SUNDAY JULY 8, 2018
SINGAPORE $0.70 CENTS / WEST MALAYSIA RM$2.10
MCI (P) 076/06/2018
PPS 201/04/2013 (022940)
VOL 68
NO. 14
INSIDE HOME
Catholic school managers visit Agape Village Learn about holistic care n Page 4
Bible Sunday message The G lory to G od retreat saw the participation of E xt raordinary Ministers of H oly C ommunion, choir members, lectors, w ardens and members of S mall C hristian C ommunities.
F r A ndrew retreat.
W ong speaking at the
Combined retreat for ministries fosters unity Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, choir members, lectors, wardens and members of Small Christian Communities took part in a retreat recently to build a greater sense of communion among the various groups serving in parishes. he ffice for the ew vangelisation ( ), in collaboration with Gloria Patri Ministries, a worship and healing ministry based at the Church of St Anthony, organised the retreat. More than 300 members of various church ministries participated in the June 15-16 programme, the first such combined retreat organised by . With the theme, Glory to God, the retreat, held at St Joseph’s Institution Junior, aimed to provide participants with an opportunity to encounter God and one another. n the first day of the retreat, Mr Joseph Fernandez, founder of Gloria Patri Ministries, spoke about being empowered by the Holy Spirit, and the three pillars of growth in the spiritual life –
prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. In the group sharing which followed, many participants shared that a lack of time and other priorities hindered them from consistently practising these spiritual virtues. In the afternoon session, Fr Andrew Wong used the symbol of the vine and branches in John 15 to highlight the importance of remaining in the Lord and the Body of Christ. If one is cut away from
God, one can do nothing, he explained. “To work for the Glory of God we need to first know God, love God, and serve God”, said Mr Fernandez as he began the second day of the retreat. He spoke on the topics “Working for the Glory of God” and being “Vibrant, Missionary, and Evangelistic”. He stressed that Catholics must be re-evangelised so that they can live out the vibrancy of
their faith and bring Jesus to all. Fr Andrew, speaking on the topic of “Servant of the Lord”, reminded those serving in the parishes that they are merely “doorkeepers” in the house of God and thus the need to serve with humility. Participants said the retreat helped them experience the oneness of the Church in working for the glory of God. The retreat “helped me to better understand why I am serving God in my ministry”, commented Mr Gary Goh, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. “I have learned how much God truly loves me at this retreat.” Ms Angeline Wong from the Church of St Bernadette said the retreat helped her experience the bond she has with Jesus and with others in the Church in building the Kingdom of God. n Subm itted by the O FFIC E FO R THE NEW EVANGEL ISA TIO N
S mall- group sharing among participants.
he ffice for the e Evangelisation’s ebsite is http: . one.org.sg
On young people, faith and vocational discernment n Pages 8 & 9
ASIA
Lake Toba ferry tragedy Indonesian churches extend help n Page 12
WORLD
US immigration policy Church leaders decry separation of families n Page 14
POPE IN GENEVA Broken world needs Christian unity
Says pope in ecumenical trip to Geneva n Page 16
REFLECTION
Living a more discerning life Rediscovering God’s blessings n Page 18
2 HOME
Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
Sun
Learning how schools put Catholic values into practice in study trip S’pore Catholic educators visited Church-run schools in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast recently
ro
hoto at taken at the ris ane Catholic d cation
fice.
Singapore Catholic educators saw how Church-run schools in Australia integrated the Catholic ethos into the school community and curriculum during a recent visit. Eleven principals and viceprincipals of local Catholics schools, ranging from preschool to secondary, went on a study trip to Australia’s Brisbane and Sunshine Coast from June 4-9. This was part of the continuing collaboration between the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS) and the Brisbane Catholic ducation ( C ) ffice to help strengthen the Catholic school identity in Singapore. Of the 10 schools that the Singapore group visited, two schools – Seton College and Assisi Col-
New focus for Catholic News Fr Richards Ambrose has completed his five-year tenure at Catholic News (CN) and Archbishop William Goh thanks him for his stewardship and guidance of the paper over these last years. His Grace together with his Consultors and Senate of Priests have decided to appoint lay professionals to handle the administrative and editorial work at CN. This is so that our priests may dedicate themselves more freely to their pastoral work. Archbishop William Goh will remain owner and publisher of CN. Mr Sunny Wee, who has over 25 years of media experience, is appointed Editor-in-Chief,
while Mr André Ahchak, as Managing Director, will oversee the daily operations of the paper in addition to his current role as Director of ArchComms. An executive committee will be established comprising heads of the various ArchComms units, to ensure alignment and news synergy across the various communications platforms. In line with the vision to make the archdiocese a more vibrant, missionary and evangelistic Church, CN will focus more on the local Church in terms of event coverage and interpreting news from the Universal Church as it relates to our situation here in Singapore and to the faithful.
We also hope to establish a Board of Editorial Advisors made up of priests and laity who will help steer the direction of the paper, provide feedback and suggestions. The online portal of CN will also serve up news and reports more regularly. With CN coming under the umbrella of ArchComms, there will be greater synergy in terms of content, messaging and resourcing across the various communications platforms. ArchComms will now have at its disposal print, online, digital and video capabilities to evangelise the Church in Singapore and beyond. n
lege – s tood out for the visitors. students of different religions. At Seton College, which serves At Assisi College, Catholic valpeople with specific needs, such as ues are imparted through infusing physical or intellectual disabilities Catholic social teaching into variand academic delays, students are ous parts of the curriculum. For exequipped to be lifelong learners. ample, Church teaching on equalThe school, which takes in ity and human dignity is part of children aged 11-18, believes that the Genetics & Evolution subject, every child is a child of God and so that science is viewed within a builds a strong relationship with wider context of Catholic values. students and their families. In the humanities and social The school offers work place- sciences, students also gain an ment according to the students’ insight into Church teachings on needs and abilities social justice. and is also involved Many of the Every child in community proSingapore visitors was understood shared that they jects. Many of the Sinwere impressed and supported gapore visitors said with how the in progressing they were moved by schools put Catholic the school’s motto, as an individual values into practice. which states: “Do Commenting on by teachers your best, whatever Seton College, Mrs your best might be. Michelle Willman, and school Each person has a vice-principal of leaders alike. different best.” CHIJ St Joseph’s – M rs Michelle W illman, Students are Convent, said, C H I J S t Joseph’ s actively involved “Every child was C onvent, on S eton in caring for the understood and C ollege w hich serves school compound, supported in proeo le with s ecific needs which is like a migressing as an indini-farm. They take vidual by teachers part in activities such as the set- and school leaders alike.” ting up of irrigation systems, and Mr Brandon Lee, vice-princirecycling and waste management pal of Montfort Secondary School, programmes. said Assisi College’s way of imThrough these shared goals, stu- parting Catholic social teaching dents make meaningful connections “would allow the students to enwith each other and feel valued. gage in real world issues through Another noteworthy experience the lens of the Church and use exwas at Assisi College, where many isting platforms in schools … to of the students are not Catholics. provide the context and rationale The Singapore educators said they for the action to be taken on social could relate to this situation as Sin- issues”. n Subm itted by the ARC HDIO C ESA N gapore Catholic schools comprise C O MMISSI O N FO R C ATHO L IC SC HO O L S
Th ca co su pl an
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BUILDING BUILDINGTHE THE CHURCH CHURCH OF OFTOMORROW TOMORROW 3
Sunday July 1, 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
Stewardship Report
o
1 october 2016 - 31 march 2018
n
alng rixalof ct, a
al an on
he rs ey ed he ic e. on rs n, of h’s d, as nd odirs
ciol, mng ngh xto le al
gift
initiatives
The GIFT (Giving in Faith & Thankfulness) campaign seeks to rally the Catholic community and raise the resources to support the archdiocese’s 10-year pastoral plan to build a more vibrant, missionary and evangelistic Church in Singapore.
Thanksgiving Mass
It was launched in Advent 2016 with a call to all Catholics to pledge and give a monthly contribution. GIFT allows for various forms and modes of contributions, and restricted funds to give specifically to. GIFT also urges Catholics to give with their time and talents.
grants
Intercessory Prayers
Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS)
225,000
Archdiocesan Commission for the Family (ACF)
315,000
Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore (CTIS)
446,000
Office for Catechesis (OFC)
550,000
Office for Young People (OYP)
Regular Giving • Second collections • Mail • GIRO • Debit/Credit Card • Internet Banking Intercessory Prayer sessions are held every second Saturday of the month to pray for the archdiocese.
Strategy & Communion Workshops
With the Catholic Foundation taking on the task of fundraising, archdiocesan organisations can focus on their apostolate work and be less constrained by unsustainable budgets.
MISSION To promote Christian giving and provide stewardship for funds raised to support the needs of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore.
50,000
Archdiocesan Building Sinking Fund
100,000
Archdiocesan Lease Renewal Sinking Fund
100,000
Common Parish Lease Renewal Sinking Fund
100,000
Parishes’ Building Sinking Funds
774,200
VISION The Foundation inspires Catholics to prayerfully consider their stewardship responsibility to commit their time, talent and treasures to help build a vibrant, evangelistic and missionary Church in Singapore.
BOARD Willie Cheng (Chair) Dr Lim Cheok Peng (Deputy Chair) Rev Msgr Ambrose Vaz Andrew Sng Anthony Lee Rev Deacon Clement Chen Rev Fr John-Paul Tan, OFM Joyce Koh Lee Suan Hiang Martha Suen Patricia Chui Paul Loo Pauline Goh Rev Msgr Philip Heng, SJ Vy-vyen Lim Wong Toon King
Buildings Archdiocesan Hub
100,000
Bethany East
Restricted Funds • Bethany East • SFX Seminary • Archdiocesan Hub • Clergy Welfare and Retirement • Sinking Funds
The mandate of the Foundation was expanded in November 2015 to be the umbrella fundraising arm of the archdiocese.
Sinking Funds
GIFT Fundraising
Projects & Events • Concerts • Receptions • Angelico Art Award • Others
S$
Archdiocesan Organisations
A Thanksgiving Mass was held on 5 December 2017 at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, with over 400 volunteers, donors, and representatives of various archdiocesan organisations.
The Catholic Foundation was established in December 2012 with the initial intent of providing an additional vehicle of fundraising to sustain the Archdiocese of Singapore.
1,908,600
St Francis Xavier Seminary
10,000,000
Others
Engagement & Accountability
The Foundation supported a series of strategic planning workshops and strategic communion workshops for key organisations in the archdiocese.
Clergy Welfare and Retirement
100,000 14,768,800
financial highlights
A N
annual report
FY 2017/8 ( 1 8 m t h s)
FY 2017/8 ( 1 2 m t h s)
FY 2015/6 ( 1 2 m t h s)
1 Oct 2016 t o 3 1 Ma r 2 0 1 8
1 Apr 2016 t o 3 1 Ma r 2 0 1 8
1 Oct 2015 to 30 Sep 2016
S$
S$
Contributions
26,366,029
18,243,007
Other Income
308,268
229,448
S$
55 Wat erloo
Street,
4,362,247 125,358
BUILDING URCH OF THE CH RROW TOMO
BUILD ING THE CH UR TOMO CH OF RROW
54 apore 1879 re, Sing olic Cent -02 Cath -0348 et, #05 6338 Tel: +65 ation.sg olicfound www.cath
erloo Stre 55 Wat
Total Income
26,674,297
18,472,455
4,487,605
Charitable activities
15,344,025
15,199,515
7,489,434
2
#05-02 Cat Tel: +65 holic Cen tre, Sing 6338-0 apore 348 www.ca 187954 tholicfo undatio n.sg
CATH
OLIC
FOUNDA TION
• ANN
UAL REPO
RT 2018
ANNU 18AL RE 20tob 1 Oc PO PORT 201er8 201 AL RE Mar ch 6 to 31 RT 2018 ANNU 6 to 31 Ma rch obe r 201 CATH 3 OLIC FOU RT 2018 AL REPO NDATION • ANNUAL N • ANNU
CATHOLIC
Fundraising costs
676,136
411,985
Governance costs
226,870
164,594
Total expenditures
16,247,031
15,776,094
7,867,149
Net income for the period
10,427,266
2,696,361
(3,379,544)
Reserves
18,252,708
18,252,708
7,825,442
230,604
201 8
1 Oct
FOUNDATIO
REPO
RT 2018
3
RT 2018
Key Ratios Fundraising Ratio Programme Ratio Reserves Ratio
01-04 CN14.indd 3
3% 94% 1.1 Years
AL REPO N • ANNU
2
CATHOLIC
FOUNDATIO
147,111
Note: With the change in Catholic Foundation’s fiscal year-end from 30 September to 31 March, the financial statement is for an 18-month period for FY2017/8. A 12-month reporting period has been provided for comparability with FY2015/6.
