SEPTEMBER 20, 2015, Vol 65, No 19

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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

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Church marks 1st prayer day for care of creation VATICAN CITY – Leading prayers for the safeguarding of creation, Pope Francis prayed that people would learn to contemplate God in the beauty of the universe, give thanks and protect all life. During an evening celebration of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the pope prayed that God would “enlighten the lords of power and money so they would not fall into indifference, but would love the common good, encourage the weak and care for the world in which we live”. Pope Francis announced in August that the Catholic Church would join the Orthodox Church in marking the prayer day on Sept 1 each year. In his opening prayer, he asked *RG WR ¿OO SHRSOH ZLWK D GHVLUH ³WR protect every life, to prepare a better future so that your kingdom of justice, people, love and beauty would come”. Although the pope led the service in St Peter’s Basilica, he asked the preacher of the papal household, Capuchin Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, to give the homily. In his homily, the Capuchin, a member of the Franciscan family, referred to both Pope Francis and his namesake, St Francis of Assisi. Some environmentalists, he said, have blamed the Bible and Judaeo-Christian tradition for the destruction of nature, claiming the idea that human beings have “dominion” over nature gave them permission to use and destroy the earth. But, he said, “the map of pollution” covering the globe coincides less with the places where people believe in God and more in places that underwent “unbridled indusWULDOLVDWLRQ DLPHG RQO\ DW SUR¿W´ RU are subject to rampant corruption. “No one can seriously serve the cause of safeguarding creation without the courage of pointing a

VOL 65

NO. 19

INSIDE HOME World Youth Day 2016 Info Day for those wishing to attend Page 4

Common academic programme Seminarians and laypeople to study together Page 6

WORLD Abducted Nigerian girls Cardinal and imam mark 500 days since kidnapping Page 11

POPE FRANCIS

Pope Francis leads an evening prayer service to mark World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in St Peter’s Basilica on Sept 1. CNS photo

‘

We must ask: Am I a resources thief, using more than my due and therefore taking it from those who will come after me?

’

– Capuchin Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher of the papal household

¿QJHU DW WKH H[DJJHUDWHG DFFXPXlation of wealth in the hands of a few,” the Capuchin friar said. St Francis of Assisi, he said, was able to recognise and contemplate God’s beauty in all created things precisely because he owned nothing and recognised that anything he was able to use, especially for food or clothing, was a gift of God.

“Possession excludes, contemplation includes. Possession divides, contemplation multiplies,” he said. If one person owns a lake or park, “all the others are excluded” but if no one owns it, thousands can enjoy it without taking it away from anyone. Fr Cantalamessa said that while the world St Francis lived in was not facing the environ-

mental emergency people today are facing, he still knew that if he took more than he needed, he was stealing from others. “We must ask: Am I a resources thief, using more than my due and therefore taking it from those who will come after me?” the preacher said. Pointing to Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’, the Capuchin said safeguarding creation is an “artisanal” activity, one that must begin with individuals and their daily actions. “What sense is there, for example, in being worried about the pollution of the atmosphere, the oceans and the forests, if I don’t hesitate before throwing a plastic bag on the shore?” he asked. CNS

Pope’s virtual ‘town hall’ meetings Speaks to migrants, homeless people in US Page 13

FEATURE Doctors following their conscience Often, they don’t receive adequate support Page 16

FOCUS Friends across faiths Serving the needy bonded Catholic nun and late Buddhist leader Page 17

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Sunday September 20, 2015 CatholicNews

OBITUARY

Fr Arotçarena called to the Lord Fr Guillaume Arotçarena, an MEP priest who served in Singapore for 17 years, passed away on Sept 3 after a threeyear battle with cancer. He was 71. Fr Arotçarena was born on May 18, 1944, in Hasparren, France. He was ordained a priest of the Paris Foreign Missions Society (MEP) in 1971 and sent to Singapore the following year. He was appointed assistant parish priest in the Church of St Vincent de Paul from May to September 1972, after which he was sent to Taiwan to study Mandarin. When he returned, he served in the Church of the Risen Christ (1974-1977) and Church of the Holy Family (1977-1980). In 1980, Fr Arotçarena was appointed Prison Chaplain. He also founded the Geylang Catholic Centre to provide support and social services to domestic workers, prisoners and drug addicts in Singapore. After the closure of the centre in 1987, he spent one year at the Church of the Risen Christ until he was called back to France in 1989. In that year, he founded the MEP

Future parishioners of new Punggol church walk to raise funds

Fr Guillaume Arotçarena passed away on Sept 3.

press agency Eglises d’Asie with UCANews, producing a bimonthly newsletter on religious news in Asia and a monthly supplement. From 1992 to 1998, Fr Arotçarena served as Assistant Superior General of the MEP. In 2007, he retired in the south of France where he wrote and published a book of his experiences in Singapore, titled Priest in Geylang. Fr Arotçarena will be buried in the MEP cemetery of Montbeton as he had wished. We invite you to pray for him in your Masses and prayers. Submitted by the CHANCERY OFFICE

Above: Some of the 100 participants of the charity walkathon in aid of the XSFRPLQJ &KXUFK RI WKH 7UDQV¿JXUDWLRQ 5LJKW µ7KLV LV WKH ¿UVW RI PDQ\ activities that we will organise to engage the Catholic residents of Punggol,’ says Fr Joachim Chang.

It was a sunny Sunday morning on Sept 6 as more than 100 volunteers, well-wishers and future parishioners of the Church of the Trans¿JXUDWLRQ &277 DVVHPEOHG DW Punggol Waterway Park at Sentul Crescent for a charity walkathon. 03 7HR 6HU /XFN ÀDJJHG RII the participants, who walked a distance of 1 km along the scenic

Punggol Waterway and Recreation Park, chatting and laughing along the way. ³7KLV LV WKH ¿UVW RI PDQ\ DFtivities that we will organise to engage the Catholic residents of Punggol,” said Fr Joachim Chang, who has been appointed parish priest of the upcoming church. ³,W LV DOVR WKH ¿UVW WLPH WKDW DOO

our well-wishers and supporters KDYH FRPH WRJHWKHU IRU D &277 event. Although it was not a huge crowd, the atmosphere was warm and caring. I think it is a great start to how we build the new church – one event at a time, with one heart and will.” The event was part of the organising team’s fundraising efforts to raise $60 million to build the new church. About $1.8 million have been raised so far and a series of parish visits will start LQ 2FWREHU WR FUHDWH DZDUHQHVV RI and raise funds for the church. &277 LV H[SHFWHG WR KDYH RQH of the largest numbers of parishioners in Singapore. With more than 95,000 young families setting up home in the brand new town of Punggol, the church is expected to serve some 15,000 Catholics and be a prime harvesting ground for evangelisation. The building is entering its next phase of construction after the recent completion of piling works for its foundations. 7KH FKXUFK H[SHFWV WR RI¿cially open its doors for Masses in March 2017.

Pastoral letter on the election Archbishop William Goh has issued a pastoral letter and FAQs on the general election. To read it, go to http://tinyurl. com/catholic-voters

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Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Ms Janet Ang of Caritas Singapore speaking on social problems in society during the Islands of Mercy – In a Sea of Indifference event.

Participants at Clarity Singapore were given seeds and soil in an exercise to learn about the subconscious mind.

Young adults learn about charity work Young adults who attended a social awareness programme organised by Caritas Singapore said the event opened their eyes to the efforts made by the Church to help those in need. “I am inspired to devote more of my time to giving back to the community,� said Ms Prashanthi Cooray from the Church of St Mary of the Angels. Mr Gregory He from the Church of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary said the “sharing and testimonies of the volunteers� from various Catholic charities impacted him “the most�. More than 60 Catholics aged

between 19 and 35 attended the Caritas Singapore Young Adults’ awareness event on Sept 5. The biennial event, held at the Agape Village in Toa Payoh, had the theme: Islands of Mercy – In a Sea of Indifference. Organisers said the theme was inspired by Pope Francis’ urging of Catholics to combat what he called a “globalisation of indifference� by practising acts of charity and becoming “islands of mercy� for those in need. During the event, Caritas Singapore chairperson Janet Ang highlighted the various social problems in society and chal-

lenged participants to assist those in need. Jesuit Fr Christopher Soh DOVR OHG SDUWLFLSDQWV LQ UHĂ€HFWLQJ on how they can nurture the virtue of mercy in themselves. Later, participants were divided into smaller groups to visit various Catholic charities or listen

The social awareness event was inspired by Pope Francis’ urging of Catholics to combat what he called a ‘globalisation of indifference’.

to some charities who made presentations in Agape Village itself. The organisations that participants visited were Assisi Hospice; Boys’ Town; Canossaville Children’s Home; Caritas Humanitarian Aid and Relief Initiatives, Singapore (CHARIS); Clarity Singapore; Family Life Society; Montfort Care; Morning Star Community Services and Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP). Organisations that gave presentations in Agape Village were Catholic Aids Response Effort (CARE), Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People

(ACMI), acts29 and Jesuit Refugee Service. Participants later shared their experiences of the visits. Many said they were inspired by the organisations’ work and programmes and how staff and volXQWHHUV VHUYHG WKHLU EHQH¿FLDULHV respecting their dignity and caring for them as children of God. Those wishing to do volunteer work with the Caritas Young Adults are invited to attend an inWURGXFWRU\ EULH¿QJ DW WKH &DWKROLF Centre, 55 Waterloo Street, second level, on Oct 1 at 7.30 p.m. For more information, email youngadults@caritas-singapore.org „

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Sunday September 20, 2015 CatholicNews

CHANCERY NOTICE

APPOINTMENTS 1. Fr Terence Kesavan has been appointed a member of the Council of Priests (Senate) in accordance with can. 497 3° for a term of two [2] years with effect from 20 August 2015. 2. Fr Terence Kesavan has been appointed a member of the Board of Consultors in accordance with can. 502 IRU D WHUP RI ¿YH > @ \HDUV with effect from 20 August 2015. 3. Fr Stephen Yim has been appointed a member of the Council of Priests (Senate) in accordance with can. 497 3° for a term of two [2] years with effect from 20 August 2015. 4. Fr Clifford Augustine OFM has been appointed the secretary for the Council of Priests (Senate) for a term of two [2] years with effect from 20 August 2015, and at the same time relinquishes his post as Chair of the West District parishes. 5. Fr John Joseph Fenelon has been appointed a member of Clarity Singapore Limited for a term of two [2] years with effect from 20 August 2015. 6. Fr Jovita Cyprian Ho has been reappointed as Tertiary Chaplain to the National University of Singapore Catholic Students’ Society (NUSCSS) for a term of two [2] years with effect from 20 August 2015. 7. Fr Edward Seah has been reappointed to the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools for a term of two [2] years with effect from 20 August 2015. 8. Fr Matthew Tan SJ has been appointed Assistant Priest to the Church of St Ignatius for a term of three [3] years with effect from 1 September 2015, upon presentation in accordance with can. 147. 9. Ms Ann Yong has been appointed a member of the Human Resource Advisory Council of the Chancery for a term of two [2] years with effect from 10 July 2015. 10. Mr Thomas Tan has been reappointed as a member and Chair to the Board of Catholic Welfare Services (CWS) for a term of two [2] years with effect from 30 October 2015.

11. Professor Su Guaning has been appointed a member of the Catholic High School Management Committee for a term of three [3] years with effect from 1 October 2015. 12. The following have been reappointed members of the Catholic High School Management Committee for a further term of three [3] years with effect from 1 October 2015: a. Fr Henry Siew Weng Loong – Chairman b. Br Pierre Paul Gaudette Emmanuel – ViceChairman c. Mr Wong Ann Kin – Secretary d. Mr Heng Yeow Meng Michael – Treasurer e. Ms Phua Siok Gek Cynthia – Member f. Mr Han Chee Juan – Member g. Mr Lam Chun Simon – Member

Kai

h. Mr Lien Tsung Chern Laurence – Member i. Mr Tay Lim Heng – Member j. Mr Khua Kian Keong Eric – Member k. Mr Lim Teng Sherng – Member l. Ms Soh Lai Leng – Member RESIGNATIONS 1. Fr Erbin Fernandez has tendered his resignation from both the Senate and the Board of Consultors and Archbishop William Goh DD has accepted it with effect from 20 August 2015. 2. Fr Ignatius Yeo had tendered his resignation from both the Senate and the Board of Consultors and Archbishop William Goh DD has accepted it with effect from 20 August 2015. 3. Fr Christopher Lee has tendered his resignation from the Archdiocesan Commission for Liturgy and Archbishop William Goh DD has accepted it with effect from 20 August 2015.

1 September 2015

OTHER MATTERS Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2016 2016 being a leap year, 15 August 2016 will fall on a Monday. The Catholic Bishops Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei has taken a decision to move the Solemnity to the Sunday of 14 August 2016. Pastoral Care for Ng Teng Fong Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital The above-mentioned two hospitals fall within the geographical boundaries of the parish of St Mary of the Angels. Hence the pastoral care for these two hospitals will be assumed by the said parish. Archdiocesan Media Policy The Archdiocesan Media Policy was approved by the Senate on 20 August 2015. All church entities are required to observe it. Further information may be downloaded from the ArchdiRFHVDQ &RPPXQLFDWLRQV 2I¿FH section of the Archdiocesan website. CTIS and St Francis Xavier Major Seminary St Francis Xavier Major Seminary (SFXMS) and the Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore (CTIS) will embark on a common theological academic programme beginning in the new semester of 2016. Classes will be held at CTIS premises at Waterloo 6WUHHW )RUPDWLRQ VSHFL¿F WR the training for the priesthood will continue to be provided at the major seminary. The new restructured CTIS course will be based on the Baccalaureate-in-Theology Programme (STB) which the seminary is currently offering to seminarians.

