APRIL 12, 2020, Vol 70, No 8

Fortnightly publication of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore SUNDAY APRIL 12, 2020

SINGAPORE $0.70 CENTS / WEST MALAYSIA RM$2.10

A Vibrant Evangelising and Missionary Church MCI (P) 018/06/2019

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“Easter is even more real during this period of COVID-19 because, stripped of the material and external celebrations, the Lord is asking us how we have died to ourselves and started to live the new life of Easter. What matters most about Easter is not merely the external celebrations... but the new life of Christ in us.”

Archbishop William Goh’s full Easter message on Page 3.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Keeping the flame alive for the Church to stay vibrant, energised Archbishop looks back at his seven years as Shepherd.

The challenges and demands that come under the purview of the Archbishop are varied, ranging from issues like manpower, finance, logistics as well as organisation – parishes, church organisations, offices, and many more.

His Grace has placed emphasis on setting up various infrastructures to ensure the Catholic Church stays vibrant, energised and strengthens the faith of the flock while it continues to evangelise.

Since then, one focus has been on nurturing the young, imparting to them the Christian teachings and getting them in later years to take on more voluntary roles across the parishes and other church organisations. In time, some may be recruited into full-time ministry as salaried church employees.

His Grace also noted that as Catholics, we tend to be better at doing things than in sharing our faith. He added that ultimately what is required is to form communities of faith so that the faithful can strengthen each other spiritually.

These are some of the takeaways that the Catholic News garnered from an interview with the Archbishop, seven years after he became Shepherd to the flock of more than 380,000 Catholics in Singapore. AUDREY LEE reports.

This feature is the first of a two-part series with Archbishop William Goh. In the next issue, His Grace will share his vision for the Church in the years ahead.

This year Archbishop William Goh celebrates his Seventh Episcopal Anniversary. Under his watch, there was progress and changes across all fronts in keeping with his vision and plans for the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore.

Archbishop Goh is a leader who is not afraid to make difficult decisions and tough choices during trying times, such as the current outbreak of the coronavirus.

In this first part of our special interview, His Grace shares his thoughts on how far the Church has come and where it should be heading.

The Chief Shepherd feels “joyful and humbled” in his journey as Archbishop describing it as “fulfilling with many memorable moments and memories”.

Indeed, the Catholic Church has witnessed many significant milestones over the years.

These include the restoration of the Mother church – the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in 2016 and the development of Agape Village in 2015.

Agape Village is in essence a social service hub that was born out of love to serve the poor and the under-privileged in our society.

Asked how 2020 has been panning out thus far, His Grace replied: “I know this year is a difficult period for us Catholics. Masses have to be suspended because of the COVID-19. During such times, as the

Shepherd, I believe it is my duty and responsibility to take into account the spiritual needs of our Catholics. At the same time we need to consider the greater good of the larger community in Singapore.”

He added “in every circumstance, I am grateful to God. He has been my constant guide and He has seen me through all these moments, including the challenging times.”

ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE CHURCH Catholic schools On our Catholic schools, Archbishop Goh said the foundation of faith has to start from young. It begins with the Catholic pre-schools as it is during this stage that the seeds of faith are planted. “That is why we need to put a greater focus on ensuring that the syllabus of our Catholic pre-schools is in keeping with our Catholic ethos,” he explained.

Where our Catholic schools are concerned, he shared that there is now a Council of Catholic School Principals. “They are working hard at supporting each other, and helping our Catholic students to better appreciate and learn about their faith during their formative years in a school environment.”

Youth

Church infrastructure:

On the topic of our Catholic youth, he said, “I am happy to see the vibrancy at our tertiary institutions, including the universities and polytechnics.”

He added that the Office for Young People (OYP) has been doing a good job.

However, he believes there is always “room for greater creativity and expression” in the organising of youth activities. (See related story on Page 6)

Communications platforms

Catechumens With more than 380,000 Catholics here, His Grace feels that “we can definitely set ourselves more stretched targets, so as to increase the pool of our catechumens every year.”

Volunteers He said the Catholic Church is blessed to have many willing individuals who have given of their time and resources to help the Archdiocese, parishes and church organisations.”

He added that with many professionals coming forward to volunteer, the Church is seeing the formation of various guilds, such as for architects, doctors, nurses and lawyers.

On communications, Archbishop Goh noted that the Archdiocese has developed a variety of platforms over the years to better reach out to our Catholics so that they can get their spiritual nourishment amidst their busy lifestyles. These have been made possible in part through the expansion of the different offices in the Archdiocese.

These include the Catholic News, the Archdiocese’s official website: Catholic.sg, as well as various social media platforms including Facebook, a YouTube Channel, Instagram, Telegram and Whatsapp.

The newest platform is CatholicSG Radio, an online radio station that enables our Catholics to keep in touch with their faith while on the go.

His Grace pointed out that at the parishes there is likewise a dedicated online presence as seen in the websites and FB pages of the different parishes.

Office for the New Evangelisation Commenting on the role played by the Office for New Evangelisation (ONE), His Grace said that ONE is helping our Catholics to live out our mission to evangelise.  Continued on Page 5

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EASTER JOY COVID

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it appropriate for us to wish each other “Happy Easter” when we are not exactly in a celebratory mood because of the COVID-19 virus? Externally, we still seem to be in our graves. There is no joyous celebration of Easter as in past years. Even our Easter liturgies are trimmed to its barest liturgical requirements. The Easter Triduum which we celebrate does not seem to express the season’s sentiments.

Indeed, the faith of many has been shaken, especially those who have lost their loved ones through the COVID-19 virus. Many businesses have been affected by the prolonged period of this virus. Some have even gone bankrupt as they cannot continue to pay their rent and their workers. Those who are out of job need to continue to take care of their loved ones. Where will they find the money to pay for their food and maintenance? Many are worried about their jobs. Many have lost their lifesavings in the stock market because of the turbulence. Everyone is affected in some ways. Because of physical and social distancing, we are missing our friends. We cannot gather together as much we want to.

We are stuck at home.

As Church, we are also affected.

How can we continue to strengthen our community when we no longer meet? Many Catholics who are deprived of the Sacraments, including the Eucharist and Confession, and the celebration of the Mass, find themselves spiritually dry.

Recollections, retreats and seminars are also prohibited. Again, office staff are working in two teams affecting the sense of community, discipling and missioning together. But the lack of contact also means weakening of the intensity of communion in mission.

Donations to the maintenance of our churches and charities have also suffered greatly. How can the Church continue to maintain herself and continue the work of charity without the generosity of our parishioners?

These and many other issues do make us feel that we are not ready to celebrate Easter.

Yet, it is precisely in these situations that we need to show ourselves to be an Easter people. Celebrating Easter cannot be merely reducible to external celebrations of merry making, dinners and fun. These are but expressions of a deeper interior spirit of conversion. Indeed, Easter is even more real during this period of COVID-19 because, stripped of the material and external celebrations, the Lord is asking us how we have died to ourselves and started to live the new life of Easter. What matters most about Easter is not merely the external celebrations, not even the pomp and solemnity of the Easter Triduum which we are accustomed to in the past, but the new life of Christ in us.

In other words, Easter means that we are a transformed people, living the life of the Risen Christ. The Risen Lord appeared to His disciples with the marks of the Crucified Christ.

Even though He is risen, He continues to share in our pains and struggles.

We, too, must be risen in our hearts.

That during this time of COVID-19, we show ourselves to be truly Christian by exercising physical and social distancing, keeping ourselves safe from the virus so that we will not infect others. We continue to show Christian charity by sacrificing what is dearest and most important to us, the celebration of the Eucharist. This is perhaps the greatest act of dying to ourselves as Catholics in the face of the coronavirus crisis. By so doing, we are helping the nation to stay safe and lessen the burden of our healthcare workers. We show that we are putting the safety and health of our people first, at the expense of the financial contributions to the Church and our liturgical celebrations. Most of all, we can show ourselves to be an Easter people, even at this time when our jobs are unstable, businesses are affected and stocks have lost their values, we continue to assist the poor and those who are affected more than us financially because of the crisis. Let us exercise patience and sensitivity to the needs and safety of fellow parishioners and the community at large.

Finally, we must continue to give hope and encouragement to each other and our people at large. Let us work together and collaborate for the good of all. Let this COVID-19 virus strengthen our virtues of generosity, discipline, self-sacrifice and selfemptying for the good of all. Let us use this occasion to see how the Lord

is inviting us to remain in union with Him through the new means available to us. Instead of demanding that we continue to have the ordinary ways of receiving Him in the Eucharist and worshipping Him, the Lord is inviting us to think out of the box, come out of our comfort zone, be proactive and find new means to worship Him, to grow in faith and new ways to evangelise to the world. Indeed, the Lord is using this home telecast of the Mass to help our Catholics not to take the Eucharist for granted and to provide the ambience for the family to pay more attention to the Word of God and the Mass. Family unity is strengthened through participating in the online Mass. Even those who have left the Church, and those who are infirmed at home, can now join in the Mass with the rest of the family members.

