Catholic News issue 19, 2017

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

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Parish leaders learn to build communion, manage tensions New Wine Conference builds upon a similar conference held last year Priests, Religious, parish pastoral council members and ministry leaders were among the more than 150 people who attended the New Wine Conference held at St Joseph’s Institution Junior on Aug 26.

The event aimed to build on a similar conference held last year, which had the theme of “Communion”. rganised by the ffice for the New Evangelisation (ONE), this year’s conference had the theme of “Communion around the Word” and was centred on Sacred Scripture.

It aimed to remind parish leaders of the archdiocese’s pastoral vision – to build a vibrant, missionary and evangelistic Church, and for leaders to continue to be engaged and learn useful strategies to build communion.

“To be an evangelistic Church, we must evangelise. And when we talk about evangelisation, the four tenets of the new evangelisation must be on our minds – word, worship, communion and witness,” said Fr Terence Pereira, Episcopal Vicar for the New Evangelisation, in his opening address.

He highlighted the increase in cooperation and collaboration among offices, commissions and organisations in the archdiocese.

Many organisations are running events and programmes together, sharing resources and supporting each other since ONE placed more emphasis on the tenet of communion, he said.

Participants also shared their experiences of communion-building in the parishes. Many shared that more committed young people are coming forward. Participants also observed an increase in inter-ministry formation programmes and parishioners being more hospitable to one another.

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NO. 19

INSIDE HOME

Marking a harvest festival Malayalee Catholics gather to celebrate n Page 6

Singing priests delight audience An evening of heartwarming stories, songs n Page 11

ASIA

Natural calamities in Macau, Bangladesh Church groups offer aid n Page 13

WORLD

Participants learn about managing tensions at the conference organised b the ffice for the e Evangelisation.

US rescinds programme for undocumented people

ight Fr erence ereira chatting ith arish leaders during a group sharing.

On the other hand, there is also the culture of comfort and the reluctance to change among church members, a lack of opportunities for reconciliation among those who have fallen out with each other, and the absence of succession planning.

Taking reference from Scripture, participants learned about the challenges the early Church experienced in building communion and the steps the apostles took to address them.

Participants were also involved in either one of two tracks. The first track, titled “Crafting Group Narratives”, was a workshop that allowed participants to have a better sense

of their ministries’ identities.

Participants reflected and listed down what their ministry was formed for, their accomplishments, the current status of their ministries and their hopes for the future.

The second track, “Understand and Manage Tensions when Building Communion”, introduced practices to overcome challenges as the early Church did, drawing out learning points from these scenarios.

Mr Joseph D’Cruz, 22, from St

Participants learned about the challenges the early Church experienced and the steps the apostles took to address them.

Church leaders slam decision n Page 15

POPE FRANCIS Joseph Church (Bukit Timah) said, “My biggest takeaway from this conference is that the current status quo has to change. We as members of a ministry cannot simply be functional. Our communities cannot bear more fruits if we remain satisfied with the usual con entions.

ONE aims to inspire, equip and support Catholics to be agents of the New Evangelisation through their personal witness, community life and the explicit proclamation of the Good News. n Submitted by: OFFICE FOR THE NEW EVANGELISATION

ONE’s website is https://www. one.org.sg/

Pope on traditional marriage Speaks on this and other issues in new interview n Page 16

Vatican II liturgical reforms ‘irreversible’ Understand why they were made, says pope n Page 17

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Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

St Joseph’s Home residents using the custom-made merry-go-round with children.

child re ares to go do n a slide as an elderl resident loo s on.

St Joseph’s Home provides a platform for young and old to bond

By Jared Ng An intergenerational playground and infant and childcare centre were launched at St Joseph’s Home on Aug 28.

The aim of the playground and centre, located within the vicinity of the eldercare facility, is to encourage interaction between children and the elderly and promote a sense of inclusiveness.

“Having an infant and childcare centre within the home reminds us of the purpose of life and the importance of play and simplicity – two things that are often forgotten in the frenzy of our day-to-day,” said Canossian Sr Geraldine Tan, executive director of St Joseph’s Home.

“Such a model of care ... is also where e eryone can find a place to co-exist – the young, the older, the dying and the sick. We learn to embrace one another and live in harmony,” she added.

The playground, believed to be the first to be built within a nursing home in Singapore, includes features such as a see-saw with ramp access for elderly residents who use wheelchairs. It also has

a merry-go-round built with seats for children as well as wheel-lock features for wheelchairs.

Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Health, was the guestof-honour at the launch.

She was joined by Mr Desmond Kuek, president and group CEO of SMRT; Mr Thomas Tan, Catholic Welfare Services chairman; St Joseph’s Home staff and volunteers.

Mr Tan, in his address, said the playground and childcare centre were a “new narrative in holistic care.”

He thanked SMRT for its support in pledging $100,000 to fund the development of the playground as part of its Gift of Mobility initiative.

Dr Khor highlighted in her address the importance of “caring for seniors” and to ensure they live with dignity.

She recalled something that

Sr Geraldine had said in the past: “Seniors must not be hidden, but must be embraced by all.”

She added that the location of the infant and childcare facilities “provides ample opportunities for creative programmes and curriculum design to better engage our nursing home residents.”

According to St Joseph’s Home, such programmes include arts and crafts, music sessions as well as a “fun house” where they can engage in other activities such as painting.

The intergenerational curriculum will also see children from the centre visit some of the elderly residents to interact and bond.

After her address, Dr Khor and the other invited guests were joined on stage by children and some elderly residents to take part in a bubbleblowing ceremony to officially open the playground and childcare centre.

The guests were then given a

Having an infant and childcare centre ‘ within the home reminds us of the purpose of life and the importance of play and simplicity. ’

– Canossian Sr Geraldine Tan, executive director of St Joseph’s Home

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r ing their hand at a fishing game in the childcare centre. From left r m hor anossian Sr Geraldine an Mr esmond ue SM and Mr homas an atholic elfare Services .

tour of the playground to try out some of its unique features as well as the childcare centre.

Dr Khor, Mr Kuek, Mr Tan and other invited guests were seen chatting with many of the residents during the tour.

The infant and childcare cen-

tre opened on Aug 1 and can take up to 56 children and infants.

The redeveloped St Joseph’s Home was blessed on May 16 and currently has about 130 elderly residents. n jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

Kids learn about Fatima apparitions A re-enactment of the apparition of Our Lady at Fatima took place during Holy Hour for children on Aug 19 at St Joseph Church (Bukit Timah).

Visiting priest Fr Lionel Thomas from St Peter’s Church, Melaka, who conducted the Holy Hour, explained to the children the significance of the apparition and the messages from Mary to the three shepherd children.

He emphasised the importance of reverence towards the Eucharist and the “sacred joy” attained through daily recitation of the rosary. n

Children re-enacting the Fatima apparition on Aug 19.

BUILDING THE CHURCH OF TOMORROW 3

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

catechesis for a catechist The Gift of My Church (#TGOMC) is a series featuring how Catholics from all walks of life have been touched by God through their service or participation in the life of the Archdiocese of Singapore. In this issue, newly minted catechist, Alexander Ee, shares with writer Magdalene Lee how God has led him to this ministry and continued to transform him through it.

Fr Erbin Fernandez welcomes new catechists from across the archdiocese to the Basic Catechist Certification course offered by OFC. Photo: OFC. Alexander Ee started teaching catechism to secondary school students at the Church of St Ignatius in January this year.

Whilst relatively new in his tenure in the catechetical ministry, the decision to serve as a catechist was in fact the culmination of a two-year long journey since he experienced a personal encounter with God. Despite being a “cradle Catholic” and attending Catholic schools such as St Stephen’s School and St Patrick’s School, the newly minted catechist was in fact someone who was uninterested in the faith during his formative years.

changing perspectives Looking back, Alexander realised that at various junctures in his life, God was calling to him for a deeper relationship, but he did not respond “out of selfishness and fear”.

This changed three years ago, when a family member fell ill and Alexander turned to prayer.

“Prayer was my only comfort. As I prayed, my relationship with God imperceptibly deepened over time,” he shared.

A year later, in 2015, Alexander’s faith journey reached a turning point when he decided to attend the Conversion Experience Retreat (CER) organised by the Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC). The experience left in him a love for God and a resolve to do more to serve the Church.

saying ‘yes’ Thus in late 2016, after years

of being prompted by friends, Alexander finally took the step to be a catechist. “Initially, I was apprehensive about being a catechist. I was unsure if I knew enough, or whether I could relate to teenagers since I am a naturally reserved person” reflected Alexander.

humbled and encouraged by the example of fellow catechists and the love they have for the youth and the people around them.

Most of all, being a catechist has helped me understand myself and has given me the courage to open up more and bring Jesus to others.”

unless you say ‘yes’ to god, the holy spirit cannot work in you but once you do, god’s graces enrich you infinitely.

“But I was encouraged by other catechists who reminded me that all I had to do was bring Jesus to the youth,” he said.

In preparation for the ministry, Alexander attended courses offered by the Office for Catechesis (OFC).

“I attended courses in catechetical pedagogy and catechetical methods, introduction to scripture, introduction to morality, workshops on the craft of catechesis, as well as a fourday retreat. These courses gave me confidence in my ministry,” he shared.

bringing jesus to others A case in point occurred earlier this year, when Alexander learned that an old secondary schoolmate, who lived in Malaysia, had gotten gravely ill from cancer and had been rushed to Singapore for medical treatment.

Other ex-schoolmates and Alexander got together to support their cancer-stricken

friend. “We contributed towards medical bills, came together daily to care for him, massage him, sing to him, pray with him and share Jesus with him. When his mother came to Singapore to be with him, we supported her with accommodation and transportation. This took us all by surprise especially since many of us did not know him well,” recalled Alexander.

His friend passed away after three months, but Alexander is thankful that before he passed on, he had agreed to be baptised.

“If not for the grace of God, I would not have had the courage to evangelise and to live my faith so openly when caring for my friend,” said Alexander.

He shares, “I am grateful for the experience because it showed me that unless you say ‘yes’ to God, the Holy Spirit cannot work in you but once you do, God’s graces enrich you infinitely”.

giving and receiving Alexander reports, “Volunteering to be a catechist has helped me in more ways than I imagined possible. It has deepened my knowledge of our Catholic faith not just with constant exposure to the students, but through interactions with other catechists who bring different perspectives.”

He added, “I have also been

Alexander catechising youths at the Church of St Ignatius Photo:

Alexander Ee.

The Office for Catechesis (OFC) is one of several organisations in the archdiocese supported by the Catholic Foundation. It provides training and formation for catechists and those involved in catechetical ministries. This not only includes parish-based catechesis, but also special needs catechesis, RCIA, and Liturgy of the Word with Children. A regular financial pledge to the Catholic Foundation will enable OFC to continue equipping Catholics to help form the faith of those learning about Christ.

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Parents learn to build positive relationships with their children The Family Life team of the Church of St Bernadette collaborated with World Wide Marriage Encounter (WWME) Singapore to bring one of the latter’s enrichment programmes to the parish.

This series of four talks titled More Evenings for Parents – Positive Parenting covered topics such as parents’ expectations, parents’ image, criticism and discipline.

They were held on July 14, 21, 28 and Aug 4.

Although the topics were geared towards parents of teenagers, those with young children were also welcome to lay the foundation for a good parent-teen relationship.

The talks, attended by about 40 parents, were conducted in a relaxed manner, with interactions between presenting couples from ME and the participants, as well as among participants in smaller groups.

Participants learnt from the open sharings of the presenting couples, based on their experiences of raising children, and how they overcame challenges, persevering to love their children unconditionally. They also received encouragement and affirmation in their ocation of parenthood.

One participant, Michelle, 35, said that through this session, she

and her husband “realised that we are not alone.”

They have been married for 10 years and have two children aged 8 and 10.

“We learnt how other parents with teenagers keep updated with their teen’s life by inviting their friends over so there is some sort of a community,” she added.

A similar four-part series was held at the Church of Divine Mercy – Evenings for Parents, aimed at parents with younger kids up to teens. This was held on July 8, 15 and Aug 5, 12.

For more information on Marriage Encounter weekends, visit http://wwmesg.org n

Participants sharing during the programme. Above: At the Church of St Bernadette. Below: At the Church of Divine Mercy.

CHANCERY NOTICE 25 August 2017

It is believed that a medium from the Philippines has recently visited Catholics in Singapore with the intent of exercising her practice. She is said to diagnose and cure the sick of their illnesses when she is in a state of integration with the “Santo Nino”. The name Santo Nino – “Holy Child”, refers to the Infant Jesus as He is popularly known in Spanish-speaking countries and the Philippines.

