MARCH 10, 2013, Vol 63, No 05

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www.catholicnews.sg SUNDAY MARCH 10, 2013

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VOL 63

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“ and forms a key part of its diverse religious landscape.� – Lee Hsien Loong

23 January 2013

Dear Rev Msgr Goh Please accept my warmest congratulations on your upcoming ordination as Coadjutor Archbishop of Singapore. I have accepted Archbishop Nicholas Chia’s invitation to the Ordination Reception on 23 February 2013, and look forward to meeting you then. Singapore’s history, and forms a key part of its diverse religious landscape. It has worked hard to build links and trust with other religious groups, and to foster the religious harmony that we enjoy and treasure in Singapore. The Catholic Church also has a long and illustrious history of providing excellent educational and social services to Singaporeans, regardless of race or religion. The Catholic community has grown and thrived over the years, and now has 300,000 followers, 31 churches and over 140 priests island-wide. I the Church and the Catholic community will continue Singapore under your leadership. The Government has long enjoyed close and cooperative relations with the Catholic Church. I look forward to continuing and strengthening these good relations when you become Coadjutor Archbishop. Lee Hsien Loong

Photos and reports on the episcopal ordination: Pages I-VIII

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Presentation of the Elect at the Rite of Election ceremony at Church of St Mary of the Angels on Feb 16.

1,000 to join Archbishop Chia urges deeper understanding By Darren Boon More than 1,000 people are set to join the Catholic Church this Easter. A total of 962 catechumens (non-Christians seeking baptism) have been enrolled in the Book of the Elect and presented to Archbishop Nicholas Chia at the Rite of Election over two weekends. Seventy-seven candidates (baptised Christians seeking full communion with the Catholic Church) also took part in a rite called the Call to Continuing Conversion. They have been preparing for a year or more to receive or complete the Sacraments of Initiation since joining the various parishes’ RCIA or RCIY (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults/Youths) programmes. One Rite of Election was held

on Feb 16 at Church of St Mary of the Angels for the North and West Districts, and another on Feb 17 at the Church of the Holy Trinity for the City, East and Serangoon Districts. The Mandarin Rite of Election was held at Church of Christ the King on Feb 24. At the Rite of Election in English, Archbishop Nicholas Chia said the catechumens and candidates have “been chosen to join the community� that lives in a freedom of being able to reject temptation. While temptations are “part of life�, Archbishop Chia said that through the Gospel story of Jesus rejecting the devil’s temptations in the wilderness, “God wants to tell us that it is not necessary for human beings to fall into sin�. During the period of Lent, ened by Christ through their own “desert experience�, he said. “This time should be dedicat to call out to God in trials, hardships and dangers. Drawing close to God can be done through Scripture, he said. Catholics believe that “Scripture and Tradition are intrinsically linked�, Archbishop Chia said.

The Book of the Elect.

“Therefore I encourage a deepening in our understanding of Scripture and our Tradition – particularly during this Year of Faith.� He called for the study of the Bible with other believers and, more importantly, within one’s Christian community. Archbishop Chia also said that the Christian faith is “not a private faith� and “has to be proclaimed�. „ Continued on Page 3

ARCHBISHOP’S DIARY Mar 02 2.00pm Morning Star Community Services: Mass – Blessing Mar 19 10.00am St Joseph’s Home: Mass – Feast of St Joseph/Commissioning

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Rite of Election ceremony at Church of the Holy Trinity on Feb 17.

Archbishop Nicholas Chia presiding at the Feb 16 ceremony.

Church this Easter of Scripture and Tradition at Rite of Election „ From Page 2

The Elect’s recitation of the Creed at baptism to the Catholic community is “their testimony to commit to a new life in and with Christ�, he said. He assured those present of his prayers for them. Mr Joshua Tan, 21, from the Church of the Holy Spirit, told CatholicNews that he is “anxious, nervous and excited� as he awaits his baptism. He said he plans to prepare for this by praying with the church’s RCIY community. Ms Maghesh, from St Joseph’s Church (Bukit Timah), who will take on the name of Agatha at baptism, said she is happy as she really wants to be close to God, and sees herself getting there. Mr Gerald Zechariah Seow,

30, from Church of St Mary of the Angels who is already a baptised Christian, said he looks forward to receiving the Eucharist. He decided to embrace the Catholic faith due to its universality, he said. Ms Clare Ng, also from St Mary’s, shared that she feels “happier, more at peace and closer to God�. “Having been through the programme the past few months, you really feel the progression towards Christ, the closeness,� she said. She said plans to spend time baptism, she added. The Rite of Election refers to an understanding that God continues to choose people through the covenant of baptism, just as He established a covenant with Israel.

‘Having been through

the programme the past few months, you really feel the progression towards Christ, the closeness.

’

Ms Clare Ng, Church of St Mary of the Angels

The rite provides an opportunity for their names to be formally enrolled among God’s chosen people. The Elect will now undergo the rite of Scrutinies during the Lenten season to help them examine their lives. The community will pray that the Elect be freed from temptations and be protected as they continue their journey towards baptism. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

Candidates and catechumens from Novena Church.

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Remembering Marymount Convent’s late principal By Darren Boon A remembrance Mass will be held for the late principal of Marymount Convent, Dr Mary McCarthy, on April 6. She died on April 7 last year, at the age of 77, upon arrival in Singapore. The Irish educator collapsed from DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) at Changi Airport and passed away at Changi General Hospital that afternoon. Dr McCarthy, who retired in Canada, was supposed to have celebrated Easter with friends and meet up with former pupils and staff of Marymount Convent. The remembrance Mass is part of an afternoon of nostalgia organised by the Alumnae of Marymount Convent for friends, former pupils and staff. It includes a ! ! day obligation. Dr McCarthy, a former Good Shepherd Sister arrived in Singapore in 1959. Known as Sr Mary Kevin then, she became Marymount Convent’s second principal two years later. She returned to secular life in 1977 but remained close to the Good Shepherd Sisters. She continued as principal until 1991 when she retired and later settled in Canada. However, she continued to visit Singapore regularly and stayed in touch with her friends and former students. Her vision for her students was recorded in a 1989 commemorative school magazine in which she

believed that they were capable of achieving the ideals mentioned in the popular song, The Greatest Love of All. Her former pupils say they remember her “strong presence and piercing blue eyes� that evoked discipline when the girls became rowdy.

A special Mass will be celebrated for Dr Mary McCarthy, a former Good Shepherd nun, who died last year.

The Afternoon of Nostalgia will be held at Marymount Convent, 20 Marymount Road, on April 6 from 3-6.30pm. Highlights include conducted tours of the school and a presentation of plans for the school’s future. Commemorative items will also be sold. The event is open to all. No registration required. For enquiries, contact Sr Delphine (6352 darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

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Encore concert at Queen of Peace Church Hong Kong singer Frances Yip returned to the Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace for an encore performance two months after her last concert there. About 1,000 people turned up at the church on Feb 20 to hear the veteran singer belt out Christian numbers such as Amazing Grace and The Servant Song. In between the songs, the Catholic singer and breast cancer survivor shared how prayer has helped her through

the most challenging periods of her life. Later, two hundred fans queued up for an autograph session with the singer, who

Christian-theme music album, Grace and Glory Psalm 84. The concert, titled Another Evening with Frances Yip, was organised by Warner Music Singapore and Love Entertainment Group, and supported by the Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace. „

Frances Yip sang and shared her faith once more at the Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace on Feb 20.

S’pore group to attend NFP conference The late couple, Drs Evelyn and John Billings, are pictured photo. They pioneered a Church-backed natural family planning (NFP) method for couples to avoid or achieve conception.

By Darren Boon Some Singaporean Catholics are heading to Kuching, Sarawak, to learn more about a natural family planning method endorsed by the Church. The 15 delegates, comprising members of the Catholic Medical Guild and Natural Family Planning Service Singapore, will attend the WOOMB (World Organisation of Ovulation Method Billings) International Conference held from April 26-28. It is organised in conjunction with the Natural Fertility Awareness Services of Malaysia. The bi-annual conference is open to those interested to know more the Billings Ovulation Method which WOOMB International promotes. This fertility awareness and natural family planning method, approved by the Church, helps women to identify their periods of fertility, thus helping couples achieve or avoid pregnancy. Prof Pilar Vigil Portales, from the Faculty of Biological Scienc " # $ Catolica de Chile, will present a

$ % He will also conduct a training programmes from April 29-May 2 on the Billings Ovulation Method. Other experts are also sched-

uled to speak on other aspects of the method. They include Archbishop Murphy Pakiam of Kuala Lumpur, who will also speak on God’s Plan for Marriage. Archbishop John Ha of Kuching will be the principal celebrant for the conference’s Mass. Representatives from different countries will also give reports. Mr Pollen Soh from Natural Family Planning Service Singapore, a joint activity of the Catholic Medical Guild, Catholic Nurses’ Guild and Family Life Society, say he looks forward to better serve clients after the conference. The Billings Ovulation Method is named after Drs John and Evelyn Billings, who developed the natural family planning tool supported by the Catholic Church. Dr Evelyn Billings died only re & '* $ her husband. Those interested in attending the conference may obtain more information at http://www. woombinternational.org/conference. They may also contact Natural Family Planning Service Singapore at 9106-1990 or through its website http://naturalfamilyplanning.sg/site/contact-us. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

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Sri Lankan Christians call for UN probe on war atrocities MANNAR, SRI LANKA – Sri Lan-

kan Christian representatives from the Tamil-majority north have called on the UN Human Rights Council to push for an independent international inquiry into alleged atrocities committed during the country’s civil war. In a letter dated Feb 18 and signed by 133 Catholic priests, Protestant pastors and nuns, the Christian representative said the government lacks the political will to investigate alleged war crimes, especially those committed by both sides during the latter stages of the three-decade war which ended in 2009. Action is also being sought over continuing rights abuses. The letter also calls for a “strong and action oriented resolution on Sri Lanka at the 22nd session of the UN Human Rights Council�. Rights groups say up to 40,000

$ !

nal stages of the war but the government denies causing civilian deaths and executing prisoners. In the letter, the signatories also said they had witnessed continuing ignorance and violations of key recommendations by the government-appointed Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. This was in relation to politi

War-displaced Tamil refugees rest in a welfare camp in Serunuwara, Sri Lanka, in 2006. Christian priests, pastors and nuns say the government lacks the political will to investigate alleged war crimes.

release of political prisoners and the appointment of a commissioner to look into disappearances and reparations, the letter said. “We are convinced that the root cause of these problems is a lack of political will,� said the letter, which urged the appointment of a special rapporteur with a broad mandate to address past and ongoing violations and to help the government with future reconciliation initiatives. Oblate Fr S Anpurasa, a signatory, said there is no other platform to bring these issues for

redress other than the United Nations. “To whom can we speak about these violations? There is no local organisation to complain to on these issues,� he said. He said the signatories will likely be subjected to a government backlash. “In the last year, those criticising and challenging the government in peaceful ways including through engagement with the UN, have been assaulted, arrested, threatened and intimidated by gov military,� he said. „ UCANEWS.COM