Let us not lose this great opportunity to make use of these obstacles and turn them into stepping stones for growth. Although we cannot spend time to be with our friends, we can use this time to build up our bonds with family members. Instead of hiding and lamenting at the tomb, we must rise and announce the Risen Lord is in our midst even as we continue to struggle against this pandemic. The Lord is with us and He will see us through. For the Lord has overcome sin and death in the resurrection. We too must live as an Easter people, overcoming our sins of selfishness and the fear of death.

Happy Easter. Alleluia! He is risen. He is Lord! 

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Sister who dedicated her life to the service of others

Left: Sr Tarcisius will be remembered as someone who enjoyed the simple pleasures of life with gratitude.

Sr Tarcisius Leong, the first Asian FMDM Sister, inspired many with her selflessness.

Jared Ng Sister Tarcisius Leong’s first encounter with God came in very perilous circumstances.

Malaya was occupied by the Japanese military in 1941 and young girls were the target of the marauding soldiers.

To protect herself, the young Sr Tarcisius sought shelter at a convent at the behest of her grandfather. When soldiers were approaching the convent, the nun on duty would ring the bells which served as a signal for the girls to hide at their designated places inside locked classrooms behind and under tables, and furniture. It was during this stay at the convent that Sr Tarcisius decided to dedicate her whole life to God. Affectionately known as Sr Tarcie, she was born in Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia, on April 12, 1924.

Sr Tarcisius entered the FMDM Novitiate in 1951 and became the first Malaysian and Asian to join the Order. She made her first profession on August 22, 1953, and her final profession on December 18, 1958. On March 6, 2020, she returned to the Lord at Assisi Hospice aged 96.

After her initial two and a half years of Religious formation, Sr Tarcisius underwent training as a nurse in the UK before returning to Singapore in 1958 as a State Registered Nurse and Midwife. At that time, the FMDM Sisters had just bought a piece of land at Thomson Road and were in the midst of preparing for the completion and opening of Mount Alvernia Hospital.

Little known to many of the Sisters, Sr Tarcisius was also gifted with the skills of a very talented seamstress.

She, with several other Sisters, spent much time in the sewing room preparing bedsheets, pillowcases and blankets which the patients needed. They even added the little touches of matching embroidery designs so as to give the patients a closer sense of home when they stayed in the hospital.

During her time as Postulant Directress, she imbued in her new Sisters a love for the Congregation and passed on the spirit and charism of the FMDM community, introducing to them the basics of Religious life, the values and the life of St Francis. Her young postulants were inspired by her dedication in prayer and community.

Beyond her work at the hospital, she inspired many with her missionary zeal and sense of adventure which led her to volunteer in China’s Kinmen Island from 1975-1981 and later to Ethiopia in 1985 to do some relief work for a year. In 1987, she was part of a group of FMDM Sisters who spearheaded the founding of a small FMDM community in Plentong, Johor.

It was later in 1995, at the age of 71, that Sr Tarcisius took to providing pastoral presence and showing love for the patients at Assisi Hospice’s Day Care Centre.

With the spirit of someone youngat-heart, she gave her all at the centre and participated fully in all the exercises, games and other activities with the patients. She was also enthusiastically involved in helping with the fundraising

Below: Sr Tarcisius with the first baby born in Mount Alvernia Hospital in 1961.

efforts of Assisi’s fun fair, be it in the selling of tickets at churches or in helping with the sorting out of donated items.

In everything she did, she enjoyed herself. She was well loved by staff and volunteers who saw in her a dependable, steadfast and reliable person they could call on at any time.

FMDM Sr Claudia Lee recalled her fond memories of Sr Tarcisius. “I came to know Sr Tarcie when I joined the Postulancy at Mount Alvernia, in December 1971 as she was then the Postulant Directress.

She imbued in us postulants a love for the Congregation and passed on to us the spirit and charism of the FMDMs ...

As a young postulant I was impressed by her dedicated life – in prayer and community.”

Sr Claudia also shared how much of a positive influence Sr Tarcisius was at the Assisi Hospice Day Care Centre where she got along well with staff and volunteers and always gave “compassionate care to the patients”.

In a eulogy delivered by FMDM Sr Jacinta Kow on March 10, Sr Tarcisius was remembered as a woman of integrity, one who “tried to live as she prayed and she prayed as she meant to live – for Christ.”

She went by this Gospel passage from St John: “I seek

struggling with trying to breakeven before the COVID-19 situation. But the last two months have been particularly bad with lower turnout of customers.”

He did not rule out the possibility of closing down the café, located at 55 Waterloo Street, if the situation continues to deteriorate. “We don’t want to close down

because we are a social enterprise with special needs staff that treasure their job as it provides them dignity of work.

Many regulars find this a good gathering place. But at the end of the day, the business has to be sustainable. We hope our regular customers will come and support.”

Mr Tan said that a new menu that was being planned

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not my own will but the will of Him who sent me. I always do what pleases Him”. In this, she was unwavering.

Sr Jacinta said Sr Tarcisius enjoyed the simple pleasures of life with gratitude. She had

the gift of contentment. As she aged, she grew quieter, sleepier and God saw fit to call His faithful servant home to Himself. n jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

Crossings Café appeals for support; cuts opening hours Crossings Café, has shortened its daily operating hours from 11.30am-8.30pm since March 30, until further notice.

Mr Gerard Tan, Chairman of the café’s board explained that it was a necessary measure to balance between the increasing operating deficit and the need to keep staff employed. “ We were already

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to be launched at Easter will nevertheless proceed as it had been in the works for over two months. “We are grateful to Creative Eateries who have loaned their expertise pro bono to help revamp the menu. Those of us who have tried the new dishes can attest that they are just wonderful.

We are also lowering the prices to recognise the hard

times faced by all. We hope good food at more affordable prices will be one more reason for the community to support us.”

He assured diners that the café continues to follow the precautions for COVID-19 including social distancing between tables, as well as regular and constant cleaning, and sanitation. n

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Keeping the flame alive n From Page 2

In this regard, his view is that “we need to see how ONE’s activities can dovetail with activities of the various parishes.”

In doing so, parish communities would have the opportunity to work with other parishes in a more synergistic manner.

His Grace said working at this new level can help bring about fresh perspectives, new resources and talents.

Local and overseas community: Reaching out On furthering the Church’s social mission to reach out to the needy and the marginalised, both locally and internationally, His Grace said both CARITAS and CHARIS are playing a crucial pivotal role.

CARITAS Singapore is the official social and community arm of the Catholic Church in Singapore. As the umbrella body for some 27 Catholic charities and organisations, its work has touched the lives of many regardless of race or religion. With its new 2020 tagline “God’s Love in Action”, Caritas Singapore aims to share its sacred

mission, which is: “Jesus calling us to action and His acts of love.”

Prof Tan Cheng Han, Chair of Caritas Singapore, said in January this year that this mission “is our proclamation of why we do what we do. It is more profound than mere human kindness; it is charity motivated by our love of God.” CHARIS, on the other hand, is the umbrella body for overseas humanitarian aid by the Archdiocese. Its aim is to provide humanitarian aid to various countries, especially to developing countries in the region. These include aid for natural disasters and other adverse circumstances faced by the poor and needy.

The aid ranges from funding, medical resources to volunteer manpower for immediate relief to long-term support for those displaced and in need of assistance.

CHALLENGES AHEAD Everyone plays a part – Priests, laity As the Church looks to the future, it is Archbishop Goh’s firm belief

that “everyone has a part to play”, adding that he sees the growth of the Church very much intertwined with the collaboration among the different parties, including priests and lay persons.

As Catholics, it is important for both priests and the laity to co-share and play their part to help shape the communities, parishes and the Archdiocese as a whole, by working alongside each other.

Engaging youth Archbishop Goh also made special mention of the youth in the Church and said that “one of our challenges is that we tend to lose them after they receive the sacrament of Confirmation. So, I think we need to ask ourselves how we can better engage them to help them to grow and strengthen their faith. How do we ensure that they remain in the community and hopefully one day become the future leaders of the Church?

Forming Communities When asked how Catholics are faring in the area of faith formation, he said “as

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Catholics we tend to be better at doing things more than sharing our faith. We are happy to be involved in various Church ministries but what about faith formation?

“What is ultimately required is forming communities of faith so that we can strengthen each other spiritually as fellow Catholics. At the same time, let us consider too how we may better evangelise and share our faith with non-Catholics by the way that we live our lives.”

