APRIL 05, 2015, Vol 65, No 07

SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

SINGAPORE $0.70 CENTS / WEST MALAYSIA RM$2.10

MCI (P) 005/08/2014

PPS 201/04/2013 (022940)

VOL 65

NO. 07

Pope to launch Year of Mercy in December The theme will be ‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful’ VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has announced a Holy Year of Mercy, to highlight the Catholic Church’s “mission to be a witness of mercy”.

“No one can be excluded from God’s mercy,” the pope said on March 13, marking the second anniversary of his ponti¿cate by leading a Lenten penitential service in St Peter’s Basilica.

“I frequently have thought about how the Church can make more evident its mission to be a witness of mercy,” he said during his homily; that is why he decided to call for a special Holy Year, which will be celebrated from Dec 8, 2015, until Nov 20, 2016.

The biblical theme of the year, he said, will be “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36), an admonition that applies “especially to confessors” the pope said with a smile.

Traditionally, popes proclaim a holy year every 25 years, which features special celebrations and pilgrimages, strong calls for conversion and repentance, and the offer of special opportunities to experience God’s grace through the sacraments, especially confession.

Extraordinary holy years, like the Holy Year of Mercy, are less frequent, but offer the same opportunities for spiritual growth.

The doors of the Church “are wide open so that all those who are touched by grace can ¿nd the certainty of forgiveness”, Pope Francis said at the penitential service, which featured individual confessions. It was part of a worldwide celebration of “24 Hours for the Lord”, in which many Catholic churches stayed open for prayer, Eucharistic adoration and confession.

At each of the dozens of confessionals in St Peter’s Basilica, as well as in simple chairs scattered along the walls, priests welcomed people to the sacrament. The pope

Mr Lee Kuan Yew (1923-2015)

Archbishop Goh sends condolences to PM Lee and family A priest hears a young man’s confession. ‘No one can be excluded from God’s mercy,’ says the pope. &16 ¿OH SKRWR

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– Pope Francis during a Lenten penitential service at St Peter’s Basilica

removed his liturgical vestments and went to confession before putting on a purple stole and hearing the confessions of others.

“God never ceases to demonstrate the richness of His mercy over the course of centuries,” the pope said in his homily, which preceded the confessions. God touches people’s hearts with His grace, ¿lling them with repentance and a desire to “experience His love”.

“Being touched by the tenderness of His hand”, people should

not be afraid to approach a priest and confess their sins, he said.

In the confessional, one has “the certainty of being welcomed in the name of God and understood, despite our misery”.

“The greater the sin, the greater the love, which the Church must express towards those who convert,” Pope Francis said.

The Gospel reading at the service was the story of the sinful woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. Every time one goes to confession, the pope said, “we feel the same compassionate gaze of Jesus” that she did.

Jesus’ love, he said, allowed her to draw near, to demonstrate her repentance and to show her love for Him. “Every gesture of this woman speaks of love and expresses her desire to have an unshakable certainty in her life, that of having been forgiven.”

Continued on Page 13

Dear Prime Minister and Mrs Lee, The Roman Catholic Church in Singapore and I are with you in your pain as you mourn the loss of your beloved father and father-in-law.

Your father was not only a great statesman. He was also a good and upright man who lived passionately his calling in life, which was to be a faithful husband, a dedicated father and a visionary leader.

Singapore owes her nationhood to him. As a nation, we have him to thank for everything we are proud to call “Singapore”. Indeed, we count ourselves truly blessed to have had such a giant of a leader at a time when Singapore counted for nothing in the eyes of the world.

It now behooves us to protect and to carry on the legacy which he has left us with – a foundation built on honesty, integrity, selÀess love, ¿lial piety, commitment and responsibility.

This is the highest honour we

can give to one who gave his all.

We pray that God will grant your Papa and the founding father of our nation, the rest that he truly deserves, and console you in your time of grief.

All our Catholic churches and communities including myself are offering prayers and Masses for the repose of his soul and for your family in this time of bereavement.

In addition, I will be celebrating a Mass with all my priests and the Catholic Community at St Joseph Church (Victoria Street) on Friday 27th March at 1.15 pm.

May God give you strength and consolation.

+William Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore Archbishop’s House 31 Victoria Street Singapore 187997

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Meditating before Mass at Queen of Peace church

Parishes take up pope’s call to pray for 24 hours

By Lorna O’Hara

Parishioners of the Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace meditating before Mass.

By James Galvin Loh If you walk in 15 minutes before Mass at the Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace this Lent, you may notice parishioners sitting still, eyes closed and deep in prayer.

Usually there will be a flurry of activity 10 minutes before any Mass begins with the faithful scurrying into church with animated children on tow. Liturgical ministers will also be busy with last minute preparations.

However, these activites can lead to difficulties in paying attention and staying focused during Mass.

With this in mind, parish priest Fr Joachim Chang approached the Christian Meditation group to introduce silent meditation to help parishioners quieten and calm down before Mass. The pilot project started during Advent 2014.

Now parishioners are advised to arrive 15 minutes before Mass.

Beginning with a ¿ve-minute silent reÀection Àashed on the AV screen accompanied by sacred music and lights dimmed, a chime signals the start and end of the ¿ve-minute silent meditation.

In the tradition of Benedictine monk Fr John Main, the congregation is taught to sit still and to come to an interior silence by the quiet repetition of a single prayer word “Maranatha”.

The meditation has received positive feedback.

Ms Monica Ang said that the meditative prayer before Mass was meaningful and better prepares her for the celebration.

Parishioners said that they were generally happy with this method of deepening prayer and hope it would help them stay focused during Mass.

Parishes in Singapore held a 24hour vigil with the theme, “God, Rich in Mercy”. The vigil was held from March 13, 8pm to March 14, 8pm.

This was in response to Pope Francis’ call to offer 24 hours of Eucharistic adoration and reconciliation during that period. Fr Stephen Yim, chairman of the Senate of Priests in his email to all priests on Feb 10, encouraged all parishes take up the call of the pope.

At least 12 parishes dedicated 24-hours to prayers.

While most parishes held Eucharistic adoration and reconciliation, the Church of St Bernadette held a two-hour Eucharistic adoration from 8-10 pm on March 13 while St Joseph’s Church (Victoria Street) held Eucharistic adoration and guided prayers from 8 pm on March 13 to 4.30 pm on March 14.

Some parishes also held the vigil in a unique way.

At Blessed Sacrament Church, the Fr Damien Youth Choir prayed the rosary using Latin Gregorian chant. They also prayed using chants from Taize.

Participants from the various parishes saw the vigil as a positive step that the Church was taking to pray for all in the world.

“It is a very good thing. Pope

Young people participate in Eucharistic adoration at Blessed Sacrament Church.

Children praying the rosary at the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea.

Francis is calling for the conversion of sinners and this is very crucial for us during this time of Lent,” said Mr Gabriel Patrick, a 27-year-old youth coordinator at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Ms Jacqueline Enoch from the Church of St Vincent de Paul said, “I felt privileged praying along-

side the pope. It was an eye opener to see the entire parish praying together.”

But she felt that holding a full 24-hour vigil was a little “ambitious” as there were only a handful of people who came in the wee hours of the morning. lorna.ohara@catholic.org.sg

Screengrab from the revamped website.

Revamped website for archdiocese The archdiocesan website has been revamped.

Archbishop William Goh announced the move in a letter sent out to priests, Religious, and Catholic organisations, The revamp took about a year to complete and was done by the archbishop’s communications team.

The archbishop said that the website was part of the Singapore Church’s efforts to “evangelise more people”.

The website aims to “reach out and engage Catholics, both

active and lapsed, as well as nonbelievers on matters of our faith and how to live out our Christian calling as Catholics in today’s secularised world”.

Features of the revamped website include job/volunteer postings for parishes/organisations; the ability to get an event out to the wider Catholic population; helping Catholics to reignite their faith or return to Church; an avenue for Catholics to share their faith stories to inspire others; an avenue for submitting

prayer requests and praying for one another; and daily reÀections from the archbishop.

The website is at www.catholic.org.sg All existing users will have to re-register at www.catholic.org. sg/registration/ After registering, users can post event/job submissions. It will take three working days for registrations to be processed. For help on how to use the website, visit www.catholic.org.sg/admin

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Programme to help build disciples in parishes launched A programme to help Catholics live out their mission as disciples was launched recently, with parishioners from Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary taking part.

More than 20 members of various parish ministries attended the “Journey” retreat facilitated by the Of¿ce for the New Evangelisation (ONE).

The event, held at the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary from March 7-8, was part of the new Parish Transformation Process (PTP) initiated by ONE. In the PTP, parish and assistant priests work with ONE and other collaborators to nurture disciples who will transform the parish culture into one that is communitarian and also outward-looking.

A team of Religious and laypeople facilitated the recent retreat, which saw participants undergoing a journey of remembrance to

encounter God in the signi¿cant milestones of their lives.

Retreatants used toys and childhood and adolescent memorabilia as they retraced the origin and development of their personal relationship with Jesus.

They also experienced oneon-one spiritual direction with trained spiritual directors, who helped them discern the presence of God and make sense of God’s action in their lives.

In one session, retreatants were transported back to Emmaus in a paraliturgy, which focused on how Jesus broke bread with the disciples after they recognised Him, and how they went out in haste to share the Good News with others.

Many participants said they were moved by their experiences during the retreat.

It “has opened my heart and spirit to encounter God’s great love

Fr Henry Siew breaking bread in a paraliturgy during the Parish Transformation Process retreat.

for us to be called His disciples”, said Ms Pauline Phuan, a catechist.

Eucharistic minister Terence Siew shared: “God has been present every moment of my life and I did not rejoice in His presence … Now I yearn to ¿nd intimacy with the Lord and to be in communion with my fellow-travellers on this journey.”

“The spirit manifested during the retreat is certainly conducive for growing the spirituality of communion,” said parish priest Fr Henry Siew. “I look forward to God’s abundant grace as members of this community grow towards being disciples of Christ and being equipped for mission as catalysts in other communities within the parish under the PTP.”

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Participants UHÀHFWLQJ on their life journeys as they sit before the Blessed Sacrament, with their personalised jars. The handmade jars were part of the retreat experience.

Young people exercising their faith by praying for one another during the March 13-16 Treasure Retreat.

Photos: JOSEPH TEY

Young people learn about forgiveness at retreat

By Rachel Ann Kenyon Young Catholics received spiritual inputs, spent time in personal prayer and reÀection, and participated in sharing groups during a stay-in retreat organised by the Of¿ce for Young People (OYP).

The March 13-16 Treasure Retreat held at Lorong Low Koon, aimed to help the 68 participants, aged between 22 and 35, to experience God in a community setting.

During the ¿rst Mass of the

retreat, Fr Jude David urged participants to be like the humble tax collector in the Bible who prayed to God for mercy and found his home in God. Topics such as the love of God, sin and salvation, the call to forgive, submitting to Jesus as Lord and living in the Spirit as disciples of Christ were also explored by Fr Jude and OYP staff, as well as by the prayer ministry, which helped participants reÀect on what was presented.

The participants were remind-

ed of how they were made by God with love, for love and to love.

By the end of the retreat, the atmosphere had grown from uncertainty to joy as the OYP hallways resounded with voices and laughter. Participants were seen striking conversations and sharing freely.

Fr Jude challenged the young adults to evangelise as they had been “consecrated for the world” and are the jars of clay who in their brokenness, hold the transforming power of God to impact their generation for Christ.

“It was a timely reminder for me that I brought God joy and I am in¿nitely loved,” said Christ the King parishioner Emanuel Francis, 22.

Mr Galvin Tay, 27, from the Church of the Divine Mercy said that during the retreat, he “experienced the subtle joy of surrendering to the Lord and I’m reminded of the joy of service”.

“This retreat was a very simple time away from hectic work life to be with Jesus,” said Ms Jelena Chia, 24, from the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This is the third time OYP has held the Treasure retreat. Previously, the retreat was held in July and October last year.

Visit OYP’s website at www. oyp.org.sg for more information on upcoming Treasure retreats, other programmes and events for young people.

This retreat was a ‘ very simple time away from hectic work life to be with Jesus.

’

– Ms Jelena Chia, 24

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

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Mercy, compassion stressed at Mass to mark pope’s 2nd year

By Christopher Khoo If you want to win the world over, “it is through the way of mercy and love”, said Archbishop William Goh. He was speaking at a Mass to mark the second anniversary of the pope’s election at St Joseph’s

Church, Victoria St on March 15.

Archbishop Goh noted that Pope Francis is immensely popular not only within the Catholic Church but also among many other Christians, including pastors and bishops.

“They are so interested in what Pope Francis is saying … because he speaks a language of mercy and compassion,” Archbishop Goh said to the crowd at the 10 am Mass.

“This is a harsh world we are living in,” Archbishop Goh said in his homily. “In this modern world, if you make a mistake, you are condemned ... The world will not give you a second chance. If you commit adultery today, immediately divorce. No forgiveness. This is not the way of the Church ... The way of the Gospel is of mercy.”

The archbishop also noted that “the approach of Pope Francis is not to condemn”.

Archbishop Goh told the congregation that the pope has announced that he will launch a Jubilee Year of Mercy in December.

He invited the congregation to pray on the occasion of the second year of Pope Francis’ ponti¿cate “that we too will proclaim the

Celebrants at the Mass to mark the second anniversary of Pope Francis’ election (from left): apostolic nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Archbishop William Goh, Fr Ignatius Yeo, Fr John Nguyen van Dich, Fr Francis Leong and Msgr Francis Lau.

mercy of God in the world, in our lives beginning with your family, your spouse, your children, the Church and society”.

Also celebrating the Mass were apostolic nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Msgr Francis Lau, Fr Ignatius Yeo, Fr Francis Leong and Fr John Nguyen van Dich.

Archbishop Girelli, at the end of the Mass, thanked all present for their prayers for the pope.

“The Holy Father every time asks for prayers for his mission in the world,” he said.

The nuncio also thanked Singapore Catholics for donating every June to Peter’s Pence, which supports the charitable works of the pope. “Singapore is very generous,” the nuncio remarked with a smile. christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg

CLARIFICATION: In the story, Visually-impaired Boy’s Math A-level Results Came As A ‘Surprise’ (CN, March 22), the sixth paragraph stated: “I have my Math teacher [Mr Lim Yoke Kuang] to thank,” said Tay. The sentence should read: “I have my Math teacher [Mr Kuang Kim Chun] to thank,” said Tay.

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Youths visit mosque to understand Muslim beliefs

By Zachary C Lim Catholic teenagers along with their catechists from the Church of the Holy Family, visited a mosque on March 22 to gain a deeper understanding of another religion’s beliefs and customs.

Upon arrival at the Masjid Darul Aman at 1 Jalan Eunos, the 60 15-year-olds who are undergoing Level 9 catechism were greeted by their hosts and mosque executive chairman Mohd Ali Suri.

They were then split into different groups and brought around the mosque by guides from the Nanyang Technology University Muslim Society.

The Catholic youths felt that the information shared by their

guides, who were close to them in terms of age, were easily received and understood.

The visitors learnt about Muslim practices such as cleansing oneself before entering the place of worship, to values and principles which Muslims live by.

Along the way, the guides answered questions posed by their Catholic guests.

