Holy Cross 6.15am, 12.30pm (M*) & 2pm

CATHOLIC PRAYER SOCIETY (CPS) RAFFLES PLACE 18 Cross Street, China Square B01-05, Tel 9622-1775/9765-8832 11.15am, 12.15pm & 1.15pm SUNTEC CITY Suntec Convention Hall No. 605, Level 6, Rooms D & E. Tel: 6408-7891 1.15pm only (no mass at 12.15pm) SHENTON WAY 2nd Floor, Singapore Conference Hall.

Tel: 9090-6032/9114-9240 12.20pm & 1.20pm JURONG EAST German Centre, 5th Floor.

Tel: 9889-3438/9376-9897 12.15pm CHANGI BUSINESS PARK UE Convention Centre, 4 Changi Business Park Ave 1, Level 1 Auditorium.

Tel: 9649-6517/9690-2712 12.15pm

SERANGOON DISTRICT

There will be no Mass at Outram and Orchard Centres. http://cps.org.sg/centres/ash_wednesday.php * Science Park: No Mass

Church of the Nativity of the BVM 17 Feb: 6.30pm & 8pm (M*), 18 Feb: 6.30am, 2pm & 4pm

Note: M*: Mandarin; T*: Tamil Please check with parishes for updates.

HOME 9

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

S’pore team builds toilets for plantation workers

By Adelyn Tan and Regina Chan Fifteen volunteers from Singapore spent a week in Sri Lanka building toilets for tea plantation workers and giving them art therapy sessions.

The group, comprising missionaries from the Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives, Singapore (CHARIS) and three art therapists, visited three estates in Deniyaya from Jan 26-Feb 1.

There they helped in the building of 50 toilets funded by CHARIS, and demonstrated the bene¿ts of a bio-sand water ¿ltration system.

The team also forged memorable friendships with the villagers who also helped to construct the toilets.

The art therapists from The Red Pencil International Ltd, a non-pro¿t organisation based in Singapore, conducted therapy sessions for the villagers using art materials such as colour pencils.

According to the organisation, the tea plantation workers’ impoverished situation and low education result in them experiencing low social status and a lack of selfidentity. The therapy sessions were to help them express themselves and connect with their emotions.

During a ceremony to hand over the constructed toilets at Anninkanda Estate, Mr K Danush, a villager, Right: Members of the CHARIS team building toilets in Deniyaya.

Below: A young villager stands next to the biosand water ¿OWUDWLRQ system introduced

by CHARIS.

told the group: “We are happy to have you with us. We are grateful to you for your support, concern, care and generosity towards us.”

Fr Michael Ranjendram, director of Caritas SED Galle, and Fr Joseph Ladislaus from St Michael’s Church, Tamil Nadu, India, provided faith formation sessions for the group.

The team also met with various partners involved in supporting marginalised communities in Sri Lanka. They included Bishop Raymond Kingsley Wickramasinghe of Galle and the Community Development Service for Plantations team, which implements projects to uplift the underprivileged people in the plantation sector.

Commenting on his experience, Mr Jonathan Ho, a newcomer to this kind of mission work, said: “We learnt from the villagers that being happy simply means being content with what you have.”

Team leader Ms Sharon Joy Low also noted that the “daily sharing and reÀection sessions” that the group experienced was useful.

“The social teachings and relevant biblical quotes served as food for thought to deepen our moral and spiritual values,” she said.

The CHARIS website is http://www. charis-singapore.org

The CHARIS team poses with Sri Lankan plantation workers and their children. Fr Michael Ranjendram, director of Caritas SED Galle, is on the right.

10 ARCHBISHOP’S MESSAGE

My dear Reverend Fathers, Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

Since I assumed the ofÂżce of Archbishop of Singapore, I have shared with you my 10year vision for the Archdiocese and for our people. I have spoken many times on the urgency of the New Evangelisation, which is a call to all Catholics to renew their faith and to share the Good News about Jesus Christ with ardour, as visible witnesses of His love, in every sphere of society, working in communion and using approaches that are relevant.

Together, we must put a halt to hostile secularism (which is against religion) and the development of an individualistic, materialistic and relativistic society. These dismantle the foundation of society (i.e. the institutions of marriage and family) by disregarding the universal values of human rights that are based on truth and love.

The key to counter these onslaughts is to proclaim the Good News about Jesus, who is the Truth, the Way and the Life. Catholics need to be re-evangelised, so that they can share the Good News of truth and love joyfully with those who do not know Christ.

This does not mean that we are out to convert everyone but through the sharing of our faith and good works, we want to offer Jesus as a gift to humanity, so that all can Âżnd hope, direction, meaning and purpose in life.

But the New Evangelisation is not merely just work and less still, human projects. We must not be under the illusion that everything can be achieved by our own pastoral planning and efforts. We must not forget the primacy of grace. Prayer is our concrete expression in the primacy of grace so that all success and glory will be given to God and not to us.

Devout and fervent intercessory prayer (both individual and communal) is the key to the New Evangelisation and is therefore absolutely necessary. It is needed for the con-

version of hearts, beginning with ourselves ¿rst, and then others. Prayer is a powerful weapon against the temptations of the Evil One. Intense prayer also opens us to receive God’s love, mercy and truth. Life changes when we are enlightened and see everything from the perspective of Christ.

Hence, in view of the urgency of the New Evangelisation in combating the evils of today, I have exhorted all Catholics to pray daily – for me, my fellow priests and all Religious. In addition, I have also issued a pastoral letter inviting all those working in Catholic Organisations to make time to pray at work and in the of¿ce, using either the Liturgy of the Hours or to undertake faithsharing based on the scriptures.

In my pastoral visits to the parishes, I have also reminded Church ministries not to be too function-orientated. Members and volunteers should not only be present to fulÂżl service duties but also to pray as a community and in small groups regularly (if possible weekly).

Building on these, I wish to go a step further and be as daring as Abraham when he interceded to God for the people of Sodom (Gn 18:16-32). I would like to invite you to fast with me, for the success of the New Evangelisation for Singapore. Effective prayer must be accompanied by fasting. We learn this from Jesus, our model

in Evangelisation, by observing how He prepared for His ministry – He entered

the desert and fasted for forty days.

Following this, He, ³¿OOHG ZLWK WKH SRZHU RI WKH 6SLULW UHWXUQHG WR *DOLOHH´ /N 4:14). Indeed, the power of Jesus to preach and to heal came from the anointing of the Holy Spirit which is given through prayer and fasting. He also told the disciples who were not able to cure the epileptic boy, ³WKLV NLQG GRHV QRW FRPH RXW H[FHSW E\ SUD\HU DQG IDVWLQJ´ 0W

Prayer and fasting are hence not an option for Christians, for Jesus said, ³:KHQ \RX SUD\  DQG ZKHQ \RX IDVW ´ 0W

and not “if you want to pray or fast�.

For this reason, in the early Church, the apostles and the early Christians continued to pray and fast for the success of their mission. Âł:KLOH WKH\ ZHUH ZRUVKLSSLQJ WKH /RUG DQG IDVWLQJ WKH +RO\ 6SLULW VDLG Âľ6HW DSDUW IRU PH %DUQDEDV DQG 6DXO IRU WKH ZRUN WR ZKLFK , KDYH FDOOHG WKHP Âś 7KHQ DIWHU IDVWLQJ DQG SUD\LQJ WKH\ ODLG WKHLU KDQGV

Sunday February 22, 2015 „ CatholicNews

shows our sincerity in asking for what we want from the Lord. To a priest who complained about the indifference of the people in his parish, St John Vianney, the Cure d‘Ars replied, “You have preached, you have prayed but have you fasted?�

In order to ensure that our motive is focused, we will pray weekly, for a particular intention of the Archdiocese, pertaining to the work of the New Evangelisation. This will be published

on our website and in the CatholicNews.

However, we must be careful not to allow fasting to be reduced to a routine or worse still, to be done for less noble motives like losing weight, saving money, or to lead us to spiritual pride and self-righteousness. Indeed, if fasting does not make us more humble and more charitable towards our fellowmen, we can be sure we are not fasting the way that the Lord is asking of us.

In the Âżnal analysis, fasting bears no fruits

unless it is watered by mercy and charity.

I would like to propose a corporate fast on bread and water every Friday. You can also choose to observe a canonical fast (two half meals and one full meal) or even a full fast, if your health is not compromised.

RQ WKHP DQG VHQW WKHP RII ´ $FW

Fasting and prayer remove the obstacles to our mission, especially those inÀuenced by the Evil One and give answers to our prayers. We see this call to fasting being observed by the saints and especially the Blessed Virgin Mary, in all her apparitions where she urges us to pray and fast for conversion. :KDW DUH WKH EHQH¿WV RI IDVWLQJ" Fasting is good for the soul and body. It keeps us disciplined, especially with regard to our sensual needs and the temptations of the Àesh.

It frees us from sin and keeps us pure in our relationship with God and our fellowmen. It opens us to the grace of the Holy Spirit because it increases the desire in us for God. It provides the disposition for prayer and helps us to feel God’s presence throughout the day as we recall His love and mercy for us through Christ’s passion on the cross.

By contemplating on the Lord’s suffering and uniting ours with His, we can better identify with those who suffer through illness or injustice. This moves us to compassion and generosity. Fasting also enables us to listen more attentively and to be more docile in obedience to the Word of God. Thus, based on God’s holy will, we begin to discern better our direction in life. For only when we are weak, can we become strong in the Lord, so that He can accomplish His will in us (2 Cor 12:9-10).

Fasting is therefore the soul of prayer and the answer to our prayers because it

Indeed, Isaiah 58:4-9 tells us that God is not pleased with ritualistic fasting that does not bear fruit in charity for our neighbour.

Such fasting will not make our prayers heard. ³/RRN \RX IDVW RQO\ WR TXDUUHO DQG WR ¿JKW DQG WR VWULNH ZLWK D ZLFNHG ¿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´ Fasting therefore is only a means to an end. We must not reduce our fasting to a mere ritual or even a human discipline. Fasting from food should open our hearts to God and move us to conversion. More importantly, we are called to fast from our sins – especially the capital sins of pride and arrogance,

envy and jealousy, anger and unforgiveness, sloth and irresponsibility, gluttony and the destruction of one’s body and soul through lust, pornography, greed and hoarding. +RZ DQG ZKHQ DUH ZH WR IDVW" , ZRXOG OLNH to propose a corporate fast on bread and water every Friday. You can also choose to ob-

serve a canonical fast (two half meals and one full meal) or even a full fast, if your health is not compromised. For those who are unable to observe it on Friday, you may wish to substitute with another weekday.

However, it would be better to fast and pray on the designated Friday, in solidarity with the whole archdiocese.

Fasting together is also easier as we are weak and fall easily into laxity, indulgence and sin. Hence if we fast together, we can encourage and support each other. Solemnities, Sundays, Christmas, Easter Octave and special celebrations are however exceptions, for we recognise the need to rejoice in these celebrations as Jesus instructed – that as long as the bridegroom is with us, we do not fast. (Mt 9:15) :KDW FDQ ZH GR RQ WKH GD\ RI IDVW" You may use your lunch or dinner time to have individual prayer and adoration or participate in the Eucharistic celebration. Pray together in the of¿ce or at home and share the Bread of Life i.e. the Word of God. The physical hunger will be made much easier when accompanied by Christian fellowship of love and a prayerful sharing of the Word of God. When we are physically hungry, let us ¿ll ourselves with divine food in the form of the Eucharist and the scriptures, together in Christian fellowship.

In conclusion, I urge all of you – priests, Religious and laity – to fast with me at least once a week, on Friday, in the spirit of the Gospel. Let us invite our family, friends and colleagues to join us in prayer and fasting, constantly encouraging and reminding one another not only of the day of fasting but more importantly, the reason behind our commitment.

When we start praying and fasting, we will see the anointing of the Lord in all we do. The Lord will unleash His power in

us through the Holy Spirit and marvellous blessings will be given to all. We will see conversions taking place, change of hearts and minds, peace and joy, unity and love at home, in the ofÂżce and in our communities.

