AUGUST 11, 2013, Vol 63, No 16

Page 1

www.catholicnews.sg SUNDAY AUGUST 11, 2013

SINGAPORE 50 CENTS / WEST MALAYSIA RM$1.20

MCI (P) 138/06/2013

PPS 201/04/2013 (022940)

VOL 63

NO. 16

INSIDE HOME Helping Christians to praise God Music school holds songwriting course „ Page 7

George Yeo’s Vatican appointment Catholics delighted, offer congratulations TODAY, we celebrate 48 years of nation-building. We cannot but feel a sense of achievement and pride at how far we have come in such a short span of time. We have every right to feel patriotic. However, patriotism should not be measured just in terms of emotion or sentimentalism. There are many Singaporeans who have achieved much in life, but are still searching

The fact is that an individual is more than just body. He is made up of intellect and soul. Hence, nation-building for Singapore should not just be focused on infrastructure and economic progress; but also the holistic development of her citizens. We thus have a duty to build a society that thrives on the Gospel values of love, truth and justice. These are ultimately universal values. We must therefore collaborate with both government and fellow citizens alike, in preserving our moral and spiritual values. Hence for us Christians, nation-building is Kingdom-Building – it is to help our fellowmen come under God’s reign of truth, life and love. Our efforts at Kingdom-Building should not only be introspective have a responsibility as a nation to the world-at-large – especially those who are oppressed and deprived. As Singaporeans, we must make our nation shine before

)

‘

% ' # * * + !

$ # men, for unless a country welcomes and treats others with respect and love, its citizens cannot be deemed to be patriotic. Only when we refrain from placing “national interests� at the expense of fellowmen, can it then be said that Singapore has truly developed into a gracious society. Our nation will then be known for its generosity, unity and justice. For nationalism and globalisation are mutually related. We cannot speak of global harmony and cooperation in the political, social, economic,

’

cultural and religious arena unless these characteristics are ingrained and become part of our social fabric. Hence, charity truly begins at home. The key therefore to a gracious society and global/national harmony is encapsulated in the family unit. As Blessed Pope John Paul II wrote in his encyclical Familiaris Consortio – the family is the

-

Hence the family unit has to be safeguarded by upholding the institution of marriage and supported through various communities and groups that are present in the Church or at the national level. Christian families who contribute to nation-building through building God’s kingdom also contribute to the Church’s mission – The !

" # # $ # % & ' ( # Formators and educators also have an indispensable role in shaping the future of our country and on the next generation of leaders and citizens. We are called to form our children in character based on the teachings of the Gospel. „ Continued on Page 3

„ Page 8

Joining Muslims in breaking fast St Ignatius parishioners take part in meal at mosque „ Page 9

ASIA Tensions on Korean peninsula Archbishop wants industrial complex reopened „ Page 11

Pope to visit Asia? Philippines, Sri Lanka could be on his list „ Page 15

FAITH ALIVE! Why hospitality is vital in parishes „ Page 18

Feast of the Assumption Mass times „ Page 17

2 HOME

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

By Darren Boon Archbishop William Goh has announced the creation of two New Evangelisation (ONE) and a theological institute. The Singapore Pastoral Institute (SPI) will be “subsumed into of August, says Archbishop Goh in a letter to SPI. Fr Erbin Fernandez who is the Episcopal Vicar for the New Evangelisation will oversee ONE. Fr James Yeo has been appointed rector of the yet-to-be named theological institute. In his letter, Archbishop Goh says he envisages that “these two ! ! " # tive ways to claim back its relevance in the lives of our people and to stake its claim as prophetic witness to the

$ % $ “It is our hope that both these two new entities under my episcopate will drive and co-ordinate all the Church’s efforts in bringing back the lost, healing the wounded, rekindling the dry and empowering & The archbishop also thanked SPI staff for their “devotion, passion and in Singapore and encouraged them # $ to the two new entities with their experience, expertise and “excellent & ! Meanwhile, SPI has cancelled all planned classes for the rest of 2013 but existing courses will continue until their completion such as the Personal Compass course and Diploma for Adult Faith Formation, says SPI director Arthur Goh. SPI was established in 1978 under the direction of then Fr Nicholas Chia (now Archbishop Emeritus)

Fr Erbin Fernandez will head The

at the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary premises in Holland Road. It moved to Queen Street in 1990 and later merged with the Catechetical sion, and the Biblical Apostolate. The institute moved to the Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre (CAEC) on Highland Road in 2000. SPI conducts courses on the Bible and Church teachings, pastoral training programmes and catechetical workshops.

promote the new evangelisation. ONE will thus plan and coordinate such initiatives, align the work of the various lay organisations towards this vision as well as provide training, formation and direction. This would allow members of the Church to be agents of the new evangelisation through their witnessing, community life and proclaiming God’s word, says Fr Erbin. He added that ONE would also as well as identify and promote suitable ways to achieve the new evangelisation. Fr Erbin shared that ONE’s immediate task is to work with the various lay entities engaging in evangelisation to build a database of their charisms and activities. ONE will then study how these charisms can “be better coordinated to facilitate a more concerted effort in the work of the new evangelisa $ ! The long term goal is to achieve Blessed John Paul II’s dream for the Church to become “the home ing different charisms to tap on one

in September. The Catechetical, ' *" former SPI will come under ONE, which will be in CAEC. “ONE envisions a vibrant archdiocese consisting of a communion of evangelising communities actively engaged in bringing Christ to all aspects of Singapore life – including social, cultural, education % $ + 5 He noted that ONE is Archbishop Goh’s response to Pope Benedict XVI’s appeal for each diocese !

„ % $ &

! " !# ! $ %

HOME 3

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Theological institute

SPI director Arthur Goh will be the institute’s academic director. „ From Page 2

another’s strengths so as to build a more vibrant faith community of disciples. These disciples could then go on to spread the Good News in society. “I am excited about the potential strument of communion, a platform on which emerging lay charisms can have the opportunity to dialogue and work with each other for the good of the Church,� says Fr Erbin.

This new institute will be located at Waterloo Street and there are plans ogy and Diploma in Theology, says + 6 & early as January or February 2014. Fr Yeo says the institute aims to “form and deepen the laity in both dogmatic and moral theology based on Holy Scriptures and the teaching of the Catholic Church and prepare them for the new evangelisation amidst the pluralistic cultures and religions of the region�. The institute aspires “to be a premier institute of theology in the region, disseminating Catholic theology in faithfulness to the Magisterium�, Fr Yeo added. The institute will be open to locals and foreigners. Those working in formation work in parishes and schools are encouraged to attend the classes “to have a more solid theological foundation� as well as Catholics who want to study theology “as part of their personal growth�, says Fr Yeo. Those contemplating joining the seminary or Religious life would also be encouraged to study

Archbishop’s National Day message „ From Page 1 St Paul called on us to mould them so that they would be “clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience�. Our Catholic schools in particular, should go beyond the emphasis on academic achievement. From the Congregation of Catholic Education: The complexity of the modern world makes it all the more necessary to increase awareness of the ecclesial identity of the Catholic school. It is from its Catholic identity that the school derives its original characteristics and its “structure� as a genuine instrument of the Church, a place of real The Catholic school participates in the evangelising mission of the Church and is the privileged environment in which Christian education is carried out. In this way “Catholic schools are at once places of evangelisation, of complete formation, of inculturation, of apprenticeship in a lively dialogue between young people of different religions and social backgrounds�. So, today, as we celebrate the birthday of our nation, let us pray for all those who are in positions of $ % educators and especially our political leaders, that the Lord will grace them with wisdom and courage, not just to seek economic progress but to uphold and pass on moral

and spiritual values that will ensure the preservation of our society. The future of Singapore is not only determined by the government. As citizens, each of us has a stake in our country. Singapore is our home. We too need to make it a better place for ourselves and our loved ones. We can do so as living

$ by being law-abiding citizens who contribute to the economic and As members of the royal priesthood, our task is to help build a nation where the message of Christ in all its richness and its universal ap " what is this message if not the universal message of the Kingdom of God! Indeed, as Jesus reminds us, the key to everything else in our country is to set our hearts on His kingdom and all other things will be given to us as well. Truly, when we promote values that are universal, such as forgiveness, compassion and tolerance, then our society will grow to be more just and harmonious. We will thus be able to share from our abundance with other nations of the world. Majulah Singapura! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE!

Archbishop William Goh

for a Diploma of Theology at the institute as a form of preparation “for more intense theological studies�. mission requirements are yet to be % $ + 6 : ! % the curriculum will comprise both core subjects and electives. Fr Yeo estimates that students may need up to nine months to on a full time basis, and a year on a part time basis. The diploma programme would require a longer period of study. There are also plans to con < programmes in Mandarin. Fr Peter Zhang, CDD, who has been appointed the institute’s vice-rector, will assist Fr Yeo in this area.

Mr Arthur Goh from SPI has been appointed academic director at the institute.

SPI staff share their views = : % >*? administration manager, is among the staff who will move over to the new institute. She told CatholicNews she is happy “to be involved in the running of this institute� but sad that “the established brand name of SPI will be gone�. Nevertheless, the setting up of a theological institute “is an excellent move for the future of the Catholic Church in Singapore�, she said. “Singapore is an education

hub and it is good to be part of it.� She also senses that more Catholics want to deepen their relationship with God. Her colleague, Ms Daphne Leong, SPI’s pastoral coordinator and researcher, said that while she expected changes, it was nonetheless sad that SPI had to close during its 35th anniversary. Ms Leong will move to ONE. She will continue her work with neighbourhood Christian communities with additional responsibilities. SPI director Arthur Goh told CatholicNews that the changes “are necessary to streamline� the archdiocese in line with the archbishop’s plans and vision. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

4 HOME

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Singaporean ordained Dominican priest in Macau By Darren Boon It was during his time serving in a campus ministry that newly ordained Singaporean Dominican priest Fr Edmond Eh discovered his vocation. Fr Eh was ordained on June 29 in Catedral da SĂŠ (Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady) in Macau by Bishop Jose Lai. The 38-year-old priest told CatholicNews that the most important part of his vocation journey was when he served in the executive committee of the Catholic Students’ Society at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Those years were “formativeâ€?, he said, as he realised the importance of learning about the Catholic faith in order to nourish it and be able to share it with others. But it was only during a retreat that he “experienced a clear attraction to the priesthoodâ€?, Fr Eh recalled. The calling was important and “seemed realâ€? to him, therefore he decided he would try the Religious life and if did not work out, he would leave and get married. Therefore, he journeyed with the Lay Dominicans, which was introduced to him by a senior in university. As a philosophy student in

It was during a retreat when he was praying after the Sacrament of Reconciliation that he ‘experienced a clear attraction to the priesthood’, Fr Eh recalled.