The practice of inviting the “Santo Nino” or any spiritual entity, including those believed to be Catholic religious figures such as saints or members of the oly Trinity, to take control of a person’s body, is not consistent with Catholic teaching. This refers to a situation in which the spiritual entity assumes control of a person who has accepted them, often in order for this person or the entity to exercise power over another person.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states that:

CHN/CN/2017/017

“All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to ‘unveil’ the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honour, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.” (CCC 2116) The Catechism also states: “All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others – even if this were for the sake of restoring their health – are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion.

These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity.” (CCC 2117) The Archdiocese strongly advises Catholics not to solicit, permit or pay for the “services” of persons believed to be cooperating with occult spiritual entities. This advice refers not only to mediums of foreign origin or those claiming affiliation with the atholic faith. t extends e ually to the popular practice of consulting local mediums of any affiliation.

28 August 2017

APPOINTMENTS 1. Ms Melissa Lim has been appointed to the Board of ABLE SEAS for a term of two [2] years with effect from 10 July 2017.

2. The following have been appointed to the Archdiocesan Commission for Tamil Speaking (ACTS) for a term of two [2] years with effect from 1 August 2017 with Archbishop William Goh DD as the President: a. Fr Antony Spiritual Director Maria Joseph b. J Rogers Chairman (Church of Risen Christ) Kolandasamy c. Peter Vice Chair (Church of St Anne) d. Sangeetha Secretary (Church DonBosco of Christ the King) e. Benjamin Treasurer (Church of OLSS) f. Karmel Alexis Member (Church of Blessed Sacrament) g. Thiviya Nathan Member (Church of Blessed Sacrament) h. Thomas Marian Member (Church Anthony of St Francis of Assisi) i. Michael Member (Church of St Francis of Assisi) j. Sudhakar Member (Church of St Anthony) k. Mary Francis Member (Church of St Anthony) l. Sharly Cleetas Member (Church of OLSS) m. Vivek Member (Church of Christ the King) n. Shanthi Member (Church Magdalene of the Risen Christ o. Kennedy Member (Church of OLL) p. Joseph Albert Member (Church of OLL) q. Joseph Soosai Member (Church of St Anne)

CHN/CN/2017/018

3. Fr Gregory Tan SJ has been appointed chaplain to Catholic Junior College for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017.

4. Fr Antony Maria Joseph has been reappointed as the chaplain to the Missionaries of Charity for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017.

5. The following have been reappointed to the Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017: a. Fr Ignatius Yeo – Chair b. Fr Clifford Augustine OFM – Vice Chair c. Fr John Joseph Fenelon 6. Fr Donatien Davaine MEP has been appointed a member of the Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017.

7. The following have been appointed to the Board of Clarity Singapore for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017: a. Mr Benjamin Yeo Yul Chuan b. Mr Peter Chan Pee Teck c. Mr Peter Lam Kok Wai 8. Fr Eugene Vaz has been appointed as Spiritual Director for Christian Meditation groups at the Archdiocesan level for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017.

Love Tertiary Curia for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017.

11. Sr Elizabeth Lim RGS has been appointed as the Spiritual Director for Agape Village for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017.

12. Mrs Lily Kong has been appointed a member of the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS) for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017.

13. Prof. Tan Cheng Han has been reappointed as Chairman on the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS) for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017.

14. Fr Edward Seah has been reappointed as a member and as Acting Executive Director of the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS) for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017.

15. Fr Jerome Leon SJ has been appointed as Assistant Priest at the Church of St Ignatius for a term of three [3] years with effect from 1 September 2017.

16. Fr Benedict Kisun Eom has assumed the role of chaplain for the Korean Catholic Community with effect from 10 September 2017.

9. Fr Paul Lim CSsR has been appointed as Spiritual Director of the Legion of Mary Mary Theotokos North Curia for a term of two [2] years with effect from 17 August 2017.

Fr John-Paul Tan, OFM, JCL, Chancellor

10. Fr Gregory Tan SJ has been appointed as Spiritual Director of the Legion of Mary Mother of Divine

Chancery of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore #07-01 Catholic Centre, 55 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187954 Email: chancery@catholic.org.sg

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Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

GET CONNECTED: 2 LORONG LOW KOON, SINGAPORE 536449 T 6285 2571 | 6286 0341 W www.oyp.org.sg For enquiries, please email: info.oyp@catholic.org.sg

FA I T H & F O R M AT I O N

EVANGELISATION: DO CATHOLICS EVEN DO THAT?

Archbishop William Goh pictured with the newly minted university leaders

THANKSGIVING & TESTIMONY

COMBINED UNIVERSITIES COMMISSIONING On 23rd August 2017, His Grace, Archbishop William Goh commissioned the new leaders of the various university communities at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. We share with you the story of one of our leaders below. May it inspire you to spread the joy of the Gospel to all you meet.

by Lisha Ann Rodney Before I entered the SIM Catholic Society (CS), I was just a Sunday Catholic. I knew of God, but I didn’t know who He was to me. Coming into SIM, I came across SIM’s Freshmen Orientation Camp (FOC) in my parish bulletin. I have been an athlete all my life and joining a society CCA was never an option for me mainly because when I was younger, I was told that it wasn’t ‘cool’ to be in a society. I was pretty skeptical about signing up for FOC and I actually still have no idea what made me sign up for it to this very day. It was definitely God’s hand.

of finding solace in worldly pleasures, I learnt to find solace in God. Although I come from a staunch Catholic family, where we never missed Sunday masses and prayed the rosary every evening at home, my parents witnessed my faith journey grow tremendously after I entered SIM CS. They saw in me the yearning to be a better person and a better daughter to the Lord. It’s a constant challenge for me to live out my faith, especially in school.

There are times where I am so exhausted by the workload from school. However, my community is my refuge and strength. They help me to focus and keep my gaze on Jesus, and to trust that He’ll carry me through.

It has made me lean on Him more than I rely on my own strength, and that has lightened the burdens on my shoulders.

The FOC was my first retreat since confirmation camp.

I started to dread attending it because I’m an introvert and only talk to people when I really have to. The idea of making new friends all over again terrified me. However, when I entered OYP, I was engulfed by warmth, and felt so at home. Coming into the FOC, I was burdened by many fears, doubts and insecurities, but I learnt to find my worth in Jesus. This was especially so during the Sacrament of Reconciliation – where I experienced the Lord’s love, mercy and compassion for me. I was struggling with many sins that I wasn’t aware of, and I found my way back to Jesus. However, that change didn’t happen overnight or just through a retreat in this case.

When the FOC came to an end, I found this desire within me to make a radical change in my life. I realized that I couldn’t go on being the same person anymore after having such a tangible encounter with the Lord. It was then that I understood the importance of community and realized that I could not walk this journey alone. I needed the support of a community to guide me along.

When I first entered the CS, I was quite overwhelmed because I thought to myself that everyone was so ‘holy’.

But as I formed friendships and engaged in open and vulnerable sharing of lives, I then realized that we’re not here because we are saints, but rather that we are mere sinners who love and seek Jesus. I felt a sense of belonging, and I felt at home. My cell group leaders definitely played a significant role in keeping me committed to the CS by updating me on weekly sessions with WhatsApp messages and checking in with me about my faith journey. I began to attend weekly sessions without fail and in fact, I looked forward to sessions every week. I found serenity in my heart when I began meeting Jesus in the Eucharist (whether it was a quiet personal time with Jesus in the adoration room or attending mass with my brothers and sisters). Instead

by Brandon Krygsman We often fall into the habit of thinking there’s no need to evangelise. Sometimes, we even think that evangelisation is not the ‘Catholic way’ of spreading the Gospel. “We don’t have to talk about our faith, we can just evangelise subtly through our everyday actions by being a good person!” However, this idea of subtle evangelisation, is it something we Catholics have adopted as a mind-set?

Actually, evangelisation is more important than we know! In Pope Paul VI’s apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Nuntiandi, it says the Church “exists in order to evangelise”. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) it also states that “The Church on earth is by her nature missionary”. Evangelisation is definitely something that is crucial to our Catholic identity. It is something that should be routine in our daily lives and not just something confined to our private group of church friends or something that is pushed to those consecrated to religious life because it is their responsibility. There is a need for us as a church to not just subtly evangelise but to go out and proclaim the truth of who Jesus is.

Before we go any deeper, many might ask, what is evangelisation? Evangelisation is an ongoing process of conversion of spirit and change of heart because of the continual experience of God’s love for us. It is not just simply about talking to someone about Jesus but a continual sharing and journeying and the conversion of the heart to live for Jesus. So if that is the case, that means the evangeliser himself needs to be constantly evangelised to.

Lisha (front, center) with her fellow SIM Catholic Society leaders

God is Love, and my brothers and sisters in CS are the face of Jesus to me. I discerned and decided to step up to serve in CS because I had received so much. Many times, I felt unsure of my ability and worthiness to serve. However, if there was just one thing I was certain about when I stepped up despite my insecurities, it was that I desired to bring the light of Christ that my community had shown me, into the lives of many others who are searching for it amidst the darkness that surrounds them.

A year and a half ago, I wouldn’t have imagined myself as part of my school’s Catholic community, let alone stepping up to serve in the exco. God showed me that if we take one step towards Him, He’ll take a thousand more steps to us. All we’ve got to do is to just take that one tiny step, and He will work wonders for us! So today, I’d like to invite you, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, to take that one step closer to Him, be it in your parish, school community or even in your first community – your families. Amen!

Msgr. Phillip Heng praying for the youth before they go out on street evangelisation

Why is there a need to evangelise?

In CCC 851, it says, “God wills the salvation of everyone through the knowledge of the truth. Salvation is found in the truth. Those who obey the prompting of the Spirit of truth are already on their way to salvation. But the Church, to whom the truth has been entrusted, must go out to meet their desire, so as to bring them the truth.”

Personally, I used to ask myself this question a lot. I used to think, why should I evangelise?

This article is an excerpt that originally appeared in its entirety on the OYP website. To read more, please visit http://oyp.org.sg/ evangelisation-catholics-even/

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Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

Catholics from the region learn more about serving migrants Catholics from Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore learnt more about the issues and challenges involved in serving migrants during a fourday conference titled Exodus.

The Aug 31-Sept 3 event was organised by the Episcopal Commission on the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants (ECMI) and Singapore’s Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ACMI).

The conference had the theme, Jesus, Gift to the Vulnerable and Voiceless, and was held at the St Francis Xavier Retreat Centre in Punggol, and Agape Village.

In his speech, keynote speaker Fr Graziano Battistella drew the attention of the 85 participants to how migrants can be “invisible” in the societies they work in.

“Most domestic workers in Asia live in the house of the employers,” said Fr Battistella, director of the Scalabrini Migration Center in Quezon City, the Philippines. “In this regard, they are invisible to the local society, except during their day off.”

ACMI’s chairman Mark Goh reflected on esus compassion for the widow of Nain in raising her dead son to life in Luke 7:11-17.

“This instructs me that our work [in ACMI] extends beyond the acts of charity and social work:

the goal of our effort is to restore persons to their dignity and sense of belonging to the community,” he said, “and give meaning to life.”

Other speakers included Jesuit Fr Varghese Lopez, from St Peter’s College Major Seminary in Kuching, Sarawak, who spoke on the psychology of migration and the stress migrants experience on arrival in their host countries.

Most domestic ‘workers ... are invisible to the local society, except during their day off.

’

– Fr Graziano Battistella from the Scalabrini Migration Center in Quezon City, the Philippines.

Representatives from Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower, the Migrant Workers Centre and YaleNUS College also spoke on the migrant situation in Singapore.

At the Thanksgiving Mass held at Agape Village on Sept 3, Bishop Bernard Paul of MelakaJohor stressed how each Catholic is called to be like a “father” because God the Father is in us.

“Because God the Father is merciful ... therefore we are all

Catholics from Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore at the Exodus conference held from Aug 31-Sept 3.

called to reflect is mercy to others,” he said.

Delegates said they learnt much from the conference.

“It was good to have open discussions about migrant issues and policies,” said Ms Trizia Dela Cruz from the Church of Our

Lady of Perpetual Succour.

“Since my family is very involved in the Filipino community, it helped to open my eyes to what people face every day. With a better understanding of these issues, I feel more involved and more willing to help.”