We will become a joyful people and indeed bring the Gospel of Joy to all we meet.

As the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church, the sacriÂżces we make move beyond this lifetime to our children and future generations as we leave a legacy in kingdom building for the Church in Singapore. Let us therefore contribute to the work of the New Evangelisation for Singapore through our commitment to prayer and fasting. With faith in the power of God and through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the New Evangelisation, we can build a vibrant Church for Singapore. Ut Vivant Yours fraternally in the Lord

Archbishop William Goh

ASIA 11

Sunday February 22, 2015 „ CatholicNews

$IWHU JXQEDWWOH 3KLOLSSLQH &KXUFK OHDGHUV VD\ SHDFH SURFHVV PXVW FRQWLQXH MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Philippine Catholic leaders called for the peace process to move forward between the country’s largest Muslim rebel group and the government, days after a deadly encounter between ¿ghters of the two sides in the country’s South.

The 12-hour battle on Jan 25 happened during a crucial stage in peacebuilding efforts between the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the government.

Philippine ofÂżcials said 44 commandos and about a dozen rebels were killed when a special police force pursuing two suspected terrorists clashed with some Front Âżghters in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao province.

It happened on the eve of scheduled congressional hearings on a proposed law that would create an autonomous region in Muslim-majority Mindanao, and some lawmakers started to express doubt about its passage.

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de Oro, one of the dioceses on Mindanao, called the deadly confrontation a “very unfortunate incident�.

He told Catholic News Service, “From the longer point of view we should continue to press for the peace process because this really marks the picture of more violence if no agreement is reached.�

Residents ride on an open vehicle as they evacuate their homes in Mamasapano, Philippines, on Jan 27. &16 SKRWR

On Jan 27, Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said in a statement, “While the CBCP vehemently condemns this act of violence against human life no matter what the avowed purpose of such violence may be, we cannot side with those who call for the discontinuance of peace talks.�

One senate committee on the legalities of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which would create an autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao, proceeded with

hearings, but Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr suspended his committee on local government hearings and called for an investigation into the incident. A House ad hoc committee on the proposed law suspended select hearings pertaining to certain aspects of the measure.

In a national address on Jan 28, President Benigno Aquino III urged lawmakers to pass the proposed law. “If this law is kept from being passed at the soonest possible time, the peace process will be derailed; the status quo will remain,� said the president. „ CNS

China to continue illicit ordinations LQ GHÀDQFH RI +RO\ 6HH HONG KONG, CHINA – China will continue its practice of electing and ordaining bishops independent of the Holy See, according to a 2015 working plan by the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA).

The plan, which appeared on the SARA website on Jan 15, was the product of a national meeting of religious ofÂżcials in Beijing on Dec 26-27, in which SARA director Wang Zuoan said that “2015 will be a very important year for religious work.â€?

Mr Wang added that the administration’s work “must be done according to religious regulations, promote the rule of law and take the opinion of the faithful into consideration when implementing religious policies and directions of the central government� because of outstanding issues.

These outstanding issues, according to the working plan, include support for the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, and the Chinese bishops’ conference in proceeding with the independent election and ordination of bishops.

The issue of independent or-

Men pray during Mass at a Catholic church in Xiliulin, China.

CNS ÂżOH SKRWR

dinations has been a principal obstacle to good relations between Beijing and the Vatican, which demands the right to name its own prelates, and the working plan indicates that illicit episcopal ordinations done in deÂżance of the Holy See would continue.

Since the last episcopal ordination in 2012, there remain a handful of bishop candidates awaiting approval from the bishops’ conference that have not been recognised by the Vatican, including Fr Joseph Tang Yuange of Chengdu, who was elected in May last year.

The working plan also instructs the two Church bodies to “convene the National Catholic Representatives Congress, strengthen their leadership-building and promote democracy in running the Catholic Church�.

The congress, comprising elected clergy, Religious and laypeople, convenes every ¿ve years and oversees the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and the bishops’ conference – and thus is deemed to be at variance from the Catholic Church hierarchy. „ UCANEWS.COM

Regional migrant ministers attend retreat

By Don Gurugay PENANG,

MALAYSIA

–

Migrant ministers from Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore attended a retreat to learn how to grow in their spirituality, and to use it to administer to their clients.

At least 50 ministers attended the Jan 29 - Feb 1 retreat in the Stella Maris Retreat Centre titled, the Mission of Jesus unto Me. Five speakers gave their sharings at the retreat Ms Aegile Fernandez speaking to particiheld in Penang. pants during the retreat.

Ms Sumitha Shannthini Kishna, assitant director from the Malaysian Bar Council (UNHCR) in Malaysia, discussed Migrant Refugees and Immigra- his plans to set up an ofÂżce in the tion Affairs Committee, shared north of peninsular Malaysia.

Mr Jude Antoine, Kerygma that migrant workers should keep a record of the names of the peo- Catholic Charismatic Renewal ple they come into contact with, Lay Missionary, presented the as well as copies of their personal seven principles of Christian leaddocuments which could serve as ership according to the Book of Nehemiah. evidence during times of conÀict.

Mr Andre Ong, a lay missionary Ms Aegile Fernandez, director of Tenaganita, a local charity that from a parish in Penang, introduced works directly with victims of hu- the four S’s of a committed leader: man traf¿cking, gave examples of see, submit, serve and sow correctly.

Mr John Peng Thang, from the how laypeople could contribute towards the prevention of human Holy Family parish in Kajang, Selangor, who was once a refugee, trafÂżcking.

Mr Richard Towle, a repre- said that the retreat gave him conÂżsentative for the United Nations dence and helped “me decide what High Commissioner for Refugees to do when in difÂżcultiesâ€?. „

12 ASIA

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Children living in a squatters’ area wait for a free meal consisting of rice, chicken and vegetables that is given out daily by a South Korean Religious missionary organisation near Manila. &16 ¿OH SKRWR

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila &16 SKRWR

Cardinal urges Filipinos to fast during Lent to feed poor children MANILA – Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila, is urging the faithful to fast during the Lenten season in order to feed poor and malnourished children.

“If we fast and let the poor, hungry, and undernourished children bene¿t from it, we relive what Jesus said, ‘I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,’” said Cardinal Tagle in a pastoral letter set to be issued on Feb 18, Ash Wednesday.

The prelate said the money that will be saved from fasting could be donated to the Lenten campaign “Fast2Feed” which aims to feed underprivileged children.

Fast2Feed is a fund-raising campaign for the Church’s Hapag-Asa (table of hope) feeding programme.

Cardinal Tagle said Ash Wednesday is a reminder to everyone “to answer God’s call to pray, fast, and do acts of charity”.

Last year’s “Fast2Feed” campaign was able to feed 150,000 children in areas hit by Typhoon

Haiyan in November 2013, said the cardinal.

Another 20,000 children also bene¿tted from the six-month feeding programme of the Archdiocese of Manila, he added.

Since 2005, when the Church initiative began, some 1,455,735 children have been fed under the supplemental feeding project in various dioceses and schools around the country.

The project feeds children six months to 12 years old once a day, ¿ve times a week for six months.

“But our effort to help our poor, hungry and undernourished children does not stop there and has to continue,” Tagle said, adding that there are millions of children who are suffering from hunger and undernourishment “and are in need of our love and assistance”.

Cardinal Tagle said it only takes US$0.23 (S$0.31) a day “to bring back a hungry and undernourished child to his healthy state in six months”.

Families in the programme

also receive livelihood and skills training that provides them with access to employment and income-generating activities.

A World Bank report released last month said the Philippines can eliminate poverty within a generation as sustained economic growth in recent years has translated into more jobs and higher incomes.

The report said that more than a million jobs were created between October last year and October 2013, pulling unemployment down to a 10-year low of six percent.

Real incomes of the bottom 20 percent of Filipinos also grew much faster than the rest of the population and unemployment among the poor has dropped.

However, poverty has remained at high levels in the Philippines relative to some East Asian countries, reÀecting a succession of corrupt governments in past decades and the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters including typhoons, the World Bank report said. UCANEWS.COM

Indian Christians arrested during protest BANGALORE, INDIA – Church leaders criticised po-

lice manhandling of Christians who gathered on Feb 5 at the gate of Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi to protest recent attacks on churches.

“Five churches have been attacked in Delhi in two months and yet, not a single arrest has been made so far,” Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi told Catholic News Service (CNS) on Feb 5.

“This is shocking. The government has done nothing to arrest those who desecrated and attacked churches. On the contrary, the police are using force to silence our protests,” he told CNS in Bangalore.

Nearly 200 Christian protesters who had gathered at the gate of his cathedral in New Delhi were bundled into police buses and taken to the police station, Archbishop Couto said.

Divine Word Fr Dominic Emmanuel spoke to CNS about the incident. He said that he was held for two hours at the police station near the cathedral.

Among those forcibly taken away from the cathedral gate were Fr Susai Sebastian, vicar general Delhi archdiocese, and Catholic activist John Dayal.

Demonstrators shout slogans as they hold placards during a protest outside Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi on Feb 5. &16 SKRWR

In a statement after the arrests, Delhi archdiocese cited ¿ve attacks on churches since Dec 1. One church had its entire interior burned; other incidents included smashed windows, burned statues and desecration of the Eucharist. CNS

WORLD 13

Sunday February 22, 2015 „ CatholicNews

&KXUFK OHDGHUV FDOO IRU XQLW\ DJDLQVW DJJUHVVLRQ LQ 8NUDLQH WARSAW, POLAND – Catholic and Orthodox archbishops in Ukraine appealed for national unity against pro-Russia separatists as calls mounted for the United States to help arm Ukrainian forces.

Citing constant danger to Ukraine, the Church leaders called the war “a crime against life� that brings “suffering and death, grief and injustice� in a Feb 4 statement.

Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv, president of Ukraine’s Catholic bishops’ conference, and Ukrainian Orthodox Archbishop Filaret Kucherov of Lviv within the Moscow Patriarchate were among those making the appeal.

It was published as Âżghting intensiÂżed after a new separatist offensive in the self-proclaimed rebel republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The appeal said Ukrainians had been unprepared for war and should avoid becoming accustomed “to the mundane sight of deaths and injuriesâ€? and “the grief of widows and orphansâ€?. “We urge mutual support, help in Âżnding the truth and establishing unity in doubt and freedom in everything, since peace is a gift from God, the work of justice and the fruit of love,â€? said the

$Q HOGHUO\ 8NUDLQLDQ ZRPDQ ZHHSV DV KHU IULHQGV ERDUG D EXV WR ÀHH GXH WR D PLOLWDU\ FRQÀLFW LQ 'HEDOWVHYH RQ )HE CNS photo

signatories, who included leaders of Ukraine’s Greek Catholic Church and two smaller Orthodox Churches. “By uniting our efforts, we will overcome this aggression and evil in the name of dignity and the moral values, which will be the foundation of our invincible common future. We will safeguard the freedom granted us by God and not allow our country to be divided.�

NATO unveiled plans on Feb 5 to bolster its military presence

in Eastern Europe, after Western ofÂżcials accused Russia of sending troops and heavy weaponry into Ukraine, where Âżghting since April 2014 has left about 5,400 dead and 1.2 million people uprooted.

Pope Francis, who is scheduled to receive Ukraine’s Greek and Latin Catholic bishops from Feb 16-21 in their ad limina, or Âżve-yearly, visits, appealed for a “resumption of dialogueâ€? in the country’s “tormented landâ€? during his Feb 4 general audience. „ CNS

5RPHUR¡V EHDWLĂ€FDWLRQ WR EH KHOG ZLWKLQ WKH \HDU VD\V DUFKELVKRS VATICAN CITY – Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero will be beatiÂżed in San Salvador “certainly within the year and not later, but possibly within a few monthsâ€?, said Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the postulator or chief promoter of the archbishop’s sainthood cause.

He was speaking to reporters on Feb 4, the day after Pope Francis formally recognised that the slain Salvadoran archbishop was killed “in hatred of the faith�.