Further details of our activities and financials are contained in the Annual Report 2018. You can download it from our website or obtain a hardcopy from your parish office or from Catholic Foundation at: 55 Waterloo Street, #05-02 Catholic Centre, Singapore 187954 +65 6338-0348 www.catholicfoundation.sg
26/6/2018 3:24:08 PM
4 HOME
Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
Catholic school managers gain insights on holistic care A team of about 20 managers from Catholic schools in Singapore spent a day at Caritas Singapore s Agape illage to reflect, refresh and recharge themselves, and to connect with people working in other Catholic schools. The Day of Recollection and Learning ourney, held on une 12, included a tour of Agape Village. It helped them understand how Caritas Singapore brings together the expertise of the different member organisations to offer holistic and integrated care to the community. The managers met with the team from Abilities Beyond Limitations and Expectations (ABLE) which serves the physically-challenged community, and participated in a cook-and-bake session with the team from Mamre Oaks – a Catholic organisation that operates a day activity centre at Agape Village for intellectually and developmentally-challenged adults. For most of the visitors, it was their first time visiting Agape il-
lage and interacting closely with adults facing these challenges. Many of the managers were touched by the under-one-roof services and the inclusive outreach of the Catholic Church to society. hey also had spiritual reflections including a session on the unique calling of the vocations of managers in supporting a better teaching and learning environment in Catholic schools. Another involved participants taking stock of their personal wholeness and well-being. Fr dward Seah, spiritual director of the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS), said, “ aving the event in Agape Village this year exposes the managers to the works of the Catholic Church beyond the Catholic schools and an opportunity to gain new perspectives.” Ms Dolly Chan, liaison manager of ACCS, shared that “it is very important for the managers of our Catholic schools to un-
Managers from C atholic schools baking w ith staff and members from Mamre O aks Limited at A gape V illage.
derstand self-care, to remember their being , amidst the doing to realise that they are not alone and that they can reach out to each other across the schools.” The staff at Caritas Singapore’s Agape Village also learnt about the Catholic schools’ efforts to promote all-rounded nurturing for the children that goes beyond academics. “ am heartened by the parallel efforts endeavoured by both the education and social service arms of the Church, in the service of God s people,” said Ms Genevieve oh, the programmes and operations manager of Agape Village. n
CHANCERY NOTICE 14 Ju ne 2018
A P P O I N TME N T Fr Andrew Wong will be assuming the role of the Catholic Spirituality Centre’s (CSC) Spiritual Director with effect from 1 July 20 18. He takes
C H N / C N / 2018/ 009
over from Fr Erbin Fernandez. Fr Andrew will be a nonresident SD at CSC and continues to hold concurrent portfolios as CSC’s SD and Parish Priest of the Church of St Anthony. n
Sun
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6 HOME
Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
Sun
Witnessing the plight o
A team from Jesuit Refugee Service, Singapore, visited these refugees in B
W
HEN I read about the Rohingya crisis in September last year, I felt I had to do something. Within weeks, 700 ,00 Rohingya people in Myanmar’s Rakhine state saw their homes and farms go up in flames. According to news reports, parents were shot in front of their children, daughters were raped and brutalised in front of their parents. Survivors were forced to flee for their lives, some carrying elderly or infirm parents across mountainous terrain to seek shelter in makeshift camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. In late 2017, with the encouragement of Jesuit Fr Leslie Raj, the Jesuit Refugee Service, Singapore (JRS) organised an exhibition at the Church of St Ignatius, to create awareness of the Rohingya refugee crisis and to pray for a quick resolution. It was heartening that many parishioners came forward to write their prayers and messages of hope for the refugees on the prayer wall. However, with no end to the refugee situation in sight, we knew that further action was needed. On May 5, four volunteers from JRS, including myself, and two filmmakers from the archdiocese s ArchProductions team, visited the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar to better understand what the Catholic Church, through Caritas Bangladesh, is doing to help the Rohingya refugees and to find out how we can offer our support. Despite having visited refugees in Thailand and Nepal, I was shocked at how huge the camp was and to see so many refugees, more than half of whom are children, living in miserable conditions. My wife, Alison, recorded her impressions of the camp: “The ‘ homes’ of the Rohingya refugees are makeshift shelters of bamboo and tarpaulin set up on bare ground. Many shelters cling dangerously to the side of barren hill slopes, at risk of being washed away in the coming monsoon season. “Water is pumped from a standpipe by hand and carried ‘ home’ in large jugs by women and children. Food is a ration of rice, lentils, cooking oil, salt and sugar. “Children walk for hours deep into the forest to chop firewood which they carry on their backs to be used for cooking their meals. Shared toilets are a hole in the ground lined with concrete…” Although we only had two days in the camp, we tried to speak with as many refugees as possible and accompany them in their struggles. One 20- year-old woman shared how she walked here from Myanmar, carrying her two children. Her relatives gave her a sewing machine and she bought another
C hildren at the R ohingya refugee camp at C ox’ s B azar.
Y oung children w ashing items of cl
The parable of the widow’s two coins came alive for me – Bangladesh, one of the world’s poorest countries, has opened its doors to welcome the refugees and support them with the little that they have. What can we, as Catholics, and from a richer, more developed nation, do to share their burden? A erial view show ing the huge camp.
D raw in
ation cards sed at the Caritas angladesh field o fice.
one with the money her husband earned working for Caritas in the camp. She is now a tailor and does alteration of clothing for other camp residents. She can also earn 2,00 taka (S$ 32) a month teaching sewing to other refugees. She said she does not want to
return to Myanmar and hopes to build a new life in Bangladesh. Fellow JRS volunteer Mary Lee met a young boy who walks on crutches because he has only one leg. She learnt that his family fled Myanmar after his sister was raped. Along the way, he stepped on a landmine which blew his leg off. His brother
A R ohingya w oman w orks as a tailor in the camp.
carried him the rest of the way and he received medical attention only after arriving in Cox’s Bazar.
Generosity t was difficult to stay positive in the face of all this suffering, but one thing stood out for fellow vol-
unteer Jeremy Lim – the generosity of the local Bangladeshi people who were hosting the refugees on their own farmlands and forests. The Bangladesh government, together with the UNHCR, Caritas Bangladesh and more than 100 international NGOs, have done an amazing job of organising the camp
Wa an and coo hou wh for a
with roa protecti tion poi We for the from ar long ho is the p that ass
ws
HOME 7
Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
ht of Rohingya refugees
ugees in Bangladesh recently. Gordon Pinto shares what they experienced.
F ood distribution by C aritas B angladesh.
ren w ashing items of clothing near a w ell.
w’s me – orld’s ened e m with What om a tion, n?
amp.
enerospeople gees on ests. rnment, R, Carihan 100 done an he camp
Children walk long distances to gather firewood.
D raw ing w ater from a w ell.
Water is pumped from a standpipe by hand and carried ‘home’ in large jugs by women and children. Food is a ration of rice, lentils, cooking oil, salt and sugar. Children walk for hours deep into the forest to chop firewood which they carry on their backs to be used for cooking their meals. Shared toilets are a hole in the ground lined with concrete. with roads, wells, child and women protection centres, food distribution points, toilets and more. We were also full of admiration for the thousands of aid workers from around the world who work long hours to help the refugees. It is the presence of these kind souls that assured Jeremy that God has
not forgotten the Rohingya. As St John Paul wrote about the parable of the Good Samaritan, “suffering ... is also present in order to unleash love in the human person”. The parable of the widow’s two coins came alive for me when I was at the camp – Bangladesh, one of
A JR S volunteer conducting an interview .
the world’s poorest countries, has opened its doors to welcome the refugees and support them with the little that they have. What can we, as Catholics, and from a richer, more developed nation, do to share their burden? Caritas Bangladesh needs funds to build monsoon-resistant shel-
ters, provide gas for cooking, build more wells, latrines, bathrooms and child protection centres for the refugees. JRS, together with Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives, Singapore (CHARIS), is raising funds to support these needs in the camps. n
Those who wish to know more or make a donation are invited to visit the JRS website (www.jrssg.org). An exhibition will be held at the Church of St Ignatius on July 7 and 8. To celebrate the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola, a funfair will be held on the grounds of the church on July 29 and the nett proceeds will, with the help of CHARIS, be remitted to Caritas Bangladesh to implement programmes for the Rohingya refugees. n
8 BIBLE SUNDAY
I
N SPITE OF the great and numerous advancements we have seen in all spheres of life today, the restlessness in the human heart has also increased proportionately. This growing sense of hopelessness and void is also felt among churchgoers and particularly among young people. The development of faith in young people needs careful discernment and guidance in the area of life’s vocation. Over the centuries, the Church has been entrusted with a sacred deposit of faith whereby it has never lost its vision of hope and oy even in the most difficult of times. This deposit of faith passed down through Scripture and Tradition is surprisingly even more relevant today, as it issues a clarion call to young people in this very challenging and urgent period of history. Handing on the torch of faith, St Paul’s writing to Timothy recalls: I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that d elt first in your grandmother ois and your mother Eunice, and no am sure d ells in you. (2 imothy 1: 5) Timothy or any Christian child, with proper faith nurturing, possesses in their growing years one of the greatest blessings in life. Godly Christian parents produce godly children in faith. This is achieved by transmitting a strong knowledge of faith. Timothy’s grandmother and mother were staunch believers who were faithful and devout. Sometimes one parent may not even be a believer like Timothy’s dad (cf. Acts 16:1). Yet Timothy received ample faith, primarily through the study of scriptures from his earliest days. and ho from infancy you have kno n the holy scriptures, hich are able to make you ise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ” (2 im : 15). In this article, we wish to offer some suggestions which parents and teachers on the one hand, and young people on the other, can take note of in the application of Scripture to the faith development of young people. It is hoped that these reflections will assist young people as they discern how God is leading them to a vocation as disciples who seek to follow Jesus more faithfully in their way of life. Tw o areas w here parents and teachers can apply scripture in the development of faith and discernment to their children:
Starting them young for their ultimate future rain a child in the ay he should go, and hen he is old, he ill not turn a ay from it ( roverbs
Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
22: ). Any training is difficult at that time but later it will produce fruit. o discipline al ays seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those ho are trained by it” ( ebre s 12:11). This faith training which leads to growth in discernment is crucial for developing the young person. It exposes the modern counterculture of death which is hardly any improvement
Rooting their children in faith he first seven chapters of the book of Proverbs exhorts children to listen to their father. isten my children to your father’s instruction ( roverbs 1: 2:1 :1 4:1 5:1 :1 :1). There is a godly wisdom that is handed down to a child by parents and by no other means. The child can never acquire this on its own. rust in the ord ith
cannot provide adequate answers about the true purpose of life. This aspect of faith comes from a proper explanation of the scriptures (cf. Romans 10 :17). To inspire and reinforce faith, repetition and focus are needed because of the godless existence of an environment of faithlessness. We live in a state that does not value prayer, faith and reflection. Distraction is the order of the day. As the human mind receives thousands of stimuli, both positive
tisement in much of the underground press is part of the perversion of the old order and an expression of death. (Arthur G. Gish, Beyond the Rat Race, New Canaan, CT: Keats, 1973). Consequently, negative elements watched through the Internet and media repeatedly trains the inner mind in destructive thought patterns. A life which is rooted in faith explains that it is that very sense of faith that stirs the conscience that has been sullied and shamed by the sinful deed (Rabbi Hillel Goldberg, A Religious and Political Analysis, Tradition Magazine, Vol 27. No. 3, Spring 1993, p. 31) “Impress them on your children. alk about them hen you sit at home and hen you alk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” ( euteronomy : ). Tw o areas young people can apply scripture to their development of faith and discernment of vocation: Paul begins a series of strong charges directed to Timothy and all young people. He reminds the young person of the aspects of developing the gift of faith that he or she receives.