Coming up: Info Day for those keen to atttend World Youth Day 2016

World Youth Day 2016 logo

7KH 2I¿FH IRU <RXQJ 3HRSOH (OYP) plans to lead a contingent of 200 pilgrims to World Youth Day (WYD) 2016, in Krakow, Poland. An Information Day has been VHW IRU WKRVH LQWHUHVWHG WR ¿QG RXW more the pilgrimage. It will be KHOG RQ 2FW DW WKH 2I¿FH IRU Young People at 2 Lorong Low Koon from 2-5pm. Archbishop William Goh and several other priests will accompany the pilgrims to the international youth celebration. According to OYP, the trip will be from July 18 to Aug 3, 2016, with the cost set at $3,800 per participant. The age range for participants is 21-35. The Information Day will cover topics such as the pilgrim-

Migrants to get free meals at celebration

Vietnamese women attending the Migrant Sunday Mass last year.

ERRATUM In the Chancery Notice of CHN/CN/2015/008 it was mistakenly reported that the new parish of the Church of Trans¿JXUDWLRQ LV FOXVWHUHG ZLWK WKH East District parishes. The new parish is to be clustered with the Serangoon District parishes.

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

age programme, what the cost of $3,800 covers, WYD theme and pilgrims’ expectations. As part of the pre-WYD preparation programme, OYP is organising a recollection for participants in Czestochowa, Poland, on July 20. Participants will also attend the Youth Arise International Festival from in Krakow from July 22-24. The celebration is organised by an international movement of young adults and is a prelude to WYD itself, which is from July 26-31. Registration for the Information Day is required and may be done on the OYP website (www.oyp.org.sg). Those unable to attend the Information Day can still leave their name on the OYP website to be kept updated on the preparations.

Migrants attending this year’s Migrant Sunday celebrations can expect free meals and transport to the venue. As part of its contribution to the Church’s SG50 Joy celebration, the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP) is providing one-way bus transport from parishes to the Church of Divine Mercy, where the event will be held on Sept 27. Light refreshments will also be available in the buses for those whose parishes are far from the destination. SSVP, which is organising the event together with the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant

People (ACMI), will also provide meals to 1,200 people after the Mass, which starts at 1.30pm. Archbishop William Goh will celebrate the Mass together with parish priest Fr Johnson Fernandez and migrant chaplains from the Malayalam, Tamil-speaking, Sri Lankan, Indonesian, Myanmar and Vietnamese communities. As with past celebrations, cultural song and dance performances will be staged by the various migrant communities after Mass. Migrants and their friends have been informed to register for the celebration at their individual parishes by Sept 8.

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Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Encounter God in personal lives before evangelising, archbishop says By Patricia Ang Archbishop William Goh stressed the urgent need for a renewal in the Church to more than 420 participants who attended a parish retreat in Blessed Sacrament Church. The retreat was held from Aug 28-30, and the participants were from 40 different ministries in the parish. The objective of this retreat was to give ministry members a more profound experience of God, and to build a more personal relationship with Jesus. It was also to better equip them in undertaking the task of the New Evangelisation in their own ministries, parish and beyond. Archbishop Goh delivered a total of nine talks during the retreat, it was followed by small group sharings as well as quesWLRQV WR JXLGH WKH UHĂ€HFWLRQ Among the many issues which currently face the Church, he mentioned for instance the crisis, facing many of our Catholic families today, the lack of a holistic and truly religious upbringing of our youth (largely due to the over-emphasis on academic achievements). Other issues included the in-

‘Itherecognised need to UHGHÂżQH P\ SUD\HU OLIH to be Christcentered. 7KLV ZLOO strengthen P\ IDLWK deepen P\ WUXVW DQG LQFUHDVH P\ ORYH IRU +LP

’

– Ms Stella Lee, a participant Archbishop William Goh addressing retreatants at Blessed Sacrament Church.

creasing number of single parent families and the rise of the divorce rates amongst Catholics, same-sex attraction and the increasing secularisation of society with its sometimes harmful impact on the Catholic faith, the needs of the migrants and the Church’s often inadequate ways to respond to them. He said the Church, if it does

not want to become totally irrelevant, must try to respond to all these issues in a much better way and this cannot be done by merely LQFUHDVLQJ WKH QXPEHU RI VXSHU¿cial programmes and activities. Ultimately such a response must be rooted in a deep and joyful faith in Jesus Christ, he said. The core of Archbishop Goh’s message was that before Catholics

can do the work of evangelisation, they have to be evangelised themselves. Once they have encountered the Lord personally and have experienced the great joy of His love, they are ready to share His message with others. He also said that a true personal encounter cannot be sustained without a constant attempt to grow in holiness by prayer, fast-

ing and almsgiving. Going to confession regularly, at least once a month and making a yearly retreat are equally effective means in the SURFHVV RI RXU VDQFWLÂżFDWLRQ Commenting on the retreat, Ms Stella Lee, a participant, shared: “This retreat was enriching, inspiring and uplifting. I gained much knowledge and practical skills from the nine talks of our bishop. “On the spiritual side, I recRJQLVHG WKH QHHG WR UHGHÂżQH P\ prayer life to be Christ-centered. This will strengthen my faith, deepen my trust and increase my love for Him. Then I can reach out to the disadvantaged, marginalised, sick and elderly in the parish and community at large,â€? Ms Lee said. Mr Paul Tan, chairman of the organising committee, concluded by saying “It was truly edifying and such a joy to see so many people from different ministries coming together to serve, to share or simply to fellowship as one, united community. “The combined choir, El Shaddai, the group sharings and the organising committee showed that there can be so much love and joy if we all come together for a common purpose, to love and serve the Lord.â€? „

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Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Do you have a burning question on the faith? Do you have a burning question on the faith or on practices of the faith? CatholicNews is starting a column for you to have your questions answered by authorities on various topics. Just email your question

to cnedit@catholic.org.sg, and include your full name, address and contact number. All decisions on submissions rest with those answering the questions. Published submissions will be edited. „

Seminary, CTIS to share academic programme Fr James Yeo, the rector of the Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore, has released the following announcement:

$V IURP WKH ÂżUVW VHPHVWHU RI 2016, the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary and the Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore (CTIS) will share a common academic programme. This means that the seminarians will study at CTIS, having laypeople as their classmates. While this is commonly the FDVH LQ RWKHU GLRFHVHV LW LV D ÂżUVW in our archdiocese. In other dioceses, it is normal that diocesan and Religious seminarians attend lectures at an academic institution while having the other aspects of priestly formation done in-house. The St Francis Xavier Major Seminary will still be responsible for the formation of our future priests, notwithstanding the fact that the seminarians will now study at CTIS. Archbishop William Goh has emphasised that nothing should be compromised in the academic formation of our seminarians. In fact, CTIS has developed its new curriculum based on the Baccalaureate-in-Theology Programme (STB) which the seminary is currently offering to our seminarians. Laypeople will be offered parts of this STB programme for

Above: Graduation event at the Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore. Below: The St Francis Xavier Major Seminary. The two institutions will have a common programme starting next year.

WKH &HUWLÂżFDWH DQG 'LSORPD OHYHO For the time being, all lectures will still be conducted at CTIS premises at Waterloo Street but there are plans to relocate CTIS to another location in time to come. There are currently 260 stuGHQWV SXUVXLQJ WKH &HUWLÂżFDWH RU WKH 'LSORPD LQ 7KHRORJ\ DW &7,6 The archbishop has mentioned that this change is necessary due to the tremendous cost in having the seminary function out of the present premises at 17th Avenue, Punggol. Currently, there are only seven seminarians occupying the huge

seminary complex, incurring high overheads from maintenance, depreciation and other costs of almost a million dollars a year. By re-siting the seminary house to a smaller location, the seminary grounds can be freed up to generate income for the archdiocese. Many have agreed and supported this decision of the archbishop as it makes more sense not just in terms of cost savings but also in reducing duplication of manpower and resources since CTIS and the seminary share the same pool of lecturers. „

ASIA 7

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

CHURCH IN PHILIPPINES

Philippine bishops: faith key in family planning MANILA – More than a year after a controversial reproductive health law took effect in the Philippines, the Church has been mustering clergy and lay Church workers to reignite the formation of the faithful with regard to family planning. Bishop Gilbert Garcera of Daet, head of the Philippine bishops’ commission on family and OLIH VDLG KLV RIÂżFH ZDQWV &DWKROLFV to see issues on reproductive health through the practice of their faith. He said that in recent conferences with clergy and Church workers, KLV RIÂżFH KDV EHHQ UHLWHUDWLQJ WKH Church’s message that a Supreme Court ruling on the law allowed for conscientious objection. &KXUFK RIÂżFLDOV KDYH HPphasised “individual or group assessment of how [Catholics] are responding to the teachings of the Churchâ€? on family planning, he said. “We will teach, we will remind them, but remember, we have been doing that for so long, but truly we have to consider, at what level are they [in their formation]?â€? After more than a dozen years of trying to get such a law passed, the Philippines enacted the Responsible Parenthood and ReSURGXFWLYH +HDOWK $FW RI commonly called the RH Law. Many considered it a victory in a developing country that has seen SRSXODWLRQ JURZWK RI PLOOLRQ per year. Among its provisions are free contraceptives for the poor. But the Philippine Supreme Court immediately put a hold on the new law because RI DW OHDVW OHJDO FKDOOHQJHV to its constitutionality. Mostly Catholic groups, opposed to a QXPEHU RI SURYLVLRQV ÂżOHG WKH

Women lie on beds with their babies inside the maternity ward in Manila. The Church in Philippines has called on Catholics to look at reproductive health issues through their faith. &16 ÂżOH SKRWR

petitions at the Supreme Court. ,Q WKH KLJK FRXUW VWUXFN down eight provisions, but upheld the free birth control provision and numerous other sections that had been challenged. In at least one city, Sorsogon in the Bicol region, the mayor said no government health facility is giving DZD\ DUWLÂżFLDO FRQWUDFHSWLRQ 7KDW was because Sorsogon Mayor Sally Lee, who calls herself a devout Catholic, proclaimed it a “pro-lifeâ€? city in a February executive order. She said she was “not going against the RH law.â€? “I don’t have that power to go against the government. It’s just that

I’m following what God wants me to do, what God wants us to do, and it’s in harmony with nature and God, and saving life,� Ms Lee said. “It’s about life, that is a gift from God.� In Manila, at one Likhaan center in the deeply impoverished 7RQGR QHLJKERXUKRRG \HDU old Ms Ninita Zamora received a year’s supply of birth control pills. “Mothers really need family planning,� she said. “Because it’s hard if you have to buy it, and you don’t have any money to buy it ... for instance when we didn’t have it before, all my children came one after another. I couldn’t [afford] to buy it.� „ CNS

Bill recognising divorce slammed MANILA – The Philippines bishops have labelled a proposed divorce law as “dangerousâ€? and “a prelude to total divorce,â€? which Church leaders in the country oppose. The House of Representatives DSSURYHG RQ D WKLUG DQG ÂżQDO UHDGing of the proposed law, which would allow Filipinos to remarry after being granted a divorce abroad. The bill, which seeks to amend the Family Code of the Philippines, proposes to recognise a divorce obtained by a foreign spouse in another country without the need to seek judicial recognition. A similar bill awaits senate approval before President Benigno Aquino can sign it into law. “The bill will only require the Filipino spouse to submit a duly authenticated copy of the decree of absolute divorce,â€? said Mr Rufus Rodriguez, one of the authors of the bill. But Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of Lipa said the bill “is prelude to total divorce.â€?

“Everyone should now understand that the deception is not over. The devil is at work. We are right at the center,â€? Archbishop Arguelles said, calling the proposed law “evil.â€? Âł7KDWÂśV ZK\ , ÂżJKW WKHVH EHcause they are anti-God and immoral,â€? he said. “Those who pass this law will face the judgment of

Those who pass ‘ this law will face the judgment of God.’

– Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of Lipa

God,� the prelate added. Aside from recognising the capacity of the Filipino spouse to remarry, the proposed statute also VLPSOL¿HV WKH SURFHVV RI UHFRJQLtion of a foreign judgment of divorce obtained by a foreign spouse. The Philippine bishops’ conference issued a statement in

March opposing the legalisation of divorce in the country, saying it will only make a “mockeryâ€? of the sanctity of marriage. A survey released by pollster Social Weather Stations during WKH ÂżUVW TXDUWHU RI UHYHDOHG WKDW DW OHDVW SHUFHQW RI )LOLSLnos want divorce to be legalised especially for “irreconcilably separatedâ€? couples. Women’s party Gabriela last \HDU ÂżOHG D SURSRVHG PHDVXUH +RXVH %LOO RU Âł$Q $FW ,QWURducing Divorce in the Philippines,â€? that seeks to address the problem of “irreconcilable marriages.â€? Under the proposed law, divorce will be granted only for a petitioner who has been separated from his or her spouse for at least ÂżYH \HDUV ÂłDQG UHFRQFLOLDWLRQ LV highly improbable.â€? The Philippines is the only country, aside from the Vatican, that does not allow divorce. „ UCANEWS.COM

8 ASIA

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Church in solidarity with Indians on nationwide strike NEW DELHI – The Catholic Church

in India is in solidarity with some 150 million workers on a nationwide strike that shut down factoULHV EDQNV WUDIÂżF DQG JRYHUQPHQW RIÂżFHV DFURVV ,QGLD RQ 6HSW :RUNHUV DFURVV ,QGLD DUH XSVHW DERXW ODERXU SROLFLHV RI WKH JRYHUQPHQW WKDW WKH\ VD\ DUH GHWrimental to the welfare of workHUV VDLG %LVKRS 2VZDOG /HZLV RI -DLSXU KHDG RI WKH ,QGLDQ ELVKRSVÂś ODERXU RIÂżFH “The Church is in solidarity ZLWK VWULNLQJ ZRUNHUV EHFDXVH ZH are concerned about their welIDUH ´ WKH ELVKRS VDLG DGGLQJ WKDW all Catholic forums in the country DUH VXSSRUWLQJ WKH VWULNH A national network of 10 leadLQJ WUDGH XQLRQV LQFOXGLQJ WKRVH LQ WKH EDQNLQJ PDQXIDFWXULQJ FRQVWUXFWLRQ DQG FRDO PLQLQJ VHFWRUV RUJDQLVHG WKH KRXU VWULNH VD\LQJ WKDW WKHLU WZR URXQGV RI WDONV ZLWK WKH IHGHUDO JRYHUQPHQW KDG IDLOHG WR HOLFLW D IDYRXUDEOH UHVSRQVH WR WKHLU GHPDQGV 7KHLU GHPDQGV UDQJH IURP DQ enforcement of basic labour laws DQG XQLYHUVDO VRFLDO VHFXULW\ FRYHUDJH IRU ZRUNHUV WR PHDVXUHV FRQWDLQLQJ ULVLQJ SULFHV DQG XQHPSOR\PHQW 0HGLD UHSRUWHG WKDW WKH VWULNH KLW WUDQVSRUW DQG EDQNLQJ RSHUD-