The pope signed the decree recognising as martyrdom the March 24, 1980, assassination of Archbishop Romero in a San Salvador hospital chapel as he celebrated Mass.

Archbishop Romero’s sainthood cause was opened at the Vatican in 1993, but was delayed for years as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith studied his writings, amid wider debate over whether he had been killed for his faith or for taking political positions against the Salvadoran government and against the death squads that were operating in his country.

As head of the San Salvador Archdiocese from 1977 until his death, his preaching grew increas-

Painting of slain Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero in the Cathedral of San Salvador. CNS photo

ingly strident in defence of the country’s poor and oppressed.

Pope Benedict XVI told reporters in 2007 that the archbishop was “certainly a great witness of the faithâ€? who “merits beatiÂżcation, I do not doubtâ€?. But he said some groups had complicated the sainthood cause by trying to co-opt the archbishop as a political Âżgure. „ CNS

14 WORLD

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Sainthood cause for Focolare founder begins FRASCATI, ITALY – Chiara Lu-

bich, the Italian founder of the Focolare Movement, “lit a new light in the Church’s journey towards unity”, Pope Francis said.

In a message to hundreds of people gathered in the cathedral of Frascati on Jan 27 for the formal opening of Lubich’s sainthood cause, Pope Francis expressed his hope that “the shining example” of her life and activity would strengthen Focolare members’ faith and commitment to building up the unity of the Church and friendly relations with members of other religions.

Lubich, who was born in Trent in 1920, founded the Focolare Movement with a few friends

&16 ¿OH SKRWR

Church leader hails Greece’s new govt WARSAW – A Greek Catholic

Chiara Lubich died in 2008.

during the Second World War, inspired by Jesus’ words “that they all would be one”.

Gradually, the women decided to form a community and share everything they had with each other and with the poor. They sought a sense of family gathered around a hearth – focolare in Italian.

Lubich died in 2008.

The movement now has more than 2 million members and associates in 192 countries and a strong focus on building positive relations with people of other faiths.

According to the Focolare Movement’s website, the tribunal will hold its ¿rst formal session on Feb 12, interviewing Ms Maria Voce, Lubich’s successor as head of the movement. She will be the ¿rst of about 100 people who knew Lubich, who will be interviewed about her life and work. CNS

leader welcomed his country’s new anti-austerity government and predicted Catholics would bene¿t from changes.

“Although the interests and concerns of Churches like ours will be secondary for the new government, I think we can be optimistic our possibilities will improve,” said Archbishop Nikolaos Printezis, general secretary of Greece’s six-member bishops’ conference.

He said he thought the government, elected on Jan 25, would ¿nd it hard to work with Greece’s foreign economic partners.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ party won the elections on a pledge to ditch austerity policies and renegotiate the country’s huge European Union and International Monetary Fund bailout.

Greek voters were no longer prepared to “follow EU orders and directives”, said Archbishop Printezis.

He added that the atmosphere looked set to improve for most citizens and said the new coalition also appeared determined to treat religious minorities with greater “openness and equality”.

“Up to now, there’s been a very obvious division between Orthodox citizens and those of other faiths – if you were Orthodox, all was well, but if you were Catholic or Protestant, it wasn’t,” said Archbishop Printezis.

Food being served at a soup kitchen for the poor in Athens, Greece. &16 ¿OH SKRWR

“All minorities have faced hardships from the side of the state.

But the new government looks ready to take responsibility for the whole Greek people rather than just serving its own interests,” he said.

Greek newspapers predicted the new prime minister would move to loosen traditional state

the interests ‘Although ... of Churches like ours will be secondary for the new government, I think we can be optimistic our possibilities will improve.

’

– Archbishop Nikolaos Printezis

links with the predominant Orthodox Church, which claims the spiritual loyalty of 97 percent of the country’s 11 million inhabitants.

Mostly-foreign Catholics make up just 3 percent of the population of Greece, whose constitution, amended in 2008, declares Orthodoxy the “prevailing religion”, prohibits Bible translations without Orthodox consent, and requires public of¿ce-holders and court plaintiffs to take a religious oath.

In 2006, the Greek Parliament voted to review the of¿cial status of the Orthodox Church, and last October, Catholics, Protestants, Copts and other denominations gained greater legal autonomy under a new law, the ¿rst on religious minorities for 68 years. CNS

WORLD 15

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Obedience of vital importance in Religious life: pontiff CNS photo

VATICAN CITY – Total obedience

to God’s will brings wisdom, joy and hope, Pope Francis told Religious men and women.

“Yes, the happiness of a Religious is a consequence of this path of lowering oneself with Jesus and, when we are sad, when we complain, it will do us well to ask ourselves how we are living this dimension of kenosis [selfemptying],” he said.

The pope’s words came during his homily at a Mass in St Peter’s Basilica on Feb 2 celebrating the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which the Church marks as the World Day for Consecrated Life. The Mass was celebrated during the Year of Consecrated Life, which, called by Pope Francis, opened on Nov 30 and will close on Feb 2, 2016.

The liturgy for the feast began with dozens of Sisters, Brothers and Religious priests carrying lighted candles into the basilica ahead of the pope.

Living a consecrated life means “lowering oneself in service, that is, taking the same path as Jesus” and becoming a servant in order to serve, the pope said.

But Religious men and women also have to be obedient and docile to their Religious community, their superiors, their order’s rule and to the Church; “it is a docility and obedience that is concrete”, not something theoretical, he said.

The new and living path the Lord opened for the world “is for

plane went down over Syria on churches in Jordan condemned Christmas Eve. On Feb 3, Islamic the Islamic State militants’ kill- State released a video showing ing of First Lieutenant Muath al- the 26-year-old airman burnt Kasasbeh, a Jordanian pilot who alive.

Shortly afterwards, Jordan had been held in captivity by the hanged would-be Iraqi female jihadist group.

Special Masses and prayers suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawere held as churches sent con- wi, involved in the country’s dolences to his Muslim family worst terror attack in 2005, and terror plotter Ziad and tribe. al-Karboli, amid “Christian Jordan’s pledge churches in the As the churches to strike back Hashemite Kingdenounce this hard at Islamic dom of Jordan State. Both had heinous crime convey their deep been on death sorrow and sad... they ask row. ness over the marall citizens to Fr Bader said tyrdom of pilot prayers are needMuath Kasasbeh,” reinforce their ed for the pilot, read a statement national unity. the leadership of issued by Fr RiJordan and its sefat Bader, direc– Fr Rifat Bader, curity institutions, tor of the Catholic director of the national unity and Centre for StudCatholic Centre for to “keep Jordan ies and Media in Studies and Media strong as ever in Amman. the face of ex“As the churches denounce this heinous tremism and violence”.

Churches are also holding crime against humanity, they ask all citizens to reinforce their na- prayer vigils for religious hartional unity under the Hashemite mony, Fr Bader said, “so that relileadership, led by King Abdullah gions will constitute a factor conducive for peace, harmony and II,” said the statement.

Outraged, Jordanians are unity among people, rather than seeking retribution after the Is- a factor leading to division, killlamic State’s murder of the ¿ght- ing, oppression and dispute”. er pilot, whose US-led coalition CNS AMMAN, JORDAN – Christian

‘

’

The Lord transforms ‘obedience into wisdom with the action of his Holy Spirit.

’

– Pope Francis to Religious

us consecrated men and women the only path that – concretely and without alternatives – we have to

UK Church concerned over genetic manipulation MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – A vote by the British House of Commons to legalise a genetic process to ¿ght transmission of mitochondrial diseases has sparked concern.

“Whilst the Church recognises the suffering that mitochondrial diseases bring and hopes that alternative methods of treatment can be found, it remains opposed on principle to these procedures where the destruction of human embryos is part of the process,” said Auxiliary Bishop John Sherrington of Westminster in a statement on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

If the legislation is approved in the House of Lords, Britain would become the ¿rst country to allow scientists to alter the human germ line in trying to defeat incurable diseases, such as muscular dystrophy.

The two procedures covered

Jordan’s Christians condemn pilot’s murder, offer prayers

by the regulations are highly controversial because they are not permitted in any other country in the world, with international scienti¿c opinion divided over their effectiveness.

After a 90-minute debate in the House of Commons on Feb 3, members voted 328-128 to approve the unamendable legislation.

Catholic leaders and organisations have expressed concern over the vote. In his statement, Bishop Sherrington said, “This is about a human life with potential, arising from a father and a mother, being used as disposable material.”

Mitochondria are the biological power packs that give energy to nearly every cell of the body.

Genetic defects can leave the cells starved of energy, causing muscle weakness, blindness, heart failure and death in the most extreme cases. CNS

Religious carry candles in procession at the start of a Mass celebrated

by Pope Francis to mark the feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

take with joy and hope”, he said.

On the one hand, he said, obedience empties and humbles a person, but on the other hand, it lights and safeguards the Àame of hope, rendering people creative because they are full of the Holy Spirit.

“The Lord transforms obedience into wisdom with the action of his Holy Spirit,” the pope said.

CNS

Hong Kong Catholics and family survey HONG KONG – The Church in

Hong Kong is encouraging Catholics to respond to questions ahead of a worldwide bishops’ meeting on the family.

Cardinal John Tong is asking his Àock to respond to the 46 questions listed in the Synod of Bishops’ working document. The meeting will be held at the Vatican from Oct 4-25.

The cardinal issued a letter asking Catholics to provide their insights.

He listed the challenges to marriage and family nowadays in the city such as an increasing divorce rate, more people remaining unmarried amid long working hours, and unresolved home ownership problems. ZENIT The Synod of Bishops’ working document is at http://www.vatican.va/ roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_ synod_doc_20141209_lineamentaxiv-assembly_en.html

16 POPE FRANCIS

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Pope: women are not guests but participants in Church life Latin American immigrants in Rome greet Pope Francis on Feb 8. CNS photo

Pope’s surprise visit to immigrant settlement When Pope Francis walked through the gate surrounding a group of shacks and very humble homes, it took a while for people to notice. In fact, when a couple of people looked out of their doors, the pope’s chief security guard motioned them to come over.

“Papa Francisco!” someone shouted in Spanish, and then dozens of people came running. The pope made an unannounced stop at the settlement on his way to the nearby St Michael the Archangel parish on Feb 8.

The settlement on the northeastern edge of Rome is mainly inhabited by Latin American immigrants.

The residents kissed the pope’s hand and clicked photos of him. The pope and the residents also prayed the Lord’s Prayer in Spanish.

He gave them a formal blessing, and told them he had to be going since he had promised to spend the afternoon at the parish.

At the parish, the pope delivered 100 sleeping bags for the homeless assisted by the parish and the Sant’Egidio Community.

He met with a group of children and with the parents of babies baptised in the past year. He also

ROME –

heard the confessions of a few parishioners, the Vatican said.

In his homily during the evening Mass, Pope Francis told parishioners that Jesus’ public ministry was all about preaching and healing.

The pope said that Jesus speaks to people through the Scriptures. Although carrying a Bible is not something Catholics are known for, “we must make this a habit,” he said.

The pope prayed the Lord’s Prayer with the immigrants in Spanish, and gave them a formal blessing.

People also must be willing to let Jesus heal them, he said. “We all have wounds, all of us: spiritual wounds, sins, hard feelings, jealousies,” people that we have decided never to speak to again, he said.

“The devil takes something silly and makes a world out of it.”

But Jesus can defeat the devil and bring healing, restoring harmony, the pope said. “Let yourselves be healed by Jesus.” CNS

VATICAN CITY – Saying he knows the history of the subjugation of women continues to have a negative impact on how women are treated, Pope Francis called for greater roles for women in the Church and for greater assistance and workplace Àexibility to ensure they can make the best choices for themselves and their families.

Pope Francis told the Ponti¿cal Council for Culture on Feb 7 that its study of women’s cultures was a topic “close to my heart”, and that he fully recognises the need “to study new criteria and methods to ensure women feel they are not guests, but full participants in the various spheres of the life of society and the Church”.

“This challenge can no longer be postponed,” he said.