For Sr Rosalind Chan, the conference was an “eye opener to many things”. The Franciscan Missionaries of Mary nun said she felt “very touched that there are so many organisations and dedicated people” who are helping migrants. n

Malayalee Catholics celebrate Onam harvest festival It was a joyous and colourful celebration of a traditional harvest festival for some 300 mostly Malayalee Catholics recently.

Organised by the Archdiocesan Commission for Malayalam Apostolate, the Onam celebration was held at the Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre on Sept 1.

Onam marks the summer harvest and is a major annual event for Malayalee Indians in and outside Kerala, southern India.

The local celebration began with a speech by Fr Salim Joseph, chaplain of the Malayalam Catholic community in Singapore, followed by a lamp-lighting ceremony.

There were stage performances such as Thiruvathira, a folk dance performed by women, and Chenda melam, a traditional Kerala percusion performance.

Participants also made a colourful floral arrangement on the ground, called the Athappookkalam.

There were also outdoor activities such as Kaserakali (musical chairs) and a tug-of-war for different age groups.

Participants also enjoyed a special vegetarian meal served on banana leaves. n

Participants pose for a photo with a colourful floral arrangement called Athappookkalam.

Lamp-lighting ceremony.

Participants enjoying a vegetarian meal.

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

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On being ‘courageous’ as an educator

By Karen Tan S. E. A hundred and ten educators, including teachers, principals and school board members, learnt what it meant to be a “courageous” Christian educator at a recent faith formation programme.

The Aug 25 and 26 programme, held at Catholic Junior College, was organised by the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS) and Australia’s Brisbane Catholic Education ffice. enior staff from ffice presented the programme to the 70 local teachers who attended the Aug 25 session, and the 40 principals, vice-principals and school board members who attended the Aug 26 one.

The programme was to help participants find courage in meeting the challenges they face in school by reflecting on ospel stories, and through insights from spiritual writings, music, and arts and crafts.

One memorable activity for participants was using dot-style painting to express their con-

nection with the courage of the cross.

Another significant topic that resonated with the educators was the call to build a community based on ospel alues.

An acti ity that reflected this was the making of a “lion of clay”. Here, participants experimented with acrylics of different colours in building their “lion”, in an effort to articulate how they can bring about their vision of a ospel community in their schools. ne participant, r erald Kong, said he could relate this activity to the courage that St Paul manifested in labouring to build church communities in the face of adversity.

“The symbol of the lion is a reminder from 2 Tim 4:17 that our

The faith formation programme was to he rt ts fi courage in meeting challenges in school.

Left: An artmaking session during the programme.

Below: Participants doing dot-style painting on wooden crosses.

strength in the midst of adversities is always from od and that our doorway to accessing that is humility and surrender to Him,” said Mr Kong.

The faith formation programme culminated another BCEACCS partnership project – the Literacy Education Access Programme (LEAP).

This was a fi e day programme for Catholic Australian senior-level teachers to observe the academic and religion lessons in eight Catholic schools here.

The visitors also participated in sharing sessions with the teachers, principals and vice-principals of the Singapore schools. n

HOME 9

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

Fr Christopher Lee, parish priest of St Joseph Church (Bukit Timah), incensing Br Emmanuel’s coffin during the funeral Mass.

Students from Gabrielite schools salute as the hearse containing Br Emmanuel’s coffin leaves the church.

Tributes paid to late Gabrielite Br Emmanuel Friends, former Boys’ Town residents and many others bade him farewell at his funeral

By Jared Ng

Mass, parish priest Fr Christopher Lee reminded all gathered “I love them all. I will pray for all that “death is only a door to a of you.” new and better existence.”

These were some of Gabrielite “Our love for Br Emmanuel Br Emmanuel’s last words for his does not end with his death,” he loved ones, former students and added. all who knew him according to Br Several people who knew Br John Albert, who was at his bed- Emmanuel shared with Catholic side during his final moments.

News their memories of him af“He was a man who always ter Mass. wanted to make a difference,” said Mr Francis Sim, who knew Br John, provincial of the Gabri- Br Emmanuel during his time in elite Brothers in Singapore, who Boys’ Town, remembered him as delivered a eulogy at Br Emma- “a beacon of hope.” nuel’s funeral Mass on Sept 4 at “Everytime I saw him, I alSt Joseph Church (Bukit Timah). ways felt inspired to be a better About 1,000 people attended man. Having him around gave the solemn occasion including me hope that I could leave [Boys’ students from the varTown] and make a difious schools under the ference,” said Mr Sim. Everytime Gabrielite Brothers in Mr Daniel Ong, I saw him, Singapore. who spent a few years A few people were I always felt in Boys’ Town, exseen wiping away his gratitude inspired to be pressed tears during the Mass for the times Br Emwhile others gazed a better man. manuel was strict uietly at his coffin.

– Mr Francis Sim with him.

Over the course of “I didn’t underon Br Emmanuel’s his 63 years of service influence stand how or why he in Singapore, Br Emcould be so stern inimanuel was involved in numer- tially but it became clearer as my ous organisations and groups and discipline improved. I became a served with “care and love,” said better person thanks to him,” he Br John. said.

One of these was as director of Mr Peter Tan echoed the sentiBoys’ Town for more than 30 years. ments of Mr Ong when he said Br In another eulogy, Mr Chua Emmanuel “was strict yet underCher Choon shared how Br Em- standing when he disciplined us.” manuel was responsible for his “He never scolded without conversion to the Catholic faith. reason and ultimately I knew it “He became my godfather,” said was for my own good. I want to Mr Chua. thank him for that and hope he Mr Chua also said Br Emma- continues to watch over me and nuel was remembered for his “strict all those who knew and loved yet compassionate” character. him,” said Mr Tan. He shared many fond memories Br Emmanuel was cremated at of Br Emmanuel and how he be- Mandai Crematorium. n came a role model for many people.

In his homily during the jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

‘

’

Br Emmanuel: Life and times Br Emmanuel @ Pierre Paul Gaudette of the Gabrielite Brothers in Singapore passed away on 31 August 2017, two months short of his 84th birthday. Brother Emmanuel had suffered from various health conditions for months.

Born on 28 October 1933 in Montreal, Canada, Br Emmanuel came from a family of 10 children and was educated by the Brothers of St Gabriel in Canada. When the family lost their mother at a young age, his father dedicated all his children, including the young Pierre Paul, to Our Lady.

A jovial and inspiring rolemodel for many, Br Emmanuel came to Singapore in 1954 and began his teaching career at Montfort School, then called Holy Innocents’ English School. He was also principal of Boys’ Town English School (later known as Assumption English School) in 1960 and 1963-1966; St Gabriel’s School (1960-1963 and 19691974); and director of Boys’ Town for more than 30 years.

Br Emmanuel became a Singapore citizen when Singapore gained independence and dedicated himself to his adopted country.

The Singapore government recognised his contributions to the nation by awarding him the Public Service Star in 1995, in appreciation of his commitment to the youth of Singapore, and the Public Service Star (Bar) in 2006. Br Emmanuel also served as a Justice of the Peace, chairman of Catholic Welfare Services and Supervisor of Schools of the Montfort Brothers of St Gabriel.

During his 63 years in Singapore, Br Emmanuel touched the lives of countless people. To the young people, as their teacher, principal and director, he was a true mentor, guide and encourager. To the Brothers of St Gabriel, Br Emmanuel was provincial superior for some 12 years. He was a leader who was ever attentive to their needs and actively animated the communities under his charge.

As a Justice of the Peace, Br Emmanuel visited many in prison as a member of the Board of Visitors and solemnised many marriages. In his civil ministry, he always brought the message of peace and love to all people regardless of their faith and race.

Br Emmanuel was also active in parish ministry in Singapore.

His entertaining and inspiring talks to numerous church groups week after week brought many to the Church and back to the Church.

He also ministered to many in his active involvement with the Charismatic movement in Singapore.

Br Emmanuel promised God that he would not stop serving and living his praise, actively serving the neediest in the Church and society. This he did with much passion until the end of his life. “Well done, good and faithful servant … enter into the joy of your master.”

(Matthew 25:23) He will be fondly remembered.

We invite you to pray for him in your Masses and prayers. n Submitted by the CHANCERY OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SINGAPORE

10 HOME

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

Empowering ministry leaders for pastoral care

Participants in a praise-and-worship session during the Aug 16-20 course.

MIGRANT

SUNDAY Singapore 2017 All are welcome to celebrate Singapore's vibrant and integrated community together 1 October 2017, 10.30am Mass Cathedral of the Good Shepherd “A” Queen Street, Singapore 188533

“

Today, we must reach out to the poor if we are to be truly rich in life and love.

We must become more aware, not just intellectually but be in personal contact with such people, the sick, the prisoners, the migrants, the poor and the lonely so that we can truly feel with them in their struggles and pains.

Celebrated by

”

Archbishop William Goh

acmi.org.sg

acmi.singapore

The Institute for World EvangeliTopics during the programme sation (ICPE Mission Singapore) included “God’s Rebuilding Work ran a pastoral care course titled in Us”, “a Journey of Healing” Empowering the Wounded Healer. and pastoral leadership.

Fifty-nine participants from Participants also went for conSingapore, Malaysia and Indone- fession and attended daily Mass sia attended the Aug 16-20 course and had adoration. Group and held at the former St Francis Xa- one-to-one sharings were also vier Major Seminary carried out as part of in Punggol. their learning journey.

The first Most of the particCanossian Sr Mathree days of rie de Roza, a particiipants were ministry leaders in their parish pant, shared that “the the course communities while Holy Spirit was very focused on others were ICPE alive and most powerinner healing ful” during the course. members.

Speakers com“For me He used and the prised ICPE memthis pastoral care remaining two course to bring healbers Pia and Stefan days aimed Attard who flew in ing into areas of my from Malta; Ms Eslife where I felt myto empower ther Fong, a Singapoself bruised, broken participants rean, who flew back and wounded,” said from the Philippines on providing Sr Marie, who celewhere she is serving; her 73rd birthpastoral care brated and Mr Mike Arents day on the second day to others. from the Netherlands, of the course. who lives and works Ms Eunice Png in Singapore. shared, “Acknowledging my The first three days of the struggle with anger has brought course focused on inner healing me to deeper levels of humility, and the remaining two days aimed opened doors to connecting with to empower participants in pro- people I have never connected viding pastoral care to people who with before ... I received a reneware hurting. al of my mind and in my spirit!” n

Integrating one’s faith into the workplace Avoid exaggerations and lies, which are common practices in the working world. Accept and take responsibility for one’s mistakes and give credit where credit is due.

This was some advice given by Mr Gerard Lee, a parishioner of the Church of the Holy Cross and CEO of Lion Global Investocrs, at a talk organised by the Catholic Business Network (CBN).

Mr Lee, who had previously worked for both the GIC and Temasek Holdings, was speaking at one of CBN’s My Journey Series of talks in which business leaders share their experiences of being “shepherds in the marketplace”.

He gave examples of how he integrates his faith with his work, such as displaying the crucifix and holy pictures, and also the Nativity scene during Advent in the hope of sparking conversations with staff.

He also starts his work day with prayer and meditation, from where he gets his direction and inspiration.

Mr Lee stressed that it is important for Catholic business people to have the mindset of Jesus, and to relate to others in humility, self sacrifice and compassion.

Basically, they are to act and live according to their conscience as formed by the Holy Spirit.

He noted that it is easier to be promoted at work than to integrate faith into work because “faith sees a dimension different from money and power, the twin idols of work”.

are called ‘Christians to look beyond money and power.’

– Mr Gerard Lee at a Catholic Business Network talk

“Christians are called to look beyond money and power and be cognisant of the impact of work on stakeholders – employer, employees, colleagues and the community,” he said. “Being a shepherd in the market place is not only about doing good work; it is a need to share how God gave us eternal life and we, as shepherds, are the ones who will have to carry out His will.”

Mr John Lim, a 27-year-old entrepreneur who attended the talk said he felt that Mr Lee’s sharing “was very inspirational”.

“He touched on many relevant workplace issues,” said Mr Lim. The Catholic Business Network’s website is www.cbn.sg n

HOME 11

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

Priests entertain with songs, heartwarming stories

utting the ca e to mar the th anniversar of the Cenacle Sisters in Singa ore. From left Ms anet ng Sr Francisca an rchbisho illiam Goh Sr inda i ada Sr Mel Benedictos Sr Susa alde and Fr alerian heong.