Workers from various trade unions during an anti-government protest rally in Mumbai. The Church in India has asked that workers be treated fairly, and also involved in policy changes. CNS Photo

tions across the country and that LQ VRPH SDUWV KLJKZD\V ZHUH blocked off by the workers and WUDLQV KDG WR VWRS 0DQ\ VFKRROV DQG FROOHJHV DV ZHOO DV IDFWRULHV JRYHUQPHQW RIÂżFHV DQG FRPPHUFLDO RXWOHWV UHPDLQHG FORVHG %LVKRS /HZLV VDLG WKH JRYernment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been folORZLQJ D GHYHORSPHQW SULQFLSOH ÂłEDVHG RQ SULYDWH SXEOLF SDUWQHUVKLS ZKLFK DFWXDOO\ SURYHG

WR EH EHQHILWLQJ LQGXVWULDOLVWV ´ Âł7KDW LV ZKDW ZH KDYH VHHQ LQ *XMDUDW ´ VDLG WKH ELVKRS UHIHUULQJ WR 0U 0RGLÂśV WHQXUH DV FKLHI PLQister of the western Indian state for some 15 years, before he became SULPH PLQLVWHU LQ 0D\ Âł:H EHOLHYH SROLF\ FKDQJHV should be done after wider consultation with all stakeholders, includLQJ ZRUNHUV %XW ZH GRQÂśW VHH VXFK FRQVXOWDWLRQ LQ WKH SROLF\ PDNLQJ RI WKLV JRYHUQPHQW 7KDW LV D FRQFHUQ ´ %LVKRS /HZLV VDLG „ CNS

ASIA 9

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Migrants’ deaths off M’sia should force policy FKDQJH &KXUFK RIÀFLDO JAKARTA – The deaths of Indone-

sian migrant workers in Malaysian waters should propel Indonesia to provide better care and opportunities for its citizens so that they won’t seek work abroad, a Church RIÂżFLDO VDLG “The state must offer job opportunities in places where migrant workers come from so that they ZLOO QRW KDYH WR ÂżQG MREV LQ RWKHU countries,â€? said Fr Paulus Christian Siswantoko, secretary of the Indonesian bishops’ Commission for Justice, Peace and Pastoral for Migrant-Itinerant People, on Sept. 4. He made his remarks to ucanews.com a day after an overcrowded boat carrying undocumented Indonesian migrant workers sank off Malaysia’s coast. At OHDVW SHRSOH DUH FRQÂżUPHG GHDG Fr Siswantoko said he hopes the tragedy will provide momentum to change the way Indonesia processes the return of undocumented migrant workers from neighbouring countries. It was ultimately the state’s responsibility to care for its citizens, he said. “If we talk about who takes

‘

The state must offer job opportunities in places where migrant workers come from so that they will not KDYH WR ÂżQG MREV LQ other countries.

’

– Fr Paulus Christian Siswantoko

the responsibility for the incident, it is the state, of course. The state is given a mandate to provide its people with employment,� he told ucanews.com. Indonesian migrants working in Malaysia are often forced to travel across dangerous waters separating the two countries in small, overcrowded boats. Because of their undocumented status, the workers seek informal transportation methods in order to DYRLG EHLQJ ¿QHG E\ WKH ,QGRQHsian government or because formal travel is too expensive, said Ms Anis Hidayah of the Jakartabased Migrant Care, a nongovern-

mental organisation that assists Indonesian migrant workers. She called on the governments of both countries to re-evaluate protocols governing the return of undocumented migrant workers in order to avoid future tragedies. Fr Siswantoko said the Church lamented the fact that so many Indonesian citizens still seek jobs abroad illegally. “The question is why do they take an illegal procedure, is it because the legal proceGXUH LV WRR GLIÂżFXOW DQG H[SHQVLYH for them?â€? he asked. Mr Nusron Wahid, who heads the Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, said the agency may struggle identifying all of the victims because of their undocumented status. “This shows how important it is to work according to a proper procedure. If procedures aren’t IROORZHG >ZH@ ÂżQG LW GLIÂżFXOW LQ WUDFNLQJ WKHP GRZQ DQG IXOÂżOOLQJ their rights,â€? he said. “Principally, however, we will help and bring [them] to their families,â€? he said. „ UCANEWS.COM

HK cardinals differ over progress of Vatican-China talks HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s car-

dinals appear to have differing opinions over Holy See-China relations. Cardinal John Tong Hon sees “an improvement and better atmosphere� in but stopped short of saying whether this will be enough for progress to be made. Retired Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, a strong critic of China, believes Beijing’s authoritarian attitude means ties are nowhere near strong enough for any dialogue to succeed. China and the Holy See resumed long-stalled negotiations in June 2014 and, according to a source, are now preparing to sit down for further talks in which they are expected to seek a resolution to a major rift over who should appoint bishops. “The second round of talks is expected to take place in the next few months,� a Church source close to the Vatican told ucanews.com. Speaking to ucanews.com, Cardinal Tong said he has seen some good signals coming from both sides in the past few months. “There are always ups and downs� on China-Vatican relations but “recently, the atmosphere has been quite good,� he said. One example was the installation of Vatican-approved Bishop Martin Wu Qinjing in June, the cardinal said.

Cardinal John Tong Hon sees ‘an improvement’.

Cardinal Joseph Zen feels it is ‘a waste of time’.

The Bishop of Zhouzhi’s movements and activities were restricted after he was secretly ordained in 2005. But the government now recognises him following his installation, he added. Then, there was the episcopal ordination of Fr Joseph Zhang Yinlin in Anyang diocese in earO\ $XJXVW ZKLFK ZDV WKH ÂżUVW LQ three years. These events show “there is an improvement and a better atmosphereâ€? with regard to ties, Cardinal Tong said. This perceived recent thaw in relations between China and the Vatican followed a major spat after China ordained three bishops

without papal mandate in 2011 and 2012. Cardinal Zen meanwhile, holds out very little hope the talks will succeed. Dialogue needs participation from both sides so things should not depend only on the Vatican, he said. The Chinese government has “no intention of creating dialogue. It just demands,� he told ucanews. com. “It is a waste of time. You must from time to time test whether things have changed. You can easily know the situation. If you realise nothing has changed, just don’t waste time and don’t mislead the people,� he said. „ UCANEWS.COM

Cardinal urges ‘ecological conversion’ in Philippines MANILA – Cardinal Luis Anto-

were ahead ... and we don’t only nio Tagle of Manila called for an have one day of prayer but actu“ecological conversionâ€? as he led ally more than a month of prayer, a celebration of the World Day of VWXG\ UHĂ€HFWLRQ DVNLQJ SDUGRQ Prayer for the Care for Creation in and action to show that we really Manila on Sept 1. care for creation.â€? Pope Francis’ encyclical on the In his homily, he urged Cathenvironment, Laudato si’, gives olics to “also rely on studiesâ€? of an “added impetus to our concern scientists because “the best scifor what is happening to our com- ence can help us listen carefully mon home, to the cries of the Earthâ€?, the Earthâ€?. he said dur“We need ing Mass in to also disManila’s Bacover the way silica of the the economy Immaculate goes, the Conception. way we do The Archbusiness, the diocese of labour pracManila set tices, the Sept 1 as the exclusion of start of its the poor who celebration of become more the “season vulnerable of creationâ€? Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila to ecologiwhich will cal changes, end on Oct 4, to climate the feast of St Francis of Assisi. change,â€? he said. The archdiocese began celCardinal Tagle urged Cathoebrating the season of crea- lics to “go back to contemplation tion in 2013, 10 years after the [and] recover a sense of caringâ€? as Philippines bishops’ conference he encouraged Church members called for its introduction as an to confess “ecological sinsâ€? that acknowledgment of “creation [as have been committed. a] priceless gift of the Almighty Following the lead of Pope and Loving Creator, who has Francis, he lamented the “throwamade us into his own image and way cultureâ€? in society that conlikeness.â€? tributes to the destruction of the Cardinal Tagle said, “We environment. „ UCANEWS.COM

Hailed: pope’s decision on forgivness for abortion NEW DELHI – Pope Francis’ decision to allow priests to forgive abortion is in a real sense an indicator of female empowerment, a Caritas India official said. Welcoming the pope’s statement, Ms M Shimray, head of Caritas India’s Gender desk, said WKH GHFLVLRQ DIÂżUPV &DULWDVÂś PDQdate to value human life. Ms Shimray told ucanews. com that while many might call Pope Francis radical, his sensitiveness to women’s issues is an indicator of “empowerment to womenâ€?. She said that if a woman makes a drastic decision to have an abortion, one must understand the factors and pressures that inĂ€XHQFHG WKDW FKRLFH “The decision to become a single mother in the West may come quicker than in developing countries like India where economic independence for women is still ODUJHO\ GHÂżFLHQW ´ VKH VDLG Welcoming the pope’s call for forgiveness to women in such a scenario, Ms Shimray said “forgiveness should also include moulding the woman back to a value base so that she does not commit this sin again.â€? However, she said the pope’s call for forgiveness should not be misunderstood as a “promotion to

practise abortion or single motherhood.â€? “It should be seen in the right context,â€? she said. The Vatican announced on Sept 1 that Pope Francis was extending to priests worldwide the authority to absolve women for the sin of abortion. “This jubilee Year of Mercy excludes no one,â€? the pope wrote in a letter to Archbishop Rino FiVLFKHOOD SUHVLGHQW RI WKH 3RQWLÂżcal Council for the Promotion of 1HZ (YDQJHOLVDWLRQ WKH RIÂżFH RUganizing events for the holy year, which opens on Dec 8. In the Catholic-majority Philippines, retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan called the pope’s announcement a “concessionâ€? to the sinner. Archbishop Cruz, who is head RI WKH OHJDO RIÂżFH RI WKH 3KLOLSpine bishops’ conference, stressed that the pope’s statement is not intended to mean that abortion is any “less evilâ€? than before. “This provision is not to say that abortion is OK. It is only meant to say that the mercy of God is bigger than the sin of abortion,â€? the archbishop told ucanews.com on Sept 2. The Church’s Code of Canon /DZ LGHQWLÂżHV DERUWLRQ DV D JUDYH sin punishable by excommunication. „ UCANEWS.COM

10 WORLD

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Cardinals weigh in on marriage 11 of them publish essays ahead of bishops’ meeting on the family VATICAN CITY – Eleven cardinals, at least four of whom will participate in the world Synod of Bishops on the family in October, have urged fellow Church leaders to maintain the Church’s rules regarding marriage and strengthen Catholic education about marriage and family life. Their book, Eleven Cardinals Speak on Marriage and the Family, is scheduled to be released in English in the United States on Sept 15 by Ignatius Press, which provided copies in advance to the media. With the contributing cardinals coming from Europe, Asia, South America and Africa, the essays include personal pastoral UHĂ€HFWLRQV DV ZHOO DV XUJH H[WUHPH caution in considering any plan to allow Catholics who have divorced and remarried civilly without having received an annulment to receive Communion. Italian Cardinal Carlo Caffarra of Bologna, who was not elected by his peers to attend the synod, said showing mercy to such couples without requiring their conversion – demonstrated by at least UHIUDLQLQJ IURP VH[XDO UHODWLRQV with the new spouse – “is the mistaken pity of an incompetent and/ or weak physician who contents himself with bandaging wounds without treating themâ€?. German Cardinal Paul Cordes, WKH UHWLUHG KHDG RI WKH 3RQWLÂżcal Council “Cor Unum,â€? knows for a fact how long some Church leaders and theologians have been

Cover of the cardinals’ book.

Newly married couples are seen in this photo. The institution of marriage will be one of the topics discussed at the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the family. CNS photos

seeking a possible penitential process or other procedure that would allow the divorced and remarried to receive Communion without an annulment or that promise of VH[XDO DEVWLQHQFH In the 1970s, he was appointed secretary of a task force set up by the bishops of Germany, SwitzerODQG DQG $XVWULD WR ÂżQG ZKDW KH described as a “loophole of merF\´ 7KH H[SHULHQFH KH ZURWH

proved that even “theological and canonical acrobatics� cannot defend giving those couples Communion while effectively teaching that marriage is indissoluble. Dutch Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk of Utrecht, who was elected to the synod, said it is neither pastoral nor merciful for the Church’s ministers to pretend that without an annulment a civil remarriage is anything other than

“a form of structured and institutionalised adulteryâ€?. But one change in Church practice absolutely must occur, he said. After decades of weak catechesis, “true pastoral ministryâ€? means presenting Church teachLQJ ÂłWUDQVPLWWLQJ DQG H[SODLQLQJ its foundations more adequately and clearly than we have done in the last half centuryâ€?. Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka of Prague, who was not elected to the synod by the Czech bishops, also placed at least some of the blame on the failures of the Church’s ministers. Too many Catholics, he said, have no idea what it means to give their word and make a vow forever. All the cardinals emphasised the importance of marriage preparation and the fact that it cannot be just a weekend of talks a few months before the wedding. It be-

JLQV LQ WKH IDPLO\ ZLWK UHDO H[DPSOHV RI ORYH FDUH VHOI VDFULÂżFH sharing and celebrating together. Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, who as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments is automatically a member of the synod, urged the &KXUFKÂśV PLQLVWHUV WR ÂżQG FRPmitted Catholic couples to serve as witnesses to Catholic youths. “Even though deep down they desire an indissoluble union,â€? he said, too many young people “cannot manage to believe that it is possible. This is a crisis of trust and faith in God and consequently a criVLV RI FRQÂżGHQFH LQ KXPDQ ORYH DQG in the human ability to be faithful.â€? The other cardinals contributing to the book were: Indian Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal of Trivandrum, who will attend the synod as head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church; German Cardinal Joachim Meisner, retired archbishop of Cologne; Nigerian Cardinal John Onaiyekan of Abuja; Spanish Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, retired archbishop of Madrid; and Italian Cardinal Camillo Ruini, retired papal vicar of Rome. „ CNS

The essays urge extreme caution in considering any plan allowing Catholics who have divorced and remarried civilly without an annulment to receive Communion.