Solve labour woes, bishops tell new Korean president SEOUL – Resolving lingering la-

justify the layoffs of more than 2,500 employees. priority for new president JuliBishop Matthias Ri Iongana Park Geun-hye, a group of hoon of Suwon, president of the bishops said on Feb 19 at a press committee, said in a statement conference outside the presiden- that “after the presidential elec tion on Dec 19, seven labour acSeoul. tivists have committed suicide out The members of despair that unof the Bishops’ der Park’s leaderConference of ship their disputes Korea’s Commitwould not be retee for Justice and solved�. Peace said the The statement, country continues read at the press to face numerous conference by Fr worker disputes Jang, noted that and drew attention “what drove them to a recent spate of to despair were suicides among lacapitalists that bour leaders. regard workers Chief among as mere tools for labour issues are unfair layoffs, and irresponsible employment disgovernment, and crimination and the silence and inpolitical pressure hospitality of socion labour activists, Ms Juliana Park Geun-hye. ety�. the bishops said. The statement Fr Vincent Jang Dong-hun, was later submitted to the presisecretary of the committee, said dential transition team. that Ms Park had promised dur“We will consider the opinion ing her campaign to investigate of the Catholic Church in the next the labour dispute at Ssangyong government’s policies,� said Mr Motors. @ Q Workers at Ssangyong say the the transition team. company fabricated a 500 billion Ms Park was scheduled to take ! + ;<=>

? & U<% „ UCANEWS.COM

8 ASIA

China’s oldest bishop dies at 100 YINCHUAN, CHINA – China’s old-

and resumed pastoral work to reest Catholic bishop, John Baptist store the Church in 1979 after the Liu Jingshan of Yinchuan (Ningx- Cultural Revolution ended and the ia), has died at the age of 100. government allowed religious acHe passed away on Feb 4 at tivities to commence again. the cathedral in Yinchuan city, Four years later, the then capital of Ningxia Hui Autono- 70-year-old priest was invited to mous Region in northern China, Ningxia to direct Church affairs. where he spent much of his life In 1993, the government-sancafter his retirement in 2009. tioned “open� Church authority He and his sucrestructured Ningxia Photo: UCANEWS.COM cessor, Bishop Jodiocese according to seph Li Jing, are recits own administraognised by both the tive boundaries and Vatican and the Chithe then Fr Liu was nese government. ordained a bishop at The elderly prelthe age of 80. ate has been credited He ordained his with restoring the Coadjutor Bishop Li Church community in 2007 and retired in Ningxia after arrivtwo years later. ing there in 1983, afMeanwhile, ter suffering 30 years the oldest Australof imprisonment in a ian bishop, Bishop labour camp. Warren, Bishop Liu Jingshan at his Douglas Bishop Liu was birthday party in 2010. aged 93, died on born in 1913 in Feb 6. Bameng diocese, Inner Mongolia. The Bishop Emeritus of the He entered the minor seminary Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes died in 1929 and studied in two major at the Southern Cross Village in seminaries from 1935 to 1942, Parkes. while Japanese troops were occuBishop Warren was orgained pying China. priest in 1942 in Rome, and celUpon becoming a priest in ebrated 70 years of priesthood last 1942, he served in a parish and then December. a minor seminary. In 1951, he was In 1964 he was consecrated jailed and sentenced to a labour bishop and was appointed bishcamp. In 1970, he was released and op of the diocese in 1967. He sent home to work as a farmer. '__`% „ He began teaching in a school UCANEWS.COM

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

COMMENTARY

Asians have on the upcoming papal vote? By Alessandro Speciale VATICAN CITY – He might have been considered “eurocentric� compared to his globe-trotting predecessor. But Pope Benedict XVI, at least with his last moves, tried to redress the balance of a Church that in recent years had been favouring more and more Westerners for top roles even as the core of the world’s Catholic population shifts increasingly towards Asia and Africa. In his last conclave, the pontiff made sure to appoint six nonEuropeans to the cardinalate, in partial correction of a February 2012 consistory that had been widely criticised for giving too much weight to Vatican Curia insiders and Old World churchmen. In fact, the unusual move of hosting two consistories in the same year might be seen as proof that Pope Benedict was keen on leaving his Vatican house in as much order as possible ahead of his resignation. Among the six new cardinals of last November, there were two Asians: Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal of the SyroMalankar Church in India and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila. The latter is considered Asian pontiff in the upcoming conclave. Cardinal Tagle is probably too young – both in absolute terms at 55 and in terms of red hat seniority – to stand a real chance in the

Sistine Chapel. But his voice will be respected among the cardinals, from inside and outside Asia, as he is widely esteemed for his kind frankness, his being at ease with the media and his resolve in urging the Church to avoid sweeping problems such as the sex abuse scandal under the rug.

Placidus Toppo, Oswald Gracias, George Alencherry and Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal – while the rest are equally divided among six nations: the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Lebanon, Sri Lanka and China. Ironically, the Philippines’ more than 80 million Christians will be represented solely by Cardinal Tagle in the conclave in comparison to India’s 20 million, as they are divided between several rites and traditions.

Of the 117 cardinals who are eligible to vote, only 11 will come from Asia. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, Philippines is probably too young – both in absolute terms at 55 and in terms of seniority – to stand a real chance in the Sistine Chapel. Photo: CNS

Cardinal Tagle will lead the small troupe of Asian cardinals who will take part in the election of the next pope. Of the 117 cardinals who are eligible to vote, only 11 will come from Asia. Almost half of them are from India – Ivan Dias, Telesphore

For a quick calculation in the election of Pope Benedict’s successor, Asia will be represented by the same number of cardinals – 11 – as in the conclave that followed Blessed John Paul II’s death. So while Pope Benedict did try to redress the eurocentric slant of today’s Church with his last appointments, the reality is that the Asian voice at the upcoming conclave will be by no means deafening. „ UCANEWS.COM Alessandro Speciale is a ucanews. com correspondent in Vatican City.

‘Storm brewing’ in China’s Church HONG KONG, CHINA – Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation announcement did not only shock Chinese Catholics, it also raised doubts. “Is there any hidden agenda?� a bishop in southern China asked. Chinese Communists would take a harder line now that they “defeated� the pope, the middleaged prelate said he had heard. “I worry there is a storm brewing in the Church in China,� he said. “It’s not only me, but many priests and laypeople here

also share the same doubts.� Messages in chat rooms and over Weibo, China’s Twitter-like microblog, questioned the reasons behind the pope’s announcement. “The pope was forced by evil power to step down. Please join together praying for Benedict and the Holy Church,� one prayer intention read. “The Church is at a critical moment for the pope is forced to leave the Vatican or he will lose his life,� the message said, asking Catholics to pray and fast.

Nonetheless, the vast majority of Catholics have gradually accepted the news from Rome optimistically, even though they will miss the pope who cares much about the Church in China. Fr John Mi from northern China saw the papal resignation as “unexpected but reasonable�. “Benedict XVI may have re days and made this understandable move after considering the good of the Church,� Fr Mi said. Speaking about problems the China Church suffers in recent years, Bishop Peter from the “underground� Church community said the pope has set a good example for elderly bishops. “The news [of the resignation] just comes in time. The pope’s wisdom is guided by the Holy Spirit.� „ UCANEWS.COM

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Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

China wants new pope to stop ‘interfering’ in its affairs The country’s Foreign Ministry says it also wants Vatican to sever ties with Taiwan By Gerard O’Connell ROME – China has sent a message to whoever would be the new pope, urging him stop the Vatican from interfering in China’s domestic affairs. “China is willing to develop relations with the Vatican if the Vatican severs its diplomatic ties with Taiwan and refrains from interfering in China’s internal affairs,� Mr Hong Lei, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in Beijing on Feb 18, according to a report in The People’s Daily online. of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. AFP news agency reported that Mr Hong did so when asked for China’s reaction to Pope Benedict’s shock decision to step down on Feb 28. “China hopes the Vatican will ! { creating conditions for the improvement of China-Vatican ties under the new pope,� Mr Hong stated. He urged the Vatican “to recognise the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government representing China, as well as recognise that Taiwan is part of China,� the paper reported. “The Vatican must also refrain from interfering in China’s internal affairs, particularly interference in the name of religion,� Mr Hong said. This is a reference to the Holy See’s insistence that the pope

& ' " ‘

’

– Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong

A bishop baptises a man at Jingxian cathedral in China’s Hebei province. China says the Vatican must refrain from interfering in China’s internal affairs, particularly in the name of religion.

$ ! appointment of Catholic bishops in China, something Beijing does not accept. Mr Hong’s statement was reported in the People’s Daily on Feb 18 under the headline, One China Principle, Non-interference Requisites for China-Vatican Ties. Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong however dismissed China’s statement.

“At this moment the Holy See should ignore that old song,� the cardinal told Vatican Insider, speaking by phone from Hong Kong.

“They have unilaterally interrupted the dialogue. We never refused the dialogue. So let them ask for dialogue,� he said.

! " ‘ " # $ # % ’ – China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman

China broke diplomatic rela ! | {pelled the papal representative in 1951, soon after the Communists came to power. “They need to show some good will. They should be humble and show they want to change. They have to show that sincerely now, instead of telling everyone else how to behave,� said Cardinal Zen. “We hope the new leaders take some time to look into what their people down there are doing about religion, the way they are enslaving our bishops, and doing things that are damaging our nation.� Fr Federico Lombardi, director | " } Vatican Insider that the Vatican had no comment. „ VATICAN INSIDER

10 ASIA

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Vietnam’s Catholics and IVF BANGKOK – After Mr John Tran

Minh Chien’s wife was unable to get pregnant after seven years of marriage, the couple decided to travel from their home in southwestern Kien Giang province to Ho Chi Minh City to get medical help. Mr Chien, a tractor driver, said he was found to suffer from male infertility. “I could not get my wife pregnant after receiving fertility treatment from the hospital during the past year,� he told the Asian Church news agency ucanews.com. “So this year we decided to get in vitro fertilisation treatment to have a baby ourselves.� As a Catholic, Mr Chien is defying the teachings of his faith. With in vitro fertilisation, a woman’s eggs are removed, united with sperm in a laboratory, and then implanted in the womb of the mother or a surrogate. The Catholic Church teaches that IVF is immoral as fertilisation does not take place through

# ) * ! + +

An embryologist removes frozen embryos from a storage tank at an IVF clinic.

the sexual union of a husband and wife. The Church also condemns the common IVF practice of destroying or freezing fertilised embryos that are not implanted. In practice, however, adop-

tion is rarely the preferred choice in Vietnam. “We do not want to adopt because adopted children may abandon us when we are old,� said Mr Chien, echoing the widespread perception of his countrymen. In Vietnam, where children are traditionally expected to take ents, many couples keep adoptions secret and in some cases even move to different areas to avoid mistreatment by neighbours. In a country where the family

remains central to everyday life, the cost of failing to conceive can be severe. Ms Anna Huynh Thi Nguyet Nga, a Catholic from Ho Chi Minh City, said her failure to conceive prompted her Buddhist husband to drink heavily and her mother-in-law to call for a di$ a new wife and an opportunity to have kids. The small, unknown number of Catholics who have been conceived through IVF are often born to parents who know little of the pro-life doctrine taught by the Church. Fr Louis Nguyen Anh Tuan, secretary general of the Vietnamese bishops’ Committee on Family Life, admitted that elderly priests have not studied bioethics, while young priests also have little knowlege of the issue. This means that little, if any, of Church doctrine is taught during marriage preparation courses for couples. “Bioethics should be a compulsory subject in seminaries and institutes,� said Fr Tuan. „ CNS

Church leaders wanted to poison him: priest BHOPAL, INDIA – A court is set to

hear a case against three Indian Church leaders over an alleged attempt to poison a priest so as to call into question his mental state. Magistrate Alok Mishra ordered the registering of the case on Feb 7 and set a hearing for March 1 against Archbishop Leo Cornelio of Bhopal, his vicar general, Fr V C Mathew and archdiocesan spokesman, Fr P J Johny. The case alleges that Fr Anand Muttungal, former public relations officer for the archdiocese, was targeted by his superiors after he filed a court case over alleged misappropriation of funds by local Church leaders. Archbishop Cornelio told Church news agency ucanews. com the allegations against him were baseless and that his accuser suffered from behavioural problems. “We consulted psychiatrists and they advised medicines,� he said. But the plan was abandoned later as the priest behaved normally, he added. “But now he goes around doing all these things to discredit the Church and challenge its authority. He is doing all of this with malicious intent.� Fr Muttungal told ucanews. com that he approached the court directly because he received no response from a police complaint ~ became aware of the alleged con-

spiracy against him. “Since the police did not act upon my complaint, I had to approach the magisterial court to save my life,� he said. Fr K P Philip, a Bhopal diocesan priest, submitted an af $ ! substantiated Fr Muttungal’s allegations.