Cenacle Sisters celebrate 20 years in Singapore B

he M Soul roclaims’ event sa riests erform a variet of songs. From left Fr Eugene ee Fr Ed ard im and Friar erric a . Photos: CASSANDRA GOH

Four priests, a seminarian and one eligious filled the hurch of the Holy Family with laughter and cheer as they entertained with songs, heartwarming stories and dance.

Titled My Soul Proclaims, the Sept 4 event saw Carmelite Fr Edward Lim, Franciscan friar Derrick Yap, Redemptorist Fr Eugene Lee and Fr Valerian Cheong perform a wide range of songs.

Proceeds from the event went to the fundraising efforts of the Cenacle Sisters.

Fr Edward sang In Perfect Charity and The Carpenters’ I Need To Be In Love. Fr Derrick Yap sang German-Italian and Mandarin songs whilst Fr Eugene Lee took a more Asian approach with a Malay/Indonesian song called Kau Mau Cinta Yesus as well as a Filipino Song titled Maris Stella.

Each singer shared his reason as to why he chose certain songs as well as his personal story of struggle and growth.

Seminarian Br Nicholas Lye then led an exuberant dance together with young people from the parish as well the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour.

He also shared about his vocation journey and struggles to the priesthood.

There was a surprise bonus act by La Salle Br Collin Wee as he entertained with his Peranakan patois and humour.

He had the audience in stitches as he told jokes and stories.

Fr Valerian ended the evening with two songs – In Your Pres-

in action is still alive and strong.”

Ms Julie Chong, a Holy Family parishioner, said, “It was a very good production. Every performer gave a very sincere effort of his time and talents to the Cenacle Sisters cause. A very heartfelt event!” n

lare sabel Ee

ore than people celebrated the th anni ersary of the enacle Sisters in Singapore at a gala dinner on Aug 26.

Archbishop William Goh and many who had benefitted from the Sisters’ work over the years attended the dinner which commemorated the Cenacle mission in Singapore.

“The work that we do – spiritual direction, spiritual accompaniment, retreats – are ones that are very quiet in our world today, where there’re so many goingson,” said Sr Francisca Tan, the first ingaporean enacle ister.

She thanked those in attendance for their support over the years, especially as the Sisters are now fundraising for a home.

Archbishop Goh highlighted the importance of the Sisters’ work in Singapore, explaining that it is integral to the vision and mission of the archdiocese to build a vibrant, evangelistic, missionary Church.

To aid in the fundraising effort, the dinner included an auction.

One of the paintings, sold for , , was immediately donated back to the Sisters to be hung in their future home.

Currently, the Sisters are about halfway towards reaching their fundraising goal.

The Cenacle Sisters were founded in 1826 by St Thérèse Couderc and Fr Stephen Terme.

For more information on the Cenacle Sisters, visit www.cenaclemission.com n

BUILDING A VIBRANT, MISSIONARY AND EVANGELISTIC CHURCH EVENTS BY THE FOLLOWING ARCHDIOCESAN ORGANISATIONS IN 2017 BE

ORGANISATIONS

a Salle Br ollin ee sur rised the audience ith a comed act.

ence and All Generations Will Praise You. Mr Patrick Chua from the Church of the Holy Trinity shared, “Tonight we saw the action of helping in the service of others, using different talents and resources collectively to remind us that faith

EMBE • Family Partners’ Empowerment & Appreciation Event (18 Nov)

Archdiocesan Commission for the Family (ACF) ffice for oung eo le

• Vinea Retreat (2-6 Oct) • Day of Recollection (21 Oct)

• Nox Gaudii (OYP Turns 4) (3 Nov)

ffice for the e Evangelisation E

• Lectors Day of Recollection (14 Oct) • Bishop’s Catechesis for Catechumens (21 Oct) • Wardens Study Day (21 Oct) • Choir Day (28 Oct)

• Small Christian Community (SCC) follow up (4 Nov) • Watchman Retreat (9-12 Nov) • Village Fest (18 Nov)

atholic S iritualit

• Kerygma Retreat

• Conversion Experience Retreat • Prayer Experience Retreat • Couples Retreat

• Intercession Workshop (14 & 15 Oct)

• Inner Healing Retreat (11 & 12 Nov)

• Craft of Catechesis Workshop – raying the i ine ffice ct • Bishop’s Catechesis for Catechumens (21 Oct) • Catechist Elective Course – Church History (S’pore) (21, 28 Oct) • New Catechist Orientation (18 Oct) • Basic Catechist Course – Intro to Catechetical Pedagogy & Catechetical Methods (25 Oct-6 Dec) • Basic Catechist Course – Human exuality ct o • Special Needs Mass (29 Oct) • Learn to Listen & Facilitate (31 Oct-28 Nov)

A T rogram ary ale ertification in Catechesis (4, 5 Nov) • Basic Catechist Course – Intro to Catechetical Pedagogy & Catechetical Methods • Learn to Listen & Facilitate • Coordinators’ Retreat (24-26 Nov)

• Migrant Sunday (1 Oct) • Foreign Domestic Workers Day (15 Oct) kills e elopment entre Enrolment (29 Oct)

• Migrant Symposium (17 Nov) • Migrant Support Group Event (19 Nov) • ACMI High Tea for everyone (26 Nov)

• Personal Moral Compass Module 6 sessions from ct o • Silver IT Fest (2, 5, 9 & 12 October) • Review of Life Workshop B (7, 14 Oct) • Agape Experience (14, 21, 28 Oct)

• Agape Experience (11 Nov)

• Fundraising launch in Archdiocese • Share the Journey Campaign launch with Caritas Singapore in Archdiocese ept to

• Missioners Gathering

• China workers gathering (1 Oct) • Liturgy seminar (7-9 Oct) • Faith Formation-West/City District (22 Oct)

• PMSCAC seminar @ Penang o ec

• Bible Course on Revelation (By Msgr Ambrose Vaz)

• Bible Course on Revelation (By Msgr Ambrose Vaz)

entre

S

Singa ore rchdiocesan atholic harismatic ene al S E ffice for atechesis

F

Archdiocesan Commission for the astoral are of Migrants and tinerant eo le M aritas Singa ore

aritas

aritas umanitarian id nitiatives Singa ore

elief S

Archdiocesan Commission for ostolate of Mandarin s ea ing MS rchdiocesan Biblical

ostolate

B

ote For more information lease refer to the res ective rganisation’s ebsite. his information is correct at the time of rinting.

Compiled by Office for the New Evangelisation (ONE), www.one.org.sg

12 ASIA

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

Chinese authorities ban children from going to church HONG KONG – Communist au-

A girl looks at a religious book during Mass. Chinese authorities have issued notices that restrict children from joining Christian groups and attending religious activities. fie h t

UPDATED PROGRAMME FOR THE WEEK 11 - 18 SEP 2017 · Due to the delay in the arrival of statue on 10 September, the IHM programme will not proceed as planned. · There is an additional programme at QOP on the evening of 18 September at 5.30pm. See below for further details.

(‡)

Day of Prayer Living the Consecration: To Jesus through Mary Healing prayer sessions @ 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm for various needs in the Diocese

PLEASE NOTE 1. Programme correct at the time of printing and may be subject to change.

2. (*) Private events are by invitation only

3. (◊) Refer to CSC website (www.csctr.net) for more details.

4. (‡) Day of Recollection at CSC on Sat, 16 September is full.

and written message to the parthorities are continuing to tighten ents’ chat group “asking us not to their grip on practising Christians bring children to the church.” with at least four regional govThe teacher indicated that ernments across China issuing the education bureau issued that notices that restrict children from instruction and added that an injoining Christian groups and at- spection team would launch open tending religious activities. and undercover investigations on The ban includes turning chilundays to find out how many dren away from churches even if children went to church. they attend with their parents and On Aug 12, the local street teachers. Additionally, the ban in- committee office also sent officials cludes promises that officials will to churches to persuade parents launch investigations into both not to take their children there. government-approved churches However, Maria said, there were and underground congregations still many children participating in who operate outside the tightly the procession for the feast of the controlled official ei ing run Assumption of Mary, one of the Catholic and Protestant bodies. four most important feasts in the The latest move comes as part China Church, on Aug 15. of a concerted crackdown on reliIn another incident, a churchgion that began with a three-year run summer camp that two Protcross removal campaign in the estant classmates of her niece Christian stronghold attended, was evenprovince of Zhejitually disbanded and The ang. The state’s move all participants sent es t r against religions behome, Maria said. h re came official last year Ouhai district when Chinese leader r h r hes in Wenzhou also isXi Jinping instituted sued a similar notice e e the formal plans to “sinithat children were cise” religion with not allowed to attend tte th the intention of bring“Minors rethe r re ts church. ing more religious ceiving religious edute hers cation and formation followers under the control of the ruling too early in churches Communist Party, which itself is would seriously affect the normal officially atheist and forbids mem implementation of the education bers from practising any religion. system,” the notice said.

“An emergency notice from A parallel situation was reportthe higher authorities strictly for- ed in Inner Mongolia Autonomous bids all secondary and primary Region in northern China. Maria school teachers, students and tod- was told by a friend there that redlers to join Catholic or Protestant ligious officials banned a summer churches,” the school district of camp run by the Catholic Church Yonglin in Wenzhou, eastern Zhe- in uhai, ameng iocese. jiang, said in a note to all primary A woman official asked lay schools, adult educational insti- people about the summer camp tutes and kindergartens. there without revealing her idenMaria, a Catholic laywoman tity but she said she would like in the district who identified her her son to join it. The Catholics self by her baptismal name, told did not know it was a trap and told ucanews.com that recently her her all the details,” said Maria. n daughter’s teacher sent an audio UCANEWS.COM

ASIA 13

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

omen carr children as the ma e their a through a flooded area on Bangladesh. t least eo le have been illed. CNS photos

ug

in Bogra

esidents bro se iles of drenched clothes on ug hoon ato hit Macau.

discarded b local clothing stores after

Church groups aid victims of Macau typhoon, Bangladesh floods hurch organisations and agencies are pulling together resources to aid those affected by a typhoon in acau and floods in angladesh. arishes in acau diocese held special asses on Aug for those killed and affected by a super typhoon that struck the city recently.

Typhoon ato, the strongest typhoon in years, hit acau on Aug causing serious flooding and the death of at least people, many of them trapped in basements. ore than a hundred people suffered in uries. ishop tephen ee un sang of acau extended his sympathies on Aug to ictims as well as families of the dead, on behalf of the diocese. e encouraged e ery parish to hold special asses and to support communities affected by the disaster.

ay call upon all the citiens of acau, especially belie ers of hrist, along with people of all faiths and goodwill, to unite in prayer for the deceased and wounded, for their families, and for the numberless firefighters, police officers, medical staff, and workers repairing water and electric facilities and those cleaning our streets, ishop ee said in a statement.

Among the buildings damaged by the typhoon was t rancis hurch in oloane which was flooded. The pla a in front of the church was likewise smashed by fallen trees. tained glass from the ur ady of ati ity athedral and a window frame in the diocesan curia building next to it were also damaged. n helping the city get back on its feet, arious atholic communities ha e pro ided drinking water

Catholic communities in Seoul help bolster faith SEOUL – A lay mo ement first

established by eoul archdiocese years ago has helped atholics strengthen their faith, according to the results of a sur ey.

The asic cclesial ommunity has pro ed to be effecti e in promoting ass participation and ible reading, according to the sur ey released by the pastoral department of eoul archdiocese on Aug . esults from the sur ey shows that is meaningful in e angelising the faithful and re italising parish communities, said r Augustine o ung poong, the pastoral director of the archdiocese. n a gloomy situation where o erall ass participation rates are dropping, it s is an encouraging fact that the participants are going to ass more fre uently, he said. onducted from ct o

last year, the sur ey inter iewed , atholics from arious age groups in nine parishes. Among the respondents, . percent said they oined meetings.

The pastoral department compared the e angelisation le els between participants and non participants. According to the sur ey, participants are more acti e in almost all areas including ospel proclamation, liturgy participation, communion with other atholics and ser ice to neighbours.

The sur ey also found that participants go to ass more fre uently and read the ible more than those who do not oin.

The sur ey was conducted to see how the has contributed to the e angelisation of local atholics. eoul archdiocese introduced the s in . n UCANEWS.COM

to people at se eral locations since many districts ha e been unable to restore their water supply and electricity since the disaster struck.