WORLD 11

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Nigerian cardinal and chief imam gather to mark abduction of girls ABUJA – &DUGLQDO -RKQ 2ORUXQIHPL 2QDL\HNDQ RI $EXMD DQG 6KHLN 1XUD .KDOLG FKLHI LPDP RI $SR /HJLVODWRUV 4XDUWHUV -XPXÂśDW 0RVTXH MRLQHG WKH PHPEHUV RI WKH %ULQJ%DFN2XU*LUOV PRYHPHQW RQ $XJ WR mark 500 days since the abduction of more than 200 girls of the Government Secondary School LQ &KLERN The girls were abducted by Boko Haram militants in their GRUPLWRU\ LQ %RUQR VWDWH RQ $SULO Speaking during the comPHPRUDWLRQ &DUGLQDO 2QDL\HNDQ expressed his sadness that the students were still in the hands RI WKHLU FDSWRUV Âł7KH -RLQW 7DVN Force kept telling us that it had combed the Sambisa forest where the abductors alleged to have kept WKH FKLOGUHQ EXW ZH KDYH QRW JRW an inkling regarding their whereaERXWV œœ KH VDLG He expressed hope that the 500 days would be a symbolic catalyst to move the Nigerian community into recognising the serious problem on its hands and ÂżQGLQJ D VROXWLRQ Âł, KDYH DOZD\V LGHQWLÂżHG ZLWK WKLV JURXS 7KDW LV the reason I came this day; we are commemorating the 500 days the girls were abducted. Âł7KLV LV D VHULRXV PDWWHU RXU JLUOV WDNHQ IURP XV ´ WKH FDUGLQDO said. He also called on Nigerians to understand the magnitude of the issue and to pray for the students’ safe return. “I thought that this ZKROH SODFH ZRXOG EH FRQJHVWHG EXW , ZDV WHUULEO\ GLVDSSRLQWHG this whole thing doesn’t seem to hit the hearts of Nigerians un-

Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan (centre) and Sheik Nura Khalid (right), join #BringBackOurGirls campaigners in Abuja. The cardinal has urged Nigerians not to forget about the abducted girls but to continue to pray for their return.

We must tell the world that Boko Haram will ‘never succeed and Nigeria will win this battle.’ – Sheik Nura Khalid, chief imam of Apo Legislators Quarters Jumu’at Mosque

less they are lucky that the meGLD FDUULHV LW DQG DPSOL¿HV LW VR the country hears that something KDSSHQHG KHUH ´ WKH FDUGLQDO said. He said he had not planned on going to the commemorations but had received a call from Vatican Radio asking him about it. He told Vatican Radio he

hoped 500 days would “be a symbolic catalyst to move the Nigerian community into recognising we have a serious problem. My KHDUW EOHHGV IRU WKH \RXQJ ODGLHV the fact that they called me from Rome means that they have not IRUJRWWHQ LW LV ZH WKDW KDYH IRUgotten.� &KLHI LPDP 6KHLN .KDOLG VDLG

Cardinal: Britons want a more generous response to migrants LONDON – Images of drowned

refugees are causing the British people to cry out for a more generous response to the migrant crisis HQJXOÂżQJ (XURSH VDLG &DUGLQDO Vincent Nichols of Westminster. 6SHDNLQJ RQ 6HSW &DUGLQDO Nichols said the shocking images of bodies washed up on beaches in the Mediterranean – including one of a drowned Syrian boy lying face down – are revealing “the human face of this suffering.â€? The British government initially refused to accept migrants Ă€HHLQJ ZDUV DQG GLUH SRYHUW\ LQ WKH 0LGGOH (DVW DQG $IULFD DW D time when hundreds of thousands of them are risking their lives to HQWHU :HVWHUQ (XURSH %XW IROORZLQJ DQ RXWFU\ 3ULPH 0LQLVWHU 'DYLG &DPHURQ VDLG RQ Sept 4 that Britain would accept UHIXJHHV IURP FDPSV LQ 6\ULD EXW not from among those who had alUHDG\ Ă€HG LQWR (XURSH &DUGLQDO 1LFKROV VDLG LPDJHV

A Turkish military member carries the toddler who drowned in an attempt to enter the island of Kos in Turkey. Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster said British people are urging a more generous response from their government.

of some of those who died trying WR UHDFK WKH (XURSHDQ 8QLRQ DUH upsetting the British people. “The letters I get and the voices I am hearing are all saying this is a disgrace that we were letting people die and seeing dead ERGLHV RQ WKH EHDFKHV ZKHQ WRJHWKHU (XURSH LV VXFK D ZHDOWK\ place that we should be able to fashion a short-term response as well as long-term tackling of WKHVH UHDOO\ LQWULFDWH SUREOHPV ´ VDLG &DUGLQDO 1LFKROV SUHVLGHQW RI WKH %LVKRSVÂś &RQIHUHQFH RI (QJODQG DQG :DOHV “It’s no longer an abstract problem of people who are on the VFURXQJH LWÂśV QRW ´ WKH FDUGLQDO added. “It’s people who are desperate IRU WKH VDNH RI WKHLU IDPLOLHV WKHLU HOGHUO\ WKHLU FKLOGUHQ Âą DQG WKH more we see that I think the more the opportunity for a political response that’s a bit more generous is growing.â€? „ CNS

his presence at the commemoration was to tell the world that the Muslim faithful were always UHDG\ WR XQLWH ZLWK WKHLU &KULVWLDQ EURWKHUV DQG VLVWHUV WR ÂżJKW IRU the soul of the country. “I want to challenge all the imams that we should use our SXUSRVH WR ÂżJKW IRU WKH IUHHGRP RI WKH &KLERN JLUOV ZH PXVW WHOO the world that Boko Haram will never succeed and they are not winning and Nigeria will win this EDWWOH ZH DUH SHDFH ORYHUV ZH are peace workers and we shall GLH DV SHDFH ZRUNHUV œœ KH VDLG „ CNS

12 WORLD

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Pope urges European churches to house migrant families VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has issued a strong appeal to the entire European Church to take in migrant families as part of the lead-in to the upcoming Jubilee of Mercy. “Faced with the tragedy of tens of thousands of refugees Ă€HHLQJ GHDWK RQ DFFRXQW RI ZDU and hunger, and who are travelling towards a hope for life, the Gospel calls us to be ‘neighbours’ to the smallest and abandoned, [and] to give them a concrete hope,â€? the pope said on Sept 6. It’s not enough to just say “courage, patience!â€? because hope “is combative, with the tenacity of those who go towards a safe destination,â€? he said. “Therefore, in the imminence of the Year of Mercy, I make an appeal to the parishes, to Religious communities, to monasteries, and sanctuaries of DOO (XURSH WR H[SUHVV WKH FRQcreteness of the Gospel, and to welcome a family of refugees.â€? Pope Francis made this call following the weekly recitation of the Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square, adding that the Vatican’s two parishes will

an appeal ‘toI make the parishes, to Religious communities, to monasteries, and sanctuaries of all Europe to express the concreteness of the Gospel, and to welcome a family of refugees.

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Syrian refugees jump off a boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos. The International Organization for Migration says 1,500-2,000 refugees are now taking the route through Greece, Macedonia and Serbia to Hungary every day. CNS photo

also each take in a refugee family. His remarks came in response to the news of the hun-

Kids learn to pray through parents’ simple gestures: pope VATICAN CITY – Parents who

UHWXUQ Âł$ KHDUW ÂżOOHG ZLWK DIjuggle packed work and family fection for God can turn even schedules deserve a Nobel Prize a thought without words into a in mathematics for doing some- prayer.â€? thing not even the most brilliant Bowing one’s head or “blowscientists can do: They pack 48 ing a kissâ€? when one passes a hours of activity into 24, Pope FKXUFK RU D FUXFLÂż[ RU DQ LPDJH RI Francis said. Mary are small signs of that love, “I don’t know how they do it, he said. They are prayers. but they do,â€? the pope told thou“It is beautiful when moms sands of people gathteach their little chilered on Aug 26 for to blow a kiss to It is beautiful dren his weekly general Jesus or Mary,â€? the audience. “There are pope said. “There’s when moms moms and dads who so much tenderness teach their could win the Nobel in that. And, at that little children for this!â€? moment, the heart Focusing his auof the child is transto blow a dience talk on the formed into a place kiss to Jesus family and prayer, of prayer.â€? Pope Francis said he If you learn as or Mary. knows modern life a child to turn to – Pope Francis can be frenetic and God “with the same that family schedules spontaneity as you are “complicated and packedâ€?. learn to say ‘daddy’ and ‘momThe most frequent complaint my’, you’ve learned it forever,â€? of any Christian, he said, is that he he said. or she does not have enough time By teaching children how to to pray. make the sign of the cross, to say “The regret is sincere,â€? the a simple grace before meals and pope said, “because the human to remember always that God heart seeks prayer, even if one is is there and loves them, he said, not aware of it.â€? family life will be enveloped in The way to begin, he said, God’s love and family members is to recognise how much God ZLOO VSRQWDQHRXVO\ ÂżQG WLPHV IRU loves you and to love him in prayer. „ CNS

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dreds of thousands of refugees flooding Europe from the Middle East and Africa. According to the BBC,

more than 350,000 migrants have crossed into Europe in 2015. Many attempt the crossing in overcrowded and unsea-

worthy boats, leading to scores of deaths due to drowning and starvation. The situation has reached a fever pitch in recent days with thousands of migrants arriving to Germany and Austria on foot from Hungary. In his speech, Pope FranFLV H[WHQGHG KLV DSSHDO WR WKH European bishops, reminding them that “mercy is the middle name of love�, and cited the Gospel passage from Matthew: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.� „ CNA/EWTN NEWS

Pontiff meets Israeli president, expresses hopes for peace VATICAN CITY – As Catholics joined others in protesting Israel’s H[WHQVLRQ RI LWV VHFXULW\ ZDOO IXUther dividing Palestinians and Israelis, Pope Francis gave Israeli President Reuven Rivlin a tangible sign of his hopes for peace. The pope’s peace medal is a bronze circle split in two with an olive branch growing up the middle. A band around the entire medal reads, in Italian, “Seek what unites. Overcome what divides.â€? “There is division,â€? the pope told Mr Rivlin on Sept 3. “The challenge is to unite.â€? Mr Rivlin gave the pope a rough basalt copy of an inscribed slab. The original was dated to the 9th century BC and includes what he said was the earliest reference to King David outside the Bible. “I thought it was right to give you this gift to recall the common origins of Christianity and Judaism,â€? he told the pope. Pope Francis and Mr Rivlin met privately for 30 minutes. The Vatican said their conversation and the president’s subsequent PHHWLQJ ZLWK RIÂżFLDOV RI WKH 9DWLcan Secretariat of State “focused on the political and social situation in the Middle East, affected E\ VHYHUDO FRQĂ€LFWV ZLWK VSHFLDO attention to the condition of Chris-

Pope Francis meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin during a private audience in the pontiff’s private library at the Vatican. CNS photo

tians and other minority groupsâ€?. “The need and urgency of promoting a climate of trust between Israelis and Palestinians was highlighted, along with the resumption of direct negotiations with the aim of reaching an agreement respecting the legitimate aspirationsâ€? of both the Israelis and Palestinians, the statement said. In addition, it said, the hope ZDV H[SUHVVHG ÂłWKDW DQ DGHTXDWH solution be found for various mat-

ters of common interest, including the situation of Christian schools in the country�. Israel’s Education Ministry has been urging Christian and other private schools to become part of the state school system and adopt the national curriculum. The ministry has been cutting funds to the schools and has limited the amount of tuition they may charge, forcing many of them into VHULRXV ¿QDQFLDO GLI¿FXOWLHV „ CNS

POPE FRANCIS 13

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Pope holds virtual ‘town hall’ meeting in 3 US cities MCALLEN, TEXAS, USA – At Sa-

cred Heart Church in McAllen, 7H[DV PHPEHUV RI WKH FRPPXnity, most of them volunteers at a respite centre for immigrants at Sacred Heart parish hall, were invited to a special event by ABC News, but were not informed in advance of just how special that event would be. People started arriving at the church before 7 am on Aug. 31. The event began at 9 am. In Rome, where the local time was 4 pm, appearing by satellite and speaking to the people in McAllen was Pope Francis by means of a “virtual town hall� arranged by the TV station. “We are thrilled to have been a part of this morning’s conversation with Pope Francis via satellite,� said Ms Brenda Nettles Riojas, communications director for the Diocese of Brownsville. The audience was moderated from inside the Vatican by World

News Tonight anchor David Muir. In addition to the group at Sacred Heart Parish in McAllen, the pope also conversed with homeless families in Los Angeles and with students at the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago, which serves low-income families. The event was aired in the US on Sept 4. It was staged in anticipation of Pope Francis’ Sept 2227 trip to the United States. Since the pope is visiting only Washington, New York and Philadelphia, the virtual town hall gave him a chance to speak with people in places he wouldn’t be able to visit. In McAllen, Pope Francis spoke with a 19-year-old man, who VKDUHG KLV H[SHULHQFH DV DQ LPPLgrant. He told the pope that he is grateful to work and attend college so that he can help support his parents and siblings because of a special programme called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. A woman from El Salvador, CNS photo

Members of Sacred Heart Church in McAllen, Texas, participate in a virtual town hall meeting with Pope Francis via satellite. CNS photo

who was wearing an electronic monitoring device around her ankle, asked for a blessing for her toddler son, who has problems with his vision. A young girl from El Salvador, who travelled 26 days with her mother to the US, cried when remembering how she and her mother were subjected to threat-

ening moments during the journey. She drew a large picture for Pope Francis that said, “Te amo Papa� (“I love you Father�) and showed it to him on camera. Sr Norma Pimentel of the MisVLRQDULHV RI -HVXV H[HFXWLYH GLUHFtor of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, who started the respite centre, was introduced to the

are thrilled to have been a part of this morning’s ‘Weconversation with Pope Francis via satellite.’