$ & Philip accompanied the archbishop and vicar general to a psychiatrist in December last year, where they discussed a plan to render Fr Muttungal mentally unstable. At that time he refused to be a party to it and informed Fr Muttungal. $ on him to put drugs in Fr Muttungals’s food and drink. But he refused. Archdiocese spokesman Fr Johny told ucanews.com that Fr Muttungal had served seven years as spokesman but was replaced last year. He did not like the decision and “is rebelling against the transfer�, he said. “He has a fear psychosis. He also has a feeling that he can get his way through threats,� the priest said. the accused based on the submissions of Fr Philip and other evidence it described as including audio-visual materials. If convicted, the accused could be jailed for a term of up to 10 years. „ UCANEWS.COM

WORLD 11

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Family remains ‘fundamental unit of society’ says archbishop CNS photos

UNITED

NATIONS

–

Despite threats on many sides and prophesies of its extinction, the traditional family remains a vital resource for society, according to speakers at a UN event on Feb 15. The panel was held in conjunction with the 51st session of the UN Commission for Social Development. It was sponsored by the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Na " for the Family. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, council president, said the family is “the fundamental unit of human society. It is where the generations meet, love, educate, support each other and pass on life from age to age�. The family is “the source of social capital and the birthright of all humanity,� he said, adding that the stability of any society in fact depends on the “stability of the families from which it springs�. “Family is the school of society, the way to learn to be together with others,� he continued. “If you don’t learn to experience soli

have a city or a society.� He said the “natural family� is comprised of mother, father and children. Notwithstanding the many attacks against it, the € hearts of the world’s peoples ... and the great majority of young people look forward happily to marriage as a lifelong faithful union with their husband or wife�. Cultural currents undermine the concept of lifelong love between two individuals, he said, wondering with a smile how a man can profess undying love for his favorite sports team, but not for his wife. Archbishop Paglia said marriage between a man and woman and intact two-parent families are decisive factors for the successful socialisation of children and contribute to their physical and psychological health. He said government policies should support family life and not try to provide a substitute for it. Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser of Qatar, high representative of the UN Alliance of Civilisations, said families are essential to the twin objectives of the UN – the maintenance of peace and the promotion of international development. The ambassador said investing in the family promotes greater understanding between cultures and is a vital resource for achiev-

The traditional family is a vital resource for society, said speakers at a UN event.

The family is ‘the source of social capital and the birthright of all humanity’. – Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, Council for the Family (above)

ing the Millennium Development Goals. The eight goals, established in 2000 and intended to be reached by 2015, address hunger, education, inequality, child and maternal health, HIV/AIDS and the environment. “If we are to make serious progress on our international development goals, we must be willing to invest in and protect the family so that we can use this human capital in a way that fosters a better life for all,� Ambassador alNasser said. Assoc Prof Helen Alvare, George Mason University School of Law in Arlington, Virginia, USA said there is a clear link be-

Pro-life champion Assoc Prof Helen Alvare.

tween families and the good of society. The gaps between classes, races and populations are caused by the failures of families to form or to thrive, she said. In contemporary times, it is “undesirable to speak about putting families back together�, Assoc Prof Alvare said. People argue $ cant impact, that broken families

{ $ concerns prevent government intervention, she said. Assoc Prof Alvare said families founded on marriage “tend to preserve� and provide the best outcomes for children, and dif Q households. Rabbi Jeremy Rosen, of the Persian Jewish Community of Manhattan, said the Bible does

as the essential building block of the tribe and the people. Moreover, “parents are the agents of God in disseminating values to their children and society�, he said. „ CNS

12 WORLD

World Youth Day Facebook page getting close to 1 m ‘likes’ RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Facebook users who ac-

cess the World Youth Day (WYD) Rio 2013 page will ! setting supplied by that social network. The page (https:// ! ! !% % ‚ ! ƒ „ ? $ cally directed to the page that represents their area. A click on the settings icon en page to page. WYD Rio now has about Q†

“likes�.

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$ { ! “‘� our objective to interact and provide the best possible in % €@ ! ˜ ! the trip or those who cannot

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Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Evangelising young people who have left the Church Personal invitations vital to reach out to those who have drifted away, says one US archdiocese OMAHA,

NEBRASKA,

USA

–

Twenty-seven-year-old Todd Christensen can’t really pinpoint ! ! the Catholic Church. ‡ ! ! cation classes at St Leo the Great " } ˆ % ‰ ! $ Š

thought and soon he was attending only on special occasions such % _*%< lion baptised Catholics in the US $ $ U> $ % usually not an earthshaking devel the Church. ‹

! rather than cite any one spe $ ‡ polls and a research associate at Georgetown University’s Center Œ tolate. � ‘ & ! $ ! $ and to bring young Catholics back. These include personal invitations

$ $ % $ ! psychologist when he was going !

Young people at a university campus. About a third of the 96.5 million baptised Catholics in the US have left the faith at some point in their lives, often in their teens and early 20s, surveys indicate. CNS photo

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Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

EPISCOPAL ORDINATION

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Principal Consecrator: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli Co-consecrators: Archbishop Nicholas Chia of Singapore and Archbishop Murphy Pakiam of Kuala Lumpur

An hour of praise and worship preceded the ordination Mass.

Photos: Dominic Wong, Richard Koh, Jeremy Lim, Christopher Khoo, Martin See

The exuberant crowd at the Max Pavilion.

Archbishop Chia welcomes President Tony Tan and Mrs Tan to the ordination ceremony at the Singapore Expo.

Archbishop Chia welcomes Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and Mrs Menon.

Archbishop Girelli greets Dr Tony Tan.

Archbishop Chia welcomes Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.

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Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

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VIP guests wait for the ceremony to begin.

By Darren Boon

The 300-strong choir led by Sir Peter Low.

Cross section of guests including representatives of various faiths.

‘It was a great privilege to be there, a once in a lifetime event. I found it was a very rich and symbolically important occasion.’ - Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Church of St Ignatius

Let there be “a new spring, the wind beneath a tidal wave of change sweeping the Catholic Church in Singapore�, said Coadjutor Archbishop William Goh in his thanksgiving speech following his episcopal ordination. “What I hope for above all in my episcopacy is to be both an encouraging and supportive brother to my priests. I want to empower them in their ministry, and to the laity – a compassionate and caring father,� he said to the 13,000-strong crowd gathered at the Singapore Expo on Feb 22. “We must therefore work at $ Q

visionary and evangelical Church with a maintenance Church. This will be achieved not only by me, nor the clergy, Religious or just the laity, but together as the entire people of God in unity,� he said to rapturous applause from the crowd gathered at the Max Pavilion and Hall Nine. Archbishop Goh stressed that “passion and compassion will be the hallmark and thrust of my ministry in renewing the Church in Singapore�. Commenting on present-day trends such as “mounting secularism and relativism� and disbelief in the sanctity and indissolubility of marriage, Archbishop Goh exhorted the Church to share Gospel values and make Christ known. “We must protect the institution of the family and of marriage ! lic spirituality,� he said. Furthermore, “the Church

$ ing world views without fear, par-

ticularly with respect to the universal values of truth and justice for the promotion of harmony�. Archbishop Goh said he intends to tap the “enthusiasm, grace and talent� among priests and laity, especially the youth, to “propel the Church forward in this new millennium�. This would require “new�, “creative ways� in catechising the youth so that they can embrace a “personal, real and tangible� faith. Archbishop Goh also noted that modern technology must be $ positively. Interreligious and ecumenical ties and dialogue need to be strengthened to combat secularism and relativism that suppress the “voice of God�, he said. “Unless religions unite, faith will be relegated to the private domain of an individual’s life, thereby weakening the impact of religions on society and morality.� The special guests that evening included President Tony Tan, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Members of Parliament Sylvia Lim, Jessica Tan and Christopher de Souza; Nominated Members of Parliament Laurence Lien and Dr Eugene Tan; Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon; Methodist Bishop Rev Dr Wee Boon Hup; Lutheran Bishop Terry Kee; representatives from the Inter-Religious Organisation and ambassadors from various countries. A total of 19 bishops and archbishops from around the region also attended, including apostolic nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the principal consecra„ Continued on next page

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

ZDYH RI FKDQJHœ „ From previous page

tor for the event, and Archbishop Nicholas Chia. Some 150 priests from Singapore and overseas were also present. The solemn ceremony saw the presentation of the bishop-elect to Archbishop Girelli and Msgr Francis Lau reading out the papal mandate on the appointment. Archbishop Girelli then addressed Msgr Goh, the clergy and congregation on the duties of a bishop. The bishop, as “shepherd� needs to be able to read the language of God and discern the signs of the times, said Archbishop Girelli. There is a prevailing mindset of materialism, liberalism and moral relativism in today’s world, he pointed out. “It is thus essential for the bishop to challenge and even contradict this prevalent way of thinking.� The bishop should be humble and not be swayed by prevailing opinion, but rather remain steadfast to God’s truth to the extent of suffering for it, he added. “Only someone who actually knows God can lead others to God,� he said. Archbishop Girelli then questioned the bishop-elect on his determination in discharging his duties to which the latter gave his % The Litany of the Saints was then sung during which the bishop-elect prostrated himself in front of the altar. The other consecrating bishops, Archbishop Chia and Archbishop Murphy Pakiam of Kuala Lumpur, then laid their hands on him after which the other bishops present did likewise. During the Prayer of Ordination, The Book of Gospels was

placed upon Msgr Goh’s head to symbolise the total giving of his life to Jesus and the Good News, and his head anointed with chrism to signify God’s outpouring of blessings. The Book of Gospels was then given to him as an exhortation to preach the Word of God. He was invested with his ring to signify his marriage to the Church; the mitre or bishop’s liturgical headdress as a symbol of his role as teacher and preacher of the Gospel; and the crozier or shepherd staff symbolising the shepherding of his people. The coadjutor archbishop then took his seat at the bishop’s chair to euphoric cheers and applause. Archbishop Goh was beaming with joy and at times seemed to be overcome by emotion during the ceremony. This was especially so when his anthem, whose music was composed by Sir Peter Low and Mr Alphonsus Chern from the Cathedral Choir of the Risen Christ, was sung by the 322-strong combined church choir. After the Prayer of Communion, Archbishop William Goh went around the Max Pavilion and Hall 9 to bless the congregation. Towards the end of the ceremony, Archbishop Chia thanked God for “raising a shepherd� who has “all the necessary virtues and † successor to the apostles�. He noted that the new coadjutor has embarked on a “narrow�, “rocky� path which “may at times even be treacherous�, requiring him to “die to himself many times� so that others may live. “He will need your prayers, lots of it, to sustain him in his long journey. Do not just rejoice with him in his successes, but more importantly, be with him

in his hour of need,� Archbishop Chia urged. “Your support of him, of his decisions, your faith and obedience in the exercise of his authority, your compassion and your love, will be critical to his episcopacy.� Several guests hailed the event as a momentous one. MP for Aljunied GRC Sylvia Lim, a Catholic, said the ordination is a “milestone� for the local Church and expressed her pride in the “Catholic tradition�. MP for East Coast GRC Jessica Tan said that as a Catholic, she was “pleased� to see the overwhelming support for Archbishop Goh through the participation of local Catholics and other faith groups. She said she hopes he would continue to strengthen the faith among Catholics and work towards the promotion of good values in Singapore. Methodist Bishop Rev Dr Wee said he looks forward to meeting up with Archbishop Goh and developing mutual cooperation between the Churches. “There’s a greater need for the various Christian Churches in Singapore to work together,� he said. Master Wei Yi from the Taoist faith, who also teaches at the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary, expressed his joy at the ordination. While there are harmonious relations among the religious leaders in Singapore, there is a need to extend that understanding and relationship to the followers, he said. He added that he hopes Archbishop Goh would help contribute to interreligious ties in this area. „

Members of the choir singing their hearts out.