As acau struggled to get back on its feet, it was hit by Typhoon akhar on Aug . This storm was weaker than the earlier one. n angladesh, hurch agencies and hristian organisations ha e been assisting ictims of recent flooding that left tens of thousands marooned in the north and northeast of the country. aritas in ina pur, one of the

About 41 million people in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan have been affected by some of the worst e es

worst affected areas pro ided food and clothes to some , people residing in do ens of flood shelters. eanwhile, aritas in a shahi has offered meals to , people. hurches, schools and boarding hostels ha e functioned as flood shelters for hundreds of people. e couldn t do much to help ictims at this stage, except supply food to flood shelters. lood damage has been enormous, and we would like to offer a complete rehabilitation package to ictims. All will depend on the generosity of donor agencies, al kka, programme officer of isaster anagement at aritas ina pur told ucanews.com.

The angladesh hristian Association A , the country s largest hristian forum, has also collected donations and started distribution among flood ictims. e are distributing lungi sa-

rong and saris for the ictims. e ha e also collected more money, so we can buy more items as necessary. ince id ul A ha is approaching, we ha e focused on new clothing as id gifts for ictims, r irmol o ario, A president told ucanews.com.

Triggered by hea y monsoon rain and high water le els coming downstream in ri ers from ndia, flooding has affected . million and killed at least people in angladesh, according to the country s isaster anagement department.

About , houses and crops on , ha of land ha e been destroyed.

About million people in angladesh, ndia, epal and hutan ha e been affected by some of the worst flooding in decades, according to the nited ations. n UCANEWS.COM

Priests injured defending church

HONG KONG – e eral priests and laypeople defending church property were in ured during an assault by security officers and workers in hina s northern hanxi pro ince.

The incident occurred in angcun illage, part of hanghi diocese, on Aug , reported Asian news portal ucanews.com. rs hen un, ao inglong, a ing, hen ue hong and se eral laypeople were assaulted by security officers and workers who came to demolish a building returned to the church four years ago. rior to the assaults, the priests oined hundreds of laypeople sitting in front of hea y earth mo ing e uipment to block the demolition work. ews of the assault went iral on the nternet, with some atholics calling for prayers. thers asked for more laypeople to go to the site and pro ide support. y the after-

noon, about priests and nearly , laypeople gathered at the site. nable to carry on with their demolition order, the workers and security officials left the enue. ernight, more than laymen stood guard at the site.

The security officers and

Priests joined hundreds of laypeople sitting in front of heavy earth-moving equipment to block the demolition work. workers left only to discuss countermeasures. fear that they will come back, r hen, parish priest of angcun hurch, told ucanews.com.

The former church property was demolished in and was rebuilt as a factory by local

authorities. n , the illage committee decided to return the property to hang hi iocese.

The committee issued a document noting that since the original church property had been demolished, the committee decided to allocate all facilities of the old factory on the property to the diocese. ut in April this year, the illage committee suddenly said that they ha e to demolish the old factory and the fencing wall that now belongs to the church, said r hen. n Aug , the angcun illage branch of the ommunist arty and the illage committee announced they would dismantle the remaining old factory buildings and fencing, claiming they were built illegally. r hen has criticised the committee for retracting its decision in returning the property to the church. n CNS

14 WORLD

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

aye s, escue ss ons as u cane a ey st es HOUSTON, TEXAS, USA – As the waters from Hurricane Harvey rose and fell, prayers uttered in Texas ranged from pleas for protection to asking God for the courage to live with charity and great patience, said Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of Victoria.

The bishop said after residents saw the wreckage caused by the storm, they experienced suffering and deep sadness, but they also got right to work to help each other.

“The resolve to help one block, one parish at a time continues to be strong,” he said.

When the storm began, the bishop kept vigil praying to the Blessed Mother with two Marian devotions: Mary, Star of the Sea and Our Lady of Prompt Succour.

“When the eye of the storm comes, all you can do is pray,” he said.

Later he said he “surrendered” the future to God and went to bed.

The next day, without power, he listened to the radio as Harvey stalled over his 10-county diocese. He emerged from his home to find an incredible amount of damage.

In Galveston-Houston, Vietnamese-born Fr J. Phong Nguyen answered a desperate call for help.

The parochial vicar at St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Houston drove through the rain to a northwest Houston neighbour-

A woman holds her dog as she evacuates from her home in Houston, Texas, because of floods caused b urricane arve . CNS photo

hood flooding to the tops of the garage”.

On a rescue mission, the priest commandeered a boat after finding water too high to drive through and sped through the neighbourhood.

After bringing a family to safety with other rescuers, he heard more screams for help as they passed by more homes.

For at least three or four hours – Fr Nguyen said he’s unsure how long he helped because he made so many trips – the priest helped pull stranded families from their second floor windows and homes.

Despite not knowing how to swim, and being filled with fear, he said he felt called to help and not leave anyone behind.

“Before I started, I prayed to Mary,” he said, begging her to be with him. “My heart broke in two.

It was too much. The water just kept rising and rising.”

Parishes and schools throughout the Beaumont diocese in Texas saw some damage. At least one parish remained unsafe to visit by the afternoon on Aug 31. Parishes then shared plans to host other congregations affected by Harvey. n CNS

ope o e s p aye s o flood VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis offered his prayers for the people of Texas and Louisiana struggling to cope with the devastating impact of Hurricane Harvey and he praised all those engaged in rescuing and caring for the thousands of people forced out of their homes.

In a message to Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Pope Francis asked that his “spiritual closeness and pastoral concern” be relayed to all those affected by the hurricane and flooding.

The message was sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican

ct

s

secretary of state.

Pope Francis, the cardinal said, “trusts that the immense and immediate needs of so many individuals and communities will continue to inspire a vast outpouring of solidarity and mutual aid in the best traditions of the nation”. n CNS

WORLD 15

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

Pope: break ‘mirror’ of narcissistic culture

Supporters of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme demonstrate near the White House on Sept 5. It was announced that the programme was ‘being rescinded’, leaving thousands of undocumented young people at risk of deportation and losing their work permits.

VATICAN CITY – Today’s narcis-

CNS photo

Trump’s decision on undocumented young people slammed WASHINGTON – Catholic Church

leaders and others have been swift and unanimous in their condemnation of President Donald Trump’s Sept 5 decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival programme or DACA. The rescinding of DACA, announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, places an estimated 800,000 undocumented immigrants, many of whom were brought to the United States as young children and have known no other home, under threat of deportation and losing permits that allow them to work.

From August through December, according to the Department of Homeland Security, the work permits of more than 200,000 DACA recipients will expire and only 55,258 have submitted requests for permit renewals.

The “decision is nothing short of heartless”, said Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich. He added that

those affected “are now left in a six-month limbo, during which Congress is supposed to pass comprehensive immigration reform, a feat they have been unable to achieve for a decade”, he said in a Sept 5 statement.

Ms Jeanne Atkinson, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, said the decision to end DACA is “a heartbreaking disappointment”.

She also said her organisation rejects and adamantly disagrees with Mr Sessions’ “untested personal opinion that DACA is unconstitutional”.

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, chairman of the US

The ‘decision is nothing short of heartless’.

– Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich.

Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, said that “Americans have never been a people who punish children for the mistakes of their parents. I am hopeful that we will not begin now.”

He added, “I do not believe this decision represents the best of our national spirit or the consensus of the American people. This decision reflects only the polarisation of our political moment.”

Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia, in a statement on his Facebook page, said he wanted to emphasise Georgetown’s “strongest support for all of our undocumented students. As a nation, we have the capacity and responsibility to work together to provide a permanent legislative solution to ensure the safety and well-being of these young women and men who have – and will – contribute to the future of our country in deeply meaningful ways.” n CNS

sistic culture leads to sad souls who worry more about keeping up appearances than caring for others, Pope Francis said.

Speaking to young people of the Shalom community, Pope Francis warned them of the sadness caused by narcissism, when “you live worried about putting makeup on your soul, about looking better than you are, about contemplating whether you’re more beautiful than others”.

“It is the sickness of the mirror,” the pope said. “Young people, break this mirror!”

“Don’t look at the mirror because the mirror deceives,” he said. “Look outside, look at others, escape from this world, from this culture we are living in that is consumeristic and narcissistic.”

The pope met on Sept 5 with an estimated 4,000 young men and women from the interna-

tional community. Founded in 1982, the group comprises married couples, celibate individuals and priests living out their faith through communities based on contemplation, unity and evangelisation.

According to the group’s website, the community has missions in 17 countries, including the United States, Israel, Brazil, France and Madagascar.

Responding to Justine, a member from France who gave a sharing, the pope said proclaiming the joy that comes from God can help young people today who are living “centred only on themselves”.

“A young person who looks at himself, who lives only for himself, ends up – and I hope you understand the verb, because it is an Argentine verb – empachado (stuffed) with ‘self-referentiality,’ meaning, full of self-focus,” he said. n CNS

Members of the Shalom community met the pope on Sept 4. CNS photo

16 POPE FRANCIS

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

Pope upholds traditional marriage, criticises fundamentalist mindsets VATICAN CITY – By virtue of its

ery definition, marriage can only be between a man and a woman, Pope Francis said in a new booklength interview.

“We cannot change it. This is the nature of things,” not just in the Church, but in human history, he said in a series of interviews with French sociologist Dominique Wolton, an expert in media and political communication.

Published in French, the 417page book, “Politique et Societe” (“Politics and Society”) was to be released on Sept 6.

When it comes to the true nature of marriage as well as gender, there is “critical confusion at the moment”, the pope said.

When asked about marriage for same-sex couples, the pope said, “Let’s call this ‘civil unions.’ We do not joke around with truth.” Teaching children that they can choose their gender, he said, also plays a part in fostering such mistakes about the truth or facts of nature.

The pope said he wondered whether these new ideas about gender and marriage were somehow based on a fear of differences, and he encouraged researchers to study the subject.

Pope Francis said the biggest threat in the world is money. In St Matthew’s Gospel, when Jesus talked about people’s love and loyalty being torn between two

things, it was choosing between God or money, the pope said.

He also noted that “there is a great danger for preachers, lecturers, to fall into mediocrity,” condemning only those forms of immorality that fall “below the belt”, or the sins of the flesh.

“But the other sins that are the most serious: hatred, envy, pride, vanity, killing another, taking away a life ... these are really not talked about that much,” he said.

“The most dangerous sins are those of the mind” and confessors should spend more time asking if a person prays, reads the Gospel and seeks the Lord, he added.

Another temptation, he said, is to seek uniformity with rules, for example, in the debate concerning his apostolic exhortation on the family, “Amoris Laetitia.”

“When I talk about families in difficulty, say, elcome, accompany, discern, integrate ...’ and then everyone will see the doors open. In reality, what happens is you hear people say, ‘They cannot receive Communion.’

‘They cannot do this and that.’”

That temptation of the Church

“

he

s

t

e s er

Newly-weds pose for a photo.

In a new book-length interview, Pope Francis says marriage is between a man and woman.

When asked about marriage for same-sex couples, the pope said, “Let’s call this ‘civil unions.’”

to emphasise “no, no and no” and what is prohibited is the same “drama Jesus [experienced] with the Pharisees”.

This closed, fundamentalist mindset is “the battle I lead today with the exhortation”, he said.

Church leaders are used to “fro-

t

es

e te r te

fi

t

” – Pope Francis

en norms and fixed standards, but when they ask, “’Can we give Communion to divorcees?’ I reply, ‘Speak with the divorced man and woman, welcome, accompany, integrate and discern,” which opens a path and a way of communication to lead people to Christ.

When asked about the Church’s “just-war” theory, the pope said the issue should be looked into because “no war is just. The only just thing is peace.”

Concerning the persecution of Christians, particularly in the

East, and the question of why God would allow such tragedy, the pope said, it is easy for people to question God but “it is we who commit all this” and allow it to happen.

Speaking about women, the pope said they have an important role in society because they help unify and reconcile people.

He said with the reform of the Roman Curia, “there will be many women who will have decisionmaking power”, not just roles as advisers. n CNS

Hear Earth’s cry, say pope and patriarch in message VATICAN CITY – Environmental

destruction is a sign of a “morally decaying scenario” in which too many people ignore or deny that, from the beginning, “God intended humanity to cooperate in the preservation and protection of the natural environment”, said the leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

Marking the Sept 1 World Day of Prayer for Creation, Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople issued a joint message.

They urged government and business leaders “to respond to the plea of millions and support the consensus of the world for the healing of our wounded creation”.

Looking at the description of the Garden of Eden from the Book of Genesis, the pope and patriarch said, “The earth was entrusted to us as a sublime gift and legacy.”