– Ms Brenda Nettles Riojas, communications director for Brownsville diocese

pope from her seat in the church. The pope asked her to approach the microphone so he could meet her. Pope Francis thanked her and the respite volunteers for their hard work. “The pope loves me very much,â€? Sister Norma said, adding that his words “will stay with me forever. :KDW D ZRQGHUIXO H[SHULHQFH DQG DIÂżUPDWLRQ IRU DOO WKDW ZH GR ´ More than 23,000 immigrants have received food, clothing and medical care at the centre. Pope Francis also acknowledged all the Religious Sisters serving in the US. „ CNS

Pontiff: doctrine and pastoral realities are not at odds

Pope Francis tries on a pair of glasses in an optical store in downtown Rome on Sept 3. Romans and tourists crowded outside to catch a glimpse of him.

Pope creates stir as he visits optician in Rome ROME – Pope Francis created a spectacle when he headed to Rome’s posh shopping district to make a surprise visit to his optician. Romans and tourists crowded outside Alessandro Spiezia’s shop on Via del Babuino near Piazza di Spagna to catch a glimpse of the pope inside as he had his eyes measured for a new set of bifocal lenses Sept. 3. “I don’t want to spend too much, let’s keep the old� frames, Spiezia said the pope told him, according to

ANSA, the Italian news agency. According to an interview with The Associated Press, Spiezia was going to go to the Vatican IRU WKH ÂżWWLQJ EXW WKH SRSH KDG said he didn’t want Spiezia to make the trip and that he would go to Via del Babuino. Pope Francis again insisted he pay the full cost, according to ANSA. Spiezia told the Italian agency that the pope told him, “Listen, Alessandro, make me pay what is due.â€? „ CNS

VATICAN CITY – The Church is called to embrace its past, present and future and to avoid the temptations to condemn or to legitimise everything just because it is new and different, Pope Francis told a group of theologians. 7KHRORJ\ DQG UHĂ€HFWLRQ should not be at odds with pastoral ministry and the lives of real people, he said. In fact, theologians can help by “taking both the ecclesiastical tradition and current reality very seriously, placing them in dialogue with one anotherâ€?. The pope’s words were part of a video message he delivered in Spanish to theologians and others taking part in an international congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from Sept 1-3. The Vatican released a transcript of his message on Sept 4. The event marked the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the faculty of theology at the Catholic University of Argentina and the 50th anniversary of the close of the Second Vatican Council. One of Vatican II’s main contributions was trying “to overcome this divorce between theology and pastoral ministry, between faith and lifeâ€?. Often the two had been set against each other in “a

false oppositionâ€? as two “separate realitiesâ€?, he said. “We not infrequently identify the doctrinal with the conservative and the backward, and, on the contrary, we think of pastoral ministry as adaptation, rolling back, accommodation – as if they had nothing to do with each other.â€? This also creates a false conĂ€LFW EHWZHHQ WKRVH ZKR DUH SDV-

Safeguarding doctrine means being faithful to what has been received and also taking into account the person to whom it is being offered, said the pope. tors “on the side of the people� and academics “on the side of doctrine�. Yet, the early Christian writers and theologians were also great pastors, he said. “Doctrine is not a closed system devoid of dynamics able to raise questions, doubts, inquiries,� he said. Rather, Christianity is a living doctrine that is called Jesus Christ, whose life is “offered from generation to generation to all men

and women and in all placesâ€?. Safeguarding doctrine means being faithful to what has been received, he said, and at the same time, taking into account the person to whom it is being offered, and understanding and loving him or her. After all, why is theology being done, he asked, if not for “the people we have before us? Without encountering families and the people of God, theology runs the great risk of becoming ideology.â€? The hopes, dreams, struggles, problems, worries and questions people have cannot be ignored “if we want to take seriously the principle of the incarnationâ€?, he said. People’s unrest, struggles and “the peripheries are not an optional, rather they are necessary for better understanding the faithâ€?. Theology looks at and must stem from the Holy Spirit in “the praying peopleâ€?. If not, then that theology will have “the scent of a proposal that might be beautiful, but not real, he said. Pope Francis, referring to the teaching of Pope Benedict XVI, said Church tradition is like a Ă€RZLQJ ULYHU ZKLFK KDV D Âż[HG RULJLQ \HW Ă€RZV WKURXJKRXW WKH world bringing to life the best of that region and culture. „ CNS

14 POPE FRANCIS

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

For Year of Mercy, pope extends possibilities for absolution VATICAN CITY – In an extraordi-

nary gesture for the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has extended to priests worldwide the authority to absolve women for the sin of abortion and has decreed the full validity during the year of the sacrament of confession celebrated by priests of the traditionalist Society of St Pius X. “This jubilee Year of Mercy excludes no one,â€? the pope wrote in a letter to Archbishop Rino FiVLFKHOOD SUHVLGHQW RI WKH 3RQWLÂżcal Council for the Promotion of 1HZ (YDQJHOLVDWLRQ WKH RIÂżFH RUganising events for the holy year, which opens on Dec 8. Pope Francis said one of the most serious problems facing people today is a “widespread and insensitive mentalityâ€? toward the sacredness of human life. “The tragedy of abortion is experienced by some with a suSHUÂżFLDO DZDUHQHVV DV LI QRW UHDOising the extreme harm that such an act entails,â€? while many other women believe that “they have no other optionâ€? but to have an abortion, the pope wrote in the letter, released on Sept 1 by the Vatican. The pressures exerted on many women to abort lead to “an existential and moral ordeal,â€? Pope Francis said. “I have met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonising and painful decision.â€?

Pope Francis has granted priests worldwide the authority to absolve women for the sin of abortion during the Year of Mercy. &16 ÂżOH SKRWRV

When such a woman has repented and seeks absolution in the sacrament of confession, he said, “the forgiveness of God cannot be denied.� Although Church law generally requires a priest to have special permission, called faculties, from his bishop to grant absolution to a person who has procured or helped another to procure an abortion, the pope said he decided “to concede to all priests for the jubilee year the discretion to absolve of the

$ SUHJQDQW ZRPDQ DQG RWKHU PRWKHUV JDWKHU DW D FKXUFK LQ WKLV ÂżOH SKRWR

sin of abortion those who have procured it and who, with contrite heart, seek forgiveness for it.� Pope Francis urged priests to welcome to the sacrament women who have had an abortion, explain “the gravity of the sin committed� and indicate to them “a path

of authentic conversion by which of the Holy Door at the Vatican or to obtain the true and generous in their local diocese, confess their forgiveness of the Father who re- sins, receive the Eucharist and pray for the pope’s intentions. news all with His presence.â€? The celebration of God’s mercy, Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said the KH VDLG LV ÂłOLQNHG ÂżUVW DQG IRUHpope’s letter “highlights the wide- most, to the sacrament of reconciliness of God’s mercyâ€? and is “not ation and to the celebration of the in any way minimising the gravity KRO\ (XFKDULVW ZLWK D UHĂ€HFWLRQ RQ mercy. It will be necessary to acof the sinâ€? of abortion. In his letter, Pope Francis also company these celebrations with the granted another exception to Church profession of faith and with prayer rules out of concern for “those faith- for me and for the intentions that I ful who for various reasons choose bear in my heart for the good of the WR DWWHQG FKXUFKHV RIÂżFLDWHG E\ Church and of the entire world.â€? 7KRVH ZKR DUH FRQÂżQHG WR WKHLU priestsâ€? belonging to the traditionalist Society of St Pius X. Although homes can obtain the indulgence the society is no longer considered by offering up their sickness and suffering, he said. to be in schism and Pope Francis the excommunica7KH IRUJLYHQHVV also included spetion of its bishops RI *RG FDQQRW EH cial consideration was lifted in 2009, questions remain GHQLHG WKLV MXELOHH for people who are incarcerated, over whether the <HDU RI 0HUF\ touching on the sacraments they Old Testament tracelebrate are valid H[FOXGHV QR RQH and licit. –Pope Francis dition of a jubilee year as a time for The pope’s decision was “taken with the faithful granting prisoners amnesty. Those who, “despite deservin mindâ€? and is limited to the holy year, which runs through to Nov ing punishment, have become conscious of the injustice they 20, 2016, Fr Lombardi said. 7KH VSRNHVPDQ DOVR FRQÂżUPHG committed,â€? may receive the inthat the Vatican’s contacts with dulgence with prayers and the releaders of the Society of St. Pius ception of the sacraments in their X have continued. Pope Francis prison chapel, he wrote. “May the gesture of directing wrote in his letter that he hoped “in the near future solutions may their thought and prayer to the Fabe found to recover full commun- ther each time they cross the threshion with the priests and superiors old of their cell signify for them their passage through the Holy of the fraternity.â€? Pope Francis’ letter also ex- Door, because the mercy of God is plained expanded opportunities for able to transform hearts, and is also obtaining the indulgences that are a able to transform bars into an expenormal part of the celebration of a rience of freedom,â€? he wrote. „ CNS holy year. An indulgence is the re- 7KH IXOO OHWWHU FDQ EH IRXQG DW KWWS mission of the temporal punishment Z YDWLFDQ YD FRQWHQW IUDQFHVFR HQ a person is due because of his or OHWWHUV GRFXPHQWV SDSD IUDQF her sins. In a holy year, it is offered HVFRB BOHWWHUD LQGXOJHQ]D to pilgrims who cross the threshold JLXELOHR PLVHULFRUGLD KWPO

‘

’

POPE FRANCIS 15

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Pope prays for refugees after 71 found dead in Austria, Church leaders urge new policy

Pope begs governments to stop Christian persecution

A refugee takes shelter in a church. Pope Francis has urged governments to stop the violence that has displaced many in the Middle East. &16 ÂżOH SKRWR

Forensic experts investigate a truck in which refugees were found dead on a freeway between Parndorf and Neusiedl, Austria. Church leaders have called for a more humane and effective policy for dealing with migrants and refugees seeking new homes. &16 SKRWR VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis

joined Austrian Church leaders in praying for the 71 refugees that were found dead in an abandoned truck near Vienna. He condemned the smuggling of migrants as an offense “against the whole human family.� Reciting the Angelus prayer on Aug 30 with thousands of pilgrims in St Peter’s Square, including Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna, Pope Francis asked the crowd for a moment of silence to pray “for all migrants who suffer and for those who lost their lives.� He noted in particular the presence of four children among the refugees, who were discovered in the truck on Aug 27; police believe they suffocated and had been dead for at least two days before they were found. Cardinal Schonborn, president of the Austrian bishops’ conference, said on Aug 28: “Such refugee suffering should awaken us, like a bolt from the blue, to the need for more generous attitudes and courageous decisions. The joint handling of the refugee tragedy in the face of such inhumanity

is a test for European values.â€? “My sympathy is with those who’ve suffered this imaginably DJRQLVLQJ GHDWK DQG , FDQQRW ÂżQG words for the contempt for human OLIH VKRZQ E\ WKH WUDIÂżFNHUV ´ WKH cardinal said. Police in neighbouring Hungary, the truck’s departure point, said on Aug 28 that they had ar-

6XFK UHIXJHH VXIIHULQJ ‘VKRXOG DZDNHQ XV OLNH D EROW IURP WKH EOXH WR WKH QHHG IRU PRUH JHQHURXV DWWLWXGHV DQG FRXUDJHRXV GHFLVLRQV

’

– Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna

rested three Bulgarians and an Afghan in connection with the deaths of the 59 men, eight women and four children. Bishop Agidius Zsifkovics of Eisenstadt said on Aug 28 that he was praying for the refugees, who had fallen victim to “a smuggling network deprived of any scruples�

and “a subtly complicit and failed European policy.� “Europe has lost its innocence, and the idea of Europe as an area of peace, freedom and justice [has] been perverted by a lack of human vision by European elites,� he added. Catholic leaders have repeatedly urged a more humane and effective policy by the European Union toward migrants and refugees. A record 107,500 migrants were reported to have crossed the EU’s borders in July alone; many paid large sums to smugglers to arrange their entry illegally. „ CNS

VATICAN CITY – “Do something to put a stop to the violence and oppression,â€? Pope Francis asked the international community after calling attention once again to the fate of persecuted Christians, especially in the Middle East. After reciting the Angelus on Aug 30, Pope Francis told thousands of people in St Peter’s Square that, the previous evening in Lebanon, martyred Syriac Bishop FlaYLHQ 0LFKHO 0DONH ZDV EHDWLÂżHG “In the context of a tremendous persecution of Christians, he was an untiring defender of the rights of his people, exhorting DOO RI WKHP WR UHPDLQ ÂżUP LQ WKHLU faith,â€? the pope said. “Today as well, in the Middle East and other parts of the world, Christians are persecuted,â€? the pope VDLG Âł0D\ WKH EHDWLÂżFDWLRQ RI WKLV ELVKRS DQG PDUW\U ÂżOO WKHP ZLWK consolation, courage and hope.â€? Pope Francis also told people in the square, “There are more martyrs (today) than there were in WKH ÂżUVW FHQWXULHV´ RI &KULVWLDQLW\ +H SUD\HG WKDW WKH EHDWLÂżFDtion would “also be a stimulus for legislators and those who govern

so that religious freedom would be guaranteed everywhere. And I ask the international community to do something to put a stop to the violence and oppression.� Last year thousands of Christians in Mosul and the Ninevah Plain in Iraq, including nearly 40,000 Syriac Catholics, were driven out by Islamic State militants. As the Ottoman Empire crumbled in the early 1900s, there were waves of violence and persecution against Christian minorities, especially the Armenians and Syrians. Bishop Malke was the Syriac Catholic bishop of Gazireh, which today is the city of Cizre, Turkey. Although DGYLVHG WR ÀHH WKH ELVKRS VWD\HG with his people and was arrested. He was told that if he converted to Islam, his life would be spared, but he refused and was beheaded. According to the Vatican, the bishop was born in 1858 in Qal’at Mara in what is now south-eastern Turkey. Although his family was Orthodox, he became a Syriac Catholic and joined the Fraternity of St Ephrem. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1883 and named bishop of Gazireh in 1913. „ CNS