At the end of the tour, the group re-gathered for a brief presentation by youth development ofÂżcer Ustaz Shahril Nizam.

He explained the basic tenets of Islam, the history of the mosque, and he gave a breakdown of its activities for the Muslim community.

This was followed by a quiz in which prizes were awarded to the visitors.

The youths also enjoyed some refreshments prepared by members of the mosque.

On March 8, the group visited the Jewish Maghain Aboth Synagogue at 24/26 Waterloo Street.

The trips organised by the catechists and facilitated by the Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Interreligious Dialogue, are intended to expose the teenagers to other religions and encourage them to ask questions so as to gain a deeper understanding of other faiths.

In about a year’s time, the teenagers would be receiving the Sacrament of Con¿rmation. „

Coming up: CHARIS’ Humanitarian Forum and Fair For Catholics who wish to know more about the Church’s overseas humanitarian and disaster relief efforts, there will be a Humanitarian Forum and Fair (HFF2015) on May 30.

The forum will take place from 1 pm-8.30 pm at Catholic Junior College, and is themed: One Mission. Many Borders.

Love Multiplied.

The two-yearly event will have a forum featuring eminent local and overseas speakers.

They will be sharing insights and experiences on key humanitarian topics.

The speakers include newly appointed global humanitarian director of Caritas Internationalis Suzanna Tkalec and Msgr Enrique (Kike) Figaredo, Apostolic Prefect of Battambang, Cambodia.

Ms Tkalec will talk about the role of faith-based organisations and on Caritas in ensuring that those affected by conÀict and

disasters receive assistance and protection they need, while Msgr Figaredo will share what it means to continue to tend to a people that still bears the wounds of war.

There will also be a panel

The event will feature local and foreign speakers who will share insights and experiences on key humanitarian topics. discussion and a question-andanswer segment during the forum.

The second half of the event includes a fair which will start at 7 pm. It will provide an opportunity for participants to understand the projects and vol-

unteer programmes organised

by Caritas Humanitarian Aid and Relief Initiatives, Singapore (CHARIS) afÂżliates and partners.

The guest-of-honour will be Archbishop William Goh who will give an opening address and a theological reÀection.

CHARIS has called on Catholics to help to spread the word by taking part in the HFF2015 #eyesclosedchallenge.

Catholics are invited to take a selÂże of their eyes closed, tag and post it on their Facebook page and nominate their friends to do the same.

To register, pick up a registration form from parishes or visit www.charis-singapore.org To ¿nd out more about HFF2015, visit CHARIS’ Facebook page at www.facebook. com/CHARISHFF, or their event video on the CHARIS Singapore’s Youtube channel. „

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Talk about Christ, tell c

At Catholic Education Conference, Archbishop Goh and Jesuit priest exhort educators to p

By Mel Diamse-Lee The impassioned homily of Archbishop William Goh rang outthroughout the packed auditorium of St Gabriel Secondary School on March 16 as he encouraged teachers to talk about Catholic values to their students and point to Christ as the source of these values.

“A Catholic school that does not proclaim Christ explicitly at the end of the day, I don’t think is a Catholic school,” Archbishop Goh told some 400 Catholic educators, parents, members of school management committees and Religious Brothers and Sisters attending the Catholic Education Conference organised by the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS).

At the Mass prior to the conference, he said that with the world changing rapidly as a result of technology, science and mass communication, “traditional values that we hold so strongly and steadfastly are being eroded away”.

Noting that “all our Catholic schools started with strong moral and religious values,” he added that “perhaps the current generation of leaders that we have...bene¿tted from our Christian Catholic education”.

However, because of secularisation and the negative effects of relativism, individualism and consumerism, these values are being challenged.

“What distinguishes us from non-Christian schools? Our values ultimately, are not simply ethical values, no, they are the values founded in Christ. Christ is the centre of all we do. When we give them [students] values but don’t give them the source of the values, we shortchange them. It’s like giving ¿sh to poor people but we don’t teach them how to ¿sh.”

Addressing teachers in the audience, he said, “As educators, you are to form minds. Your task is to give life. More than the physical and material, your task is to give the fullness of life... Ask yourselves, ‘Are we sincere in giving them [students] a fuller life?’ ” The archbishop also noted the four major challenges facing Catholic schools today: the dwindling population of Catholic students, the declining presence of Religious, whom he called “icons of the sacred”, from their schools; the role of the Ministry of Education (MOE) as the main payer and policy maker; and the autonomous way Catholic schools are run, being sponsored by various Religious congregations.

Concelebrating with Archbishop Goh were Jesuit Frs Christopher Gleeson and Adrian Danker, and Fr Edward Seah.

Archbishop William Goh challenged educators to speak of the source of values, Christ, to their students during teachable moments.

Jesuit Fr Christopher Gleeson, emphasised that telling stories, like Jesus did with parables, reinforces the Catholic identity of schools.

A Catholic school that does not ‘ proclaim Christ explicitly at the end of the day, I don’t think is a Catholic school.’

– Archbishop William Goh

Character of Catholic schools Picking up from where Archbishop Goh left off, Fr Gleeson gave the conference participants an opportunity to reÀect on the theme of the conference, The Character of Catholic Schools. He put together a slide presentation with throughprovoking quotations.

An educator for 21 years, he based his morning talk on the Vatican’s 2014 document, Educating Today and Tomorrow – A Renewing Passion.

Storytelling is a powerful way of transmitting the character of Catholic schools, Fr Gleeson said.

“Good storytelling builds on the experience of one’s listeners.

The parables, which Jesus told, are ‘springboard stories’ leading people to discover the answers for themselves.”

From the Vatican document, he quoted: “Teachers are called upon to rise up to a major educational challenge, which is the recognition, respect and enhancement of diversity.”

He also spoke about “sacramental vision”, of ¿nding God in all things, and being found by God in all things.

Fr Gleeson said, “The test of our education is if we are able to produce people of discernment.”

Fr Gleeson’s afternoon talk focused on the character of a teacher, picking out the walk to Emmaus

(Luke 24:13-35) as a model for teaching.

Pedagogy is about accompaniment, Fr Gleeson said. In the Gospel where Jesus met two discouraged disciples leaving Jerusalem, Jesus models the six “best elements of companionship”: walking with others, listening to their heart, telling a story, disposing (not imposing) blessing, and setting hearts on ¿re.

“True education is about transformation, and all teachers are, or should be, important ¿gures in the lives of their students,” he said.

During the breakout session, where participants were grouped according to school levels, four questions were posed based on the sharing of Fr Gleeson on the key characteristics of Catholic schools that are successfully nurtured, challenges of operationalising what has been discussed, and which of the challenges participants would want to take up to help Catholic schools realise their Catholic identity.

True education is ‘ about transformation, and all teachers are, or should be, important ¿gures in the lives of their students.

’

– Jesuit Fr Christopher Gleeson

Participants at the March 16 conference were grouped according to school levels during the breakout session.

Fr Edward Seah, acting executive director of ACCS, also gave an update on the seven key areas of improvement identi¿ed at the ACCS conference in September 2013. Among these were the creation of a directory of Catholic educators, school chaplaincy teams, greater laity involvement, formation and induction of principals and vice principals, and implementation of a Catholic ethos selfassessment framework and a Civics and Moral Education/Religious Education curriculum.

Feedback Participants at the conference felt encouraged and inspired by the homily and reÀection points given.

Canossian Sr Margaret Goh, lead chaplain and supervisor of the four Canossian Schools and St Magdalene’s Kindergarten, said, “The conference was well thought through, especially with Fr Edward giving an update on what ACCS has accomplished in the key areas for improvement. I embrace the bishop’s challenge of

evangelising in the sense that there is a need to point to the source of values. The [Catholic] schools can be avenues for evangelisation, without imposing.”

Mr Eugene Yeow, a Catholic Junior College teacher, said, “It was good for me to know that the good practices are there. The spiritual health of schools is not as bad as we are led to believe, although it could be better. Kerygma [ongoing formation] can be provided in order to deepen the faith [of teachers]… so the students get the best out of our own experience.

“The personal challenge would be the mindset of teachers, the tendency for Catholic teachers to be more quiet when it comes to evangelisation. The transformational step is to view why there is a need for it. It is so that the children can see the impact. On a school level, hopefully there would be a continued dialogue between Catholic schools management and MOE.” Madam Elizabeth Dass, a teacher at the Canossian School Continued on Page 9

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congregational stories

point to the source of Catholic values and talk about the stories of their Religious founders From page 8

(For the Hearing Impaired), felt that the conference was “something like bread, feeding us with information. It was an avenue for sharing with other teachers and sharing faith, opinions, experiences and frustrations. At the end of the day, we can always mention Jesus during teachable times. The conference inspired me to mention Jesus in a teachable way.”

Sr Delphine Kang, supervisor of Marymount Convent School, thought that the conference was “really very good. A lot of people were very excited, very inspired to be witnesses and sacraments in the school. It's not new but it's an awakening. It's good now and again to be reminded.”

Parent volunteer, Ms Clare Leong, said, “I think the conference has been successful in getting the Catholic educators together to work towards a more united direction for all Catholic schools in Singapore. I really appreciated the opportunity to share and to exchange each school’s experiences, ideas and practices.

Begin ‘personal training for the soul’: Fr Gleeson In his short meetings with school supervisors, school management committee members, chaplains and parent volunteers, Jesuit Fr Christopher Gleeson emphasised the need for faith formation.

Just as people have personal trainers for the body, there needs to be “personal training for the soul”, he stressed.

“The riches of our Catholic faith lie in our spiritual tradition,” he added.

During his March 17 session with school chaplaincy teams and parent volunteers, he shared about potential resources that Catholic schools here could use for the faith formation of teachers and students.

He also spoke about how students at one of the Jesuit schools in Australia went through a series of formation sessions in order to become Eucharistic ministers, a role that the students took seriously.

Meeting with school supervisors, school management committee chairmen and principals on

Fr Gleeson with school supervisors, school management committee chairmen and principals.

March 18, he reiterated the need to tell the stories of schools’ Religious founders, pointing once again to the Emmaus story as a model of accompaniment.

Encouraging school board retreats, he said, “One’s own depth of spirituality as a school governor is a crucial element in the Catholic life of a school.”

Stated Fr Gleeson, “Never underestimate the power of the Catholic tradition or the congregational

story as a lens on the Gospel,” adding that Christian communities that are not Catholic do not have the powerhouse that Catholics have because of their Religious traditions.

Ms Leslie Goonting, a parent volunteer said of the March 17 session, “I think we are empowered a bit more to know about what is happening in Australia. We have an idea of what’s available here and where the gaps are.”

She hopes that “Catholic school leaders will more strongly embrace and prioritise the need for spiritual formation of the children and youth they serve and to also introduce all teachers and staff to what Catholic education is and form them accordingly.

Commenting on the March 18 session, Sr Delphine Kang said, “As leaders, it is a good thing to be challenged, to be asked deeper questions. Stories can be inspiring and transformative.”

Sr Deirdre O’Loan, supervisor of Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus schools, found the session with Fr Gleeson “extremely helpful, particularly the emphasis on deepening ourselves in order to better respond to the witness we need to offer our leaders, teachers and students. Credibility is extremely important to the young, who expect our words to tally with our practice, our actions, our efforts to evangelise,” she said. mel.lee@catholic.org.sg

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Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

&KLQD VKUXJV RII 9DWLFDQ FRPSURPLVH RQ ELVKRS RUGLQDWLRQV BEIJING – The Vatican is will-

Mr Hong Lei, a Foreign Ministry ing to compromise on bishop or- spokesman. dinations in China, the Vatican The government’s response spokesman said in a TV interview, indicated it remains unwilling to a proposal the Chinese govern- give up control of ordinations to ment appeared to dismiss. the Vatican following months of Fr Federico Lombardi told talks, said Joseph Cheng Yu-shek, Phoenix TV, during the interview Catholic chair professor of politiscreened on March 12, that the cal science at City University of Holy See was ready to model its Hong Kong. ordination policy with China on “On one hand, you may simply that agreed with neighbouring Vi- say Chinese leaders are not willetnam four years ago: candidates ing to make concessions,” he told are ¿rst reported to ucanews.com. “But the Vatican, which this is also very consecrates bishtypical of China’s ops based on govnegotiation straternment con¿rmaegy, it sets certain tion. principles, it sets a “This means certain framework: that things can ‘please accept my change, can go framework and on, can be graduthen we talk.’” ally better,” said The number of Fr Lombardi. “Be Chinese Catholics very aware that has grown rapyou can be a good Vatican spokesman Fr idly to more than Chinese citizen and Lombardi. CNS ¿le photo 20 million people, a good Catholic at according to estithe [same] time.” mates, meaning the Vatican has In response, China’s Foreign more to gain from an agreement, Ministry urged the Vatican to added Prof Cheng. face “the historical tradition and China and the Vatican started reality of Catholics in China” re- talks last year aimed at resolving garding ordinations, the state-run disagreements over ordinations.

Global Times reported on March In recent weeks, signs that 13. the Vatican appeared to be will“China is always sincere in ing to compromise on bishop improving ties with the Vatican ordinations have led to criticism. and has been making continuing Retired Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun, in efforts to this end. We are willing an interview, accused the Vatito have constructive dialogue with can of being overly prepared to the Vatican... We hope the Vatican compromise with a hardline govcan create favourable conditions ernment it knew little about. for the improving relations,” said UCANEWS.COM

,QGLDQ &KULVWLDQV show solidarity with UDSHG HOGHUO\ QXQ DELHI AND KOLKATA, INDIA –

Thousands of Christians rallied in Kolkata on March 16 in a show of outrage over the recent gang-rape of an elderly nun.

Some 4,000 Christians, including nuns and priests clutching lit candles, sang hymns and recited prayers as they gathered in a public park.

Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of the Archdiocese of Calcutta, the main organiser of the rally, said he wanted to show that Christians in Kolkata stood united at a moment of “pain and sorrow”.

“We ... demand the arrest of the culprits at the earliest,” he told ucanews.com. “Such a crime should not take place at any place, at any time.”

Ms Florence Gonsalves, a woman who attended the rally, said they could only pray “for peace and that people grow to respect each other as human beings”.

The attack on the nun, 71, occurred on March 13 after robbers broke into her convent in the town of Ranaghat, some 80 km from Kolkata.

Police said on March 17 that 10 men have been detained for questioning but no arrests have been made, even though the faces of four suspects were captured on CCTV footage.

Fr Savarimuthu Sankar, spokesman of Delhi archdiocese,

Nuns visit the hospital where a nun rape victim is recovering in Ranaghat, India. CNS photo

urged a swift response from authorities but bemoaned the lack of arrests. “There cannot be any result unless the local police show sincerity,” he said.

Fr Sankar said the nun’s rape should not be dismissed as an isolated incident. “We should know that there is already a vicious atmosphere against Christians in the country, which encourages criminals to attack Christians,” he said.

The assault on the nun is the latest in a string of high-pro¿le rapes in India and comes after a spate of attacks on churches that prompted Hindu nationalist Prime

Minister Narendra Modi to promise a crackdown on religious violence.