But “our propensity to interrupt the world’s delicate and balanced ecosystems, our insatiable desire to manipulate and control the planet’s limited resources, and our greed for limitless profit

in markets – all these have alienated us from the original purpose of creation.”

“We no longer respect nature as a shared gift; instead, we regard it as a private possession”, the two leaders said. “We no longer associate with nature in order to sustain it; instead, we lord over it to support our own constructs.”

Ignoring God’s plan for creation has “tragic and lasting” consequences on both “the human environment and the natural environment,” they wrote. “Our human dignity and welfare are deeply connected to our care for the whole of creation.”

The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople established the World Day of Prayer for Creation in 1989. In 2015, shortly after publishing his encyclical on the environment, “Laudato Si’,” Pope Francis established the day of prayer for Catholics as well.

The aim of Christian prayer and action for the safeguarding of creation, the two leaders wrote, is to encourage all Christians “to be courageous in embracing greater simplicity and solidarity in our lives”. n CNS

POPE FRANCIS 17

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

at can VATICAN CITY – The liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council is irreversible, and the Church is always in need of being reformed, said Pope Francis in recent speeches.

The Catholic Church must continue to work to understand the liturgical reforms of the council and why they were made, rather than rethinking them, he told participants in Italy’s National Liturgical Week.

“After this magisterium, after this long journey, we can affirm with certainty and magisterial authority that the liturgical reform is irreversible,” he told the 800 participants on Aug 24 in the longest and most systematic talk he has given as pope on the theme of the liturgy since Vatican II. Instead of reconsidering the council’s reforms, he said, priests and liturgists should work on “rediscovering the decisions made” in reforming the liturgy, “internalising its inspirational principles and observing the discipline that governs it”.

The National Liturgical Week is sponsored by the Liturgical Action Centre, which organises liturgical training as well as national,

l tu g cal e o

The reform responded to ‘real needs and the concrete hope for a renewal’, said the pope.

he o ening session of the Second atican ouncil in decisions made’ during this meeting said o e Francis.

regional and diocesan conventions.

Citing the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, “Sacrosanctum Concilium,” the pope said the reform responded to “real needs and the concrete hope for a renewal”, which would offer a living liturgy

. riests and liturgists should or on rediscovering the fie h t

where the faithful were no longer “strangers or silent spectators”.

For this reason, he added, the Church must continue to rediscover the reasons for the reform and “overcome unfounded and superficial readings, partial re elations, and practices that disfigure it”.

on ed pope to s t Myan a , Bangladesh n o VATICAN CITY – A day after appealing for an end to the violent persecution of the Rohingya people, a Muslim minority in Myanmar, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis will visit the country in late November.

After the Nov 27-30 visit to the cities of Yangon and Naypyitaw in Myanmar, the pope will visit Dhaka, Bangladesh, from Nov 30-Dec 2, the Vatican said on Aug 28.

After praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square on Aug 27, Pope Francis said he was saddened by the news “of the persecution of a religious minority, our Rohingya brothers and sisters”.

News media reported violent clashes from Aug 25-26 after Rohingya fighters attacked police stations. More than 100 people, mostly insurgents, have been reported killed, according to the BBC. Most of the Rohingya population in Myanmar’s Rakhine state have been denied citizenship in Myanmar, which is predominantly Buddhist. About 120,000 Rohingya are trapped in internally displaced person camps near the state capital, Sittwe. A further 400,000 live in the state’s north, which is currently under martial law.

Media are forbidden to travel to the region, but reports of atrocities by the military, including rape,

e e s le

Above: A Palm Sunday Mass at a Catholic church in Yangon, Myanmar.

Belo fficial logo for the o e’s ov tri to M anmar. CNS photo (logo rtes

ee ress

fi e

murder and burning villages, have leaked over the past year. The United Nations says more than , ohingya ha e fled to neighbouring countries, including angladesh, in the past fi e years.

“I would like to express my full closeness to [the Rohingya],” the pope said. “Let us ask the Lord to save them, and to raise up men and women of goodwill to help them, that they may be given full rights.”

The pope also prayed for the ictims of monsoon floods in epal, India and Bangladesh. The de astating floods ha e claimed the lives of over 1,200 people and displaced millions, the Arabic news channel Al-Jazeera reported.

“I express my closeness to all the affected populations and I pray for the victims and for all who suffer due to this calamity,” Pope Francis said. n CNS

In another speech on Aug 27, before reciting the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis said that although the Church is built upon a strong foundation, it is always in need of being reformed and repaired.

Christians are the “living stones that hrist uses to fill in

the gaps and crevices that continually appear, he said.

“Even with us today, Jesus wants to continue building His Church, this house with solid foundations yet where cracks aren’t lacking and which still needs to be repaired. Always,” the pope told pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square.

The pope spoke about the day’s Gospel reading from St Matthew in which Peter proclaims that Jesus is “the Christ, the son of the living God.” Christ proclaimed Peter the rock upon which He would build His Church, the pope said. And Christ sees every believer, no matter how small, as a precious stone that He can use “in the right place” and continue building up the Church. n CNS

Jail without hope for future is torture: pope VATICAN CITY – Although prisoners must pay a price for their crimes, incarceration must not be used as a method of torture but rather an opportunity to become contributing members of society, Pope Francis said.

Punishment can be fruitful only when inmates are helped to look towards the future rather than only back at a past lived out in shame, the pope said in a video message on Aug 24 to inmates at the Ezeiza federal penitentiary in Argentina.

“Let us not forget that for punishment to be fruitful,” the pope said, “it must have a horizon of hope, otherwise it remains closed in itself and is just an instrument of torture; it isn’t fruitful.”

The pope’s video message was addressed to inmates taking part in

the prison’s university studies programme, which he said was one of many programmes that provide “a space for work, culture, progress” and are “a sign of humanity”.

He thanked prison administration officials for allowing the programme as well as the inmates in charge of the student centre – Marcelino, Guille and Edo – who he said he “knew by phone”.

“What is happening among you in prison is a breath of life.

And life – as you know – is a gift,” the pope said.

Prisoners must be given the hope of social reintegration and empowerment, Pope Francis said. And the prison’s educational studies programme will give inmates a chance to be productive members of society despite their crimes. n CNS

18 OPINION

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

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Pope to lawmakers: Catholic social teaching can contribute to building just society

A displaced Iraqi Christian family is seen at a camp in Irbil. Pope Francis urged Catholic politicians to apply laws that support the ‘marginalised, especially towards the many who are forced to leave their countries.’ fie h t VATICAN CITY – atholic politi cians should be guided by the hurch s moral and social teach ings when crafting legislation, ope rancis said. eeting with participants in the annual meeting of the nter national atholic egislators et work on Aug , the pope said that hurch teaching can contribute to a more humane and ust society, but only if the hurch is allowed a oice in answering the great uestions of society in our time.

The laws that you enact and apply ought to build bridges of dialogue between different po litical perspecti es, also when re sponding to precise aims in order to promote greater care for the de fenceless and the marginalised, es pecially towards the many who are forced to lea e their countries, as well as to promote a correct human and natural ecology, the pope said according to atican adio. ounded in

by Austrian ardinal hristoph chonborn of ienna and ritish parliamentar ian ir a id Alton, the atholic egislators etwork meets annu ally to discuss the promotion of hristian principles in the politi cal arena, according to the organ isation s website.

ery year, the network brings together about people, includ ing top le el politicians from a wide range of countries spanning all continents, to discuss urgent policy issues in different regions of the globe, the website said. n an Aug inter iew with atican adio, ardinal chon born said that although atholic politicians are a minority, they

laws that you ‘The enact and apply ought to build bridges of dialogue between different political perspectives.

’

– Pope Francis

raise important arguments and alues, and intend to ser e as atholics. ardinal chonborn told ati can adio that among the issues discussed during the four day meeting was the persecution of hristians, which unfortunately has become a phenomenon on a global scale.

These atholic parliamen tarians find great encouragement

from the hurch s appro al of their commitment, because many times they feel uite alone in their parliaments and find themsel es in difficult situations. Thus, they feel encouraged by these annual meetings both in personal faith and political action, ardinal chonborn said.

Among the participants was politician Alex ooney, who told atican adio he was encour aged to see faithful atholics from e ery country promoting the alues of the hurch. e ha e an opportunity to meet here with other atholic leg islators and elected officials from other parts of the world and to dis cuss common concerns, problems and opportunities for our faith, he said. efore concluding his speech, ope rancis prayed that in the midst of people s sufferings, atholic legislators would look to hrist so that they may be led e er more towards the truth and goodness.

The pope also urged the law makers to make sure their actions always reflect the teaching of e sus that no one is insignificant, that no one should be discarded at any stage of life. n CNS

The power of ritual I DON’T always find it easy to pray. ften m o er tired, distracted, caught up in tasks, pressured by work, short on time, lacking the appetite for prayer, or more strongly drawn to do something else. ut do pray daily despite the fact that often don t want to and despite the fact that many times prayer can be boring and uninteresting. pray daily because m committed to a number of rituals for prayer, the of fice of the hurch, lauds and espers, the ucharist, and daily meditation.

And these rituals ser e me well. They hold me, keep me steady, and keep me praying regularly e en when, many times, don t feel like praying. That s the power of ritual. f only prayed when felt like it, wouldn t pray ery regularly. itual practice keeps us doing what we should be doing praying, working, being at table with our families, being polite e en when our feelings aren t always onside. e need to do certain things not because we always feel like doing them, but because it s right to do them.

And this is true for many areas of our li es, not ust for prayer.

Take, for example, the social rituals of propriety and good manners that we lean on each day. ur heart isn t always in the greetings or the expressions of lo e, appreciation, and gratitude that we gi e to each other each day. e greet each other, we say goodbye to each other, we express lo e for each other, and we express gratitude to each other through a number of social formulae, ritual words ood morning ood to see you a e a great day a e a great e ening leep well ice meeting you ice to work with you lo e you Thank you e say these things to each other daily, e en though we ha e to admit that there are times, many times, when these expressions appear to be purely formal and seem not at all honest to how we are feeling at that time. et we say them and they are true in that they express what lies in our hearts at a deeper le el than our more momentary and ephemeral feelings of distraction, irritation, disappointment, or anger. oreo er these words hold us in ci ility, in good manners, in graciousness, in neighbourliness, in respect, and in lo e despite the fluctuations in our energy, mood, and feelings. ur energy, mood, and feelings, at any gi en moment, are not a true indication of what s in our hearts, as all of us know and fre uently need to apologise for. ho of us has not at some time been upset and bitter towards someone who we lo e deeply The deep truth is that we lo e that person, but that s not what we re feeling at the moment. f we only expressed affection, lo e, and gratitude at those times when our feelings were completely onside, we wouldn t express these ery often. Thank od for the ordinary, social rituals which hold us in lo e, affection, graciousness, ci ility, and good manners at those times when our feelings are out of sorts with our truer sel es. These rituals, like a sturdy container, hold us safe until the good feelings return.

Today, in too many areas of life, we no longer understand ritual.

That lea es us trying to li e our li es by our feelings not that feel ings are bad, but rather that they come upon us as wild, unbidden guests. ris urdoch, an Anglo rish no elist and philosopher, asserts that our world can change in fifteen seconds because we can fall in lo e in fifteen seconds. ut we can also fall out of lo e in fifteen sec onds eelings work that way And so we cannot sustain lo e, mar riage, family, friendship, collegial relationships, and neighbourliness by feelings. e need help. ituals can help sustain our relationships beyond feelings. ietrich onhoeffer, erman pastor and theologian, used to gi e this instruction to a couple when he was officiating at their wedding. e would tell them Today you are in lo e and you belie e that your lo e can sustain your marriage. ut it can t. owe er your marriage can sustain your lo e. arriage is a not ust a sacrament, it s also a ritual container. itual not only can help sustain a marriage, it can also help sustain our prayer li es, our ci ility, our manners, our graciousness, our hu mour, our gratitude, and our balance in life. e wary of anyone who in the name of psychology, lo e, or spirituality tells you that ritual is empty and you must rely on your energy, mood, and feelings as your guiding compass. They won t carry you far. aniel errigan, an American esuit priest, once wrote on t tra el with anyone who expects you to be interesting all the time. n a long ourney there are bound to be some boring stretches. ohn of the ross echoes this when talking about prayer. e tells us that, during our generati e years, one of the biggest problems we will face daily in our prayer is simple boredom.