Newly ordained Fr Edmond Eh (third from right) with his parents, sister and brother-in-law, Bishop Jose Lai and priests after his Ordination Mass. Photo: BR ANDREAS KIM, OP

NUS, he said he was impressed by St Thomas Aquinas. He wanted a spiritual life which included an “intellectual component�. The Dominican way of life through its four pillars – study, common prayer, community living and

ministry of the Word or preaching – provides for this, he said. $ + 5 countered was leaving his small family. But his parents were supportive. Living in a community with

other Dominican friars was also a challenge for Fr Eh, as different cultures expressed similar values differently, and he had to learn how to respect those. Currently back in Singapore on home leave, Fr Eh says it is

it is a rewarding experience to be “celebrating Masses and hear

back home. He feels humbled by the power God has vested in mortal men to celebrate the various sacraments. The priest, who is under the Dominicans’ Our Lady of the Rosary province, told CatholicNews that his provincial has allowed him to obtain a doctorate and take up a position at the University of St Joseph School for Christian Studies in Macau to teach philosophy to Dominican Brothers and Sisters undergoing formation. Fr Eh added that he is open to the possibility of teaching in the seminary in Singapore or work in the archdiocese in the future. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

CHANCERY NOTICE Appointments: 1. Msgr Ambrose Vaz as the Rector of St Francis Xavier Major Seminary 2. Fr James Yeo to head the new Theological Institute 3. Fr Peter Zhang, CDD, as ViceRector of the new Theological Institute assisting Fr James Yeo. 4. Fr Richards Ambrose to head Catholic News 5. Fr John Joseph Fenelon as Chair of the Liturgical Commission 6. Fr Augustine Joseph as spiritual director of the re-constituted Archdiocesan Tamil Commission 7. Fr Andrew Wong as spiritual director of the Catholic Spirituality Centre 8. Fr John Bosco assigned to the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary 9. Fr Gerard Weerakoon as parish priest of Church of St Francis Xavier 10.Fr Eugene Vaz to head the Biblical Apostolate and to reside at Archbishop’s House 11. Fr Timothy Yeo as Defender of the Bond in the Marriage Tribunal 12.Fr Terence Pereira (Judicial Vicar) to chair the National Committee of the Professional 13.Fr Augustine Tay as the priest in charge for the celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Latin Mass).

Arrangements have been made for the celebration of the Mass at St Joseph’s Church, Victoria Street at 3 pm on Sundays. The start of these provisions will be announced at a later date. 14.With immediate effect the following persons have been appointed as chaplains to the respective tertiary institutions: Fr Alex Chua – Singapore Institute of Management Catholic Society Deacon Jovita Ho – National University of Singapore 15.Br Jude David – to assist at the Catholic Archdiocesan Youth Fr John Paul Tan, OFM, will take over from Msgr Philip Heng, SJ, (Administration) the portfolio of Human Resource under the Chancery. The Constitutions for the Apostolate for the Tamil Speaking which was submitted by

the Commission has been approved by the Archbishop on 20 June 2013. The name of the new church that will be built in Ponggol will be called the Church of the ' . Fr John-Paul Tan OFM, JCL Chancellor, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore chancellor@catholic.org.sg July 22, 2013

HOME 5

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Patricians gather to mark alma mater’s 80th anniversary

St Ignatius parish holds FAQ session to mark Bible Sunday

Mr Sundaresh Menon (left) and Msgr Ambrose Vaz answer questions on the Bible. Photos: DOROTHY and PETER KAY

Guest-of-honour Dr Tony Tan and St Patrick’s School principal Adolphus Tan blow the candles on the anniversary cake as La Salle Br Edmundo Fernandez (in white), Brother Visitor of the Lasallian East Asia District, and Br + $ / 4 5 6 % 8 ; < 4 Photo: ST PATRICK’S SCHOOL

Ninety-two-year-old Choo Chwee Leong remembers his formative years in St Patrick’s School with fondness. “I was chief librarian,� he recalled with a smile. = batch of boys when the school, located on East Coast Road and founded by the La Salle Brothers, opened its doors in 1933. The school was “good for discipline�, he shared, adding that he remembered a Brother walking around the premises with a cane. Mr Choo was among some 600 alumni, former principals and teachers who attended the secondary school’s 80th anniversary dinner celebration on July 19. The dinner, which was also to raise funds for an indoor sports hall, was held at the Marina Mandarin. President Tony Tan, an old boy of the school, and Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia were among the special guests that evening. In his welcome address, principal Adolphus Tan said the school has continued to receive honours such as the Academic ValueAdded Awards, and Development Awards for Character Development and National Education. He noted that the Education Ministry will support the building of the sports hall, expected to be ready by 2015, but the school $ ! percent of the building cost. Former principals of the school then took to the stage, together with Dr Tan and Br Edmundo Fernandez, Brother Visitor of the Lasallian East

Alumnus Bryan De Rozario, 17, poses for a photo with Mr Choo Chwee Leong, 92, from the * cohort.

Canossian Srs Dorothy Lim (left) and Geraldine Lim were students when the school held co-ed preuniversity classes.

Asia District, to sing the school rally and cut the 80th anniversary cake. A video of the school’s history and an auction then followed. Among the prominent alumni that evening were veteran DJ Brian Richmond who was MC for the event, Singapore’s ambassador to the Holy See and Spain Barry Desker, Fr Adrian Yeo and Carmelite Fr Bernard Wee. Two Canossian nuns, Srs Dorothy Lim and Geraldine Lim (not

related), who attended co-ed preuniversity classes at the school in the 1970s, were also present. Bryan De Rozario, 17, one of the youngest alumni that evening, told CatholicNews that he is grateful to his alma mater for giving him a positive attitude towards life. His experience as a member of the school’s military band has “given him an eagerness to do the best that he can in any circumstance�, he explained. „

St Ignatius parishioners who took part in a Bible forum on Bible Sunday said they learnt much from it. “It was an enriching experience,� said Ms Elaine Beh. The forum speakers had “a deep understanding of the Bible and our Catholic faith� and yet were able to respond to the questions “clearly and in a way that was easily understandable�, she said. Fellow parishioner Michelle Loh concurred, saying that it was a “great idea to have a Bible FAQ Forum�. She added that the speakers – Msgr Ambrose Vaz and parishioner Sundaresh Menon – “shared freely and ably� about what they knew. Ms Beh and Ms Loh were among 100 parishioners who took part in the July 14 forum which aimed to address questions on the Bible. The parish’s Bible Apostolate Team organised the event. Mr Menon said that parishioners submitted more than 50 questions for the forum which he and = ^ _

ries such as biblical content and structure, doctrinal and theological aspects, and application of the Bible to daily living. Mr Menon gave an overview of the Bible and how it presented Salvation History in the Old Testament. He explained how the Bible evolved and the differences between the Catholic and

Protestant Bibles. Msgr Vaz then addressed several doctrinal and theological questions including one on the traditions of the Church and how they came about. He explained that much of Christ’s teachings was spoken – Jesus did not pen His words. Msgr Vaz said it was Jesus’ disciples who spread the Good News by word-of-mouth. The oral teachings and practices of the early Church form the Church traditions of today. In his response to another question, Msgr Vaz said that although the Bible’s message is unchanging, applying biblical truths to people’s lives would vary according to individual circumstances. Meanwhile, primary school students attending catechism classes that weekend learnt about particular biblical periods through stories in the Bible. The children portrayed these stories through art pieces which were then displayed on a wall. Other activities included a Bible quiz on Salvation History in which the children had to spin a wheel to answer a question. They also learnt how to look for the answers from the Bible. In addition, they were invited to think of how they can be a good Samaritan to those in need. „ Compiled by: VIVIEN WOON, MARY TAN and MAG TAN

Primary-level catechism kids create art pieces on the Bible.

6

HOME

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

ADVERTISEMENT

Catholic MP talks about his faith and family values By Benedict Tang He was assigned to a major case in his early years in legal practice that involved promoting the movie The Da Vinci Code. But Catholic MP Christopher De Souza felt uncomfortable about taking it on as he felt the movie misportrayed his faith. Although he felt nervous about it, he decided to ask the senior law partner to allow him to withdraw from the case. Not only was he permitted to do so, he was respected for standing up for his faith and was put on major cases from then on. “Trust in the Lord and He will see you through,� said the 37-year-old litigation lawyer.

Mr Christopher De Souza speaking at a talk organised by the Catholic Business Network.

Mr De Souza, a Church of St Ignatius parishioner, was speaking at a talk for business professionals organised by the Catholic Business Network (CBN). The event, part of the My Journey Series in which Catholic business-leaders share how their faith has shaped their workplace practices, was held at the Church of Sts Peter and Paul on July 18. Mr De Souza, who has also taken on criminal cases, recalled one in which he helped a foreign construction worker accused of taking part in a riot.

The worker was later acquitted after it was discovered that he &

It is in such situations that Mr De Souza felt he really helped people as a lawyer, he shared. ` => ner means his schedule is packed. Nevertheless, he said he makes the effort to spend time with his family. For example, he would spend time with his two daughters in the morning before going to work. His elder daughter would tell him what she was going to do for the rest of the day, and he would then carry his younger daughter to watch the rubbish truck go past the house as she enjoys seeing it. Mr De Souza also shared his thoughts on his role as MP when asked by a member of the audience during the question-and-answer session. When making important decisions, he would ask himself, #: $ neighbour?� Members of the audience CatholicNews spoke to said they enjoyed the talk. Ms Beatrice Benturi said Mr De Souza showed how it was possible “to soar to the top echelons of business� and still “keep the faith and make a difference to the community�. Mr De Souza also told CatholicNews that he and his wife, Sharon, are involved in outreach programmes in their personal capacities. These include reducing the exploitation of women and children especially in the vice trade in Thailand. They also seek to provide educational opportunities to needy children and work with the Jesuit missions in Timor Leste in this regard. „

HOME 7

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Catholic music school offers songwriting course By Darren Boon Mr Dickson Cheng initially took up music lessons so that he could play for his church, then decided to learn to write some worship songs instead. “I never thought I could write a song. But now I’ve written my | *} ! more songs for me to write,� he said. This was with the help of Faith Music Centre, a Catholic mu a Christian song writing course since May. Started in mid-2008 in Blessed Sacrament Church, the centre has grown to have six centres across Singapore. Other music schools may train songwriters for commercial or % + = sic Centre started this songwriting course for Christians to create songs to praise God, the centre’s founder and deputy CEO Alvin Yeo told CatholicNews. The school has had two intakes for this course at its Queenstown premises, and a third intake is scheduled for mid-August at ? > $ ~ € ! It is not a requirement for stu ! &

“The school offers various music courses or improvisation classes for the learners,â€? said Mr Yeo. : ! % * & a personal laptop is required. Another student, Mr Lee Yijin, said he attended the course “to learn somethingâ€? and that if he had the chance to write Christian songs in future, he would do so. The centre’s trainers are Christians, and are professional composers, songwriters or music & Mr Desmond Moey, one of the trainers, who had written songs for previous National Day parades and musicals, told CatholicNews that it is important that the songs # & He said that Christian songs can fall into three types – the traditional hymns comprising just verses, praise and worship songs with a slightly pop feel and easy to understand lyrics, and contemporary Christian music where the lyrics may not explicitly mention  %

Mr Moey added that the range &en into consideration to allow # $ everyone to sing along to during congregational worship or for a professional singer to perform.

Students work on their songs on their laptops under the guidance of their instructor Desmond Moey (far left).