As Catholics, His Grace noted that there is a need to maintain a broader perspective of things and to avoid having a silo mentality. This means in whatever we do, we need to try and look beyond our individual parishes and organisations.

Likewise, let us also consider how we can contribute towards the wider Archdiocese and the world as a whole. Laudato si, for instance, advocates the care for our common home which is the world that we live in. As Catholics, let us remember that we are called to be good stewards of this world that God has given us.” n audrey.lee@catholic.org.sg

CHANCERY NOTICE 30 March 2020

OBITUARY Fr Angel Luciano, CICM, from the Scheut Missions, passed away in his sleep on 29 March 2020. Fr Angel had served in Singapore from 1999 to 2016. He returned to the Philippines for his retirement in August 2016.

Fr Angel was born in 1946, in the Philippines. As a CICM missionary, he served in Zambia for six years. In 1982, he was called back to the Philippines and assigned to the training of young CICM missionaries. He also served as Provincial Superior during this time. In 1999, he joined the CICM community in Singapore and served as an assistant parish priest at the Church of St Michael.

Fr Angel’s ministries in

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Singapore included his parish work and the pastoral care of migrant workers, especially those from the Philippines. His responsibilities included conducting Masses for the Filipino community in local parishes and centres, the prison ministry and Pinoy Star publication. He also initiated the yearly tradition of Simbang Gabi celebrations in preparation for Christmas, which grew to be held at several parishes. Under his care, the Filipino Catholic community grew from 70,000 in 1999 to 200,000 in the year he left Singapore.

The Archdiocese extends condolences to the CICM community and those who knew Fr Angel in Singapore. We invite you to pray for him in your Masses and prayers.

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

31 March 2020

APPOINTMENTS 1. Fr Dominique Deme MEP is appointed Spiritual Director for the Christian Family & Social Movement (CFSM) for a term of two [2] years with effect from 26 March 2020.

2. Ms Lam Siok Loon has been reappointed to the Board of Abilities Beyond Limitations and Expectations (ABLE) for a term of two [2] years with effect from 1 April 2020.

3. Fr Eugene Vaz, having reached the retirement age of 75 for Parish Priests, is assigned to Bethany East Clergy Residence as a resident priest with effect from 1 June 2020.

4. The following are appointed to the board of the Catholic Leadership Centre for a term of three [3] years with effect from 26 March 2020:

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a. Gerard Lee – Holy Cross (Chairman designate) b. Fr Valerian Cheong c. Sr Christina Yeo FDCC d. Andrew Sng e. Arthur Goh f. Benedict Cheong g. Jennifer Lewis h. Leonard Koh i. Nicholas Lim j. Sebastian Soh k. Steven Ang

OTHER MATTERS Fr Paul Lim having served in the Archdiocese of Singapore for the last three years ad experimentum has been received and incardinated into the Archdiocese by Archbishop William Goh DD on 19 March 2020.

With this he assumes all the rights and responsibilities of a diocesan priest in the Archdiocese of Singapore.

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

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Creating a sense of belonging for our youth Paul Goh, a youth coordinator at St Anthony’s Church, shares more.

Jared Ng The most essential thing to attract youth is to form communities within a church to allow them to be themselves.

This means they can have fellowship and sharing with others they are comfortable with and who may be facing similar struggles.

This is the view of Paul Goh, the youth coordinator at the Church of St Anthony.

“We need to create the sense of belonging for youth even before catechism ... to show what the Church can offer.”

Doing so is highly important because of the attractiveness and strong influences in the secular world, said Paul. He gave the example of the globally trending Tik Tok mobile application, which like Instagram, allows followers to “like” certain videos. This validation that comes from the number of likes is something the world is propagating to our youth, said Paul.

“The Church wants you

to be yourself and there is no need for ‘likes’ to make you feel good about yourself.”

At St Anthony’s Church, youth group attachments start the moment teens enrol into catechism at Secondary 1, all the way to Secondary 4 before they receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. There are different durations for each attachment; the shortest being three months and the longest lasting up to six months.

The purpose of these attachments, he explained, is to try and “instil in the youth that coming to church on a Friday evening, Saturday afternoon or even Sunday can be something normal”.

“When they come, quality time is spent. There is authentic sharing, Bible sharing through Lectio Divina and other activities. Parents know that their children are in a safe space,” he added.

Attracting youth has lately been a more serious issue that the universal Church faces. In the Archdiocese of Singapore,

Saint Laurent Imbert: His missionary work in S’pore In the article titled “Celebrating 200 years of Catholicism in Singapore!” dated March 22, 2020, it was reported that St Laurent Imbert stepped foot on Singapore to mark the beginning of Catholic outreach to our country.

We wish to clarify that: In his letter to his superior, Monsignor Esprit-MarieJoseph Florens, Vicar Apostolic of Siam, Fr Imbert wrote of the dozen or so Catholics that he had met, and the “pitiful” conditions they were in. He also wrote of their great desire to have a resident priest. However, his presence did not mark

the beginning of Catholic outreach in Singapore.

The year 2021 has been proposed as the Bicentennial year of Catholicism in Singapore because Fr Imbert’s letter (dated December 13, 1821) is the first known record of Catholics in Singapore. Today, the Church in Singapore is blessed with local priests and large numbers. We celebrate how Catholics have contributed to Singapore’s development in the last 200 years and how we continue to move forward as a vibrant, missionary and evangelistic Church. n Jointly contributed by the Chancery Archives.

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Young people at Catholic Youth Day in 2019. Photo: VITA Images

there are offices such as the Office for Young People (OYP) that engage students in Polytechnics, Universities and those in National Service.

However, “there is also a big catchment area of teens, primarily from Sec 1 to Sec 4, that also need support,” said Paul.

The problem is made more challenging because some parishes do not dedicate enough resources to engaging the youth, or because most of the emphasis is on the elderly, migrants or parishioners at large, he added.

He said to have a youth coordinator at the parish is a good start because then there is someone who can plan programmes and ensure that the youth are not overlooked.

“Parishes that face a problem of teens leaving their church need to look at their priorities and see whether they have catered enough to the youth.”

Part of Paul’s work also sees him working closely with OYP and encouraging youth from his parish to attend retreats and other programmes organised by the Archdiocesan office.

“I push my youth to attend these OYP events because the sharings, testimonies and fellowship with other youth can be edifying and encouraging,” he said.

Today’s youth will ask intellectual questions and are not afraid to challenge the faith.

The world is presenting to them a lot of ideals and it leaves them constantly searching for answers.

One way that Paul tries to support the youth who are “searching” is by helping them reflect on their own character so that they understand themselves, and how they can serve others for the benefit of the church community.

Often his interaction with

the youth come in the form of informal gatherings over dinner or a drink. It’s moments like these that he treasures most.

“To be present and to appreciate the joy of being with youth, chilling or hanging out with them over food and session planning ... I see the beauty of God in these little moments.”

Because of the current COVID-19 situation, all formal planning and activities have ceased in churches, which has limited the opportunities to be with the youth.

Paul encourages the youth in St Anthony’s Church to use the Lenten reflection booklet produced by the Office for the New Evangelisation for their personal prayer times and said he still tries to have informal check-ins with some of them. n jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

The greatest “Yes” came from Mary. And this

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“Yes” came at an enormous price. For some of us, we only consider the great privilege of Mary in being chosen to be the mother of the Saviour. So whilst being chosen to be the mother of Jesus, the Messiah, is a great honour, more importantly, it is living out the vocation of being the mother of the saviour that is the higher calling. Indeed, it is not so difficult to be a mother. Every woman who can conceive can be a mother. However, not every mother is a good parent. Being a parent requires us to look after and nurse the child, to help him or her grow in wisdom, maturity and grace, fulfilling his or her vocation in life. This entails a life-long sacrifice until death. No matter how old the child is, a mother will care for the child, love the child until death do them part.

– Archbishop William Goh

(March 25, 2020, Wednesday, Annunciation of the Lord)

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OUR SCHOOLS

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SPOTLIGHT ON ST ANTHONY’S CANOSSIAN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Where every young girl will feel accepted, loved and understood …

Perpetua Ho “Those who love are never tired, since love knows no burden.” These are the words of our Mother Foundress, Saint Magdalene of Canossa. Her desire to make Jesus known and loved to all through her charitable works and a life of total dedication to God is the charism by which the Canossians seek to live their lives by.

St Magdalene believed firmly that “Education is the Formation of the Heart” and she saw the importance of allowing every young girl to feel accepted, loved and understood as an individual. Thus, following in her footsteps and her teachings, the mission of St Anthony’s Canossian Primary School is to nurture and empower Canossians to be persons of integrity, committed to serving God and others.

Commitment, compassion and cheerfulness are attributes that the school aims to develop in Canossians through the different programmes.

