OCTOBER 19, 2014, Vol 64, No 21

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SUNDAY OCTOBER 19, 2014

SINGAPORE 50 CENTS / WEST MALAYSIA RM$1.20

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Launched: Year dedicated to Mary, Star of New Evangelisation By Lorna O’Hara He was deep in prayer one day when he felt a voice saying to him, “Have you consecrated this new work of the new evangelisation, the priests, the Religious and the laity? Have they committed and consecrated themselves to the Blessed Mother?” That was the start of Archbishop William Goh’s desire to consecrate the work of the new evangelisation in the local Church to Mary, Star of the New Evangelisation, for a year. And he did so during a special Mass on Oct 7 held at the Church of Christ the King. “We cannot speak of the new evangelisation without asking Mary for inspiration, and for her powerful prayers,” he told priests, Religious and lay Catholics gathered at the Church of Christ the King. Mary “is the greatest evangeliser because she received the Good News of the Saviour [by] being called to be the Mother of the Redeemer”, said the archbishop. He noted that if one wants to be an evangeliser, one has to have a sense of urgency, as seen in the joy that Mary shared with her cousin Elizabeth during their meeting. “When we love people, we want to give them the best. What can we give them? Joy.” He stressed that evangelisation is not just by words but through “deeds of charity”. “Evangelisation doesn’t mean you have to keep on talking. It is in the way that Mary was committed in carrying the cross after Jesus. Mary was faithful until the end,” he said. He also emphasised the need to be passionate evangelisers in the face of uncertainty. “To evangelise, we have to be thickskinned,” said the archbishop.

VOL 64

NO. 21

INSIDE HOME Migrant Sunday celebration Archbishop urges unity in diversity Page 2

Archdiocese’s Deepavali message: Urgency of interfaith dialogue today Page 5

Ecumenical healing service Catholics, Protestants come together for Charismatic event Page 6

ASIA Archbishop William Goh incensing the Mary, Star of Evangelisation icon during the special Mass on Oct 7.

If we put our whole effort into this ‘new evangelisation... we can arrest the speed of secularisation ’

New KL archbishop ordained Stresses ‘4Ls’ as his priorities Page 9

– Archbishop William Goh

“If we put our whole effort into this new evangelisation, I can tell you, my dear brothers and sisters, we can arrest the speed of secularisation that is taking place in Singapore. If we don’t do something, you will meet the fate of what is happening in Europe.” He warned that “if you want your children to be godless, in the next generation,” then just ignore the work of evangelisation. “Just have a normal, a mediocre Christian life. You might escape but your children, and children’s children, will not escape

the full impact of secularisation.” After reciting the prayer of consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the New Evangelisation, representatives from the different parishes placed bouquets in front of the picture. Fr Erbin Fernandez, episcopal vicar for the new evangelisation said, “every parish will host the icon for a few weeks” until October 2015. “You are invited to do different Marian devotions and many activities of mission.” lorna.ohara@catholic.org.sg

Hong Kong street protests Cardinals urge govt to break deadlock Page 10

WORLD ISIS held a knife to her throat ‘Mary, Star of Evangelisation’ Icon courtesy of Br Claude Lane, OSB, Mount Angel Abbey, St Benedict, OR, USA.

But Iraqi Christian refuses to renounce faith Page 21

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Sunday October 19, 2014 CatholicNews

Vietnamese migrants at the Mass were among the 1,500 migrants and local Catholics who attended a Mass to celebrate the 100th World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

Sri Lankan migrants bringing up the offertory gifts.

Archbishop urges unity in diversity By Don Gurugay Citizens of a country need to provide hospitality to migrants. “We need to be understanding, we need to embrace them. We need to make them feel welcome,” said Archbishop William Goh. “We need to understand the FKDOOHQJHV DQG GLI¿FXOWLHV WKDW migrants have.” The archbishop made this comment in his homily during a Mass to celebrate the 100th World Day of Migrants and Refugees on Sept 28. Speaking to the crowd of about 1,500 migrants and local Catholics at St Joseph Church (Bukit Timah), he stressed the “necessity for all of us to cooperate, to work together to achieve social cohesion, integration, assimilation”. He noted that although migrants “must maintain their culture and values”, at the same time, they should not be “separated from the rest of society, creating a ghetto for themselves, because this is not what community is all about”. “Immigrants must therefore make an effort to understand the culture of the host country and to

learn to live with the people,” he said. Quoting St Paul he said that Singaporeans “have to be grateful that migrants have contributed so much to the economy of the country”. At the end of the Mass, Archbishop Goh said that in his 10year vision for the archdiocese, migrants are one of the most imSRUWDQW RI WKH ¿YH FRPSRQHQWV DV they make up about 40 percent of the population in each parish.

Participants at the Mass included migrant communities from Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Malayalam and Tamil groups from India. Representatives from the Philippine and Thai embassies and Indian and Sri Lanka high commissions also attended the celebration. Before Mass, various migrant groups presented community gifts which were received by Fr Sambodo Sru Ujianto on behalf of the migrant chaplains.

Indonesian migrants, together with Fr Sambodo Sru Ujianto (second from left) and Archbishop William Goh, posing for a photo with traditional Indonesian food.

Fr Charlie Dayao Oasan, Fr Antony Raj, Friar Julian Mariaratnam, Fr Peter Paul, and Friar Salim Joseph were introduced to the congregation and they also shared their thoughts. After lunch in the parish’s community hall, Sri Lankan, Filipino, Malayalam, Vietnamese and Tamil migrants put on cultural performances. Migrants who attended the celebration said they were happy to do so. “It was a great event and

Migrants make up about 40 percent of the population in each parish, said Archbishop Goh.

we came to know how the archbishop is concerned about migrants,” said Ms Catherine Kaw, 48, a staff nurse from Myanmar. “ACMI [Archdiocese Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant People] has done a lot also.” Sri Lankan Jayanath Perera, 54, an IT content developer said, “Many lower salaried migrant workers, who live isolated from their loved ones, to earn a wage to support their families back home, generally consider themselves to be the ones who need help. However, the archbishop challenged us to look at things differently and to serve our fellow man in the light of new evangelisation.” Migrant Sunday is celebrated annually on the last Sunday of September in the Catholic Church in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. ACMI has been organising this event since 2000, and each year, a different parish hosts the celebration. The celebration aims to honour the dignity of migrants and their contributions to their host country. For more information on ACMI, visit www.acmi.org.sg

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Sunday October 19, 2014 CatholicNews

Celebrating Canossian Sisters’ 120 years of love, service to nation Those present at the Mass and seminar included nuns, ex-students and educators Photos: GERARD GOH

A Mass and seminar were held on Sept 27 to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Canossian Sisters in Singapore. The action began as early as 8.30am. Children from the combined choir of the Canossian School, Canossa Convent and St Anthony’s Canossian Primary began streaming into St Joseph’s Church at Victoria Street, ready to sing at the Mass celebrated by Archbishop William Goh. Guests were also treated to a choir performance after the Mass. The attendees at the Mass, about 1,000, came from the various branches of the Canossian family – alumni members, former teachers, lay Canossian volunteers, benefactors and family members of the Sisters. Special guests included the Apostolic Nucio to Singapore, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli and a few key members of the InterReligious Organisation (IRO). In his homily, Archbishop Goh acknowledged that the foundress, St Magdalene from Verona, Italy, had the gift of foresight. “The Canossian Sisters here today serve in every area of human life – in schools, the sick and the elderly, children with special needs,” Archbishop Goh said. “Look at the things you have achieved, your foundress will be amazed!” he added. He then stressed that “love is the key to all successes in life” and that “if you have no capacity to love and give, you are the poorest of all human beings”. Ex-pupil Chiou See Anderson said that “Saturday’s celebrations crystallised for me the amazing and positive impact of the 10 years spent under the Sisters’ care and guidance. Regardless of where we are in the world, we never lose that Canossian spirit of goodness and resilience.”

Seminar In the afternoon, a seminar called One Love, One Mission, One Canossian, was held in the auditorium at the nearby National Design Centre, which was where the former Chapel of the St Anthony’s Convent was located at. The 120 people invited to attend included Sisters, Alumni exco-members, educators, representatives of the lay Canossian groups and some student leaders of the St Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School. A 10-minute video was played showing the history of the Sisters and their work from 1894 to the present day. Sr Anne Tan, Canossian vicar general, highlighted the need for OD\ &DQRVVLDQV WR DOZD\V UHÀHFW on “why we do, what we do, and if the things we do are helping us to be a better person.”

A group photo of the Sisters with Archbishop William Goh and Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli. Gerard Goh.

Above: panellists (from left) Melanie Martens, Tony Tay, Selvathi and Veronica Tan. Left: Sisters, current and former teachers, and alumni members posing for a photo with Archbishop Goh.