Just as food for the family is ‘made with love’, ‘likewise, it’s a Christian song if it’s made with love for our God.’ – Mr Alvin Yeo, founder and deputy CEO

Mr Yeo likens Christian songs to home-cooked food. Just as food for the family is “made with love�, “likewise, it’s a Christian song if it’s made with love for our God�. Meanwhile, the school en-

courages the songwriting students to showcase their lyrics through the school’s numerous music performances. For information on the song-

writing course, contact the programme manager Melissa Tan at 9183 3191 or 6472 8106. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

8 HOME

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Joy over Yeo’s Vatican appointment By Darren Boon Catholics in Singapore are overjoyed at former cabinet minister George Yeo’s appointment in a newly-formed Vatican commission. Pope Francis had written a special document, called a chirograph, on July 18 to establish the >

' ence on the Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See This comes after a study of organisational and economic problems plaguing the Holy See and recommendations made to continue the work of introducing reforms in its institutions. The Singapore Catholic Community “can look with pride on Mr

Yeo’s appointmentâ€?, said Archbishop William Goh, adding that Mr Yeo’s knowledge and experience would be useful to the commission. The archbishop said the com $ # ! $ that Mr Yeo, a Church of the Holy Family parishioner, “will make invaluable contributions to the Church ‌ and do us proudâ€?. Archbishop Goh also noted that Mr Yeo, 58, “is a man of devout faith and has been very supportive of the Church, rendering services generously and in a quiet, unassuming wayâ€?. He pledged the archdiocese’s support to Mr Yeo to “facilitate his carrying out his responsibilities for the Vaticanâ€?. When contacted by CatholicNews about his appointment, Mr Yeo said it was “too early to commentâ€?. He added that his appointment is a “heavy responsibilityâ€? and “we should all pray for the commission’s successâ€?. Mr Yeo is the only Asian appointed to this commission which includes others from France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Malta who are “experts % % organisation mattersâ€?, according to the Vatican Information Service.

‘He is a man of devout faith and has been very supportive of the Church.’

– Archbishop Goh on Mr Yeo’s appointment

Mr Yeo, a Catholic, was appointed to a special Vatican commission.

Fr Patrick Goh, parish priest of Church of the Holy Family, told CatholicNews that Mr Yeo “is an unassuming parishioner� who is very much “at home� in the parish. The St Joseph’s Institution Old Boys’ Association congratulated Mr Yeo, a Josephian (class of 1970), “on his appointment by Pope Francis�. Messages from Catholics have also poured in on social media including Mr Yeo’s Facebook page and the Catholics in Singapore page. Ms Angie Wu wrote, “Wonderful, he can now use his gifts and experience to serve God and the Church more fully!�

Mr Patrick Lim said, “What an honour to be in the commission. An honour for our archdiocese and Singapore. It may be a heavy responsibility but it is a testimony of your ability ... I am sure a lot of us will be praying for you.� Mr Yeo has also studied in St Stephen’s School and University of Cambridge, and holds a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He was also a President’s Scholar and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Scholar. „ darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

„ See letter on page 16

HOME 9

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Catholics join Muslims in breaking fast at mosque

Members of various communities, including Christians, taking part in Iftar (breaking of fast) at the Al-Huda Mosque.

By Gerald Kong Twenty Catholics from the Church of St Ignatius, led by Msgr Philip Heng, joined Muslims in their Iftar (breaking of fast) at the AlHuda Mosque on July 28. This is the fourth time the parish has supported the annual Iftar which began in 2010. The organisers are the Ulu Pandan Inter-Racial and Religious ‚*' „ Al-Huda Mosque Management Board. A total of about 50 people took part in the event, held at Jalan Haji Alias, which aimed to promote cordial relations among the various communities regardless of race or religion. Participants also included members of the International Baptist Church, Lutheran Church

of Our Redeemer, Farrer-Holland Neighbourhood Committee, Ulu Pandan Community Club as well as residents from the vicinity. Mr Haji Azman bin Kassim, chairman of the mosque and IRCC, stated in his opening address that racial and religious harmony must not be taken for granted. He reminded all present that Singaporeans need to know their neighbours, culture and heritage, to “know the differences but also celebrate what we have in common�. Guest-of-honour Christopher De Souza, MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and adviser to Ulu Pandan IRCC/GROs (grassroots organisations), said teasingly that the Iftar is “not just that we eat the best briyani in Singapore but that we enjoy the friendship that a meal symbolises�.

Ustaz Haron Hasan Akhtar, who spoke on “Ramadan the Month of Courtesy�, explained that fasting is nothing if it does not transform a person to be a better person. According to Prophet Muhammad, the best person is the one who + what “makes us empathetic to those who do not have enough to eat�. “When we do not share what we have, it would be taken away from us,� he said. Participants later proceeded to remove their footwear, performed a symbolic ablution of washing their hands and joined in the fast breaking along a long hallway of the mosque. There they dined on dates, briyani, curry chicken, mutton rendang and Malay desserts and chatted away in an atmosphere of harmony and solidarity. „

Parishioners of the Church of St Ignatius pose for a photo with Mr Haji Azman bin Kassim, Msgr Philip Heng and MP Christopher De Souza.

Archbishop Goh’s ‘Id al-Fitr message Dear Muslim friends, I rejoice with you as you celebrate ‘Id al-Fitr which concludes the month of Ramadan. May manifold blessings be granted upon you as you deepen obedience to God through fasting, dedication to prayer with the Qur’an and the practice of charity to those in need; these timehonoured means are also held dear in our Catholic tradition in order to grow in authentic love of neighbour and holiness of life. In a world that is wrapped in the pursuit of immediate self % disregard for society, it is all the more urgent that we unite to defend and preserve the universal values of truth, justice and charity through witnessing in communities. Over the years, both the Catholic and Muslim communities here have enjoyed cordial relations, and strong bonds of friendship have been forged between our leaders. This is something we must continue to build

on and work at preserving. It is thus encouraging to note that some of our young leaders have recently taken time out from their busy lives to go on an interfaith learning trip to China under the auspices of the Inter-Religious Organisation to promote better understanding and appreciation of each other’s faith, with hope for continued collaboration. There is much that we can do to encourage and guide our youths to fast from self-centredness and to feast on interreligious dialogue at different levels in order to foster greater peace, harmony and active cooperation in Singapore. May our common endeavours bear fruits in abundance. On behalf of the Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Singapore, I would like to wish all our Muslim brethren a ! $ $ : ' $ "

Archbishop William Goh

10 HOME

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Groundbreaking for new Assisi Hospice

Groundbreaking ceremony on July 29. From left: Assisi Hospice Board chairman Ronny Tan, hospice patron Madam Ho Ching, Archbishop William Goh, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and Sr Barbara Pereira, FMDM.

By Clara Lai By May 2016, the new Assisi Hospice, with vastly expanded facilities, will be able to serve more than double its present number of inpatients. The new hospice, which will be situated adjacent to the current building in Thomson, will have 85 beds, more than double the 37 it currently has, as well as cater to more day centre patients. The number of home care teams will also be increased.

In addition, the hospice will have a 16-bedded ward with unique dementia-friendly equipment and gadgets to address the needs of these patients. A ground-breaking ceremony for the new six-storey building was held on July 29. Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong and Archbishop William  $† together with Madam Ho Ching, > "

: † Barbara Pereira, Regional Leader of the Franciscan Missionaries of

< ! = ‚+=<=„† and Mr Ronny Tan, chairman of the Assisi Hospice Board. The hospice was established $ +=<= ‡ˆ‰ˆ & emony, Mr Gan said that the dementia-friendly ward, as well as a paediatric palliative care ward the hospice will set up, will be the & He added that there will be # ‡Š%ŠŠŠ

in need of end-of-life care� by 2020, therefore the new building is “a timely project to support the needs of the community, not only with increased capacity for more patients, but also in catering to the special needs of paediatric and patients with life-limiting illnesses and concomitant dementia�. " ` % 2012 alone, Assisi Hospice served 1,080 people in its three main areas of inpatient, home and day care.

Artist’s impression of the new six-storey building.

The new building will be a ‘purpose-built healing environment for patients and families’, says the CEO of Assisi Hospice. Hospice CEO Assoc Prof Premarani Kannusamy said the new building will be a “purpose-built healing environment for patients and families� that “supports care giving and care givers�. ‹ the dementia-friendly palliative care ward will have a closed loop leading to and from the ward through a bridge and sensory garden. This is to prevent patients from wandering out of the ward, she said. The event also saw Archbishop Goh blessing the new hospice’s cornerstone. A celebration held in conjunc ‹ ? < $% " ‡% lowed. “It is not easy [to be a nurse],� Archbishop Goh told the hos-

pice’s nurses present. “I identify because I am a priest‌I reach out to patients as well, people who need physical healing, emotional healing and spiritual healing. [But] when I reach out to them, I grow, I am enriched,â€? he said. #‹ ! % vocation to love.â€? The family of the late Madam Kamala Krishnan, a former Mount " ! : and Assisi patient, then presented three of her paintings to Mr Gan, Archbishop Goh and Madam Ho Ching as tokens of appreciation. Madam Krishnan was an avid painter. „ clara.lai@catholic.org.sg

ASIA 11

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Seoul archbishop wants Kaesong to be reopened SEOUL – The reopening of the

inter-Korean industrial complex in Kaesong “is not only an economic necessity, but it is also a symbol of reconciliation and uni ! dialogue and with great effort,� said Archbishop Andrew Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul. He was speaking during a Mass celebrated at the Archbishop’s Residence on July 21 in the presence of business leaders and workers from the complex that “unites� Seoul and Pyongyang. The Kaesong industrial complex is located in North Korean territory right across the border, but is home to factories owned by South Koreans who employ workers from the North. It is the only example of direct cooperation between the two nations, which began in 2002 after major diplomatic efforts. In April, after months of tensions, the Pyongyang regime closed it unilaterally. The Mass was celebrated to pray for its reopening. Msgr Choi Chang-hwa, director of the Commission for the Reconciliation of the Korean people, and his deputy, Fr Cheong Sae-duk, concelebrated the service. “The closure of the complex has caused a lot of damage. Nev-

ertheless, I want to emphasise that we should not lose hope and must continue to pray for peace between North and South,� Archbishop Yeom said in his homily. The fact that inter-Korean talks appear unlikely to produce results “is cause for deep concern. Reopening is not only needed for economic reasons; it would be a symbol of reconciliation ! through dialogue and efforts by both parties�, he said. Among the worshippers, about 50 are members of the Rosario, a community of Catholics working in Kaesong. The group, founded in 2008, has met informally over the years to pray the Angelus together in factory cafeterias. Since the closure of Kaesong, the members have met in Seoul to attend Mass together.

Kaesong industrial complex, located between the two Koreas, was closed amidst heightened tensions between the two neighbours.

“Rosario members have interacted directly with workers in the North,� said Fr Cheong. “The members,� he noted, “believe and treat the North Korean people like their own brothers. We earnestly hope that Kaeseong Industrial Region will re-open so that we can work with our brothers again.� „ ASIANEWS

the complex] is not only ‘[Reopening an economic necessity, but it is also a symbol of reconciliation dialogue and with great effort.