Commitment St Magdalene had a deep commitment to the human and Christian formation of girls and youth. She had a strong conviction that to grow as a person, it was necessary to grow as a Christian. Hence, the school sees great importance in the formation of the faith through nurturing and caring for the spiritual growth of each child.

Through the Pastoral Care programme, all students have the opportunity to deepen their faith through various activities such as Level Masses; Stations of the Cross; Rosary; a Lenten Retreat; family Masses in Easter and All Saints’ Day. Sr Geraldine Lim, the school chaplain, also conducts AGAPE, a Catholic Youth

Prayer Ministry, to allow students to deepen their faith and their love for God so that they may continue to be living witnesses of their love for God and others through their words, thoughts and deeds.

Alyssa Loh, a Primary 5 student shared that AGAPE sessions are calming and peaceful, allowing her to connect with God and to learn more about the meaning behind the parables.

Emma Teo, another Primary 5 student, shared that the ministry allows her to be in touch with Church activities. She enjoys the time spent with the Sisters and also appreciates the time spent praying for the needy and those who are unwell.

The school also has a Catholic Students’ Council where our Catholic students have the chance to be empowered in their faith and to lead the school in prayer and in centering sessions during morning assembly.

core values of charity and humility.

Primary 4 students have the chance to serve the inner community through the Buddy Programme in which they look after their Primary 1 sisters in the first week of school during recess to show them around school and to help them ease well into primary school life.

All students are also encouraged to contribute to the works of the Canossian mission through the annual Gift of Love project where students practise almsgiving during the period of Lent.

The attribute of compassion is encouraged in all students through morning centering sessions where students reflect on the school’s values and the sharing of stories of the lives of our Canossian saints and other individuals who have made contributions to mankind.

Compassion

In line with AGAPE’s move to develop a joy of learning in the students, the school has allocated a period once a week aptly named Canossians Connect (CC).

This period is designed for students to connect with their peers and to discover the joy of learning through various level programmes such as Learn Through Play, Project Work and Class Bonding Activities.

These programmes aim to build strong teacher-student relationships within the classroom and to allow for bonding time.

The Learn Through Play programme empowers students to exercise choices as they are given the opportunity to choose their preferred activity at the different learning stations set up around school.

Through these programmes, the school hopes to provide students the opportunities to make decisions, observe, investigate and reflect. 

This year’s school theme of “Love through Service” aims to instil in the young Canossians a spirit of love through service in the footsteps of St Magdalene. It embodies Faith in Action through humble service to each other.

As part of the Values-in-Action programme, Primary 5 and 6 students go forth to serve the community through their outreach to kindergarteners and to the aged. The Primary 5 students visit the kindergartens to educate children on topics such as observing personal hygiene and to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

The Primary 6 students visit St Joseph’s Home to spend time with the aged residents. Through these projects, our students are able to develop empathy as well as practise the school’s

Milestones and history August 1, 1879 – St Anna’s School, a small house in Middle Road was started by Fr Jose Pedra Santa Anna de Cunha for the children of his poor parishoners.

February 23, 1886 – Fr Nicholas Pinto built a larger building and named it St Anthony’s Boys’ and Girls’ School.

November 1893 – The schools were separated into St Anthony’s Boys’ and St Anthony’s Girls’ Schools.

December 11, 1894 – Four Canossian Sisters arrived in Singapore to take over the girls’ school.

1971 – The Primary and Secondary schools were separated and renamed St Anthony’s Convent Primary School and St Anthony’s Convent Secondary School.

1995 – Moved to Bedok North Ave 4 and renamed St Anthony’s Canossian Primary School.

2017 – Visit of The International Centennial Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Fatima.

2018 – Canossian Girls’ Leadership Symposium was held and attended by Canossian Student leaders and representatives from India, Philippines and Malaysia.

2019 – 140 years’ celebration in conjunction with SG Bicentennial. 

Cheerfulness

Photos: St Anthony’s Canossian Primary School

Primary 6 students at St Joseph’s Home with Canossian Sisters.

Reaching out to the little ones at a kindergarten.

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GOOD FRIDAY

Why are the statues covered on Good Friday?

The custom of veiling crosses and images helps us to concentrate on the great essentials of Christ’s work of redemption. This old custom of veiling religious images reminds us that our faith in all its glory is made possible only through the work of Christ in His suffering and death on the cross.

Is it a day of obligation?

Although not a day of obligation, the Easter Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and

Holy Saturday are listed in the table of Liturgical Days in the General Roman Calendar as the first and most important days in terms of eminence.

Why is it a service and not a Mass?

Good Friday is considered a liturgical act of worship. Known as the Mass of the Presanctified, it is traditionally celebrated only on this day in which the consecration is not performed. Instead, Holy Communion, usually consecrated the day before at Holy Thursday Mass, is distributed.

HOLY SATURDAY

What is the significance of the Paschal candle?

The Paschal candle represents the Risen Lord in His Glory. Five grains of incense representing Christ’s wounds are inserted in the candle in the form of a cross. An alpha above the cross and an omega below (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet) indicate that Christ is the beginning and end of all.

EASTER SUNDAY

What does Easter mean?

The English word Easter is of German/Saxon origin from the word Ester meaning first, and Stehen meaning to stand. The two words combine to form Erstehen which is an old German form of Auferstehen, meaning resurrection.

What happens now during Eastertide?

The 50 days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost are celebrated in joyful exultation as one feast day, or better as one “great Sunday”. These above all others are the days for the singing of the Alleluia.

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The top 30 entries get a special Easter gift from us.

Email your entries to link@catholic.org.sg by 24 May 2020 and include your name, age and home address.

For inspiration, listen to us on CatholicSG Radio during Easter!

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Easter Light and Joy: Loving every person regardless of who they are ...

Monsignor Philip Heng, SJ As we celebrate the “Easter Joy” of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus, the celebration does not obscure the wounds of the beastly tortures and the cruel crucifixion that Jesus endured and embraced willingly. The five wounds still clearly visible, are part of the image of the glorious Risen Lord, symbolising the unconditional merciful love of God. This great price that Jesus paid lifted the veil of darkness from humanity. The Light of our Risen Lord, dispelled the evil of sin and death and enlightened the whole world with His true hope of salvation. The reality of this “Easter Light and Joy” can radiate from us, if we allow the spirit of the Risen Lord to shine through our lives ...

Let us imagine that you and I have been thrown into a prison cell in a foreign country that is packed with prisoners of diverse nationalities. We choke from the stale air, and the stench of the sweat, urine and defecation.

Most of the inmates have been there for years suffering silently under inhumane conditions, without any recourse to justice or hope of contacting any family members. There are some who are serving a life sentence, for a crime that they were “lured” into. Think about the trauma and desperation they are going through. What hope of any meaning in life could they still have?

Just then, a tall, thin-framed, gentle man appears with some local companions. Father Olivier Morin and his team have come to visit us. They are different.

They speak and relate to us, as if we were persons with dignity. A ray of hope has

shone onto our desperation, darkness and hopelessness.

We ask ourselves: “Who is he? Why is he here? We do not know him, and he does not know us. And yet, he and his companions show us such unusual compassion and care.”

Fr Morin and his team are the Jesuits that serve the Internal Detention Centre in Thailand.

They visit prisoners and try to see to the inmates’ different and desperate needs, including their basic necessities. They also to try to help them reconnect with their families and more importantly, to help reinstate

“No one can survive without love.

They need to know that someone loves them and that they are still capable of loving.”

– Father Olivier Morin, who serves the Internal Detention Centre in Thailand

them back to their home countries. Fr Morin shared, “I give priority to those who truly don’t have any visitors or who are very poor. I visit mainly Laotians and Burmese. I also have Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Indonesians, Indians, Nepalese – 46 nationalities altogether.”

He shared that when he and his team are able to work for the successful release of a prisoner, and waive the prisoner’s air ticket home, everyone in the cell breaks into a thunderous applause, and great cheer; celebrating the hope that if one

can be released to return home, they too could one day enjoy the same liberation and freedom.

He added, “What is very important for me is to talk with these people. No one can survive without love. They need to know that someone loves them and that they are still capable of loving. They may have committed crimes, but I’ve told them many times, ‘You are bigger and greater than your mistakes.’ We have to take what is good in a man and tell him, ‘You can start again’. Who has never done wrong? This is the sense of Christian forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not to forget. It is to give a new chance for one to show his good side.”

For Fr Morin and his team, it is lending comfort to the disoriented victims of hopelessness, and infusing the warmth of Jesus’ love back into the precious souls that have grown helplessly cold.

Ultimately, it is recognising and loving the unmistakable but unseen good in each one.

In 2006, Fr Morin’s motorcycle was hit by a car. For four months, the doctors tried to save his left leg; but finally they had to amputate it. Ten days later, Fr Morin was back visiting the prisoners with his prosthetic leg, moving around in a wheelchair. Fr Morin shared, “I will never forget the way they showed me their love when I came back after my accident.