A panel of four lay Canossians also shared how the Canossian spirit has impacted their lives. Ms Melanie Martens, former principal of St Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School (SACSS), spoke about how her experience in a Canossian school moulded her to look and focus on her stu-

dents with love and compassion. Ms Martens, who is currently principal of the Physical Education and Sports Teacher Academy, said she advocates the Canossian concept to the many physical education teachers she trains at the academy. Mr Tony Tay, founder of Soup

Hearing impaired students from the Canossian School were part of the combined primary school choir.

Kitchen, shared a story of how he was made to learn values of integrity and resilience during his boyhood as a resident of the Canossa Children’s Home. He said that the love he received gave him the strength to keep going. Later in life, Mr Tay started feeding the poor because he remembered he was poor once, and that the Canossian Sisters were there for him and his family. Ms Selvathi, a Hindu, an ex-pupil at St Anthony’s who now serves as a lay Canossian in the Myanmar Mission, feels that in the work she does with the Canossians she has never felt that she, nor anyone else was different regardless of race, language or creed. Ms Veronica Tan, vice president of the Canossian Alumni stressed that more laypeople should come forward to continue to love, serve DQG NHHS WKH &DQRVVLDQ ÀDJ À\LQJ A song was sung at the end of the seminar called One Love, One Mission.

About the Canossian Sisters and their work It has been 12 decades since four pioneer Canossian sisters set foot in Singapore from Macau in 1894. They were Mother Teresa Rossi, Mother Giustina Sequeira, Mother Marietta Porroni and Mother Matilda Rodrigues. Three days later, they opened St Anthony’s Convent (SAC) with Mother 7HUHVD 5RVVL DV WKH ¿UVW VXperior. The Canossian mission pioneered a few original initiatives in Singapore such as setting up of mobile clinics in the post-war years, starting a home for the care of the aged sick, as well as the integration of hearing impaired students into mainstream schools.

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Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

$UFKELVKRS *RK MRLQV Armenian Church leader in special service By Lorna O’Hara

Archbishop William Goh takes his leave of Catholicos Karekin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, after a ceremony at the Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator Singapore.

Archbishop William Goh, together with several Armenian and Orthodox Church leaders, attended a ceremony led by the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church recently. Catholicos Karekin II conducted a one-and-a-half hour Divine Liturgy service at the Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator Singapore on Hill St. The church is the oldest Christian church in Singapore. Afterwards, he blessed two cross-stones in the church’s compound, as the congregation of more than 100 people looked on. 7KH ¿UVW VWRQH ZDV LQ KRQour of the 1.5 million Armenians who died under the Ottoman Turks in the early 20th century, and the second was for the late Archbishop Aghan Baliozian,

Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia DQG 1HZ =HDODQG DQG 3RQWL¿cal Legate to India and the Far East. The archbishop, who died in 2012, was awarded the state order of Australia in 1995 and 2003, for his service and contributions to the Australian Armenian community. According to trustees of the local Armenian Church, Catholicos Karekin II’s visit to SingaSRUH LV SDUW RI KLV SRQWL¿FDO YLVLW to the Armenian Christian community in Asia. He visited Kolkata, India, before coming to Singapore, and was scheduled to visit Myanmar afterwards. He also met with Pope Francis in May. lorna.ohara@catholic.org.sg

Prisoner’s letter moves nun to produce another GDLO\ UHĂ HFWLRQ ERRN It was a letter from a Changi prison inmate that made her change her mind about not producing another collecWLRQ RI GDLO\ UHĂ€HFWLRQV for the next liturgical year. Verbum Dei Sr Sandra Seow told CatholicNews that in March this year, she received a letter from a Changi prison inmate who had read her book of *RVSHO UHĂ€HFWLRQV IRU the current Liturgical Year A. He said the book helped him Verbum Dei Sr Sandra Seow seen here with to deepen his love for copies of her book for Year B. God. “The letter moved It contains daily Gospel readings me deeply,â€? Sr Sandra told DQG UHĂ€HFWLRQV DV ZHOO DV TXHVCatholicNews. tions to help people to meditate The nun said she had origi- and apply the Gospel to their daily QDOO\ SODQQHG QRW WR ZULWH UHĂ€HF- lives. tions for Year B as she thought of She thanked her editorial team “having a longer time to pray and “who dedicated their time and enUHĂ€HFW RQ WKH *RVSHO SDVVDJHV RI ergy to help me, even though they Year Câ€?. are all very busy peopleâ€?. However, positive feedback 6KH VDLG VKH KRSHV WKH UHĂ€HFfrom readers, including a retired tions for Year B would “continue bishop from a neighbouring coun- to speak and touch the lives of try, parents, students, and espe- many more people, so that they cially the prison inmate, made her can encounter God through His change her mind. Word and live the Gospel message Âł, VWDUWHG ZULWLQJ WKH UHĂ€HF- in their livesâ€?. WLRQV LQ 0DUFK DQG ÂżQLVKHG LQ Prayer for Living: The Word July,â€? she said. “In four amazing of God for Daily Prayer for Year PRQWKV , ÂżQLVKHG ZULWLQJ D \HDU B will be on sale in some parishes ZRUWK RI UHĂ€HFWLRQ ZLWK WKH JUDFH during weekend Masses in Ocof God!â€? tober and November. Cost: $20. Sr Sandra said the second Those who wish to place orders book in the Prayer for Living: The can also email verbumdeispore@ Word of God for Daily Prayer se- yahoo.com.sg or call 6274-0251. ries is similar to her previous one. „

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Sunday October 19, 2014 CatholicNews

Dear Hindu Friends, The triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, which you commemorate in this Festival of Deepavali, is also an ideal which all humankind cherish; particularly in these troubling times of moral decay, social injustice and racial and religious intolerance. All the more, it behoves us, as believers in truth and justice, to stand together to uphold and champion values that protect all that is good for society and the world, so that we can all live in peace and harmony. In the words of Pope Francis, “Interreligious dialogue is a necessary condition for peace in the world.” Indeed, today, where the name of religion is sadly misused to justify indiscriminate killings of innocent

victims, interreligious dialogue is all the more urgent and relevant. We are fortunate that here in Singapore we are able to conduct our lives peaceably. But this is a privilege we do not take for granted. Hence, in a variety of ways, our Hindu and Catholic leaders and interfaith practitioners have worked hard and supported each other, alongside our brothers and sisters of other faiths, during the year to build religious harmony and understanding. The Harmony Games 2014, which our Hindu friends so successfully organised, is a concrete example of how we dialogue through activities that aim at forging deeper respect, friendship and solidarity between our communities.

As we take the baton from you for the Harmony Games 2015, which also coincides with the celebration of our country’s 50th year of independence, may we build on what you have already established and bring interreligious dialogue to a deeper and higher plane. In particular, we hope that the Games will be an occasion for building strong family bonds, which is so tenuous in our individualistic society. It is with this concern in mind that Pope Francis has convened a Synod on the Family to discuss how the family unit, which is the bedrock of society, can be preserved in the face of a society that is challenging the values and norms of the meaning of Family and marriage. As I wish you, my Hindu

sisters and brothers, a very Happy Deepavali and Saal Mubarak, I pray that our communities will continue to work more closely to seek ways to strengthen the eternal values of mutual respect, understanding and tolerance within our families, between our communities and extending to that of the larger family of Singapore.

Most Rev Msgr William Goh, D.D. Archbishop of Singapore

Rev Msgr Philip Heng, S. J. Vicar General (Interreligious Relations – ACCIRD)

Today, where the name of religion is sadly misused to justify indiscriminate killings of innocent victims, interreligious dialogue is all the more urgent and relevant.

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Sunday October 19, 2014 CatholicNews

Protestants, Catholics in unity service By Lorna O’Hara “There was that unity and even in the worship, we were all in one spirit, and I could see that the spirit of God was there,” said Ms Shantha Naidu, a Methodist from Living Hope Methodist Church. “You have a chance to see that God is moving in a marvellous, marvellous way,” said Mr Charles Lim, a Catholic from St Joseph Church (Bukit Timah). Ms Naidu and Mr Lim were among about 500 Catholics and Protestants who attended an ecumenical Charismatic healing service on Oct 6 at the Aldersgate Methodist Church. The event was to provide Christians from different Churches an opportunity to come together. The evening began with praise and worship by a team of worship leaders from various churches. These leaders then invited participants to pray for themselves and for the people sitting next to them. Then, as one, participants sang the Lord’s Prayer and recited WKH 1LFHQH &UHHG DV DQ DI¿UPDtion of their faith. Reading out a passage from the Gospel of Matthew, Archbishop William Goh then gave his sermon for the evening. “The proclamation of the Gospel is not just simply a preaching of the Word. It must be professed in the ministry of healing,” he said. He added that in a secularised world, “many people no longer believe in miracles. Many people think that science and technology can heal.” Lutheran Bishop Terry Kee then said a short prayer before the healing service began.

From left: Methodist Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup, Lutheran Bishop Terry Kee and Archbishop William Goh join Catholics and Protestants in an ecumenical Charismatic healing service on Oct 6.