’

– Archbishop Andrew Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul

M’sia diocese aids Sichuan By Vincent D’Silva JOHOR BAHRU – The Melaka-

Johor diocese has donated funds to aid quake victims in Sichuan, China. Some 200 people died and 13,484 were wounded, while thousands more left homeless when a powerful earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hit China’s Sichuan province in April this year. The April quake occurred just ! $ quake rocked the Sichuan province, which caused the deaths of almost 70,000 people. In the meantime, churches in the Diocese of Melaka-Johor are praying for those who have died and the thousands who are injured and homeless. “We mourned with them then, and we wish to share a little with them now,� said Bishop Paul Tan. “Natural disaster has become more frequent,� he said, “not only in Malaysia but also in other parts of this world.� Therefore, he added that this special call is to remind people of their obligation as Christians to help those in need.

The diocese, through its Relief Fund, donated RM101,500 (S$39,900) to the bishop of Yan’an diocese. Fr Francis Kou, the Diocesan Financial Administrator of Melaka-Johor, was tasked by Bishop Tan to personally deliver the cheque to Bishop Lei Shi Yin of Yan’an diocese. While in China, Fr Kou pre-

We mourned with ‘them then, and we wish to share a little with them now.

’

– Bishop Paul Tan

sented the cheque to Bishop Lei in the presence of a number of priests, religious and laity on June 18. Fr Kou also took time to visit the damaged churches, chapels, homes, as well as a health centre managed by the Church to take care of the earthquake victims, the sick and the poor. “It was heart wrenching to see children without parents, fami-

lies torn apart [as] many lost their loved ones, people living on the streets without shelter and also many without a proper meal,� he said. “In some places where the churches were completely damaged, priests may have to celebrate Mass or pray in the open space for the time being,� he added. “When it comes to human suffering and charity, the Catholic faith does not distinguish between race, religion or status. As Christians we must respond whenever people in the world are suffering or in anguish for their lives and livelihood.� He said that as soon as the tragedy struck, the Catholics in Melaka-Johor mobilised collections from its 40-odd parishes and communities throughout both states for this relief fund. Fr Kou noted that this small contribution is only a drop in the ocean of need, adding that “a token of care and concern is much appreciated by the people�. Pope Francis has also called on Catholics and the international community worldwide to show solidarity for the earthquake victims. „

12 WORLD YOUTH DAY

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

‘Be creative. Be audac i

Pope Francis reaches out to slum dwellers, offenders and m

Three million people pack Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro for the World Youth Day closing Mass.

Pilgrims kneel in prayer during the closing Mass.

RIO DE JANEIRO – Pope Francis

" ^

& % š % ' " % — $ & $ $ $

$ ? — $ ‡” $ !

š š 6 < $ &

›

# $ $ ! œ $ $ ! œ

& & ! $

6 < $ ‚ 6<„ ! $ ` _ ! ^ ` ‹ ~ $ " “ $ ”•% 6< = $? % % ! $ % %

– ! * $% & $ — % #" $ & $  $ $ † : !

$ > + % $ % $ ! $ #

% & # $%

% % $

$ $

% $ % Â

#~ $ $ $ & ! $ % #6 $% # $

† ! % $ ! ˜ ! % $ $%

! & ˜

' “ %

" : + "

% $ # % & $

? ! :

$ ! #

% !

$ # % # % &

$ ! & % $ – ™6 % $ ? ^ $? favelas, š $% #

! # $

— ? — ›

! ` _ : & $?

% $ ! &

% ”Š%ŠŠŠ * & $ ˜ ! ` _ % $ # !

! $ — #

$ & : — #$ ~ % $ ˜ $ ! % #

— $ % % = € % ”‡%  %

6<% % $ # ˜ š #* ! $ ! * ? % * $%

$ # $ &

! #> ! $ $ $ $ _ &% #> ! $ & &% $ — $ — $ $ $ — $ $ #> % % #$ $ $ #$ ! “ $ ”‰ ' “ ? $

$ % ! % $

> + $ ! $ ?

% $

:

% % “ : # $ ! % !  % ˜

 " 6< ! “ $ ”Â? „ Continued on Page 13

Pope Francis blesses a boy in the Varginha slum in Rio de Janeiro.

WORLD YOUTH DAY 13

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

c ious. Do not be afraid’ millions of young people in Rio de Janeiro at World Youth Day

An umbrella is held for Pope Francis as he addresses pilgrims.

„ From Page 12

The evening’s programme began with short speeches from young people: a former drug user from Rio, a priest, a man in a wheelchair who had been shot in a robbery, and a female youth minister. The pope recalled the story of St Francis of Assisi, who heard the Lord tell him to rebuild his house. He told the young people the Church needs every one of them to build it up and share the Gospel with the world. Commenting on demonstrations in Brazil, he said it is right for young people to want to be “protagonists of change� on behalf of a more just world, but they need to “offer a Christian response� to political and social concerns. 6< =

“ $ 28 saw the pope inviting a couple and their baby girl, who has anencephaly (missing part of her brain), to come forward during the offertory. Pope Francis met the

family on July 27 as he was leaving Rio’s St Sebastian Cathedral and invited them to participate in the Mass. Under Brazil’s abortion laws, the couple would have been able to abort the child, but chose not to. With the father carrying the baby, the parents walked up to the pope wearing shirts with a Portuguese message on the back: “Stop abortion.� In his homily, Pope Francis told the young people that evangelising requires a personal witness of love for God and love for others, especially the weak, the poor and the defenceless. And the Church does not leave any of its members, or even small groups, to go it alone, he said. “Jesus did not say: ‘One of you go,’ but ‘All of you go.’ We are sent together.� “Be creative. Be audacious,� he said. “Do not be afraid.� Shortly after Mass, the pope announced that Krakow, Poland, will be the site of the next World Youth Day, in 2016. „ CNS

people are a powerful engine ‘Young for the Church and for society. They do not need material things alone; also and above all, they need to have held up to them those non-material values which are the spiritual heart of a people.’

The pope chats with a group of juvenile offenders.

Pope’s blunt words to Brazil’s bishops RIO DE JANEIRO – With the

young pilgrims of World Youth Day, Pope Francis was encouraging and challenging; with bishops, priests and Religious who blunt. “It is not pastoral creativity or meetings or planning that ensure our fruitfulness, but our being faithful to Jesus,� the pope told an estimated 1,000 bishops along with thousands of priests, seminarians and religious who accompanied pilgrims to Rio or were involved in the programme. Pope Francis celebrated Mass with the ministers on July 27 in Rio’s St Sebastian Cathedral, repeating one of the key ideas of his papacy: “We cannot keep ourselves shut up in parishes, in our communities, when so many people are waiting for the Gospel.� “It is not enough simply to open the door in welcome,� he said, “but we must go out through the door to seek and meet the people.� The pope also stressed the importance of giving the young the education, formation and support they need to respond to the Gospel. “Let us help our young people to discover the courage and joy of faith, the joy of being loved personally by God,� Pope Francis said. “When the young understand they are personally loved by God, they can keep going.�

Pope greets bishops. ‘Go out and meet the people,’ he told them.

At another meeting with 300 active and retired Brazilian cardinals and bishops the same day, the pope acknowledged the Catholic Church’s heavy loss of members in Brazil over recent decades. He told the bishops they must learn to understand and sympathise with the reasons for people’s disaffection and speak to them in a simpler language of beauty, mystery and love. Although Brazil has more Catholics than any other country, the Church’s share of the country’s population declined from 92 percent in 1970 to 65 percent in 2010, according to a recent study. Pope Francis laid much blame on Catholic leaders, who, he said, had lost power to communicate. “At times we lose people because they don’t understand what we are saying, because we have

forgotten the language of simplicity and import an intellectualism foreign to our people,� he said. “For ordinary people the mystery enters through the heart.� At a July 28 meeting with the coordinating committee of the Latin American bishops’ conference (CELAM), the pope spoke forcefully on the role of bishops. He instructed them to lead without being authoritarian, to adopt “simplicity and austerity of life� and to care for their dioceses without ambitions for more prominent appointments. He also noted that some common distortions of the faith include turning it into psychological therapy or esoteric spirituality, or emphasising “outdated manners and forms which, even on a cultural level, are no longer meaningful�. Another danger is clericalism, or making the ordained ministry of bishops, priests and deacons the standard and model for the mission of lay Catholics, the pope said. He added that this explained the continuing “lack of maturity and Christian freedom in a good part of the Latin American laity�. Remedies include increased “opportunities for laypeople to participate in pastoral consultation, organisation and planning�, and an appreciation of traditions of popular piety, he said. „ CNS

14 WORLD YOUTH DAY

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

ANALYSIS Brazil’s leaders urged to embrace Pontiff’s simple, dialogue, ‘social humility’

artless actions resonate powerfully

RIO DE JANEIRO – Speaking to

political, economic and cultural leaders in Brazil, a country recently shaken by anti-government % > + # dialogue is the only way to promote social peace. The pope made his remarks on July 27 in Rio’s Municipal Theatre to an audience representing what the ^ ? #

` _ “When leaders in various & ! % $ sponse is always the same: dialogue, dialogue, dialogue,� he said. “Today, either we stake all % counter, or we all lose.� The pope did not explicitly re

in Brazilian cities aimed at a range ! % ! %

tory public education and health

! % transportation and police brutality. But he pointed to dialogue as $ # ! “A country grows when constructive dialogue occurs between its many rich cultural components: popular culture, university culture, youth culture, artistic and technological culture, economic % $ culture,� he said. He also called on his listeners #

$ ` _ $% # % $

By Francis X Rocca

Pilgrims wait for Pope Francis to arrive at the Municipal Theatre where he addressed Brazilian leaders.

# ! $

! % ing poverty,� he said. ‹ Christianity to the country’s cultural heritage, the pope said the # ! # to Brazilian identity and capable “Christianity combines transcendence and incarnation,� he said. “It brings ever new vitality %

ment which creep into hearts and spread in the streets.� Yet the pope endorsed the sepa % cally a volatile topic in Latin Amer-

ica, where the Catholic Church long held a privileged legal position in many countries, but where it has more recently clashed with governments over issues including abortion and same-sex marriage. The pope said such separation ! # š

state, “without appropriating any

% $ š

The pope was earlier greeted on stage by Mr Walmyr Junior, 28, a lay minister in Rio de Janeiro archdiocese. He recounted his upbring $? notorious favelas, or slums, his drug abuse, and his recovery with % $? > Â&#x; ! $ „ CNS

Pope on women in Church, divorce and gay people Pope Francis responded to several questions about Church teaching and ministry on July 28 when he Rio de Janeiro to Rome.

$ olic Church ordaining women priests, Pope Francis said, “The Church has spoken and said, ™ %? Blessed John Paul II declared that # ! Blessed John Paul said that because Jesus chose only men as his disciples, the Church was not able to ordain women. However, Pope Francis said, the in developing a real theology that š

in the Church and how it would be

! up to its role as mother and bride “It is not enough to have altar girls, women readers or women % said. “Women in the Church are more important than bishops and priests� just like “Mary is more important than the apostles�. Asked about any possibility

that the Catholic Church would begin to allow Catholics who have been divorced and remarried only civilly to receive the sacraments, Pope Francis said he wanted to make it clear that divorced Catholics can receive the sacraments. The problems begin when they marry a second time without hav

He said the annulment process

One must not ‘ marginalise these [gay] persons, they must be integrated into society.