These people are wonderful. I want to show them that they are still great.”

This is the “Easter Light and Joy” that you and I are called to share with every person, regardless of who they are ....

Msgr Heng is the Rector of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.

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Expression of love and trust Father Ronald Rolheiser More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it. The Prophet Jeremiah wrote those words more than 2,500 years ago and anyone who struggles with the complexities of love and human relationships will know of what he speaks.

Who indeed can understand the human heart, given some of the curious and cruel ways we sometimes have of expressing love. For instance, the author Nadia Bolz-Weber shares something we all have a propensity for: “Inevitably, when I can’t harm the people who harmed me, I just end up harming the people who love me.” How true. When we’ve been hurt, every instinct in us screams for retaliation; but, most times, it’s not possible, nor safe, to retaliate against the persons who hurt us. Or, perhaps we aren’t even clear as to who hurt us. So, needing to lash out at someone, we lash out where it’s safe to do so, namely, at those whom we trust will absorb it, at those with whom we feel secure enough to do this. We lash out at them because we know they won’t retaliate. Simply put, sometimes we need to be really angry at someone and since we are unable to vent that anger on the person or persons responsible for it, we vent on someone whom we unconsciously trust will safely accept it.

If you’re a loving parent, a faithful spouse, a trusted friend, a true counsellor, a good minister, or even just someone who with integrity, it can be good to know this. Otherwise it’s too easy to misread some of the anger and recrimination that will come your way and take it too personally and not for what it really is. When someone whom you’ve loved is angry at you it’s hard to recognise and accept that you’re probably the object of that anger even though you aren’t the cause of it, but rather are the one safe place where this person can lash out without fear of retaliation and have his or her bitterness absorbed.

But this can be very hard to accept, even when we understand why it’s happening. This kind of love demands an almost inhuman strength. For example, as Christians we have a special admiration for Jesus’ mother as we imagine what she must have felt as she stood beneath the Cross, watching her son, goodness and innocence itself, suffer a brutal, violent injustice. Not to lessen in any way the pain that she would have been feeling then, standing helplessly as she did in that awful injustice, she did have the consolation of knowing that her son loved her deeply. Her pain would have been excruciating, as would be the pain of any mother in that situation, but her pain had a certain (dare I use the phrase) “cleanliness” about it. She was free to fully and openly empathise with her son, knowing that His love was giving her permission to feel what she felt.

But many is the loving mother, loving father, a faithful spouse, or trusted friend whose heart is breaking at the anger and accusation being directed at them by someone they’ve loved and to whom they’ve been faithful. How can they not feel accused, guilty, and responsible for the bitter crucifixion they’re experiencing? Their pain will not feel “clean”. In effect, what they’re feeling is more what Jesus felt as He was being crucified rather than what His mother felt as she witnessed it. They’re experiencing what St Paul refers to in his Second Letter to the Corinthians when he writes that, though innocent Himself, Jesus became sin. That single expression, unless properly read, can be one of the most horrifying lines in Scripture. Yet, understood within the dynamics of love, it powerfully highlights what love really means beyond fairy tales. Real love is the capacity to absorb injustice with understanding, empathy, and with only the other’s good in mind.

We need to recognise that we also do this to others. When we’re hurt and unable to direct our anger and accusations against those who hurt us, then, as Nadia Bolz-Weber so honestly shares, we often end up harming the people who love us most.

Love has many modalities, some warm, kind, and affectionate, some accusatory, bitter, and angry. Yes, sometimes we have strange, anomalous ways of expressing our love and trust.

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EASTER REFLECTION

The deeper the darkness, the greater the light Despite the uncertainty in the world right now, God will not be denied, writes BROTHER JUSTIN YIP.

God’s grace, mercy and love continue to pour forth into the lives of all who would turn to Him in their hour of need.

“Are there not 12 hours in the day? A man can walk in the daytime without stumbling because he has the light of this world to see by; but if he walks at night he stumbles, because there is no light to guide him” (John 11:9-10).

This has been a difficult Lent and even as Easter dawns in our lives there appears to be no end in sight to the COVID-19 situation. Churches are closed; Masses suspended; the Easter Triduum celebrated before empty pews. For many of us, it has been a real challenge to live the life of faith in these last few weeks and months. It is as if we have been walking in the night, stumbling, unsure even if we are heading in the right direction.

The Scripture verse above is taken from the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, from the story of the raising of Lazarus. Jesus was explaining to His disciples the reason He had to go to Bethany – He is the light of the world, and He needs to bring that light to the lives of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Indeed, the Gospel readings from throughout the season of Lent show Jesus continually reaching out to those people whose lives are in darkness – the Samaritan woman, the blind man, and Lazarus. The Light of the world will not be denied!

In truth, this must be the message that we should keep in mind this Easter.

Despite all that is going on around the world, God will not be denied. His grace, mercy and love continue to pour forth into the lives of the faithful and all who would turn to Him in their hour of need.

The deeper the darkness, the greater the light that shines forth. An enduring truth

of Easter is how God can and will turn around a dire situation.

At the crucifixion and death of Jesus on Good Friday, it seemed as if all hope was lost. The world was literally shrouded in darkness. The disciples of the Lord scattered and went into hiding. Imagine if you were one of these disciples, and that you had just witnessed the death of a man whom you had loved, followed and placed so much hope in. How would you be feeling?

Now, imagine being present with Mary Magdalene when the Risen Lord appeared before her, and gently called her name, “Mary”.

“Rabboni!” Mary cried, recognising the Beloved. From the depths of despair and grief, an effervescent surge of joy and hope fills your entire being. For Mary and the disciples, Jesus’ Resurrection meant the fulfilment of God’s promise of salvation and redemption.

The Resurrection of Christ resonates with us on two counts. On the one hand, it is a reminder of God’s desire to intervene directly in the course of human history, for the good of His people. It is a call to turn to God in the midst of our struggles and difficulties. On the other, the Resurrection is an invitation to live our lives in a way that reflects God’s triumph over darkness.

We are called to be a people of hope and light and we are tasked with the mission to bring that hope and light to those around us, especially those who are suffering.

This Easter, what is your response?  Br Justin Yip will be called to the Order of Deacons on May 25 at St Anne’s Church.

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Faith is also a growing process. So, too, is baptism. Faith is a gift from God. God is the one

who takes the initiative. Faith begins when a man takes the decision to obey. When the Lord asked the blind man to go to the pool to wash himself, he went immediately, unlike Naaman. Only because of faith and obedience was the man healed.

But he still did not know who Jesus was. It was under interrogation and pressure that he came to discover for himself who this man, Jesus, was. Having recovered his eyesight, he must now choose.

We know our faith is mature only when we are willing to stand up for Jesus. The man who was healed was

ready to vouch for Jesus in spite of the opposition from the religious authorities.

Even his parents were afraid to stand up for Jesus in spite of the fact that they saw their son healed. True faith makes us stand up for what we believe and who we believe. If we are ashamed of our Lord and the Gospel, then we are no real disciples of His. Unfortunately, this is the case among many of our Catholics. They do not defend their beliefs and convictions before the world. They deny Jesus in their words and deeds!

– Archbishop William Goh (March 22, 2020, Sunday, 4th Week in Lent)

Keeping the faith amidst COVID-19 How Catholics soldier on to deepen their faith.

Bernadette Lee On February 14, 2020, Archbishop William Goh issued a pastoral letter to Catholics in Singapore informing them of the suspension of Masses on the following day because of the COVID-19 situation.

This meant the ceasing of both the weekend and weekday Masses at all Catholic churches here. Likewise, Catholics could no longer attend faith formation meetings. More importantly, it also meant that the faithful could not seek the comfort that they gained from attending Masses and partaking in the Holy Communion.

In its place were the online Masses and the act of Spiritual Communion. Many Catholics initially took some time to adjust to these changes.

Many Catholics struggled in the light of this changing manner of worshipping in light of COVID-19. This was the case with Marion Chan who goes to the Church of St Mary of the Angels. Marion shared that while her studies at the Polytechnic keeps her from becoming too stressed over the COVID-19 situation, she finds it “hard to replicate the same solemn feeling that one gets when one is in church” in the case of the online Mass streaming. She felt that she was not as close to God as before and she ended up spending more time reading the Bible and praying more often.

For Sharlene Pang, who has

a six-month old daughter, she appreciates that the online Masses allow her to “listen to the Mass anytime” and the option to pause the Mass service and continue thereafter.

This flexibility is something that she appreciates especially when she often has to tend to the needs of her baby. She added that no matter “how challenging the times are”, her steadfast belief is that her “faith is always there” even though she is unable to attend Mass in church now.