About 30 ministry team members made up of pastors, priests and lay leaders from the various Churches present prayed over people individually. Many rested in the Spirit. Closing the service, Methodist Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup gave his blessings to the congregation. After singing the song God is Good All the Time by Don Moen, participants went downstairs to mingle with one another over light refreshments. Commenting on the ecumenical service, Ms Lim Yuming, from Aldersgate Methodist Church, said: “We’ve always been praying for the unity of the Church. Then, \RX ¿QDOO\ VHH WKH ELJ 3URWHVWDQW and Catholic Church coming to-

a few friends from Catholic churches but ‘Iwehavedon’t really sit down in the same worship. 7RQLJKW LV WKH ¿UVW WLPH , HQMR\ WKH XQLW\ ’

– Mr Oscar Huang, a Methodist

gether as ‘the’ Church. That is very encouraging.”

Mr Oscar Huang, a Methodist from China who has been liv-

ing in Singapore for 27 years, told CatholicNews, “I have a few friends from Catholic churches but we don’t really sit down in the same worship. Tonight is WKH ¿UVW WLPH , HQMR\ WKH XQLW\ ´ lorna.ohara@catholic.org.sg

El Shaddai marks anniversary By Lorna O’Hara “Power! Power! Power!” shouted the 3,000-strong crowd of mainly )LOLSLQRV DV WKH\ ¿VW SXPSHG WKH air during a time of praise and worship at the Toa Payoh Sports Hall. The venue was bustling with activity on Oct 5 as Catholics celebrated the 23rd anniversary of El Shaddai in Singapore – a Charismatic movement founded by Filipino Mariano Zuniega Velarde, popularly known as “Brother Mike”. The celebration included skits by the youth ministries from El Shaddai and Blessed Sacrament Church, dances, life testimonies and a documentary on the history of the El Shaddai movement in Singapore. One highlight of the event was Mass celebrated by Archbishop William Goh and several other priests, during which he spoke on the theme for the full-day event: Go and Tell the Great Things the Lord Has Done for You. “Are we grateful to the Lord?” the archbishop asked the crowd. He urged all to “give testimony to what the Lord has done in our lives”. The best testimony “is when we lead the life of Christ”, Archbishop Goh said. For those who have been touched by God, “if you want to give thanks to the Lord, let us show to people that Jesus is the cornerstone of our lives”, he added. After Mass, a choir accom-

Above: Part of the 3,000 crowd at the El Shaddai celebration. Right: Brother Mike.

panied by a live band performed a few praise and worship songs. The music got the crowd on their feet and many were seen dancing and waving white handkerchiefs. The crowd cheered when Brother Mike took to the stage to give a two-and-a-half-hour address. “Do you believe your prayers have been answered? If you believe, then you will receive,” he said. Speaking in a mixture of Tagalog and English and with references to several Bible passages, he encouraged all present to continue strengthening their faith.

According to the El Shaddai Singapore website, three years ago, the movement had 8 million members worldwide and is growing. There are presently 2,500 members in Singapore, according to an El Shaddai council member. lorna.ohara@catholic.org.sg

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Sunday October 19, 2014 CatholicNews

Above: Principal Ms Magdalene Chin (second from left) and (from left) ex-principals Tan Lee Choo, Lau Swee Chin, Sr Joan Tay and Clara Lim-Tan cutting the 50th anniversary cake. Left: Pupils from CHIJ (Kellock) volunteering at the Children for Children programme at Universal Studios.

CHIJ (Kellock) celebrates 50 years To celebrate CHIJ (Kellock) Primary’s 50th anniversary, the school, together with various companies, held an outing for under-priviledged pupils at Universal Studios Singapore on Oct 2. Together with The Business Times, The RICE Company and Resorts World Sentosa, the school organised the Children for Children (CfC) programme which has been running for seven years. During the event called Start, Show and Share Kindness Today, pupils of CHIJ (Kellock), supported by the staff of the school, set

up craft and games booth, put together gift packs, penned heartfelt messages and staged performances to drive home the message of starting, showing and sharing kindness. Under the Ministry of Education’s Financial Assistance Scheme, CfC aims to encourage and empower children to be kindness ambassadors, and raise funds for under-priviliedged children in Singapore. The guest-of-honour, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, the Minister for Manpower also chipped in by donating 10 of his recently launched photog-

raphy books, The World We Live In. Through the combined efforts of the minister and the organisers, CfC has helped more than 1,000 under privileged children visit Universal Studios Singapore to celebrate Children’s Day and raised funds for the The Business Times Budding Artists Fund and The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund. Twelve-year-old Sophie Tan who has been involved in the CfC programme for the last six years, either as a performer or a facilitator, said, “I learnt to be grateful for what I have and I hope to spread kindness

through simple acts of kindness.” Apart from the outing, the school will also publish a photo book in November. The book which would contain collective memories of past and present principals, staff and pupils of CHIJ Kellock, would serve as a reminder of the rich Kellock Convent tradition. There were also other events which took place earlier from May 30-31. They included the launch of the school orchid – Vanda l’esprit de Kellock – a hybrid of Vanda Miss Joaquim and Phalaenopsis

Pulcherrima, during the school’s Founder’s Day on May 30. On May 31, there was a CHIJ (Kellock) 50th anniversary dinner held at Orchard Hotel. At the start of the dinner, Ms Magdalene Chin, the present principal of CHIJ (Kellock) paid tribute to the ex-principals of the school. In gratitude and appreciation to them, a dance item by the school’s dance ensemble, entitled One, was dedicated to them. Archbishop William Goh was the guest-of-honour for the evening.

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Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Young adults attend retreat, get closer to God By Canice Lim

Young adults singing together during praise and worship. Photos : ALEXANDRIA NEOH

Over the Hari Raya Haji weekend from Oct 3-6, 58 participants attended the second run of Treasure Young Adults’ Encounter Retreat RUJDQLVHG E\ WKH 2IÂżFH IRU <RXQJ People (OYP). It was three days RI 6SLULW ÂżOOHG VHVVLRQV ZKLFK saw the participants surrendering to God’s love. On Friday night, Fr Jude David, a chaplain of OYP, set the tone by inviting participants to widen their hearts for God. He also challenged them to to let God surprise them during the retreat. He hoped that the participants would receive “GIFTâ€?, which stands for Grace, Intimacy, Faith and Transformation. Topics covered on the ÂżUVW GD\ DGGUHVVHG WKH )Dther Heart of God, and Sin and Salvation. The day ended with the participants receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation and recommitting their lives to Jesus. The second day began with a Mass before participants learned about topics such as the Lordship of Jesus and what it meant to live in the Spirit. Participants were given time and space to reĂ€HFW IXUWKHU DQG WR UHFHLYH SUD\HU The second night concluded with D 6SLULW ÂżOOHG VHVVLRQ RI HPSRZerment and ministering. 2Q WKH ÂżQDO GD\ SDUWLFLpants learnt more about following Christ in their daily lives and heard testimonies of two young working adults on what it meant to be disciples of Christ. Many of the participants testiÂżHG WR WKHLU H[SHULHQFH RI *RG DV the retreat progressed. Participant, Christopher Chok,

25, from the Church of St Mary of the Angels, shared that the retreat was spiritually rejuvenating, empowering and healing. He had JDLQHG LQQHU SHDFH DQG DIÂżUPDtion for his discernment for vocation, he said. Ms Michelle Tan, 24, from the Cornerstone youth community in Church of St Francis Xavier, shared that she received the assurance that victory has been won with Jesus dying on the Cross for her. Treasure is a retreat for young

A participant of the Treasure retreat HQJDJLQJ LQ VSLULWXDO UHĂ€HFWLRQ

adults aged between 21-35 years old. The purpose of Treasure is to reach out to the “lost generationâ€? of the Church and transform a critical mass of young people to bring about a new wave of evangelisation in the Singapore archdiocese. 7KH ÂżUVW UHWUHDW ZDV LQ -XO\ Visit OYP’s website at www. oyp.com.sg for more information on upcoming Treasure retreats, other programmes and events for young people. „

ASIA 9

Sunday October 19, 2014 CatholicNews

New archbishop of KL stresses ‘4Ls’ as his priorities Archbishop Leow wants to reach out to ‘the lost, the little, the last and the least’ KAJANG, MALAYSIA – Archbish-

op Julian Leow Beng Kim, the new Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, aims to reach out to Catholics who have strayed from the Church and enhance the catechesis of the young, among other priorities. “I want to bring back the lost, those who have strayed away from Mother Church for whatever reason,” he said. “I urge you to come back home. The Church needs you and you are restless until you rest in the bosom of our Mother.” He also stressed that young people need a solid understanding of the faith to face the challenges they will encounter. These two groups of people are part of his four key pastoral priorities which he characterised as the “4Ls” – “the lost, the little, the last and the least” during his episcopal ordination and installation ceremony on Oct 6. About 10,000 people wit-

nessed the event held at the Church of the Holy Family in Kajang, Selangor. “Our catechesis must be revisited, re-studied to ensure our youth know why they believe what they believe and be convinced of this faith,” he said. Archbishop Leow said he also wants to reach out to the migrants and the marginalised who are generally viewed as the “last” and the “least” respectively. “The migrants in our archdiocese have left everything in search of something better. I want to make them welcome, to know they have a safe place in the Church and that God loves them very much,” he said. “The least are the voiceless, the neglected, the oppressed, the forgotten of society,” he added. “We must provide and care for the weakest in our midst. We are only as strong as our weakest

Archbishop Julian Leow of Kuala Lumpur blessing the crowd after his episcopal ordination Mass on Oct 6. On the right is Bishop Sebastian Francis of Penang.

member,” said Archbishop Leow, who was born and raised in Seremban. Other key concerns include

are only as ‘We strong as our

’

weakest member.