’

lined, but even more importantly the Catholic Church needs to get serious about developing a comprehensive pastoral programme $%

‡˜ž

eight cardinals he named to advise ' Curia and other important matters.

The late Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, his predecessor as " ` " % $ Catholic marriages in the world could be annulled because people marry “without maturity, without ? cially necessary�, the pope said. "

$ lobby, Pope Francis said it was important to “distinguish between a person who is gay and someone who makes a gay lobbyâ€?. “A gay lobby isn’t good,â€? he said. “A gay person who is seeking  % % who am I to judge him?â€? the pope said. # lic Church explains this very well. It says one must not marginalise these persons, they must be integrated into society. The problem isn’t this [homosexual] orienta & sisters. The problem is something else, the problem is lobbying either lobby or a Masonic lobby.â€? „ CNS

* `

“ > ** ? $ gesture and Pope Benedict XVI tively through his learned and lucid writing, Pope Francis showed tor is the simple, seemingly artless $ in context. During his visit to Brazil, Pope Francis said little that he had not already said more than once ˜$ : cial justice, a more humble and empathetic Church leadership and a more active and engaged laity. But given the historic nature ~ American pope returning to his

! ! known that everything he said and did here would take on special

% š

! $ ! ' % photographed carrying his own %

$– & $ & ! Pope Francis’ entrance into the $ ' !

dan was an exhortation to simplic $ $ $ & % consistent with his previous complaints about spending on luxuries in a world where children starve. It was during that ride that Pope Francis used his already $ salvage what could have been a dispiriting mishap. The swarm $

the driver’s decision to enter ˜ % motorcade promptly got stuck, $ $ chaos. Instead, the incident became $ his almost magical rapport with crowds, when he was seen opening his window and greeting the ! $

$ $ pushing away. * > + ? ! to a Rio favela & % tears in his eyes behind the altar ? surely leave more lasting impressions than anything he said there. Similarly, his speech to what the Vatican called the “ruling

` _ dialogue and “social humility� in a country shaken by massive anti !

% $

› ! favela dignitaries. Pope Francis said nothing during the trip about moves to liberalise Brazil’s abortion laws because, as he told reporters on his plane back to Rome, “young $ ? ! But he symbolically espoused =

World Youth Day, when he welcomed a married couple and their $ $ brain; they had chosen not to abort even though current Brazilian law would have permitted them to do so.

Pope Francis embraces a boy as he arrives at a park to hear confessions.

Images of Pope Francis’ visit to a Rio slum will surely leave more lasting impressions than anything he said there.

?

$ % & ! $ he carried it out. Known during $ ing interviews, he proved with a no-holds-barred exchange that, though he may usually be too $ — % $ Having already charmed them ' $ ing each one personally, he then spent 80 minutes gamely answer ›

! $ ! $ š In that way, the 76-year-old pope % dealing with the press, he is well prepared to stay ahead. „ CNS

WORLD 15

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Syria’s war creates havoc, ‘priest’s whereabouts unknown’ CNS photo

VATICAN CITY – The war in Syr-

ia is like a factory churning out nothing but death, destruction and suffering, said Archbishop Mario Zenari, Vatican nuncio to Syria. Even though the Vatican was on July 30 that a Jesuit priest had been kidnapped in Syria, the nuncio said hundreds of innocent ! ducted for political leverage or economic extortion. He said that kidnappings in Syria represent “a very, very painful wound that deeply harms the nation and the Syrian people�. Italian Jesuit Fr Paolo Dall’Oglio, 59, who had spent more than 30 years promoting Muslim-Christian dialogue in Syria, was reportedly missing. News reports said acquaintances had been unable to reach him by phone, and Reuters reported that militants with links to al-Qaeda kidnapped the priest on July 29 while he was walking in the northern Syrian city of alRaqqah. Archbishop Zenari said in an interview with Vatican Radio on July 30 that sometimes the priest would inform him of his whereabouts, but this time he had heard nothing. “First of all, I’d want to know if he really was in Syria the last few days, and then I would wait to have information that was more ! % The Jesuit province in Italy told the Vatican press hall it was + Dall’Oglio had been kidnapped. “It’s too soon to say,� Fr Ciro Benedettini, vice director of the press hall, told journalists on July

Residents rummage through the damage and debris left of their homes.

30. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was looking into the matter, he added. Fr Dall’Oglio was well-known and very well-respected in Syria, even though he may have held “positions that not everyone shared�, Archbishop Zenari said. The priest reportedly supported the rebel insurrection against President Bashar Assad. The priest was expelled by Syrian authorities last year for reportedly helping people injured by government crackdowns.

Kidnappings in Syria represent ‘a very, very painful wound that deeply harms the nation and the Syrian people’ – Archbishop Mario Zenari, Vatican nuncio to Syria

Twenty years ago, Fr Dall’Oglio turned a dilapidated sixth-century monastery in the desert of western Syria into a centre for Muslim-Christian interfaith dialogue; it was staffed by Catholic and Orthodox nuns and priests. “He is truly a man of virtue, a Jesuit of great talent and a person who loves Syria,â€? Archbishop Zenari said. The archbishop said the lat Â&#x;‹ ˜ year civil war creates some 5,000 victims a month, and about 6,000 $ ! $ day. Those unable to leave face skyrocketing prices, unemployment and continued suffering, he said. % # death and destruction, has truly become a manufacturing plant of countless miseriesâ€?, he said. He urged the world’s nations to help end “this infernal cycleâ€? of violence, kidnappings and casualties. „ CNS

Having pope in Asia will be great joy: Sri Lankan priest COLOMBO – -

nal, but it is certainly a “great joy� to know that Pope Francis wants his next foreign trip to be to Asia. This is according to Fr Benedict Joseph, director of the Social Communications Centre of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka, who spoke to AsiaNews about statements the pope made on July ”ˆ back to Rome from Rio de Janeiro. On the plane, Pope Francis mentioned “invitations from the Philippines and Sri Lanka�, and that he thinks “a trip to Asia can be done, especially because it’s a continent Benedict XVI did not get to, though he wanted to�. Considering a visit to the former Ceylon, Fr Joseph also mentioned the Pope Emeritus. #< % ` edict XVI had expressed a desire to set up an International Studies programme [in Sri Lanka] for theology students and wanted to be present at the opening ceremony,�

said Fr Joseph. “Construction of building is now almost complete. To us, this is a happy coincidence, and if Pope Francis wants to come for the inauguration, we shall look forward to welcoming him.� : ! % nalised, the priest noted, by the Sri Lankan bishops or the Vatican. “There are some formalities to go through in order to invite the pope,� he explained. “Firstly, the local Church authorities must have an agreement with their government. Then, the Bishops’ Conference must issue a formal invitation to [the] Holy Father, who will ! !

Although the bishops’ conference wants Pope Francis to visit, “it has yet to consult with the government. It will take time to get things done�. He added, “This country has emerged from a long war, and a visit [by our] Holy Father would be very important for our people. And for all of Asia.� „ ASIANEWS

Marriage Encounter mourns one of its early leaders’ passing SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA – The priest who sparked the in-

ternational expansion of Marriage Encounter Weekend, Fr Chuck Gallagher, passed away on July 21 at the age of 85 in New Jersey. Although Spanish priest Fr Gabriel Calvo is recognised as the founder, Fr Gallagher is known for taking it worldwide. Fr Gallagher attended a Marriage Encounter weekend in 1968 and decided to expand it. One year later, he and two other priests and couples had presented 22 weekends in the New York area. The weekend retreats became popular, spreading across US

and into Canada. By mid-1970s, priests and couples had moved as far as Australia to offer the retreats. Fr Gallagher was also an author and developed other programmes to help people navigate life’s challenges. Each Marriage Encounter weekend offers couples time to focus on their relationship, and provides tools for creating and maintaining a strong marriage. The Worldwide Marriage Encounter is now in nearly 100 countries and has helped millions of couples all over the world strengthen their marriages. „ CNA/EWTN NEWS

16 OPINION

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Fortnightly newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore

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

IN MEMORIAM: Susan Lim: memoriam@catholic.org.sg

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Christopher Khoo: christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Richard Paul: subscriptions@catholic.org.sg

STAFF CORRESPONDENTS: Darren Boon: darren.boon@catholic.org.sg Clara Lai: clara.lai@catholic.org.sg

ADVERTISEMENTS: Elaine Ong: advertisements@catholic.org.sg

EDITORIAL MATTERS AND QUERIES: cnedit@catholic.org.sg

WEBMASTER: Medona Walter: medona.walter@catholic.org.sg

Please include your full name, address and phone no. for all letters to the editor. Published submissions will be edited.

DESIGN / LAYOUT: Christopher Wong: design@catholic.org.sg Elaine Ong: elaine.ong@catholic.org.sg

LETTERS

Caregivers of mentally ill need support I refer to the report, Caring For % ‚ ‹% “ $ ”¢Â„ I applaud and recognise the good work which the volunteers and ministries carry out unselfishly to support the needy. And I # ersâ€? are likely to suffer burnout as they administer assistance to the needy. ` — & # healersâ€? there is another group that is in dire need of support, conveniently forgotten, and who have suffered burnout. These are psychiatric patients and their caregivers who have been crying out % $ Our suicide rates have gone up by 30 percent as many people struggle to cope with depression in a society that is bent on economic growth rather than emotional gains. Depression and other types of mental illnesses are an issue – an issue which the government and the Church need to address – quickly. So let’s not sweep this problem under the carpet. I have been very vocal about people struggling with mental illness because I have witnessed the devastation it has brought to my wife, who suffers from schizophrenia, and others in her condition. I have seen the tears of caregivers, I have heard their cries for help, and I have felt their pain. Yet, many in our society still can-

The article published in CN’s July 28 issue.

not accept that these citizens are also God’s children. Sadly, the media sometimes present people with mental illness as violent, criminal, dangerous, comical, incompetent and fundamentally different from the rest of us. These inaccurate images perpetuate unfavourable stereotypes which can lead to the rejection and neglect of people with psychiatric disorders. Last month, when my wife underwent knee surgery and suffered a relapse of her schizophrenia, I had to bear the pain all alone. My attempts to secure the much needed support as I grieved all alone for more than six weeks failed miserably because every $ #! $ $ Instead, it was recovering pa-

tients, caregivers of the mentally ill and non-Catholics that readily stepped forward to rally alongside me that enabled me to keep my sanity. If Catholics like us are prepared to carry out the teachings of Christ and marriage vows to the letter, then why pray tell, are we being deprived of the love, support, understanding and compassion that we so badly need? So I urge the archbishop to give the mentally ill and their caregivers the attention and support that we are in dire need of so that we will no longer be ostracised from society. This is the mark of a gracious and caring society. Raymond Anthony Fernando Singapore 560601

George Yeo’s appointment is great news I was delighted with the news that former foreign minister George Yeo has been appointed a member of a special Vatican commission set up by Pope Francis. It is an honour that the position goes to the only Asian in the eight-member committee. This rare privilege conferred on a Singaporean in Mr George Yeo has Church in Singapore. In spite of the distinction be-

stowed on him, the man of devout faith has accepted the heavy responsibility with humility without the fanfare. God works in a mysterious way. When Mr Yeo lost the election in 2011, many of us felt sad at losing a minister – brilliant, humble and much loved by all. The citizens clamoured for him to run for the presidency, the 6 did not bear fruit.