Rekindle the gift of God
for life and its future. The young people are faced with a superficial lifestyle without dealing seriously with the root problems of a narcissistic society. A culture where faith is not at its centre degenerates inevitably into chaos and crisis. Without a positive environment of faith and the teaching of scripture instilled upon the young, the backlash of a culture of death will keep the young in a state of stupor and uncertainty. Donald C. Coggan sums up the human condition that needs teaching and guidance: “I go through life as a transient on his way to eternity, made up in the image of God but with the image debased, needing to be taught how to meditate, to worship, to think.” The training of faith teaches the young how to endure difficulties and pain. This is especially rewarding when the crisis of life hits them. Faith that comes from suffering helps them to recognise the strength they need to endure the trials of life that must come. e rejoice greatly in our suffering because it produces endurance, and endurance produces character (Romans 5: ).
all your heart and lean not on your o n understanding. ( roverbs :5) Submission to an elder and to a life of faith is the foundation of all learning. (cf. Ephesians 6:1) Creating a teachable spirit upon the young is the quintessence of a successful parent. And how from infancy you have kno n the sacred scriptures that are able to instruct you and save you through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 imothy :15) Teaching faith is crucial because the so called “logical world”
and negative, the natural ability of the brain is enhanced when, with singleness of purpose, young people centre their attention upon a desired object of study. (Dr. Richard J. Forster, Celebration of Discipline. The discipline of study.) The task is to root the child with constant links to a life and teaching of faith. Much of today’s culture is a mirror of the worst features of an older, sick society. The pseudoliberation eroticism, elements of sadomasochism and sexist adver-
For this reason, I remind you to ‘ rekindle, (fan into flame) the gift of God that
is ithin you through the laying on of my hands. (2 imothy 1: ) hat is this gift of God t refers to the spiritual gifts of the oly Spirit to e uip a young person in faith to be of service. Some may have the gift to teach catechism, another to be part of a choir and yet another to ork among the poor.
’
For this reason, I remind you to rekindle, (fan into flame) the gift of God that is ithin you through the laying on of my hands. (2 imothy 1: ) What is this gift of God? It refers to the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit to equip a young person in faith to be of service. Some may have the gift to teach catechism, another to be part of a choir and yet another to work among the poor. Pope Benedict reminds us that even these noble talents are nothing without the gift of faith which enables us to experience the risen Christ. It is not enough to be a good person, even to the point of working for the eradication of evil and injustice. In the words of Pope Benedict, “indeed many Christians dedicate their lives to those who are lonely, marginalised or excluded…but it’s through faith that we recognise the risen Christ in those who ask for our love”. ( rticle o.14 Motu roprio ata orta idei, postolic letter of ope Benedict for the indiction of the year of faith) Hence, faith expresses itself through love, not just by a show of activity (cf. Gal 5:6). St Paul uses the word “stir up” or “fan into flame” (Greek: anazopureo), it means to keep blazing and to keep the flame of the fire burn-
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ing. It could also mean to rekindle or to re-stir the flame, indicating that the flame could be dying out. Sometimes a young person needs to be re-stirred and rekindled. “Zeal is required to stir up the gift of God for it lies within our power to kindle or to quench grace. By laziness and carelessness, it is extinguished, and by attentiveness and diligence it is kept aflame” (St. John Chrysostom, homilies on 2 Timothy 1). Pope St John Paul II, speaking on reaching out to fellow Catholics as a means to a “New Evangelization,” calls young people not to be afraid to use new methods of witnessing to the unchanging truth of the gospel. Timothy may have been a good fellow, even a kind and loyal Christian, but Paul is reminding him to keep his spiritual gifts blazing and burning to the hottest degree possible. It echoes the apocalyptic reprimand, “Because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16). The idea of “stirring up” (Greek: anazopureo) is in the present tense, which means it is progressive and a continuous action. The young person is to keep stirring up his gifts, never letting its flame lose its intensity. Never slacking or losing zeal. Every young person anointed with the Holy Spirit at Confirmation possesses a very special grace. God has gifted him or her with a special vocation in faith. The young person must therefore do exactly what God has gifted him or her to do.
glorious riches he may strengthen you with power in your inner being (Ephesians 3:16; Acts 1:8: 4:33) Paul is quick to add love into any gift of the Holy Spirit so that it will be well executed in a wise and mature manner. “Follow the manner of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts” (1 Cor 14:1). The kind of love that Paul speaks about is “agape” love. (Greek: unconditional sacrificial love) Agape love is God’s love. God alone possesses it therefore only God alone can infuse it through the Holy Spirit, “...
In the spirit of power, love and self-control
How beautiful it is to ‘see that young people
“God has not given us a spirit of timidity but rather a spirit of power and of love and self-control.” (2 Tim 1:7) Too often young people fear standing up for Jesus and his Church not because they do not love God but because they fear ridicule. One may feel the embarrassment of being called “holy”. Mockery and criticism follow if a mistake occurs. Opposition from elders that “you are not mature enough” or being abused for standing up for justice reinforces these fears. Every young person at one time or another will experience such an obstacle when witnessing to their faith. (cf. 1 Tim 4:12) It is precisely for this reason the Holy Spirit infuses power into the heart of the young person to face the strain of difficulties and trials. Power to take on a job and do it well. Power to be confident in proclaiming Jesus both in deed and word. Power to withstand the temptations of darkness and sin (cf. Micah 3:8). I pray that out of his
are street preachers, joyfully bringing Jesus to every street, every town square and every corner of the earth! –P
’
ope F rancis in his message for W orld Mission D ay 2017
and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). To make it complete, the Holy Spirit infuses self-discipline (Greek: sophronismou)) meaning, a disciplined character (1 Tim 1::7) with self-control which is the final fruit of the spirit (cf. Gal 5:22). Self-control is the mastery over one’s mind, heart and actions despite the opposition. (cf. Rom 8:57; cf. 1 Thess 5:6-7 cf. Hebrews 12:7; cf. 1 Pet 1:13). Self-control makes a mockery of the superfici-
ality of our age. It bares opens the immaturity and the curse of instant satisfaction which results in a vicious cycle of a hangover, shame and destruction. It calls young people to move beyond surface living into what is genuine and meaningful. For the many young people who are in bondage caused by pornography, fornication, drugs and drinking. Scripture has strong warnings on the condition of their soul. “They are blots and blemishes, revelling in the pleasures while they feast with you. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable, they are experts of greed- an accursed brood” (2 Peter 2: 13b-14). Even for the lukewarm and selfconfident, St Augustine cautions, “we are lost when we are satisfied with our condition.” Self-control and spiritual disciplines are not simply for saints or sinners but rather are the ordinary means of seeking liberation. The Church calls this abstinence or penance. Dr Richard J. Forster in his work “Celebration of Discipline” emphasises: “Self-control is not some means to terminate liberation but rather on the contrary it results in dancing, singing even shouting a “Yes” with fists in the air as a result of triumphant victory. It is not some dull drudgery aimed at exterminating laughter from the face of the earth. It is certainly not for the coward and the weak but for the humble and the honest”. Thomas Merton encourages the young when he says, “But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything but beginners all our life!” (Merton, Contemplative Prayer)
Conclusion Therefore, if any young person like Timothy is guided by faith and is willing to respond to the stirring of the gifts, inevitably the young person will develop and progress in his capacity to discern what is true “agape” love and the mastery of self-control. The testimony of hundreds of case studies have proven that the young can be victorious in their struggle against the dark world of sin and shame. (Rabbi Basil F. Herring, “Choice Diminished Behav-
iour and Religious and Communal Policy” in Yitzchok Berger and David Shatz (edts), Judaism, Science and Moral Responsibility: Orthodox Forum, Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield (2006), pp. 162, 168) It is to these young ones who are willing to plunge into sacred scriptures, whom none else can instruct better but one willing to keep the word of God in his heart. (cf. Psalm 119:9-11) Ultimately it is the young people that Pope Francis sees as the future of our humanity with the vision of faith enkindled in their hearts. Pope Francis, in his message for World Mission Day 2017 states that young people are the hope of mission. The person of Jesus Christ and the Good News he proclaims continue to attract many young people to a vocation as disciples, following in the footsteps of their Divine Master. With courage and enthusiasm, they seek ways to put themselves at the service of humanity. “There are many young people who offer their solidarity in the face of the evils of the world and engage in various forms of militancy and volunteering … How beautiful it is to see that young people are street preachers, joyfully bringing Jesus to every street, every town square and every corner of the earth!” (Message of Pope Francis, for World Mission Day 2017 – Mission at the heart of the Christian Faith – 106) n Submitted by: Regional Biblical Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Who are the elders, mentors and heroes in your life that have shown you the beauty of faith and Scripture? 2. What is the primary requirement for a young person embarking on the faith journey?
3. Do you agree that the discipline of self-control is essential to counter a culture of death? Why? 4. How can I pursue a life of joy, strength and purpose as a young person? n
Suggested books for further reading 1. Loyola, St Ignatius. The Spiritual Exercises, ed. Robert Backhouse, London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1989 (May). A programme of spiritual exercises, including examination of conscience, meditation, and other methods of prayer with guidance on adaption to individual needs and difficulties. 2. Sales, St Francis de, An Introduction to the Devout life, London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1988. Much of
this material is the result of counsel Francis gave to a single individual. Mdm Louise Charmoisy, in the early 17th century. It covers a wide variety of spiritual matters for those seeking to deepen their devotional life. 3. Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, Life Together. Translated by John W. Doberstein. London. SCM Press. 1954. Powerful insights into the life of service, solitude and confession. n
10 HOME
H ai S ing C atholic students visited the A telier, located next to the F MM C onvent, w here the F MM S isters produce C hurch vestments.
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Hai Sing Catholic students deepen their love for Christ B y D avid W ong
and architect Melvin Gamayot shared about how his love for Thirty-three students from Hai Christ guided him in the design Sing Catholic School, located at of the church. Pasir Ris, spent two days learnFollowing that, the students ing more about their Catho- visited the Franciscan Missionlic faith and what love truly aries of Mary (FMM) commumeans. nity at Maris Stella On May 31, Convent. youth leaders from There, they A recent the Church of Christ enjoyed tea and retreat for Hai the King conducted a sharing session station games and with the Sisters. i S ng C atholic reflections for the Student Terence students saw students as well as Teh shared that he a praise and worlearned about the them learning ship session at the good work “and about God’ s school. love of [ the] FranThrough these love and visiting ciscan Missionaries activities, students of Mary Sisters for two Religious learned about God’s foreign domestic love for them and congregations. workers and the how they can share aged.” this love with othThe Sisters ers. The session themselves too enalso saw students writing a letter joyed chatting with the boys and to God, committing their love for girls. Him. The retreat ended with a EuAt the Redemptorist mission charistic adoration and a Mass on June 1, Br Albert Khoo gave celebrated by Jesuit Fr Jerome a guided tour around the church Leon at the convent. n
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U S P resident D onald Trump w alks w ith N orth K orean leader K im Jong U n at the C apella H otel on S entosa I sland in S ingapore on June 12. C NS phot o
Church leaders say US-N Korea summit brings hope for peace VATICAN CITY – Talks between
the leaders of the United States and North Korea are “truly historic” and bring hope for the start of a new era of peace, said Pope Francis’ ambassador to Korea. A “very important” new page has been turned, Archbishop Alfred X uereb, apostolic nuncio to South Korea and Mongolia, told Vatican News on June 12. “It marks the beginning of a still long and arduous journey, but we are hopeful because the start has been very positive, very good,” he said. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump met on Singapore’s Sentosa Island for the historic summit on une 12. t was the first meeting between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader. Afterwards, Mr Trump said Mr Kim would work to end North Korea’s nuclear programme. Mr Trump promised to end joint military exercises with South Korea. After the summit, Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul, South Korea, and apostolic administrator of Pyeongyang, North Korea, celebrated Mass in My-
eongdong Cathedral to pray for prompt execution of the summit agreement. “When I heard the news that there was a meaningful agreement between the two summits in their first meeting, deeply thanked God for remembering our prayers for reconciliation and union of the Korean people,” Cardinal Yeom said in his homily. “I sincerely
We are hopeful ‘ because the start has been very positive, very good.