– Newly ordained Archbishop Julian Leow

enhancing interreligious dialogue. “I dedicate myself and my RI¿FH WR WKH WDVN RI KHDOLQJ DQG building our nation, Malaysia,” he said, adding that he prays that “right decisions are made always by us and our leaders”. About 18 bishops and 130 priests from Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Philippines attended the ordination ceremony. Others present included po-

litical leaders, members from the Council of Churches Malaysia and leaders from the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM). Archbishop Leow leads about 180,000 Catholics from 40 parishes and chapels in Selangor, the Federal Territories, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Terengganu. He is the fourth Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, taking over from Archbishop Murphy Pakiam. HERALD

10 ASIA

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Cardinals urge government to break political deadlock in HK

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in Hong Kong urged the government to solve the present political deadlock after police used force to disperse thousands of unarmed SURWHVWHUV ZKR VWUXJJOHG IRU IXOO democracy in the city. Cardinal John Tong Hon of Hong Kong called upon the government to ensure the personal safety of people and “exercise restraint in the deployment of force ZLWK D YLHZ RI OLVWHQLQJ WR WKH voice of the younger generation DQG FLWL]HQV IURP DOO ZDONV RI OLIH´ He issued a statement on Sept 29, the day after police used tear gas to disperse students and the SURWHVWHUV ZKR ZHUH FRQFHUQHG about Chinese restrictions on elections. On Oct 1, as China celebrated its national day, Cardinal Joseph Zen ke-kiun, retired bishop of Hong Kong, suggested Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung &KXQ \LQJ VWHS GRZQ ÂłIRU D ZKLOH´ and the government relaunch

its political reform consultation. /DWHU LQ D WHOHSKRQH LQWHUYLHZ ZLWK WKH 86 EDVHG $PHULFD PDJazine, he said: “Nothing like this

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has happened in Hong Kong beIRUH ,œP MXVW SUD\LQJ WKDW LW ZRQœW become like Tiananmen, the situDWLRQ LV VLPLODU LQ PDQ\ ZD\V :H must pray this does not happen!�

+RQJ .RQJ ZKLFK UHYHUWHG WR Chinese rule in 1997, is a special administrative region of China DQG LV JRYHUQHG E\ WKH %DVLF /DZ D PLQL FRQVWLWXWLRQ ZKLFK JUDQWV Hong Kong more freedoms than other parts of China. Protesters are angry that the government in %HLMLQJ VDLG LW ZRXOG YHW FDQGLdates for chief executive in the 2017 election. After police broke up the protests on Sept 28, the local bar assoFLDWLRQ FULWLFLVHG ZKDW LW FDOOHG WKH excessive use of tear gas as unjusWL¿HG ,W VDLG LW KDG ³XQQHFHVVDUily aggravated public feelings of resentment and frustration�. Tens of thousands of people protested each day in different spots, and thousands slept overnight on the streets. Several Churches, including the Catholic, Methodist and Anglican Churches, opened their facilities to supSRUW SURWHVWHUV ZKLOH PDQ\ &KULVtians organised prayer sessions at the demonstration zones. „ CNS

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Filipino Catholics helping thousands displaced by Mayon volcano MANILA – After an initial assess-

ment of the projected damage from Mayon’s impending eruption, various Church groups have begun a fundraising campaign for evacuees. /DYD RXWĂ€RZV KDYH UHVXPHG recently, and, according to experts, the danger of a large-scale eruption is real. Experts note that the volcano could erupt “at any timeâ€?. For this reason, some 11,000 families have already been evacuated and are currently housed in 45 shelters in Albay province. Recently, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – The National Secretariat

for Social Action-Justice and Peace (CBCP-NASSA) the episcopal agency in charge of social and charitable activities, in FROODERUDWLRQ ZLWK WKH &DWKROLF 5HOLHI 6HUYLFHV FDPH XS ZLWK an estimate for the possible damages and number of people affected in case the volcano erupts. Fr Anton CT Pascual, executive director of Caritas Manila, and the Quiapo Church have allocated 500,000 pesos (SG$14,000) each to the Diocese of Legazpi, for the Harong project. The Church’s intervention, Fr Pascual said, is a token of its “loving presence� among those most

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LQ QHHG DV ZDV WKH FDVH LQ RWKHU natural disasters like typhoon Yolanda.

Fr Rex Arjona, director of the Legazpi diocese’s Social Action Centre, told Radyo Veritas that

the ongoing “Harong Projectâ€? is a response to the needs of displaced residents. It also includes celebrating Mass at evacuation centres. At the same time, Caritas Manila and Radyo Veritas launched a radio fundraiser, or Damayan Kapanalig, for Albay residents affected and displaced by the volcano. The evacuation measure concerns residents in villages – more WKDQ IDPLOLHV Âą ZLWKLQ D 6km radius from the volcano. The Philippines is on the soFDOOHG ÂłULQJ RI ÂżUH´ LQ WKH 3DFLÂżF characterised by intense volcanic and seismic activity. „ ASIANEWS

WORLD 11

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Send prayers, needed aid for those hit by Ebola, pope says VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis

called for prayers and concrete help for the thousands of people affected by the deadly Ebola virus. “I hope the international community may provide much-needed help to alleviate the sufferings of our brothers and sisters,â€? he said in an appeal at the end of his general audience in St Peter’s Square on Sept 24. Before leading the 30,000 people in the square in a prayer to Mary, the pope said he had been praying for those hit by this “terrible diseaseâ€? and epidemic in West Africa. It was the second time in the past 24 hours that the pope spoke about the outbreak. The pope highlighted the Church’s valuable work in helping to deal with the disease, during an address on Sept 23 to bishops from Ghana. The bishops were at the Vatican for their periodic ad limina, RU ÂżYH \HDUO\ YLVLWV “I pray for the repose of the souls of all who have died in this epidemic, among whom are priests, men and women Religious and health care workers who contracted this terrible disease while caring for those suffering,â€? the

CNS photo

A Liberian nurse disinfects a mattress from an Ebola isolation unit in Monrovia, Liberia.

pope said in the written address. “May God strengthen all health care workers there and bring an end to this tragedy,� he said. An estimated 5,000 West Africans have already been infected with the Ebola disease, which has killed approximately 2,500 people. The World Health Organization estimates there will be more than 20,000 Ebola cases by Nov 2. „ CNS

Pontiff warns of ‘hidden euthanasia’ of the elderly VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis

warned against the abandonment and neglect of the elderly, calling it a “hidden euthanasiaâ€? rooted in today’s “poisonousâ€? culture of disposal and an economic system of greed. “A people who don’t take care of their grandparents and don’t treat them well is a people with no future. Why no future? Because they lose the memory [of the past] and they sever their own roots,â€? he said. The pope’s comments came during a special meeting and Mass for older people in St Peter’s Square on Sept 28. Some 40,000 grandparents, retired men and women, and their families attended The Blessing for a Long Life HYHQW RUJDQLVHG E\ WKH 3RQWLÂżFDO Council for the Family. 3RSH )UDQFLV VSHFLÂżFDOO\ LQvited Pope Benedict to attend the event, making it the third time since his retirement in 2013 that the German pontiff has made an appearance in public with his successor. Pope Francis told the crowd, “It’s very good for you to go visit an older person. Look at our kids. Sometimes we see them being listless and sad; [if] they go visit an older person, they become happy.â€? He added, “Older people, grandparents, have an ability to XQGHUVWDQG YHU\ GLIÂżFXOW VLWXations ... And when they pray about these situations, their

CNS photo

Pope Francis greets participants of a special event for elderly people.

prayers are strong and powerful.â€? But there are many who prey instead on their fragilities, and the pope warned against the “inhumanâ€? violence being waged against the elderly and children in DUHDV RI FRQĂ€LFW Harm can also be waged quietly, he said, through many forms of neglect and abandonment, which “are a real and true hidden euthanasiaâ€?. While residential care facilities are important for those who do not have a family who can care for them, it is important these institutes be “truly like homes, not prisonsâ€?. These homes should be like “sanctuariesâ€? that breathe life into a community whose members are drawn to visit and look after the residents like they would an older sibling, he said. „ CNS

12 SYNOD ON FAMILY

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

‘Speak fearlessly, listen humbly’ ... pope tells the Synod of Bishops’ meeting on the family at the Vatican

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VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis

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Everyone needs to say what one feels duty-bound in the Lord to say: without respect for human considerations, without fear. And, at the same time, one must listen with humility and welcome with an open heart what the brothers say.