We realised that God has other plans for him. The Catholic community will continue to pray for Mr Yeo as he embarks on this arduous undertaking and the heavy responsibility that lies ahead. carry out his tasks with diligence for the Vatican and our beloved mother Church. Bennie Cheok Singapore 669620

Contemplating an ineffable God GOD is ineffable. This is a truth that’s universally accepted as dogma among all Christians and within all the great religions of the world. What does it mean? In essence, it means that God is beyond us – not like us, but in an utterly different sphere. More especially, it means that God cannot ever be captured in thought, imagination or word. Any concepts, images or words we have about God are inadequate at best and idolatrous at worst. God is always beyond what we can think, speak about or imagine. But we do have thoughts, images, and words about God and many of these are given to us in scripture. What’s to be made of our traditional biblical and theological images of God? Aren’t they accurate and adequate? In a word, no, they aren’t. To paraphrase American author Annie Dillard, the concepts and language about God that are given us in scripture and Church tradition are simply words that we have permission to use without being struck dead for idolatry. We should never pretend they are accurate and adequate; scripture itself makes that clear. Not understanding this confuses our notion of faith and doubt. Because we do not existentially grasp and accept that God is ineffable, we generally confuse faith with imagination. Simply put, because we think God can be imagined and conceptualised, we feel that we have faith precisely to the extent that we can imagine God’s existence and God’s person. Conversely, we feel we are in doubt and agnostic when we cannot imagine these. And so we naively identify faith with the capacity to create the right imaginative fantasies and feelings about God, and vice versa. But, since God is ineffable, we can never imagine either God’s exist  ?

& $ ! $ $ $ our human faculties are incapable of conceptualising God, tantamount to trying to think of the highest number to which it is possible to count. Does this mean then that faith opposes human reason? No. Faith doesn’t negate human reason, it simply dwarfs it, akin to the way the most sophisticated formulae within contemporary astrophysics dwarf elementary arithmetic and the way the blinding light of a noonday sun dwarfs the paltry light of a candle. Moreover, though helpful, even these analogies limp and are inaccurate. God’s existence and person may not be imagined as that of some supreme Super-person, someone like us, except supremely greater.  $  nite, a creature still, even if super-supreme, imaginable, able to be conceptualised, not ineffable, a number we can still count to. God, though, is not a reality that can be counted. God’s existence and person can never be conceptualised. Moreover, this is true as well for our understanding of God’s love. It, too, is beyond our imagination and capacity to conceptualise. Our ! % % !

$ $ Beyond this, just on this one planet Earth, we have billions upon billions of persons, each of which has a heart and meaning that is individually precious. How can we imagine a God who somehow knows and loves this all intimately? We can’t! Our minds and our hearts simply don’t stretch that far; $ &– $ ?  create such an unimaginatively huge universe and so many billions and billions of people to love and share in this creation? And why would an  $ $ ‚ ! „– # ? ÂĄ * now have as many people as I want!â€? God befuddles the mind, the heart and the imagination. It cannot be otherwise. Any God who could be understood would not be God. God is not a supreme Superman, like us, only bigger, stronger, and more % $ %

scribed and grasped, either in its existence, its person or its capacity to ! &

& Because of this, at some point in our lives, faith will feel like darkness, belief like unbelief, and God’s person and existence will feel like nothing, emptiness, non-existence, nada. Our minds and hearts will, at that point, come up dry and empty when they try to imagine or feel God, not because God doesn’t exist or is less present than the physical world, but because God is so massively present, so real, so above all other lights, that God’s reality will dwarf everything to the point to where it gives the impression that it itself doesn’t exist. In faith, God is known this way: As a light so bright that it’s perceived as darkness, as a love so universal that it’s perceived as indifference, and as a reality so real that it’s perceived as nothing. „

FOCUS 17

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

A pope who can’t be ‘pigeon-holed’ Pope Francis is not a conservative or a progressive, says prominent cardinal VATICAN CITY – Catholics who identify themselves as either conservatives or progressives will be disappointed in Pope Francis, whose programme of spiritual renewal, doctrinal continuity and of the traditional moulds, says a prominent cardinal. Cardinal Walter Kasper, 80, a theologian and retired president of > > ing Christian Unity, said Pope Francis will also face resistance within the Roman Curia – the Church’s ! which need both organisational revamping and a change of mentality. Attempts at reform will bring #— like with every big institution�, he said in a July 16 interview with the Italian newspaper Il Foglio. #: ! % ! $ determined: He knows what he wants,� said the German cardinal. Cardinal Kasper told the Ital $ # ?

pigeonhole [the pope] in the classic European conservative-progressive debate�, which is already # & run its course. #= $ about him: He is a true pastor, he has great charm, a direct approach with people� and speaks in a manner that is upfront and understand # him of putting on a show, but I think he is giving an authentic witness: he lives what he says�. The fact that the pope tries to ! $ # ! $† he doesn’t live like a prince. Benedict was a simple person, too, but he adapted a bit to certain formali + — %  man cardinal said. #= $ Francis,� he said, surmising that the so-called conservative branch $ # he doesn’t have the intellectual heft of Benedict and then because something I am grateful for; it was an anachronistic extravagance�. The cardinal predicted the socalled progressive wing would not be happy either because even though the pope has ushered in $ % # change the content�. # $ doctrine between him and Ben % > + # not change anything with priestly celibacy, will not open ordinations to women� or promote other #

!

part of Church teaching. > + #

!ative or a progressive. He wants a poor Church and (a Church) of the

CITY Cathedral of the Good Shepherd 15 Aug: 7.00am, 1.15pm, 6.30pm St Joseph’s Church (Victoria Street) 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 6.30pm 15 Aug: 6.30pm & 7.45pm Church of Sts Peter & Paul 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 5.30pm 15 Aug: 7.20am, 6.00pm, 8.00pm (Mandarin) Church of Our Lady of Lourdes 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 6.30pm 15Aug: 12.30pm & 6.30pm, 8.00pm (Tamil) Church of the Sacred Heart 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 5:30pm 15 Aug: 7:00am, 5:30pm Church of St Teresa 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 7.00pm 15 Aug: 6:30am (at the Carmelite Monastery), 12:30pm, 7:00pm Church of St Alphonsus (Novena Church) 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 7.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 12.15pm, 7.00pm Church of St Bernadette 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 6.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 7.00pm Church of St Michael 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm 15 Aug : 6.30am, 8.00pm

EAST Church of the Holy Family 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 7.30pm 15 Aug: 6.15am, 1.00pm, 7.30pm Pope Francis greets the crowd at the World Youth Day welcoming ceremony on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. CNS photo

pope is very determined: ‘This He knows what he wants.’

– Cardinal Walter Kasper

poor� and he is keenly aware that a large part of the world lives in extreme poverty, the cardinal said. #* ! ? # to take seriously the problems� of ! # ern model of civilisation doesn’t & $ # doesn’t give an answer to the problems of extreme poverty in the world�, he said. # $ $ al and intellectual power in today’s world that has an alternative for the future,� the cardinal said. Its success doesn’t depend on strength in numbers but on Catholics’ resolve to be, as Pope Benedict called it, # ! $ secularised, troubled world. #" is opening today with Francis� involving the Church itself, Cardinal Kasper said, starting with the Curia. The biggest problem in the Curia, he said, is a lack of communication among the heads of all the Vatican

#

? know what the left hand is doing.� #: each other frequently, at least once a month,� and they should be able ! #

without having to go through the secretary of state, who has become of late like a government middleman,� the cardinal said. Cardinal Kasper also said he thought more women should be appointed to top positions in Vati ^ > Laity, for the Family, for Migrants and Travellers, and for Health Care Ministry – don’t have di — ! $ so don’t have to be headed by an ordained priest or bishop, he said. Aside from there being many # candidates, he said, having more # overcoming clericalism, which, in the end, is a sterile zeal�. „ CNS

Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 7.00pm Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 6:15pm 15 Aug: 6:30am, 12:30pm, 6:00pm; 8:00pm Church of St Stephen 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 8.00pm

Church of Christ the King 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 1.00pm, 6.15pm & 8.00pm

SERANGOON Church of the Nativity of the BVM 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 6.30pm, 8.00pm (Mandarin) 15 Aug: 6.30am, 6.30pm, 8.00pm Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm 15 Aug: 6.15am, 6.15pm and 8.00pm Church of St Francis Xavier 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 7pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8.00pm St Anne’s Church 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 6.15pm and 8.00pm Church of St Vincent De Paul 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm. 15 Aug: 7.00am, 6.00pm and 8.00pm

WEST Church of St Ignatius 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 6.00pm 15 Aug: Mass Times: 7.00am, 6.00pm and 8.00pm Blessed Sacrament Church 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 7.30pm 15 Aug: 7.00am and 8.30am, 6.00pm and 7.30pm Church of St Mary of the Angels 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 7:30pm 15 Aug: 6.55am, 1.15pm, 6.30pm; 8.15pm Church of St Francis of Assisi 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 7.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 7.00pm (Mandarin), 8.15pm Church of the Holy Cross 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 6:00pm (Mandarin), 7.30pm 15 Aug: 6:15am, 6.00pm, 7:30pm.

CATHOLIC PRAYER SOCIETY

Church of the Holy Trinity 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 6.00pm, 8.00pm

Shenton Way Singapore Conference Hall, 2nd Level Time: 12.30 and 1.20 pm Contact: 98307907

Church of the Divine Mercy 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 7.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 1.00pm, 7.00pm, 8.30pm

Raffles Place The 3rd Space, Basement China Square Time: 11.15 am, 12.15 and 1.15 pm

NORTH St Joseph Church (Bukit Timah) 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8:00pm 15 Aug: 6:30am, 8:00pm Church of St Anthony 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 8.00pm Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm 15 Aug: 6.45am, 8.00pm Church of the Holy Spirit 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 8.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 6.00pm & 8.00pm Church of the Risen Christ 14 Aug (Sunset Mass): 7.00pm 15 Aug: 6.30am, 12.45pm, 6.00pm, 8.00pm

Outram SGH Alumni Building, 1st Floor Time: 12.15 pm Orchard Hyatt Hotel – please refer to hotel directory Time: 12.40 and 1.20 pm Contact: 97543672 Jurong East Venue: please refer to CPS website www.cps.org.sg or call 98316307/93769897 Time: 12.15 pm Suntec Level 7, Room F, Suntec Convention Centre (Entrance from Convention Centre Room 605) Time: 12.15 and 1.15 pm Contact: 64087891/93665573

18 FAITH ALIVE!

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

Hospitality begins in the pews The parish should be the place to remind us of true cordiality By Rhina Guidos Jesuit Fr William Byron, a university professor of business and society at St Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and Charles Zech, a professor of economics at Villanova University, set out to do “exit interviewsâ€? of Catholics who had left the church in the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. Some Catholics who took part in the exit interviews said that while they had felt part of the parish at one point, they no longer felt a sense of community. “No one misses the fact that we stopped going. No one has called from the parish, even though we were regular attendees,â€? one responded. It made me think of an experience I had long ago. I had moved & Sunday I went to church, the parish hosted a “hospitality Sundayâ€?, with the usual fare of coffee and doughnuts. Most people I met were cordial but basically you could tell they had come to get a coffee and doughnut and to talk to the people they already knew. I felt lost. I went back the next Sunday for Mass and after the service, I felt invisible. Any trace of hospitality I had felt, however slight, was gone. Though I knew this wasn’t the norm, it made me think then, as it does now, of all the people who walk into our churches looking   in the Gospels, in the homily or in % God in the people in the pews. In the magazine US Catholic,

one misses ‘No the fact that we stopped going. No one has called from the parish, even though we were regular attendees.