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– A rchbishop A lfred X uereb, apostolic nuncio to S outh K orea and Mongolia
wish that the agreement can be promptly executed to achieve the common good not only for Korean people but for all people on the globe.” He also added prayers for religious believers in North Korea to enjoy freedom of religion. Archbishop X uereb told Vatican News the rhetoric has gone
from unleashing “fire and fury” against North Korea to more moderate language “that speaks of peace, of relations based on understanding. Therefore, we are truly full of hope and confidence.” “You can imagine how anxiously the Korean people and the Church here in Korea are experiencing this truly historic moment,” the papal nuncio said. “The Holy See wants to support whatever possible initiative that promotes dialogue and reconciliation” while also taking advantage of being able to take the Gospel message to everyone, he said. Pope Francis led thousands of people in St Peter’s Square in prayer on June 10, expressing hopes the summit would lead to lasting peace. “May the talks,” he said, “contribute to the development of a positive path that assures a future of peace for the Korean peninsula and the whole world.” n C NS
12 ASIA
More than 180 people are believed to still be missing after a ferry capsized on June 18 in Lake Toba. File photo
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Indonesian churches extend help to Lake Toba victims J AK AR TA – Catholic and Protestant churches have rushed to provide assistance and counselling for survivors and families of those killed or who are presumed dead after an overloaded boat capsized in Lake Toba, North Sumatra, on June 18. Capuchin Fr Markus Manurung, director of the Caritas branch of Medan Archdiocese told Asian Church news agency ucanews.com that they moved quickly to provide assistance after the passenger ferry Sinar Bangun sank while crossing the lake in bad weather. Three passengers were confirmed dead, 1 survived, while 184 people were still missing, presumed dead. Rescuers said on June 25 that they think they have found the ferry 450 m below the surface near to the spot where it went down. It is also believed that most of, if not all, the missing are still inside the vessel. The Sinar Bangun carried more than 200 passengers on
board, way more than its official capacity of 43 passengers. It was unlicensed and also sailed without a passenger manifest, according to police. Fr Manurung said nearby Catholic parishes were currently working with local Protestant churches to provide counselling to the victims’ families. “They were also contributing food and other aid,” he said. The Ministry of Social Affairs, meanwhile, said it would provided assistance of 15,00,0 rupiah (S$1,450) to the family of each victim. Fr Manurung also accused the authorities as being as much to blame for the tragedy as the ferry operator. There are no standard operating procedures and boats are not checked regularly, he said. “Passengers do not know what the safety regulations are – if there are any,” the priest said. n U C ANEWS.C
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South Korea to build ‘chapel of peace’ on DMZ S E O U L – A new chapel will be built in the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom, a truce village on the inter-Korean Demilitarised Z one (DMZ ) that was established at the end of the (1950 -53) Korean War. On June 5, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new chapel presided over by Bishop Francis X avier Yu Soo-il. The 65-year armistice means the two Koreas remain technically in a state of war despite a recent series of rapprochement talks between US President Donald Trump, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The facility, which will be placed in front of the JSA Visi-
tor Centre, will act as a “chapel of peace” in this historic setting where the scars of the war remain despite the latest wave of momentum for reconciliation. “The construction of the new chapel in the JSA is a gift showing God’s grace,” Bishop X avier said. “The chapel, located in the closest possible place to North Korea, will serve as somewhere we can pray to overcome the division of the two Koreas as we hope for peaceful reunification,” he added. The one-storey building situated on a 2,0 89-sq-m plot of land is due to be finished by March with capacity to accommodate more than 10 0 churchgoers. n U C ANEWS .C O M
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Synod working document: Young Catholics need Church that listens VATICAN CITY – Young Catholics are looking for a Church that listens to their concerns, accompanies them in discerning their vocations and helps them confront the challenges they face, said a working document for the upcoming Synod of Bishops on young people. The synod’s “instrumentum laboris” (working document), published by the atican on une 1 , stated that young people “want to see a Church that shares their situations of life in the light of Gospel rather than by preaching.” Q uoting a presynod gathering of young people who met at the Vatican from March 19-25, the working document said young Catholics “want an authentic Church. With this, we would like to express, particularly to the Church hierarchy, our request for a transparent, welcoming, honest, attractive, communicative, accessible, joyful and interactive community.” he working document is based mainly on comments solicited in a questionnaire last year from national bishops conferences around the world as well as the final document of the presynod gathering. An estimated 0 young adults participated in the week-long presynod meeting, which allowed practising Catholics and others to provide input for Pope Francis
The document outlines the C hurch’ s need to listen to young people, to help guide them in discerning their vocational calling, and to identify pastoral and missionary paths to be able to accompany them.
he atican has released the working doc ent or the cto er nod o isho s on o ng eo le aith and ocational discern ent . C NS phot o
and the world s bishops, who will meet at the synod in ctober to discuss “young people, faith and vocational discernment.” Some 15,00 young people also participated in the presynod process through Facebook groups online. Presenting the “instrumentum laboris” to ournalists at a press briefing on une 1 , Cardinal Lorenzo aldisseri, secretary-general of the synod, said the synod’s goal is that young Catholics may find “the beauty of life, beginning from the happy relationship with the
God of the covenant and of love.” Divided into three parts, the working document outlines the Church’s need to listen to young people, to help guide them in the faith and in discerning their vocational calling, and to identify pastoral and missionary paths to be able to accompany them. he responses collected by bishops conferences around the world cited a need for ways to help young men and women confront the challenges of cultural changes that sometimes disregard
Nearly 500 British priests state support for Humanae Vitae ly 50 0 British priests have signed a statement in support of the papal encyclical that forbade married couples from using contraception. They said the prophetic warnings contained within Humane Vitae, ( f uman Life) published by Blessed Pope Paul VI onn July 25, 1 68, have proved to be accurate. “We propose discovering anew the message of Humanae Vitae, not only in fidelity to the Gospel, but as a key to the healing and true development of our society,” they said in the statement sent to the Londonbased Catholic erald magazine on June 14, ahead of the 50 th anniversary of the encyclical s publication. The statement said Humanae itae represented a “re-affirmation of central aspects of the Church’s traditional teaching on human sexuality,” including that the conjugal act was “always open to procreation and always unitive.” “Humanae Vitae predicted that if artificial contraception became widespread and commonly accepted by society, then we would lose our proper understanding of marriage, the family, the dignity of the child and of women, and even a proper appreciation
B lessed P ope P aul V I published the 1968 encyclical, H umanae V itae, which a fir ed the Ch rch s teaching against artificial contrace tion.
of our bodies and the gift of male and female,” the statement said. “At the time of the publication of Humanae Vitae, many rejected its message and its warnings,” it continued. ut 0 years after its publication, “so much has unfolded in our society that has been to the detriment of human life and love,” the statement said. The 462 signatories represent about one in 1 of all of the priests in England, Wales and Scotland.
Bishop decries arts festival mass shooting TR E NTO N, NE W
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M ANCH E S TE R , E NG L AND – Near-
traditions and spirituality. The working document also states that while the Church highlights the importance of the body, affection and se uality, many young Catholic men and women “do not follow the directions of the sexual morality of the Church.” Young people attending the presynod meeting said issues such as contraception, abortion, homose uality, cohabitation and marriage are often debated both by young Catholics and those who are not Catholic. The working document also highlighted the need to reaffirm Church teaching on the body and se uality at a time when biomedi-
Humanae Vitae was hugely controversial when issued by lessed Paul , who will be canonised in ctober, not least because it overrode the initial proposals of a papal commission drafted to ree amine teaching on birth control. The document clearly asserted the teaching of the Church against artificial contraception at the height of the sexual revolution. The late pope appealed to scientists to develop methods of fertility regulation consistent with the principles of Catholic teaching, and natural family planning methods have since been devised. n C NS
cal advancements have pushed a more “technocratic approach to the body,” citing e amples such as egg donation and surrogacy. “Moreover, precocious sexuality, sexual promiscuity, digital pornography, the e hibition of one s own body online and se ual tourism risk disfiguring the beauty and depth of emotional and sexual life,” the “instrumentum laboris” said. Also, “LGBT youths, through various contributions received by the secretariat of the synod, want to benefit from a greater closeness and experience greater care from the Church,” the document said. The working document also said young Catholics would like more initiatives that allow further dialogue with non-believers and the secular world to help them integrate their faith in their dealings with others. Young men and women are also hoping the Church can help them “find a simple and clear understanding of the meaning of vocation,” which is often misinterpreted as referring only to priesthood and consecrated life. While the Church has confirmed that marriage is also a vocation, the document confirms the need for “a youth vocational ministry capable of being meaningful for all young people.” n C NS
J E R S E Y, U S A –
No motive “can justify these ongoing, seemingly relentless acts of gun violence plaguing our cities,” Bishop David M. O’Connell of Trenton said after a mass shooting took place in the early morning hours of June 17 during a city arts festival. “The epidemic of gun violence has struck once again, this time close to home,” he said in a statement. Gunfire broke out at during a 24-hour festival called “Art All Night Trenton 2018.” Police confirmed that 22 people had suffered gunshot wounds.
“How many times can our hearts break” over such violence, Bishop O’Connell asked. “Once again, we fall to our knees to beg the Almighty to help us end these senseless assaults on innocent life in our communities,” he said. “We pray for the injured and their families, for comfort and healing. We pray in thanksgiving for the first responders and emergency workers. “And we pray for our community here in Trenton that God’s peace and our love for one another might prevail,” the bishop added. n C NS
14 WORLD
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Church leaders decry policy of separating families at border U NITE D S TATE S – Church leaders
have condemned the Trump administration’s policy on immigration that has led to children being held in government shelters and separated from their parents who were sent to federal prisons. The US Catholic bishops joined a chorus of organisations, institutions and high-profile individuals urging the Trump administration to stop separating children from their parents as they seek respite in the US from dire conditions in their home countries, largely in Central America. “Refugee children belong to their parents, not to the government or other institutions. To steal children from their parents is a grave sin, immoral [ and] evil,” said San Antonio’s Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller on June 14 via Twitter. “Their lives have already been e tremely difficult. Why do we [ the US] torture them even more, treating them as criminals?” he continued. Although President Donald Trump signed an executive order on June 20 that reversed that part of the administration’s “zero tolerance” policy that separated kids from their parents, it was silent on the fate of those 2,342 kids already torn from their folks. Bishop Daniel E. Flores of the
Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, said via Twitter on May 31 that “separating immigrant parents and children as a supposed deterrent to immigration is a cruel and reprehensible policy. Children are not instruments of deterrence, they are children. A government that thinks any means is suitable to achieve an end cannot secure
are ‘notC hildren instruments of deterrence, they are children. A government that thinks any means is suitable to achieve an end cannot secure justice for anyone.
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– B ishop D aniel E . F lores of the D iocese of B row nsville, Texas
justice for anyone.” Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, used the Bible to make a point and compared Christ’s time as a refugee in the Holy Land to the migrants. In a June 15 statement, he compared the distance from his diocese to other localities in Guatemala and Mexico, saying that “if Jesus of
Nazareth returned, as at that time, from Galilee to Judea, ... we dare say He would not get as far as Sacred Heart Church downtown [ in El Paso] before being detained.” Bishop Seitz announced a public prayerful procession “in solidarity with our sisters and brothers who continue to migrate to our border” planned for the evening of July 20 i n El Paso. During an interview with the Reuters news agency, published online on June 20 , Pope Francis said he stands with the US bishops. “I am on the side of the bishops’ conference,” Pope Francis said. “Let it be clear that in these things, I respect [ the position of] the bishops’ conference.” The Mexican bishops’ conference has also criticised the practice of S officials separating migrant families. In a June 19 statement, the bishops said, “The political sovereignty of any state rests in a prior and much more fundamental sovereignty: the sovereignty of families. “Families possess a dignity that is their own and which is not the product of its members’ immigration status – rather it is their character as an essential part of our social life.” In response to the separation of families, perhaps triggered by pictures of kids in cages or the now-famous audio recording of children crying after being separated from their parents, hundreds of American adults have called the Washington head uarters of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) seeking to provide foster care for the separated children. On June 20, at least 300 calls had come in. And the calls keep coming. “We re triaging the calls,” said Ms Katie Kuennen,
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th M yo w na bu an bu th P eople in S an D iego, C alifornia, protest the separation of families on June 23. C NS phot o
associate director for children’s services for the USCCB’s Migration and efugee Services office. So what happens when the calls come in “We re able to direct them to the nearest ORR foster care programme that we have available,” Ms Kuennen told Catholic News Service on June 22. ORR is the acronym for the feder-
al ffice of efugee esettlement. “The programmes aren’t new, the process of bringing foster families on board isn’t new,” she said. “What s new is the public awareness of the programme and the seeing of these images on television to get engaged and to open their homes to these families.” n C NS
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Biggest danger in life is fear, settling for less: pope he worst enemies in a young person s life aren t the problems they may face, Pope Francis said. he biggest dangers are being unwilling to find a way to adapt, mediocrity by settling for the status uo, and fear, he said at his general audience in St Peter s S uare on une 1 . “ t is necessary to ask the heavenly father for the gift of healthy restlessness for today s young people, the ability to not settle for a life without beauty, without colour. f young people are not hungry for an authentic life, where will humanity end up ” he said. he pope, speaking to a crowd of 1 ,000 people, said he was beginning a new series of audience talks on the en Commandments and how esus leads people from the law to its fulfilment. e asked people to reflect on the reading from the Gospel of Mark and esus response to a young, wealthy man who asked what was needed to inherit eternal life. his uestion reflects the burning human desire for a full and dignified life, the pope said, but the challenge is “how to get there What path to take ” nfortunately, the pope said, some people believe this restlessness, this desire to live a better life is too dangerous and should be tamped down. “ would like to say, especially to young people, our worst enemy is not concrete problems” no matter how serious or tragic they may be. “ he biggest danger in life is a bad spirit of adapting that is not
VATICAN CITY –
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis was scheduled to make 1 new cardinals on une 28. Announcing his choices, the pope said that coming from 11 nations, the new cardinals “e press the universality of the Church, which continues to proclaim the merciful love of God to all people of the earth.” Pope Francis list included three men over the age of 80 “who have distinguished themselves for their service to the Church.” When the pope made the announcement in May, the College of Cardinals had 21 members, 11 of whom were under the age of 80 and therefore eligible
to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints Causes, was to celebrate his 80th birthday on une 8. With the new nominations, the number of cardinal-electors – those under 80 and eligible to vote in a conclave – will e ceed by five the limit of 120 set by Pope Paul . ut previous popes also set the limit aside without formally changing the limit. he new cardinals hail from ra , Spain, taly, Poland, Pakistan, Portugal, Peru, Madagascar, apan, Me ico and olivia. n C NS
P ope F rancis greets a girl during his general audience in S t P eter’ s S q uare at the V atican on June 13. C NS phot o
people are ‘Ifnotyoung hungry for an authentic life, where will humanity end up? –P
’
ope F rancis
meekness or humility, but is mediocrity, pusillanimity,” that is, cowardice or fear, and making the e cuse for doing nothing by saying, “that s ust the way am.” “Where will humanity end up with young people who are tame and not restless ” he asked. eferring to lessed Pier Giorgio Frassati s insistence that it is better to live fully than to ust get by, the pope asked the crowd whether a kid who is “mediocre has a future or not.” he pope agreed with their answer, “ o. e ust sits there. e doesn t grow” and mature.