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– Pope Francis to synod participants

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SYNOD ON FAMILY 13

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Synod bishops speak of ‘graduality’ on sexual, medical issues VATICAN – In their discussions of

sexual and medical ethics, participants at the Synod of Bishops on the family are giving emphasis to the concept of “gradualityâ€? as a way of thinking about morality that allows for human imperfection without compromising ideals. In an address to the assemEO\ RQ LWV ÂżUVW ZRUNLQJ GD\ 2FW 6, Cardinal Peter Erdo of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, said that Humanae Vitae, the 1968 encyclical by Pope Paul VI that reafÂżUPHG WKH &KXUFKÂśV SURKLELWLRQ RI DUWLÂżFLDO ELUWK FRQWURO ÂłQHHGV WR be considered in light of the law of gradualityâ€?. He suggested that it was unrealistic to expect immediate acceptance of the widely Ă€RXWHG WHDFKLQJ The cardinal quoted Familiaris Consortio, a 1981 apostolic exhortation by St John Paul II on the role of the Christian family in the world that was inspired by the last synod on the family in 1980. According to St John Paul, each person is a historical being who “knows, loves and accomplishes moral good in stages of growthâ€?. Several bishops referred to graduality in their remarks during an afternoon session dedicated to the theme of “God’s plan for marriage and the familyâ€?.

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Cardinal Marx: Many German bishops want to make it easier for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion.

Âł'HVSLWH VHULRXV Ă€DZV WKDW ZH always identify in Western culture, we also have to discern and to declare what the stepping stones are for Christian wisdom,â€? one bishop said, according to Basilian Fr Thomas Rosica, an assistant to the +RO\ 6HH 3UHVV 2IÂżFH Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster, who also spoke at the Oct 6 session, told reporters that the “law of gradualityâ€? is a “law of pastoral moral theology which permits people, all of us, to take one step at a time in our

search for holiness in our livesâ€?. The cardinal, who attended the 1980 synod as a priest assisting a participating bishop, recalled that St John Paul II had made an important point on the subject at the conclusion of the synod. “He said, yes, there is a law of graduality, but it should not be confused with a graduality of the law,â€? Cardinal Nichols said. “He was saying the vision, the teaching of the Church is consistent and is offered to everybody. So it’s not as if there’s one law at this time in your life and another law later in your life, but there is a pathway on which we’ll walk.â€? Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising, chairman of the German bishops’ conference, told reporters on Oct 6 that the “great majorityâ€? of German bishops support German Cardinal Walter Kasper’s controversial proposal to make it easier for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion, even if they have not obtained anQXOPHQWV RI WKHLU ÂżUVW VDFUDPHQtal marriages. “I think it is very important to see that we have ways or that there is a graduality also in the way to the sacrament,â€? Cardinal Marx said. „ CNS

Married couple on truth, compassion, mercy VATICAN CITY – A married couple

told Pope Francis and the Synod of Bishops on the family that Catholic parishes should welcome same-sex couples, following the example of parents who invited their son and his male partner to their home for Christmas. “The Church constantly faces the tension of upholding the truth while expressing compassion and mercy. Families face this tension all the time,� Ron and Mavis Pirola of Sydney told the synod on Oct 6. “Take homosexuality as an example. Friends of ours were planning their Christmas family gathering when their gay son said he wanted to bring his partner home too. They fully believed in the Church’s teachings and they knew their grandchildren would see them welcome the son and his partner into the family. Their response could be summed up in three [sic] words, ‘He is our son.’� “What a model of evangelisation for parishes as they respond to similar situations in their neighbourhood,� the Pirolas said. While Catholic teaching insists homosexual people should not be discriminated against, it holds that homosexual acts are always immoral and that marriage

can only be a union between one man and one woman. The couple, who are participating in the synod as non-voting auditors, spoke at the start of the afternoon session of the synod’s ÂżUVW ZRUNLQJ GD\ 7KH VHVVLRQÂśV designated theme was “God’s plan for marriage and the familyâ€?. The Pirolas also spoke of a divorced friend who “doesn’t feel fully accepted in her parishâ€? yet “turns

up for Mass regularly and uncomplainingly with her children. For the rest of her parish, she should be a model of courage and commitment in the face of adversity.� The couple called for emphasising the positive dimension of Catholic teaching on sexuality and marriage. “We need new ways and relatable language to touch people’s hearts,� the Pirolas said. „ CNS

Alice and Jeff Heinzen: How can the Church share truth in practical, simple ways? CNS photo

Couple: family ministry methods need improving VATICAN CITY – Existing dioc-

esan programmes and Catholic organisations aimed at helpLQJ &DWKROLF IDPLOLHV IXOÂżO WKHLU vocation clearly are not strong enough to meet modern needs, an American couple told the Synod of Bishops. “We must develop more robust and creative methods to share the fundamental truth that marriage is a divine gift from God, rather than merely a man-made institution,â€? Mrs Alice Heinzen told the synod on Oct 7. The Heinzens, from the Diocese of La Crosse in Wisconsin, were named synod auditors by Pope Francis and were chosen to introduce the work of the synod’s afternoon discussion on pastoral programmes designed to meet the challenges facing families. Both are actively involved in Church ministries. The Catholic Church needs to review “the methods by which we teach our children about the nature of human sexuality and the vocation of marriageâ€?, she said. Furthermore, when Catholics talk about vocations and God’s call to serve

the Church and humanity, they cannot speak only of priesthood and Religious life, marriage should be also be included, she said. Presenting marriage as a vocation and the immediate preparation of couples for marriage are not enough, she added. The Church also needs to review “how we provide for the aftercare of marriage that can help couples deepen their relationshipâ€?. She said, “We know countless divorced adults who have joined other faith communities because they do not feel welcomed in the Catholic Church. And, our hearts ache for single parents who struggle to care for their children. Like \RX ZH VWULYH WR ÂżQG VLPSOHU more effective ways to better share the blessings of God’s plan for marriage and family.â€? The Church is not confused or in a state of crisis about its teaching on marriage and family life, she said. But there is “a crisis of methodology. How do we as a Church effectively share what we know to be true in practical, simple and convincing ways?â€? she asked. „ CNS

14 POPE FRANCIS

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

‘Heal wounds. Measure cholesterol later,’ pope says of Church re-elected Italian Maria Voce for a spiritual, social and moral suffer- second six-year-term as president, ing in the world, the Church has and elected Spaniard Jesus Moran “no rightâ€? to stay locked up in an Cepedano as the new co-president. In his audience with memivory tower, engaging in “byzDQWLQH´ SKLORVRSKLFDO UHĂ€HFWLRQ bers of the movement on Sept 26, Pope Francis said Pope Francis told the new evangelisamembers of the FoPope reiterates tion must go out to colare movement. everyone, “starting “We have to go his view of the with the poorest and out! So that – I’ve Church as a excludedâ€?, so they, said this before – the Church seems ¾¿HOG KRVSLWDOÂś too, may experience “hope, brotherhood OLNH D ÂżHOG KRVSLWDO´ in message and joy in humanZKHUH WKH ÂżUVW RUGHU ity’s journey toward of the day “is heal WR )RFRODUH unityâ€?. the wounds, not Focolare memmeasure people’s cholesterol. That comes later. Got bers, like all Catholics, can contribute to “this new season of it?â€? he said to applause. The pope met at the Vatican evangelisationâ€? by being creative with 500 people from 136 coun- in the ways it brings God’s word tries; they were attending the Fo- to the world, he said. This work demands “contemcolare general assembly in Rome plation, going out, and formafrom Sept 1-28. During the assembly, members tionâ€?, he said. The pope said it is “heartbreakingâ€? to see “so many wounds, moral wounds, existential wounds, wounds from warâ€? every day, but then to see Christians trapped in “byzantinism,â€? that is, engaging in complicated “philosophical, theological, spiritualâ€? arguments and reasoning among themselves when instead “we need a spirituality of going out.â€? “Go out with this spirituality; don’t stay inside under lock and key. This is not good,â€? he said. “We have no right to byzanWLQH UHĂ€HFWLRQV :H KDYH WR JR ´ he said. „ CNS

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VATICAN CITY – With so much

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– Pope Francis, UHÀHFWLQJ RQ KLV $OEDQLD WULS