16 OPINION

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Fortnightly newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore

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FEATURE

Doctors still pressured against following conscience

Screen grab of MaterCare International, an organisation of Catholic health professionals dedicated to the care of mothers and babies according to Church principles. ROME – When St John Paul II called for conscientious objection against laws legitimising abortion and euthanasia 20 years ago, one Catholic doctor never imagined WKH VWUXJJOH DQG VDFULÂżFH WR FDUU\ out that duty would last for so long. Dr Robert Walley, a British obstetrician and gynaecologist who founded and heads MaterCare International, organised the JURXSÂśV YHU\ ÂżUVW ZRUOG FRQIHUence in Rome in 2001 on the question of conscience in maternal healthcare. And now, 14 years later, “the problem hasn’t gone away, it’s still hereâ€?. To address the ongoing dilemma, MaterCare held its 10th international conference in Rome from Aug 31-Sept 4 to look at the problem of discrimination against Catholic obstetricians, gynaecologists, midwives, medical students and health care staff when they object to training and procedures that go against their beliefs. MaterCare was founded in 1995 to serve mothers and their children and is part of the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations. Dr Walley shared that he had “three choicesâ€? in 1973 when he practised under Britain’s state-run National Health System: do the abortions, change his specialisation or leave the country. “So we left and went to Canada,â€? he said, to start life over with his wife and seven children. While he was “prepared to ac-

cept that crossâ€?, he said he felt he did not receive enough support or encouragement from the Church and feels that medical professionals who become conscientious objectors are still “basically on our ownâ€?. Catholic doctors need encouragement, he told Catholic News Service on Sept 1, because there is “an enormous amount of apathy and fearâ€? about jeopardising their job, career and reputation, or even IDFLQJ MDLO WLPH RU ÂżQHV LI WKH\

Medical professionals who become conscientious objectors are ‘basically on our own’, said Dr Robert Walley, a presenter at a conference on conscience and healthcare. follow their conscience or take a public stand. Dr Walley said MaterCare International is now offering instructional webinars and other opportunities for networking and support online and on social media. Msgr Jacques Suaudeau, a PRUDO WKHRORJLDQ ZKR ÂżUVW WUDLQHG as a medical doctor and surgeon, said in his presentation that many countries’ constitutions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights uphold the freedom of conscience, but say nothing about pro-

tecting conscientious objection. “Conscientious objection tends, in fact, to be considered an act of individual rebellion, a break of what makes the solidarity in the country, a negation of the consensus,â€? he said. As a result, authorities often view the recognition of conscientious objection as “a concession, not an obligation.â€? +H DGGHG WKDW ÂłLQ WKH GLIÂżFXOties and challenges of the profession, in a moving, uncertain worldâ€?, Catholic physicians need to hear, “Be not afraid, I am with youâ€? because they are “words of courage, strength and hopeâ€?. Dr Natalia Suszczewicz, who is a resident at Holy Family Hospital in Warsaw, Poland, said patients cannot really have “informed choiceâ€? if their care providers do not receive an education and training that include more ethical approaches. She explained how she helped get one medical university in Poland to offer in its curriculum a course on reproductive care that does not go against Church teaching. They began by offering open workshops to students on themes like, “Would you like to know more about your fertility?â€? The popularity of the workVKRSV KHOSHG FRQYLQFH RIÂżFLDOV at Warsaw Medical University eventually to offer the workshops as part of the curriculum, she said, PDNLQJ WKHP WKH ÂżUVW HYHU HOHFtive courses on fertility awareness methods at a medical school in the country. „ CNS

Dorothy Day – a saint for our time SOMETIME soon we will witness the canonisation of Dorothy Day (see photo below). For many of us today, especially those who are not Roman Catholic, a canonisation draws little more than a yawn. How does a canonisation impact our world? Moreover, isn’t canonisation simply the recognition of a certain piety to which most people cannot relate? So why should there be much interest around the canonisation of Dorothy Day – who in fact protested that she didn’t want people to consider her a saint and asserted that making VRPHRQH D VDLQW RIWHQ KHOSV QHXWUDOLVH KLV RU KHU LQÀXHQFH" :HOO 'RURWK\ 'D\ ZDVQœW WKH NLQG RI VDLQW ZKR ¿WV WKH QRUPDO FRQFHStions of piety. She was born in New York in 1897 and died there in 1980. She was a journalist, a peace-activist, a convert to Christianity. Together with Peter Maurin, who was a Catholic social activist from France, they established the Catholic Worker Movement to combine direct aid to the poor and homeless with non-violent action on behalf of peace and justice. The movement remains vibrant today. She served too on the newspaper she founded, Catholic Worker, from 1933 until her death. Her person and the movement she started have powerfully inspired Christians of every denomination to try to more effectively take the Gospels to the streets, to try to bring together Jesus and justice in a more effectual way. She is invoked as the primary role-model for virtually everyone, Christian and non-Christian alike, working in the area of social justice. The honour is well-deserved. She, perhaps better than anyone else in her generation, was able to wed together the Gospel and justice, Jesus and the poor, and take the fruits of that marriage to the streets in an effective ZD\ 7KDWœV D UDUH DQG YHU\ GLI¿FXOW IHDW Ernst Kasemann, who was a Lutheran theologian and professor of the New Testament from Germany, once commented that the problem in both the world and the Church is that the liberals aren’t pious and the pious aren’t liberal. He was right. Politics and religion are both generally impoverished because the pious won’t be liberal and the liberals won’t be pious. You normally don’t see the same person leading the rosary and the peace march. And you don’t normally see the same person scrupulously defending the most-intimate matters within private morality and having the same moral passion for the global-issues of social justice. But that was Dorothy Day. She was equally comfortable leading a peace march and leading the rosary. Someone once quipped: If you drew out what’s deepest and best within both the conservatives and liberals and put them through a blender, what would come out is Dorothy Day. A second feature which characterised Dorothy Day and her spirituality was her ability to simply act, and to act effectively. She not only had faith, she acted upon that faith. She was a doer, not just a listener; and she was able to institutionalise her faith and embed it into an institution, the Catholic Worker, which not only was able to minister directly to the poor but was able to form itself into something larger and more permanent than the faith, vision, and power of a single person. Dorothy was able to act in a way that was bigger and more effective than her own person. There’s an axiom that says: Whatever we dream alone remains a dream, but what we dream with others can become a reality. Dorothy dreamed with others and made that dream a reality. Today, most of us struggle both to act on our faith and, even more so, to embed our faith concretely into effective, sustained community action. Finally, Dorothy Day can be an inspiration to us because she did the right thing for the right reason. Dorothy’s commitment to the poor arose not out of guilt, or neurosis, or anger, or bitterness towards society. It arose out of gratitude. Her route to faith, Jesus, and the poor was rather unorthodox. In the years prior to her conversion she was an atheist, a communist, a woman ideologically opposed to the institution of marriage, and a woman who had had an abortion. Her turning to God and to the poor happened when she gave birth to her daughter, Tamar Theresa, and experienced in the joy of giving birth a gratitude that seared her soul. In her autobiography, The Long Loneliness, she describes how, at VHHLQJ KHU EDE\ GDXJKWHU IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH VKH ZDV VR RYHUFRPH ZLWK gratitude that a faith and love were born in her that never again left her. Her passion for God and the poor were fuelled by that. 6KH ZDV DOVR DQ HDUWK\ VDLQW 6KH ZLOO QR GRXEW EH WKH ¿UVW FDQRQLVHG saint whose photographs show a woman with a cigarette in her mouth. She’s a saint for our time. She showed us how we can serve God and the poor in a very complex world, and how to do it with love and colour. „

FOCUS 17

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Interfaith friendship

Bound by their love for the needy, the bond between Sr Theresa Seow and the late Mr Lee Bock Guan lasted 17 years. By Mel Diamse-Lee The passing of Mr Lee Bock Guan on August 29 was felt deeply by Canossian Sr Theresa Seow, who shared a strong bond with the former president of Singapore Buddhist Lodge (SBL). 7KH WZR ÂżUVW PHW LQ when SBL requested to meet the various religions and religious organisations in Singapore. As the Catholic Church representative to the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO), Sr Theresa met Mr Lee, brought him to the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd to meet the late Archbishop Gregory Yong, and showed him the work of the Canossian Sisters. 6U 7KHUHVD UHFDOOHG WKDW ÂżUVW encounter during a CatholicNews interview a few months before Mr /HHÂśV GHDWK Âł:KHQ ZH ÂżUVW PHW WKHUH VHHPHG WR EH WKLV DIÂżQLW\ DV if we were related from way back. There was this feeling of closeness, like brothers and sisters.â€? Even the elderly man found LW GLIÂżFXOW WR H[SODLQ WKH DIÂżQLW\ So Mr Lee would joke about her being naughty as a child, prompting their parents to give her away. They also spoke the same dialect, Teochew, which made their closeness more obvious to observers. However, it is Sr Theresa’s and Mr Lee’s shared interest in the poor that had held together their \HDU IULHQGVKLS When they started meeting regularly in IRO and collaborating on other projects Mr Lee saw they had a common goal, said Sr Theresa. “So this is a friendship that has developed because of our passion for and service to the poor.â€? Through Mr Lee’s leadership, SBL has given numerous bursaries to needy students and has fed

When was the last time you had fun?

A few months ago with some friends. We went to a karaoke and sang our hearts out. It was great!

For 17 years, I’ve been ‘truly grateful for having this man in my life. He was able to cross boundaries of race and religion with his wisdom, generosity and compassion.

’

– Sr Theresa Seow

Canossian Sr Theresa Seow and the late Mr Lee Bock Guan at the Singapore Buddhist Lodge in late May.

hundreds of thousands of people IURP YDULRXV UHOLJLRXV DIÂżOLDWLRQV Said the Canossian Provincial, “Whoever stepped into the temple to receive this is never asked to give the three bows of respect to Buddha, because my brother believed that each one needs to be respected for his belief. “He used to tell me, ‘It’s not “your poor, my poorâ€?. They are all poor and they need help; so we will help them together’.â€? Whenever she visited Mr Lee,

Sr Theresa said, “This is what I learn: in giving there is no colour, there is no race, there is no religion.â€? During Chinese New Year, SBL would visit the different charitable homes to distribute hongbaos. Residents of Villa Francis Home for the Aged and St Joseph’s Home have been regular EHQHÂżFLDULHV IRU PDQ\ \HDUV QRZ Other organisations, such as the Archdiocesan Commission for Migrant and Itinerant People (ACMI) and Willing Hearts have

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

daily changes that I have to conIURQW ZLWK ,W LV GLIÂżFXOW WR KDYH WR deal with them alone.

Belonging to someone and not drifting along. That someone is God. What has sustained your life as a Religious, especially in the face of challenges/changes?

Having a structured timetable with prayer times keeps me grounded. Those daily moments give me the periods of silence that I need to make sense of the

Singaporean Fr Edward Lim Order of Discalced Carmelites

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

Adjusting to the new dignity of being a pastor of souls to people who are much older than me and leader to other friars with many years of experience within the Order. It is very humbling to learn that I am not as perfect I thought I am. What aspect of Religious life has brought you most joy?

When we pray in common and eat in common. Not easy as we have

received rice, cooking oil and noodles for their respective benHÂżFLDULHV DV ZHOO However, few of the heads of these organisations have met Mr Lee. “That’s him,â€? remarked Sr Theresa. “Whenever there is a need to give, he does not make it known to the public; he doesn’t get the press to come. At the end of the GD\ LI WKRVH ZKR UHFHLYHG EHQHÂżW that [would be] enough for him.â€? She added, “He is very happy whenever we tell him that there is a need because he does not make a distinction. He feels privileged that he could even serve the poor in our Canossian ministries.â€? To express their appreciation and affection for Mr Lee’s support, the Canossians raised funds for some of the Buddhist schools a few years ago, said Sr Theresa. While he was generous to the poor, Mr Lee was insistent that donations to charities and through organisations, should be properly accounted for. Speaking through Sr Theresa, Mr Lee said, “The money that we KDYH UHFHLYHG IRU RXU EHQHÂżFLDUies, we should never use them for our personal needs. Every cent belongs to the poor and, rightly

different temperaments and likes and dislikes. How would you summarise your life today as a Religious/consecrated person?

Balancing the various aspects of ministry, religious community commitments and family needs. Living in the world but not of the world is challenging and interesting. What are the usual distractions during your prayer time? What do you do about them?

Everything distracts me! Recognising that they are distractions and choosing to let them go and get back to God. I usually have

so, it should go to them.â€? Sr Theresa’s respect for the \HDU ROG UHOLJLRXV OHDGHU ZDV evident in the way she would defer to him before she herself would respond to questions. Asked what has helped their friendship to endure, Mr Lee said through Sr Theresa: “We have common interests. Our only concern is how to help the poor, our whole energy is [dedicated] to the needy.â€? Added Sr Theresa, “It is the mutual respect that we have for each other. As a Catholic, I feel this tremendous respect from a Buddhist brother. He has never put our religion down.â€? She feels that Mr Lee understood the local Church better than many Catholics. “Catholics always thought that we are supported by the archdiocese; that is a mistaken notion. So whenever it comes to the Sisters’ needs, he would say, ‘We will support their work.’ That’s why I never worry, in a sense.â€? Sr Theresa was at the bedside of Mr Lee prior to his death. She said RI KLV GHPLVH Âł)RU \HDUV ,ÂśYH been truly grateful for having this man in my life. He was able to cross boundaries of race and religion with his wisdom, generosity and compassion. He was true to himself, true to his cause, true to everybody.â€? With the passing of Mr Lee, the Catholic Church in Singapore has “lost a good friend, someone who believes in the Church,â€? said Sr Theresa. “Over the last two years, he has been very inspired by Pope FranFLV +H ZDV YHU\ HGLÂżHG E\ WKH work of the Catholic Church. We pray that whoever takes over SBL will continue his good work.â€? „ mel.lee@catholic.org.sg

a spiritual book that I read when I am very distracted; I will put it down when the distraction passes. What is the Lord calling you to be in this period of your life, if any?