Her approach is to “be flexible” during such times and “to adjust and bear with it”.

As for Rose Chan, from the Merdeka generation and a regular at the Church of St Francis Xavier, she shared that she has since converted to online Masses. She found the homilies by Archbishop William Goh to be very “inspiring and relevant”.

For Stanley and Alice Poh who are in the Marriage Encounter Programme, they have discovered other ways to “make up for the lack of physical fellowship and reception of the Holy communion”. They do so by faithfully watching the local Sunday Masses, as well as tuning in to the prayer sessions, Novena devotions, and the Way of the Cross conducted by the various local churches.

For them, they felt that this current situation has shown them the readiness of our

priests to minister to the needs of the community through more creative ways.

In the case of David Lim who serves at the Church of the Sacred Heart, he looked for other ways to sustain and to enrich his faith. He turned to listening to the various sermons online from across the globe. For him, he takes it as a “renewal of his spiritual journey in cyberspace” and he has found ways to build “a deeper relationship with Our Lord in these trying times”.

The suspension of Masses has made many Catholics realise how lucky we are in Singapore with so many churches a stone’s throw away from us and the freedom to practise our faith. During such times, it is important that we find new ways to be connected to God. When our faith is challenged, we need to quieten our hearts and to discover what is at the core of our beliefs and how important faith is to us.

The crisis has also made us more aware of the things we usually take for granted, be it a meal, a loved one or just spending quality time with family and fellowship with one another. More than that it has made us realise how small we are and how unimportant the desires of the world are; in our dependence we have to place all our trust in the Lord and to surrender all will and desires into “His Hands”. n

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Reaching Out from Isolation

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ne unexpected, though happy, piece of feedback we received early on in this period of Mass suspension was that some local Catholics were using the broadcast Masses as an opportunity to invite their lapsed family members to return to Sunday worship.

They shared with us that their relatives had agreed to join them for the broadcast Mass, perhaps because a family setting was a more welcoming and low-key environment than a parish that they had not attended in years.

“My sis had stopped going to church for a long time. We had been praying for her… Now that the Mass is brought to homes, she participated together with us.” (JF)

“Mum joins me when the TV is on & I send [the URL] to people that don’t attend weekly Masses…

You can see the interest” (CFM)

Finding Opportunities in Crisis

Following the “Catholic Conversation” survey in 2016 which found that 64% of the estimated 373,000 Catholics in Singapore do not attend Mass weekly, the Archdiocese has stepped up its efforts to engage lapsed Catholics by, among other things, putting more resources for prayer and spiritual formation online.

Fr Luke Fong, held a Hello Father, Please Pray for Me phone-a-thon on 29 March.

Over eight hours, 140 people called in to pray privately with one of the four priests. A few rang from overseas, while others were non-Catholic.

Reaching Out

“Broadcasting of Mass is a wonderful way to share the light, if not as a beacon for the returning then for those who never thought the light existed.” (AT)

However, these resources and programmes still work best when conveyed with a personal, loving touch. Nothing beats a re-introduction to the faith by a practicing Catholic friend or relative who understands the lapsed person’s personal situation, can offer what best meets his or her spiritual needs, and is willing to journey with that person back to the Church.

“I have been meeting a [Christian] student one to one for a few weeks to nurture his faith.

He is a new convert.” (NC)

Although Masses are still suspended, our Catholic community can still find creative ways to support one another spiritually – and safely. The priests of the Church of the Sacred Heart, plus

A 2019 informal Archdiocesan survey of Catholics who do not attend Mass weekly found a wide range of reasons for the decision. One major factor was a lack of feeling “connected” to God, or that the faith was ritualistic and irrelevant to their lives. Others disagreed with its teachings, particularly on sexual morality. A few cited bad encounters with clergy, church workers, and Catholics in general.

Get personal: The videos and articles that you send should meet the person’s needs. Avoid flooding them with resources that they have no time or interest for.

Share, don’t argue: Nothing turns people off faster than being talked down to, or sensing that you just want to “win” a debate.

It’s enough to explain Church teaching and believe that its truth will touch the other person.

Here are FIVE suggestions for reaching out to our loved ones:

Evangelise with beauty: Avoid fixating on the person’s areas of disagreement with the Church.

Sharing truth, beauty and goodness – a Scripture verse, a saint quote, an incident of Christian charity – may touch the person and get him or her to see Christ and the Church in a new light.

Pray first: Raise that person to the Lord in prayer, and seek His advice on how to proceed.

Offering to pray for the person also shows that you care.

Let us do our part as disciples of the Lord, to reach out to others and bring His love and peace to all we connect with.

Listen before speaking: If you do not understand the person’s objections – on the emotional as well as the intellectual level – you will not be able to meet his/ her needs.

Share with us how have you spread the Light of Christ to those who have left the Church?

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Sharing Gifts of Time and Talent

FaithWorks is an exhibition to promote awareness of the Catholic faith through art. Jointly organised with Heartspace for the Catholic Foundation’s annual dinner, it featured 30 three-dimensional artworks based on the theme “Joy & Peace”. Here, two artists share what inspired them to create their unique artworks as their way of supporting the Church.

Delphine Sng

Sara Sze

Pray, Act, Give.

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Some key archdiocesan organisations that GIFT supports are: Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools Archdiocesan Commission for the Family Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore Office for Catechesis Office for the New Evangelisation Office for Young People

Build a more vibrant, evangelising and missionary Church in Singapore

“Joy to the World, Peace on Earth!”: Ceramic sculpture figurines of raku white clay and wooden stable. Photo: Delphine Sng

FaithWorks Locket and Light Stand: Platinum locket with Madagascar ebony wooden light stand. Photo: Sara Sze

I have drawn and painted since my childhood crayon days. I thought of colours as magic and found the mixes mind-boggling and fascinating. Doodling and painting whatever came to mind could somehow tame my restlessness and curiosity as a child, and later led me to pottery.

Art requires some thinking and contemplation, and I particularly enjoy the calming effect of pottery, especially in centering myself as I hold the mass of clay in my hands. It often feels like I am accompanied by a greater creative energy.

As a ceramic artist, I enjoy exploring the various approaches to creating sculptural forms and functional vessels out of mere earth.

I have become more aware

I came to know the Lord through my sister who had married a Catholic. My mum, despite not being a Catholic, has also been instrumental: I believe the Spirit speaks through her simple ways and her constant and loving encouragement to have faith.

Some years back, my mum felt a strong call to seek out the Church of St Anthony to make a donation. During my visit with her, we discovered their prayer room. This memory inspired me to create this locket.

Crafted from a piece of pure platinum, it can be held in the palm during prayer, physically representing how we hold on to our faith throughout life’s tears and worries. The light that shines through the cut-through motif of a praying angel can provide comfort during times

us, descending as an infant to embrace our humanity.

In creating this piece for FaithWorks, I imagined what the Virgin Mary and St Joseph went through that holy night, as the infant Jesus was born in poverty – their joys, thoughts and concerns on how they were to cope.

My experience felt like that of a lowly shepherd from the fields who paid his visit to Jesus.

Is this the humble King who would grow up to sacrifice His life on a cross for sinners, then rise and return to His Father in power and glory?

I hope to retell the Nativity story and spread the message, “God with us”, that He lives with us in our everyday lives as we welcome Him into our hearts, our homes.

I am glad to be able to contribute to building our Church through art. of the mind, body and soul as one, and I see art as an intimate dialogue with myself and, somewhere in there, with God. Whatever work I produce expresses this.

The Nativity scene has a certain appeal to me, as it brings me into a quiet contemplation of the story of God’s gift of perfect love and tenderness to

As a Catholic in modern day society, it is challenging to keep the faith, let alone try to bring the Good News to all we meet.

The Catholic community, such as the RCIA and other ministries I have served in, is one important aspect of keeping my faith alive. I am glad to be able to contribute to building our Church through art.

material would do when crafting something for His purpose.

In creating this piece, the production of the light stand stumped me. I had envisioned it to be made of quality wood but encountered initial challenges finding someone who was able to craft it. Then it occurred to me to ask my husband’s cousin whose hobby is woodworking.

When he looked into his wood store to see what he could use, he unearthed a piece of ebony wood he had kept for over 30 years that, by God’s providence, was the exact dimensions we needed.

As my husband has yet to receive the gift of faith, I found it personally meaningful to contribute to the exhibition “FaithWorks”. I pray that he, too, will one day experience the

It is a wonderful feeling to know God used me to do His work, to help empower our Church to do good. of quiet contemplation. The Bible verse that spoke to me was: “Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of realities that are unseen.”

(Hebrews 11:1) I chose platinum as it is a pure and precious metal. Since God blesses us in countless ways, only the best and purest

love and assurance that faith gives.