Albania shows how different faiths can live in peace: pope VATICAN CITY – The Muslim ma-

jority and Christian minorities in Albania cooperate beautifully for the common good and prove to the world that it can be done, Pope Francis said during a general audience. “I could see, with great satisfaction, that the peaceful and fruitful coexistence between people and communities belonging to different religions is not only benHÂżFLDO EXW LV FRQFUHWHO\ SRVVLEOH and practical,â€? he said. During his general audience in St Peter’s Square on Sept 24, Pope Francis reviewed his one-day trip to Albania on Sept 21. He told the more than 30,000 people in the square that he wanted to visit a country where people of different religious traditions were peacefully living and working together, despite suffering

decades of violent oppression “by an atheist and heartless regimeâ€?. “I thought it seemed important to encourage them on this pathâ€? of religious respect and to urge them to never give up looking for ways to EHQHÂżW WKH FRPPRQ JRRG KH VDLG Catholics make up only about 16 percent of Albania’s 3 million inhabitants; about 65 percent are Muslim and 20 percent Orthodox. Pope Francis said the different communities are engaged in an “authentic dialogueâ€? that “avoids relativismâ€? or a watering down of their own religious beliefs in order WR ÂżQG FRPPRQ JURXQG (DFK FRPmunity takes into account each other’s identity and what unites them is the genuine willingness “to do goodâ€? and serve their neighbour. The pope said another reason he went to the Balkan nation was to express his gratitude and to hon-

our those who held on tight to their faith despite the risk of arrest, torture, incarceration and execution. People of all religious beliefs were persecuted between 1944 and 1991 as Albania’s dictator-led government waged a war against religion and the country became the world’s ÂżUVW RIÂżFLDOO\ DWKHLVW QDWLRQ The only way to confront the IXWXUH DQG SUHVHQW GLIÂżFXOWLHV WKH pope said, is by drawing upon God for the needed strength just like the martyrs did. “The strength of the Church isn’t grounded so much in its organisational or structural capacity,â€? he said. While such structure is necessary, the Church’s strength “is Christ’s love, a strength that bolVWHUV XV GXULQJ GLIÂżFXOW WLPHV´ DQG inspires Christians to offer everyone “goodness and forgiveness, giving witness to God’s mercyâ€?. „ CNS

POPE FRANCIS 15

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Support missions, share God’s love, pope says VATICAN CITY – Engaging in or supporting missionary activity allows Christians to enter the ³Ã€RRG RI MR\´ WKDW FRPHV IURP H[SHULHQFLQJ *RG¶V ORYH DQG sharing it with others, Pope FranFLV VDLG ³7KH /RUG¶V GLVFLSOHV SHUVHYHUH LQ MR\ ZKHQ WKH\ VHQVH KLV SUHVHQFH GR KLV ZLOO DQG VKDUH ZLWK RWKHUV WKHLU IDLWK KRSH DQG HYDQJHOLFDO FKDULW\ ´ WKH SRSH VDLG LQ KLV PHVVDJH IRU :RUOG 0LVVLRQ 6XQGD\ ZKLFK ZLOO EH FHOHEUDWHG RQ 2FW In the message, Pope Francis UHÀHFWHG RQ WKH *RVSHO VWRU\ RI -HVXV VHQGLQJ RXW GLVFLSOHV WZR E\ WZR WR SURFODLP WKH NLQJGRP RI *RG ZDV QHDU ³7KH GLVFLSOHV UHWXUQHG IXOO RI MR\ ´ WKH SRSH VDLG SRLQWLQJ WR /XNH 7KH GLVFLSOHV KH VDLG ZHUH ³H[FLWHG DERXW WKHLU SRZHU WR VHW SHRSOH IUHH IURP GHPRQV %XW -HVXV FDXWLRQHG WKHP WR UHMRLFH QRW VR PXFK IRU WKH SRZHU WKH\ KDG UHFHLYHG EXW IRU WKH ORYH WKH\ KDG UHFHLYHG ´ ³7KH GLVFLSOHV ZHUH JLYHQ DQ H[SHULHQFH RI *RG¶V ORYH EXW DOVR WKH SRVVLELOLW\ RI VKDULQJ WKDW ORYH ´ 3RSH )UDQFLV VDLG ,Q -HVXV¶ GD\ DV LQ RXU RZQ KH VDLG VRPH SHRSOH FDQQRW DFFHSW WKDW ORYH RU H[SHULHQFH WKH MR\ RI VKDULQJ LW ZLWK RWKHUV EHFDXVH WKH\ DUH ³WRR IXOO RI WKHPVHOYHV´ RU ³FODLP WR NQRZ HYHU\WKLQJ DOUHDG\´ 7KH ³OLWWOH RQHV´ RI WKH *RVpel, the people who recognise WKH JLIW RI *RG¶V ORYH DQG VKDUH LW ZLWK RWKHUV WKH SRSH VDLG DUH ³WKH KXPEOH WKH VLPSOH WKH SRRU WKH PDUJLQDOLVHG WKRVH ZLWKRXW YRLFH WKRVH ZHDU\ DQG EXUGHQHG ZKRP -HVXV SURQRXQFHG µEOHVVHG¶´ *RG¶V ORYH DQG SURPLVH RI VDOYDWLRQ LQ -HVXV &KULVW LV WKH NH\ WR HWHUQDO KDSSLQHVV EXW DOVR WKH

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joy of the Gospel ‘is The born of the encounter with Christ and from sharing with the poor.

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³7KH MR\ RI WKH *RVSHO LV ERUQ RI WKH HQFRXQWHU ZLWK &KULVW DQG IURP VKDULQJ ZLWK WKH SRRU ´ KH VDLG ³:KHUHYHU WKHUH LV MR\ HQWKXVLDVP DQG D GHVLUH WR EULQJ Christ to others, genuine vocaWLRQV DULVH ´ 6XSSRUWLQJ WKH &KXUFK¶V PLVVLRQDU\ DFWLYLW\ ZLWK RQH¶V SUD\HUV DQG ZLWK ¿QDQFLDO RIIHULQJV WKH SRSH VDLG DUH D ³VLJQ RI D VHOI RIIHULQJ ¿UVW WR WKH /RUG DQG WKHQ WR RWKHUV LQ WKLV ZD\ D PDWHULDO RIIHULQJ FDQ EHFRPH D PHDQV IRU WKH HYDQJHOLVDWLRQ RI KXPDQLW\ EXLOW RQ ORYH ´ For Pope Francis’ full message, visit w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/ missions/documents/papa-francesco_20140608_giornata-missionaria2014.html „ Pages 20 and 21: Mission 6XQGD\ UHÀHFWLRQV „ Pages 22 and 23: Mission 6XQGD\ IHDWXUHV

16 OPINION

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Fortnightly newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore

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MISSION SUNDAY REFLECTION

Striving to live like a child of God Fr Frans De Ridder, CICM 'XULQJ (DVWHU 9LJLO , KDG the joy of baptising six adults in our parish of Holy Rosary. All of a sudden – out of the blue – one of the newly-baptised voiced out, “Father, are not all people in the world the children of God?â€? I replied, “Yes, you are right, but many, many people do not really know it and do not live accordingly.â€? This is a very basic question that should make us think. Being EDSWLVHG LV QRW LQ WKH ÂżUVW SODFH becoming Christian or Catholic. ,W LV LQ WKH ÂżUVW SODFH GLVFRYHULQJ and living out that we are the children of God! &KXUFKHV &DWKROLF DQG RU Protestant of different denominaWLRQV DOLNH DUH WKHUH WR KHOS SHRple to discover and enjoy living as children of God. Being a child of God is an ongoing process. The Bible puts it even more VKDUSO\ :H OLYH LQ *RG $FWV 2XU UHDO YLWDO VSDFH RXU PDWUL[ LV OLYLQJ LQ WKH ZRPE RI God! The growing awareness of this grace will gradually transform our lifestyle. In fact, as St Paul will say: we become a new FUHDWLRQ &RU When we make a simple, short discernment while looking at the world around us, we are placed before a tremendously important choice: either we are the children of the world‌ or we are the children of God! The Christian vocation or spirituality is to live like a child of God in our increasingly complex world. Either we are part of the problem or we are part of the solution! And being a child of God is no theory, no wonderful – yet empty – slogan. It is a great mission, a glorious vocation and privileged

Baptism is the outward sign of an inward journey, a journey into the mystery of God’s life. responsibility. This is the proof that we are in God. Whoever claims to live in him must act as KH DFWHG -Q Nobody says that it will be easy. Yet, it is the only sound choice all human beings have to make: to discover and to own, to honour and to live our identity: <RX DUH P\ VRQ GDXJKWHU DOO P\ IDYRXU UHVWV XSRQ \RX 0W 0N /N Baptism does not ‘make’ us children of God. Baptism is the outward sign of an inward journey, a journey into the mystery of *RGÂśV OLIH 2QFH GLVFRYHUHG DQG owned, we want to celebrate and to proclaim to the whole world that we are children of God and that we share in the divine nature 3W The more we enjoy this wonderful grace, the more we feel the urge to share this with our friends, to share this with all people worldwide. Hence, evangelisation is the greatest gift we can offer our

brothers and sisters. It is to tell them that they are God’s beloved. It is to announce to them how precious they are in God’s eyes. It is to share with them how holy they are in our eyes – their fellow human beings – by our love and respect. I truly believe that helping all human beings discovering their true “divine nature� is the only way to heal our sick world and to save humanity from selfdestruction, from greed, shameful corruption and mad violence. For God is peace! So, we are ambassadors for &KULVW LW LV DV WKRXJK *RG ZHUH urging you through us, and in the name of Christ we appeal to you WR EH UHFRQFLOHG WR *RG &RU 5HFRQFLOHG WR *RG PHDQV that we are loved, forgiven by God and treasured as His dearly beloved ones! „ Fr Frans De Ridder, who used to work in Singapore, is now a pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in Taipei.