Priests and other Christian leaders have blamed those attacks on religious hardliners, who are said to have become emboldened since Mr Modi swept to power at general elections last May. According to a spokesman for the prime minister, the Prime Minister’s Of¿ce has asked for an “immediate report on facts and actions taken” regarding the rape and another attack on a church in Hisar in the northern state of Haryana. UCANEWS.COM

.LGV ZLWK VHYHUH GLVDELOLWLHV ÀQG UHIXJH LQ &KXUFK UXQ FHQWUH HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM –

Most of the 65 Vietnamese youngsters at Thien Phuoc, a centre for children with severe disabilities on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, can neither walk, talk nor feed themselves.

Most communicate by thrusting their arms and legs as they make sounds to draw attention to themselves.

Each was born with a severe physical or mental handicap, or both. Nearly all were orphaned early in life. Parents who can barely provide for themselves and their families often ¿nd it impossible to raise a child with a severe disability.

It’s not uncommon to drop such an infant off at an orphanage and disappear. In other cases, parents seek whatever help they can ¿nd in a country with highly inadequate social services.

The children at Thien Phuoc, translated as “heavenly fortune”, are indeed, fortunate. They will receive care for the duration of their lives.

Vietnamese children at Thien Phuoc centre take a nap. Many come from areas that were once heavily defoliated by US planes during the Vietnam war. CNS photo

Initiated by a Vietnamese Catholic priest in 2001, it is run by a Vietnamese Catholic woman Religious – Sr Kim Chi, a member of the Lovers of the Holy Cross congregation. (She asked that her family name not be used).

The nun leads a staff of 15

full-time workers. She also coordinates scores of volunteers, both foreign and local, who come on a regular basis to help out. Much individual attention is required, and it takes considerable planning and attention to details to pull it off,

says Sr Kim Chi, who has worked at the centre for 10 years.

One room has exercise equipment along the walls; another room is padded so the children can move within it without injuring themselves; yet another is open and provides a breezy environment for naps and sleeping at night.

A kitchen keeps the meals coming. A medical of¿ce allows volunteer physicians and nurses to check the children who are frequently taken to local hospitals for more serious care. Sr Kim Chi says a lot of her time involves visiting the children at the hospitals.

Files at Thien Phuoc list the names of each child and his or her individual disabilities: Some include epilepsy, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. But there’s more, since the causes of some of the more severe birth defects cannot always be known.

Sr Kim Chi tells a visitor that poor maternal health and education cause some of the birth defects she sees. She also mentions

endemic poverty. What she is less willing to speak about is the highly charged issue of chemical toxins in the environment.

But others discuss causes to this day and link birth defects to a US military programme during the Vietnam War. From 1961 to 1971, American forces sprayed the chemical defoliant, Agent Orange, over Vietnam, Laos and parts of Cambodia. Some areas around Ho Chi Minh City were heavily defoliated.

Pressed by a visitor’s question, Sr Kim Chi simply says that many of the children at the centre come from areas that were once heavily defoliated by US planes.

She leaves it at that.

I ask her where she ¿nds her energy.

“Each time I see the children unable to speak,” she responds, “I think of my ability to speak and so want to speak for them. Each time I see them unable to use their arms or legs I think of how I can use mine and I want to use mine for them.” CNS

ASIA 11

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

Church condemns attacks in Pakistan amidst surge in anti-Christian violence CNS photo

VATICAN CITY AND LAHORE, PAKISTAN – Condemning deadly

terrorist attacks against a Catholic and an Anglican church in Pakistan, Pope Francis said “the world is trying to hide” a wave of antiChristian persecution in various parts of the globe.

“With sadness, with much sadness, I learned of the terrorist attacks today against two churches in Lahore… provoking numerous deaths and injuries,” the pope said on March 15 after reciting the Angelus with visitors gathered in St Peter’s Square.

Suicide bombers that morning detonated themselves outside the churches. Of¿cials said 15 people were killed and more than four dozen were injured by the blasts.

Shortly after the blasts, thousands of enraged Christians blocked roads, vandalised a bus station and lynched two men suspected of being accomplices of the attackers.

Pope Francis frequently has denounced the growing wave of anti-Christian violence, a violence that is not simply a matter of restricting religious freedom, but a martyrdom of Christians.

In Karachi, protests were held at Essa Nagri, Qayumabad, Sharae-Faisal and other areas. Around 300 demonstrators gathered at the press club, condemning the Nawaz Sharif government and calling for arrest of those responsible for the attacks.

“We strongly condemn this

The government, ‘ political parties, religious leaders and every citizen of Pakistan [should] stand against extremist forces and with their Christian brothers and sisters.

’

– Archbishop Joseph Coutts of Karachi

Pakistani Christians protest on March 16 in the aftermath of suicide attacks that targeted two churches in Lahore.

inhuman attack on the Catholic Church, in which many Christians have been martyred,” said Pastor Amjad Farooq, founder and head of Faith Prayer Ministries, an evangelical and humanitarian organisation.

“We demand that the governments of Punjab and Islamabad rein in terrorists, who are carrying out attacks with impunity,” he said.

Civil society and rights activists also held a vigil at Numaish Chowrangi in Karachi to express solidarity with the families of victims.

In Pakistan, Archbishop Jo-

seph Coutts of Karachi, president of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, urged the government “to take strong measure for the protection of the churches and religious minorities in Pakistan”.

“The government, political parties, religious leaders and every citizen of Pakistan [should] stand against extremist forces and with their Christian brothers and sisters,” the archbishop said in a statement.

He pleaded with federal and provincial governments “to take

effective measures in providing security to the churches throughout Pakistan to ensure freedom of religion and belief”.

In a separate statement, Archbishop Sebastian Shaw of Lahore demanded “strong action [be] taken against the perpetrators and that the guilty should be brought to justice”.

Archbishop Shaw said all archdiocesan institutions would remain closed on March 16 and urged the provincial government of Punjab, with Lahore as its capital, “to protect the religious minorities”.

Meanwhile on March 16, about 5,000 Christians rallied, blocking roads and shouting anti-government slogans in protest against twin Taliban suicide bombings of churches. CNS, UCANEWS.COM

12 WORLD

Sunday April 5, 2015 „ CatholicNews

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VATICAN CITY – Vatican’s top dip-

Vincent de Paul has been unable to conÂżrm the number of its members abducted in Syria, as well as where they are being held. “We’re waiting for news,â€?

Ms Helene Afriat, communications ofÂżcer for the International Confederation of the Society of St Vincent de Paul in Paris, told Catholic News Service on March 13. She added that communication with people in the Mideast was “very difÂżcultâ€?.

She also said the society has not been able to verify or conÂżrm reports that those kidnapped were being threatened with decapitation and their children were being held in cages.

The society announced on its website on March 4 that “several colleagues�, along with “women and children�, were kidnapped in the province of Hassakeh in northeastern Syria.

In an interview more than a week later, Ms Afriat said nothing had changed. “The surrounding villages have been evacuated, the people have Ă€ed, communication is very difÂżcult and we have not been able to establish contact with our volunteers and correspondents working locally,â€? she said. “The people who reported these recent kidnappings were unable to give us more precise details.â€? „

CNS

lomat at the United Nations (UN) in Geneva has recently called for a coordinated international force to stop the “so-called Islamic State�

(ISIS) in Syria and Iraq from further assaults on Christians and other minority groups.

However, the head of the Melkite Catholic Church based in Damscus, Syria, rejected outright calls for an international military intervention in Syria and urged Pope Francis and all Christian churches to “promote a concrete and realistic road map� to peace in the beleaguered nation.

Italian Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican’s representative in Geneva said, “We have to stop this kind of genocide... otherwise we’ll be crying out in the future about why we didn’t so something, why we allowed such a terrible tragedy to happen.�

Archbishop Tomasi said that any anti-ISIS coalition has to include the Muslim states of the Middle East, and can’t simply be a “Western approach�. He also said it should unfold under the aegis of the UN. The call for force is striking, given that the Vatican traditionally has opposed military interventions in the Middle East, including the two US-led Gulf Wars. It builds, however, on comments from Pope Francis that the use of force is “legitimate... to stop an unjust aggressor�.

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Archbishop Tomasi issued the call in an interview with Catholic news site Crux on March 13.

He presented a statement called Supporting the Human Rights of Christians and Other Communities, particularly in the Middle East to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Archbishop Tomasi told Crux that he hopes the statement will

have to stop this kind ‘ofWegenocide... otherwise we’ll be crying out in the future about why we didn’t so something, why we allowed such a terrible tragedy to happen.

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galvanise nations around the world to provide humanitarian aid to Christians and other groups suffering at the hands of ISIS. For it to be effective, the archbishop said, an anti-ISIS coalition must include “the countries most directly involved in the Middle East�, meaning the Islamic states of the region.

The archbishop called such international military action in

defence of beleaguered minorities “a doctrine that’s been developed both in the United Nations and in the social teaching of the Catholic Church�.

The March 13 joint statement on Christians and other minorities in the Middle East, Archbishop Tomasi said, was a â€œÂżrstâ€? in the UN, in that it’s the Âżrst time in the Human Rights Council that the plight of Christians has been speciÂżcally addressed.

The archbishop stressed that from the Vatican’s point of view, what’s most important is not that these victims are Christian, but that they’re human beings whose lives and dignity are in jeopardy.

However, Melkite Patriarch Gregoire III Laham in a prayer vigil on March 16, said, “It is reckless to think of military interventions, conducted from the outside, to defend Christians in Syria and the Middle East.� „ CRUX, CNS

Archbishop Romero WR EH EHDWLĂ€HG RQ 0D\ VATICAN CITY – Salvadoran ArchSaints’ Causes, would celebrate bishop Oscar Romero will be be- the Mass. atiÂżed in San Salvador Pope Francis foron May 23, said Italian mally recognised Feb Archbishop Vincenzo 3 that the slain SalvaPaglia, the postulator doran archbishop was or chief promoter of killed “in hatred of the archbishop’s saintthe faithâ€? – and not for hood cause. purely political reaThe ceremony, sons. which moves the Archbishop Romemurdered archbishop ro, an outspoken advoa step closer to saintcate for the poor, was hood, will be in Plaza $Q XQGDWHG ÂżOH shot and killed March Divino Salvador del SKRWR RI 6DOYDGRUDQ 24, 1980, as he cel$UFKELVKRS 2VFDU ebrated Mass in a hosMundo.

The archbishop 5RPHUR CNS photo pital in San Salvador said Cardinal Angelo Amato, during his country’s civil war. „ prefect of the Congregation for CNS

WORLD 13

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

L’Arche communities founder wins Templeton Prize

Mr Jean Vanier founded the L’Arche communities. CNS ¿le photos

Members of Palestinian L’Arche community make felted wool Christmas items at a workshop in Bethlehem.

WASHINGTON – Mr Jean Vanier, 86, a Catholic author and theologian who founded L’Arche, an international network of communities where people with and without intellectual disabilities live and work together, has won the 2015 Templeton Prize.

The announcement was made at a news conference on March 11 at the British Academy in London by the John Templeton Foundation, based in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA. Valued at about 1.7 million (S 2.3 million), the prize is a cornerstone of the foundation’s international efforts to “serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discoveries relating to human purpose and ultimate reality”.

Each year it honours “a living person who has made an exceptional contribution to af¿rming life’s breadth of spiritual dimensions, whether through insight, discovery or practical works”.

L’Arche is dedicated to the creation and growth of communities, programmes and support net-

works for people with intellectual disabilities across the globe.

The movement began quietly in northern France in 1964, when Mr Vanier invited two intellectually disabled men to come and live with him as friends, and has grown to include 147 L’Arche residential communities in 35 countries, and more

/’Arche is dedicated to the creation and growth of communities, programmes and support networks for people with intellectual disabilities. than 1,500 Faith and Light support groups in 82 countries that similarly urge solidarity among people with and without disabilities.

Speaking to Catholic News Service in a telephone interview from London, he shared that after meeting his spiritual father, who was “chaplain at an institution

for the disabled”, he saw the reality of “the whole world of people with disabilities, humiliated and depressed” and felt the need to do something.

“I had never even imagined that people were being treated like that,” he recalled. “I just felt that I should do something.” So he did.

Mr Vanier travelled extensively around the world to establish and support L’Arche and Faith and Light communities, to give talks, lectures and retreats, especially to young people and those at the margins of society, including in prisons.

He hopes that with the Templeton Prize his organisations and others like them can “create spaces and opportunities for such meetings, meetings that transform hearts.

“Places where those caught up in the world of success and normality... come together... places where they can share together, eat together, laugh and celebrate together, weep and pray together...

Here we may become a sign of peace,” he said. CNS

Two ‘underground’ priests detained in China HONG KONG, CHINA – Two unregistered Chinese priests were forcibly removed by government of¿cials and police while giving a blessing during a March 22 Mass at a prayer house in the northeastern city of Harbin.

Fr Quan Xiaoyun and Fr Cao Jianyou of Mudanjiang parish, who are both not recognised by the government, were charged with “holding illegal religious activities at an unregistered worshipping venue”, said a Church source who declined to be named for security reasons.

“Catholics were pained and angry that the priests were taken away forcefully during a Reli-

gious rite,” said the source.

The two priests were taken to a police station in Aimin district, Mudanjiang, where they were interrogated before police took them to an undisclosed location.

“I cannot con¿rm the whereabouts of the priests now,” said Fr Zhao Hongchun, apostolic administrator of Harbin.

The prayer house in Mudanjiang, about 300 km southeast of Harbin, has recently been harassed on other occasions by the religious affairs of¿ce. The section head was identi¿ed using only his family name, Ni. “Just before the Chinese New Year last month, Ni also banned

Fr Chen Qi – another priest of the same parish,” said Fr Zhao.

The timing of the raids was especially inconvenient as priests face extra work during the Lenten season, and because the Vatican and China were supposed to be trying to build con¿dence amid ongoing talks aimed at ¿nally sealing diplomatic ties, he added.

“We did not anticipate such things happening at this time when the media is hot on ChinaVatican relations... we are praying for China and the Vatican to be able to reach wonderful and healthy diplomatic relations,” said Fr Zhao. UCANEWS.COM

Offer world your wisdom, pope tells seniors VATICAN CITY – Don’t pack it in

or shift into cruise control, Pope Francis told his fellow seniors.

Today’s frenetic world, especially young people and families, needs the older generation’s prayers, wisdom and gifts to give them the encouragement, hope and faith they often lack, he said at his weekly general audience on March 11.

“We, older people, can remind ambitious young people that a life without love is barren. We can tell fearful young people that worrying about the future can be overcome. We can teach young people who are in love with themselves too much that there is more joy in giving than receiving,” he said to those gathered in St Peter’s Square.

“It’s true that society tends to discard us, but the Lord de¿nitely doesn’t. The Lord never rejects us,” he said.

In fact, there is a true vocation and mission set aside for older people, who have a lot more free time at their disposal now than before, he said.

“It is truly a mission for grandparents, a vocation for older people,” he said, for them to hand down their wisdom and offer encouragement to those who are searching for meaning in life.

“How awful the cynicism of an older person is, he who has lost

An elderly woman smiles as she sits on the porch of her residence in New Mexico. CNS ¿le photo

the meaning of his witness, scorns the young and does not communicate knowledge about life.”

He said he was praying for “a Church that challenges the culture of disposal with the overÀowing joy of a new embrace between young and old people”.