The preparatory document for the Feb 7 meeting said that in the West, more and more women between the ages of 20 and 50 are leaving the Church. Many have “reached places of prestige within society and the workplace, but have no corresponding decisional role nor responsibility” within the church community.

Pope Francis told the council – whose members are all cardinals, bishops, priests and laymen – “I am convinced of the urgency of offering space to women in the life of the Church and to welcoming them, taking into account speci¿c and changing cultural and social sensitivities.”

“A more widespread and incisive female presence in the community is hoped for so that we can see many women involved in pastoral responsibilities, in the accompaniment of persons, families and groups, as well as in theological reÀection,” he said.

While they are equal, he said,

Women sing and dance during a Mass at the Holy Rosary Church in Abuja, Nigeria. &16 ¿OH SKRWR

women and men tend to have different qualities, and the Church and society need both.

“You women know how to incarnate the tender face of God, his mercy, which translates into a willingness to give your time rather than to just occupy space, and to welcome rather than exclude,”

A more widespread ‘and incisive female presence... is hoped for so that we can see many women involved in pastoral responsibilities.

’

– Pope Francis

the pope said. “In this sense, I like to describe the feminine dimension of the Church as a welcoming womb that regenerates life.”

The council’s preparatory document used the technical term “generativity” to discuss the aspect of women’s lives involving physically or symbolically desir-

ing new life, bringing it into the world, caring for it and ¿nally letting it go.

Ms Donna Orsuto, a US professor of spirituality at the Ponti¿cal Gregorian University, was part of the group of mostly Italian women who compiled the working document for the plenary meeting and was one of the speakers at the plenary.

Generativity, she said, means “sharing life from one generation to next”, including through parenthood, but also by mentoring others, teaching, creating jobs and many other ways.

Both men and women are called to be generative, she said, explaining that stagnation is the opposite of generativity.

She said, “the key is not to use the idea that men and women are different as a tool to suppress women. But to use it in a positive way,” encouraging women and men to work together, bringing their diverse gifts to the Church and the world. CNS

POPE FRANCIS 17

Sunday February 22, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Pope to disabled young people: Discover your treasure, share it VATICAN CITY – Everyone is born with a treasure chest of gifts and talents that they need to discover and share, Pope Francis told a group of young people with disabilities who explained to him how technology has brought them joy and helps them communicate.

Seven young people from six countries shared their stories with the pope and asked him questions on Feb 5 during a Google Hangout, a live video conversation online. “You help us understand that life is a beautiful treasure that has meaning only if we share,� the pope told the young people.

Alicia, a 16-year-old amateur Âżlmmaker from Spain, asked Pope Francis if he, too, likes to take photographs and upload them to his computer. “Do you want me to tell you the truth,â€? he asked the young woman with Down syndrome. “I am a disaster with machines.â€?

The videochat with the pope came at the conclusion of a gath-

We should not be ‘DIUDLG RI GLIÂżFXOW\ We are capable of overcoming anything, EXW ZH QHHG WLPH WR understand, intelligence and courage to keep PRYLQJ IRUZDUG

’

– Pope Francis

Pope Francis looks into a camera during a worldwide broadcast online wuth disabled young people. CNS photo

ering in the Vatican of Scholas Occurrentes, a project Pope Francis supported as archbishop of Buenos Aires and expanded as pope. Through schools it links students from different neighbourhoods, countries, economic backgrounds and faiths to pro-

mote communication, understanding and cooperation.

Isaiah Bauer from Kearney High School in Kearney, Nebraska, USA, and his schoolmate Teynor Karson also were part of the Google Hangout. Bauer told the pope he has difÂżculty keeping up

with his studies and that his “lack of Âżne motor skillsâ€? slows down his writing and typing. “What do you do when you face something difÂżcult?â€? Bauer asked. “First, I try not to get angry, stay calm. Then I try to Âżgure out how to do it, to overcome the difÂżculty. If that is not possible, I try to endure it until I have the possibility of overcoming it,â€? he said. “We should not be afraid of

dif¿culty. We are capable of overcoming anything, but we need time to understand, intelligence and courage to keep moving forward.�

Pope Francis ended the conversation with the young people by telling them and the thousands of other children watching online around the world, “All of you have a chest, a box, and inside there is a treasure. Your job is to open the chest, discover the treasure, develop it, give it to others and receive from others the treasures they offer.�

Some people discover their treasure quickly, the pope said, but sometimes “it’s like playing treasure hunt because it is not found easily. But once you Âżnd it, share it.â€? “Each one of us has a treasure inside,â€? he said. “If we share it with others, the treasure will multiply with the treasures that come from others. What I want to ask of you is that you do not hide the treasure that each of you has.â€? „ CNS

Martyrdom is not a thing of Law and order require respect for authority, human dignity, pope says the past, pope says at Mass VATICAN CITY – Of¿cials dealing

with law and order must Âżrmly uphold the law while at the same time respecting human rights and dignity, Pope Francis said.

Public ofÂżcials are called to exercise “professionalism and your humanity, your knowledge and your prudence without discouragement or pessimism, knowing, however, that you are not faced with abstract matters but with concrete lives of men and women with their problems and hopesâ€?, he said.

The pope spoke on Feb 6 to Angelino Alfano, Italy’s interior minister, and a group of prefects, who represent the interior ministry in Italy’s provinces and have special competence in matters dealing with public order.

Pope Francis recognised the increasing demands on the public of¿cials given the large numbers of immigrants Àowing into Italy.

As ofÂżcials deal with immigration, which often reaches an “emergencyâ€? situation, and other

tasks, their job demands “a correct application of norms that guarantee, together with Âżdelity to the requirements of the law and other regulations in force, the scrupulous respect of fundamental rights of every human personâ€?, he said.

The goal of exercising authority is to achieve the common good, and such authority LV H[HPSOLÂżHG ZKHQ SRZHU LV VHUYLFH said Pope Francis.

The work must be guided by “the indispensible frameworkâ€? of obedience to the law, attention to human needs and conÂżdence in public institutions.

However, today’s culture suffers from a “crisis of authority� – both in the public and private

spheres – with enormous consequences, especially in education. Some of the causes of the crisis, he said include a declining willingness to obey authority, listen and be patient, the pope said.

The true goal of exercising authority is to achieve “the common goodâ€?, and such authority is exempliÂżed when power is service, modelled after Jesus Christ who came to serve others, he said. “The more citizens perceive that established powers are generously aimed at trying to offer answers to their needs and safeguard their rights, the more they will be willing to embrace directives and possess a diligent and orderly spirit of collaboration and respect,â€? the pope said.

The pope praised the positive and fruitful collaboration between the Italian prefects, dioceses and parishes, saying such relationships needed to be “afÂżrmed, enhanced and deepenedâ€?. „ CNS

Pope sends condolences to victims and families of Taiwan plane crash ROME – Upon hearing about the

TransAsia Airways Àight tragedy, Pope Francis expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in a message sent to Archbishop Hung Shan-chuan of Taipei. The message was

signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. “The Holy Father wishes to offer his sincerest condolences to the civil authorities and assures the families of the victims and the missing his spiritual

closeness,� the message stated.

The Pope, the statement continues, “prays for the eternal repose of the dead, and invokes the strength and consolation of God to the wounded and those who are mourning�. „ ZENIT.ORG

VATICAN CITY – Reading the

Gospel account of St John the Baptist’s death on the feast of St Paul Miki and other Japanese martyrs, Pope Francis said his thoughts naturally turn to those Christians being perse- 'LVSODFHG ,UDTL &KULVWLDQV ZKR Ă€HG IURP ,VODPLF 6WDWH cuted and killed PLOLWDQWV LQ 0RVXO SUD\ DW D VFKRRO DFWLQJ DV D UHIXJHH today because camp in Irbil, Iraq. CNS photo of their faith. “When I read this passage, I secuted, hated, chased from their must confess, I get emotional,â€? homes, tortured and massacred,â€? the pope said on Feb 6 during the he said. “This is not something morning Mass in the chapel of his from the past; it is happening toresidence. day. Our martyrs are ending their The pope gave two reasons lives under the corrupt authority why he is so moved by the pas- of people who hate Jesus Christ.â€? sage from Mark’s Gospel about Pope Francis said it is imHerod ordering St John the Bap- portant to remember the modtist’s beheading: Âżrst, because of ern martyrs and those facing the situation of persecuted Chris- persecution. Feb 6 is the feast tians today; and second, because it of St Paul Miki and his 25 comis a reminder that everyone, even panions, who were killed in Jathe great prophets, will die. pan in 1597, the pope said. The “I think of our martyrs, the stunning thing is that such permartyrs of today, those men, secution continues “in 2015!â€? „ women and children who are per- CNS

18 POPE FRANCIS

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Pope orders Church leaders to do utmost to prevent sex abuse VATICAN CITY – The leaders of

the world’s bishops’ conferences and Religious orders must ensure they are doing everything possible to protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse and are offering appropriate care for victims and their families, Pope Francis said.

“Priority must not be given to any other kind of concern, whatever its nature, such as the desire to avoid scandal, since there is absolutely no place in ministry for those who abuse minors,” he said in a letter.

The letter, dated Feb 2, the

feast of the Presentation of the Lord, was sent to the presidents of national bishops’ conferences worldwide and the superiors of Religious orders. The Vatican released a copy of the letter on Feb 5, the feast of St Agatha, an early martyr who was abused and assaulted as a young woman.

In his letter the pope said, “Families need to know that the Church is making every effort to protect their children. They should also know that they have every right to turn to the Church with full con¿dence, for it is a safe and secure home.”

‘

Families need to know that the Church is making every effort to protect their children.

’

– Pope Francis in letter to bishops and Religious orders

With protecting minors as a top priority, the pope said he wants to encourage and promote the Church’s commitment to protection and care “at every level – episcopal conferences,

Pope to address US Congress during September trip

President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address to the US Congress. Pope Francis is scheduled to speak to Congress during his trip to the US.

great honour and tremendous joy to welcome our Holy Father, Pope Francis, to the Archdiocese of Washington during his proposed pastoral visit to the United States in September.”

The statement said the announced visit “will be a time of

grace for all of us.” It also said the archdiocese looks forward “to the of¿cial announcement of more details of the visit”.

The pope is set to travel to the US in late September, and would visit Philadelphia, New York and Washington. CNS

Pontiff warns against ‘prosperity’ Gospel VATICAN CITY – Salvation has

nothing to do with the “theology of prosperity” some people claim to see in the Gospel, thinking material well-being comes with faith, Pope Francis said.

In fact, he said, those who proclaim salvation must live simply, in accordance with Jesus’ instruction to his disciples to “take nothing for the journey but a walking stick – no food, no sack, no money in their belts”.

At the Feb 5 morning Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae where he lives, Pope Francis focused on the day’s Gospel reading, Mark 6:7-13, and how Jesus’ instructions to

“duty to express the compassion of Jesus towards those who have suffered abuse and toward their families”, which is why dioceses and Religious orders should set up pastoral care programmes, “which include provisions for psychological assistance and spiritual care”, the pope said.

Bishops and heads of Religious communities “should be available to meet with victims and their loved ones; such meetings are valuable opportunities for listening to those who have greatly suffered and for asking their forgiveness”, he wrote. CNS

Accountability is key concern for pope’s child protection commission

CNS photo

WASHINGTON – Pope Francis

will address a joint meeting of the US Congress on Sept 24, House Speaker John Boehner announced on Feb 5.

The pontiff’s “historic visit” would make him the “¿rst leader of the Holy See to address a joint meeting of Congress,” Mr Boehner said in a statement, adding that he was “truly grateful that Pope Francis has accepted our invitation”.

He noted that “in a time of global upheaval, the Holy Father’s message of compassion and human dignity has moved people of all faiths and backgrounds. His teachings, prayers, and very example bring us back to the blessings of simple things and our obligations to one another.”

“We look forward to warmly welcoming Pope Francis to our Capitol and hearing his address on behalf of the American people,” he added.

A statement from the Archdiocese of Washington called it “a

dioceses, institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life – to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults and to respond to their needs with fairness and mercy”.