On how we react to opposition HAVE you ever noted how we spontaneously react to a perceived threat? Faced with a threat, our primal instincts tend to take over and we instantly freeze over and begin to shut all the doors opening to warmth, gentleness, and empathy inside us. That’s a natural reaction, deeply rooted inside our nature. Biologists tell us that whenever we perceive something or someone as threatening us, paranoia instinctually arises inside us and has the effect of driving us back towards a more primitive place inside our bodies, namely, the reptile part our brain, that remnant still inside us from our evolutionary origins millions of years ago. And reptiles are cold-blooded. So too, it seems, are we when we’re threatened. This, I believe, helps explain much of the paranoia and violence in our world today as well as the bitter rhetoric that, almost universally, is blocking any real possibility of meaningful discussion apposite our tensions today within politics, economics, and our churches. We live in a bitterly polarised world. All of us recognise this, and all of us see a lot of cold-bloodedness inside world politics, inside the politics within our own countries and communities, and, sadly, not least, inside our churches. What we see in nearly every discussion today where there is disagreement is a cold, hard rhetoric that is not really open to genuine dialogue and is, invariably, the antithesis of charity, graciousness, and respect. What we see instead is paranoia, demonisation of those who disagree with us, ridicule of our opponents’ sincerity and values, and blind self-defensiveness. Moreover this bitterness and disrespect, so contrary to all that’s in the Gospels and to all that’s noble inside us, is invariably “sacralisedâ€?, that is, it is rationalised as demanded by “Godâ€? because we believe that what we are doing is for God, or for truth, or for country, or for the poor, or for mother-nature, or for art, or for something whose transFHQGHQW YDOXH ZH EHOLHYH MXVWLÂżHV RXU EUDFNHWLQJ ERWK -HVXV DQG FRPmon courtesy. If you doubt this, simply turn on any radio or television station that does commentary on politics or religion or listen to any political or religious debate today. :H DUH DV WKHRORJLDQ DQG VWRU\WHOOHU -RKQ 6KHD SXWV LW PRUH VNLOOHG LQ MXVWLÂżFDWLRQ WKDQ LQ VHOI H[DPLQDWLRQ EXW WKHQ ZH FDQ VDFUDOLVH RXU disrespect and lack of elemental charity. %XW LQ GRLQJ WKLV ZH DUH IDU IURP WKH *RVSHO IDU IURP -HVXV DQG far from what’s best inside us. We’re meant to be more than the reptile part of our brains and more than the instincts we inherited from our ancient ancestors, the beasts of prey. We’re called to something higher, called to respond to threat beyond the blind response of instinct. St Paul’s own reaction to threat can serve as a template for what our LGHDO UHVSRQVH VKRXOG EH +H ZULWHV :KHQ ZH DUH ULGLFXOHG ZH EOHVV ZKHQ SHUVHFXWHG ZH HQGXUH ZKHQ VODQGHUHG ZH UHVSRQG JHQWO\ &RULQWKLDQV (DUOLHU LQ WKH VDPH /HWWHU KH KDG DOUHDG\ JLYHQ another counsel in regards to dealing with opposition. +LV FRXQVHO /LYH ZLWK HQRXJK SDWLHQFH LQVLGH RSSRVLWLRQ VR DV QRW to have to defend yourself, let God and history do that for you: “It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human WULEXQDO , GR QRW HYHQ SDVV MXGJPHQW RQ P\VHOI , DP QRW FRQVFLRXV RI DQ\WKLQJ DJDLQVW PH EXW , GR QRW KHUHE\ VWDQG DFTXLWWHG WKH RQH ZKR MXGJHV PH LV WKH /RUG 7KHUHIRUH GR QRW PDNH DQ\ MXGJPHQW EHIRUH WKH appointed time.â€? $GPLWWHGO\ WKLV LV GLIÂżFXOW 2XU LQVWLQFWXDO VHOI LV QRW HDVLO\ VXEGXHG /LNH HYHU\RQH HOVH , VWUXJJOH D ORW ZLWK WKLV (YHU\ WLPH , KHDU RU read someone who dismisses my preaching and writing as heretical, or GDQJHURXV RU HYHQ PRUH ELWLQJ DV OLJKW ZHLJKW Ă€XII WKH UHSWLOH SDUW of my brain stirs to do its ancient job and my natural instincts bitterly resist the high road that St Paul so wisely counsels. Natural instinct does not want to try to understand the position of the one who has belittled us, nor does it does not want to bless and endure and respond gently. It wants blood. I suspect that everyone’s instincts work in the same way. Natural instinct doesn’t easily honour the Gospel. %XW WKDWÂśV WKH WHVW LQGHHG RQH RI WKH OLWPXV WHVWV RI &KULVWLDQ GLVFLSOHVKLS :KHQ ZH ORRN DW WKH FRUH RI -HVXVÂś PRUDO WHDFKLQJV DQG DVN RXUVHOYHV ZKDW PRUH WKDQ DQ\WKLQJ HOVH VHWV -HVXV DSDUW IURP RWKHU moral teachers? What particular challenge of his might serve as a litmus test for genuine discipleship? , VXEPLW WKDW DW WKH FRUH RI -HVXVÂś WHDFKLQJ OLHV WKLV FKDOOHQJH &DQ , love an enemy? Can I bless someone who curses me? Can I wish good to someone who wishes me evil? Can I genuinely forgive someone who’s been unfair to me? And, perhaps even more importantly, can I live in patience when I’m in tension, not rushing to defend myself, but leaving that defence to history and to God? „

FOCUS 17

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

MISSION SUNDAY REFLECTION

A celebration of grace and joy! By Fr James Yeo In his message for World Mission Sunday 2014, Pope Francis reiterates the close connection between evangelisation and joy. In his short message, he mentions the word, “joyâ€? (or rejoice) at least 33 times. He wants Mission Sunday to be a celebration of grace and joy. Evangelisation is a celebration of grace because it is the work of the Holy Spirit and he alone gives wisdom and strength to those who are open to his promptings. It is a celebration of joy because Jesus in whom Christians proclaim to the world, is the “manifestation of joyâ€?. Jesus not only brings Good News, He is Good News to everyone who encounters him. Therefore, on this year’s Mission SunGD\ WKH 3RSH DVNV XV WR UHĂ€HFW RQ WKH FORVH connection between grace and joy in the work of evangelisation. Grace, according to the Pope, is an experience of God’s love. This experiHQFH PXVW QHFHVVDULO\ UHĂ€HFW WKH GRXEOH commandment of love that the Lord gave to us, namely, loving God and loving our neighbours. To make our evangelisation effective, it has to be done not only with words but with concrete deeds of love reĂ€HFWLQJ WKH KHDUW DQG FRPSDVVLRQ RI -HVXV the Good Shepherd who brings Good News to all. The Pope is keenly aware that God’s love is always a mediated love. That is why he calls for an “evangelisation of humanity built on loveâ€?. This love must be proclaimed, “in the most distant places, as well as in a constant outreach to the peripheries of their own territory, where great numbers of the poor are waiting for this messageâ€?. The Good News must be shared with all peoples especially the poor. Certainly, the poor that the Pope mentions, includes both the spiritually as well as the materially poor. Thus, the poor are all who are waiting to be touched by grace.

Evangelisation is a celebration of grace because it is the work of the Holy Spirit and he alone gives wisdom and strength to those who are open to his promptings. Nowhere in his message does the Pope see evangelisation as merely a means to increase the numbers in the Church. This would be proselytisation. While the Pope recognises that Jesus Christ is the unique mediator of salvation when he says, “Humanity greatly needs to lay hold of the salvation brought by Christ,â€? he also emphasises the gracious will of the Father. The gracious will of the Father “describes the Father’s saving and benevolent plan for humanityâ€?. This is what the Second Vatican Council FDOOV WKH ÂłXQLYHUVDO VDOYLÂżF SODQ IRU *RG´ Such missiology is very much in line with the International Theological Commission on Christianity and World Religions which says that everyone can be saved but they are saved only through the unique mediation of Christ. We are familiar with the verse, extra ecclesiam nulla salus, translated as “outside the Church, there is no salvationâ€? that came from the writings of St Cyprian, a bishop of

the third century. The Catholic Church has QHYHU RIÂżFLDOO\ SURFODLPHG WKLV WHDFKLQJ DV a dogma. Even before the Second Vatican Council, the Church had never interpreted this phrase to mean that those who are not part of the Church are damned. Today, many theologians interpret the Latin phrase, extra eccelsiam nulla salus to mean “without the Church, there is no salvationâ€? rather than “outside the Church, there is no salvationâ€?. With this interpretation, the Church has correctly come to see herself as the instrument sent by Christ to bring salvation to all. The Church in this sense is necessary since she is entrusted with the Gospel of Christ, to be preached to the ends of the earth. In fact, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, numbers 846-848, rightly interprets it to mean that “all salvation comes from Christ, the Head through the Church which is His bodyâ€?. In this respect, one can go further to complement the saying of St Cyprian with