A grandparent’s words are so important, he said, telling his audience how he often reads a letter, which he keeps in his breviary, that his grandmother wrote him for his priestly ordination because “it does me good.” CNS

Forgiveness as an act of love From Page 1

“Love and forgiveness are simultaneous” in the story of each person, just as in the story of the sinful woman, he said. “God forgave her for much – for everything – because He loved her much.”

Through Jesus, the pope said, God took the woman’s sins and “threw them over His shoulder, He no longer remembers them.”

Jesus’ encounter with the woman took place in the home of a Pharisee named Simon. Unlike the woman, the pope said, Simon “isn’t able to ¿nd the path of love.

He remains stopped at the threshold of formality. He is not able to

take the next step to encounter Jesus, who brings salvation.”

The Pharisee is concerned only with following God’s law, with justice, which is a mistake, the pope said. “His judgment of the woman distances him from the truth and prevents him from understanding who his guest is.”

Jesus tells Simon that the “sinful woman” has shown nothing but love and repentance, the pope said. “Jesus’ rebuke pushes each of us to never stop at the surface of things, especially when dealing with a person. We are called to look deeper, to focus on the heart”, said the pope. CNS

14 WORLD

Sunday April 5, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Vatican statistics show modest Church growth globally VATICAN CITY – The number of

Catholics in the world and the number of priests and permanent deacons rose slightly in 2013, while the number of men and women in Religious orders declined, according to Vatican statistics.

For the second year in a row, the number of candidates for the priesthood also decreased.

The numbers come from the Statistical Yearbook of the Church, which was completed in February and published in March.

The yearbook reported worldwide Church Âżgures as of Dec 31, 2013.

By the end of 2013, the worldwide Catholic population had surpassed 1.253 billion, an increase of about 25 million or 2 percent.

As it has done in previous years, the latest Vatican statis-

tical yearbook estimated there were about 4.8 million Catholics that were not included in its survey because they were in countries that could not provide an accurate report to the Vatican; for example, China and North Korea.

According to the yearbook, the region where Catholics make up the largest percentage of the general population is in the Americas, where they account for 63.6 percent of the inhabitants, followed

by Europe with 39.9 percent. Asia has the lowest proportion, with 3.2 percent.

During the 2013 calendar year, more than 16 million infants and adults were baptised, according to the statistical yearbook, which added that there has been “a general downward trend in the relative number of [infant] baptisms,

Pope: Learn from children VATICAN CITY – Children are a

blessing for humanity and for the church, bringing new life and energy to families and society, Pope Francis said.

Unfortunately, he said, too often children are society’s “great rejected ones, because they aren’t even allowed to be born!�

Continuing a series of general audience talks about the family on March 18, Pope Francis said it was troubling that so many European countries have a birthrate so low that their populations are declining or would without immigration. “Children bring life, happiness, hope – and even troubles, but that’s life,� he said. “Obviously they cause worries and sometimes problems, but a society with those worries and problems is always better than a society that is sad and

gray because it has no children.â€? “Children remind us of another beautiful thing as well: We are always sons and daughters. Even when one is an adult or elderly, even when you become parents or have a position of responsibility, you are still a son or daughter,â€? he said. “This brings us back to the fact that we did not give ourselves life, but we received the gift of life. It’s the Âżrst gift we ever received.â€?

Pope Francis, who spent more than half an hour kissing and blessing babies and children in St Peter’s Square before the audience, said “With their interior simplicity, they have the ability to give and to receive tenderness,� the pope said. “Children are able to smile and to cry... It’s spontaneous. Kids are like that.� „ CNS

%y the end of 201 , the worldwide Catholic population had surpassed 1.25 billion, an increase of about 25 million or 2 percent, modestly outpacing the global population growth rate, which was estimated at 1 percent in 201 . following closely the trend of the birthrate in most countries�. The ratio of children under seven being baptised to the overall number of Catholics has been going down on every continent since 2008, it said.

It said the number of bishops in the world increased by 40 to 5,173.

The total number of priests – diocesan and Religious order

British traditionalist bishop excommunicated for illicit ordination ROME – A traditionalist bishop

who has denied the Holocaust has been automatically excommunicated along with the priest he illicitly ordained a bishop.

British Bishop Richard Williamson violated Church law when he ordained Fr Jean-Michel Faure, 73, a bishop without papal approval during a ceremony in Nova Friburgo, Brazil, on March 19, the feast of St Joseph.

While the Vatican did not comment immediately, canon law provides automatic excommunication for the newly ordained bishop and for the bishop ordaining him in cases where the ordination goes against the will of the pope.

Bishop Williamson had been

‘Share water’ VATICAN CITY – The future of

humanity depends on safeguarding and sharing potable water around the world, Pope Francis said. “I encourage, therefore, the international community to make sure the planet’s water is adequately protected and no one is excluded or discriminated against� in the fair use of this resource, he said on March 22. “The future of humanity depends on our ability to safeguard and share� clean water, the pope said, in marking the annual United Nations World Water Day. „ Eastern Catholics have different Lenten traditions than Roman Catholics.

– around the world grew from 414,313 to 415,348, with a steady increase in diocesan priests present in Africa, Asia and the Americas, and a continued decline in Europe.

The number of permanent deacons reported – 43,195 – was an increase of more than 1,000 over the previous year.

The number of Religious brothers was down slightly from a

total of 55,314 at the end of 2012 to a total of 55,253 at the end of 2013.

The number of women in Religious orders continued its downward trend. The total of 693,575 temporarily and permanently professed sisters and nuns in 2013 was a 1.2 percent decrease from the previous year and a 6.1 percent decrease since 2008. The biggest decreases in the Âżve-year period were reported in North America, with a decline of 16.6 percent, and Europe, with a decline of 12.6 percent.

The number of seminarians dropped 118,251 men at the end of 2013 as compared to 120,051 men at the end of 2012. The number of seminarians had seen small increases each year from 2003 to 2011 when there were 120,616 candidates preparing for priesthood. „ CNS

CNS

British Bishop Richard Williamson is pictured in a 2009 photo in London. CNS Âżle photo

excommunicated in 1988 when he and three other traditionalist bishops were ordained against papal orders by the late French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, founder of the Society of St Pius X. Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications in 2009 as a ¿rst step toward beginning formal talks aimed at reconciliation with the group. However, there was widespread outrage at revelations that Bishop Williamson had denied the gassing of Jews in Nazi concentration camps. The Vatican said the pope had been unaware at the time of the bishop’s radical views on the Holocaust. „ CNS

Pope accepts cardinal’s decision WR UHQRXQFH GXWLHV ULJKWV RI RIĂ€FH VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis accepted Scotland Cardinal Keith O’Brien’s decision to renounce all “duties and privilegesâ€? associated with being a cardinal.

The former archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, who resigned in 2013 after admitting to sexual misconduct, will no longer exercise the role of a cardinal, including by serving as a papal adviser, a member of Vatican congregations and councils, and as an elector of a new pope, the Vatican press ofÂżce said.

A written statement from the College of Cardinals, published on March 20 said, “The Holy

Father has accepted the resignation of the rights and privileges of a cardinal expressed in canons 349, 353 and 356 of the Code of Canon Law, presented by his eminence Cardinal Keith Michael Patrick O’Brien, archbishop emeritus of St Andrews and Edinburgh, after a long period of prayer.�

The cardinal stepped down as archbishop in February 2013, after the Observer, a British weekly national newspaper, carried a story detailing complaints of three priests and one former priest who alleged Cardinal O’Brien had made sexual advances towards them. „ CNS

POPE FRANCIS 15

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

Pope gives hope to Naples’ jobless, immigrants, prisoners

Blood of Naples’ SDWURQ VDLQW OLTXHÀHV during pope’s visit VATICAN CITY – At the end of arms were yanked repeatedly by Pope Francis’ meeting with priests, seminarians and nuns priests, seminarians and Religious wanting to touch him or attract his in the cathedral of Naples, the vial attention. of dried blood of the city’s patron Later, Cardinal Sepe told the saint appeared to miraculously pope that, in accordance with canliquefy. on law, he had given After Pope Franformal permission It means the cis blessed the confor the nuns in Nagregation with the ples’ seven cloissaint loves us reliquary holding tered convents to go halfway; we the vial, Cardinal out for the day.

Crescenzio Sepe of The nuns, who must all convert Naples announced, had been seated in a bit more, so “As a sign that St the sanctuary, broke Januarius loves the free, running to the that he would pope, who is Neapope, surrounding love us more. politan like us, the him, hugging him, – Pope Francis on the blood is already half kissing his ring and vial containing the blood lique¿ed.” piling gifts on his of St Januarius The thousands lap. which appeared of people present When order was WR KDYH KDOI OLTXL¿HG restored, Pope Franin the cathedral applauded, but the cis talked about how pope insisted on taking the micro- Jesus must be at the centre of a phone. “The bishop said the blood consecrated person’s life. is half lique¿ed,” he said. “It Addressing seminarians, he means the saint loves us halfway; said, “if you do not have Jesus at we must all convert a bit more, so the centre, delay your ordination. that he would love us more.”

If you are not sure Jesus is the Entering the cathedral, Pope centre of your life, wait a while in Francis’ white cassock and his order to be sure.” CNS

‘

Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Piazza Plebiscito in Naples, Italy, on March 21.

’

CNS photo

VATICAN CITY – Hope is the ¿rst act of resistance to evil, Pope Francis told the people of Naples as he pleaded for respect for the dignity of immigrants, jobs for the unemployed and the conversion of the city’s notorious ma¿a families.

Pope Francis’ 10-hour-long pastoral visit to Pompeii and Naples began with prayer at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompeii, and included a visit to a “periphery” neighbourhood, Mass in the centre of town, lunch at a local prison, a meeting with priests and Religious, a visit with the sick and a seaside gathering with young people and the elderly.

“The Gospel teaches that the truly blessed are the poor in spirit, the nonviolent, the meek, those who work for peace and justice.

This is the force that will change the world,” the pope said on March 21 as he celebrated Mass in Naples’ iconic Piazza del Plebiscito.

“Dear Neapolitans,” he said in his homily, “don’t let anyone

steal your hope! Don’t give in to the lure of easy money or dishonest income... React ¿rmly against organisations that exploit and corrupt the young, the poor and the weak with the cynical sale of drugs and other crimes.”

During his morning meeting with residents of the city’s Scampia

The pope told prisoners that the important thing is to make amends, get up and try to live a better life. neighbourhood, an immigrant woman from the Philippines asked the pope to remind people that immigrants are children of God. “Have we reached the point where that’s necessary?” the pope asked the crowd.

Migrants “are like us, children of God”, he said. “Tell me”, the

pope told the crowd, “if we close the door on migrants”, what will happen?

Later, addressing ma¿a members and other criminals during his homily at Mass, the pope said: “Humbly, as a brother, I repeat: Convert to love and justice. Let yourself be found by God’s mercy.”

After Mass, Pope Francis went to a local prison, where he had lunch with about 100 prisoners.

They reportedly included 10 people from a prison block set aside for inmates who are homosexual, transgender or HIV-positive.

The pope told them that everyone makes mistakes, but the important thing is to make amends, get up and try to live a better life.

Ending the day with young people and the elderly, the pope denounced the “hidden euthanasia” of withholding medicine from the aged and allowing them to die alone.

He also told people with elderly parents to make an examination of conscience about how often they phone or visit their parents. CNS

Pope Francis holds a reliquary containing what is believed to be the blood of St Januarius as he gives a blessing during a meeting with Religious at the cathedral in Naples, Italy. CNS photo

16 POPE FRANCIS

‘Catholics must welcome all who return to church’ VATICAN CITY – The Church “is the

house of Jesus”, and Christians must welcome everyone, even bringing those who are unable to make their way on their own, said Pope Francis at morning Mass on March 17.

People who are sad or “sick in their soul” or who have “made many mistakes in their lives” may, at a certain point, feel the Holy Spirit inspiring them to go to church, the pope said. But, after mustering up the courage to go, they often ¿nd unwelcoming and judgmental Christian communities with their “doors closed” to them.

Mimicking unwelcoming parishioners, Pope Francis said they tell people, “You made a mistake here and you cannot [enter]. If you would like to come, come to Sunday Mass, but stay there, don’t do more.”

In this way, “that which the Holy Spirit does in people’s hearts, Christians – with a psychology of doctors of the law – then destroy”, the pope said at the Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

“Who are you to close the door of your heart to a man, to a woman who has the will to improve, to re-enter the people of God because the Holy Spirit stirred their heart?” he said.

Pope Francis went on to say that such incidents are disappointing for him and he insisted that the Church must have its doors always open.

“If people are wounded, what does Jesus do? Does He reprimand them because they are wounded? No, He carries them on His shoulder. And this is called mercy.” CNS

Miracle advances French couple saints’ cause VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has

approved a miracle so that, for the ¿rst time, a married couple can be canonised together.

The canonisation ceremony for Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St Therese of Lisieux, is likely to take place during the world Synod of Bishops on the family in October.

Pope Francis signed the decree on March 18, the Vatican said, although it provided no details about the miraculous cure said to have taken place through the couple’s intercession.

However, the promoters of the sainthood cause said the miracle

being studied involves a little girl in the Archdiocese of Valencia, Spain. Born prematurely and with multiple life-threatening complications, Carmen suffered a major brain haemorrhage, which could have caused irreversible damage.

Her parents prayed for the Martins’ intercession. The little girl survived and is healthy.

The next step towards canonisation is for the pope to hold a consistory with cardinals present in Rome to announce the decision to proceed with the ceremony during the world Synod of Bishops on the family on Oct 4-25.

CNS

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

Pontiff calls death penalty ‘unacceptable’, urges its abolition CNS photo

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis

came out squarely against the death penalty once again, calling it “unacceptable” regardless of the seriousness of the crime of the condemned.

Pope Francis met with a threeperson delegation of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty on March 20, and issued a letter on the occasion urging worldwide abolition.

Citing his previous messages against the death penalty, the pope called capital punishment “cruel, inhumane and degrading” and said it “does not bring justice to the victims, but only foments revenge”.

Furthermore, in a modern “state of law, the death penalty represents a failure” because it obliges the state to kill in the name of justice, the pope said. Rather, it is a method frequently used by “totalitarian regimes and fanatical groups” to do away with “political dissidents, minorities” and any other person deemed a threat to their power and to their goals.

“Human justice is imperfect,” he said, and the death penalty loses all legitimacy within penal systems where judicial error is possible.

Increasingly, public opinion is against the death penalty, in view of the effective means available today to restrain a criminal without denying them the possibility to redeem themselves and of a “greater moral sensitivity regarding the value of human life”, Pope Francis said.

This undated photograph shows a close-up of the table where executions are carried out by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison in California.

Capital punishment does not bring justice to the victims, but only foments revenge, said Pope Francis.

The death penalty is an affront to the sanctity of life and to the dignity of the human person, he said. It contradicts God’s plan for humankind and society and God’s merciful justice, he added.

Capital punishment “is cruel, inhuman and degrading, as is the anxiety that precedes the moment of execution and the terrible wait between the sentence and the application of the punishment, a

‘torture’ which, in the name of a just process, usually lasts many years and, in awaiting death, leads to sickness and insanity”.