Beyond merely being part of the congregation at the Church of St Ignatius, I am happy to give back in some way for all the blessings I have received. It is a wonderful feeling to know God used me to do His work, to help empower our Church to do good.

Gift Now

www.catholicfoundation.sg

a series contributed by

Use your creativity: Do your part to build the Church!

The biennial Angelico Art Award returns with the theme, “I will recount Your wonders” (Psalm 9:2). Organised by Heartspace, there are two categories for participation: open and youth.

Selected pieces may be put up for an auction at the Foundation’s fundraising dinner.

If you have a passion for painting and want to support our archdiocese, submit your entry by 15 August 2020. For more details, visit www.angelicoart.com

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Jennifer Ficcaglia Jesus had been arrested, condemned to death and died on the cross at Golgotha on what Christians now call Good Friday.

On that day, Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower of Jesus, took Jesus’ body from the cross for burial.

Joseph and another man, Nicodemus placed Jesus’ body in a new, unused tomb in a garden that was near Golgotha.

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala, a

follower of Jesus, visited the tomb.

When Mary noticed that the stone covering the tomb had been removed, she quickly ran to tell the apostles.

“They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put Him,” she told Simon Peter and the other apostle whom Jesus loved.

The two apostles raced to the tomb. When they arrived and saw the empty tomb, they returned home.

Mary, however, stayed at the tomb and wept.

As she was crying, Mary bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white.

Just then, Mary turned around and saw a man whom she thought was the gardener.

“Mary!” the man exclaimed.

Mary suddenly realised that the man was Jesus.

“Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father,” He told her.

“But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary rushed back to the apostles.

“I have seen the Lord,” she said.

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 SCRIPTURE

FOREIGN

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Sunday April 12, 2020 n CatholicNews

Beware the poison of laziness, complaining Vatican City – Pope Francis warned Christians to avoid living in a “fog” of sadness, sloth, and complaining, instead of rejoicing in the spiritual healing they have received from Christ.

There are “many Christians who live this state of sloth, unable to do anything but complain about everything,” the Pope said at Mass in the Vatican’s Santa Marta guest house on March 24.

“Sloth is a poison, it is a fog that surrounds the soul and does not let it live,” he continued. It’s also a drug, because if you taste it often, you like it. And you end up an addict, he said.

The Holy Father added that sloth is a “fairly usual sin among us,” one which the devil can use to annihilate our spiritual life as well as our life as people.

He urged people to reflect on the healing water of their baptism, through which Christ gave them new life, and through which they find salvation.

The Pope is offering his daily morning Mass for those affected

by COVID-19. The Masses are being live streamed throughout the coronavirus emergency.

He prayed particularly for the doctors and priests who have died from the coronavirus after treating or visiting the sick.

“We pray for them, for their families, and I thank God for the example of heroism they give us in treating the sick,” he said.

In his homily, the Pope gave a reflection on the story of Jesus’ healing of a man who had been ill for 38

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ACROSS 1 It was thought to be the abode of unbaptized but innocent 6 Tide 10 LA problem 14 Like some halls 15 Mountain range 16 Garment of ancient Rome 17 Titled 18 The Immaculate Conception 19 British nobleman 20 One, to Pierre 21 Collars 23 Place where language was confused, according to Genesis 24 Makes sorrowful 26 Follower of Hosea 28 Alphabet string 29 Teachings 33 Catholic horror actor 36 Assess 37 Narrow inlet 38 PDQ 39 Unskilled laborers 41 Ding _____ 42 Irish bishop-saint whose feast day is February 6

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Pope Francis urged people to reflect on the healing water of their baptism, through which Christ gave them new life. years, as told in St John’s Gospel.

When Jesus asks the sick man if he wants to be well, he responds by complaining about others and about his situation, the Pope said.

“It makes us think, the attitude of this man,” said Pope Francis.

He may have been paralysed, but he was also “sick in the heart, sick in the soul, sick with pessimism, sick with sadness, sick with sloth.”

The answer to Jesus’ question should be: “Yes, I want to be

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healed!” the Pope underlined.

The Pope explained that the man’s illness was not his sin; his sin was “complaining about the lives of others: the sin of sadness that is the seed of the devil, of that inability to make a decision about one’s life.”

Pope Francis noted that the blind man healed by Jesus in the Gospel from John 9:1-41 responded in a different way: he responded with “much joy”.

He recommended that people read chapter 5 of the Gospel of John to see what spiritual disease they may be falling into.

“Jesus healed me: do you not see the reaction of others who have recovered, who take the stretcher and dance, sing, give thanks, saying it to the whole world?” he said. n Catholic News Agency

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Sisters on the frontline armed with love and prayer Nuns respond to COVID-19 by serving the sick, healthcare workers.

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Invisible to most and always discreet, an army of nuns is deployed in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

Whether they are qualified nurses or cloistered nuns, whether their charism has them assisting the poor or helping the families of those affected by the disease, they are armed with two powerful weapons: prayer and love.

Hundreds of women’s congregations throughout the world are responding to the crisis, their members signing on for endless hospital shifts, tending to stricken patients, keeping an open-line with those most in need, making sure basic services such as sharing prayers and updating information, continue to be provided.

In Italy, a COVID-19 hotspot, the Daughters of Saint Camillus, whose charism is to dedicate themselves to nursing the sick and the elderly, have been in the trenches since the start of the pandemic.

The Camillians run five important Italian Hospitals; they are to be found in Rome, Trento, Treviso, Brescia and Cremona, the latter three at the heart of the crisis in the north of the country.

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In an interview with Vatican Radio, Sr Lancy Ezhupara, Director of the San Camillo Hospital in Treviso and Secretary-General of her Order said: “In all our structures, nurse nuns are selflessly risking their lives”.

But the Sisters, she said, are not afraid ... on the contrary!

“We Daughters of St Camillus make a fourth vow, in addition to the three classic vows of poverty, obedience and chastity: that of serving the sick even at the cost of our lives.”

This vow, she continued, has become even more meaningful today as the Sisters go about their work in isolated hospital wards coping with the COVID-19 infection Sr Lancy explained that in the Treviso hospital there are over 100 beds for

Photo: Sr Elizabeth Moey

Infant Jesus Sister Elizabeth Moey at Mount Alvernia Hospital. Nuns around the world are playing their part against the virus.

infected patients, “but the difficulties are countless because there is a shortage of equipment.”

As Religious, whose mission is to continue the ministry of Jesus as healers, she said, the Daughters of St Camillus find comfort in their common fearlessness and readiness to do anything to be close to those who suffer.

“Their total availability and commitment is moving.

They are aware that they too can die, but prayer and the intercession of St Camillus gives us strength,” she said.

Prayer As well as the nurse nuns caring for the sick in hospital wards, thousands of other women Religious throughout the Italian peninsula are using prayer in the fight against the virus.

Some pray the rosary using megaphones placed on the balconies of their convents; some are mastering social media to be able to share novenas and prayers online; others, in the solitude of their cloisters, are more dedicated than ever to sacrifice and prayer.

In Bergamo, one of the cities most affected by the pandemic, there is the Benedictine monastery of

Santa Grata. Speaking to Vatican Radio, the Superior, Sr Maria Teresa, explained that even in the cloister “we have Internet and TV and therefore we know the current pain of the world”.

It is precisely in this unfortunate time, she said, that cloistered women have intensified their prayers: “Indeed, we are engaged in a real marathon of prayers.”

Sr Maria said her Sisters are receiving requests for prayers from all over the world “and we have gladly armed ourselves with rosaries, novenas” and an ancient prayer that is a tradition of the monastery, “a prayer which our ancestors used in times of calamity.”

As well as prayer, she continued, there is the closeness, the sharing of pain.

“All the nuns,” Sr Maria revealed, “are in telephone contact with the health care staff of the city hospital, many of whom are on the brink of collapse, and they tell us about the tragedy experienced in the first person.”

“We do our part not forgetting that the body also has a soul that must be defended and saved,” she concluded, in the certainty that this is one of the ways the battle against the coronavirus can be won. n

Vatican News

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REMEMBRANCE TRIBUTES Seventh Anniversary In loving memory of

Thirteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

Alice Klyne Nee Koh Departed: Apr 9, 2013

Douglas Klyne Departed: Dec 29, 2007

We think of you in silence No eyes can see us weep But still within our aching hearts Your memory we keep.

Dearly missed and fondly remembered by loved ones.

Eleventh Anniversary In loving memory of

Tenth Anniversary In loving memory of

Margaret Oh nee Ee Sim Neo Departed: Apr 16, 2009 Church of Christ the King Niche No: 1047 “Guardian Angels” ‘Now thus says the Lord, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”’

Mary Nadasan Soosay Departed: Apr 23, 2010 ‘Now thus says the Lord, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”’

Always cherished by John, Faustina, Roger, Jacinta & Geraldine.