Msgr William Goh prostrates himself during the ordination ceremony.

The newly ordained coadjutor archbishop takes his seat at the bishop’s chair.

darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

Bringing up the offertory gifts.

Nineteen bishops from around the region concelebrate the Mass.

Archbishop Goh gives communion to MP for Aljunied GRC Sylvia Lim.

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

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ordination.

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I’ve known Msgr Goh over the years since my time in the seminary; he was my formator. He is a very spiritual person and his prayer life is important to him. I remember he used to wake up at four in the morning to pray, he would also spend an hour in prayer before celebrating Mass. He said that we should not be a maintenance Church which is the right direction. He also said that he is a sinner before men which showed his humility and simplicity.

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Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

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I’m excited and happy to attend [Coadjutor Archbishop Goh’s] time I’m experiencing this. I became a Catholic 10 years ago. I feel very blessed and proud to be part of this important celebration.

’

– Ms Anna Lim, Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea

Above: Franciscan friars and other Religious at the ceremony.

Above and right: Different sections of the crowd.

Above and right: Archbishop Goh greets the people as the ceremony ends.

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Âľ&KXUFK GHILQLWHO\ KDV SODFH LQ VRFLHW\Âś By Christopher Khoo and Martin See The Church’s place in society, ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, and the roles of priests, Religious and laity were clearly outlined by Coadjutor Archbishop William Goh at a morning tea reception the day after his episcopal ordination. “Religion and state share an important role in the holistic development and support of the individual and his/her community; thereby bringing stability to the country and society at large,â€? he told a 300-strong crowd gathered at the Catholic Spirituality Centre at Upper Serangoon Road. Special guests at the Feb 23 event included Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Members of Parliament, members of the Inter-Religious Organisation, and bishops from around the region. Archbishop Goh noted that the more the Church and state “foster sounder cooperation between themselves ... the more effective will their service be exercised for the good of allâ€?. It is with these convictions that the Catholic Church has always been “a prophet in the area of morality, championing social rights and the dignity of the individual,â€? said Archbishop Goh. “She is always conscious that there is a clear separation between Church and state,â€? he said. “However, this separation does not mean that the Church has no place in society.â€?

Archbishop Goh: ‘The Catholic Church in Singapore has helped the state by her numerous contributions to education and social service.’

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, his wife Ho Ching, and apostolic nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli were among the VIPs at a reception at the Catholic Spirituality Centre.

A cheerful moment as Archbishop Goh shows Mr Lee his coat of arms.

“Like the state, she, too, is concerned with the common good of society, namely, justice, harmony and progress, and works with the state to achieve this. She recognises that the just ordering of society is the responsibility and purview of the state, necessary for the preservation of justice and harmony. “She cannot take over the role of government and cannot impose her values on believers of other faiths,� he said. However, “in extending the Gospel message of God’s love for His people, the Catholic Church in Singapore has helped the state by her numerous contributions to education and social service, including the care for the sick and the under-privileged�. Archbishop Goh said that “bishops, as successors of the Apostles, are entrusted with continuing this mission of Christ�. He added that both religion and state can “bring about justice, charity, unity and the progress of humanity together�. Archbishop Goh noted that the Church is also “committed to strengthening relationships with Christians and peoples from different communions and communities�. The Church believes that proclaiming Christ and bearing witness to Him must be done in a way that respects consciences and does not violate freedom, he added. He observed that society today is under the threat of secularism, individualism and relativism, which lead to intolerance, moral decadence and strife. “Unless religions unite,� he said, “faith

will be relegated to the private domain of an individual’s life, thereby weakening the impact of religions on society and morality.� “A society without a soul would be a heartless society; a rudderless society; a society without hope,� he said. Turning to priests as “co-workers of the bishop�, he said all priests must have the mind and heart of missionaries. “They should have at heart, in their prayers and particularly ” whole Church for all of humanity.� Religious, too, are a vital part of the Church community and should carry out their work in communion with it, he noted. “Indeed, as the Holy Father says, ‘Every [Religious] institute exists for the Church and must enrich her with its distinctive characteristics, according to a % Members of the laity must also “heed the universal call to holiness and to mission� especially in this era of secularism and relativism, he said. “To do so, however, pre-supposes that ! !

$ $ contemplated on the face of Christ,� he said. Quoting Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Goh said, “It is not enough to update pastoral techniques, organise and coordinate ecclesial resources, or delve more deeply into the biblical and theological foundations of faith. “What is needed is the encouragement of a new ‘ardour for holiness’ throughout the Christian community.� It is necessary to “work at a spirituality ! ‡ Him, with each other in order to achieve communion in mission,� said Archbishop Goh. Another tea reception was held in the afternoon for Catholics from the various parishes. Well-wishers penned congratulatory messages and made spiritual bouquets in the form of prayers offered for the newly ordained archbishop. There were performances from church choirs to entertain guests as they waited to meet Archbishop Goh and have their photo taken with him. Ms Isabelle Tan who attended the Conversion Experience Retreat three years ago conducted by then Fr Goh said she was moved by the experience. Ms Tan also shared that she hopes to see a revival for the youth under his guidance. Ms Nicole Nielson, from the Church of Divine Mercy said, “It’s good to see Msgr Goh smiling and happy, we need someone vibrant like him to lead the people.� „ christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg martin.see@catholic.org.sg

Local Catholics take turns to pose for a photo with the new archbishop at the Catholic Spirituality Centre.

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Archbishop Goh greets Prime Minister Lee and his wife Ho Ching.

Archbishop Goh seems to be ‘aCoadjutor spiritual man that I hope will help the Church in Singapore grow spiritually. There is a universal challenge in these times of moral relativism and crisis of faith. There are many issues which are against the Church’s teachings. To overcome these challenges we % + <

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– Archbishop John Hsane Hgyi of Myanmar (left)

Above: Mr Lawrence Wong, (fourth from left) Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information, poses for a photo with Archbishop Goh together with representatives of various faiths.

Left: Archbishop Goh welcomes Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon.

3ULPH 0LQLVWHUœV /HWWHU WR $UFKELVKRS &KLD 23 January 2013 Dear Most Rev Msgr Chia, Rev Msgr William Goh. I am sorry that I am unable to attend the Ordination Mass, but I am very happy to accept Your Grace’s invitation to the Ordination Reception on 23 February 2013, and look forward to seeing you then. I wish also to take this opportunity to thank Your Grace for your contributions to Singapore and the Catholic community over the last 12 years. As Archbishop of the Catholic Church in Singapore, you have been instrumental in the many good works of the Catholic Church. Your support for the Church’s mission to serve the poor and needy, of all faiths ! Your Grace has also played a key role in promoting inter-faith harmony, which is vital to our multi-religious society. In the aftermath of the 11 Sep 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, you supported the Muslim and Christian communities in the joint Hari Raya and Christmas celebrations, and jointly conducted an inter-religious prayer session to pray for peace in January 2002.

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' ( ) Inter-Religious and Ecumenical Dialogue, providing Catholics additional opportunities to learn about other religions in Singapore and vice versa. The Singapore-China Religious and Cultural Exhibition at Suntec Convention Centre, jointly organised by the Catholic Church and the InterReligious Organisation in 2009, was another highly successful effort to build inter-faith relations across countries. Your Grace has also served with distinction on the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony and the National Steering Committee on Racial and Religious Harmony. The Catholic community has thrived under Your Grace’s capable leadership. You have inspired many with your commitment to stronger interfaith ties. Your contributions to Singapore will long be remembered by many Singaporeans. Yours sincerely LEE HSIEN LOONG

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

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By Christopher Khoo “I do not believe in activities, I do not believe in projects – without prayer,� said Coadjutor Archbish “

‡ Sunday Mass after his episcopal ordination. €@ ! thing I want to do,� he said, it is to “pray�. I want to deepen my prayer life, I want to build intimacy with the Lord so I can be sure that what I’m doing is really

from God, doing His will and not mine,� he told a packed Cathedral of the Good Shepherd on Feb 24. “Prayer is the most important of all activities. If you don’t pray, activities will not change lives,� he said in his homily. Archbishop Goh celebrated ‹ archbishop with Archbishop Nicholas Chia, Bishop Sebastian Francis of Penang and several priests. He noted that many people have asked him what he will be

doing after the ordination. € ‡ Archbishop Nicholas Chia. He is the chief shepherd,â€? said Archbishop Goh. “I am here to help him, not to govern. My task is to assist him in the shepherding of the people of God ‌ to accept whatever assignments he will give to me.â€? He noted that many Catholics are hoping for a renewal of the Church – and “that hope is cer ‹ %

“You can be very sure I will do all I can because I know that many of you Catholics long for the Church to reclaim its authority in the world. You want a vibrant, new Church, not a maintenance Church.â€? He recalled that the late Pope John Paul II said the new evangelisation would require that every Catholic have a personal encounter with the Lord. “If you don’t have, you can’t respond in faith,â€? said Archbishop Goh. “My desire is to bring the love of Jesus to all of you ‌ So that you can be empowered to proclaim the Good news.â€? Archbishop Goh also stressed the importance of unity among priests, Religious and laity. “If we are not in communion, don’t talk about mission,â€? he said. “If we want to attract people to the Church, we must be people of love, of unity.â€? He noted that the world is becoming increasingly hostile to religion and Christianity in particular. Many young people and adults “are confused about lifeâ€?, he said. “They are even confused about the meaning of marriage,â€? he added, referring to attempts to change the institution of marriage. “The work ahead of us is daunting,â€? he said.