The pope went on to say that the application of capital punishment denies the condemned the possibility of making reparation for the wrong committed, of expressing their interior conversion through confession, and expressing contrition, so as to encounter God’s merciful and saving love.

Speaking about life imprisonment, Pope Francis said such sentences makes it impossible for a prisoner to “project a future” and in that way can be considered a “disguised death” as it deprives prisoners not only of their freedom but also of their hope. CNS

POPE FRANCIS 17

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

Anniversary interview: Pope talks about his election, papacy, future CNS ¿le photo

VATICAN CITY – When Pope Fran-

cis went out onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica for the ¿rst time, he said he did not prepare what he was going to say, but “I felt deeply that a minister needs the blessing of God, but also of his people.”

He did not know if it was right to explicitly ask the thousands of people in St Peter’s Square to bless him, so instead he asked them to pray that God would bless him, he said. And he bowed for their prayers.

Marking the second anniversary of his election on March 13, Pope Francis spoke about the conclave that elected him in 2013, about his life the last two years and about the future in an interview with Valentina Alazraki of Televisa, a Mexican multimedia company.

“I have the feeling that my ponti¿cate will be brief,” he said.

“Four or ¿ve years. I do not know, or maybe two, three. Well, two have already passed. It’s just a vague feeling.”

Perhaps, the pope said, it is like the kind of trick a gambler plays on his mind by convincing himself – when he places a bet – that he will lose; when he does, he is not disappointed. “I do not know what it is, but I have the feeling that the Lord put me here for a brief time... But it is just a feeling. So I keep the possibility open.”

Pope Benedict XVI’s discernment that he no longer had the energy to carry out the of¿ce and his decision to resign to a life of prayer was courageous, Pope Francis said, and it opened the door for popes in the future to do so with greater ease.

But the pope said he is opposed to setting an age limit, for example, 80, for a pope’s ministry. While for some theologians “the papacy is a sacrament,” he said he would not go that far, but “it is something special.”

When questioned about the 2014 extraordinary synod and the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the family, particularly regarding the acceptance of homosex-

have the feeling that my ponti¿cate will be ‘I brief...

Four or ¿ve years. I do not know, or maybe two, three. Well, two have already passed. It’s just a vague feeling.

’

– Pope Francis in an interview with Mexican broadcaster Televisia

ual persons and Communion for divorced and civilly remarried couples, Pope Francis said some people have “unrealistic expectations”, but he is convinced God wants the Church to focus on better serving families in future.

“I think the Lord wants us to face this,” Pope Francis said, including through improved “marriage preparation; accompanying cohabitating couples; accompanying those who do marry and are raising a family; supporting those whose marriages have failed and are in a new union; preparing them for the sacrament of marriage, [because] not everyone is ready”.

As for the reform of the Roman Curia, which Pope Francis said really was the “last [royal] court” existing in Europe, he said, “the appearance of a court can be maintained”, but the Curia must be a group of people and struc-

tures “at the service of the Church, at the service of the bishops”.

The pope also joked about the reputation that Argentines have for being proud or haughty. “You know how an Argentine commits suicide?” he asked Alazraki. “He climbs to the top of his ego and jumps!”

And Pope Francis said that while he doesn’t hate being pope, he really would like to go out of the Vatican unrecognised, perhaps “to a pizzeria to eat a pizza”.

Recalling the time when the conclave voted him as pope, Pope Francis said that he “came with a small suitcase because I calculated and said the pope will never assume of¿ce in Holy Week. Therefore, I can return calmly and be in Buenos Aires on Palm Sunday... I came with what was necessary for those days, although I thought it would be a very short conclave, no?” CNS, ZENIT

18 OPINION

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

Fear masking itself as piety

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On the foot-washing rite The following article has been released by the Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission CNS ¿le photo

The foot-washing rite, called the Mandatum was re-introduced into the liturgy by Pope Pius XII in 1955.

A circular letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship (CDW) explains its purpose: “The washing of the feet of chosen men which, according to tradition, is performed on this day, represents the service and charity of Christ, who came ‘not to be served, but to serve’ (Matt XX: 28). This tradition should be maintained, and its proper signi¿cance explained.”

CDW, Paschales Solemnitatis (16 Jan 1988), n. 51.

The rubrics for Holy Thursday in the new Roman Missal (2011) - Mass of the Lord’s Supper 11 states (with emphasis added): The men who have been chosen are led by the ministers to seats prepared in a suitable place.

Then the Priest (removing his chasuble if necessary) goes to each one, and, with the help of the ministers, pours water over each one’s feet and then dries them.

In original Latin it reads: Viri

selecti deducuntur a ministris ad sedilia loco apto parata. Tunc sacerdos (deposita, si necesse sit, casula) accedit ad singulos, eisque fundit aquam super pedes et abstergit, adiuvantibus ministris.

Additionally, in 2008 the Congregation for Divine Worship clari¿ed the use of the word “Viri” or “men” (with emphasis added): According to the Missale Romanum (teria editio typica 2002), Feria V in Cena Domini, Ad Missam vespertinam, no. 11, the washing of feet is reserved to “chosen men” (viri selecti), that is male persons. This is also stated in the Caeremoniale Episcoporum (editio typica 1984, reimpressio 1995), no. 301. This Dicastery considers this legislation clear and wishes to add nothing further.

7KH 6LJQL¿FDQFH RI WKH 5LWXal (from http://www.adoremus. org/97-03_pokorsky.htm).

The

“proper signi¿cance” of the ritual surely depends upon ¿delity to what has been received. Like scriptural texts, liturgical actions

The ceremonial recalling of the foot-washing rite is liturgically related to the whole mystery of Holy Thursday – to the priesthood and the Eucharist.

(as well as liturgical texts) are multivalent: such is their richness and depth that they convey different levels of meaning simultaneously.

The symbolism of the ritual representation of the Lord’s washing the feet of His Apostles is an example of this. Even Peter did not at ¿rst understand Christ’s explanation, “What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand”.

Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part in me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not every one of you.” For He knew who was to betray Him; that was why He said, “You are not all clean.” (John 13:7-11) Particularly in the context of the Holy Thursday liturgy, the ritual of washing the feet of men suggests the strong connection between Christ’s washing His Apostles’ feet and the institution of the Eucharist and Holy Orders.

That the Vatican did not the accept the American interpretation of this ritual suggests that there are important theological

reasons for the customary practice.

If the washing of feet were only symbolic of charity and service, why did Jesus not wash the feet of the sick, or the hungry, or the lepers, or His friends in the house of Lazarus, or at the feeding of the ¿ve thousand? The Lord might have found other occasions to give a lesson in charity and service in the presence of all His disciples, both men and women. But He did not.

Christ chose an occasion which was not open to all His followers, but only to those twelve men He had chosen and called as Apostles. We must conclude, then, that the ritual is intimately connected to the priesthood and the institution of the Eucharist. Its symbolism cannot be reduced to a general theme of service to the whole Church.

The Lord’s example is given to those who would serve the people of God in His name, calling them to humility and self-abnegation in their priestly ministry. Hence, the ceremonial recalling of this act is liturgically related to the whole mystery of Holy Thursday – to the priesthood and the Eucharist. To include women confuses this focus and obscures the theological meaning of these solemn acts.

See also letter on facing page

IT IS easy to mistake piety for the genuine response that God wants of us, that is, to enter into a relationship of intimacy with Him and then try to help others have that same experience.

We see this everywhere in Scripture. For example, in Luke’s Gospel, after witnessing a miraculous catch of ¿sh, Peter responds by falling at Jesus’ knees and saying: “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” At ¿rst glance that would seem the appropriate response, a wonderfully pious one, an acknowledgement of his littleness and unworthiness in the face of God’s abundance and goodness.

But, as theologian and author John Shea points out in his commentary on this text, Jesus names Peter’s response differently and invites him to something else. What? Peter’s response manifests a sincere piety, but it is, in Shea’s words, “fearfully wrong”: “The awareness of God makes him [Peter] tremble and crushes him down.

If he clings to the knees of Jesus, he must be on his own knees. Peter does not embrace the fullness; he wants to go away. This is hardly the response Jesus wants. So He instructs Peter not to be afraid. Instead, he is to use what he experienced to bring others to the same experience. As Jesus has caught him, he is to catch others.” Jesus is inviting Peter to move out of fear and into deeper waters of intimacy and God’s abundance.

We see a similar thing in the First Book of Samuel (21: 1-6). King David arrives at the temple one morning, hungry, without food. He asks the priest for ¿ve loaves of bread. The priest replies that he hasn’t any ordinary bread, only consecrated bread that can be eaten only after the appropriate fasting and rituals. David, nonetheless, knowing that, as God’s king on earth he is expected to act resourcefully rather than fearfully, asks for the loaves and he eats the bread that, in other circumstances, he would have been forbidden to eat.

What makes this story important is that Jesus, when confronted by the fear and piety of the Scribes and Pharisees, highlights it and tells us that David’s response was the right one. He tells those who were scandalised by His disciples’ lack of fear that David’s response was right because David recognised that, in our response to God, intimacy and a certain boldness in acting resourcefully, are meant to trump fear. “The Sabbath”, Jesus asserts, “was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” That axiom might be rendered this way: God is not a law to be blindly obeyed. Rather, God is a loving, creative presence that invites us into intimacy and then gives us energy to be more creative in the light of that relationship.

Some years ago, a young mother shared this story with me. Her son, six years old and now in school, had been trained from his earliest years to kneel down by his bed each night and pray aloud a number of ritual prayers (the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, a prayer to his guardian angel, and blessings and protection for his parents and siblings). One evening, shortly after starting school, when his mother took him to his room, he crawled into bed without ¿rst kneeling to say his prayers. His mother asked him: “What’s wrong? Don’t you pray anymore?” “No,” he replied, “I don’t pray anymore. My teacher at school [a nun] told us not to pray but to talk to God… and tonight I’m tired and have nothing to say!” In essence, this is the response of King David, asking the priest for the consecrated loaves. This young boy had an intuitive grasp that God is not a law to be obeyed but an intimate presence that resources us.

A number of the great Christian mystics have taught that, as we grow more deeply in our relationship with God, we gradually become more bold with God, that is, fear gives way more and more to intimacy, legalism gives way more and more to resourcefulness, judgment gives way more and more to empathy, and the kind of piety that would have us clinging to the knees of Jesus paralysed by our own sinfulness gives way more and more to a joyous energy for mission.

Of course, there’s an important place for piety. Healthy piety and healthy humility are gifts from the Holy Spirit, but they do not paralyse us with an unhealthy fear that blocks a deeper, more joyous, and more intimate relationship with God. David had a healthy piety, but that didn’t stop him from acting boldly and creatively inside the intimacy of his relationship to God. Jesus too had a healthy piety, even as He was constantly scandalising the pious around Him. We too easily mistake unhealthy fear for genuine piety. We do it all the time, naively seeing fear as virtue; however the mark of genuine intimacy is never fearfulness, but bold, joyous energy. The healthiest religious person you know exhibits this boldness and joy rather than a dead, overly-fearful piety.

ARCHBISHOP’S EASTER MESSAGE 19

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ Alleluia! Christ our Lord is Risen! This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad! Indeed, we say, “Paschal triumph, paschal joy, only sin can this destroy!” This is our message to the world that is on the brink of despair and hopelessness.

We are living in a world where each day, life seems to get more and more hopeless.

The world is changing so rapidly that traditional values are being put in question.

One cannot but be bewildered at the speed of change taking place in society, not just on the economic and technological front but more importantly, on the level of life and culture.

We are living in a world of counter culture where the worship of God is replaced by the new religion of science and technology; humanity is replaced by love of self before others; and individualism and freedom at the expense of the community.

In a world where there is no future for humanity since everything ends with death, there is nothing to hope for beyond this world. As a result, the human person, having no eternal values to live by since he lives in a world of relativism, can only cling to this world.

Desperate, he seeks to ful¿l himself as much he can by extracting as much as he can from the world, especially the pleasures of life. Yet, deep within, his heart remains empty and there is a vacuum within that cannot be ¿lled by the passing things of this world.

Thanks be to God the Father who, in His bountiful love, gave us His only Son to die for us! Through Christ’s death on the cross, God has shown us His unconditional love without reservation in His mercy and forgiveness.

Contemplating on His death, we know that “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him?”(Rom 8:32) “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Rom 8:35) St Paul exclaimed, “No, in all these

The Resurrection is depicted in Christ Risen from the Tomb, a painting by Italian Renaissance artist Bergognone. CNS ¿le photo

/et us reÀect the Risen /ord in our lives. Wherever ‘ there is despair and hopelessness, announce that Christ is risen ... /et the world see that Christ has risen in us.’ things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:37-39) However, as Christians, we do not simply believe that Christ has died for us.

Greater still is our belief that Christ is risen from the dead!

St Paul himself remarked, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.” (1 Cor 15:17-19) This Easter, as we celebrate His resurrection from the dead, we know our hope is certain and substantiated. Unlike the world where hope is but wishful thinking, Christian life and the future of humanity is

already anticipated in Christ’s resurrection.

With His resurrection, death is overcome. The sting of death, the greatest enemy of man is defeated, for we know that death is the not last word but eternal life in Christ. We have a life beyond this world and our life is in Christ.

Love is also the last word; not hatred.

Christ’s love has won us over to Him. Christ’s resurrection is our victory over sin and eternal death.

Hence, we can now live with a sure hope of everlasting life awaiting us at death.

However, the fullness of life begins when we share in Christ’s death here and now as we die to sin and sel¿shness.

To the extent that we die to our sins and live in accordance to the will and wisdom of God expressed in His commands and precepts, to that extent we will share in the joy and freedom of the Lord.

So let us live as free men and women in Christ; not as slaves of Satan. “Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Cor 5:8) Whether in good or bad times, in sickness or in health, in prosperity or adversity, we live with con¿dence that everything will end well in Christ. Christ has shown us the way and become for us our leader in salvation. So let us live as an Alleluia people, as a people of joy, love and hope.

Let us reÀect the Risen Lord in our lives. Wherever there is despair and hopelessness, announce that Christ is risen.

Rejoice. We have seen the Lord! Alleluia!

He is our hope and our life. Alleluia! Be an Easter people! Let the world see that Christ has risen in us.

I wish you all a blessed and Holy Easter.

May the Risen Lord shine through you and give you joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.

He is with you always.

Yours devotedly in Christ,

Archbishop William Goh

LETTER

Why footwashing ceremony on Holy Thursday is only for men For the last several years, a few local parishes have included women in the foot-washing (Mandatum) rite in the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.

The rubrics of the 1970 Missal, however, specify that only males may be selected.

While Pope Francis has washed women’s feet on Holy Thursday, the fact that he has not changed the rubrics to authorise women’s participation suggests that he intends the Universal Church to keep the Mandatum all-male.

Foot-washing has always had a double symbolism in the Church: Christ’s institution of the ministerial priesthood, and the more general idea of love and service.

Keeping the Mandatum allmale implies that the Church intends the foot-washing at Mass to express the former, rather than the latter. Hence, it is not appropriate for women to take part in the rite.

For parishes keen to include women in the foot-washing, I suggest that, after Mass, the men whose feet the priest has washed

process out of the church to wash the feet of all who present themselves: men and women, lay and Religious, Christian and nonChristian.