He reminded Church leaders they were expected to implement fully the provisions in the 2011 circular letter from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith requiring every bishops’ conference in the world to develop guidelines on handling allegations of abuse.

The Church also has the

His disciples are still valid today.

The Gospel “must be proclaimed in poverty”, the pope said, because “salvation is not a theology of prosperity” but the “good news” of liberation for all who are oppressed. “This is the mission of the Church, the Church that heals and cures,” he said.

One who strays from the purity of the Christian message risks presenting the Church as a philanthropic organisation rather than an evangelising one, he said, according to Vatican Radio.

Bringing Christ to the poor, the wounded and the prisoners, he said, includes providing material assistance “because the Lord gives

us gifts for that reason. But when we forget our mission, when we forget to live in poverty and forget our apostolic zeal and instead place our trust in our means, the Church slowly slips into being a non-governmental organisation.”

“It can become a great organisation, powerful,” he said, “but it is not evangelical because it is lacking that spirit, that poverty, that power to heal.”

The greatest praise any Christian can receive, the pope said, is being lauded as “a worker for the kingdom” because that means he or she proclaimed Jesus and helped people draw closer to God and ¿nd healing and peace. CNS

many clergy protected, moved VATICAN CITY – Bishops who do not comply with the child protec- from place to place,” he said.

Ms Marie Collins who was aption norms adopted by their bishops’ conferences and approved by pointed to the commission, told the Vatican must face real con- reporters that she would leave if sequences, said Cardinal Sean P no progress is seen soon.

After the meeting, the comO’Malley of Boston, president of the Ponti¿cal Commission for the mission issued a statement.

“The commission is developProtection of Minors.

The commission, he said, “is ing processes to ensure accountavery, very concerned about this bility for everyone in the Church – whole area of [bishops’] account- clergy, Religious and laity – who ability” and has a working group work with minors,” said the statement published drawing up recon Feb 9. ommendations Cardinal for Pope Francis.

O’Malley said The proposed 96 percent of the new norms, the world’s bishops’ cardinal told reconferences have porters at the sent the Vatican Vatican on Feb their child-pro7, “would altection norms, as low the Church requested in 2011 to respond in an by the Congregaexpeditious way tion for the Docwhen a bishop trine of the Faith. has not ful¿lled He also pubhis obligations”.

Ms Marie Collins was a clerical thanked The cardinal abuse survivor nominated by licly and members of Pope Francis to sit on the new Pope Francis for the commission, 3RQWL¿FDO &RPPLVVLRQ IRU WKH a letter, released which includes Protection of Minors. &16 ¿OH SKRWR on Feb 5, which encouraged bishsurvivors of clerops to meet with ical sex abuse, spoke to reporters at the end of their Feb 6-8 meeting and listen to survivors, which is something Cardinal O’Malley said at the Vatican.

Mr Peter Saunders, an abuse “many bishops have not yet done”.

The commission is preparing victim and commission member said, “Bishop accountability is a Day of Prayer for sex abuse vicmost de¿nitely something that is tims, and its members are contacta concern and central to some of ing Catholic funding organisations the work that is going to be car- “to ask them to include some requirements concerning child proried out by the commission.”

“There have been far too many tection in their guidelines for elicover-ups, there have been far too gibility for funding” he said. CNS

%LVKRS DFFRXQWDELOLW\ LV PRVW GH¿QLWHO\ VRPHWKLQJ ‘that is a concern and central to some of the work that is going to be carried out by the commission. ’

– Mr Peter Saunders, an abuse victim and commission member

POPE FRANCIS 19

Sunday February 22, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Pope warns against VHOĂ€VKQHVV LQGLIIHUHQFH in Lenten message &16 ÂżOH SKRWR

greatly ‘I How desire that... our parishes and our communities may become islands of mercy in the midst of the sea of indifference.

’

VATICAN CITY – Christians are called to overcome apathy, discouragement and pretentions of self-suf¿ciency by letting God enter into their hearts, making them joyful, merciful and strong, Pope Francis said.

Through prayer, charity and humility before God, people receive a heart “which is Âżrm and merciful, attentive and generous, a heart which is not closed, indifferent or prey to the globalisation of indifferenceâ€?, the pope said in his message for Lent, which begins on Feb 18.

In fact, the individualistic “selÂżsh attitude of indifferenceâ€? has become “one of the most urgent challengesâ€? that “we, as Christians, need to confrontâ€?, the pope wrote.

Released by the Vatican on Jan 27, the text of the pope’s Lenten message focused on the need for inner conversion and renewal, with the title, Make Your Hearts Firm, which is from the Letter of James.

A Âżrm heart is strong and steadfast against temptation and evil, but it is also open to God, capable of being “pierced by the Spiritâ€?, touched by his love and moved to share it with others, he said. “When the people of God are converted to His love, they find answers to the questions that history continually raises,â€? the pope said, including the pressing problem today of “indifferenceâ€?. “Indifference to our neighbour and to God also represents a real temptation for us Christians,â€? he said, which means the Church, parish communities and laypeople need regular reĂ€ection and “inte-

rior renewal, lest we ... withdraw into ourselves�.

By receiving Jesus, by listening to His word, receiving the sacraments and engaging in prayer, “we become what we receive: the Body of Christ�, which is a living, united communion of members that share their gifts.

Parishes and Catholic organisations, too, must share and care for the weakest, poorest and most marginalised, refusing to “take refuge in a universal love that would embrace the whole world,

to our ‘Indifference neighbour and to God ... represents a real temptation for us Christians.

’

– Pope Francis

while failing to see the Lazarus sitting before our closed doors�.

May Catholic communities “become islands of mercy in the midst of a sea of indifference�, the pope said.

The Church and its organisations must go out to ends of the earth by praying with the Church in heaven and engaging with the wider world, he said.

Even the faithful who are now in heaven have not turned their

backs “on the sufferings of the world�, rejoicing “in splendid isolation,� rather, they want Christ’s “victory of love� to penetrate the whole world, which is why they accompany those on earth as they continue God’s work, he said.

God calls every man and woman to him, the pope said. That is why “in each of our neighbours, then, we must see a brother or sister for whom Christ died and rose again� and recognise that “all that our brothers and sisters possess is a gift for the Church and all of humanity�.

The best way for Catholics not to be overwhelmed by so much bad news in the world is to become united in prayer, to concretely help others and to see suffering as an occasion for one’s own conversion, he said.

Witnessing so much need “reminds me of the uncertainty of my own life and my dependence on God and my brothers and sisters�.

Only by humbly accepting one’s limitations and recognising God’s inÂżnite abundance can people “resist the diabolical temptation of thinking that by our own efforts we can save the world and ourselvesâ€?. „ CNS The pope’s full message is at http:// w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/ en/messages/lent/documents/papafrancesco_20141004_messaggioquaresima2015.html

20 OPINION

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

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COMMENTARY

Wealth gap is obscene Despite the economic downturn of recent years, bank accounts of the world’s billionaires have grown deliberately fatter as the ¿nancial canyon between rich and poor has widened. It has reached a point that by 2016 the world’s richest one percent could own more than half the planet’s wealth.

That startling prediction – that the combined wealth of 99 percent of the world’s population won’t even equal that of the top 1 percent – was issued on Jan 18 in a report by Oxfam on the eve of the annual summit of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The international charity reports that since 2008, as the overall world economy has lagged, the obscenely wealthy have increased their slice of the global economic pie from 44 percent to almost 50 percent.

The report was released as Pope Francis was concluding a successful trip to Sri Lanka and the Philippines in which the theme of poverty was prominent. Before ending his tour with a Mass in Manila that attracted an astounding 6 million people – probably the largest single assembly of people in human history – he underlined the need to “hear

Poor children receiving a free meal in front of a Catholic church in Manila. &16 ¿OH SKRWR

the voice of the poor” as “it bids us to break the bonds of injustice” and “scandalous social inequities”.

“The poor are the centre of the Gospel,” he said.

Yet the gap between the poor and the rich is ever widening. The pope frequently laments that our material society ignores the plight of the poor, while the pursuit of a universal common good is barely an afterthought for those who control money and political power.

This mindset must change. As

As the pope put it, business and political leaders must recognise their ‘precise responsibility’ towards the most vulnerable members of society. the pope put it, business and political leaders must recognise their “precise responsibility” towards the most vulnerable members of society. He quite correctly states that the poor “ought to shape every political and economic decision”.

Sadly, the opposite is too often the case. The poor are infrequently considered and the gap between the haves and have-nots is ever growing. In the past ¿ve years, the world’s 80 richest people doubled their wealth. At the same time, more than a billion people subsist on less than US$1.50 (S$2) per day and 800,000 of them are undernourished.

The level of inequality is in itself scandalous. What makes it worse is the degree to which many business magnates hoard wealth, acquire inÀuence and manoeuvre governments into tax and economic policies detrimental to others, particularly the poor.

But wealth itself is not the problem. Society requires the spark of entrepreneurial initiative, intellect and toil to prosper. The problem is when accumulating wealth becomes an end in itself instead of a means to do good.

In the words of Pope Francis, society’s leaders should ensure humanity is served by wealth, not ruled by it. CNS 7KLV HGLWRULDO ¿UVW DSSHDUHG LQ WKH -DQ 22 issue of The Catholic Register, the Toronto-based national Catholic Canadian newspaper.

Our eyes as windows to our souls MOST all of us worry about ageing, especially in how it affects our bodies. We worry about wrinkles, bags under our eyes, middle-age fat, and losing hair where we want it only to ¿nd it on places where we don’t want it. So every now and then, when we look in a mirror or see a recent photograph of ourselves, we are shocked at our own faces and bodies, almost not recognising ourselves as we see an old face and old body where we are used to seeing a young one.

But examining ourselves for signs of ageing isn’t a bad practice, except that we should be looking for things other than wrinkles, loose skin, hair loss, and weight gain. With these bodily things, nature eventually has its way. Where we should be looking for signs of ageing is in our eyes. It’s there where the real signs of ageing and senility reveal themselves.

If we were to set up a mirror and stare straight into our own eyes, what would we see? Are our eyes tired, unenthusiastic, cynical, lifeless, dead? Do they radiate mostly anger and jealousy? Is there any ¿re there? Are they so deadened so as to be incapable of being surprised? Have they lost their innocence? Is there still a child buried somewhere behind them?

The real signs of senility are betrayed by the eyes, not the body.

Loose skin merely reveals that we are ageing physically, nothing more. Bodies age and die in a process as inevitable and natural as the changing of the seasons, but dead eyes signify a more deadly senility, something less natural, a fatigued spirit. Spirits are meant to be forever young, forever childlike, forever innocent. They are not meant to deaden and die. But they can die through a lack of passion, through the illusion of familiarity, through a loss of innocence and wonder, through a fatigue of the spirit, and through practical despair.

Despair is a curious thing. Mostly we despair not because we grow weary of the shortcomings and sufferings in life and, at last, ¿nd life too much to take. Rather we despair for the opposite reason, namely, we grow cynical of joy. Joy lies in experiencing life as fresh, as novel, as primal, as a child does, with a certain purity of spirit. This type of joy is not pleasure, though there’s pleasure in it.

Pleasure of course can be had without joy but that kind of pleasure is the product of a lack of wonder and reverence in experiencing. That kind of pleasure is initially experienced as a victory, as a throwing off of naiveté, as liberation; but it soon turns into defeat, into dullness, boredom, and a deadened eros. Our palate loses its itch for tasting. Our enthusiasm dies and a certain fatigue of the soul sets in. There is nothing left in us that’s fresh and young, and our eyes begin to show this. They lose their sparkle, their childlikeness.

In her poignant novel, Stone Angel, Margaret Laurence describes her heroine, a despairing lady named Hagar, looking into a mirror and saying to herself: “I stood for a long time, looking, wondering how a person could change so much… So gradually it happens. The face – a brown and leathery face that wasn’t mine. Only the eyes were mine, staring as though to pierce the lying glass and get beneath to some true image, in¿nitely distant.”