Archbishop Goh also stressed the importance of Church leaders leading by example. “I believe that at the end of the day, unless leaders walk the talk, there can be no conversion,� he said. “Yes, the duty of the bishop is to preach, but preaching without walking the talk will not change people’s lives, and for me that is my greatest challenge: That I will be able to faithfully be a shepherd after the heart of Christ, so I can say to you, ‘Model after me.’ “And what I say for myself, I say for all of you too.� In a statement to CatholicNews, Archbishop Goh said he will be assisting Archbishop Chia in the day-to-day responsibilities of leading and guiding the Church, as well as ministering to, inspiring % He will also familiarise himself with the roles, charisms, operations and structures of the various Church organisations. Archbishop Goh, who will continue to reside at the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary for the immediate future, will also continue to oversee the seminary and the Catholic Spirituality Centre “until suitable replacements are found�. „ christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg

POPE’S RESIGNATION 13

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

CNS graphic

Pope Benedict’s new titles after resignation VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict

XVI will continue to be known as Pope Benedict and addressed as “His Holiness�, but after his resignation, he will add the title “emeritus� in one of two acceptable forms, either “pope emeritus� or “Roman pontiff emeritus�. Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said decisions about how the pope would be addressed and what he would wear were made in consultation with Pope Benedict and with Cardinal

Tarcisio Bertone, the chamberlain of the Church, along with others. After Feb 28, Pope Benedict would continue to wear a white cassock, but it would be a simpli $ $ mainly without the little white cape piece on the shoulders, Fr Lombardi told reporters on Feb 26. Pope Benedict would leave behind his emblematic red shoes, Fr Lombardi said. Instead, he would wear brown shoes, beginning with loafers he was given as

a gift last March during a visit to Leon, Mexico. The Jesuit said the pope has found the zapatos to be very comfortable. Three hours before his pon " ‰ ! the papal summer villa at Castel Gandolfo. At 8 pm on Feb 28 – the exact moment Pope Benedict has said he would cease being pope – the Swiss Guards stationed at the main doors of the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo would withdraw and close the doors, Fr Lombardi said. The Vatican gendarmes would take over. Pope Benedict also will give the

ring and seal to be broken. The pope will go back to wearing an episcopal ring he wore as a cardinal. „ CNS

14 POPE’S RESIGNATION

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

In the wake of pope’ A look at the consequences, implications and what

What qualities cardinals look for in a pope VATICAN CITY – One task facing

the College of Cardinals already has been completed: A job description for the Catholic Church’s chief evangeliser has already been written. | ly grounded in Church teaching; joyful and enthusiastic; willing to listen to and dialogue with others; and courageous in defending human rights, including the right to freedom of religion. Before the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel to begin voting for a successor to Pope Benedict XVI, they will hold meetings in the Vatican synod hall to discuss the current needs of the Church. Many of them sat in the same room for three weeks last October discussing the same thing, so they won’t be starting from scratch. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, and 52 of the 117 cardinals who are under the age of 80 and eligible to vote for a new pope participated in the Synod of Bishops on the new evangelisation. While emphases may change when the cardinals meet after Feb 28, it is unlikely they will try to reinvent the wheel and almost impossible that they will come up with a new topic for discussion. The synod discussions covered the most crucial issues facing the Church around the world: proclaiming the Gospel; catechesis; the meaning and role of the family; parish life; the role of new movements; liturgy and the sacraments; the clerical sexual abuse crisis; relations with other Christians; dialogue with other religions; challenges to religious freedom; the message of the Second Vatican Council; the challenges and opportunities raised by science and technology; and dialogue with non-believers. The topics were seen as key elements in living the Catholic faith today.

And while no one gave a

the administrative working of the Vatican bureaucracy and consternation caused by the VatiLeaks scandal that led to the arrest and conviction of Pope Benedict’s butler, synod members did discuss the values that must inspire the way the Church works in the world. The new pope will have to be the Catholic Church’s chief evangelist and, discussing the qualities an evangelist must have, synod members focused on humility, prayerfulness and a willingness to listen. Of course, they added other qualities as well, including a thorough knowledge of Scripture and theology and an ability to commu-

A pope must be humble, ! # "

= > " = # nicate, whether through languages or the new media – qualities that also are on most people’s checklist for a new pope. Cardinal Luis Tagle of Manila, Philippines, told the synod that evangelisers must imitate the humility of Jesus – who was willing to become human, to suffer and to die for humanity – and the love of Jesus, particularly for “those neglected and despised by the world�. Being humble also means recognising when the Church does not have all the answers, and therefore being willing to remain silent, he said, adding that “a Church at home with silence will make the voiceless believe they are not alone�. „

Pope Benedict XVI waves after celebrating Ash Wednesday Mass in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Feb 13.

Important events in the papacy of Benedict XVI April 19, 2005: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, 78, elected pope and takes the name Benedict XVI. Dec 22, 2005: In a meeting with top aides at the Vatican, Pope Benedict insists the teaching of the Second Vatican Council must be read in continuity with the Church’s tradition. Sept 12, 2006: In a speech about faith and reason at the University of Regensburg, Germany, Pope Benedict cites a historical criticism of violence in Islam, setting off consternation and protests. Nov 30, 2006: Pope Benedict stands with Muslim leader in Turkey’s Blue Mosque; says he prayed that God would help all believers see each other as brothers and sisters. April 16, 2007: what would be a three-volume work, Jesus of Nazareth, by the pope goes on sale and is an immediate commercial success. May 27, 2007: In a letter to

Chinese Catholics, Pope Benedict criticises government restrictions on religion and urges reconciliation among the country’s Catholic communities. July 7, 2007: Pope Benedict issues an apostolic letter, ## # ? #, permitting wider use of the pre-Vatican II Mass. April 15-20, 2008: He visits Washington, New York and the United Nations, and meets victims

{ % July 12-21, 2008: Pope Benedict travels to Sydney for World Youth Day. Jan 21, 2009: With Pope Benedict’s approval, the Vatican issues a letter lifting the excommunication of four traditionalist bishops belonging to the Society of St Pius X to clear the way for reconciliation talks with the group. May 8-15, 2009: Pope Benedict travels to Jordon, Israel and Palestinian territories.

Nov 4, 2009: With the apostolic constitution @ # tibus, Pope Benedict establishes personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church. July 15, 2010: With the approval of Pope Benedict, the Vatican releases streamlined procedures for handling accusations of clerical sexual abuse and removing those found guilty from the priesthood. May 1, 2011: Pope Benedict " ~ " @@% March 23-28, 2012: Pope Benedict visits Mexico and Cuba. Dec 22, 2012: After nearly a year of a scandal over leaked Vatican documents and the papal butler being convicted of theft, Pope Benedict visits the butler in jail and pardons him. Feb 11, 2013: Pope Benedict informs a group of cardinals that he will resign effective Feb 28. „

In journalism, some weeks are quieter than others. Occasionally, just occasionally, you also encounter a week when the world seems suddenly to turn completely and utterly upside down. This was certainly one such week, as without warning the pope announced on Feb '' ! abdication in some 600 years. @ ! ! shocked – even disappointed – by this frank admission of human frailty, it soon became obvious that Pope Benedict’s decision came

after a profound, and undoubtedly desper self-examination. The idea of a pope resigning is not one that sits easy with Catholics, especially those of us who shared Pope John Paul II’s last desperate, and very public, journey through declining health and strength. It must be remembered, though, that Cardinal Ratzinger also shared and understood that last journey of Pope John Paul II – but far more closely, intimately and more painfully than any of us could ever have done.

For sure, the last heroic struggle of Pope John Paul II is one model of Christian suffering that can offer solace and comfort to anyone having to deal with a last illness and the failure of the human body. But the resignation of Pope Benedict is no less an example of Christian fortitude and submission to the will of God. It is not for us to decide whether it is more noble to struggle to the end, or to recognise one’s decline and pass over the immense physical and spiritual burden of the papacy to more able hands.

History has given us many different popes, and with it come many different models of inspiration and holiness. Throughout his papacy, Pope Benedict XVI has expressed an unusually vivid understanding of what it is to be fully human, no more so than in his remarkable and moving writings on the humanity of Christ. One cannot help but feel that the understanding hand of Jesus has reached back to relieve him of his burden. „ & * ! B & J $ K + " Q 4 X

POPE’S RESIGNATION 15

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

s resignation... lies ahead Fixing Vatican bureaucracy is a top job for next pope VATICAN CITY – Threats to reli-

gious freedom around the world, the human costs of globalisation, media transformed by the revolution in information technology – these are some of the challenges that the next pope is bound to face in leading the Church. According to one highly informed observer, the next pope will also have an urgent task at home: reforming the Roman Curia, the Church’s central administration at the Vatican. “The curia not infrequently caused acute embarrassment to [Pope] Benedict XVI, putting obstacles in the way of his evangelical, catechetical and pastoral efforts, and ill-serving the pope’s attempts to reframe the global agenda of debate on the crucial issues facing humanity,� writes George Weigel in his new book, Evangelical Catholicism. The author, a biographer of Blessed John Paul II and a wellknown commentator on Catholic issues, paints a picture of an inef ! petence often goes unpunished and too many players serve their own ambition rather than the interests of the Church. “Things are in fact worse now, in my view, than they have been in perhaps 40 years,� Weigel told Catholic News Service. “Everyone who does not have a vested interest in the status quo understands that a major task in the early going of the next pon change structure but to change attitude.�

Charges of mismanagement and corruption within the Vatican bureaucracy were spectacularly documented in 2012, in the socalled VatiLeaks case. Some of the most serious charges appeared in letters written by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, formerly the second-highest ’ % The archbishop wrote to Pope Benedict in early 2011, warning of “corruption and abuse of power long rooted in the various departments� of the governorate and criticising the “inexperience� of advisers whom he said had led the Vatican to lose millions of dollars in bad investments. Pope Benedict named the archbishop nuncio to the United States in October 2011, and he remains in that position today. “Archbishop Vigano is a hero,� Weigel said. “His description of the problems is a real and accurate one, and I hope that the { !

problems which he’s described in a forceful way.� Part of the problem, Weigel said, is that the headquarters of the universal Church is still dominated by the citizens of a single nation, Italy. “This curia needs to be thoroughly internationalised,� he said. “It needs to be detached from what has become, according to one of my Italian friends, a deeply rooted culture of corruption in Italy as a whole, which has a way of seeping over the boundary between Italy and Vatican City.�

The Feb 11 meeting with cardinals at the Vatican during which the pope announced he would resign. CNS photo

The next pope will also have an urgent task at home: reforming the Roman Curia, the Church’s central administration at the Vatican. In his new book, Weigel lays out recommendations for restructuring the curia to make it more representative of the faith and more effective in advancing the Church’s mission. Among other measures, he suggests splitting the Secretariat of State into two

bodies, responsible for internal affairs and external diplomatic relations respectively; and reducing ’ issue public statements, to reduce the possibility of confusion over the pope’s views or Church teaching.