’

– A Catholic who stopped attending Church

Central American migrants eat lunch at Catholic-run shelter in Saltillo, Mexico. CNS Photo

online editor Heather Grennan Gary wrote an article about the topic and said the parish should be the place where we are reminded what true hospitality is about. “At its root,� she wrote, “true hospitality is a spiritual discipline that reminds us of how we ourselves have been received by Christ. Hospitality can be extended in countless ways: A smile, an introduction, an invitation are all small exercises that, as with any exercise, are building blocks to something greater.�

Because of a warm and welcoming visit, we might be asked by others to explain more about our faith. Our actions towards a stranger might be an opportunity to put our faith into practice. In this sense, I’ve always admired the people of a parish I visit in El Salvador who take hospitality extremely seriously. Even the poorest – especially the poorest – will

give a visitor the best food they ! % out about them, make strangers feel as if they’re part of the community. I’ve taken friends of different faiths (or of no faith) on visits to some of those households and they always come back with great appreciation at the welcome they received. For some of them, it was $

Christian community in action, one that feeds the poor in their midst, that shares what little they have even with a stranger. As we’re called to the serve in the new evangelisation, we need to keep in mind the chances and opportunities we might be missing when we fail to stop and welcome the stranger or offer a simple greeting to the newcomer in our midst. Grennan Gary reminds us of those opportunities, but also how some of our brothers and sisters might feel sitting next to us: “For visitors and newcomers, for non-Catholics and those returning after a long absence, the people in the pews with them dur =

part of their worship experience. The Catholic Church may have the Eucharist and the fullness of % cult to focus on those things when one feels uninvited.� „ CNS Rhina Guidos is an editor at Catholic News Service, Washington DC.

Offering warmth and a welcoming heart By Fr Lawrence E Mick If we were asked to create a list of important virtues, most of us would probably not place hospitality at the top of our list. For people in Old Testament times, however, it may have ranked very high on their lists, because in the desert, hospitality is essential for survival. The Book of Genesis holds up Abraham as a model of hospitality when he welcomes three strangers who appear at his tent (Gn 18). It turned out that one of the three was the Lord, who promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son within the year. In the New Testament, the Letter to the Hebrews refers to this episode when it counsels us, “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels� (Heb 13:2). Various spiritual writers draw on this event to remind us that guests often bring gifts with them if we welcome them into our lives.

An example of hospitality refused in the Old Testament appears in the story of Sodom (Gn 19). Contrary to popular belief, the real sin of the men of Sodom was not homosexual behaviour but a violation of hospitality. The ministry of Jesus also depended on hospitality. He noted early in his ministry that “the Son of Man has nowhere to rest His head� (Mt 8:20), so He was dependent on the hospitality of others. One familiar occasion can remind us of different dimensions of hospitality – his visit to the home of Martha and Mary. Martha appears as the practical one, taking care of the household tasks and preparing the meal for their guest. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. She is to

The ministry of Jesus also depended on hospitality.

be commended for her efforts at hospitality. Mary, on the other hand, sits at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him speak. She, too, was offering Jesus hospitality, for true hospitality attends to both physical needs and relational needs. So both women were being quite hospitable. When Martha, “anxious and worried about many things�, as Jesus put it in Luke 10:41, complains that Mary is not helping, Jesus reminds her that what Mary is doing is important, too. Offering hospitality is not always easy, especially if the guest is a stranger to us. It makes demands on our time and on our heart. We have to let the other into our life, at least for a little while. But, as the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us, our guest may be an angel in disguise or, even more likely, he or she may bring along Christ into our hearts, too. „ CNS Fr Lawrence E Mick is a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and a freelance writer.

FOCUS 19

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

fear the Lord, your God, and to observe carefully all the words of this law.� Later, when Moses was alone, the Lord said to him, “The time is now approaching for you to die. Summon Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting that I may commission him.� Moses obeyed the Lord, and the Lord appeared in a column of cloud in front of the tent. When Moses gave Joshua his commission, he said to him, “Be strong

and steadfast, for it is you who will bring the Israelites into the land which I promised them on oath. I myself will be with you.� „ Read more about it: Deuteronomy 31

Q&A 1. Who was going to lead Israel into the Promised Land? 2. What did Moses say to Joshua when he received his commission?

WORDSEARCH:

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

„ ASSEMBLE „ OATH „ TENT „ LORD

St Stephen of Hungary

„ PHARAOH „ PROMISED

„ PRIESTS „ ALIENS

STEPHEN of Hungary (975-1038) was the son of a duke who had become a Christian for mostly political reasons, as did some of the noblemen of the time. But Stephen’s conversion was genuine. By the time he was in his early 20s, Stephen had become governor of the Magyars. He requested and received from Pope Silvester II permission to be named king and to be given the authority to elect bishops. Stephen built a church honouring Mary and a monastery. He built churches for every 10 cities, paid for with tithes and donations from the people. He tried to establish political order $ ing that was common. We honour him Aug 16. „

KIDS CLUB: Share your thoughts on this week’s Bible story with family and friends by writing an essay in response to this question: Why was Joshua such the Old Testament?

Bible Accent:

PUZZLE: Using a reverse-alphabet code (A=Z, B=Y, W=X, etc.), solve the names of the following Old Testament books. Code: AB C D E FG H I J K LM N O PQ R S T U VW XYZ Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A 1. T V M V H R H

___________________________

5. W Z M R V O

___________________________

2. Q L H S F Z

___________________________

6. V A V P R V O

___________________________

3. K H Z O N H

___________________________

7. Q L Y

___________________________

4. R H Z R Z S

___________________________

“Deuteronomy� means “words� in Hebrew. ! & $ % # = & * & > % ! & ` † peats some of the laws given in the other books, and it summarises some of the important moments of the history of the Israelites up to that time. One of the key points of the book is that Moses tells the people of Israel they must choose to serve either God or other gods. Serving God will bring them blessings, but serving other gods will bring a curse on them. „

Answer to Wordsearch

MOSES had been talking to the people of Israel for quite a while about the laws and their history and how God had guided them from slavery into freedom. Then he said to them, “I am now 120 years old and am no longer able to go out and come in.� He told his people that even though Moses had been leading them since the time he asked Pharaoh to set them free from Egypt, God told him he would not be leading them into the land he had promised to them. “It is Joshua who will cross before you, as the Lord promised,� he said. Moses said there would be armies they would have to fight in order to possess the land, but “the Lord will deal with them just as he dealt with Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and with their

country, when he destroyed them.� After he said this, Moses sent for Joshua. When Joshua was with him, Moses said to him in front of the entire assembly of people, “Be strong and steadfast, for you shall bring this people into the land which the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them; it is you who will give them possession of it. It is the Lord who goes before you; He will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed.� Then Moses wrote down the law and gave it to the Levitical priests who were charged with carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. He told them to read the law aloud to the people every seven years during the annual feast of Booths. “Assemble the people – men, women and children, as well as the resident aliens who live in your communities – that they may hear and so learn to

Answers to Puzzle: 1. Genesis, 2. Joshua, 3. Psalms, 4. Isaiah, 5. Daniel, 6. Ezekiel, 7. Job

By Joe Sarnicola

20

Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

WHAT’S ON 21

Sunday Sunday August 11, 2013 „ CatholicNews

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

SUNDAY AUGUST 11 TO THURSDAY AUGUST 15 CHURCH OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE FEAST DAY CELEBRATION Aug 11 (7pm) Rosary followed by Mass (in Mandarin). Aug 12-14 (7pm) Rosary, praise and worship followed by Mass at 8pm (English). Aug 15 (7pm) Bilingual Mass followed by rosary procession. At 4 Sandy Lane.

FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH RELAXATION EXERCISES IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE 10am-11am: Therapeutic breathing and guided imagery exercises will be taught to release tension, boost energy and mood to help one stay calm. By Clarity Singapore. At Block 854 #01-3511, Yishun Ring Road. Register: 67577 990 (Rudy); E: registration@clarity-singapore.org

TUESDAYS AUGUST 13 THE BIBLE TIMELINE: THE STORY OF SALVATION BY JEFF CAVINS 9-11.45am or 7.15-9.45pm: Read 14 narrative books of the Bible and gain a greater appreciation of the scripture readings during Mass. Cost: $58. At Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace (4 Sandy Lane). Register T: 6744 2879; E: admin@queenofpeace.sg

WEDNESDAYS AUGUST 7 TO OCTOBER 30 DISCOVER! COME DEEPEN YOUR CATHOLIC FAITH 8-10pm: Experience a conversion – to re-discover Jesus and enter into a deeper relationship with Him. At Church of the Holy Spirit. Register T: 9010 2829 (Kim); E: kim_f_ho@yahoo.com

FRIDAY AUGUST 16 TO SUNDAY AUGUST 18 SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT CATHOLIC SOCIETY SUMMER CAMP Fri (10am)-Sun (1pm): Inviting all new and existing Singapore Institute of Management students to sign up for the upcoming summer camp to practise tertiary discipleship as well as to make more friends from UOL, UB, RMIT. Register: T: 9060 1217 (Lilynne); E: simcs_exco@gmail.com

THURSDAY AUGUST 8 TO SATURDAY AUGUST 10 PROCLAIM! YOUTH CONFERENCE Thu (8am)-Sat (10pm): For young people 17 to 25 years old. Evangelisation $ 6 (CYO). Speakers include Archbishop William Goh, Fr Erbin Fernandez and Fr Gino Henriques. For further information T: 6285 2571; E: events@cayconline.org; Register W: www.cayconline.org

AUGUST 17 THEOLOGY OF THE BODY CONFERENCE 9am-9pm: A one-day Theology of the Body recollection, with topics ranging from its philosophical foundation to contemporary issues. Event concludes with Mass. By Apostolate for Catholic Truth. At International Plaza, 29-03 Training Centre (10 Anson Rd above Tanjong Pagar MRT). T: 9649 3893 (Andrew). Register E: andrewkong@me.com

THURSDAY AUGUST 8 TO SUNDAY AUGUST 11 OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: FROM FEAR TO CREATIVITY, DARKNESS TO LIGHT 9.30am-5pm (daily): A non-stay-in workshop with Fr Monty Williams, SJ. Our life is a journey of becoming increasingly aware of what we can do to make this relationship with God more real. This involves discernment, putting the context of decision-making in terms of our relationship with God.By Kingsmead CISC. Cost: $400. At 8 Victoria Park Rd. Register T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com

AUGUST 18 CATHOLIC NURSES GUILD BIENNIAL GENERAL MEETING AND ELECTION FOLLOWED BY MASS 3.30pm: Biennial General Meeting and Election followed by annual Mass at 6pm with blessing of Catholic nurses and healthcare professionals followed by dinner. At Church of the Risen Christ. T: 9236 1047 (Theresa), 9487 2244 (Susan), 9661 0818 (Maria), 9109 3391 (Doreen), 9623 7246 (Patsy)

AUGUST 9 CANTONESE RETREAT 9am-6pm: Topic: Is your faith built on the rock? Speakers: Frs Stephen Yim and Philip Lai. At Catholic Spirituality Centre (1261 Upper Serangoon Rd). Cost: Free (with light lunch and refreshment provided). Register T: 9476 3277 (Michael); E: mikecheuk22@ gmail.com, patckng@yahoo.com.sg

AUGUST 18 CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BVM 7-9pm: Candlelight procession with rosary and benediction in Tamil.