Keeping faithful to the vows is a continual lesson that I learn daily, and surrendering in trust to His guidance to whatever He sends my way. The Lord knows best. What do you like doing most when with your biological family?

Having a meal together and watching television. What do you usually do to relax?

Go to the gym or do some handicrafts.

18 FAITH ALIVE!

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

Leave all possessions and follow me, Jesus says The parable of the rich young man showcases an example of how Jesus calls us to the treasure waiting in heaven By Daniel S Mulhall The Gospel of Matthew 19:17-22 tells the familiar story of the rich young man who wants to know what he must do to gain eternal life. Jesus’ reply to him is, “keep the commandments.â€? The young man, clearly a faithful Jew who keeps the commandments, wants to know what else he must do. Jesus’ reply is stark: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.â€? The young man, Matthew tells us, “went away sad, for he had many possessions.â€? In the verses of Matthew 19:24-26, Jesus offers additional UHĂ€HFWLRQV RQ WKH WRSLF RI ZHDOWK and salvation, ending by noting that it will be “easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.â€? Matthew notes that the disciples were greatly astonished by these statements, leading them to ask “Who then can be saved?â€? To which Jesus gives the ultimate answer: “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.â€? Jesus’ answer to the rich young man continues to apply to Christians today. In order to follow Him completely we must give

Jesus is asking us to determine what is really important to us and telling us the cost to achieve it. Are we willing to pay the price?

A painting of Jesus Christ and the rich young man by Heinrich Hofmann.

away everything that we possess. Wait a minute. Everything? There are several passages in the synoptic Gospels where Jesus makes this same point. Take for instance Luke 9 where Jesus says “If

anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me,� (v 23). And to another prospective follower who asks for time to bury his parents, “let the dead

bury their dead,â€? (v 60). Several of Jesus’ parables make this point as well. There is, IRU H[DPSOH WKH SHUVRQ ZKR ÂżQGV D JUHDW WUHDVXUH EXULHG LQ D ÂżHOG and, with great joy “sells all that

Sharing God’s given gifts with others By Mike Nelson I can identify, a little at least, with the rich young man to whom Jesus says “sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me� (Mt 19-21). It is easy to let money of any amount, or possessions of any size, get in the way of following Jesus. When I was in second grade, a small circus performed on our playground after school. That morning, my mother had given me US$0.35 or US$0.40 to spend on snacks, and I looked forward to buying myself some candy and soda. But when the kids around me found out I had money, suddenly I had more friends than I realised. “Hey, can I have a nickel? How about a dime?� Pretty soon, my money was gone, and I’d bought nothing for myself. I went away sad, for I had accumulated no possessions. I recalled that episode many years later when I became friends with David, a talented musician who was far from wealthy.

A beggar hunches on a footpath as he begs for money. Jesus invites people to share our material wealth and gifts with the poor, gladly and without reservation. &16 ÂżOH SKRWR

One of the reasons is that he often gave away his money to homeless people in his neighbourhood. Usually, he ran out of money before he ran out of homeless folks asking him for money, but it didn’t seem to bother him a bit. David visited jails and sang

for the incarcerated, he taught catechism classes in his parish. He played his guitar for free at church events. And he did it all with the brightest smile. That is one reason why, after he died in a late-night car crash on a desert highway, his memorial Mass

drew more than 1,000 people. But David, I am sure, would have been embarrassed by the outpouring of affection expressed by those gathered to celebrate his life and who mourned his passing. He felt he was no one special, only someone who tried his best to follow what the Lord taught by word and example. In David’s mind, he simply shared with others the possessions and the talents with which he had been blessed. That is exactly what Jesus invited the rich young man to do – and what he invites us all to do, gladly and without reservation. I have never been wealthy. I’ve never been poor, though there have been times in my life when making ends meet hasn’t been easy. But I am learning, I hope, what it means to realise, appreciate and share my God-given gifts. It doesn’t matter what the gift is, or how much of it we have. In some way, each of us is blessed. Jesus invites us to recognise our blessings, and share them with others. „ CNS Nelson is a former editor of The Tidings, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

KH KDV DQG EX\V WKDW ÂżHOG ´ 0W 13:44) and the merchant who sells all he has to purchase a “pearl of great priceâ€? (Mt 13:46). Luke provides perhaps the clearest statement of this teachLQJ +HUH ZH ÂżQG WKH VWRU\ RI WKH man who builds new barns to hold his great harvest only to die before being able to use this new wealth (Lk 12:18). What Jesus is telling the rich young man, and us, is that “where your treasure is, there also will your heart beâ€? (Lk 12:34). The story isn’t a condemnation of money or wealth. Rather, it is a challenge to us to determine what we would be willing to give in order to gain something whose value is beyond measure. Jesus is asking us to determine what is really important to us and telling us the cost to achieve it. Are we willing to pay the price? Fortunately, all things are possible with God, so there is hope for us all. „ CNS Mulhall is a catechist. He lives in Laurel, Maryland, USA.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT The story has been told many times. A Brazilian cardinal whispered to then Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, “Don’t forget the poor,� as he began his papacy as Pope Francis. He chose the name after the saint devoted to the poor. He has often said there is much to learn from the homeless, from the poor, and anyone that society treats as downtrodden or disenfranchised. He often repeats some form of the poem that says “for it is in giving that we receive.� “The persons we help, the poor, the sick, orphans, have much to give us,� Pope Francis said to a group of young people on his visit to the Philippines in January 2015. “You who live by always giving, and think that you need nothing, do you realise that you are poor yourself? Do you realise that you are very poor and that you need what they can give you? “Do you let yourself be evangelised by the poor, by the sick, by those you assist?� „

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

19

20

Sunday September 20, 2015 CatholicNews

By Jennifer Ficcaglia One day, a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to come to his house for dinner. The two men went to Simon’s house and reclined at the dinner table. Just then, a sinful woman, who heard that Jesus was visiting Simon, came into the room. The woman was very upset. She fell to her knees and used her tears to wash Jesus’ feet. She kept crying as she wiped His feet dry with her long hair and anointed them with the ointment she had brought with her. All this time, Simon was watching the woman, but he didn’t say a word to her or Jesus. Instead, he thought, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”

Even though Simon did not speak his words aloud, Jesus knew what he was thinking. “Simon, I have something to say to you,” Jesus said. The Lord went on to tell the story of two men, who each owed money to the same person. One man owed 50 days’ wages, while the other owed 500 days’ wages. However, neither man could pay back what he owed. So the person who was owed the money decided to forgive each man his debt. “Which of them,” Jesus asked Simon, “will love him more?” Simon thought for a moment. “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven,” he replied. Jesus nodded in agreement. Simon had given the correct answer. Then Jesus called Simon’s attention to the sinful woman. “Do you see this woman?” He

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

St Vincent de Paul Vincent de Paul grew up in France in a poor family. In 1600, at age 19, he was ordained a priest and went to live in Paris. The saint heard many confessions and turned many people from their sinful ways. He received money from a wealthy countess to help the peasants of France by preaching missions, and this work led to the founding of Vincent’s order, the Fathers of the Mission, or Lazarists. Vincent was ill at the end of his life, and he died in his chair in 1660. We honour him Sept 27.

asked. “When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

Then He turned to the sinful woman and told her that her sins had been forgiven. “Your faith has saved you; go in peace,” Jesus said. Read more about it: Luke 7

Q&A 1. Who invited Jesus to his house for dinner? 2. What did the sinful woman show toward Jesus?

Wordsearch: WATER

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KIDS CLUB: Essay: How do you show love to others, and why is it important to do so?

Bible Accent: Sentence: Your faith has saved you. Answer to puzzle: Answer: 1. has; 2. your; 3. faith; 4. you; 5. saved

PUZZLE: Unscramble the letters in each word and arrange the words in the right order to reveal a sentence spoken by someone in the Bible story. (Hint: Luke 7:50) 1. sah

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Jesus did a lot of things that shocked and angered the Pharisees. They especially did not understand how Jesus could hang out with sinful people. For example, in Matthew 9:9-13, Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector, to be one of his apostles. Tax collectors were not very well-liked, because they charged people more taxes than what were owed and kept the extra money for themselves. But the Lord not only called Matthew to follow Him, He even ate at Matthew’s house with other tax collectors and sinners. In Luke 19, Jesus asked to stay at the house of a tax collector in Jericho named Zacchaeus, who was so honoured and pleased at the request that he changed his ways. And in Luke 15, the Pharisees complained when they saw that Jesus was going to speak to the crowd of tax collectors and sinners that had gathered around Him. In reply, Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep and said that there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who do not need to repent. As Jesus explained in Mark 2:17, “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”.

EVENT SUBMISSIONS We welcome information of events happening in our local Church. Please send your submission at least one month before the event. Online submissions can be made at www.catholicnews.sg/whatson SEPTEMBER 15 2015 SECULARISATION AND FAITH 7.30pm-9.30pm: We are all acutely aware of the dangers of the various forms of extremism in our world today. We are probably less concerned or aware of the way in which the core of our human dignity – our spiritual nature – is undermined by a radical indifference to our “religious concernsâ€?. Where do we identify forms of secularisation, and how do we respond as people of “faithâ€?? Facilitator: Fr Peter McIsaac, SJ. Organised by Kingsmead Centre. At Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Road. Fee: $30. Register T: 6467 6072. E: cisc2664@gmail.com. SEPTEMBER 16 WHO IS JESUS CHRIST? (PART 1) The 9th in a series of 11 sessions covering J Ratzinger’s book “An Introduction to Christianityâ€?. Topic: Who is Jesus Christ? 9HQXH 6W )ORUDÂśV 5RRP QG Ă€RRU CANA, Catholic Centre, 55 Waterloo Street. Time: 7.30pm to 9pm (starts with Vespers). Presenter: Andrew Kong. FOC; love offerings welcomed. Register. E: theology.sg@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 19 DIALOGUE WITH PROTESTANTS Some aspect of the challenging task in EXLOGLQJ HFXPHQLVP +DQGOLQJ GLIÂżFXOW Protestant questions on Marian devotion, Purgatory, the pope, confession, the true presence, infallibility, etc. Be informed and learn to explain your Catholic faith on these issues. Speaker: Andrew Kong. FOC. All are Welcome. Venue: The Training Room @IP, 10 Anson Road, 29-03A, International Plaza. Register C: 96493893. W: http://tinyurl. com/ACT-Talk-Signup SEPTEMBER 23 TALK OF THE TOWN WITH VERBUM DEI SISTERS CANA invites you to meet the Verbum Dei Sisters, to hear their stories, learn about their congregation, and how they see their mission taking form in Singapore. 7pm @Crossings CafĂŠ, $25 includes dinner. Register. T: 63384080. E: canatheplacetobe2013@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 23 CBN MY JOURNEY SERIES - TALK BY MR ALVIN YAPP 7-9pm: The Catholic Business Network invites you to join us for an evening of fellowship and networking. Mr Alvin Yapp will share about his personal and corporate life journey, his challenges and joys from both a business and a spiritual perspective. Venue: 55 Waterloo St, St Flora Rm, Lvl 2. Cost: $15 CBN Member)/$20 (Non Member). T: 92284463 E: admin@cbn.sg SEPTEMBER 25 TO SEPTEMBER 27 CHOICE WEEKEND It takes that one weekend that will inspire you for the rest of your life. Come away for a choice weekend – it is by the FKRLFHV ZH PDNH WKDW ZH GHÂżQH ZKDW RXU life is all about. Organised by Choice Singapore at 47 Jurong West St 42, Singapore 649368. Register. T: 9790 0537 (Hilary) T: 9424 2606 (Jacqueline). W: www.choice.org.sg/registration.htm SEPTEMBER 26 EFFECTIVE PARENTING FORUM $UH \RXU NLGV DOZD\V ÂżJKWLQJ" $UH \RX in the dark on their online activities? Parenting is one of life’s toughest challenge. If you want to know how to manage your kids better and build stronger bonds within the family. Join us at this forum. Register T: 64880278 or visit forum.familylife.sg SEPTEMBER 26 THEOLOGY OF THE BODY TALK What is the Theology of the Body? Why is this considered one of the most important legacies that St John Paul II has given us? Speaker: Andrew Kong. FOC. All are welcome. Register T: 96493893. W: http://tinyurl.com/ACT-Talk-Signup Venue: The Training Centre @IP, 10 Anson Road, 29-03A, International Plaza.