And so we can be sure our feelings won t sustain us, but ritual practices can. n

REFLECTION 19

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

Prayer as a response to modern-day anxiety B Effie aldarola Sometimes it seems as if the world has gone mad.

And the anxiety that many of us feel isn’t helping matters. Yet somehow, we feel not just a compulsion to be anxious, but an obligation, as if worrying can help matters.

So many things are apparently going wrong, from nuclear fears with North Korea, to white supremacists and neo-Nazis, to environmental degradation.

On social media, we are beset by activist friends who have article after article they want us to read. It’s almost as if people are screaming their fears at us: Here’s something you need to worry about – a dangerous pesticide suddenly removed from regulation, a huge iceberg floating about somewhere, civil rights protection collapsing etc.

Do something!

Or at least, that’s the subliminal – and not so subliminal – takeaway. We’re asked to sign

So many things are apparently going wrong, from nuclear fears to white supremacists. Here’s my modest proposal.

I believe the place to begin is prayer to align us with God, whose Son promised a peace that the world cannot give. petitions, call our representatives, attend a rally.

Activism, of course, is necessary for the triumph of good.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men (or people) do nothing.” The origin of this quote is debatable, but the late US President John F. Kennedy and a host of good people used it often enough to convince me that in times like these, we can’t sit around,

shake our heads and do nothing.

However, in times like these, sometimes our biggest temptation is to be anxious.

The publication The Atlantic weighed in on the subject on Aug 17 in an article titled, “Constant Anxiety Won’t Save the World.”

It acknowledged what we’re all noticing: People are increasingly on edge, sleepless, scared.

But being aware is one thing.

Simply caving in to anxiety is quite another. Here’s my modest proposal, one you won t find in secular journals and in many Facebook postings.

I believe the place to begin is prayer. Not just prayer for this weary world, although that’s needed, but a deeper place of prayer to align us with God,

whose Son promised a peace that the world cannot give.

Of course, we don’t just turn our problems over to God and then walk away. As St Teresa of Avila told us, we are God’s hands and feet on this earth. We need to be activists, but healthy ones.

One of my favourite quotes is from the Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, martyred by the Nazis for opposing fascism in World War II. I’ve quoted him before, but it bears repeating: “Prayer does not replace any deed. But it is a deed that cannot be replaced by anything.”

So, start with God. And then move to what most calls you to action.

I have worked in opposition to the death penalty, so I frequently write letters and make calls on behalf of death row inmates. I’ve attended rallies and stood up for refugees. I’ve contributed money to new causes this year.

Do what you feel God is calling you to do. n CNS

20

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

By Jennifer Ficcaglia Jesus was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. During this time, many people came to believe in Him because of the signs He was doing.

Among those people was a Pharisee named Nicodemus. He was a member of the Sanhedrin, which was the ruling body of the Jews.

One night Nicodemus went to talk to Jesus.

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him”, Nicodemus told Jesus.

Jesus then began teaching Nicodemus an important lesson. He explained that people who want to see the kingdom of heaven must be “born from above.”

“How can a person once grown

old be born again? Surely he cannot re-enter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” asked the confused Nicodemus.

“Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit,” said Jesus, explaining that He had been talking about a spiritual rebirth rather than a physical one. “What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’”

Jesus also explained that no one had gone up to heaven except the one who had come down from heaven – the Son of Man. And, He continued, just as Moses had placed a bronze serpent on a pole for the Israelites to look at to be saved from their poisonous snake bites, “so must the Son of Man be lift-

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

St Januarius St Januarius was born in the latter part of the third century and was the bishop of Benevento, Italy.

In the late third century and early fourth century, the Roman Emperor Diocletian was persecuting Christians.

Around the year 303, Januarius was visiting some deacons and laymen who were in jail because of their faith.

During the visit, he was arrested for being a Christian as well.

Januarius and the other Christians were condemned to death by being thrown to wild beasts in an arena. When the animals would not attack, Januarius and the others were beheaded. We remember him on Sept 19. n

ed up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.”

Jesus then told Nicodemus why God sent His son into the world.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life,” Jesus said. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever be-

lieves in Him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because He has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” n Read more about it: John 3

Q&A 1. Why was Jesus in Jerusalem?

2. Who went to talk to Jesus?

Wordsearch: n LESSON n SAVE n AMAZE

ESSAY:

n ETERNAL n EXPLAIN n ITALY n SIGN n REBIRTH n MOSES n FEAST n VISIT n WORLD

John 3:16 contains a very popular quotation from Jesus, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.”

What is your favourite quotation from Jesus and why?

Bible Accent:

Answer to Wordsearch Answer to puzzle: Quotes from Jesus: 1, 3, 6 Names in blanks: 2. Mary; 4. Peter; 5. John the Baptist

In John 3:14-15, Jesus told Nicodemus that the Son of Man would be “lifted up” – in other words, He would be crucified on a cross and die for our sins to gi e us eternal life. esus compared is crucifixion to an ld Testament passage about another lifting up that saved people’s lives.

In Numbers 21:4-9, Moses and the Israelites were in the desert. The people were sinning against od by complaining about the long journey and not liking the food God gave them.

This was not the first time the sraelites had sinned against God by complaining.

As a punishment for their sin, God sent poisonous seraph serpents into the Israelites’ camp. Many people were bitten and died.

The sraelites realised they were sinning and begged Moses to pray to God to save them.

God heard Moses’ prayer and told him to make a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. He told Moses that those who were bitten should look at the serpent on the pole and they would recover.

The sraelites did what they were told. Anytime a person was bitten, he or she looked at the bronze serpent and lived. n

PUZZLE: Using the hints provided, circle the quotations of Jesus. If the quotation is from someone else, write that person’s name in the blank after the quotation.

1. “Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more.” (John 8:11) 2. “May it be done to me according to your word.”

(Luke 1:38)

_____ __________ _______

_____ __________ _______

3. “Look out, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6) 4. “If my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him?” (Matthew 18:21) 5. “I am baptising you with water, but one mightier than I is coming.” (Luke 3:16) 6. “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

_____ __________ ______

_____ __________ _______

_____ __________ _______

_____ __________ _______

WHAT’S ON 21

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

EVENT SUBMISSIONS WHAT’S ON submissions now require the completion of a form from the Archdiocese before the event can be publicised. For events with foreign speakers, please submit the necessary documentation for approval to the Chancery. For more information and to download the form, visit http:// www.catholic.sg/events/announcementadvertisement-request/.

Once forms have been submitted online, kindly send us details of your event for publication at www. catholicnews.sg/whatson/ at least one month ahead of the publication date.

JULY 1, 2017 TO FEBRUARY 3, 2019 LIFE DIRECTION AND PRAYER SESSION FOR YOUNG LADIES ery first aturday of the month. or women aged between and . o not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let od transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of od what is good and is pleasing to im and is perfect omans . rganised by the aughters of t aul.

For more information, T: 65608003; E: pauline.fsp@gmail.com.

JULY 27 TO OCT 19 BIBLE STUDY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

By Msgr Ambrose Vaz. Time: 8pm-10pm.

Organised by the Biblical Apostolate Team, Church of Christ The King. Venue: Ang Mo Kio Ave 8. To register: T: ene ctkbat hotmail.com www.christtheking.com.sg.

AUG 7 TO OCT 23 GOSPEL OF MARK BY MSGR AMBROSE VAZ ondays . pm pm . enue hurch of Sts Peter & Paul, Parish Building, Level 3 Chapel. Come and join us for a week study of the ospel of ark.

Cost: Love offering. To register: sppbiblestudy hotmail.com with your name and contact number.

SEPT 13 TO NOV 1 CLARITY’S WORKSHOP FOR YOUTHS WITH DEPRESSION – ARISE AND SHINE! ates ept , and ct , , and o sessions . Time 3.30pm-5pm. Arise and Shine! is a group inter ention workshop for young adults between the ages of , who ha e ust been diagnosed with their first depressi e episode. n this workshop, participants will learn beha ioural and cognitive strategies to manage depressive symptoms. To register: T: 67577990.

SEPT 15 TO SEPT 17 VISIT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTENNIAL PILGRIM IMAGE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA Venue: Catholic Spirituality Centre.

Sept 15: Marian consecration at Revival from 7.30pm-10pm. Sept 16: Living the consecration: forgiving from the heart, day of recollection from 9am-6.30pm.

Sept 17: Living the consecration: To Jesus through Mary, day of prayer from am . pm two hourly slots . ass and procession at 5pm. Public veneration time slots also available. For more information, www.csctr.net fatima .

SEPT 16 EXTRAORDINARY MINISTER OF HOLY COMMUNION (EMHC) STUDY DAY Time: 9.30am-4pm. Fr Terence Pereira will lead in the study of the apostolic exhortation acramentum aritatis . ook deeper into the ucharist as a mystery to be believed, focusing on the Church’s Eucharistic faith, Jesus as the true sacrificial lamb in part one of this document. e will also touch on the spirituality of the role of the Extraordinary Minister of Holy ommunion . rganised by the ffice for the ew angelisation. enue Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre, 2 Highland Rd. Register as a parish, en uiry one.org.sg.

SEPT 27, 2017 TO MAY 1, 2019 SHARE THE JOURNEY: A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN BY CARITAS INTERNATIONALIS ope rancis will launch the global campaign on Sept 27 from St Peter’s uare. rganised by aritas Internationalis, the campaign aims to increase spaces and opportunities with

Caritas organisations and parishes to enable local communities and migrants to ha e more positi e encounters. o oin in the campaign activities organised by aritas ingapore and A . ollow CaritasSingapore and CHARISSingapore on acebook for more updates.

OCT 2, 5, 9 AND 12 SILVER IT FEST @ AGAPE VILLAGE enue Agape illage, igital nno ation oom A orong Toa ayoh . re registration is re uired. o you know of seniors who are struggling with their smartphones aritas Singapore offers affordable infocomm training and a customised curriculum for seniors. Introduction to Android and i smartphones classes will be offered in this upcoming IT festival. For more information, E: events@caritassingapore.org; T: 68017400.

OCT 4 LITERARY IMAGINATION AND THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES OF ST IGNATIUS – PART 1 art elf knowledge. Time . pm . pm. ollow the progression of the spiritual exercises through selected literary works to gain deeper self knowledge. n this lecture, we will explore existential attitudes, self awareness, sense of sin and forgiveness, and life choices. Facilitator: r aniel ister, . rganised by ingsmead entre, ictoria ark d. ost . To register http tinyurl.com an ister T .

OCT 5 LITERARY IMAGINATION AND THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES OF ST IGNATIUS – PART 2 art nowledge of hrist. Time . pm . pm. ollow the progression of the spiritual exercises through selected literary works to gain deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ. Explore the incarnation, Jesus and His disciples, parables, death and resurrection. Organised by ingsmead entre, ictoria ark d. ost . To register http tinyurl.com an ister T .

OCT 6 TO OCT 8 “WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE IS YOUR HEART ALSO” ct . pm ct pm .

In this retreat, consider your life and attitudes from the perspecti e of od, as well as recall esus life and attitudes. n exploring esus relationships with is disciples, renew your relationship with im. acilitator r aniel ister, SJ. Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 ictoria ark d. ost non A , A . To register http tinyurl.com an ister T .

OCT 7 AND OCT 14 “FIAT VOLUNTAS TUA” MUSICAL PRAYER Time: 8pm-10pm. Vox Cordis Chorus from the hurch of ur ady of erpetual uccour will present a musical prayer entitled iat oluntas Tua which means Thy ill e one . The e ent will commemorate the th anni ersary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. enue athedral of the ood hepherd. or ticket sales and en uiries, T onika estari oel .

OCT 7 AND OCT 14 REVIEW OF LIFE WORKSHOP Time: 8.30am-12.30pm. Venue: Agape Village (7A Lorong 8 Toa Payoh . re registration is re uired. ow do we respond to the changing needs of our ministry members ow can we better analyse the situation and respond in a way that od is asking us to This workshop will pro ide an introduction to the e iew of ife method. or more information, E: formation@caritassingapore.org; T: 63383448.

OCT 10 TO NOV 21 PERSONAL MORAL COMPASS MODULE 6: SOCIAL JUSTICE Every Tuesday from 7.30pm-9.30pm at Agape Village (7A Lorong 8 Toa Payoh . re registration is re uired.

Personal moral compass is a year-long course in moral theology consisting of six modules. In this series of modules, we gain a better understanding of our moral compass the basis of how we come to make our decisions. For more information, E: formation@caritas- singapore.org; T: 63383448.