Such an overhaul is not something that the next pope can or should personally focus on, Weigel said: “It’s not the job of the pope to move slots around on an organisation chart, but he needs to hire somebody, he needs to have a secretary of state, a chief of staff ... who can take this on and will have his authority and his backing to do this properly.� Even more necessary than technical changes in administration, Weigel said, is a “change of curial culture and cast of mind.� „ CNS

In past six months, pope was ‘exhausted and disheartened’ OXFORD, ENGLAND – Pope Ben-

edict XVI was “exhausted and disheartened� well before his Feb 11 resignation announcement, according to his German biographer, Peter Seewald. In an article, Farewell to My Pope, in the Feb 18 issue of Germany’s Focus weekly, Seewald said he had held several Vatican meetings with the 85-year-old pontiff over the six months while preparing a new biography. He added that he had “never seen Benedict XVI so drained of energy� and “deeply disheartened� as when he met him last summer. Asked what could still be ex !

said the pope answered: “From me – not much now. I’m an old man and I’ve lost my strength. I think I’ve done enough�. The 58-year-old Seewald, a fellow-Bavarian and former editor of Germany’s Der Spiegel weekly, has published several interview-based books on Pope Benedict, including a biography in 2006 and a 2010 best-seller, Light of the World. He said the pope told him the third volume of his Jesus of Nazareth, published in November, would be his last book. However, Seewald denied that the 2012 VatiLeaks scandal had been a reason for the pontiff’s resignation and said Pope Benedict had merely voiced incomprehen-

sion at the decision of his former butler, Paolo Gabriele, to leak information. “It’s true the butler’s betrayal was a painful experience,� Seewald told the Munich-based Focus, which was launched in 1993 and is Germany’s third-largest weekly. €‰ ence his decision in any important way. In our 90-minute talk at Castel Gandolfo last August, the pope said he felt neither despair nor despondency. ... It was very important for the pope that the VatiLeaks exposure would ensure an independent judiciary in the Vatican.� Speaking to journalists on Feb 16, Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi,

’ that Seewald had met the pontiff in August and late November, adding that he saw “no reason not to believe� the journalist’s account. The 66-member bishops’ conference in the pope’s native Germany, which will have six cardinals participating in the upcoming conclave, was to discuss Pope Benedict’s resignation at a Feb 18-21 plenary in Trier. In a Feb 18 interview with Germany’s Catholic news agency, KNA, the conference president, Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg, said the plenary would also discuss the future role of women in the church and sex-

ual abuse by priests, as well as formulating a stance on use of the morning-after pill by rape victims. “Benedict XVI’s successor can add new elements, unencumbered by such controversies as VatiLeaks and the crisis over the Society of St Pius X,� Archbishop Zollitsch said. The former bishops’ conference president, Cardinal Karl Lehmann of Mainz, told KNA he believed the pope had been “rather lonely� and had not always had “good people around him,� adding that he thought the pope’s decision to resign had € ment at certain Vatican operations�. „ CNS

16 LETTERS/OPINION

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Fortnightly newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore

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

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LETTER

Local Church must be vigilant, or suffer fate of Western Churches It is most gratifying to see our Sunday Masses well-attended, ! olics regularly attending daily Mass. The growing number of altar servers is testament to a healthy family environment which actively propagates the faith among the young. The encouragement of parents to their sons to participate in this ministry gives hope that we will have an increase in priestly vocations in future. Myriad programmes organised by the Church that nurture the spiritual growth of the community are often well received. It is most heartening that we $ ful practising Catholics who are actively engaged in the life of the Church. The vibrancy of the faith is palpable and this augurs well for the Catholic Church in Singapore. This is in stark contrast to the Catholic Church in America and Europe where church attendance among the Catholic population has dwindled to as low as 10 percent, and the closures of countless parishes caused by the sex-abuse scandal among the clergy is cause for alarm. What ails Western society and foments a crisis of faith in the Church can largely be attributed to decades of relentless assault from the liberal culture of death or sexual immorality – pornography, contraception, cohabitation, adultery, abortion, divorce, homosexuality and now, the growing acceptance and legalisation of same-sex marriage. So subtly ingrained in the psyche of society are these sinful practices that they have almost become accepted norms of social and moral behaviour. Compounding this adverse culture is the impact of consumerism and hedonism constantly perpetrated by the mass media. The family, as the bedrock of

The Church can no longer remain silent or give tepid responses to issues of sexual immorality, lest this be misinterpreted as tacit approval. Few worshippers seen in this church in Germany.

society, has come under vicious onslaughts by the enemies of the Church such that the sacred institution is in imminent danger of becoming extinct in Western society. In an age of the Internet and social media, our Asian conservatism can no longer be shielded from the hostile impact of Western liberalism. As a result of constant exposure, signs of a more liberal attitude towards sexual matters are already evident among the young. What we can do, however, is to intensify the vehemence of the Catholic voice to counter such vociferous corruptive culture. In the face of moral ambiguity and confusion among the congregation regarding sexual, conjugal and family matters, the local Church should make a concerted effort to educate so that a cavalier attitude, especially among our impressionable young, would not be allowed to take root. The pulpit, as a dominant

point of contact between Church and congregation, is an excellent platform for the delivery of homilies directed at raising awareness and enlightening the congregation on the Catholic position. The institutional Church can no longer remain silent or simply give tepid responses to issues of sexual immorality, lest this be approval. It is timely, in this Year of Faith, for the local Church to remain vigilant lest we go the way of the West. We need an informed community, empowered with the truth of Catholic doctrine, to effectively counter the onslaughts of moral decadence that plagued societies in the West and put many souls at risk. What, after all, is the prime mission of the Church but the salvation of souls? Joseph Chng Singapore 560104

Overcoming anxiety ANXIETY, like all tensions, eats at us at various lev %

! ! % Deep down though we are anxious in a way that colours most everything we do. So much of what motivates and drives us is an unconscious attempt to free ourselves from anxiety. We are forever nursing the hope that we can free ourselves from anxiety through achievement, success, $ power and sex. We nurse the secret belief that if we have the right combination of these our lives we will have the substance we need to feel secure and non-anxious. But experience soon teaches us that these things, though good in themselves, are not our cure. Indeed they can, and often do, make { � ! $ ! anxious about protecting it; and as soon as we have power, we are constantly looking over our shoulders in fear of losing it. As well, success can quickly become a cancer because we have a congenital propensity to identify our self-worth with our achievements and this pressures us always to be doing something of importance for fear of no longer feeling worthwhile. And sex, unless it is experienced inside a truly committed and unconditional relationship, becomes a drug, with the same addictive quality and ineffectiveness as any other drug. Sex, like achievement and fame, will not quell the deep demons inside us. We are forever trying to give ourselves wholeness, but we cannot. We cannot self-justify. We cannot make ourselves immortal. We cannot write our own names into heaven. Only love casts out anxiety and, indeed, only a certain kind of love can give us substance. Only God’s love can write our names into heaven. What’s the algebra here? Some years ago, I went on a weeklong retreat directed by Fr Robert Michel, a French-Canadian Oblate missionary. He began the retreat with these words: “I want to make this a very simple retreat for you. I want to teach you how to pray in a particular way. I want to teach you how to pray so that in your prayer, sometime, perhaps not this week, perhaps not even this year, but sometime, you will open yourself so that in your deepest self you will hear God say to you: ‘I love you!’ Because before you hear this inside you, nothing will be enough for you. You’ll be searching for this and for that, running here and running there, trying every kind of thing, but nothing will ever be quite right. After you hear this from God, you will have substance; you will have found the thing you’ve been looking for so long. Only after $ ! !

{ % In a culture too easily given to false sophistication, it can be tempting to dismiss his words as naïve, or over-pious, or sentimental; but what these words are inviting us to is, in essence, what Jesus invites us to in John’s Gospel. As we know, in the Gospel of John, Jesus exhibits very little hu % ~ ‡ $

% ‡ ! ~ $ � €“ ƒ ‡ ~ tries to answer that question: What are we looking for? Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that we are looking for many things: Living water, which quenches our deepest thirst and never needs to be drunk again; a truth that sets us free; a rebirth to something above; a light that shines eternally. But these images can seem abstract. What’s the real kernel inside them? The Gospel of John eventually answers that in a very clear way. Near the end of the Gospel (indeed this was probably the original end of John’s Gospel) we have that poignant, post-resurrection meeting between Jesus and Mary of Magdala. It takes place in a garden, the archetypal place where love happens: Mary, carrying spices to embalm his dead body, goes searching for Jesus on Easter Sunday morning. She meets Him, but doesn’t recognise Him. Supposing Him to be the gardener, she asks Him where she ~ % ~ question with which He opened the Gospel: “What are you looking ƒ ! | $ ! † � | $ � € % @ $ Q $ + ! & Œ $ us to pray) He writes her name into heaven. He gives her substance, and he cures her of her anxiety. $ to in kind. And ... in that lies the risk: As the late French Christian philosopher and activist Simone Weil put it: “Inner communion is good for the good and bad for the bad. God invites all the dammed into

% God willing, for us it is heaven! „

FOCUS 17

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

In the upcoming election of a new pope, these cardinals’ views carry more weight due to their experience

American Cardinal Timothy M Dolan, 63, charmed and impressed many in the College of Cardinals in February 2012 when he delivered the main presentation at a meeting Pope Benedict XVI had called to discuss the new evangelisation. The pope himself praised the New York archbishop’s presentation on how to revive the faith in increasingly secular societies as “enthusiastic, joyful and profound�.

Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo of EsztergomBudapest, 60, is a major Europe, the Church’s traditional heartland and the region of more than half the cardinal electors. He was elected to a sec $ Q dent of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences in 2011.

Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, 68, is a member of the Society of St Sulpice, whose members are, strictly speaking, diocesan priests but which is normally considered a Religious order. Hence he is one of only 19 members of Religious orders among the cardinal electors, who are overwhelmingly diocesan clergy. He is prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, which coordinates the nomination of bishops in Latinrite dioceses around the world. He is also president " sion for Latin America.

Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, 70, " cal Council for Culture, was the prelate chosen by Pope Benedict to lead his 2013 Lenten retreat, which will make him a prominent voice at the Vatican in the run-up to the election. The cardinal, a scholar with little direct pastoral experience, has been leading the universal Church’s efforts to develop a nonconfrontational dialogue with non-believers, trying to make Christianity intelligible to the modern mind and build a reason-based consensus on key moral issues.

Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, 70, is president of Caritas Internationalis, the umbrella group of national Catholic charities around the world. As a result, many of this Salesian’s peers have come to know the multilingual cardinal as the person spearheading assistance to the neediest of their people. He aroused controversy in 2002 with remarks about clergy sex abuse that struck some as overly defensive of accused priests and the Church’s past policies.

Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 69, was born to parents of Italian descent and has maintained strong ties with both Italy and Argentina. As prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, he is familiar with the challenges facing Eastern Catholics and the pastoral concerns of the Church in the Middle East. He has worked in the Vatican for more than a dozen years, and previously served as nuncio to Venezuela and then Mexico.

Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, 67, is president of " Unum, which promotes Catholic charitable giving. He has used his leadership to emphasise Pope Benedict’s teaching that Catholic charitable activity must not be simple philanthropy, but an expression of faith, rooted in prayer and Catholic identity. A scripture scholar and former diocesan bishop, he served nine years as secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

Brazilian Cardinal Odilo Scherer of Sao Paulo, 63, is the son of German immigrants. He also has strong ties to Rome. He studied philosophy and theology at Rome’s " ‰ –

" ‡ University and worked as tion for Bishops from 1994 to 2001.

Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, 68, has known Pope Benedict for almost 40 years, having studied under him at the University of Regensburg, Germany. Even before his former professor became pope, the cardinal was well known at the Vatican and in wider Church circles. He was invited in 1996 to preach Blessed John Paul II’s Lenten retreat and was the main editor of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published in 1992.

Italian Cardinal Angelo Scola, 71, is the archbishop of Milan, the archdiocese led by both Popes Pius XI and Paul VI when they were elected. He previously served as patriarch of Venice, once the see of Blessed John XXIII. The cardinal, a respected academic theologian rather than a popular preacher, has longstanding ties to one of the new Church movements, Communion and Liberation, which is based in his archdiocese.