This is a non-liturgical gesture that can be offered as a sign of the Church’s love and service.

It would make visible the Gospel text: “If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15)

There is historical precedent for using foot-washing to express both meanings. In the 12th century, for instance, the pope washed the feet of 12 sub-deacons after Mass, and the feet of 13 poor laymen after dinner.

Foot-washing is not the privilege of males or the ordained.

Mother superiors wash the feet of their nuns on Maundy Thursday.

In the Middle Ages, monarchs washed the feet of their subjects.

In 1556, Queen Mary of England – a Catholic – washed the feet of 41 poor women, on her knees.

I hope our parishes can ¿nd a way to accommodate those who wish to participate in this rite while respecting the liturgical rubrics that express the mind of the Church.

This should be accompanied by sound catechesis so the faithful understand that the exclusion of women from the Mandatum – or, indeed, from the ministerial priesthood – is not an exclusion from full participation in the life of the Church.

Estella Young Singapore 457266

20 FAITH ALIVE!

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

Finding hope in Palm Sunday

By Mike Nelson If I said that Palm Sunday was about hope, would you agree?

Probably yes, and probably no.

There is, after all, lots to be hopeful about in the procession that begins our liturgical celebration. We hear in Scripture of the Messiah entering the holy city of Jerusalem, crowds cheering, palms waving, the air ¿lled with one “Hosanna!” after another.

But what about the rest of Palm Sunday? Does it ¿ll us with hope to hear about beatings and spitting and beard-plucking? About conniving and betrayal? About death on a cross?

It is easy to leave church sad and even despondent after Palm Sunday, even though we know the ending of the Holy Week story, the most triumphant ending in history.

Moreover, Palm Sunday offers us, as people of Christian conscience, a sobering reminder that we can never assume we are somehow better, or less ¿ckle, than those who sent our Lord to death just a few days after they had delightedly welcomed him.

Yet, even within the lamentations of the Palm Sunday Scriptures, we see hope: “The Lord God is my help,” writes Isaiah.

“I will proclaim your name to my brethren,” declares the psalmist.

“God greatly exalted him,” reminds Paul.

Hundreds of Catholics join the Palm Sunday procession in Cuscatlan, El Salvador. CNS ¿le photo

And, at the very end of the saddest of all Scripture readings, Mark offers us the words of the centurion: “Truly this man was the Son of God!” For me, nearing my 30th anniversary as a Catholic this April, these are words not only of hope but of life that sustain me through challenges and dif¿culties. Indeed, like Holy Week, my three-decade journey has been ¿lled with joys and sorrows, some exciting and adventurous, others troublesome and

tumultuous, weird and wondrous.

Yet I have never known so much happiness or pain, nor have I witnessed and experienced so much that is heartening or heartbreaking, much of it as a result of being part of, and working and serving in, the Catholic community of faith.

There were, and will be, dif¿cult times ahead. The road to paradise goes through Calvary, and no amount of palms or

happy palm-wavers can hide that.

But that is the Holy Week journey that, I have learned, we are all called to travel, if we are full, active and conscious participants in building the kingdom of God. And it begins with Palm Sunday, a day where hope is, indeed, very much alive. CNS Nelson is the former editor of The Tidings, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in USA.

From the cross to the resurrection

By Fr John Catoir The whole purpose of Jesus, who came to us as a man, was to lead us out of the prison of this world to the next, and to a new level of existence. Jesus never promised us happiness on earth. This truth needs to be understood better. Those who are caught up in the “gospel of prosperity” need to re-examine the Lord’s teachings on the true meaning of the cross and resurrection.

What Jesus promised was eternal life to those who follow the Gospel of love. The ¿rst fruit of love is service, which calls for sacri¿ce, even to the point of suffering and death, a lesson we revisit every year at Easter.

Love is the supreme law, and that doesn’t mean that we’re to be

happy only when faith in the miracle others serve us and of the resurrection, love us, and when think about the hisour abundance torical context of grows at the exthe Lord’s cruci¿xpense of the misery ion and resurrection. of others. It is quite Immediately common for peoafter Jesus died on ple to mistake selfthe cross, the aposservice as the goal tles knew they were of life. Most people hunted men. They are basically good, were terri¿ed and but they don’t fully ran in every possiunderstand what ble direction. Peter self-transcendence even denied that he means – with any Catholic women carry ever knew Jesus. luck, Easter can wooden crosses during a All of his followers teach us about that. were in a panic.

Palm Sunday procession in It’s crucial that Dili, East Timor. CNS ¿le photo Suddenly, to we understand and their absolute believe in the resurrection of Jesus amazement, Jesus appeared to from the dead. As we reassert our them – and to others. He came back

from the dead. His glori¿ed body had passed through locked doors.

His words held them spellbound.

Then something happened to each of them individually: selftranscendence. They were released from the prison of the self – with all its fears – and stepped away from their emotional chains. They became new creations, ready to face the hostile forces that had terri¿ed them only minutes before.

They subsequently went to all the corners of the known world and began preaching the Gospel and gave their lives for Jesus, their cruci¿ed Lord. CNS Fr Catoir is a columnist for Catholic News Service and a founder of The Christophers, a Christian multimedia organisation.

The sym

By Daniel S Mulhall The symbols of Easter are rich in meaning.

Darkness is chased from every nook and corner. Water Àows freely, often bringing the sounds of running streams into the worship experience. Colour is everywhere.

All of these symbols are meant to shout out the good news that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and that death has once and for all been conquered.

They are symbols of a transcendence we know of but don’t always physically see. It unequivocally signals the death of a certain existence and the rising of a new type of life.

At Easter, symbols remind us of this transcendence to a new life as children of God. Through baptism, Jesus claims us as His own.

For Christians, the act of baptism, ever so present in the Easter Vigil, begins a new life, a new risen self.

We see this in the catechumens baptised at the Easter Vigil. As they are plunged under the water (or water is poured in a deluge over their

FAITH ALIVE! 21

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

No morning Masses on Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday.

Holy Thursday (Apr 2): Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Adoration till midnight.

Good Friday (Apr 3): Service only, no Mass.

Holy Saturday (Apr 4): Easter Vigil.

Easter Sunday (Apr 5) CITY DISTRICT CATHEDRAL OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD Under renovation/restoration.

ST JOSEPH’S CHURCH (VICTORIA STREET) Holy Thursday: 6.30pm, 11pm (Tenebrae) Good Friday: 3pm (Stations), 4pm, 6pm (Divine Mercy), 7pm (Candle-light Procession, Veneration till Midnight).

Holy Saturday: 8pm Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am, 11.30am (French), 3pm (Latin), 5pm CHURCH OF STS PETER & PAUL Holy Thursday: 7pm Good Friday: noon (M), 3pm Holy Saturday: 8pm Easter Sunday: 8.30am (M), 11am,

2pm (Cantonese) CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES Holy Thursday: 6.30pm (English & Tamil),

William Adolphe Bouguereau’s, The Three Marys at the Tomb, 1876.

mbols of Easter At Easter, symbols remind us of this transcendence to a new life as children of God. Through baptism, Jesus claims us as His own. heads), these men and women give witness to the power of the sacrament. Through this action, they accept a new life.

Through symbols, we get an understanding of the divine, of what awaits us.

One of the most powerful Easter symbols and actions comes in the form of light. At the Easter Vigil, the new ¿re is lit to symbolise that Christ, the light of the world, is with us. The light of the world was not extinguished by physical death.

During the liturgy, light is

quickly transferred from the ¿re pit to an enormous Easter candle that signi¿es the presence of Christ in our midst. The light from the ¿re is slowly shared until all members of the community have a piece of this new light of Christ in their hands.

We grasp its meaning at the Easter Vigil when we see the entire church go from darkness to light, one candle at a time – the light of Christ spreading from person to person, ¿lling our hearts and setting them on ¿re anew.

Admittedly, the symbolic value of the passing of the light is most powerful at the Easter Vigil, when all is dark. But we still light candles on Easter morning to acknowledge that Jesus is risen, and we will be, too, someday.

At Easter, we have a chance to explore how the experience of Lent, the power of repentance and renewal can help us recommit to a new life as Christians. We have the opportunity, with Christ, to rise again. CNS Mulhall is a freelance writer and a catechist for adults. He lives in Laurel, Maryland, USA.

8pm (Sinhala) Good Friday: 1pm (Stations) & 3pm (Service) in Sinhala at Sri Lankan Corner; 2.30pm (Stations) & 3pm (Service) in English; 5.30pm (Stations) & 6.30pm (Service) in Tamil.

Holy Saturday: 8pm (in English & Tamil) Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 11.30am, 1pm, 9.30am (T), 6.30pm (T), 12.30pm in Sinhala

CHURCH OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE Holy Thursday: 7pm Good Friday: 9am (M), 11.30am, 3pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm (with Baptism) Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M), 9am, 10.45am, 5.30pm CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR Holy Thursday: 5pm and 7pm Good Friday: 7.30am (M), 10.30am, 2pm, 5pm Holy Saturday: 8pm (with Baptism) Easter Sunday: 7am (Mandarin with Baptism), 8.45am, 10.30am, 12.15pm, 2.30pm (Children’s Mass) & 6pm CHURCH OF ST STEPHEN Holy Thursday: 6.30pm Good Friday: 9am (Mylm), 3pm, 6pm Holy Saturday: 9pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M), 9am, 10.30am, 3pm (Tg), 5.30pm

CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY Holy Thursday: 6pm, 8pm Good Friday: 8am (M), 11am, 3pm, 6pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm (with Baptism) Easter Sunday: 6.45am, 9.30am, 11.15am,

3pm (Mandarin with Baptism), 6pm CHURCH OF DIVINE MERCY Holy Thursday: 7pm Good Friday: 9am, 11.30am & 3pm;

Children’s Service (in Chapel): 11.30am, 3pm, 5.30pm (Stations) Holy Saturday: 7pm (with Baptism) Easter Sunday: 7am, 9am, 11.30am, 5.30pm (Infant Baptism) NORTH DISTRICT ST JOSEPH CHURCH (BUKIT TIMAH)

CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART Holy Thursday: 6pm Good Friday: 10am (M), 2.30pm, 5.30pm Holy Saturday: 7pm (M), 9pm Easter Sunday: 9am, 10.30am, noon, 5.30pm

Holy Thursday: 7pm Good Friday: 9am (M); 11am, 3pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7.15am (M), 9am, 11am,

5.30pm

SERANGOON DISTRICT CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BVM Holy Thursday: 6.30pm Good Friday: 8am, 10am (Teochew Stations) 10.30am (M) , 1pm, 3pm, 5pm Holy Saturday: 7pm (M), 10pm (E) Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 9.15am 11am, 5.30pm CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY Holy Thursday: 6.30pm Good Friday: 9.15am(Stations), 10am, 2.15pm (Stations), 3pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7am, 8.30am, 11.15am, 6.15pm CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER Holy Thursday: 8pm Good Friday: 9am, 11.30am & 3pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7am, 9am, 11am, 5.30pm

ST ANNE’S CHURCH Holy Thursday: 7pm Good Friday: 8am, 11am, 3pm (all with

Stations) Holy Saturday: 8pm Easter Sunday: 7.15am, 9am, 11am, 6pm

CHURCH OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL Holy Thursday: 8pm Good Friday: 11am (Tg), 2.30pm, 5.30pm Holy Saturday: 8pm Easter Sunday: 7am, 9am, 11am, 6pm

WEST DISTRICT CHURCH OF ST IGNATIUS Holy Thursday: 7.30pm Good Friday: noon, 3pm and 6pm Holy Saturday: 8pm (with Baptism) Easter Sunday: 6.45am, 8.15am, 10.15am, 12.15pm, 6pm BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH

CHURCH OF ST TERESA

CHURCH OF ST ANTHONY

Holy Thursday: 5pm, 7pm & 9pm (holy

Holy Thursday: 9.30pm Good Friday: 8am (office of readings &

Holy Thursday: 7pm Good Friday: 10am, 12.30pm (M), 3pm Holy Saturday: 8pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 9am (M), 10.45am,

Good Friday: 10am (Children Service) /

Lauds), 9am, noon (M), 3pm, 5pm (T)

5.30pm

10am & 2.30pm (Stations & Service) Holy Saturday: 8pm (with Baptism) Easter Sunday: 8.30am, 10.30am, 12.30pm (with infant Baptism), 6pm

Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M), 11.15am, 6pm

hour)

CHURCH OF ST ALPHONSUS (NOVENA CHURCH) Under Reconstruction. Celebrations now held at SJI Junior School Hall Holy Thursday: 8pm Good Friday: 11am (Passion Play), 3pm Holy Saturday: 8pm Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am, noon CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE Holy Thursday: 7.30pm Good Friday: 9am (M); 11.30am

(Indonesian) & 3pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 8am (M), 9.30am, 11am, 5.30pm CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL Holy Thursday: 8am (M), 8pm Good Friday: 11am & 2.30pm (Stations &

Service) Holy Saturday: 8pm (with Baptism) Easter Sunday: 7.30am (Mandarin with

Baptism), 9.30am, 5.30pm EAST DISTRICT CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY Holy Thursday: 7.30pm, 10pm (Holy Hour) Good Friday: 8.30am (Stations), 9am, noon, 3pm, 5.30pm (M) Holy Saturday: 8pm (with Baptism) Easter Sunday: 7.15am, 9.15am, 11.30am, 6pm (M)

CHURCH OF OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA Holy Thursday: 6.30pm, 9pm Good Friday: 8.15am(M), 11am (T), 1pm, 3pm, 5pm (Tg) Holy Saturday: 8pm Easter Sunday: 7.10am (M), 8.30am, 10am, 11.30am, 5pm

CHURCH OF ST MARY OF THE ANGELS Holy Thursday: 6.30pm, 8.30pm Good Friday: 8.30am (Morning Prayer),

9am, 11am, 1pm (M), 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 8 pm (Night Prayer) Holy Saturday: 8pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M), 9am (with Children’s Liturgy), 11am, 12.45pm, 5.30pm, 7.15pm CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Holy Thursday: 7pm Good Friday: 9.30am (Stations), 10am, 10am (Children Liturgy at Chapel) 2.30pm (Stations), 3pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7am, 9am, 11.30am, 5.30pm

Holy Thursday: 7.30pm Good Friday: 7.30am (T), 10am & 1pm,

3pm (M) Holy Saturday: 6pm (M), 9pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 9am, 11am, 6pm

(M), 7.30pm (T) CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS

CHURCH OF THE RISEN CHRIST Holy Thursday: 4pm, 6pm Good Friday: 8am (M), 10.30am, 2.30pm, 5pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7am, 8.15am (M), 9.45am, 11.30am, 6pm CHURCH OF CHRIST THE KING Holy Thursday: 6.30pm Good Friday: 7.30am, 10am, 12.30pm (M), 3pm, 5.30pm Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Sunday: 7.30am (M), 9.45am, 10.30am, 5.30pm

Holy Thursday: 6pm & 8pm Good Friday: 7.30am, 10am, 12.30pm,

3pm (followed by Stations) and 6pm (M) Holy Saturday: 7.30pm (with Baptism) Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 9.30am, 11.30am, 1pm (Mandarin with Baptism).

Note: Stations refer to Stations of the Cross or Way of the Cross. Mass/Service in English unless indicated.