eaching maturity, he said, is coming to realise and accept one s limits, and it is also seeing what is lacking in one s life, ust as esus said the rich young man: “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven then come, follow me.” his invitation to leave behind everything and follow the Lord, is “not a proposal of poverty, but of riches,” the real treasure of everlasting life, he said. Young people need the e ample of Christians who invite them to grow, “to go beyond” and look for more. “We have to start from reality,” with the way things are, “in order to take that leap into what is lacking. We have to scrutinise the ordinary in order to open ourselves up to the e traordinary.” n C NS
Support torture victims, help those involved in drug abuse VATICAN CITY – Calling torture a “mortal sin,” Pope Francis called on Christians to help victims of this crime against human rights. Marking the nited ations nternational Day in Support of ictims of orture on une 26, the pope tweeted: “ orture is a mortal sin Christian communities must commit themselves to helping victims of torture.” he pope has spoken out many times against torture, calling it a “very serious sin.” During his visit to concentrations camps in Poland in 2016, he said: “Cruelty did not end at Auschwitz, at irkenau. oday too, people are tortured many prisoners are tortured at once, to make them speak ... t is terrible oday there are men and women in overcrowded prisons they live – m sorry – like animals.”
Pontiff scheduled to create 14 new cardinals
he atican also marked the nternational Day Against Drug Abuse and llicit rafficking on une 26 with a message from Cardinal Peter urkson, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting
oS l idarity and support are critical, particularly towards those who are fragile and vulnerable, said C ardinal Peter Turkson. ntegral uman Development. he cardinal called for outreach and support of all those who have been caught up in the world of illicit drugs, which is run by people “without scruples, who, giving into the temptation of easy
money, slow death, cut off hope and destroy so many families.” “Drugs are a wound inflicted on our communities, ensnaring many people in a cycle of suffering and alienation,” he wrote in the message. Solidarity and support are critical, particularly towards those who are fragile and vulnerable, like those who are abusing drugs, which is often a conse uence of being e cluded in some way, he said. Citing a 201 message from Pope Francis, the cardinal wrote, “ ven if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it is destroyed by vices, drugs or anything else – God is in this person s life. ... Although the life of a person is a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow. You have to trust God.” n C NS
Holy Father denounces act of aborting children with birth defects VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis de-
nounced the practice of administering prenatal tests to determine birth defects that often lead to abortions, comparing it to the azi-era eugenics programme that determined what lives were worth keeping or eliminating. Children are God s greatest gift and should be welcomed “as they come, as God sends them, as God allows, even if at times they are sick,” the pope said on une 16 during a meeting with members of talian family associations. “ have heard that it is fashionable – or at least common – to do certain e aminations in the first months of pregnancy to see if the baby is not well or has some kind of problem. he first proposal in that case is, Should we get rid of the baby he killing of children. And to have
a more tran uil life, an innocent is done away with,” he said departing from his prepared speech. he pope recalled, as a boy, being taught in school about the Spartans, who “when a boy or girl was born with malformations, they would take them to the top of the mountain and throw them over to protect the purity of the race. ” Despite the atrocious nature of that practice, he continued, the practice of eugenics continues today “because the protocol of many doctors – many, not all – is to ask, s something wrong with the child ” “ say it with pain. n the last century, the whole world was scandalised by what the azis did to protect the purity of the race. oday, we do the same, only with white gloves.” n C NS
16 POPE IN GENEVA
Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
Broken world needs Christian unity, pope tells Christian leaders G E NE VA – Not only God, but today’s broken, divided world is begging for unity among Christians, Pope Francis said during an ecumenical pilgrimage to Geneva. “Our differences must not be excuses,” he said, because as Christ’s disciples, Christians can still pray together, evangelise and serve others. On his 23rd apostolic journey abroad on June 21, the pope spent several hours with Christian leaders at the headquarters of the World Council of Churches (WCC), a fellowship of 350 ecclesial communities, including many Orthodox Churches. The pope came to help celebrate the 70 th anniversary of the founding of what is the largest and broadest ecumenical fellowship in the world. Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane from Rome, the pope said, “This is a trip towards unity,” representing the “desire for unity.” Accompanied by the leadership of the WCC, the pope attended an ecumenical prayer service, marked by songs from the Protestant traditions and the Catholic Church’s theme song for the Jubilee of Mercy. There was a common witness of faith in reciting the Nicene Creed and representatives from the Cath-
P ope F rancis speaking at a meeting at the W orld C ouncil of C hurches’ ecumenical centre in G eneva. C NS phot os
olic Church and other Christian communities alternated readings, including a prayer of repentance, which asked God’s forgiveness for their disunity and failure to serve God and all His children. In his speech, the pope said, “Our lack of unity” is not only contrary to God’s will, it is “also a scandal to the world.” “The Lord asks us for unity; our world, torn by all-too-many divisions that affect the most vulnerable, begs for unity.”
Pope Francis, the third pope to visit the WCC, said he wanted to come as “a pilgrim in quest of unity and peace.” He thanked God for having found “brothers and sisters already making this same journey.” The journey requires constant conversion, he said, and a renewed way of thinking that rejects worldliness and seeks to live “in the Spirit, with one’s mind bent on serving others and a heart growing in forgiveness.” Speaking at an ecumenical
Forgiveness turns evil into good, pontiff tells Catholics G E NE VA – At the end of a day ded-
icated to celebrating 70 years of an ecumenical fellowship forged by the World Council of Churches, Pope Francis turned to the region’s Catholics, reminding them of what lies at the heart of the faith. The Lord’s Prayer “offers us a road map for the spiritual life” by reminding people they are part of one human family, that they should live a simpler, more caring life and that forgiveness works miracles in history, he said. “There is no greater novelty than forgiveness, which turns evil into good,” he told 40,0 Catholics from Switzerland, France and other nations on June 21. Celebrating Mass at the city’s enormous indoor expo centre, the pope pointed to the essential lessons contained in the Lord’s Prayer, which Jesus teaches His disciples in the day’s Gospel reading. “Father, bread, forgiveness,” Pope Francis said in his homily. These are the three words in the Lord’s Prayer “that take us to the very heart of our faith.” When praying “Our Father, who art in heaven,” people are reminded that God “does not group us together in little clubs, but gives us new life and makes us one large family.” This prayer says that “every human being is part of us,” he said, and
The pope exc hanges gifts at the W orld C ouncil of C hurches’ E cumenical I nstitute.
meeting with the central leadership committee of the WCC, the pope praised their work and commitment to unity; however, he expressed his concern that the Christian sense of mission was no longer “as closely intertwined” with their ecumenical pursuits. The missionary mandate is more than just service and promoting human development, he said; it includes “the preaching of the Gospel to the ends of the earth” and recognising that the
Individual bishops must decide about communion in mixed marriages: pope Holy Father has reached the conclusion that the document has not of allowing Protestants married matured enough to be published.” to Catholics to receive communPope Francis expanded on that ion at Mass in special cases has by saying he believed what could to be decided by each individual be done is an “illustrative” type of bishop and cannot be decided by document “so that each diocesan a bishops’ conference, Pope Fran- bishop could oversee what the Code cis told reporters after a one-day of Canon Law permits,” he said. ecumenical journey to Geneva, The bishops’ conference can Switzerland. study the issue and ofThe bishops’ During an in-flight fer guidelines that help news conference on each bishop handle each conference June 21, the pope was individual case, he said. can study the asked about his recent When asked about decision requesting the issue and offer countries’ recent relucguidelines Catholic bishops’ contance to take in refuference of Germany not that help each gees, the pope underto publish guidelines the basics every bishop handle lined for allowing Communnation should provide, each individual “welcoming, accompaion for such couples. He said the guideniment, [ help with] setcase, said lines went beyond what Pope Francis. tling in, integrate.” is foreseen by the Code He added that each of Canon law “and there is the prob- government must act with “prulem.” The code does not provide dence” and understand how many for nationwide policies, he said, people it can educate and integrate. but “provides for the bishop of the In response to another question, diocese [ to make a decision on each the pope said human rights are in a case] , not the bishops’ conference.” serious state of crisis today, having “ his was the difficulty of the become relative or unimportant in debate. Not the content,” he said. the eyes of some parts of the world. Cardinal-designate Luis LaToday there is a “crisis of daria, prefect of the Congregation hope, a crisis of human rights, for the Doctrine of the Faith, had a crisis of mediation, a crisis of written to the bishops that “the peace,” he said. n C NS
AB O AR D TH E P AP AL F L IG H T F R O M G E NE VA – The question
P ope F rancis greets the crow d as he arrives to celebrate Mass at the P alexp o convention centre. C NS phot o
that “we are called to be good guardians of our family, to overcome all indifference towards” everyone. When praying, “Give us this day, our daily bread,” it is asking God to “help me lead a simpler life.” “Life has become so complicated,” he said, with everyone acting “pumped up, rushing from dawn to dusk, between countless phone calls and texts with no time to see other people’s faces, full of stress from complicated and constantly changing problems.” “We need to choose a sober lifestyle, free of unnecessary hassles,” the pope said. “Daily bread” also means to
never forget the life-giving power of Jesus; “He is our regular diet for healthy living. Sometimes however, we treat Jesus as a side dish.” Finally, the prayer calls for forgiveness, which is not easy, but it is a gift. God forgives everything and yet, “He asks only one thing of us: that we in turn never tire of forgiving.” Forgiveness renews and works miracles, he said. After receiving God’s forgiveness, “each of us is born again as a new creation when we love our brothers and sisters. Only then do we bring true newness to the world.” n C NS
Church grows “by attraction” to Christ Himself, not human ideas. Also “troubling,” he said, “is the conviction on the part of some, who consider their own blessings clear signs of God’s predilection rather than a summons to responsible service” to the whole human family and the environment. The pope also urged Christians to help people become aware of events and situations that affect a large number of people, “but seldom make it to the front page.” n C NS
Sun
POPE FRANCIS 17
Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
Scientists, believers should admit how little they know: pope VATICAN CITY – Scientists and
people of faith always must admit they don’t know everything, and they must never be afraid to explore and discover more, Pope Francis told astronomy students and experts. “As people who love what we do, we can find in our love for this universe a foretaste of that divine love which, in contemplating His creation, declared that it was good,” he said on June 14. The pope spoke to dozens of young astronomy students who were taking part in a month-long summer school sponsored by the Vatican Observatory. The summer programme in astrophysics, held every two years, accepts a small group of promising university and graduate students, mostly from developing nations, who are specialising in astronomical sciences. During a private audience in the apostolic palace, the pope praised the way the study programme brings together people from so many different countries, cultures and areas of specialisation. This endeavour shows how “diversity can be united by a common goal of study” and how success in that work depends precisely on this diversity, he said.