A good look in the mirror for most of us, sadly, reveals much the same, a lifeless face that’s not really ours and dull eyes, our own, but hidden beneath a lying glass. Somewhere the ¿re has gone out; our eyes and face are devoid of wonder and innocence.

What’s to be done? We need to take a good long look at ourselves in a mirror and study our eyes, long and hard, and let what we see shock us enough to move us towards the road of unlearning, of post-sophistication, of wonder, or renewed innocence. Here’s the counsel: Go to mirror and stare into your eyes long enough until you see there again the boy or girl who once inhabited that space. In that, wonder will be born, a sparkle will return and, with it, a freshness that can make you young again.

Our eyes don’t grow tired, rather they get buried. That’s what causes the blank, passionless stare. Bodies tire, but eyes are windows to the soul and they are forever eager to see.

FOCUS 21

Sunday February 22, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Seeking God in quiet and peace Individually-directed retreats are becoming popular among Christians of various traditions Christians are especially invited to deep and frequent prayer during Lent. A retreat is one of the ways people respond to this invitation.

A retreat is an experience of God, an intimate encounter, where a person deliberately withdraws from daily activities in order to listen to and speak with God, says the website of the Cenacle Sisters.

People here are often presented with opportunities to attend retreats, which come in various forms: preached retreats, guided retreats, retreats in daily life, athome retreats and directed retreats.

A preached retreat is usually conducted by a preacher for a big group of people, such as those in ministry in a particular parish, and it comes with a speciÂżc theme. No individual spiritual direction is usually given on these occasions.

A guided retreat is an adaptation of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order. Guidelines and suggestions for prayer are given to the group, with times for personal prayer and reÀection.

A retreat in daily life (also derived from the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius) is recommended for those who wish to make the Spiritual Exercises outside of the 30-day live-in retreat. A director accompanies the retreatant by guiding his or her prayer.

An at-home retreat is an experience of a retreat for 10 weeks, while one carries on with his or her daily activities, led by a trained retreat guide.

An individually directed retreat is done one-on-one and is given by a spiritual director, who consults with the retreatant daily to offer guidance and whatever help is needed. Silence is observed at all times.

The spiritual director plans the

A retreatant at one of the Cenacle-run retreats in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

I believe there is a deep longing in every person for silence ‘DQG VROLWXGH WR WKDW SODFH ZKHUH WKH\ FDQ ÂżQG *RG ZLWKLQ ’

– Franciscan Missionary of the Divine Motherhood Sr Florence Lim

Members of Life Direction Singapore, an ecumenical and inclusive community of spiritual directors. They include Religious, ordained ministers and laity.

retreat according to the personal desires, capacities and needs of the retreatant, say the Cenacle Sisters, who were established to provide spiritual direction and faith formation.

Asked which form of retreat is more popular, Franciscan Missionary of the Divine Motherhood Sr Florence Wong, replies that depends on what the person is looking for. “A preached retreat is more popular for active ministry and cer-

tain parishioners, as few are able to keep the silence,� adds Sr Florence, one of the earlier members of Life Direction Singapore (LDS).

LDS is an ecumenical community of spiritual directors that includes both Religious, ordained ministers and laity, from both Catholic and other Christian traditions.

Established in 1983, one of its roles is to ensure the competency and ongoing professional development of its members.

There has been a steady climb in

When was the last time you had fun? Name the occasion.

me through the other opened door.

I had fun when we played Pinoy Henyo (Filipino Genius) as a community for our Christmas party in December. (Pinoy Henyo is a word-guessing game on noontime television in the Philippines).

Name an occasion when you felt God was far away.

day or the ministry ahead, etc.

I’d notice these thoughts and the feelings they may evoke in me.

Sometimes, when I observe any strong feelings in those thoughts (eg. joy, fear or anxiety), I would also bring them into my prayer.

Name an occasion you felt embarrassed/humbled.

The joy of learning to be available to different persons and for different things.

I was looking down at my purse while exiting the MRT station.

Without noticing what was infront of me, I bumped into the glass door with a ‘boink!’ I just stood there and felt so embarrassed while others walked pass

Credit: Cenacle Sisters

Photo: Life Direction Singapore

By Mel Diamse-Lee

When I fell sick while travelling alone in Sagada, Philippines.

What do you like best about being a Religious?

What are the usual distractions during your prayer time? What do you do about them?

Thoughts about what I’d be doing after prayer – plans for the

Pope Francis calls for a church of the poor, for the poor. How do you live that within your vocation?

I learn to live simply and to share what I may have with sisters in the community and with others (eg. the use of gadgets/resources, the ability to tinker with computers, etc).

Favourite book or author?

the number of retreatants who come to Religious-run retreat centres to make individually directed retreats, especially during the season of Lent and Advent. However, actual Âżgures could not be provided.

Christians from other traditions make up a sizeable proportion. At the Canossian-run Lifesprings Spirituality Centre, they comprise up to 80 percent, and up to 30 percent in other retreat centres.

What are the reasons retreatans spend quiet time alone in a directed retreat? “We are living in a noisy, fastmoving and secularized world which is very challenging. Workplace and family challenges take a lot of energy and one gets burnt out,� says Sr Florence.

Ms Marven Harkness, a lay spiritual director from a nonCatholic church, says, “An individually directed retreat is personoriented and situational. When one is seeking guidance, such as

Henri Nouwen. His writings have helped me in growing to know and relate with myself, others and God better.

Favourite food?

I enjoy food generally. I like Hokkien mee and pasta.

What do you normally do to relax?

I listen to music, watch a movie/ television programme, read, or go out for a walk/jog.

Singaporean Sr Xiaowei Lee Assigned to Manila and Macau Religious of the Cenacle http://www.cenaclephilsing.org

whether to move to another job [or stay put], they make a retreat to ¿nd God’s purpose for them.�

However, the bulk of retreatants from other Christian churches “want to go deeper in their relationship with God�, she adds.

ConÂżrming this is Canossian Sr Louisa Lim, directress of Lifesprings, who notes that retreatants come for various reasons, including to clarify what is happening inside of them.

Sr Florence remarks, “I believe there is a deep longing in every person for silence and solitude, to that place where they can Âżnd God within.â€?

Say the lay spiritual directors of Kingsmead Centre in an email, “Silence... encourages the retreant to become attentive to the promptings of God and the Holy Spirit.� „ In the next issue: Retreat houses in Singapore mel.lee@catholic.org.sg

What do you usually do when with your biological family?

We go out for meals or we go for a short vacation together. „

22 FAITH ALIVE!

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Ash Wednesday’s embrace on a journey toward change

By Daniel S Mulhall There are three days within the Church’s liturgical year that are guaranteed to bring people to a Church service. The ¿rst two are Christmas and Easter. They are the two most important feasts in Christianity, marking, as they do, the birth and resurrection of Jesus.

The third day is Ash Wednesday.

Unlike Christmas and Easter, Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation and Mass attendance is not required. Instead of liturgical pageantry, participants come to a simple and solemn service that focuses on an act of humility.

The focal point of Ash Wednesday (and thus, its name) is the reception of ashes smudged in the shape of the cross on one’s forehead, and not the reception of the body and blood of Christ as it is at other Catholic liturgical celebrations.

While Mass still occurs and the Eucharistic feast is still offered to God, many people come just to receive the ashes. What is it about Ash Wednesday that it exerts such a pull on the lives of Catholics?

As the ¿rst day of the six weeks of the Lenten season, Ash Wednesday begins a period of fasting, penitence, almsgiving and abstaining from rich food and drink (such as meat and alcohol).

By receiving a cross of ashes on one’s forehead, the Christian (yes,

By being marked with the sign of the cross, &KULVWLDQV UHDI¿UP their baptismal commitment to being the Lord’s disciple.

A man receives ashes on Ash Wednesday which marks the start of Lent. &16 ¿OH SKRWRV

Ash Wednesday is observed in most mainline Protestant traditions as well) expresses a commitment to take Lent seriously and to participate actively in the Lenten practices.

By being marked with the sign of the cross, Christians reaf¿rm their baptismal commitment to being the Lord’s disciple. The smudged forehead signi¿es that a person is returning to the Lord.

Lent is a penitential season for all Christians, whether one is devout, pious and a faithful churchgoer or one hasn’t stepped foot in a church or prayed for years. During Lent, all are called to return to the Lord, to admit their sinfulness and to change their lives.

The change of heart the Lord asks of us may actually be harder for the devout than it is for those who have been away for years.

Those of us who seek to be faithful may be blind to our weaknesses and failures, while many of those who stay away do so because they know all too well their sinfulness.

As Pope Francis continually tells us, the Church must act like a ¿eld hospital: we must offer care, compassion and love to everyone seeking the healing touch of the Lord. Ours is not to judge or

Toward Lent with ashes and humility

By Marcellino D’Ambrosio Our Lenten journey begins with repentance. And one de¿nition of “repentance” is to humble oneself before the Lord. We begin the Lenten season with ashes on our forehead as a sign of humility.

But we need to stop here and correct a common misconception. Lots of people think that humility means being down on yourself, shrinking from a challenge, being shy, retiring, being soft-spoken.

In the Catholic tradition, it means nothing of the sort.

When we are told that we are created in the image of God, it means that we have incomparable dignity. Even the ancient philosophers, without the bene¿t of revelation, knew that we human beings have an irrepressible desire to accomplish great deeds and “become someone”.

So it was not wrong for the apostles James and John to ask to sit at Jesus’ right and left. The problem is, they are clueless about what sitting at Jesus’ right and left

A Catholic woman lights a candle after receiving ashes on her forehead in observance of Ash Wednesday at a Redemptorist parish outside of Manila, Philippines.

means. So Jesus tells them. He tells them that it means serving. It means serving until it hurts, even unto death.

Humility is possible only for the free and those who are secure, as Jesus was, in the Father’s love,

and who have no need of pomp and circumstance or need for those who fawn over them. They know who they are, where they’ve come from and they know where they are going.

Humility means having a

true estimate of oneself and being human means that I’m made in God’s image and likeness.

Therefore I’m gifted. It means I have dignity and a great destiny.

But being human also means that I’m a creature. It also means I am not the creator. I have limits that I need to recognise and respect.

This is the season when we hear the reminder found in Genesis 3:16, “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

St Paul talks about the Christian life as a race and encourages us to “run so as to win” (1 Cor 9:24). It’s not just OK to be competitive. We are commanded to strive to excel.

But true greatness consists in sharing in the sacri¿cial love of Christ, who comes to serve rather than to be served. That means that this race St Paul is talking about is a race to the bottom. CNS D’Ambrosio writes from Texas, USA. He is co-founder of Crossroads Productions, an apostolate of Catholic renewal and evangelisation.

demand that people change their ways to feel the Lord’s blessing.

Let them ¿rst be healed from their suffering, and then we can try to help them amend their thinking and behaviour. What a powerful image of the Lord’s love and mercy!

There are things that we can do as we embark on this Lenten journey to make the most of this return to the Lord.

The prophet Isaiah tells us (Is 58:6-8) what is required: release those bound unjustly, ease the burden of those who struggle, set free those oppressed, give shelter, food and clothing to those in need. Only then shall our light “break forth like the dawn” and our wounds heal.

Ashes are an outward sign of our desire to return to the Lord, but they are only meaningful if they lead us to conversion of hearts and a changing of our lives.

CNS Mulhall is a catechist. He lives in Laurel, Maryland, USA.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Ash Wednesday, though not a holy day of obligation, seems to enjoy an incredible amount of popularity.

“What is it about Ash Wednesday?” asked Mr Marc Cardaronella, director of religious education in a church in Ilinois, USA. It’s a good question, considering that it takes us on the path toward a penitential season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Ash Wednesday reminds us that “we need help with life and can’t do it alone,” says Mr Cardaronella.

“Most of the time we don’t turn to God for that help. But on this one day, Ash Wednesday, a lot of us recognise the need for God’s mercy and grace to get by.

That is really the essence of Lent. A spiritual reset. Wipe the hard drive clean, reinstall the operating system and start fresh.”