Always remembered and dearly missed by family and loved ones.

THANKSGIVING

In loving memory of

Isaiah 43:1

O Holy St Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in times of need. To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you, to whom God has given such great power, to come to my assistance. Help me in my present urgent petition. In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. St Jude pray for me and all who invoke your aid. Humbly in need of your intercession. Amen. Thank you for answering my prayers.

Sunday April 12, 2020 n CatholicNews

Twenty-fifth Anniversary In loving memory of

Twenty-seventh Anniversary In loving memory of

Dearly remembered by beloved wife, daughter and family, relatives and good friends.

X. Francis Fernandez Departed: Apr 17, 1993 Thank you for the years we shared Thank you for the way you cared We loved you then and we love you still Forget you, we never will.

Deeply missed and always remembered by wife Fernandez Mary Celine, children and loved ones.

Mass will be celebrated in the Church of St Anthony on Friday April 17 at 6.30pm and Church of Immaculate Heart of Mary at 6.15pm.

Fifth Anniversary In loving memory of

Fourteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

Robert Herman Tiro Departed: Apr 23, 1995 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want… Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalm 23

Isaiah 43:1

Juliet Choo Ooi Lien Departed: Mar 24, 2020 Darling Ju, mummy and grandma, we will fondly remember your gentle touch, your laugh, how you would sneakily feed Jewel extra slices of Kueh Lapis, your sweet tooth, and you bobbing and dancing to music. We love you a lot, a lot. And you will live in our hearts now more than ever.

Love, Vince, Steff & Reg, Lyn & E, Ah Boy, Girl and all your grandkids.

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Jude Sebastian Vincent Departed: Apr 17, 2015 In our hearts, you will always live.

Your love, your voice and your smile, are forever imprinted in our minds.

Dearly missed by Malar, Gerrard Jude-Vincent and all loved ones.

Stella D’Cruz (Stalcy) Who returned to Our Lord on April 18, 2006 We hold you close within our hearts, and there you shall remain, to walk with us throughout our lives, until we meet again, so rest in peace dear Mum. And thank you for all you’ve done, we pray that God has given you, the crown you’ve truly won.

Sadly missed and fondly remembered by husband John Silva, children and spouses, grandchildren and loved ones.

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REMEMBRANCE TRIBUTES

Sunday April 12, 2020 n CatholicNews

Mary s. e ay of pm.

Forty-seventh Anniversary In loving memory of

Sixth Anniversary In loving memory of

Seventeenth Anniversary In loving memory of

John Chua Kiam Guan Departed: Apr 4, 1973

Margaret Ang Departed: May 18, 2014

Agnes Anne Pereira Departed: Apr 17, 2003 We miss you in so many ways We miss things you used to say And when old times we do recall It’s then we miss you most of all.

With love always by children and loved ones.

May she rest in peace.

Dearest pa-pa and ma-ma, You are in God’s Kingdom The glory of His universe Eternally the peace and joy Flow like a watering-can.

Fondly remembered by children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and loved ones.

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Twenty-sixth Anniversary In loving memory of

Sixth Anniversary In loving memory of

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Fifth Anniversary In loving memory of

“Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name, you are mine.”

First Anniversary In loving memory of

Eleventh Anniversary In loving memory of

Derek Lim Seng Chiu Departed: Apr 10, 1994 In our hearts your memory lingers, sweetly tender, fond and true. There is not a day, dear son, that we do not think of you.

Fondly remembered by mum, dad and loved ones.

Mass offering at Church of St Francis Xavier at 6.30pm on Apr 10, 2020.

Victoria McLeod Departed: Apr 14, 2014 Aged 17 It was His will that she die His will that we should let her go And we must ever bow to it But oh dear God We miss her so.

Deeply missed, deeply loved forever, by all in the McLeod family.

In loving memory of

Third Anniversary In loving memory of

Sheela Kirat Rai Departed: Apr 11, 2015 “I will not forget you.

See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.”

Isaiah 49:15-16

Dearly missed and fondly remembered by your family and loved ones.

Forty-eighth Anniversary In loving memory of

Peter Soh Poh Min Departed: Apr 14, 2009 I have lost my soul’s companion, A life linked with my own; And day by day I miss him more, As I walk through life alone.

Dearly missed by wife, Helen and all loved ones.

First Anniversary In loving memory of

Thomas Regina Gloria Departed: Apr 15, 2019 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need” Psalm 23:1

Deeply missed and fondly remembered by family and loved ones.

Nineteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

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Joshua Wong Yu Cheon Called Home to the Lord on Apr 9, 2008 “The Lord is my Shepherd; I have everything I need…”

Psalm 23

Remembered with Love always

by Family & Friends

Titus Canute Miranda 19 January, 1946 to 10 April, 2017 If love was the price to pay, You’d still be with us.

Dearly loved and missed by family and friends.

Requiem Mass will be celebrated at the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Friday, 10 April, 2020 at 3pm.

Edward Fernandez Departed: Apr 1, 1972 Time takes away the edge of grief But memory turns back every leaf Gone from our lives one so dear But in our hearts forever near.

Always loved and remembered by wife, Susy and children.

Linawati Sukhamta Departed: Apr 21, 2019 In our hearts you will always live. We remember and cherish the happy times together.

Remembering them today and forever. Deeply missed and always in the thoughts of your loved ones.

Remembered always by family, relatives and friends.

Solomon Jacob Departed: April 14, 2001 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. In meadows of green grass he lets me lie.”

Psalm 23:1-3

Always cherished by your loving wife, children and all loved ones.

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Sunday April 12, 2020 n CatholicNews

Benefits of studying in a Catholic JC …

Ex-student Ong Min Han shares how he found his purpose in life.

Cindy Elisabeth Lim For Ong Min Han, staying positive throughout his studies and being proactive in his own learning have helped him greatly in his studies. He is one person who does not like to procrastinate in things and is not afraid to ask questions and seek the answers when in doubt. And, this attitude has paid off for the 21-year-old Min Han who scored well with As & Bs for subjects.

With a shy and humble demeanour, he attributes his success to his perseverance and independence. He believes in being proactive when it comes to learning, instead of relying on others to “spoon feed him”. He is also someone who is not afraid to ask questions and clarify when in doubt.

Min Han admits that his weakest subject has always been English. Even from his Primary School days, his English subject would pull down his overall grades.

However, instead of giving up, he embraced his own weakness

and learnt to compensate it by working extra hard for his other subjects.

When Min Han failed his O-levels English, although he felt demoralised and upset, he decided to deal with his emotions and “to not give in to his failure”. It was during his second attempt for O-levels English that he managed to pass his English. All this taught him to become a stronger person, both mentally and emotionally.

Although Min Han is not a Catholic, he shared that being educated in a Catholic environment in Catholic Junior College (CJC) has certainly helped him. “The Catholic faith has taught me to be more self-reflective. It makes me more aware of my own actions and has helped me to find a greater purpose in my life,” said Min Han. Indeed, part of CJC’s mission is to develop its students holistically, giving each student “the skills and attitude to embrace challenges wisely and courageously”.

While studying for his A-levels, Min Han also made it a point to reach out to his

Min Han’s belief is that we need to find our own passion in life.

classmates who needed help with their school work. To juggle that, he would try and maximise every available time to help his fellow classmates and friends in subjects like Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics.

Min Han shared that his motivation in helping his

friends is because he himself had to “go through a longer route” for his A-levels. So it was something that he did not wish for his friends as well.

One fellow student that Min Han reached out to was a classmate who went on extended medical hospitalisation leave. As his classmate was away from school, Min Han made it a point to coach his classmate on the lessons that he had missed. In fact, for some three months, Min Han would make trips to the hospital and subsequently to his classmate’s home where he was recuperating. He selflessly helped his classmate with his studies right up to the time of the preliminary examinations.

This classmate went on to do well enough to qualify for the course of his choice. Needless to say, he was very grateful to Min Han for his help and to spur him on in his studies.

Min Han’s Economics tutor from CJC, Mr Lim Meng Hui, said that beneath Min Han’s “soft-spoken nature, his actions spoke louder than words”,

adding that Min Han has put in hours of dedication and sacrifice to master the concepts and skills.

When asked what advice he would give to other young people, Min Han replied: “Always be truthful and respectful to everyone. It does not matter what faith we belong to, we should still respect and care for one another.”

Min Han’s belief is that “it is important to find your own passion in life” and “to do things with a purpose.”

Indeed, like the Bible verse: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4), we are called to lend a helping hand to others whenever we can, Min Han is currently waiting to serve in National Service.

His dream is to pursue a Degree in either Dentistry or in Pharmaceutical studies.

“Hopefully, I will be able to study all the way to a PhD if possible”. n

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