FEATURE 21

WHAT’S ON

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

SEPTEMBER 27 2PM-5PM DIY COUNSELLING WORKSHOP Too expensive or awkward to see a counsellor? Learn a simple effective skill and process to help you manage life issues or confusions. Organised by Lifesprings Canossian Spirituality Centre, 100 Jln Merbok. Cost: $60. Register T: 64662178 (Brenda). E: lifepsrings@singnet.com.sg. W: www.lifespringscanossian.com OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31 ANGELICO ART AWARD 2016 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM? The Angelico Art Award 2016 seeks to promote creative endeavours through the integration of art and faith. This inaugural competition, invites artists to interpret the theme “Who do you say I am?â€? in either WKH ÂżJXUDWLYH RU DEVWUDFW IRUPV The competition is opened to all artists above 13 years of age. Shortlisted artworks will be showcased at the exhibition. Submissions Oct 1 to Dec 31, 2015. W: http://www.angelicoart.com/aaa/ OCTOBER 2 TO OCTOBER 4 WORKING WITH OUR DREAMS This programme will help us work ZLWK RXU VLJQLÂżFDQW GUHDPV WR KHOS XV understand their symbolic language, to listen to them, and experience them as a way in which the divine can speak to us. Those interested in this programme are DVNHG WR EULQJ D VLJQLÂżFDQW GUHDP WR ZRUN on during the weekend. Fri. 8.00pm to Sun. 1.00pm. Contribution: $200 (stay in). E: cenaclesing@gmail.com W: www.catholic.org.sg/cenacle OCTOBER 2 TO DECEMBER 11 ALPHA AT CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE Alpha Course - ask anything! 7.45pm9.45pm, Fridays. The Alpha Course is an evangelistic course which seeks to introduce the basics of the Christian faith through a series of talks and discussions. Take this an opportunity to relax, eat, ask, explore, discover what Christianity is about and explore the meaning of life. You’ll be surprised by what you’ll discover. Register C: 9798 7788, C: 8322 5356. E: andy_lee_4health@yahoo.com OCTOBER 2 THE REAL PRESENCE The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. Jesus says Âł(DW P\ Ă€HVK DQG GULQN P\ EORRG´ 'LG +H PHDQ LW OLWHUDOO\ RU ÂżJXUDWLYHO\" Venue: St Joseph’s Church, Victoria Street (Conference Room). Free registration. Time: 7pm-9pm, speaker: David Teo. W: http://tinyurl.com/ACT-Talk-Signup OCTOBER 3 PAULINE TREASURES Discover the roots of the Pauline family and unravel the treasures of the Pauline spirituality. Be inspired by Jesus the divine master, way, truth and life; St Paul; and Mary Queen of the Apostles. Church of Sts Peter & Paul Chapel (level 3). Free Admission. Register. E: paulinesg100years@gmail.com T: 6560 8003, T: 63565958. W: www.paulines.org.sg OCTOBER 3 LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE RUN 2015 Assisi Hospice and Save Our Street Dogs are holding a charity run to raise funds for their operating expenses. The fund will also go into raising awareness for animal-assisted activities in Singapore. Organised by Assisi Hospice. At East Coast Park, East Coast Park Service Road. Register W: http://www.lightupyourliferun.com/. OCTOBER 7 TO NOVEMBER 25 THE BEATITUDES: KEYS TO A HAPPY & FREE CHRISTIAN LECTURE SERIES Lecture series 8pm-10pm. Wednesday nights. Do you want to be free? 'R \RX ZDQW WR EH MR\IXO DQG IXOÂżOOHG" 'R \RX ZDQW WR Ă€RXULVK DV D &KULVWLDQ" What is true freedom? Is it the same as secular freedom? What is the connection between truth and freedom? How do I experience and live out the Beatitudes? Venue: Church of St Bernadette Canteen. Register: E: StBernBAT@gmail.com OCTOBER 9 THE SANCTIFICATION OF WORK Discover God’s intention for work and why we should be sincerely happy because of our work. Venue: St Joseph’s Church, Victoria Street (Conference Room). Time: 7pm-9pm, Speaker: David Teo. W: www.catholic.sg/act. FOC. T: 96493893. W: http://tinyurl.com/ACT-Talk-Signup

RCIA/RCIY A journey for those seeking to know more about the Catholic faith. Baptised Catholics are also invited to journey as sponsors. NOVEMBER 1 TO DECEMBER 25 2016 CALLING YOUTHS TO JOIN OUR CATHOLIC FAMILY! The RCIY team is welcoming nonCatholics, aged between 14 and 24 years old, to join us on a journey to know about the Catholic faith from November 1. Venue: Church of Christ the King Sessions will take place on Sundays at 3pm. Register. C: 96718555 (Randy), C: 81880239 (Bernadette)

OCTOBER 16 - OCTOBER 18 TRUE DEVOTION TO MARY (MONTFORTIAN EXPERIENCE RETREAT (MX-2) A weekend live-in retreat based on the spirituality of St Louis Marie de Montfort. To him, Mary is “the surest, easiest, shortest, and most perfect means by which to go to Jesus Christ.� Discover for yourself the means given by God himself to bring us salvation, the way of Mary. Venue: Montfort Centre. Retreat Directors: Br Dominic Yeo Koh, Br John Albert. Register: T: 67695711. E: enquiries@montfortcentre.org OCTOBER 16 SEVEN DAILY HABITS OF HOLY APOSTOLIC PEOPLE What is the plan of life? Why is it so important for our spiritual wellbeing and happiness? Time: 7pm-9pm. Venue: St Joseph’s Church, Victoria Street (Conference Room). Speaker: Margaret Teo. W: www.catholic.sg/act C: 96493893 (Andrew). FOC. Register at: http://tinyurl.com/ACT-Talk-Signup OCTOBER 23 EVANGELIZING THROUGH THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA You will have a greater understanding of how evangelisation can work in a Catholic setting and how to use social media to reach out to the community and joyfully share the Gospel. A must-have skill in this digital age. Speaker: Benedict Tang. Venue: St Joseph’s Church, Victoria Street (Conference Room). Free and all are Welcome. Register. W: http://tinyurl.com/ACT-Talk-Signup Organised by Apostolate for Catholic Truth OCTOBER 24 2PM-9PM OCTOBER 25 9AM-7PM WORKSHOP AND RETREAT ON INNER HEALING By Fr James Yeo at CAEC, Highland Road. St Peter’s Auditorium. Tea, lunch and dinner provided. Fee: $40 for two days. Payment at main door entrance. Topic: What is inner healing? Spiritual warfare, reconciliation discernment of spirits, blessing and curses, usage of prayers. Registration open to all parish ministries especially those who are interested to learn about inner healing. E: tomson.scaria@gamil.com. E: josephtoh46@gmail.com. Please register early. NOVEMBER 13, 8PM, CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR NOVEMBER 14, 8PM, CHURCH OF THE RISEN CHRIST HEAVENLY VOICES CONCERT Join the Daughters of St Paul from around the world as they celebrate their centennial with two nights of inspiring concerts. They are joined by special guests, Fr Edward, OCS; Fr KK, CICM; Fr Valerian and Fr Terence, CSsR. Tickets at $25 available at DSP bookshop, Church of the Risen Christ; CANA and parishes the Sisters will be visiting in September and October. E: paulinesg100@gmail.com T: 63565958; T: 65608003 W: www.paulines.org.sg OCTOBER 30 SAME-SEX MARRIAGE & MARRIAGE What is the Catholic teaching on this and why is it a disorder? What causes SSA and what can one do about this orientation? Time 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Venue: The Conference Room, St Joseph’s Church, Victoria Street. Speaker: Andrew Kong, (Licentiate in Canon Law). FOC. Register. W: http://tinyurl.com/ACT-Talk-Signup

Dr Kelly Kao and Ms Judy Chang engage a young patient in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. CNS Photos

Chinese American Catholic group helps needy people see By Valerie Schmalz SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, USA – Dr Kelly Kao is no longer

making a top salary as a Silicon Valley optometrist and researcher for Google Glass. Instead, she and her friends, motivated by their Catholic faith, are using their skills to help poor people see in the Far East and even California’s San Joaquin Valley. In the past three years, the &DWKROLF QRQSURÂżW RUJDQLVDWLRQ “See the Lordâ€? has brought eyeglasses, and vision health care to thousands of poor people in rural areas of Taiwan, the Philippines and Sanger, California. “I walked away knowing that God had a different path for me, knowing I was called to do missionary work at that point in my life,â€? said Dr Kao. She decided the day her mother died in February 2011 after a nine-year bout with cancer that she had to “love bigâ€? with her life. “There were a lot of people trying to talk me out of it,â€? she said. “See the Lordâ€? is staffed almost entirely by volunteers, young professionals who became friends through their faith and involvement in the San Jose Chinese Catholic Mission in Santa Clara. Dr Kao, the only one who works full time for the organisation, receives a small VWLSHQG DV FKLHI H[HFXWLYH RIÂżFHU “Every single person who needs prescription glasses we provide them with brand new lenses and frames. Prescription glasses, sun glasses, reading glasses – free of charge,â€? said Dr Kao. Mission trip volunteers help pay for the eyeglasses distributed during each trip, said Mr Henry 6KX WKH RUJDQLVDWLRQÂśV FKLHI ÂżQDQFLDO RIÂżFHU “I think it is the work of the Holy Spirit. What can bring young people to do this kind of thing if it is not the Holy Spirit?â€? said Fr Carlos Olivera, pastor of San Jose Chinese Catholic Mission. “See the Lordâ€? has organised 12 mission trips with three more on the

calendar for 2015. All but three of the trips have been to Taiwan where people in the rural mountain areas have little access to vision care. The Bay Area Chinese Catholic community supports “See the Lordâ€?, said Dr Kao, who grew up in San Mateo and attended St Luke Parish in Foster City. The Mid-Peninsula Chinese Catholic community at St Matthew in San Mateo, where Dr Kao’s father sings in the choir, is very supportive, as are St Clare Parish in Santa Clara, and St Joseph Church in Fremont, she said. Most of those served in Taiwan are poor children, elderly DQG GLVDEOHG SHRSOH ZKR ÂżQG LW GLIÂżFXOW RU LPSRVVLEOH WR WUDYHO three or four hours to a town to get their eyes examined and frequently could not afford glasses if they were prescribed, Dr Kao said. While Taiwan has national health care, it does not include vision care and optometrists are reluctant to travel to remote areas, she said. “People work out in the sun all day and have major sun damage or a tree branch has hit their eye and they have lost their vision,â€? said Ms Jean Young, a “See the Lordâ€? spokeswoman. “See the Lordâ€? mission trips attract young adults, mostly Chinese Americans with some family connection to Asia, Ms Young said. “We have students who are interested in optometry who go on these trips. We have people who just have a heart for the mission,â€? she explained. It was also some comments her mother made a few months before her death that got Dr Kao thinking. Ms Young said Dr Kao’s mother told Kelly that “my one regret in life is I don’t feel like I loved big. I wished I loved on a grander scale.â€? The night her mother died, Dr Kao said she had a vision of her mother asking her to use her talents on that grander scale. The next day Dr Kao procured the website rights for “See the Lordâ€?.„ CNS Schmalz is the assistant editor of Catholic San Francisco, newspaper of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

24 POPE FRANCIS

Sunday September 20, 2015 „ CatholicNews

A huge mural of Pope Francis nears completion in New York, ahead of his visit to the city from Sept 24-26. CNS photo

Giant pope mural created in New York NEW YORK – New Yorkers and tourists in Midtown Manhattan have been gazing up at a smiling Pope Francis at one of New York’s busiest intersections. A 69-m-tall hand-painted billboard welcomes the pope, who will be in New York from Sept 24-26. The welcoming message is lo-

cated at the corner of Eighth Avenue and 34th Street, near Madison Square Garden, where the pope will celebrate Mass on Sept 25. The mural was commissioned by DeSales Media Group, the communications and technology arm of the Diocese of Brooklyn and parent company of The Tablet and NET-TV. The mural has been attracting

the attention of workers and passersby. “As a tourist, I think it is fantastic. I am Catholic so I am happy to see them doing that mural,� Chilean Lorena Quezada told The Tablet, newspaper of Brooklyn diocese. “It is impressive ... I think the pope is going to like it.� New Yorker Charles Wickliffe

said the mural makes people think about religion and God. “It is nice that [Pope Francis] is coming to Madison Square Garden and that people are putting his picture [on the billboard] instead of putting pictures of cars,� he said. “I’m looking forward to hearing what he has to say.� The mural showcases a photo

of Pope Francis waving to a crowd. “This is our way to say ‘welcome’ and evangelise in the heart of this culturally-diverse city,� said Msgr Kieran Harrington, chairman of DeSales Media Group. “I am convinced that Pope Francis’ apostolic visit will impact everyone, touching hearts across different backgrounds and beliefs.� „ CNS

One smile from a loving family can warm the world: pope VATICAN CITY – The smile and

love of a family can light up the world, bringing warmth and hope to communities that have become cold, lifeless and depressed, Pope Francis said. “No economic and political engineering is able to substitute this contribution from families,� he said on Sept 2 during his general audience talk in St Peter’s Square. Unlike the ancient city of Babel’s “skyscrapers without life�, he said, “the Spirit of God, on the other hand, makes deserts bloom�. The pope’s catechesis on the family looked at the importance of Christian families living out

their faith and sharing it with others. By experiencing God’s love, families “are transformed, are ÂľPDGH IXOOϫ WR RYHUĂ€RZLQJ ZLWK D sense of going outside themselves to embrace all people, especially those in need, as brothers, sisters, sons and daughters, he said. Understanding what is real love and affection, which can never be bought or sold, “is the best inheritanceâ€? one can receive from one’s family, he said. The “grammarâ€? of love is learned in the family, “othHUZLVH LW LV TXLWH GLIÂżFXOW WR OHDUQ´ Families living in covenant with God “are called today to FRXQWHU WKH GHVHUWLÂżFDWLRQ RI

communities in the modern city,â€? Pope Francis said. Today’s cities have become barren places because of “a lack of love, a lack of smilesâ€?. One FDQ ÂżQG SOHQW\ RI HQWHUWDLQPHQW lots of things to do “to kill time, to have some laughs, but love is missingâ€?, the pope said. The father or mother who can smile despite being busy with work and family – theirs is the

Today’s cities have become barren places because of ‘a lack of love, a lack of smiles’.

family that is “able to conquer this GHVHUWLÂżFDWLRQ RI RXU FLWLHV WKLV LV the victory of love of the familyâ€?, he said to applause. “We must get out of the towers [of Babel] and vaults of the elite in order to once again spend time in homes and places open to the multitudes, open to the love of the familyâ€?, Pope Francis said. This “communion of charismsâ€? of men and women living the sacrament of marriage or consecrated life “is destined to transform the Church into a place fully familial for an encounter with Godâ€?, he said. “Just one smile miraculously eked out of the desperation of an

abandoned child, who starts a new life,� Pope Francis said, “explains the workings of God in the world to us better than a thousand theological treatises.� “Let us not lose hope,� he said. “Where there is a family with love, that family is able to warm the heart of an entire city with its witness of love.� At the end of the general audience, Pope Francis recalled the end of World War II in Japan exactly 60 years ago to the day and launched an appeal for the end of all wars, asking that the world today no longer experience “the horror and frightful suffering of similar tragedies�. „ CNS

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