(M*) Mandarin, (T*) Tamil, (Tg*) Tagalog, (EM*) English & Mandarin, (Mylm*) Malayalam All information provided correct at press time.

Please contact the individual parishes for updates.

22 FAITH ALIVE!

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

Preserving the sacredness of Rome’s Holy Stairs The Holy Stairs, according to tradition, are the ones Jesus climbed when he met Pontius Pilate

H

AVING so much worldfamous art housed in Rome’s churches and chapels has risked turning the city’s sacred spaces into sightseer circuses.

A hushed prayerful atmosphere for the faithful is often broken by clicking cameras and tourists exchanging guidebook details.

But one Rome attraction has managed to hold on to its spiritual side, according to the rector of the Ponti¿cal Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs.

Located across a busy street from the Basilica of St John Lateran, the sanctuary remains “a place of prayer” even as thousands of people stream through its doors every day, Passionist Fr Francesco Guerra told Catholic News Service.

“It is felt to be a sacred place” not just by Catholics and Orthodox Christians, but even people of other faiths like Hindus and Buddhists as they are drawn to the sanctuary’s spiritual atmosphere, he said in early March.

“Our job is to keep the Holy Stairs a holy place,” he whispered as he pointed to what he saw as a sign of success: two tourists quietly and respectfully walking through a chapel while a dozen faithful were seated or standing in prayer.

The Gospel story of Jesus driving the money-changers out of the temple is a kind of mandate about the importance of keeping these spaces focused on the sacred, he said. “Even if it’s a place of great art, a church is always a place of prayer.”

The Holy Stairs, according to tradition, are the ones Jesus climbed when Pontius Pilate brought him before the crowd and handed him over to be cruci¿ed. The 28 marble steps, some spattered with droplets of blood, are covered with thick wood panels, now worn smooth from centuries of human traf¿c.

It’s said that Constantine’s mother, St Helen, brought the stairs to Rome from Jerusalem in 326 AD. From the moment people walk into the sanctuary, they are surrounded by images and symbols associated with the Passion.

Overhead in the atrium, frescoed angels carry the cross, ladder, nails, spear, sponge and chalice, and, standing at each stairwell are life-sized marble statues: Jesus weeping in the Garden of Gethsemane; Judas con¿dently pulling a pensive Jesus close for a kiss; Pontius Pilate presenting Jesus bound and crowned with thorns to the people; and Jesus tied to a column for Àagellation.

With the statues’ pedestals at shoulder-level, people kiss or touch Jesus’ feet.

3DVVLRQLVW )DWKHU )UDQFHVFR *XHUUD JHVWXUHV WR WKH DUWZRUN DW WKH 3RQWL¿FDO 6DQFWXDU\ RI WKH +RO\ 6WDLUV LQ 5RPH DV SHRSOH SUD\ DQG FOLPE XS WKH VWDLUV on their knees. CNS photos

“People need this concreteness” as part of entering into a deeper form of self-examination and meditation, Fr Guerra said.

T

HE Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs is like a catechetical storybook, whose wall-to-ceiling frescoes take pilgrims on a visual journey of Christ’s passage from the Last Supper to his passion, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven.

A unique feature of the sanctuary is that pilgrims climb the Holy Stairs on their knees in silent prayer.

Advancing up the relic on one’s knees and seeing the images around them “help the pilgrims enter into the spirituality of those events” and focus on Jesus’ passion, he said.

“They physically take on a condition that is outside the norm, they’re not walking, but labouring, sacri¿cing to get up the stairs, which helps the spirit” engage in the penitential and sacri¿cial aspects of the Passion, he said.

“We don’t just have minds, we also have bodies, which here become part of the act of prayer,” he said.

“Today we read the Gospel and reÀect on the Gospel, but in the Middle Ages, people didn’t

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read, they went to church, they saw the images and prayed,” Fr Guerra said.

“Now there is much emphasis on study and reason, but before it was all about participation.”

Lent and Holy Week often offered very powerful experiences for the laity as the processions, especially the Way of the Cross, and other devotional practices give

Advancing up the stairs on one’s knees and seeing the images of Jesus’ passion and death around them ‘help the pilgrims enter into the spirituality of those events’, says Fr Francesco Guerra.

people the opportunity to “re-live events” in the Bible and Church tradition, he said. It is more than acting in or watching a scene, but “identifying oneself with” Christ, following in His footsteps and “incarnating” his journey, he said.

With the help of private donors and the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, the Vatican Museums have been overseeing a

decade-long piecemeal restoration of the sanctuary, starting with the chapel dedicated to St Sylvester and a chapel dedicated to St Lawrence.

An American, Mr John Gildea from Connecticut, underwrote the restoration of 14 framed paintings from the 18th-century of the Stations of the Cross in the Chapel of the Cruci¿x.

“The beauty and the state of the stations were so moving that I was so honoured to be able to assist in a small way,” he told CNS in an email. He said he only discovered the sanctuary after being brought there by a US art gallery curator who is coordinating the Holy Stairs project.

“Unfortunately, many Americans, including myself, aren’t aware of the church or are too busy visiting other sites – a real shame,” he wrote.

Fr Guerra, who studied art history in Florence, said Western culture has lost touch with the theological and religious inspiration of Europe’s Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque art and literature.

Today’s guidebooks and even education “removes art from its roots, which is faith, spirituality and humanity”, he said.

“My dream is that the faithful can come here and they can absorb, breathe in the spirituality that this art expresses.” CNS

FOCUS 23

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

FEATURING RETREAT HOUSES IN SINGAPORE

Peaceful contemplation at Kingsmead

By Mel Diamse-Lee A 500-year tradition of spiritual accompaniment came to Singapore in 1990 when the Society of Jesus established the Kingsmead Centre for Ignatian Spirituality and Counselling.

The retreats, prayer methods and spiritual direction offered at Kingsmead Centre, are all derived from the Spiritual Exercises practised and taught by the founder of the society, St Ignatius of Loyola.

Located at Victoria Park Road and right next to the Church of St Ignatius, Kingsmead Centre is an ideal space for the silence that one needs to encounter God within oneself or in nature.

The three-storey building is surrounded by a spacious and well-tended garden with many shady spaces.

A retreatant, who requested anonymity, and who made a silent retreat there some two years ago, shares, “Kingsmead has a subtle yet alluring charm. The quiet and privacy one gets allows me to feel an intimate closeness with God. It’s like coming home.”

Mr Julius Tan and Mr Pison Christian, who have been receiving spiritual accompaniment for a year and six months, respectively, ¿nd the environment conducive.

“I love the serenity of Kingsmead... It allows me to get into a right frame of mind and spirit to share intimately my life with my spiritual director (SD),” says Mr Tan.

Value of silence Last year, Kingsmead Centre’s eight spiritual directors saw 763 retreatants through individually guided retreats or group retreats

When was the last time you had fun?

I can think of many: for example, in school, when my students share anecdotes or pose innocent questions (which can sometimes be embarrassing). These always bring a smile to my face!

What do you like best about being a Religious/consecrated person?

Devoting my life to God: serving Him in my daily life and constantly remembering that He has offered a gift which I had accepted freely.

What has sustained your life as a Religious, especially in the face of challenges/changes?

This may seem like a standard reply but it is of utmost importance that prayer sustain my vocation.

Without this relationship and trust

Kingsmead Centre spiritual directors. Seated, from left: Ms Celina Lin, Fr Leslie Raj and Mr Lance Ng. Standing, from left: Ms Roselie Chia, Ms Diana Tan, Fr Christopher Soh, Ms Diana Koh. Not in photo is Ms Joy Toh.

The chapel at Kingsmead Centre provides a clear view of the lush garden.

with one-to-one guidance.

“Living in a very busy world, overwhelmed by a culture of doing, noise prevails and we are often lost and confused about who we are and our purpose in life “Only in the silence, can we listen to what is truly going on in ourselves, and begin to listen to the ‘gentle whisper’ of God,” the spiritual directors at Kingsmead Centre tell Catholic News in an email.

And to those who have yet to experience a one-on-one retreat in silence, the SD team recommends a two- to three-day retreat. “Just allow yourself to be open to the experience. The silence can be very inviting and comforting,” they coax.

Having an attitude of “openness, generosity, patience and a real desire to encounter God and to deepen the relationship”, would also be helpful. “Be aware that the

in God, the ministry can be very challenging and tiring. However with God as my soulmate and friend, all things are possible.

What was one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a Religious and how did you deal with it?

The scrutiny from some people who feel and think that they can do without God. I have to admit that at times I feel and think likewise, hence it can be a very real personal challenge. Therefore, I appeal to everyone who is reading this and praying for vocations to persevere and even double your efforts in appealing to our Mother to intercede to her Son, our Lord Jesus, to help us be more aware of the presence of God in our daily life.

How would you make vocations

Even “seasoned” ‘retreat goers will bene¿t from a spiritual director who, in a prayerful stance, listens to both the retreatant and the Holy Spirit.

’

– Kingsmead Centre spiritual directors

retreat is an invitation from God, and trust Him,” says the team.

Value of spiritual direction “Even ‘seasoned’ retreat goers will bene¿t from a spiritual director who, in a prayerful stance, listens to both the retreatant and the Holy Spirit,” says the SD team.

attractive to youth today?

First, they need to encounter God in the Religious: God who is love, as St Paul says in Corinthians chapter 13. Only when they see God in the Religious and how God is an important part of their life would they be able to open up and be ready. Second, familial support and encouragement, especially from parents. Parents play an important role in vocation promotions and this is often overlooked or neglected.

How would you summarise your life today as a Religious ?

I ¿nd that most people view the Religious as a miracle worker, like a holy person who goes around healing the sick. They sometimes fail to realise that Religious are also human. I am just like every-

“A spiritual director guides the retreatant to recognise the promptings of the Spirit and the many invitations of God… Just as one can only listen to God in the silence of our hearts, an SD can guide one to discern what is of God and what is not, as one speaks.”

Describing the relationship between a directee and SD, the Kingsmead team, says “A ‘professional’ distance is a requisite. SDs are encouraged not to socialise with their directees. Both must be aware and respect boundaries. At the same time, the SD needs to exercise empathy, compassion, gentleness, patience, kindness, and con¿dentiality and to build a safe, con¿dential and relaxed space for the sacred to be heard and experienced.”

Feedback Mr Tan and Mr Christian are two of the 85 directees at Kingsmead last year. Mr Tan says, “My SD has led me to understand similar patterns (of emotions and reactions to events) that I otherwise might not be aware of. This has in

one else: I get angry, I have shortcomings and like many others, my vocation is not a bed of roses.

I also need continual commitment in my relationship with God. Pope Francis calls for a Church for the poor, by the poor. How do you live that within your vocation?

The Lasallian schools are the main focus of my ministry. “The poor” to me, are those who never had a chance to learn about God, or even those who have but choose to view God as an abstract and unreal concept. My vocation, then, is to debunk such views and I hope to share the presence of God with everyone.

Singaporean Br Kelvin Tan De La Salle Brothers http://www.lasalle.sg/

turn helped me respond and make more positive and life-giving decisions in my life.”

Ms Adeline Foo began receiving spiritual direction in 2008 after a 30-week programme with her SD. She now meets with her once a month. She says, “Having someone who has the spiritual insight helps me to see situations differently.”

A retreatant in 2011, who has been going for spiritual direction since, is Ms Wee (not her real name). She struggled with the breakdown of a relationship.

“Now I have learned to follow Scripture in my decisions, to seek God in prayer, to seek counsel from spiritual teachers and to heed the promptings of the Holy Spirit rather than my old way of scrambling after purely secular technical knowledge and ignoring the spiritual realm. This has been a big change.”

Kingsmead Centre offers live-in and stay-out programmes throughout the year.

To ¿nd out more, visit www. kingsmeadcentre.sg. mel.lee@catholic.org.sg

What do you like doing most when with your biological family?

Nothing actually (laughs). I love my mother and sister and give them the opportunity to pamper and shower me with love while I just sit back and relax. They support my vocation and it is amazing how God has in turn showered on them His abundant blessings.

24

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

St Waldetrudis St Waldetrudis was born in Belgium in the seventh century, the daughter of two saints, Walbert and Bertilia.

She married a nobleman, and together they had four children and lived a happy life doing good works.

When her husband decided to become a monk, Waldetrudis decided a couple years later that she would live by herself in poverty and simplicity. Her sister invited her to live in an abbey, but Waldetrudis preferred to stay in the little house she had built.

Waldetrudis’ quiet life was interrupted so much that she founded her own convent, which was located in present-day Mons. The saint was very merciful and was known for miracles of healing, even after her death in 688.

Along with her parents, her sister, husband and all of her children were also made saints. We remember her on April 9.

When news of Jesus’ miracle reached the Pharisees and chief priests, they held a meeting of a council of men called the Sanhedrin.

They did not like what they heard.

They were afraid that more and more people would believe in Jesus, which would make the Romans come and take away their land and nation.

Caiaphas, the high priest, said to those gathered, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead

of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.”

So from that day on, the Pharisees and chief priests made plans to kill Jesus.

Read more about it: John 11

Q&A 1. How many days was Lazarus dead before Jesus raised him?

2. Who suggested that Jesus be killed?

Wordsearch: STONE CAVE NATION PERISH FRIENDS CHIEF UPSET HOME PLANS PRIESTS VILLAGE LORD

BIBLE TRIVIA: Whose tomb was Jesus buried in?

(Hint: Mark 15:43-46)

Bible Accent:

Answer to Bible Trivia: Joseph of Arimathea

In biblical times, it was very important for Jews to bury their dead honourably. When a family member died, the female relatives would prepare the body for burial by washing it, trimming the hair and nails, applying spices and wrapping it in strips of linen. The body was then wrapped in a shroud and laid in a family tomb, which was oftentimes a cave with a large rock placed in front of it.

Loved ones would visit the tomb, and on the third day after the burial, the body would be checked, because sometimes people were accidentally buried alive. Afterward, the body was anointed with oils or perfumes.

Once the body had been in the tomb for a while and only bones were left, the bones would be gathered and placed in a box called an ossuary. That way, there would be room in the cave to bury other family members who had died.

PUZZLE: The following sentences were spoken to Jesus by His friend Mary or His friend Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. On the blank line next to each sentence, write the name of the sister who was doing the speaking. Hints have been provided.

1. “I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” (John 11:27) 2. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” ______________

(John 11:32)

______________

3. “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?” (Luke 10:40) 4. “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” (John ______________

11:24)

______________

Answer to Wordsearch

Jesus was good friends with three siblings, Martha, Mary and Lazarus.

One day, the two sisters sent Jesus a message that Lazarus was very ill and asked him to come to their home in Bethany, which was near Jerusalem.

Lazarus’ sisters were afraid he was going to die.

“This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glori¿ed through it,” Jesus said when He heard of Lazarus’ illness. So He and His apostles did not leave for Bethany right away.

In the meantime, Lazarus died.

As they left for Bethany, Jesus told His apostles, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.”

When Jesus and the apostles arrived in Bethany, Martha, Mary and the people of the community were

mourning Lazarus, who had been dead for four days. Jesus was very upset, too, because He loved Lazarus.

Martha heard that Jesus was coming and met Him outside of the village.