23

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Indonesian Catholic community stays strong despite high turnover

By Lorna O’Hara

the second and fourth Sundays; at the Church of St Mary of the Angels on the third Sunday, and at the Blessed Sacrament Church on the ¿fth Sunday if there is one.

The community has four choirs which take turns to sing in Bahasa Indonesia during Mass.

Mrs Handojo shared that about 2,000 Indonesian Catholics attend these Masses every month.

“After every Mass, there is a gathering. It’s our tradition that we have snacks and drinks,” shared Mr Handojo.

Mrs Handojo added that with the large numbers of Indonesian Catholics attending the Masses, volunteers who help to prepare the meals follow a roster.

Prayer group meetings are also held every Wednesday morning from 10 am-noon.

“The eldest [who attends the meetings] is 84 and the youngest is around 20,” she said.

There is also an Indonesian

In 1984, six Indonesian Catholics approached Mrs Josephine Handojo, as they wanted to create an Indonesian Catholic community in Singapore. They believed that Indonesian Catholics were being “lured to join other Christian denominations”, shared Mr Agus Handojo, 74, the husband of Josephine, one of the group’s coordinators.

Thus, the Keluarga Katolik Indonesia di Singapura (KKIS) or the Indonesian Catholic community in Singapore was formed.

CatholicNews spoke to Mr Handojo and his 74-year-old wife Josephine, together with the group’s spiritual director, Sacred Heart Fr Sambodo Sru Ujianto in Blessed Sacrament Church, to ¿nd out more about the community.

At present, Fr Sambodo “is like a nomad”, said Mrs Handojo during the Jan 28 interview. She said that even though Fr Sambodo was in Singapore for three years, he still does not have an of¿ce to hold consultations despite conducting “a lot of interviews for those getting married or wanting to attend RCIA”.

Moreover, the commu- From left: Mrs Josephine Handojo, spiritual director Fr nity faces a Sambodo Sru Ujianto and Mr Agus Handojo. high turnover rate. Currently, most Indonesian Catholic youth group in SingaCatholics who come to Singa- pore called AmoreDio. It holds pore are young adults studying on cell group meetings and activities scholarship, or working here on in at least eight locations. a short-term basis. As such, it’s There is also the Persekutuan a challenge to ¿nd a team who is Doa Karismatik Katolik OLPS willing to serve the community (OLPS Indonesian Charismatic on a long-term basis, said Mr prayer group), which meets every Handojo. third Saturday of the month at Mrs Handojo added that 3.30 pm. on one occasion, for the comApart from these activities, munity’s 20th anniversary cel- there is also Legion of Mary, ebrations, they put up a musical RCIA, as well as children’s litcalled Perhaps Love, but “three urgy. months before that, the secretary More importantly, every had left for Indonesia and then Thursday after lunchtime, Fr two people, the treasurer and one Sambodo, along with some memof the most active ladies who bers of the community, “visit the is his wife, also left”, said Mrs sick [Indonesian Catholics] in Handojo. the whole of Singapore. If some“We were struggling but on body calls from Changi Hospital, the whole, it [the musical] was a I must go there. Especially for success,” she said. the anointing of the sick,” said Fr Despite this, the coordinators Sambodo. still ensure that there are weekly This year, KKIS will celebrate Masses for all Indonesian Catho- its 30th anniversary with a talent lics. show on July 4. There will also be Masses are held at 3.30pm a special Mass at the Church of St every Sunday at the Church of Bernadette on July 12.

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour For more information, visit (OLPS) every ¿rst Sunday; at http://kkis.org/kkis/index.php; the Church of St Bernadette on http://cg.amoredio.org/

Members of the Indonesian Catholic community having some fun during a gathering. Photo: OKKIE TANUPRADJA

Charismatic group serves the community The Karismatik Katolik Indonesia Holy Spirit (KKIHS), which was established in 2000, is another group which caters to Indonesian Catholics in Singapore, said Ms Leny Januar, 49, one of the group’s coordinators.

When asked why KKIHS is not part of KKIS, Ms Januar said that KKIHS “operates independently”.

Currently, Fr Michael Sitaram is KKIHS’ spiritual director.

Every ¿rst Sunday of the month, Mass is held at 3.30 pm, at the Church of the Holy Spirit chapel, said Ms Januar.

“There are also prayer meetings, praise and worship, talks and fellowship held on the second and last Friday of the month at 7.45 pm” in the Church of St

Vincent de Paul, she said.

These activities are also held every Thursday at Holy Spirit Church at 2.30 pm.

KKIHS also holds “faith formation” seminars once a year, said Ms Januar.

To know more about KKIHS, visit http://kkihs.org/pd/ lorna.ohara@catholic.org.sg

24

Sunday February 22, 2015 „ CatholicNews

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

St Casimir St Casimir was born in 1458 and was the second son of the king of Poland.

His mother was Elizabeth of Austria, the daughter of Emperor Albert II. Casimir was very devout from a young age and prayed and meditated often. He wore plain clothes, slept on the Àoor and was very happy and friendly to everyone he met. He was known to give his possessions to the poor.

He reluctantly agreed when his father asked him to take an army to war, but then he changed his mind. His father was angry and would not let him come home, and Casimir vowed to never again take part in war. He eventually returned to his studies. Emperor Frederick III wanted Casimir to marry his daughter, but Casimir had decided to live a life of celibacy.

He suffered from lung trouble and died in 1484 at age 25.

Miracles were reported to take place at his tomb. We honour him on March 4. „

since the desires of the human heart are evil from youth; nor will I ever again strike down every living being, as I have done,� God said to Himself.

God blessed Noah and his sons, and told them to be fertile and multiply to Âżll the earth. God also made a covenant with Noah, His descendants and all the animals that were on the ark. He made a rainbow in the sky as a sign of that covenant. “Never again shall all creatures

be destroyed by the waters of a Àood; there shall not be another Àood to devastate the earth,� God said. „ Read more about it: Genesis 6-9

Q&A 1. What types of birds did Noah release?

2. What was the sign of God’s covenant?

Wordsearch: „ ARK

„ DOVE

„ FLOOD

„ SKY

„ WIND

„ OLIVE

„ EVIL

„ NOAH

„ LEAF

„ EARTH

„ WATER

„ YOUTH

BIBLE TRIVIA: What was the unit of measurement Noah used when building the ark?

(Hint: Genesis 6)

Bible Accent:

Answer to Bible Trivia: Cubits

A “covenantâ€? is an agreement. After the Ă€ood, God made a covenant with Noah, promising that He would never again destroy all life on earth. God also made covenants with several other people in the Old Testament.

In Genesis 12, God promised that He would make of Abraham a great nation. In Exodus, God made a covenant with Moses and the people of Israel, giving them the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic law. In 2 Samuel, God made a covenant with King David, telling him that his descendants would be Israel’s rulers.

In the New Testament, Hebrews 9 explains that Jesus is “mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the Âżrst covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritanceâ€?. „

PUZZLE: Put a check mark next to the sentences below that are commands *RG JDYH WR 1RDK DQG KLV IDPLO\ DIWHU WKH ÀRRG )RU KLQWV VHH Genesis 9:1-7. ___ 1. Subdue the earth. ___ 2. Be afraid of the unclean animals. ___ 3. Be fertile and multiply. ___ 4. Be nice to each other. ___ 5. Do not eat meat with its lifeblood in it.

Answer to Wordsearch

God saw that the people of earth had become very wicked, and He was very sorry He had created them. So He decided to wipe out all of the living creatures on earth, mankind and animals alike, by creating a great Àood.

But there was one man who found favour with God. His name was Noah.

So God told Noah to build an ark for his family so they would survive the Àood.

He also decided that He would save some of the animals, too, and told Noah to take seven pairs of all the clean animals and one pair of all the unclean animals in the ark with him and his family.

Then it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. The water became so high that the highest mountains were covered.

Everything that had been on the dry land died, but the ark Àoated safely on top of the water.

After 150 days, God created a wind to dry up the water. The ark came to rest on top of a high mountain. After a time, Noah opened a hatch in the ark and released a raven, which Àew back and forth until the water had dried up.

Then Noah released a dove to see whether the waters had lessened. It could not ¿nd a place to land, so it Àew back to the ark. A week later, Noah released another dove, and it came back with an olive leaf in its mouth, so he knew the water was getting lower.

A week later, Noah released another dove, and this time it did not return.

Noah then removed the ark’s covering and saw that the land was dry.

God told Noah, his family and the animals to leave the ark. Noah built an altar and made sacriÂżces to the Lord. “Never again will I curse the ground because of human beings,

Answer to puzzle: 1. Subdue the earth; 3. Be fertile and multiply; 5. Do not eat meat with its lifeblood in it..

By Jennifer Ficcaglia

WHAT’S ON 25

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

EVENT SUBMISSIONS We welcome information of events happening in our local Church.

Please send your submission at least one month before the event. Online submissions can be made at www. catholic.org.sg/webevent_form.php

CATECHISM FOR THE ELDERLY Catechism classes for the elderly are held in English, Mandarin, Peranakan, Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese on Thursdays from 1pm-2.45pm at Holy Family Church and on Saturdays at St Joseph’s Church, Victoria Street, parish hall from 9.30am11.30am. Register T: 9115 5673 (Andrew).

RCIA/RCIY

FEBRUARY 9 TO APRIL 13 AT HOME RETREAT 7.30pm-9.30pm: Join us for a 10-week programme based on the spiritual exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola, which will enable participants to know Jesus Christ more intimately in the midst of the daily routine of life. Each session will include faith sharing, daily prayer using scripture and spiritual direction. Organised by Cenacle Sisters and team. At St Joseph’s Church, 143 Victoria Street. Register T: 6565 2895 / 9722 3138; E: cenaclesing@gmail.com.

A journey for those seeking to know more about the Catholic faith.

Baptised Catholics are also invited to journey as sponsors.

WEDNESDAYS MARCH 4 RCIA @ CHURCH OF HOLY FAMILY 7.30pm-9.30pm: 6 Chapel Road.

Register T: 9666 6542; E: rcia@holyfam@gmail.com.

TUESDAYS JUNE 24 RCIA @ CHURCH OF STS PETER AND PAUL 7.30pm-9.30pm: 225A Queen Street.

Register T: 9753 6863 (Joanna Sng, coordinator); E: sng.joanna@gmail.com.

FEBRUARY 9 TO APRIL 20 READING WITH THE PILGRIM 8pm-10pm: In his book, The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times, the late Fr Dean Brackley, SJ, explores the social implications of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius. This series of 10 Monday evening gatherings (Feb 9-March 2, March 16-April 20) will be devoted to reading, praying and sharing questions and insights on this insightful, inspiring and important book. Organised by Kingsmead Centre.

Fee: $100. At 8 Victoria Park Road.

Register T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@ gmail.com; W: www.kingsmeadcentre.sg.

WEDNESDAYS FEBRUARY 11 RCIA @ CHURCH OF CHRIST THE KING 8pm-10pm: 221 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, RCIA Room 105. Register T: 8188 4141 (Benjamin Chan) / 8188 4242 (Gwen Lim); E: query.rcia@gmail.com.

SUNDAYS APRIL 12 RCIA @ CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR 7.30pm-9.30pm: 31 Siglap Hill.

Register T: 9630 3276 (Edward); E: jjwong5@yahoo.com.sg.

FEBRUARY 18 PERANAKAN MASS 11pm: The Peranakan community of Holy Family Church invites all Nyonyas and Babas to usher in the Chinese New Year of the Goat. Datang semua pakay sarong kebaya sama baju lokchuan. The Mass will be celebrated by Fr Damian de Wind in Baba Malay.This Peranakan Mass was initiated by Fr Alfred Chan about 30 years ago and the Peranakan Community will endeavour to continue this tradition in honour of Fr Alfred Chan.Organised by Church of the Holy Family Peranakan Community. At 6 Chapel Rd.

SUNDAYS MARCH 1 TO APRIL 3, 2016 RCIY @ CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER 10.15am-noon: At 63A Chartwell Drive.

Register T: 9751 3448 (Mark) / 9002 9977 (Angela); E: angela.soh137@gmail.com.