Philippine Cardinal Luis Tagle of Manila, 55, is one of the youngest and newest members of the College of Cardinals. Although he did not receive his red hat until November 2012, he had already made a name for himself at the world Synod of Bishops on the Word of God in 2008. This leader of one of the world’s fastest-growing Churches is a popular speaker with a doctorate in systematic theology and has served on the International Theological Commission, an advisory body to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Cardinal Peter Turkson, 64, is the former archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana, and current president of the " ~ tice and Peace. The cardinal, a biblical scholar who was active in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, has frequently appeared on lists of possible popes. He aroused controversy in 2011 with a proposal for a “world central bank� to industry, and then in October 2012 when he showed bishops at the Vatican a video warning about the growth of Muslim populations in Europe. „ CNS

18 FAITH ALIVE!

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Repentance calls us towards renewal in Lent By Fr Lawrence E Mick | " ”Œ '' 'U Second Book of Samuel tell one of the most powerful stories of sin and repentance recorded in the Bible. It is a story of great sin, followed by a strong confrontation and prompt repentance. King David had a lustful heart. From his palace roof one day, he saw a beautiful woman bathing and desired her. Being king, he was no doubt used to getting what he wanted, so he had Bathsheba brought to him and they slept together. Bathsheba became pregnant. David tried to cover up his sin by bringing Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, back from the war so he would sleep with his wife; thus the child would be assumed to be Uriah’s. But Uriah refused to sleep in his home while the army was sleeping in tents, so David had him sent back to the front. David ordered his commander to put Uriah in the front line and then have the other soldiers pull back so that Uriah would be killed. Then David took Bathsheba as his wife. God was not pleased with David and sent Nathan the prophet to confront him. Nathan told David a story about a rich man who stole a poor man’s only lamb, though

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A young man prays after receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation during a youth conference in the US. CNS photo

himself. David was outraged and declared that the man should be severely punished. At that point, Nathan spoke the crucial line: “You are the man!� Hearing these words, David recognised his guilt and immediately repented of his sin. " <' expression of David’s repentance. “Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love; in your abundant compassion blot

out my transgressions. Thoroughly wash away my guilt; and from my sin cleanse me. For I know my transgressions; my sin is always before me.� This story gives us a model for our own lives. Like David, we often sin because of our desires, whether for sex, money, power or pleasure. Like him, we often have ting our sins. Sometimes God sends a person into our lives who confronts

There’s no doubt that many experience a certain amount of angst when faced with the confessional. However, one American priest, Jesuit Fr William O’Malley, says that without guilt, atrocities occur such as Auschwitz, rape, terrorism and other crimes against the world. Sometimes, we let ourselves off too easily, he says. He reminds us that we don’t look forward to visiting the dentist, but we sure love walking out of the dentist’s

%

#solutely new.

us with our sinfulness. That may be as direct as Nathan’s words to David or it may simply be the example of someone who makes us realise that we have not measured up to the Christian way of life. When that happens, we are inclined to be defensive and to try to justify our actions. David did not respond that way. He admitted his sin and repented. Lent is a season that calls us to do the same. This is a time for baptismal preparation for the

“We also forget the buoyancy when we walk away from an honest, cards-onthe-table confession, ‘brand new again’, empowered to start fresh again,� he says. Two things can happen if one chooses to remain silent about one’s situation, he says: You can either carry on with actions that are no good for the world, or for yourself, or the guilt becomes too great to handle. “Telling someone else gets it out there on the table ... to be healed,� he says. „ CNS

Elect and for baptismal renewal for those already baptised. The Sacrament of Reconciliation offers us the opportunity to admit our sins and repent so that we can heal and take up anew our baptismal commitment to live as members of Christ’s body and to witness to His love in our world. „ CNS Fr Mick is a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, USA, and a freelance writer.

YEAR OF FAITH

A look at Vatican II’s document on interfaith relations AMONG controversial topics at the Second Vatican Council was how the Church should approach people of faith who are not Christians. The Council Fathers asked what is the meaning of other religions and what is their value for Catholics? This became the subject of the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, known as Nostra Aetate +@ } ? '_*<% & common human search for meaning: the purpose of existence, the meaning of suffering, the road to true happiness. ing with words of respect for both Hinduism, whose adherents “contemplate the divine mystery� while seeking freedom from suffering through ascetical practices or profound meditation, and Buddhism, whose followers “realise changeable world� and seek to €

% These and other religions, the Fathers asserted, seek to ease the

restless the human heart through teachings, rules of life and sacred rites. “The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions,â€? the council taught. “She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless which enlightens all men.â€? The document called for intense dialogue and collaboration with the followers of these religions. Pope Paul VI had already '_*` for Non-Christians, known after '_Â&#x;Â&#x; " Interreligious Dialogue. Their dialogues and contacts don’t aspire to achieve full unity as is the case with other Christians, but seek to establish relationships of trust and efforts to address together problems all people face. Nostra Aetate also examines the Church’s attitude towards Is-

Members of different faiths in Singapore join Muslims in breaking fast.

lam. It speaks of the Church’s esteem for Muslims and lists positive elements in their life and teaching. They adore one merciful and all-powerful God, and strive to submit to Him. They do not believe that Jesus is God, but revere him as a prophet. They honour Mary, the mother of Jesus, await the Day of Judgment

and the resurrection of the dead. They have high moral values and worship God through prayer, almsgiving and fasting. Even though there is a long history of hostility between Christians and Muslims, the document “urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding�, social justice, peace and freedom.

The declaration reserved the most space for the Jews. Indeed, the Church has much more in common with the Jews than with any other religion. The Church received the revelation of the Hebrew Scriptures through the people with whom God concluded the Ancient Covenant, and the Apostles and most of the early disciples were Jews. Even if most Jews did not accept the Gospel, God still holds them “most dearâ€? and “does not repentâ€? of the gifts he has given them. Nostra Aetate rejects any notion that all Jews were responsible in the past, or any Jews today, for the death of Jesus. Moreover, the Jews cannot be understood as rejected or cursed by God, and so anti-Semitism in all its forms is utterly rejected. This has led to a vast improvement in relations between the two groups, and at a historic visit to ÂŒ '_Â&#x;* Pope John Paul II referred to them as our “elder brothersâ€? in the faith of Abraham. „ USCCB

19

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

CHILDREN’S STORY:

By Joe Sarnicola Joshua saw a man in front of him with a sword in his hand. Joshua did not know who this man was, so he asked, “Are you one of us or one of our enemies?� The man answered, “Neither. I am the commander of the army of the Lord: now I have come.� “What has my Lord to say to his servant?� Joshua asked. “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy.� Joshua did as the commander told him. Later the Lord said to Joshua, “I have delivered Jericho, its king, and its warriors into your power.� Then he instructed Joshua to have the soldiers march around the city once a day for six days. As they marched

the priests would go with them, holding rams’ horns and carrying the ark of the covenant with them. On the seventh day they were all to march around the city seven times. At the end of the seventh time the priests would blow their horns, which would be a signal for the people of Israel to shout as loud as they could. When they did this, the walls that surrounded the city to protect it would collapse. Then the people of Israel were to attack Jericho. For six days the soldiers and the priests circled Jericho. On the seventh day, after marching around the city seven times, the priests gave a long blast on their horns, the signal Joshua was waiting for. So Joshua said, “Now shout, for the Lord has given you the city.� So the horns blew and the peo-

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

St Louise of Marillac Louise of Marillac (1591-1660) was raised by her father after the death of her mother and educated by nuns from the French village of Poissy. Her father died when she was in her teens. She married Antony Le Gras and they had one son, but Antony became very sick and died. After that, Louise gave her life to serving the Lord. For the next few years, St Vincent de Paul became her confessor and teacher. Louise travelled often for St Vincent and, because she often suffered from poor health, St Vincent set up a training centre to train other religious workers who later worked with needy children. This humble origin was the founding of the Sisters of ’ " ! Š tress. We honour her on March 15. „

ple shouted and the walls of Jericho crumbled to the ground. The people of Israel attacked the city and were triumphant over their enemies, as the Lord had promised. Two men who had gone into the city as spies rescued the woman who had protected them, along with her family. The remains of the city were burned and any gold, silver or bronze was placed in the treasury. At the end of the victory Joshua declared, “Cursed before the Lord

be the man who attempts to rebuild this city, Jericho. At the cost of his !

and at the cost of his youngest son will he set up its gates.� „ Read more about it: Joshua 5 and 6

Q&A 1. Who was the man with the sword who met Joshua? 2. What did the people do after the priests blew their horns?

WORDSEARCH: „ JOSHUA „ COMMANDER „ SANDALS „ PRIESTS

„ SWORD „ ARMY „ HOLY „ JERICHO

PUZZLE: Fill in the blanks with the correct names from the list, all of which begin with the letter “j�. Not all names will be used. Jesus Joseph Jude James Judas Jeremiah Jonah Joshua 1. I fought the battle of Jericho. ____________

[ { % % % # # ____________

3. I was an Old Testament prophet. ____________ 4. I was sold as a slave by my brothers. ____________ 5. I am the Son of God. ____________

Bible Accent:

| { % tles of Jesus. ____________

When the Israelites were about to go to battle with the army of Amalek, Moses appointed Joshua as the leader of the Israelite soldiers (Exodus 17), and later Joshua served as an assistant to Moses (Exodus 33). Although Moses had been the man who had led Israel out of the slavery in Egypt and through the wilderness for 40 years, Joshua was the man who helped Israel to actually claim the land that God had promised to them, because Moses had died. @ ‰ ~ ‡ Joshua, “As I was with Moses, I will be with you.� Joshua obeyed the Lord, and the land of Canaan was divided up among the 12 tribes of Israel. It was not an easy process, but God kept his promise to his people. „

7. I betrayed Jesus.

KIDS CLUB:

Answers to Wordsearch: Answers to Puzzle: 1. Joshua, 2. Jonah, 4. Joseph, 5. Jesus, 7. Judas

3. Jeremiah, 6. James,

Share your thoughts on this week’s Bible story with family and friends by writing an essay in response to this question: Why is Lent such an important part of our faith?

____________

20 WHAT’S ON EVENT SUBMISSIONS We welcome information of events happening in our local Church. Please send your submission at least one month before the event. Online submissions can be made at www. catholic.sg/webevent_form.php

RCIA/RCIY A journey for those seeking to know more about the Catholic faith. Baptised Catholics are also invited to journey as sponsors. SATURDAYS FEB 23 RCIY@ST MARY OF THE ANGELS 3.30-6.45pm: For those aged 13-18. At Church of St Mary of the Angels (5 Bukit Batok East Ave 2). T: 9746 4548 (Jeannette); E: jeanetteyeo@gmail.com WEDNESDAYS FEB 27 RCIA@CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY 7.30-9.30pm: From mid-May, meetings will also be held on Sundays from 11am12.30pm. At Church of the Holy Family (6 Chapel Rd). Register T: 6344 0046, 9666 6542; E: rciaholyfam@gmail.com; $ % SUNDAYS APRIL 7 RCIA@CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR 7.30-9.30pm: Begins with welcome night followed by sessions commencing on April 14. At Church of our Lady of Perpetual Succour (31 Siglap Hill). Register T: 9760 0038; E: jjwong5@ % % ÂĽ $

Sunday March 10, 2013 „ CatholicNews

FRIDAYS APRIL 26 RCIA@CHURCH OF ST TERESA 7.45-9pm: At Church St Teresa 4th Level St Paul Room Parish House (510 Kampong Bahru Rd). Register T: 9769 1691, 6271 1184; E: stteresa@singnet.