Mexi co fans in Moscow react after Mexi co defeated G ermany in the W orld C up on June 17. C S photo
A n intricate spiral arms in a galaxy . P ope F rancis told astronomy students and exp erts they should never be afraid of trying to learn more. C S file photo
“Whether as scientists or believers, it is always important to start by admitting there is much that we do not know. But it is equally important” to never be satisfied with sticking with a “complacent agnosticism,” the pope said. “Just as we should never think we know everything, we should never be afraid of trying to learn more,” he said. armony between scientific knowledge, metaphysics and faith
“leads us to understanding, and understanding – we hope – will make us open to wisdom,” he added. In “Paradiso” by Dante Alighieri, the 14th-century Italian poet wrote that it is “love that moves the sun and other stars,” the pope said. “May your work likewise be ‘ moved’ by love: love for truth; love for the universe itself; and love for one another as you work together amid your diversity.” n C NS
Pope appeals for World Cup to promote peace VATICAN CITY – As 32 na-
tions vie for the World Cup in Russia, Pope Francis greeted players, organisers and soccer fans who will be following “this event that overcomes all borders”. “May this important sports event become an occasion for encounter, dialogue and fraternity between different cultures and religions, promoting solidarity and peace between nations,” said the Argentine pope, who is an avid soccer fan. He made his remarks in an
appeal at the end of his general audience in St Peter’s Square on June 13. The 2018 FIFA World Cup is being held in Russia from une 1 - uly 1 . t is the first time the quadrennial tournament, which began in 1930, is held in Eastern Europe. The ball being used in the first match – ussia vs Saudi Arabia – had been taken to the International Space Station by a Russian cosmonaut in March and returned to Earth on June 3. n C NS
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18 OPINION
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REFLECTION
Living a more discerning life Why do we do what we do? B y Msgr P hilip H eng, S J his article is the first in the series on “Living a More Discerning Life.” We shall begin a ourney of trying to discover anew the blessings that God, ur Lord, intends that we e perience in our daily living. All of humankind, as created by God in is image and likeness, are meant to live in the peace, oy and blessings of each other in God s presence. hus, the innate-natural longings of our heart is to love God with our “whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbours as esus has shown us.” ut, why then is this not happening as much as we desire our lives and the world to be and become Why is our world, on the contrary, filled with so much pain and suffering of all kinds What is going on in humanity Fundamentally, we can say that instead of using the gift of freedom that God has given us to love im and one another, we have often not recognised God s love and thus not used it as wholesomely and generously as we ought to have. Let us begin our ourney of “discernment” within the conte t of the reality of our normal daily living by asking ourselves personally, “Do truly find my daily living to be meaningful, peaceful, oyful ” Many of us would respond, “ wish am, but am not ... at least, not yet.” thers may add, “And believe am capable of finding deeper peace and oy in my life, but unfortunately, don t seem to be able to get a hold on my emotions and the many varied and comple things in my life.” hese spontaneous responses are not surprising because if we reflect more deeply on our daily living, we will “discover” that while we try so hard to provide for ourselves
and the needs of our loved ones, we have often not yet been able to enter deeply enough to connect with the deeper spiritual realities of our lives i.e. our relationship with esus. As such, it is understandable that our daily “struggles” and even the “successes” of our lives have not given us the “deeper” fulfilment and more lasting oys that we long to have. f we reflect on our lives more
cannot avoid and ignore is: “Why am in this world ” he fundamental response is “God created me and all of humanity ... out of is love for us.” As such, does it not follow that the very purpose and meaning in life is to live it as fully as God wills of us, so that we can then eventually live with im in is heavenly home for all eternity n other words, the starting point of our ourney of “living a more discerning life” is the need to be clear of our ultimate destination
In the greater scheme of life, there is one most important ‘ why’ that we need to confront and embrace: ‘ Why am I in this world?’ The starting point of our j ourney of living a more discerning life is the need to be clear of our ultimate destination in life.
deeply, the “whys” are more important than the “whats” and “hows” of our daily living. For e ample, if am conscious that am living frugally because love my children and spouse very much and want to provide for their future needs, then my frugal living is more than about saving money. My frugality is an e pression of my love for my family, and my sacrifices become daily opportunities and meaningful challenges of love. n the greater scheme of life, there is one most important “why” that we need to confront and embrace, if we want to live a more discerning life. his “why” that we
in life. his is so that our “ ourney” in life has the goal of striving to reach this destination. For e ample, when we get into our car, we must know where we want to drive to we do not drive around aimlessly. As Christians, we believe that this “ultimate” destination can be realised because God s love for us is unconditionally merciful, warmly compassionate and personally recognisable and discernible in our daily living. he later parts of this series will help us e plore and enter more fully into this ourney of discovering how to live a more discerning life. n Msgr Heng is the rector of the C athedral of the Good She pherd.
ore re ections on the topic in subseq uent issues.
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Stirring the smouldering ashes of our faith ANYONE who has ever watched a fire knows that at a point the flames subside and disappear into smouldering coals which themselves eventually cool and turn into cold, grey ash. ut there s a moment in that process, before they cool off, that the coals can be stirred so as to make them burst into flame again. hat s the image St Paul uses to encourage us to rekindle the fires of our faith when they seem to be burning low: “ remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that was once given you.” t s a meaningful image. ur faith sometimes needs some stirring in its roots to make it alive and effective again. ut how s that to be done ow do we stir into flame again the fire of our faith We stir our faith back into flame by re-situating ourselves inside its roots. Despite the fact that faith is a divine gift, it can be helpful sometimes to ourney back and e amine what earthly forces helped plant the faith inside us. Who and what helped give us faith f course, that s a deeply personal uestion that each of us can only answer for himself or herself. For myself, when try to go back and touch the roots of my faith, a number of things come into focus. First, there was the faith and witness of my parents, the critical piece. Faith was the most important thing in their lives and they did everything in their power to ensure that this was true too for us, their children. And their lives never belied their faith. hat s a strong witness and a gift of incalculable value. hen there was the witness of my parish church – a rural, immigrant community, small enough so that everyone knew everyone else s oys and sorrows and was able to share them in faith, even if not always in full neighbourly warmth. t takes a village to raise a child in my case it was a parish. As a boy growing up, could glance around a church and see most everyone knew, friend or not, all kneeling together in one faith. hat s a rarity today and no small gift. e t came the dedication and faith witness of the rsuline Sisters who came into our rural community to teach in our public schools and were not only our best teachers academically but also catechised us. y the time d reached my teens, d memorised two catechisms and had a solid intellectual grasp of the tenets of my faith, a gift whose importance recognised only later on. Finally, and in a way that left deep, permanent roots in my soul, there was the voice of the God of my youth. During my youth, God s voice was strong and clear inside me. Admittedly some of what took to be God s voice then was in actuality the voice of fear, timidity, tribalism and what Freudians term the superego. ut, that being admitted, God s voice was there too – unavoidable, clear. know that because much of my youthful fear, timidity, crass tribalism and superego have long since departed, and the voice of the God of my youth remains inside me still. owever, now, sometimes that voice can be uite silent. t s then that need to stir the seemingly smouldering coals of my faith by making a ourney back to reground myself in the reality of my parents faith, in the reality of what branded my soul in our small parish community, in the reality of the witness and catechesis of the rsuline Sisters who taught me, and, not least, in that clear, deeply moral, divine voice that spoke inside me and guided me in my youth. his kind of ourney, believe, can be helpful for most everybody, with one cautionary flag: he seeming silence of God in our lives as adults can in fact be a deeper modality of God s presence rather than a sign of a deteriorating faith. he voice of God often seems clear in our youth but later on that clarity gives way to what the mystics call “dark nights of the soul”, where God s seeming absence is not a uestion of a loss of faith but of a new, richer, less-imaginative mode of God s presence in our lives. Fervour is not always a sign of a deep faith, ust as the seeming absence of God is not necessarily a sign of a weakening faith. God must be patiently waited for and will arrive in our lives only on God s terms, not ours. ven so, St Paul s advice remains: “ remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that was once given you.” n
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People flocked to esus wherever e and the apostles went. ot only did the people want to hear esus preach, but many also hoped to be healed by im. ne time, esus cured a man of his leprosy. e healed a centurion s servant while visiting Capernaum. e forgave a paralysed man s sins, and the man could walk again. e even helped Peter s mother-in-law, who was sick with a fever. As esus reputation for healing grew, so did the number of people who came to see im. esus helped them by driving out demons and curing all types of diseases. e also taught them how to pray, and e told them to love their enemies and not udge others. ne day, some of ohn the aptist s followers asked esus uestions
about fasting. As esus was talking to them, an official came and knelt before esus. “My daughter has ust died,” the official told esus. “ ut come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” esus and is apostles started to follow the man to his house. ust then, a woman who had been suffering haemorrhages for 12 years approached esus as e was walking away. “ f only can touch his cloak, shall be cured,” she said to herself. She reached out her hand, and her fingers lightly brushed the tassel of esus cloak. esus turned around. “Courage, daughter Your faith has saved you,” he told her. From that moment on, the woman was cured. Afterwards, esus and his friends
continued their ourney to the official s home. When they arrived, they saw flute players and a crowd of people making a commotion. veryone was upset because the official s daughter had died. esus spoke to the people. “Go away he girl is not dead but sleeping,” e said. he people started to make fun of im. esus ignored them, and the crowd was put out of the house.
SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:
Wordsearch:
St Kateri Tekakwitha
nH E A R n N A TI V E n S TA R T
St ateri ekakwitha was born in 16 6 in a Mohawk village near what is now Auriesville, ew York. When she was a little girl, she was disfigured and partially blinded during a smallpo epidemic that killed her family. She was baptised by a French missionary who had visited her village. When her Catholic faith caused problems for her in her village, she moved to a ative American community near Montreal. She was known for her kindness, and she was very well-liked by the ative Americans and the French in Montreal. ateri died in 1680, and in 2012 she was canonised, becoming the first ative American saint. We remember her on uly 1 .
n C R O WD n H E LP nP R E A C H
nS A V E n LI V E n A B I LI TY
esus then approached the little girl. e took her by the hand, and she arose. he news of what esus did then spread all throughout the land. n R ead more about it: Matthew 9
Q & A 1. Wh o knelt before Jesus and asked for H is help? 2.
Wh y did the crow d make fun of Jesus?
n F A I TH nA S K nR E G A I N
ESSAY: W hy is it important to ha e aith in Jesus?
Bible Accent: After esus healed the official s daughter and the woman with the haemorrhages, e went on to heal many others. For e ample, we read in Matthew :27- 1 that after esus and is apostles left the official s house, two blind men began to follow them. “Son of David, have pity on us ” they cried. esus entered the house, and the blind men approached im. “Do you believe that can do this ” esus asked them. “Yes, Lord,” they replied. “Let it be done for you according to your faith,” esus said as e touched the men s eyes. he men were so e cited to be able to see that they ignored esus warning not to tell anyone of what had happened. As esus and is friends were leaving, a person who was possessed by an unclean spirit was brought to esus. he person could not speak, but after esus drove out the spirit, the person regained the ability to talk. esus compassion for people became well-known. As e and the apostles travelled to different towns and villages, esus would proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom and cure people of every disease and illness. n
PUZZLE: S ome of the important lessons Jesus taught are contained in his S ermon on the Mount in the B ook of Matthew . The sermon features the ight eatit des fi e o which are listed elow. sing atthew 5: 3- 12 for hints, choose the correct w ord to complete each sentence. W ro d L ist the stron g the m ercifu l the cl ean of heart 1. B lessed are _ 2. B lessed are _
the sm art the ki nd the god . .3 B . .4 B
the m eek the be au tifu l the pe acem ake rs the thou gh tfu l the faithfu l they w ho m ou rn
lessed are _ lessed are _
. 5. B lessed are _ .