FRIDAYS MARCH 6 RCIA @ CHURCH OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE 8pm-10pm: 4 Sandy Lane. Enquiries T: 9030 9527; E: admin@queenofpeace.sg / martinds52@gmail.com.

FEBRUARY 24 TO MARCH 24 PASS IT ON! BY MICHELLE MORAN 7.30pm-9.30pm: Join us for a ¿ve-part video series called Pass It On! The series aims to share the Good News with others.

There will be illustrations and practical tips on how you can respond with courage to the pope’s challenge of the New Evangelisation. Organised by F.R.E.E

SATURDAYS FEBRUARY 28 RCIA @ CHURCH OF ST IGNATIUS 4pm: 120 King’s Road. Enquiries T: 9762 6330 (Evelyn) / 9790 5251 (Ruth); E: rciy.ignatius@gmail.com; W: http://stignatius.org.sg/dvc/rciy.html.

Ministry from Church of the Risen Christ.

At 91 Toa Payoh Central.

Register E: free.risenchrist@gmail.com; W: http://free.risenchrist.org.sg.

FEBRUARY 24 WHAT IS CHRISTIAN MISSION? TALK ON JESUS CHRIST 7.30pm-9.30pm: If you’d like to know more about why we should do mission work, this talk by Fr Gerard Louis, CSSR, is for you. Light refreshments will be provided. Organised by CHARIS. At 55 Waterloo Street, St Flora Room, Level 2.

Register E: lilynne@charis-singapore.org.

Enquiries T: 6337 4119.

FEBRUARY 27 NOX GAUDII, NIGHTS OF JOY 8pm-10pm: Mark your calendars for a very special Nox Gaudii which will be hosted by the 2015 School of Witness participants. Archbishop William Goh will be the keynote speaker at the event.

Be sure to come in at 7.45 pm to get a seat. Organised by OYP. At 2 Lorong Low Koon. Enquiries E: info.oyp@catholic. org.sg; W: www.oyp.com.sg.

FEBRUARY 28 LOGOS THE ENCOUNTER 1: JESUS THE INCARNATE WORD 9am-5pm: This is the ¿rst out of ¿ve series of retreats which aims to encourage participants to pray with the Scriptures, and apply the Living Word to their own lives.

Fee inclusive of lunch and tea breaks: $50.

Closing date to register: Feb 16. Organised

by Verbum Dei Missionaries. At IHM Retreat House, 46 Kovan Road. Register T: 6280 0354; E: logosencounter@gmail.com.

MARCH 1 TO APRIL 28 A BIBLICAL WALK WITH THE BLESSED MOTHER – PRESENTED

BY DR ED SRI 9am-10.45am (Sundays); 8pm-9.30pm (Tuesdays); 10am-11.30am (Fridays): If you wonder why Mary is so important to Catholics, join us for a DVD study series ¿lmed in the Holy Land, which will take you into the life of Mary while on earth, and how she works in our lives. The series is free of charge. Organised by the Biblical Apostolate Team from IHM. At CAEC, 2 Highland Road, St John’s Room Level 2 (Sundays) / Immaculate Heart of Mary, 24 Highland Road, Parish Centre, St Philips Room, Level 2 (Tuesdays and Fridays).

Register E: bat@ihm.sg (Christina / Laura).

MARCH 3 WHAT IS CHRISTIAN MISSION? TALK ON HOLY SPIRIT (FOR

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Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1128

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

ACROSS 1 “_____ was in the beginning, is now…”

5 Good 10 Fissure 14 Major Leaguer, “The Georgia Peach” 15 Silly 16 Jacob was afraid to meet him 17 Latin Mass 19 Aaron made a golden one

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MARCH 3 TO MARCH 24 SPECIAL NEEDS CATECHESIS 1 – UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 7.30pm-10pm: Participants will hear and experience the uniqueness of those with special needs – the frustrations and challenges they encounter. Organised

by ONE. At CAEC, 2 Highland Road.

Register E: angelina@one.org.sg.

MARCH 12 TO MARCH 15 PARISH RENEWAL EXPERIENCE 7.15pm: This retreat would help to heighten the awareness that the parish is not a “we and they” arrangement but instead, a family living with one another.

Organised by Blessed Sacrament Church.

At 1 Commonwealth Drive. Register E: PRE@bsc.org.

MARCH 13 TO MARCH 14 WORKSHOP ON EVANGELII GAUDIUM BY FR DAVID GARCIA How can we evangelise and spread the joy of the Gospel to others in our lives? Why are we called to reach out to those in need?

This workshop will focus on the content of Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium.

Besides content input, participants will be challenged to reÀect on the messages from this document and to ¿nd ways on how they can put these messages into practice. Organised by Caritas Singapore.

At 55 Waterloo Street, Catholic Centre, Level 2. Register T: 6338 9453 (Gail); E: formation@caritas-singapore.org.

MARCH 14 MEDITATIVE PRAYER USING THE SONGS OF TAIZE 8pm-9.30pm: Join us for a meditative prayer using the songs of Taize. All are welcome. Organised by Singapore Taize Core Group. At The Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, 60 Hill Street. Enquiries T: 9837 7256; E: bennycah@gmail.com; W: www.taize.fr/en.

MARCH 14 UNDERSTANDING RELATIONSHIPS 10am-noon: Gain some perspectives on how to develop mature and responsible relationships. Fee: $20. Concession for THRIVE partners only. Organised by

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OVERSEAS MISSION) 7.30pm-9.30pm: Join us for a talk on the Christian mission by Fr Gerard Louis, CSSR. Know more about what exactly is Christian mission, why do mission work, and how can we align ourselves to its purpose. Light refreshments will be provided. Organised by CHARIS. At Catholic Centre, 55 Waterloo Street, Level 2, St Flora Room. Enquiries T: 6337 4119. Register E: lilynne@charissingapore.org (Lilynne).

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Clarity. At Theatrette, Nee Soon South CC, 30 Yishun Street 81.

Register T: 6757 7990 / 9710 3733; E: registration@clarity-singapore.org.

MARCH 16 CATHOLIC EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2015 8am-5pm: Explore the character of Catholic schools and exchange ideas on forging Catholic ethos in them. Organised

by Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools. At St Gabriel’s Secondary School, 24 Serangoon Avenue 1. Register E: katherine.manalang@catholic.org.sg; W: http://www.accs.sg/cec-2015/.

MARCH 21, 22 AND MARCH 28 BASIC CATECHIST COURSE LEVEL 1 – EVANGELISATION & MISSION 9am-9pm: This personal retreat will be a time of prayers, encounter with the Word, participation in the sacraments, and the paraliturgy to deepen one’s faith. Organised

by Of¿ce for The New Evangelisation.

At CAEC, 2 Highland Road. Register T: 6858 7012 (Sylvia); E: sylvia@one.org.sg.

MARCH 21, 22, 28 AND MARCH 29 IGNITE! LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINAR (LISS) 12.45pm-early evening: Calling all young adults (aged 21-35)! Do you want to begin the year differently? Do you want to be empowered and transformed by the Lord?

Ignite Young Adult Charismatic Community is organising a two-weekend LISS just for you! Fee: $10. At Church of the Holy Trinity hall / chapel. Closing date to register: Feb 28. Enquiries T: 9684 0486 (Dapheni) / 9793 3813 (Johanna); E: dapheni@ gmail.com / mariecanlas@yahoo.com.

MARCH 30 TO JUNE 15 LANDINGS PROGRAMME FOR RETURNING CATHOLICS 8pm-10pm: Calling all who have left the faith, come for our 10-week Landings programme to rekindle your personal relationship with God. Organised by Landings. At Church of the Holy Spirit, 248B Upper Thomson Road. Register T: 9369 2100 (Leonard) / 9863 1590 (Tricia); E: returning@landings.org.sg; W: http://www.landings.org.sg.

APRIL 2 CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER THROUGH CHANT 8pm-10pm: Fr Damien’s Youth Choir will be singing contemplative Taize chants.

The chants reÀect the love and suffering of Jesus Christ. Come and join us in prayer and meditation through chant. Organised

by Fr Damien’s Youth Choir from Blessed Sacrament Church. At 1 Commonwealth Drive. Enquiries T: 9105 7446 (Gerry Cordeiro); E: Gerrycordeiro@gmail.com.

28 POPE FRANCIS

Sunday February 22, 2015 CatholicNews

Pope highlights father’s crucial role in family life &16 ¿OH SKRWR

VATICAN CITY – Every family

needs a father, a father who shares in his family’s joy and pain, hands down wisdom to his children and offers them ¿rm guidance and love, Pope Francis said.

Being a father is not easy since it takes lots of patience and grace, he added. “But what consolation, what a reward one receives when the children honour this legacy. It is a joy that more than makes up for the hard work, that overcomes every misunderstanding and heals every wound,” the pope said at his general audience on Feb 4.

Speaking to about 7,000 people in the Paul VI audience hall, the pope spelled out the essential, but demanding, things it takes to be a good father. The most important is being present, ¿rst by being by his wife’s side “to share everything, joy and pain, hard work and hope” and by being there for his children as they grow, he said.

A father is there for his kids “when they play and when they work hard, when they are playful and when they are distressed,

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when they are communicative and when they are taciturn, when they are daring and when they are afraid, when they have strayed and when they have found their way again”.

However, being present “is not the same as being controlling, you know, because fathers who are too controlling suffocate their children and don’t let them grow”, the pope stressed.

A father knows how to ¿rmly correct children’s mistakes without demeaning or demoralising them, as well as protect them at all costs, the pope said. A good father also knows how to forgive sincerely from the heart and be patient and merciful, like the father in the Gospel account of the prodigal son.

“How much dignity and how much tenderness in that father who is waiting by the door”, waiting for the child who has strayed, he said. “Yes, fathers must be patient. So many times there’s nothing left to do but wait, pray and wait with patience, tenderness, magnanimity and mercy.”

A parent ¿nds pride not in having the child “be the same as

me, who repeats what I say and what I do” but when the child has received the wisdom and values that really matter in life.

The pope said that a wise and mature father will be able to say to his children after they’ve grown: “I taught you things that you didn’t know, I corrected errors that you did not see. I let you feel an affection that was both deep and discreet that perhaps you did not fully recognise when you were young and unsure. I gave you witness of rigour and willpower that perhaps you did not understand when you just wanted complicity and protection.”

The father will say to his grown children as they have children of their own, “‘When I see that you try to be this way with your kids and with everyone, I am deeply moved. I am happy to be your father.’”

Without God’s grace, “fathers lose their courage and walk off the ¿eld”, said the pope. “But children need to ¿nd a father who is waiting for them when they return from their failures. They will do everything not to admit it, not to show it, but they need this, and not ¿nding him opens up in them wounds that are dif¿cult to heal.”

CNS

Pope to visit Bosnia VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis will

be visiting Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 6.

The pope made the surprise announcement on Feb 1 after praying the Angelus with those present in St Peter’s Square.

He said he hoped the oneday trip to Sarajevo, the capital, would “be an encouragement for the Catholic faithful, give rise to the development of the good, and contribute to strengthening fraternity, peace, interreligious dialogue and friendship”.

The Balkan nation, which is struggling to rebuild itself after a devastating war marked by ethnic cleansing, is still largely divided along ethnic lines. Bosniaks make up 48 percent of the country’s nearly 4 million people, while Serbs make up 37 percent and Croats 14 percent. About 40 percent of all citizens are Muslim, 31 percent Orthodox and 15 percent Catholic.

The 1992-1995 conÀict saw a Serb campaign of ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims after the mostly Muslim Bosnia-Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1992.

More than 200,000 Muslims and tens of thousands more were killed in the conÀict, more than

A woman waits for food outside a soup kitchen in Bosnia. &16 ¿OH SKRWR

600 Catholic churches were destroyed and hundreds of thousands of Catholics were forced to Àee certain regions.

Medjugorje, where six village children said they ¿rst saw Mary in June 1981, is located in the nation.

St John Paul II visited BosniaHerzegovina twice during his ponti¿cate. CNS

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