% ¼ $ SUNDAYS JUNE 8 RCIC/RCIY@CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 9.45am (RCIC), 3pm (RCIY). At Church of the Holy Spirit (248 Upper Thomson Rd). RCIC for 7 to 12 years old. RCIY for 13 to 20 years old. T: 9740 3993 (Jamie – RCIC), 8499 9420 (Elizabeth – RCIY); E: jamie_ze_pig@hotmail.com (RCIC), lizjteh@gmail.com (RCIY)

ALPHA COURSE The Alpha course is to help people have a basic understanding of the Christian faith. THURSDAYS FEB 28 TO MAY 23 7.15-10pm. At Church of St Ignatius (Sacred Heart Hall). Dinner provided. Register E: alpha_ignatius@yahoo.com THURSDAYS MARCH 7 TO MAY 30 BOOK OF REVELATION DVD BIBLE STUDY BY JEFF CAVINS 8-10pm: In this DVD, Jeff Cavins explores how the Kingdom of Christ is intimately connected with the Kingdom of Heaven through the celebration of the Mass. Cost: $30. By Church of the Christ the King Biblical Apostolate Team. At Church of Christ the King St Mary’s Room (2221 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8). Register ”� ¥ %

FRIDAY MARCH 8 TO SUNDAY MARCH 10 BEGINNING EXPERIENCE WEEKEND Fri (6pm)-Sun (4pm): For those divorced, separated, or who have experienced the death of a spouse. Work through one’s grief and put one’s past behind, to be ! % Register T: 9647 9122 (Sue), 9828 5162 (Jean), 9661 8089 (Joseph); E: josephchew@ippfa.com MARCH 9 TEOCHEW RETREAT 9am: Conducted by Fr Henry Siew. At Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Block B 2-2). E: teochewgroup@gmail.com MARCH 9 MEDITATIVE PRAYER USING THE SONGS OF TAIZE 8-9.30pm: At The Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator (60 Hill St). T: 9837 7256; E: bennycah@gmail.com MARCH 17 LENTEN REFLECTION IN TAMIL 2-6pm: Retreat followed by Mass. At Blessed Sacrament Church. (Damien Centre, 3rd Floor, St James Room). T: 6474 5249/9678 3855 (Margaret Samuel) FRIDAYS MARCH 15 TO MAY 17 BIBLE OVER COFFEE WITH FR EMMANUEL 9.30-11.30am: Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. Come discover the word of God with Fr Emmanuel. By Church of Christ the King Biblical Apostolate Team. At Church of Christ the King. (2221 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8). Register T: 9832 1538; E: ctkbat@hotmail.com

Church of St Bernadette

Fri. March 15: 8.00pm Church of St Teresa

Mon. March 18: 8.00pm Tue. March 19: 8.00pm Sun March 17: 9.00am (Tamil) and 6.00pm (Tamil) Church of St Alphonsus (Novena Church)

Wed. March 20: 8.00pm Church of Sts Peter & Paul

Thu March 21: 8.00pm

NORTH

Church of St Francis Xavier

Tue. March 19: 8.00pm Church of the Holy Spirit

EAST

Fri. March 15: 10.30am & 8.00pm Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea

Church of the Holy Family

Mon. March 18: 8.00pm

Fri. March 15: 10.30am and 8.00pm

Church of the Risen Christ

Church of St Stephen

Tue. March 19: 10.30am and 8.00pm

Church of the Nativity of the BVM

Wed. March 20: 8.00pm St Anne’s Church

Thu. March 21: 8.00pm Church of St Vincent De Paul

Mon. March 25: 8.00pm

Mon. March 18: 8.00pm Church of St Anthony Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour

Wed. March 20: 8.00pm

WEST

Tue. March 19: 10.30am and 8.00pm

Church of Christ the King

Church of St Ignatius

Thu. March 21: 10.30am and 8.00pm

Mon. March 18: 8.00pm Church of St Francis of Assisi

St Joseph Church (Bukit Timah)

Tue. March 19: 8.00pm

Fri. March 22: 8.00pm

Blessed Sacrament Church

Church of Divine Mercy

Wed. March 20: 8.00pm

WEDNESDAYS MARCH 20 TO JUNE 5 CATHOLICISM 9.30-11.30am: A DVD-based programme presented by Rev Robert Baron that explains what Catholics believe and why. At Church of the Holy Spirit (Room A201). Register T: 9815 4098 (Genevieve), 8228 8220 (Clare) E: HSBibleApostolate@gmail.com MARCH 23 I AM SPECIAL I AM ME _%—> Q< � & Q

! help foster a healthy self image for children. It looks at identifying strengths, combating negative situations, and using games, role-play, skits and videos to help children better understand themselves. By Morning Star Community Services. At 4 Lor Low Koon. Register T: 6285 1377; E: shubashini@morningstar.org.sg MARCH 23 MONUMENTAL WALKING TOUR 10-11.30am: Get a historical and personal insight into how inspiration, faith, grit and destiny combined to make the seemingly insurmountable task of establishing Catholic churches in 19th-century Singapore. Monuments covered include St Joseph’s Church, Church of Sts Peter and Paul, Cathedral of Good Shepherd. Register with name, NRIC, age and contact E: nhb_nationalmonuments@nhb.gov.sg

MARCH 29 PASSION PLAY '>Q'>%`< � Š passion through a Passion Play put together by the youth and young adults of the De Vita Christi Youth Community. At Church of St Ignatius (Main church).

Church of Our Lady of Lourdes

Fri. March 22: 8.00pm

MARCH 17 IHM LENTEN BLOODMOBILE OUTREACH 10.30am-3pm: Give blood and save up to 3 lives. For those aged 16-60 and who weigh more than 45kg. Bring NRIC/ passport. At Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Multi-purpose Hall (24 Highland Rd).

MARCH 23 FAMILY NIGHT – THE 5 LANGUAGES OF LOVE IN ACTION 6.30-9.30pm: Explore the love languages of your family via a variety of fun activities and games. A time to bond and strengthen family ties. Registration required. By Morning Star Community Services. At 4 Lor Low Koon. Register T: 6285 1377; E: shubashini@morningstar.org.sg

CITY

Church of St Michael

MARCH 17 BLOOD DONATION DRIVE 9am-2pm: Donate blood and save lives during Lent. At Blessed Sacrament Church. Pre-registration Feb 16 & 17. T: 8298 5817 (Ruby); E: frdamiensociety@gmail.com

Church of the Holy Trinity

Wed. March 20: 8.00pm

Thu. March 21: 10.30am and 8.00pm

SERANGOON

Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace

Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Fri. March 22: 8.00pm

Mon. March 18: 8.00pm

Church of St Mary of the Angels

Thu. March 21: 8.00pm Church of the Holy Cross Fri. March 22: 8.00pm

FRIDAY APRIL 5 TO SUNDAY APRIL 7 RETROUVAILLE WEEKEND Fri (8pm)-Sun (6pm): For those serious about making their marriage work. By Retrouvaille Singapore. At 201-B Punggol 17th Ave. Register: T: 6749 8661 (Michael/Lucy); E: retrouvaillesingapore@yahoo.com.sg; W: http://www.helpourmarriage.sg APRIL 6 FINDING GOD IN YOUR WRITING PART 1 9.30am-5pm: Through writing exercises and other activities, explore and express your inmost thoughts and feelings and gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your relationship with others and God. Cost: $100 (with lunch). By Kingsmead CISC. At 8 Victoria Park Rd. Register by March 27. T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com APRIL 6 AN AFTERNOON OF NOSTALGIA 3-6.30pm: Remembering former principal Dr Mary McCarthy. School tour, memorial Mass, presentation of school plans, sale of special and commemorative items, refreshments. By Marymount Convent School Alumnae. At Marymount Convent School (20 Marymount Rd). E: del_kang2001@yahoo.com APRIL 20 MASS FOR THE POOR 2-4pm: Annual celebratory Mass for the poor, in conjunction with the 200th

anniversary of Blessed Frederic Ozanam, founder of the Society of St Vincent de Paul. At Church of St Vincent de Paul. APRIL 20 SUBFERTILITY: ETHICAL OPTIONS FOR CATHOLIC COUPLES 2-4pm: Catholic couples are aware that the Church does not allow IVF. Forum will help couples better understand this teaching and explore the lesser known but nonetheless effective and ethical options available. By Catholic Medical Guild and Natural Family Planning Service Singapore. At Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre (St Paul’s Auditorium). Register W: http://subfertilityforum.caritashost.sg SATURDAY APRIL 20 AND SUNDAY APRIL 21 THEOLOGY OF THE BODY CRASH COURSE 9am-5pm: Based on Christopher’s West DVD series. For those who want to understand sexuality and spirituality on a deeper level. Facilitated by Andrew Kong and team. By Apostolate for Catholic Truth. At International Plaza, 29-03, 10 Anson Rd (above Tanjong Pagar MRT). Register SMS: 9649 3893; E: andrew.kong@catholic.org.sg APRIL 26 EUCHARISTIC ADORATION FOR YOUNG ADULTS 8-9.30pm: With rosary, scriptural % By Generation Christ! Ministry. At Church of St Ignatius (St Francis Xavier Chapel Kingsmead Hall). E: gen.christ.ministry@gmail.com APRIL 27 TRANSITION AT MIDLIFE 9am-1pm: The talk will cover topics such as Problem to Promise: Negotiating the Passage into Midlife; The Invitations of Midlife Necessary Losses: Making space for the New Broken Dreams and Future Vision. Conducted by Sr Linda Lizada. Cost: $20. By Clarity Singapore. At National Volunteers & Philanthropy Centre (6 Eu Tong Sen Street #04-88, The Central, NPH2 Level 3). Register T: 6757 7990/9710 3733; E: lightingtheway@clarity-singapore.org APRIL 28 TO JUNE 2 MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSE For couples intending to get married. } Q Q $ % Quarter 3 course from July 21 to Aug 25. T: 9839 9840 (Ron/Grace); E: mpcsingapore@gmail.com; Register in parishes or W: http://www.catholic.org.sg/mpc FRIDAY MAY 3 TO SUNDAY MAY 5 MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND Fri (8pm)-Sun (6pm): A live-in marriage enrichment programme for happily married couples. Equip yourselves on this till-the-end-of-time journey of love. By ME Singapore. At 201-B Punggol 17th Avenue. Register: T: 9670 5390; E: register@marriage-encounter-sg.org THURSDAY MAY 9 TO SUNDAY MAY 12 FROM CONSUMER TO COWBOY Thu (7pm)-Sun (5pm): A retreat for ! ! the challenge of Christian commitment in a consumerist world. With inputs and opportunities for group sharing and individual spiritual direction. Cost: $210 (non air-con room), $270 (air-con room). Facilitated by Fr Christopher Soh, SJ. By Kingsmead CISC. At 8 Victoria Park Rd. Register by Apr 29. T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com MAY 18 PENTECOSTAL RALLY 7.30-10.30pm An evening of prayer, praise and thanksgiving to celebrate the Church’s birthday with praise and worship led by Youth Charismatic Ministry. At Church of St Ignatius (St Ignatius Hall). E: devitachristi@gmail.com FRIDAY MAY 31 TO SUNDAY JUNE 2 RETROUVAILLE WEEKEND Fri (8.30pm)-Sun (5.30pm): For those serious about making their marriage work. By Retrouvaille Singapore. At 201-B Punggol 17th Ave. Register: T: 6749 8661 (Michael/Lucy); E: retrouvaillesingapore@yahoo.com.sg; W: http://www.helpourmarriage.sg

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Sunday March 10, 2013 CatholicNews

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

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