. Answer to Wordsearch
de ul ed
By Jennifer Ficcaglia
Answer to puzzle: 1.the meek; 2; the merciful; 3. the peacemakers; 4. the clean of heart; 5. t hey who mourn
at ulnd in an n. us to he ur nd me
20 WHAT’S ON JULY 7 Clarity’s Introductory Guide to Understanding Anxiety Workshop Time: 10.30am-12.30pm. Venue: Agape Village. Anxiety is a normal emotional response many experience as part of everyday life. However, some of us experience anxiety in ways that affect our daily lives. We will explore the reasons behind our anxieties, debunk myths and misconceptions that we may have and learn different ways to manage our anxieties. Cost: $15. To register, W: https://tinyurl.com/TC23Jun; T: 6757 7990.
JU LY 4, 2018 TO F E B 27, 2019 Jeff C avins’ B ible Timeline Journey through the entire Bible and experience God’s love for is people in the amazing salvation history recorded in the Bible since the beginning of time. Every Wednesday from 9.30a m-noon at the Church of St Ignatius. For more information, : 78 2268 ( iv) : 818 227 ( o).
complexity of the issues related to divorce, separation and annulment within the RCIA process. Register using the URL: https:/ / tinyurl.com/ y9tl2bk7. For more information, : formation catechesis.org.sg W: www.catechesis.org.sg : 6 11 0 00.
JU LY 7 H eart of W orship ime: 6: 0pm- pm. esus Youth Singapore presents an evening of music, praise and fellowship under the banner eart of Worship at Agape illage. Grab your complimentary seat at: http:/ / singapore.jesusyouth.org/ heart-of-worship/ .
JU LY 7 Mass follow ed by P rayers for H ealing All are welcome and no registration is needed. ime: 2pm- pm. You are invited to oin us for praise and worship and Mass followed by prayers for healing. After Mass, prayer teams will be available to pray with you for healing. Celebrant: Fr om Curran. rganised by Praise Work. enue: Church of Sts Peter and Paul. For more information, : praiseatworksg yahoo.com : 7 7 2 67.
JU LY 7 R C I A : Marriage & B aptism ime: am- pm. enue: CA C 2 ighland d, S 102. This symposium will help participants gain an insight into the
JU LY 9 TO S E P T 3 Life in the S pirit S eminar y Church of St Francis avier Charismatic Prayer Group. 9 Monday sessions (7.45pm-9.45pm). To register,
RCIA/RCIY
JU N E 10, 2018 TO A P R I L 21, 2019 R C I Y @ C hurch of S t F rancis X avier Sessions will be held every Sunday from 10.15a m-noon. “Come and See” information session will be held on June 3 at the Good Shepherd room. For more information, W: tinyurl.com/ sfxrciy2018; E: rciy@ sfxchurch.sg.
A j ourney for those seeking to know more about the C atholic faith. B aptised C atholics are also invited to j ourney as sponsors. JU N E 3, 2018 TO A P R I L 21, 20 19 R C I A @ C hurch of S t F rancis X avier “Come and See” information session will be held on June 3 from 10.15a m-noon at the Good Shepherd room. To register: W: tinyurl.com/ sfxrciy20 18; E: rciy@ sfxchurch.sg. Registration forms are available on the parish website. Actual RCIA sessions begin on June 19 from 8pm-10pm .
JU N E 14, 2018 TO A P R I L 20, 2019 R C I A @ C hurch of the N ativity of the B V M Every Thursday from 7.30pm -10p m. Every Sunday from 10. am-12. 0pm. For more information, call 68 667 (Genevieve Lau); E: nativitysg@ yahoo.com.sg. egistration forms are available in the parish office.
JU N E 5, 2 018 TO MA Y 21, 2019 R C I A @ C hurch of S t B ernadette Time: 7:45pm-10 pm. Interested to know about the Catholic faith? Come on a journey with us at the Church of St Bernadette, 12 Z ion Road. To register: T: 9385 9581 (Ginnie).
JU N E 25, 2018 TO MA Y 13, 2019 R C I A ( Mandarin) @ B lessed S acrament C hurch very Monday from 7. 0pm- . 0pm. For more information, E: rcia@ bsc.org.sg; W: https:/ / tinyurl.com/ RCIA-BSC; : 6 7 0 82.
JU N E 6, 2 018 TO JU N E 5, 2019 R C I A @ C hurch of the R isen C hrist Every Wednesday evening from 7.30pm -9.30pm at the parish hall. Registration forms are available at the parish office. For more information, : 2 608 E: iwanttobeaCatholic@ gmail.com.
JU N E 26, 2018 TO A P R I L 20, 2 019 R C I A @ C hurch of the H oly C ross For nglish: very hursday at 7. pm. t begins on une 28. For Mandarin: very uesday at 7. pm. t begins on une 26. For more information, : holycrosschurch.rcia gmail.com T: 9757 7115 (Susan for English RCIA); : 677 270 (Wendy for Mandarin C A).
JU N E 7, 2 018 TO JU N E 13, 2019 R C I A @ C hurch of S t V incent de P aul Every Thursday from 8pm-10pm in room #03- 02. RCIA inquirer registration forms are available at the parish office. For more information, : 6 82 0 E: rcia.svdp.sg@ gmail.com
JU N E 27, 2018 TO MA Y 29, 2019 R C I A @ C athedral of the G ood S hepherd Every Wednesday from 7.30pm -9.30pm . Register at goo.gl/ Ag and at the cathedral office. For more information, : cathedral.rcia catholic.org.sg : 6 0 8 6 ( erese).
Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
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W: http: www.bit.ly SF L SS. n uiries: : 066 1 (Catherine) 002 6616 ( ean) : sf lifeinthespirit gmail.com
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JU LY 10 TO N O V 13 S alvation H istory y Fr Ferdinand Purnomo, CD. very uesday from . 0am-11. 0am. ( o class on Aug 28, Sept and ov 6). enue: 2 ighland oad, CA C, S 102. Cost: 120 ( 100 if paid by uly 6). rganised by the Archdiocesan iblical Apostolate. For more information and registration: W: https:/ / goo.gl/ forms/ gjDhir2bocPIrIL53; E: aba_s ecretariat@ catholic.org.sg; : 6280 0 ( ffice hours: am-1pm). JU LY 11 TO S E P T 5 C atechist E lective C ourse – V irtues No sessions on Aug 15 and 22. Time: 7.30pm -10pm . enue: CA C 2 ighland d, S 102. Contribution: Waived for 2018. I ntroducing Catholic doctrine and morality about sexuality to catechumens is never limited to teaching about avoiding sin. Please register using the following L: https: tinyurl.com ycbmuufb. For more information, : formation catechesis.org.sg : 6 11 0 00 W: www.catechesis.org.sg. JU LY 13 TO JU LY 15 Montfortian X perience I I ( MX I I ) – True D evotion to Mary Friday (6: 0pm)-Sunday (1pm). A weekend live-in retreat based on the spirituality of St Louis Marie de Montfort. To him, Mary is “the surest, easiest, shortest and most perfect means by which to go to Jesus Christ.” Discover for yourselves the means given by God Himself to bring us salvation through the way of Mary. enue: Montfort Centre. Facilitators: r Dominic Yeo- oh, SG, and r ohn Albert, SG. Cost: 1 0 (twin sharing). For more information, : en uiries montfortcentre.org : 676 711. JU LY 14 TO A U G 4 A dult C onfirmation P reparation C ourse Time: 3:30pm -5:30pm . Catholics (aged 17 and above) who have not received the Sacrament of Confirmation are invited to join. There are four preparation sessions followed by a day of recollection on Aug (1pm-6pm). Confirmation will be on Aug 19 at the Church of St Bernadette, 12 Z ion Road. o register: : stbern.sg gmail.com : 67 7 2 .
JU N E 27, 2018 TO MA Y 2, 2019 R C I A @ C hurch of C hrist the K ing Every Wednesday from 8pm-10pm at Room 105. From September, additional sessions will also be held on every Sunday morning. Registration forms are available at the parish office.For more information, : 6 8 E: query.rcia@ gmail.com. JU LY 1, 2018 TO JU N E 2, 2019 R C I A ( Mandarin) @ C hurch of O ur Lady of P erpetual S uccour Every Sunday from 9am-10.30a m. Calling all who wish to know about Catholic faith. Organised by Church f ur Lady of Perpetual Succour, 1 Siglap ill, S( 608 ). For more information, : 771 21 W: www.olps.sg. JU LY 3, 2018 TO JU N E 9, 2019 R C I A @ C hurch of S t I gnatius Every Tuesday from 8pm-10pm at St Ignatius Hall. For more information, : 6 66 062 (Angela) : 628 6 72 (Sandra); W: https:/ / tinyurl.com/ stignatius-rcia.
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JU LY 6, 2018 TO JU N E 24, 2019 R C I A ( C antonese) @ C hurch of S ts P eter & P aul very Friday from 7. pm- . 0pm at parish second floor, room 8. For more information, : 6 7 2 8 (parish office) T: 9712 0 452. JU LY 7, 2018 TO JU N E 9, 2019 R C I A @ C hurch of D ivine Mercy New RCIA journey will begin with a welcome day on July 7 and thereafter every Saturday in the parish hall, Level 2. ime: pm. C A forms available at parish office.
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JU LY 14 Meditative P rayer w ith the S ongs of Taize ime: 8pm. Come and pray with fellow Christians and all who want to create greater trust and openness through meditative prayer. No registration needed. All are welcome. rganised by the Spore aize core group. enue: he Armenian Church of St Gregory the lluminator, 60 ill Street. For more information, : bennycah gmail.com W: www.taize.fr en. JU LY 14 U nderstanding Labour, B irth & P ostnatal S elf- C are ime: 10am-12. 0pm. enue: Agape illage, 7A Lor 8 oa Payoh S 1 26 . Come, be an empowered parent Gain insights and tips from professionals and trainers in the field of counselling, psychology, childbirth education and breastfeeding. Learn from e perienced mothers as you listen to their struggles and triumphs of parenthood. o register: : agapevillage caritas-singapore.org : 6801 7 00. JU LY 16, 23 A N D 3 0 B asic C atechist C ourse Level 2 – Learning to Listen – P art 1 ime: 7: 0pm-10pm. enue: CA C, 2 ighland d, S 102. n this course, participants will learn the key to facilitating small faith-sharing groups – which is how to listen authentically – as well as the practical skills needed to help the individual and community grow in faith. For more information, : formation catechesis.org.sg W: www.catechesis.org.sg : 6 11 0 00. JU LY 17 A C C I R D I nterreligious P anel on Marriage ( 2n d in a S eries for 2018) ime: 7. 0pm- . 0pm. enue: Cathedral of the Good Shepherd anne building lvl . Come listen to an Abrahamic faith panel on the meaning significance of marriage and learn about the attendant rites rituals customs. abbi Mordechai (Chief abbi of Singapore), staz ulhilmi (Mos ue Mgr, An- ahdhah Mos ue) and Ms Michelle oo (ACC D) will speak. egister by uly 10 with your name, parish organisation and handphone number. For more information, : gerald.accird catholic.org.sg.
For more info, contact a ( 626 6202) 826) or email: rciacdm gmail.com
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JU LY , 10 2018 TO A P R I L 20, 20 19 R C I A @ C hurch of S t Teresa Want to learn know more about Catholic faith very uesday from 7. pm- . 0pm at the chapel. o register: : rcia stteresa.org.sg.
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JU LY 14, 2018 TO JU N E 9, 2019 R C I Y @ C hurch of S t I gnatius Calling all youths who are not Catholic aged 17-2 . ey dates: welcome tea and information session: uly 1 ( pm-6pm). ntroductory Sessions: uly 21 and uly 28 ( pm-6pm). Subse uent C Y sessions will commence on Aug 7 and continue every uesday from 8pm-10pm. For more information, : 72 761 ( liza) : 822 8 1 (Aaron) : 817 2118 (Debbie) : rciy.ignatius gmail.com W: https: tinyurl.com ignatiusrciy. JU LY 24, 2018 TO MA Y 28, 2019 R C I A @ C hurch of the H oly S pirit ime: 7: pm- : pm. We welcome new in uirers who would like to find out more about the Catholic faith. We also invite adult Catholics to enroll as sponsors to accompany the in uirers in their faith ourney. All sponsors will be re uired to go through an “ ntroduction to C A” training, which will be provided by the C A core team. o register: W: https: bit.ly C A2018.