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

JUNE 15, 2017 TO MARCH 31, 2018 RCIA @ CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BVM Every Thursday from 8pm-10pm. Every Sunday from 10.30am-12.30pm. For more information, contact the parish office at 62800980; E: nativitysg@yahoo.com.sg JUNE 16, 2017 TO JUNE 1, 2018 CANTONESE RCIA @ CHURCH OF STS PETER AND PAUL Every Friday from 7:45pm-9:30pm at parish second floor, room . or en uiries, T arish ffice T .

JUNE 18, 2017 TO JUNE 3, 2018 MANDARIN RCIA @ CHURCH OCT 27 TO OCT 29 MONTFORTIAN EXPERIENCE 2 (MX2) – TRUE DEVOTION TO MARY Time pm ri pm un . ost twin sharing room . enue Montfort Retreat Centre. Based on the spirituality of St Louis Marie de Montfort, ary is the surest, easiest, shortest, and most perfect means by which to go to esus hrist. isco er for yourself the means gi en by od imself to bring us sal ation, the way of ary.

To register T en uries montfortcentre.org. Conducted by: Br ominic eo oh and r ohn Albert.

OCT 30 TO NOV 1 MONTFORTIAN EXPERIENCE 2 (MX6) – CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP Time pm ri pm un . ost twin sharing room . enue ontfort Retreat Centre. Are you guided by the same spirit, and li e with the same life as esus To register T en uries montfortcentre.org. Conducted by: Br ominic eo oh and r ohn Albert.

NOV 9 TO NOV 12 WATCHMEN RETREAT A four day three night stay in retreat open to Catholics above the age of 21.

This retreat is about being on watch until the Lord returns and being alert to the dangers to your spiritual life. Held at Majodi Retreat Centre, Johor, Malaysia. rganised by the ffice for the ew angelisation. To register en uiry one.org.sg www.one.org.sg.

NOV 18 CLARITY’S MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH TALK Time am noon. This talk is especially for expectant mothers who are keen to find out more about the common mental health changes that may occur during pregnancy and postnatal period. on t miss this opportunity to learn from our speaker s ng i ian from .

Venue: Agape Village. Fees: $15 (early bird registration before ct .

Closing date for registration Nov 11.

For more information, https tinyurl.com ybcc u E:registration@clarity-singapore.org.com DEC 7 TO DEC 10 CATHOLIC YOUTH RALLY 2017 or andarin peaking ouths This event is organised by youth leaders from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur Archdioceses, enang and elaka ohor dioceses. enue t Anne s hurch, ukit erta am, enang. alling youth who want to learn more about your faith, to build a deeper relationship with od and to form long lasting bonds with brothers and sisters from our neighbouring dioceses. T: 91136598; E: nicholas.cheang91@gmail.com.

OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR Every Sunday from 9am-10.30am.

Organised by Church Of Our Lady Of Perpetual Succour, 31 Siglap Hill S456085.

For more information: T: 94517396 agdalene website www.olps.sg.

JUNE 27/29, 2017 TO MARCH 31, 2018 RCIA @ CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS ery Tuesday hinese and e ery Thursday nglish from . pm pm.

Venue: 450 Clementi Ave 1 S129955. For more information T usan E: holycrosschurch.rcia@gmail.com.

JUNE 30, 2017 TO APRIL 1, 2018 RCIY @ CHURCH OF THE RISEN CHRIST Time pm pm. ouths aged who are interested in learning more about the

Catholic faith are invited to come and join us on this journey of discovery.Venue: St John room, Church of the Risen Christ.

To register: E: rciy@risenchrist.org.sg.

JULY 4, 2017 TO MAY 20, 2018 RCIA @ CHURCH OF STS PETER AND PAUL Every Tuesday at 7.30pm. Registration forms are a ailable at the parish office or register your interest ia http sppchurch. org.sg contact us JULY 11, 2017 TO APRIL 1, 2018 RCIA @ CHURCH OF ST IGNATIUS Every Tuesday from 8pm-10pm.

Sponsors and facilitators start on July 11. n uirers start on Aug . egistration forms are a ailable at http stignatius. org.sg home ministries faith formation rcia ministry . or more information, T Angela andra

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22 NEWS

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

Hospital disaster team is ready with spiritual care

By Deborah Gyapong OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA –

Whether it’s a train crash, a building collapse or a pandemic, Canada’s Ottawa Hospital is ready to provide spiritual help through a team of volunteers for those affected.

The hospital says its Emergency Spiritual Care Assistance Team AT is the first of its kind in North America. Its recently published guide has been requested by more than 25 other hospitals in Canada and the United States, said Maronite Fr Nicolas El-Kada, team leader and the hospital’s clinical pastoral education coordinator.

Fr El-Kada said research shows that for each medical casualty in a disaster or emergency, there are anywhere from four to 500 “psycho-social spiritual casualties who need spiritual support.”

“A disaster is always chaotic,” said Fr El-Kada, adding that training can help people respond to

“high-demand” challenges. “Everyone is screaming for help. How are you going to deal with it?

The ESCAT team, which includes hospital chaplains, spiritual leaders and volunteers from a range of religious faiths, is trained to intervene as a group and not as individuals, Fr El-Kada said.

They all agree to make themselves available in an emergency; each takes three days of training.

The hospital started to develop the programme in 2009 when the H1N1 virus threatened a worldwide pandemic.

“Thank God, we didn’t need it,” Fr El-Kada said.

But by the time H1N1 petered out, the ESCAT planners decided not to wait for another emergency or disaster before building the

programme into what it is today.

The training for the team includes learning about the phases of an emergency and what spiritual interventions are appropriate at each stage. As well, trainees learn the language spoken by first responders firefighters, police, the army, arious levels of government – to facilitate communication and a more effective intervention, he said.

The ESCAT volunteers also learn what symptoms – such as anxiety, fear, distress, feeling numb and confusion – are common among people who have experienced a disaster and how to identify red flags if a person s reaction is extreme, which could become impairing or lead to post-traumatic stress disorder or an anxiety disorder in the future, Fr El-Kada said.

The team includes hospital chaplains, spiritual leaders and volunteers from a range of religious faiths.

Maronite Fr Nicolas El-Kada is clinical pastoral education coordinator at Canada’s Ottawa Hospital and team leader of its Emergency Spiritual Care Assistance Team. CNS photo

Part of the course involves dealing with a mock disaster such as a building collapse, and asking the trainees to imagine how they would handle various scenarios, such as someone becoming angry and violent after hearing he or she has lost a loved one.

A key is helping people find their own strength and recovering their resilience, he said. Sometimes when a person experiences a disaster, they go into shock.

IN MEMORIAM Tenth Anniversary In loving memory of

Assistance involves helping people find a source of calmness and connectedness,” and to help them connect with their own sense of transcendental reality, Fr El-Kada said. “In the Catholic context, I would say God.” ESCAT has a box of sacred objects and books, such as Bibles, rosary beads, the Qur’an, prayer cards, spiritual medals and religious ob ects to help sur i ors find that “source of calmness.” n CNS

36th Anniversary In loving memory of

In loving memory of our beloved parents

Twenty-third Anniversary In loving memory of

Seventeenth/Twenty-fourth Anniversary

CHERIYAN RACHAEL (Mrs Rachel Rockey) Departed: Sep 13, 2007 In our hearts, You will always live.

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

The Rockey Family Memorial Mass will be held at 6pm, Saturday Sept 16, 2017 at Church of the Holy Family.

Please turn to page 23 for more in memoriam advertisements.

JOSEPH & COLLETTE NATHAN Departed: May 21, 2000 Sep 19, 1993

Time takes away the edge of grief But memory turns back every leaf Gone from our lives one so dear But in our hearts forever near.

Always remembered by your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and all loved ones.

PHILOMENA PNG SEOK CHOO Departed: Sep 14, 1981 “I am the Resurrection and the Life.

Whoever believes in me will never die.”

John 11:25 Dearly loved and remembered by your loved ones.

Twenty-ninth Anniversary In loving memory of

K. S. JOSEPH Departed: Sep 13, 1994 Time takes away the edge of grief But memory turns back every leaf Gone from our lives one so dear But in our hearts forever near.

Always remembered by children and loved ones.

OBITUARY In loving memory of

First Anniversary In loving memory of

THERESA VIVIAN PESTANA Departed: Sep 4, 2016 f in one fleeting moment we could hear your voice and see you smile We’d give up everything we have So we could hold your hand, sit with you and talk for a while We all love you so very much We miss you so badly We will always love and remember you our whole lives through And we won’t ever forget The happy times that we shared Dearly missed and always remembered by your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren

SHARON WONG MEI LING CORDEIRO Born: Sep 25, 1974 Departed: Sep 12, 1988 BERNARD VIVIAN Born on 6 June, 1928 We think of you Called home in silence to be with the Lord No eyes can see on 28 Aug, 2017 us weep But still within our Gone from our lives aching hearts One so dear Your memory we keep.

But in our hearts Forever near.

Always remembered and cherished by Fondly remembered brother, sister-in-law by family and loved ones. and loved ones.

CLASSIFIED THANKSGIVING O Holy St Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in times of need. To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you, to whom

God has given such great power, to come to my assistance. Help me in my present urgent petition. In return, I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. St Jude pray for me and all who invoke your aid. Humbly in need of your intercession.

Amen. Thank you for answering my prayers.

IN MEMORIAM 23

Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

Twentieth Anniversary In loving memory of

OW KIM TEE Departed: Sep 16, 1997 Always remembered by loved ones.

Thirteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

WILFRED CHEW KENG YONG Departed: Sep 18, 2004 The angels came to take you home And you left us all alone We know you keep watching us from above As we still pray for the one we love.

Deeply missed by your loving wife, children and grandchildren.

Eighth Anniversary In loving memory of

FREDDY FERNANDEZ Departed: Sep 23, 2009 In silence he suffered with patience he bore Till God took him home To be with him to suffer no more.

Years gone by since you left us Memories are treasures That’s a memory fond and true A token of love and affection A heartache still for you And a longing to meet you in Heaven.

Dearly loved and missed by wife, children, grandson and all loved ones.

In ever loving memory of

Twenty-second Anniversary In loving memory of

AUSTIN WOODREW KESSLER Departed: Sept 12, 1995 There’s a sad but sweet remembrance There’s a memory fond and true And a token of love and affection And a heartache still for you But a certainty of your happiness In God’s glory and Holy Presence Fills our hearts with joy and hope And a longing to meet in Heaven.

Deeply missed by your loving wife Elizabeth (Girlie), children and grandchildren.

Please turn to page 22 for more in memoriam advertisements.

Fifth Anniversary In loving memory of

ANTHONY NALPON Called home to be with the Lord on Sep 12, 2007 In our hearts you will always live.

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

Deeply missed and lovingly remembered by beloved wife, brother, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and loved ones.

Mass will be celebrated at Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Sunday Sep 10, 2017 at 5.45pm

D’CRUZ PETHOLIA RAMAJI who was called home to the Lord on Sept 6, 2012

In memoriam rates Minimum $80 for an insertion not exceeding an eightcentimetre column.

Additional space: $8 per one-centimetre column.

Nineteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

Twenty-fourth Anniversary In loving memory of

Eighth Anniversary In loving memory of

JENNIFER BRANSON NEE HENDRIK Departed: Sep 17, 2009 We miss you in so many ways We miss things you used to say And when old times we do recall It’s then we miss you most of all.

Deeply missed by loved ones.

TENTH ANNIVERSARY In loving memory of

RICHARD GOMEZ Who was called to the Lord on Sep 20, 2011 You brought joy and laughter To all who knew you.

You gave hope to anyone in need.

You brightened our lives Even in the darkest times, And now in God’s heavenly light May you abide.

Remembered with love and deeply missed by all the family.

PAUL CHER TZE MONG Departed: Sep 10, 1998 Our Lord Jesus knew what was best He took you home for eternal rest We wiped our tears and tried not to be sad JESPINE JOOSA And remember the Departed: Sep 12,1993 precious times we had.

Her smiling way Always remembered by and pleasant face your wife, Sam Moye, Are pleasures to recall; your children She had a kind word. and grandchildren.

Loved by all.

Some day we hope to meet her, we know not when, To clasp her hand in the better land, Never to part again.

Cherished and fondly loved by family and loved ones.

Dearest mother We remember and cherish the happy times together Remembering them today and forever.

Always remembered and missed by family and loved ones.

24

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Sunday September 17, 2017 n CatholicNews

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