Crossword Puzzle 1090 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

27

28

36

24 29

30

45

39

49

43

59

60

35

65

66

44

52

55 61

34

48 51

50 54

33 40

47

46

13

25 32

42

41

58

31

38

37

12

22

21 23

26

11

56 62

53 57

63

64

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75 www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

ACROSS 1 Catholic Canadian Prime Minister Mulroney 6 Noteworthy achievement 10 “In the sweat of your ____ you shall eat breadâ€? (Gen 3:19) 14 Money paid 15 Hello, from Jacques 16 Summer drinks 17 Assumed name ‡¢ " $ $

19 Wagon 20 “And lead us not into ______â€? 22 Expression of concern 23 Loafer letters 24 â€œâ€Śand there was no man to ____ the groundâ€? (Gen 2:5) 26 Policeman 29 Genesis weather 32 Diners 36 Parched 38 Son of Seth 40 One of the prophets

41 42 44 45

Heap Equipped Writer Wiesel Summits of buildings 47 The villain in Othello •¢ > good buy 49 Wholly 51 Paint unskillfully 53 Dose amt. 54 David played one 56 20’s US Catholic politician

58 Catholic Surrealist painter 61 All over the place 67 Notion 68 We should enter by the narrow one 69 Brother of Moses 70 Direction from Bethlehem to the Jordan 71 Some tributes 72 Greek epic poem 73 Hook’s hand 74 Resting place 75 Ogles

By St Joseph Tamil Bible Prayer Group. At Blessed Sacrament Church. T: 6474 5249/9678 3855 (Margaret) AUGUST 18 TO OCTOBER 6 COUPLE EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME Learn the latest life skills and apply them to build a more emotionally intelligent marriage. Ideal for young married couples and helpful for all couples who are open to re-discovering one another. Childminding services available. At Church of St Mary of the Angels (5 Bt Batok East Ave 2). T: 9105 9921 (Victor), 9674 4711 (Jason); E: goto_cep@hotmail.com THURSDAYS AUGUST 22 TO NOVEMBER 14 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 8-9.30pm: Build your faith and understanding of Luke’s Gospel, with Fr Eugene Vaz. Cost: $20. At Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. Register E: maurice3428@gmail.com THURSDAY AUGUST 22 TO SUNDAY AUGUST 25 CHURCH OF ST STEPHEN’S PARISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL Aug 22-23 (7.30pm): Rosary followed by Mass. Aug 24 (2-5pm) Parish recollection; 5.30pm Rosary followed by Mass. Speaker: Fr Miguel Garaizabal, SJ, from Chiangmai SATURDAY AUGUST 24 TO SUNDAY AUGUST 25 CAMP FIDELIS Sat (9.30am)-Sun (12.30pm): For students who will be (or already are) studying in the UK or Ireland (including exchange students). Students studying in other countries are welcome to join. By Catholic Students’ Overseas Community. At FMM House (49 Holland Rd). Register E: csocsingapore@gmail.com; W: http://

˜ AUGUST 24 36TH CANOSSIAN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AGM CUM HOMECOMING MASS 1.45-6pm: Calling all Canossian students and alumnus. Join us for an AGM of the Canossian Alumni, a homecoming Mass celebrated by Fr Johnson Fernandez, a guided tour of the refurbished SACSS and a Captain’s Ball face-off among current students, teachers and ex-students. At St Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School (1600 Bedok North Avenue 4). AUGUST 27 RELAX WITH ART FOR ADULTS 3-5pm: Enjoy a healthy time and space

DOWN 1 Transport for Peter and Andrew 2 Dominion 3 NT epistle 4 Christian love 5 Pater _____ 6 ____ and abstinence 7 â€œâ€Ś_____ lema sabachthani?â€? (Mk 15:34) 8 Set apart 9 Canadian two-dollar coins 10 Right granted by a bishop to a priest, enabling the exercise of ministry 11 Second woman mentioned by name in the Bible (Gen 4:19) 12 Goya’s goose egg 13 OT book about a Jewish heroine 21 Island inhabited by Circe 25 OT book 26 Island in the Bay of Naples 27 The Hunter

28 Guide 30 “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jewsâ€? (abbr.) 31 Abraham was one 33 Razzle-dazzle 34 Something to ride 35 “Feed my _____.â€? (Jn 21:17) 37 Strip of leaves 39 Dreamcast maker 43 Version of the Bible 46 Oinker’s abode 50 The Diocese of Baker is here 52 Lament 55 Elude 57 Laminated rock 58 “_____ Iraeâ€? 59 He was an original ‰Š š 62 Soissons seasons 63 “Eternal _____ grant unto themâ€? 64 Iroquois foe 65 Laugh loudly 66 â€œâ€Śto the ____ of the earth.â€? (Acts 1:8)

Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1089 G O L D

I B E X

N E A R

E D G E

S T E A L

C R A N E

V E P I S R C T I O I S P L E A R E R G E S E S S S T R A R U F R I B E A C E S T C T E C A D C

L I N U S C A I U S H R E

E A S V E T A R Y N S G R O B R U S O A D J O N E N T G S C A T O B B A A L E S T E A T E D E D

C A T E C H U M E N

O L I V E

G O M E R

S T E N S

T E N T

O M O O

R O A R

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

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

for your creative enjoyment and expression through art-making activities. No prior art experience is necessary Cost: $10. By Clarity Singapore. At Block 854 #01-3511, Yishun Ring Road. Register: 67577 990, 9710 3733; E: registration@clarity-singapore.org FRIDAY AUGUST 30 TO SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 1 RETROUVAILLE WEEKEND – A LIFELINE FOR TROUBLED AND HURTING MARRIAGE Fri (8pm)-Sun (6pm): If you are serious about making your marriage work, this programme could be worthwhile for you. T: 6749 8861 (Michael/Lucy). Register W: http://helpourmarriage.sg MONDAY SEPTEMER 2 TO SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 8 DISCOVER THE LAND WHERE JESUS LIVES AND WALKS ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL OF ST MARK 7.30-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 2-9pm (Sat), 9am-4pm (Sun): Speaker: Mr Anton Farah, from the Ministry of Tourism, Israel. Free admission on weekdays. Love offering: $30 per person on weekends. Registration at parish secretariat needed for weekends. At Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace. T: 6744 2879; E: admin@queenofpeace.sg FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6 TO SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 8 MONSIEUR VINCENT THE MUSICAL 8pm (daily) with extra show on Sep 7 at 2pm: The Church of St Vincent de Paul is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a musical depicting the life of St Vincent, how his spirit of humility and patience leads him to overcome his challenges to become the symbol of love and strength for the poor all over the world. At Republic Polytechnic Cultural Centre. Cost of tickets: $20, $30, $50 (all 8pm shows); $15, $25, $40 (2pm show). Tickets purchase: T: 9687 1942 (Anne-Marie Lai); E: svdpmusical2013@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 13 TEACHERS’ DAY MASS AND RECEPTION 4.30-5.30pm: Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop William Goh and will be followed by a reception. All teachers are invited (irrespective of participation in the Catholic Education Conference). By ACCS. At Catholic Junior College Performing Arts Centre. Register T: 6858 7080 (Shirley); E: accs@catholic.org.sg

SEPTEMBER 8 IHM BLOODMOBILE MERCY OUTREACH 9am-6pm: Donate blood and save up to three lives. For 16-60 years old and those above 45kg. Bring NRIC/passport. At Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Hall (24 Highland Rd). W: http://www.ihm.sg/bloodmobile SEPTEMBER 14 CATHOLIC SINGLES JB DAY TRIP 10.30am-3.30pm: For travel, fellowship and friendship Meet at Woodlands MRT McDonalds. FB: https://www.facebook. com/CatholicSinglesSingapore; Register E: CatholicSingle@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 21 EXAM RALLY: CROSS EXAMINATION 2-5pm: A contemporary celebration of Holy Mass will be offered for students taking — š

> $ Friar Edward Lim, OCD. No registration needed; all students are cordially invited. At Blessed Sacrament Church. SEPTEMBER 22 EL-SHADDAI DWXI PPFI SINGAPORE 22ND ANNIVERSARY 9am-6pm: At Toa Payoh Sports Hall (297A, Lorong 6 Toa Payoh). T: 6474 0714 (Jun); E; brotherjimmycruz@gmail.com; – – ˜ š ˜ SEPTEMBER 27 EUCHARISTIC ADORATION FOR YOUNG ADULTS 8-9.30pm: With rosary, scriptural % By Generation CHRIST! Ministry. At St Francis Xavier Chapel Kingsmead Hall (Church of St Ignatius). E: gen.christ. ministry@gmail.com SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28 TO SATURDAY OCTOBER 5 MISSION TRIP TO PHILIPPINES Calling Young Adults for mission trip to Tagaytay, Philippines. Register early as limited space available. Cost to be `$ ^ < =

Register T: 6274 0251; E: verbumdeispore@yahoo.com.sg OCTOBER 20 WORLD MISSION SUNDAY EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION 12pm: Main celebrant: Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia. By ACMA. At Church of St Ignatius. E: acmasg@ singnet.com.sg

24 WORLD

Sunday August 11, 2013 ย CatholicNews

VATICAN CITY โ Pope Francis is

% : ย %

$ ย > ` & & ย $ ย ย $ # $ % $ $ ยฆย ยฆ % ! ย ยฆย ย $ * $

` ย = $ = ย ย ! % > ยง` & % ย ย ยฆ % ย ! % ~ $ ย % ` ย > + % ย ย

ย ยง> ย ย ยง : ยง~ -

Screengrab S b ffrom T Twiplomacy.com i l

A screenshot of Pope Francisโ English Twitter account.

` ` = ? % > + % = ?

= & ย ยขย ย %ย ย ย % $ ยง` & ย %ย ย ย ! > + % % ย ย %ย ย ย

! $ ยข%ย ย ย 5 ยง> ย ยง> ย % $ ย ย ? % * ! % ~ " % $ ? ! % ย _ & % '

~ " ~ " $ _ > ย _ % ! $ ^*> 5 ยง> ย

> + ? $ = ย ย * % #< % * & $ $ * & $ $ > + * ย ย %ย ย ย # ! $ ย ย %ยฆย ย ย $ $ " $ $ ! $ & ยง> ย % $ ! ย ย $ ! ย $ ย ' " ? #ย % #ย % # ! % ! # ย CNS

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

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.