JU LY 20 Teen R esilience S eminar eenage years can be very difficult on both our youths and their families as they struggle with self-identify and a sense of belonging amidst academic and social pressures. We invite parents and teens to come together for this talk to develop healthy resilience and to transform battle scars to a “badge of honour”. o register: W: www.olps.sg events : 8278 2 ( uliana). JU LY 21 A N D 2 8 C raft of C atechesis W orkshop: The F ive strategies of the V irtues P roj ect ime: : 0am-1: 0pm. he pro ect is a global initiative to inspire the practice of virtues in everyday life. his workshop aims to empower catechists and parents to encourage those in their care to live more authentic and meaningful lives by creating safe, caring and learning communities. For more information, : formation catechesis.org.sg : 6 11 0 00. A U G 1 TO A U G 31 C onfraternity of C hristian D octrine ( C C D ) 2018- 2019 R egistration Catechism classes for international schools. CCD is a faith formation programme for children aged si -1 years in international schools. Grade one through grade seven classes are held weekly on uesday or hursday afternoons from pm- pm and the confirmation classes are held on Sundays from . 0pm- pm, starting in September through till the end of May 201 . nline registration opens on Aug 1. All students (new and returning) have to register online. A U G 2 TO O C T 18 G ospel of Mark by Msgr A mbrose V az very hursday. o class on Aug and Sept 6. oin us for a ible study on the shortest Gospel to know our Lord deeper and better. ime: 8pm-10pm. rganised by the iblical Apostolate eam, Church of Christ the ing, Ang Mo io Ave 8. o register: SMS 010 2 (Dorcas) 8 2 1 8 (Lene) : ctkbat hotmail.com.
A U G 11, 18, 25 A N D S E P T 1, 8 N ew C atechist E lective C ourse – A nsw ering Q uestions of F aith ime: 10am-1pm. he course seeks to inspire catechists to be e cited about their faith and e uip them to address uestions of faith that are relevant to young people such as religion versus science and how God is at work in the Church today. For more information, : 6 11 0 00. A U G 19 TO O C T 14 C ouple E mpow erment P rogramme enue: Church of the oly Cross. en weekly sessions on Friday evenings for newly married couples (married between one-10 years). Learn how to build a Christ-centred marriage faithful to the magisterial teaching of the Church. his is a parish-based programme that presents beautiful truths about the sacramental marriage through the stories of witnesses, whilst learning life skills designed by e perts. For more information, W: www.cep-sg.org or Fb com sg-cep.
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EVENT SUBMISSIONS H A T’ S O N submissions now req uire the completion of a form from the A rchdiocese before the event can be publicised. F or events w ith foreign speakers, please submit the necessary documentation for approval to the C hancery. F or more information and to dow nload the form, visit http: / / w w w .catholic.sg/ events/ announcementadvertisement- req uest/ . O nce forms have been submitted online, kindly send us details of your event for publication at w w w .catholicnew s.sg/ w hatson/ at least one month ahead of the publication date.
FIED
22 IN MEMORIAM went first A nniversary In loving memory of
VING
apostle reat in ich in insman hrist, cessor nvoke ronage ed. To course of my bly beg m God h great to my elp me urgent eturn I ke your d cause oke. St me and e your n need ession. you for rayers.
C Departed: Jul 8, 1997 There’s a sad but sweet remembrance
Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
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 time 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 invoke. St Jude, pray for me and all who invoke your aid. Humbly in need of your intercession. Amen. Thank you for answering my prayers.
e enteenth A nniversary In loving memory of
enth nni ersar In loving memory of
ighth nni ersar In loving memory of
C
Returned to God on July 5, 2007
CLASSIFIED THANKSGIVING
went fi th A nniversary In loving memory of
le enth nni ersar In loving memory of
There’s a memory fond and true And a token of love and affection And a heartache still for you But a certainty of your happiness In God’s glory and Holy Presence Fills our hearts with joy and hope And a longing to meet in Heaven. Dearly missed by Germaine, Eugene, Alywin, Katherine, Kyle, Roberta, Alex, Alexine and loyal family dog, Lilo.
Sun
A silent thought A quiet prayer For a special person In God’s loving care. A private service will be held to celebrate his life. We love him, eternally. Always cherished and loved by: wife, Grace and children, Jennifer, Stephen & Anita, Charles & Rita, William & Betty, Francis & Michele and grandchildren.
Departed: Jul 10 , 1993 The depths of sorrow we cannot tell Of the loss of one we love so well And while you sleep a peaceful sleep Your memory we shall always keep. Fondly remembered by Alice, Soon Huat (deceased) and all loved ones.
Born: Oct 27, 1939 Departed: Jul 13, 2001 Peaceful be your rest, dear mother, It is sweet to breathe your name; As in life we Loved you dearly, So in death we do the same. Dearly missed and remembered by son Terence, daughter-in-law Ina and loved ones.
econd nni ersar In loving memory of
Born: Jun 28, 1950 Departed: Jul 2, 2008 Pray for me, Rev Fathers, Brothers and Sisters of Opus Dei, Pray for me, Rev Fathers, Brothers and Sisters of Cursillo in Christianity “Decolores”. Always remembered by family and loved ones.
Departed: Jul 5, 20 10 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. Always loved and cherished by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“
irst nni ersar In loving memory of
Crossword Puzzle 1213 1
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ighth nni ersar In loving memory of
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74 75
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69 70 71 72 73
You left us suddenly without saying goodbye but we know that it is God’s will that He wants you to be with Him. Thank you for the years we shared The love you gave and the way you cared. Dearly missed by all loved ones.
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C Departed: July 8, 2017
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C 1 Time covered in the first creation story 5 Telly watchers 10 Citi Field players 14 Designer Piccone 15 Commandment mount 16 Land measure 17 Prepare to be shot 18 Sun-dried brick 19 A queen of Jordan 20 Sum 22 John X X III’s surname 24 Catholic Surrealist painter 27 Own person 28 Certain sin 32 Samson killed Philistines with the jawbone of this animal 33 Delay 34 Shades 36 Religious offshoots 40 Highly excited 42 Chilly 44 “__ M ary” 45 Ket go 47 Unit of weight in gemstones 49 Fascist leader? 50 “…there is under nothing _ _ the sun” (Eccl 1:9) 52 Summer beverage 54 Fast and _ _ 58 Latin 101 ve rb
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44 48
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C C C Departed: July 13, 20 16 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. Deeply missed by loved ones.
32 35
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Perplex _C oeur H.S. course Blessing before meals Laugh loudly Barbarous person Eject Arab ruler Late Catholic senator and namesakes Is inclined Clarets
1 Peter did this after he denied Jesus (Mk 14:72) 2 A Rachael Ray favorite 3 Direction from Bethlehem to the Jordan 4 Mixes dough 5 US young men’s org. 6 Free 7 “Are you _ _ _ out?” 8 Banned 9 Yellowish brown pigment 10 Elder son of Joseph 11 Eleve’s place 12 Cave-dwelling dwarf 13 Letter cross-line 21 The _ S upper 23 Luck
25 Daniel was in this animal’s den 26 Grecian architectural style 28 Patron saint of Norway 29 Wise Men 30 Composer Stravinsky 31 Monarchy in the Himalayas 35 Shopping fun 37 Jesus turned water into wine here 38 Heading for overtime gin fizz 41 Apostle to the _ _ _ _ 43 Edible roots 46 Distribute cards
48 Throw 1 Gizmo 53 “__ M y God to Thee” 54 Top monk 55 Light brown 56 “…the _ of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17) 57 Impertinence 60 Genesis event 62 “…thy kingdom _” 63 Sudden assault 64 Transgresses 67 Religious instruction, formerly (abbr.) 68 Aliens, briefly
Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1212 P I E T Y
A L B E E
L I B R A
W O R D
A M O R
S O M E
S O N S
T R A M
R A T E
L I A S S R E S A R N E O L I H S O A N X E L H O A I G L J O A M E
S A A C E R R A A C E R H A M D S E E O L A G O T R A W H E R A S E R S D R H T A A S O N P A R T E R C Y
W I S M E E A D L E A D A A G U R A N T
A G A R
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D R E D
D V I I
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R E S H
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www.wordgamesforcatholics.com
Departed: Jul 3, 2010 God gave us the strength to bear it And courage to fight the blow What it has meant to lose you God alone will ever know. Loving you always: wife Evelyn, son and daughter, daughterin-law, son-in-law, grandchildren and relatives.
D
In loving memory of
C Aged: 85 was called home to be with the Lord on July 2, 2016 Gone from our lives One so dear But in our hearts Forever near. Dearly missed and fondly remembered by Husband, sons, daughters, daughtersin-law, son in law, grandchildren, great-grandson, helper and loved ones. P le a s e tu r n to p a g e 2 3 fo r m o re in m e m o r ia m advertisements.
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I n m em or iam rates: Minimum $80 f or an insertion not exceeding an eight-centimetre column. Additional space: $8 pe r one-centimetre column.
Classified advertisement rates:
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IN MEMORIAM 23
Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
Tenth A nniversary
In loving memory of
C H R I S TO P H E R S E O W Departed: Jul 2, 2008
E LI Z A B E TH LO H K A M C H E E Departed: July 2, 20 13 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” ( P sal m 23: 6) Sadly missed by family and loved ones.
F ourth A nniversary In loving memory of
V E R O N IC A D U R U K IS H IN C H A N D N A N W A N I MR S H O R A C E F E LI X P A G LA R Departed: July 3, 2014 In our hearts you will always live Your love, your voice and your smile Are forever imprinted in our minds. Always remembered by husband, daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, relatives and friends. Second Anniversary In loving memory of
In loving memory of our parents
LA Z A R U S C E C I LI A A MB R O S E A MB R O S E nee C O N C E I C A O Departed: Jul 20 , 1999 Departed: Apr 24, 2010 .
We think of you in silence No eyes can see us weep But still within our aching hearts Your memory we keep. Always remembered by children / spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and loved ones. E ighth A nniversary F ourth A nniversary
ANTHONY JOHN ALEXANDER Departed: July 1, 2016 If we could write a story It would be the greatest ever told Of a kind and loving father Who had a heart of gold Of all the gifts in life, However great or small, To have had you in our life was the greatest gift of all Forever cherished and loved by your family.
In loving memory of
In loving memory of Thirty- S eventh A nniversary
P A K IA M LO U R D E S A MY Departed: Jan 18, 20 10
F ourth A nniversary
S A N TH A MA R Y Departed: July 4, 20 14
f in one fleeting moment We could see you smile we’d give up everything we have So we could hold your hands for a while We all love you so much We miss you so badly And we won’t ever forget The happy times that we shared. You will always be dearly missed by your son, daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren and daughter-in-law. P le a s e tu r n to p a g e 2 2 fo r m o r e in memoriam and classified advertisements.
TE R E S A S O N G Departed: Nov 1, 2015
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. Dearly missed by family and loved ones.
In loving memory of
MA N U E L A LLA I S ( A LE X ) Born: Aug 27, 1929 Departed: Jul 8, 1981 He had a smile, a pleasant way, A helping hand to all he knew, He was kind, generous and true, On earth he nobly did his best; Grant him, Jesus, heavenly rest. Always remembered by loving wife M. Mayma, sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren.
Third A nniversary
In loving memory of
K .A R O K I A D A S S D O R A Y C A TH E R I N E Departed: July 10, 1981 March 28, 2014
Dad and Mum are the stars that guide us, In their love and care, they hide us, It pains when they are far away, But they are in our thoughts always Deeply missed and forever cherished by sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, great grandchildren and all loved ones.
ort first A nniversary In loving memory of
A . TH E R E S A MA R Y Departed: July 12, 1977 Take her in Thy arms, dear Lord, And ever let her be A messenger of love Between our hearts and Thee. Fondly remembered by children and loved ones.
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Sunday July 8, 2018 n CatholicNews
ADVERTISEMENT
Lord, we pray that we can, in all our unworthiness and inadequacies, to be like you. To lay down our lives for you, for your Church and your people. Out of love for you, Lord, help us to be obedient. The call to the priestly or religious life is a decision many struggle to make. Years of discernment, training and study are needed before one would be able to fully consecrate himself or herself to God.
LET US PRAY FOR THIS HOLY GROUND TO BECOME FERTILE PASTURE FOR FUTURE SHEPHERDS.
With this in mind, the archdiocese has plans for a new seminary and formation centre to be built to enhance training and support of seminarians in their journey toward the priesthood, as well as for religious and lay people in their vocations. Lord, we pray that together, we can unite to provide the resources to build better facilities in support of the future shepherds of our Church.
“PRAYER AND ACTION MUST ALWAYS BE PROFOUNDLY UNITED.” Pope Francis.
Help answer the call to build the Church of tomorrow. Details at gift.catholicfoundation.sg This community project is funded by Catholic Foundation
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