“Lord,” she said, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [But] even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”

Soon after, Mary joined Jesus and Martha. The sisters took Jesus to where Lazarus’ body had been laid in a cave with a stone in front of it. Jesus asked that the stone be rolled away.

“Lazarus, come out!” Jesus shouted.

Lazarus walked out of the cave.

Jesus’ apostles, Mary, Martha and the Jews who were with them witnessed the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Many of the Jews began to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

Answer to puzzle: 1. Martha; 2. Mary; 3. Martha; 4. Martha

By Jennifer Ficcaglia

WHAT’S ON 25

Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

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

Please send your submission at least one month before the event.

Online submissions can be made at www.catholicnews.sg/whatson

who are passionate about making disciples for the Catholic Church. The participants will be given the background to the RCIA process, as well as the thresholds that de¿ne the different stages of discipleship. Organised by ONE. At CAEC, 2 Highland Road. Register E: angeline@one.org.sg.

CATECHISM FOR THE ELDERLY Catechism classes for the elderly are held in English, Mandarin, Peranakan, Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese on Thursdays from 1pm-2.45pm at Church of the Holy Family and on Saturdays at St Joseph’s Church (Victoria Street), parish hall from 9.30am-11.30am. Register T: 9115 5673 (Andrew).

WEDNESDAYS FROM APRIL 1 TO MAY 6 PRIEST, PROPHET, KING 9.30am-11.30am: Join us for six sessions of a DVD-based Bible programme presented by Fr Robert Baron. Through this programme, you will have a better understanding of Jesus, become more familiar with Scripture and realise your priestly, prophetic and kingly mission.

Organised by Bible Apostolate of the Church of the Holy Spirit. At Church of the Holy Spirit, 248 Upper Thomson Road, #03-02. Fee for study manual (optional): $32; Registration fee: love offering. Register T: 8228 8220 (Clare); T: hsbibleapostolate@gmail.com.

MARCH 28 A SPECIAL NIGHT OF WAITING 10am-12.30pm: Why is Easter Vigil on Saturday night different from all other nights? La Salle Br Collin Wee will give a talk to explain the differences. Fee: $30. Organised by Kingsmead Centre. At Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Road, Hall of the Pilgrim. Register T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com.

MARCH 28 PARENTING SKILLS THAT WORK WITH TEENS 9am-1pm: Learn some parenting skills that will help you understand your teens better. Learn how to communicate with them and how to meet their emotional needs. Organised by Morning Star Community Services. At Morning Star Hougang Centre, 4 Lorong Low Koon.

Register T: 6285 1377; E: programs@morningstar.org.sg.

MARCH 28 CRUCIS SINGAPURA 2015 – UNIQUE WAY OF THE CROSS We invite all faithful to join us in an intercession event where we will pray while walking barefoot across Singapore.

Participants will walk in pairs across 12 pre-de¿ned routes, longest being 23 km and shortest 2.3 km. Upon registration, you will receive a con¿rmation email with route map and the Way of the Cross. Registration deadline: March 21.

Organised by Jesus Youth Singapore.

Register W: www.singapore.jesusyouth. org. Enquiries T: 9006 1884 (Fionne Lai).

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

TUESDAYS ON MARCH 31, APRIL 7,14 & 21 INTRO TO RCIA 7.30pm-10pm: This 4-week course aims at equipping the RCIA team and Catholics

RCIA/RCIY A journey for those seeking to know more about the Catholic faith. Baptised Catholics are also invited to journey as sponsors.

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

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

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

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

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

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

WEDNESDAYS FROM APRIL 1 TO MAY 6 BCC LEVEL 1 – INTRO TO CATECHETICAL PEDAGOGY AND CATECHETICAL METHODS 7.30pm-10pm: This 6-session course will introduce participants to the method of teaching as proposed by the Universal Church. Organised by ONE. At CAEC, 2 Highland Road, #02-02.

Register E: emily@one.org.sg; W: http://goo.gl/forms/6rcsu7gdsv.

APRIL 2 CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER THROUGH CHANT 8.30pm-10pm: Fr Damien’s Youth Choir will be singing contemplative Taize chants. The chants reÀect the love and suffering of Jesus Christ. Come and join us in prayer and meditation through chant. Organised by Fr Damien’s Youth Choir from Blessed Sacrament Church. At Blessed Sacrament Church, 1 Commonwealth Drive. Enquiries T: 9105 7446 (Gerry Cordeiro); E: gerrycordeiro@gmail.com.

FRIDAYS FROM APRIL 3; SATURDAYS FROM APRIL 4 THE HEART AND PRACTICE OF USING ART IN COMMUNITY 2-5pm (for 8 Fridays) or 9am-noon (for 8 Saturdays): This 8-week art course combines the ¿elds of art, psychology, culture and spirituality. Learn and understand the creative process of art and image-making in a group setting.

Organised by Heartspace. At Catholic Centre, 55 Waterloo Street. Register E: jo@joannatan.com.

APRIL 7 AND APRIL 14 WHAT IS CHRISTIAN MISSION? – TALK ON DISCIPLESHIP 7.30pm-9.30pm: Join us as we journey with Fr Gerard Louis, CSsR, Fr Terence Wee, CSsR and Sr Letitia Lopez, MVD, to learn and share about the Trinitarian nature of mission – the thrust of the very FRIDAYS MARCH 6 RCIA @ CHURCH OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE 8pm-10pm: 4 Sandy Lane. Enquiries T: 9030 9527; E: admin@queenofpeace. sg / martinds52@gmail.com.

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

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

FRIDAYS APRIL 17 RCIA @ CHURCH OF ST TERESA 7.45pm-9pm: 510 Kampong Bahru Road, Parish House, Level 5. Register T: 6271 1184 (Joanna); E: stteresa@singnet.com.sg; W: www.stteresa.org.sg.

TUESDAYS MAY 19 RCIA @ CHURCH OF STS PETER AND PAUL 7.30pm-9.30pm: 225A Queen Street.

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

SATURDAYS JUNE 6 TO APRIL 2, 2016 CHINESE RCIA @ CHURCH OF ALPHONSUS (NOVENA CHURCH) 3.30pm-5.30pm: SJI Junior, 3 Essex Road. Led by Sr Assunta Cheng.

All are welcomed.

Register T: 9626 8546 (Alphonsus); E: alphs_cool@singnet.com.sg.

APRIL 11 TOP FOUR ESSENTIALS FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH 2.30pm-4.30pm: Join us for a seminar

by Dr Matthew Craig Westheimer, B.S. (USA), Doctor of Chiropractic (USA).

All are welcome and admission is free.

Organised by Life in the Vine Cancer Support Group at Church of the Holy Spirit. At Church of the Holy Spirit, 248 Upper Thomson Road, Upper Room, Level 4 Attic. Register SMS: 8589 8572 (Eugenius) / 9630 0024 (Sharon); E: vine.csg@gmail.com.

heart of Christian life, and how we can do so in a dynamic way. Organised by CHARIS. At 55 Waterloo Street, Catholic Centre Level 2. Register E: lilynne@ charis-singapore.org. Enquiries T: 6337 4119 (Lilynne).

THURSDAYS ON APRIL 9,16,23,30 & MAY 7 FIVE-WEEK DVD BIBLE STUDY SESSION ON THE MASS BY SRI EDWARDS 8pm-10pm: The Mass is the highest Eucharistic adoration of God. This ¿veweek DVD study session will explore the biblical roots of the words and gestures we experience at Mass, and explore its profound signi¿cance. You will be transformed by it. Join us! Organised

by Bible Apostolate Team at Church of Christ the King. At Church of Christ the King, 2221 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, St Mary Room, Level 3. Register T: 9832 1538 (Lene); E: ctkbat@hotmail.com.

APRIL 10 TO APRIL 12 WHO ARE MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS? WALKING WITH JESUS 7pm (Friday)-5pm (Sunday): How are we living the horizontal dimensions of our faith? Is the social mission of the church for a select few? This stay-in retreat provides encounters with the poor around us, and invites us to reÀect on our own poverty. There will be a follow-up session on April 17 (7pm-10pm). Fee: $180 (nonair con); $220 (air con). Facilitated by Caritas Singapore and Kingsmead Centre.

At Kingsmead Centre 8 Victoria Park.

Register T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com.

APRIL 11, 18 & 25 COMMON SENSE PARENTING WORKSHOP 9am-1pm: A certi¿ed and proven workshop developed from Boystown, USA, to help raise responsible children.

Gain more con¿dence in managing your child’s behaviour and guiding them in their choices (preventive measures by giving logical and meaningful consequences. Organised by Morning Star Community Services. At Morning Star Sengkang Centre, Block 261B Sengkang East Way, #01-400. Register T: 6285 1377; E: programs@morningstar.org.sg.

APRIL 18 WORKSHOP LOGOS ENCOUNTER II – PRAYING WITH THE WORD 8.30am-5pm: Have a personal encounter with Jesus through the Word of God. Fee: $50. Retreat conducted by Verbum Dei Missionaries. Organised by Archdiocesan Biblical Apostolate. At La Salle Centre, 490 East Coast Road. Register W: biblicalapostolate.wordpress.com.

Enquiries T: 6280 0354 (Mon to Fri 9am -6pm); E: logosencounter@gmail.com.

APRIL 18 CANOSSIANS CONNECT – AFRICANA 6.30pm: Calling all former students, staff and families of Canossa Convent Primary School and St Anthony’s Canossian Schools to reunite and revel in the Canossian heartbeat. The dinner is themed Africana in honour of our Canossian Sister, St Josephine Bakhita, who went from slavery to freedom. Organised

by Canossian Alumni Association. At Grand Plaza City Hall Hotel (Ballroom).

Register T: 8316 3020 (Catherine); E: info@canossianalumni.com.

APRIL 19 TO APRIL 25 CHARIS MISSION TRIP – HAIYAN HOUSE-BUILDING Two years ago in November, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest tropical cyclones hit the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people. A CHARIS mission team will be deployed to help survivors with the building of transitional houses.

Join us as we work hand-in-hand with those in need. Help rebuild their homes and lives. Come experience faith in action, joy of mission work and fellowship with team

members and bene¿ciaries. Organised by CHARIS. At Cebu, Philippines.

Register T: 6337 4119 (Lilynne); E: lilynne@charis-singapore.org.

APRIL 25 SSVP MASS FOR FRIENDS-IN-NEED 2pm: Join us to remember and pray for the Society of St Vincent de Paul conferences’ Friends-in-Need, as well as all the poor and needy in Singapore. Archbishop Goh will be the main celebrant. Open to all.

Organised by Society of St Vincent de Paul. At Church of Immaculate Heart of Mary, 24 Highland Road.

APRIL 25 CHARITY GOSPEL CONCERT – THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL 7.30pm-9.30pm: This concert will celebrate Gospel music and spread joy that our Lord has given to us. Ticket fee: $15/$20. All ticket sales will go to charity.

Organised by Vox Cordis Chorus, a choir based in Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. At Church of the Risen Christ, 91 Toa Payoh Central.

To purchase tickets, T: 8158 1772 (Maike)/ 8457 7397 (Monika). Enquiries E: voxcordis.chorus@gmail.com.

MAY 2 THERE IS A SEASON FOR EVERYTHING – A TIME FOR MOURNING 9.30am-noon: For those experiencing the loss of someone or something in life, join us for a session with Fr Leslie Raj, SJ. Organised by Kingsmead Centre. At Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Road, Hall of the Pilgrim. Register T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com.

MAY 13 THE GIFT OF CARING 9.30am-5pm: What does it mean to care for oneself, for others and for those we encounter? It is caring that makes us human. This one-day retreat with time for quiet prayer, small group sharing and presentations will centre around the ¿lm The Untouchables. Fr Monty Williams, SJ, will facilitate the retreat. Fee: $100.

Organised by Kingsmead Centre. At Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Road, Hall of the Pilgrim. Register T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com.

Crossword Puzzle 113 2 1

2

3

4

5

13

14

17

18

20

6

7

27

29

32

53

54

38

40

41 44

43 45 48

31

35

37

42

16

30

34

39

12

24

28

36

11

22

33

47

10

19

21

26

9

15

23 25

8

46

49

50

55

51 57

56

58 61

52

59

60

62

63 www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

ACROSS 1 Exodus pest 5 Wharton book, ___ Frome 10 Son of ___ 13 Diocese of Honolulu home 14 Spring up 15 Gar¿eld’s friend 17 “Turn Back, ___” (“Godspell” song) 18 Biblical garden 20 Fiascoes 22 Shudder 23 “…be ___ and your no…” (Jas 5:12)

24 25 29 33 34 35 36 37 38 39

Shepard in space Doubting apostle Sparkles City that was the home of Abram Third of IHS Number of apostles, in Roman numerals “…the ___ he has sent away empty” (Lk 1:53) Soviet forcedlabour camp Breathe hard Son-gun connector

40 One of the seven deadly sins 41 Light wood 42 Busts 44 Reader at Mass 45 Hosea, in the Douay 46 Catholic cartoonist Keane of “Family Circus” 47 Papal residence, ___ Gandolfo 50 Note well 55 Obstacle to a sacrament 57 Above

58 It was touched to Isaiah’s mouth (Isa 6:6–7) 59 Prize won by Mother Teresa 60 Rowing implements 61 Parisian possessive 62 Farm bird 63 Grow together DOWN 1 ___ Friday 2 “…hallowed be thy ___.”

3 Evil king of Israel

4 Charlie is one 5 “I will raise you up on ___ wings…”

6 “Then let all the ___ of the forest rejoice” (Ps 96:12) 7 Strikes 8 ___ Wednesday 9 Young bird 10 Instant 11 He was an original 12 El ___ 16 Permanently, in poems 19 Muse of lyric poetry 21 Greenish blue 24 Pond scum 25 Hurl 26 Seaport in Israel 27 Killer whales 28 ___ Jongg 29 Coats with gold 30 Elevate 31 Aptly named laundry soap 32 Lute of India

34 Connected series of rooms 37 Exhausting 38 D.C. lobbying group 40 Sat 41 Catholic horror actor Lugosi 43 Lodgings 44 St Theresa, the ___ Flower 46 “…of my ___ and Àesh of my Àesh…” (Gen 2:23) 47 One less than 200 in ancient Rome 48 He answered Amaziah, “I am not a prophet” 49 Foretell 50 Mount from which Moses saw Canaan 51 Bible section 52 Designer Piccone 53 St Philip’s surname 54 Formerly, formerly 56 Sound of a cow

Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1131 M A C C

O R D O

A G R A

A M E N

P O P E

O N E S

H O N E Y

O R A T E

P A P A L

B O S C H O L L E Y E S W K I N G E L L

M E X I C O M C I N E R N Y

A D E N T M O O R S E O E

R C H U C E N I A V I G D E V K E N O E A L L L Y L T M Y H I T E N S O L I R U M T R E A S T

A T A R I

J U N T A

A B O U T

R A N E E

R O A D

H A R D

E R I E

A S S N

C A I N

I N T O

T E S S

S W A Y

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

28

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Sunday April 5, 2015 CatholicNews

PUBLISHED BY THE CATHOLIC NEWS, 2 HIGHLAND ROAD #01-03, SINGAPORE 549102. PRINTED BY TIMES PRINTERS PRIVATE LIMITED, 16 TUAS AVENUE 5, SINGAPORE 639340.