“without Christ, there is no salvationâ€?. Salvation does not come from the Church but from Christ. The Church serves only as the necessary instrument in bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Here, we come to the second point of this article that Mission Sunday is a celebration of joy. Joy is the fruit of loving others and being loved by others. Love always produces joy both in the giver and in the one who receives love. It is as the Pope puts it, “an experience of God’s love but also the possibility of sharing that loveâ€?. When the Good News is presented and accepted, both the evangeliser and the evangelised are able to rejoice because “this is the Good News that leads to salvationâ€?. In the words of Evangelii Gaudium, QXPEHU Âł7KH MR\ RI WKH *RVSHO ÂżOOV WKH hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ, joy is constantly born anew.â€? Existentially speaking, a person cannot but be joyful when he or she is set free IURP WKRVH VLQV WKDW DIĂ€LFW DQG HQVODYH 6LPLODUO\ MR\ ZLOO FHUWDLQO\ ÂżOO D SHUVRQ ZKR FDQ ÂżQDOO\ EH VHW IUHH IURP KLV RU KHU inner emptiness and loneliness. This is the Good News of Jesus Christ. This is the Good News that leads to salvation. 7KLV ZDV WKH MR\ WKDW ÂżOOHG WKH KHDUW of Jesus when He thanked His Father, the source of joy, for revealing Himself to mere children (Lk 10:12). This was the joy WKDW ÂżOOHG WKH GLVFLSOHV ZKHQ WKH\ UHWXUQHG excitedly from their missionary journey. This is the joy that the Church is called to experience in communicating Jesus Christ to the world. The Pope ends by enlisting the Church to be a welcoming home and a mother for all peoples. In this respect, the Church is to imitate Mother Mary as the model of evangelisation, ever humble and yet ever joyful. „

18 MISSION SUNDAY

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Mission work through the e

A priest and several laypeople share about helping others and what mission means ahead of W

Living by giving the best of yourself to God By Fr Michael Cheong $V D 6LQJDSRUHDQ PLVVLRQDU\ SULHVW with the Verbum Dei Missionaries, I have been missioning outside 6LQJDSRUH IRU DERXW \HDUV QRZ PRVWO\ LQ WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV , ZRUN PRVWO\ ZLWK \RXWKV FRXSOHV DQG families, attempting to bring them WR VHH WKH JUHDWQHVV DQG EHDXW\ RI their Christian calling and in living IXOO\ WKHLU PLVVLRQ LQ &KULVW ,Q DOO WKHVH \HDUV WKH ZRUG ÂłPLVVLRQ´ KDV FHUWDLQO\ GHYHORSHG and taken on a new meaning for me. It started off as a heroic adventure but as time went on, it became less and less about doing great things for people, as Jesus teaches us that it is more about having a great love for God and for people. “For no man can have greater love IRU KLV IULHQGV WKDQ WR OD\ GRZQ KLV OLIH IRU WKHP´ -Q Mission is about love – God’s love for people. It is about coming

People need ‘ something more than material help from us. They want to see God.

’

– Fr Michael Cheong

to know and to believe in a God of ORYH F I -Q Helping people is great, but there was an unforgettable experiHQFH LQ ZKLFK , ZDV UHDOO\ KXPEOHG DV D PLVVLRQDU\ , ZDV WU\LQJ WR KHOS D \RXQJ SHUVRQ WR JR WR FROOHJH DQG get a degree, and I was so enthusiastic about helping the person that I went all out to gain a scholarship for that person. (YHU\WKLQJ ZHQW ZHOO EXW DIWHU

Fr Michael Cheong addressing a Chinese-speaking community on one of his mission trips.

one semester, the person dropped RXW RI VFKRRO , ZDV FRPSOHWHO\ dashed and that was after all the effort that I’d gone through. But I learnt something there in WU\LQJ WR ÂłKHOS WKH SRRU´ 3HRSOH

need something more than mateULDO KHOS IURP XV 7KH\ ZDQW WR VHH God.

+RQHVWO\ , VRPHWLPHV IHHO DV LI , DP QRW PDNLQJ DQ\ GLIIHUHQFH LQ the mission. But God has made me realise that it’s about never stopSLQJ WR WU\ ,W LV D FRQVWDQW VHDUFK for the best things for others – a constant effort that makes people IHHO WKDW WKH\ DUH ZRUWK LW The greatest gift of mission for me is that it brings all people together – friends and even enemies. It grants us the gift of more brothers and sisters. Mission is so much about people, to be with people like Jesus, who loved to be with people and to PDNH SHRSOH WUXO\ KDSS\ , PXVW VD\ WKDW WKH H[SHULHQFH RI HDFK \HDU DV D PLVVLRQDU\ FDQ QHYHU EH UHSODFHG DOO WKDW \RX VHH DOO WKDW \RX KHDU DOO WKDW \RX WRXFK LQ *RG DQG LQ RWKHUVLPPHQVH „

Medical students on An Indonesian’s desire to serve mission to Cambodia By Catherine Lee $PLGVW D EXV\ VFKHGXOH iCARE’s founder and religious and evangelisation KHDG 0V 7DQW\ 7XWDQJ ZKR is an Indonesian native living in Singapore with her three children, made time to meet me for a drink. She shared stories of how God is alive and working in our world, and about the marginalised in the remote areas in Indonesia. L&$5( ZKLFK LV DIĂ€LDWHG WR CHARIS Singapore, caters WR WKH PDWHULDOO\ DQG VSLULWXDOO\ QHHG\ WKHUH “We wanted to share the work and be part of WKH &KXUFK ´ VDLG 0V 7XWDQJ 7KLV VHQVH RI XQLW\ and communion with the Church gives iCARE members a platform to share and undertake the mission of the Church. Ms Tutang shared that in the past, she was afraid of losing her material wealth. But when she almost became bankrupt, she decided to follow the call of Jesus in her life. :LWK SUD\HUV DQG GLVFHUQPHQW VKH EHJDQ D QHZ FKDSWHU ÂżOOHG ZLWK MR\ $ORQJ WKH ZD\ KHU WUXVW that God would provide and not abandon her increased. Through her personal encounter with God, she is returning to D SDWK RI MR\ WKDW VKH KDG ZKLOH growing up as a carefree spirit.

Members of iCARE, founded by Ms Tanty Tutang (extreme right) posing for a photo.

Ms Tutang said that “it is not in possessions, but in knowing that I am partaking in a bigger plan of ORYH WKDW WKH /RUG KDV VKRZQ PH´ 0LVVLRQ DOVR SOD\V D SDUW LQ WKH L&$5( IRXQGHUÂśV IDPLO\ OLIH $V D wife and mother, an active parishLRQHU DQG RQH GHGLFDWHG WR VWXG\ing and living the Word of God, she is a living witness of love at KRPH DQG EH\RQG Her husband, children, and father-in-law, who is a Buddhist,

agree that iCARE makes WKH ZRUOG EHWWHU E\ UHDFKing out to all people, regardless of creed and colour. When it comes to those who want to be enriched and are searching for God, Ms Tutang advises them to serve the poor “God loves a cheerful JLYHU ´ VKH VDLG To those who want to do mission work, “just GR LW DQG \RX ZLOO UHFHLYH PRUH WKDQ \RX JLYH >DV@ LW LV E\ ORRNLQJ LQWR WKH H\HV RI WKH SRRU WKDW \RX H[SHULHQFH *RG VSHDNLQJ GLUHFWO\ WR WKH GHSWKV RI \RXU KHDUW VR OLVWHQ DQG OLYH´ VKH said. iCARE collaborates with Indonesian parishes in Karimun and Bintang to provide medical and dental care to the more remote parts of the Indonesian islands. A number of famiOLHV ZLWK FKLOGUHQ DQG \RXWK DUH involved in these missions. Children like Ms Tutang’s parWLFLSDWH LQ WKHVH PLVVLRQV E\ RIIHUing their own pair of hands as a loving support in place of the head rest of a dentist’s chair. 7KH \RXWKV DOVR SURYLGH KHOS GXULQJ FDWHFKLVP FODVVHV UXQ Ă€HD market stalls to sell clothing, and offer assistance in the children’s PLQLVWU\ 0V 7XWDQJ DOVR UXQV SUD\HU sessions for adults. „

Team members from Mission Srolanh 2013 demonstrating dental care to Cambodians.

By Darren Tan We went to a school in Obrum, one of the villages in Cambodia where we ran a mobile village clinic as part of Mission Srolanh. Mission Srolanh, an annual medical mission trip to Cambodia, ZDV LQLWLDWHG ¿YH \HDUV DJR E\ D group of Catholic medical students from Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSoM) and doctors from the Catholic Medical Guild of Singapore. We believe in evangelisation through our actions – starting and HQGLQJ RXU FOLQLFV LQ SUD\HU For Mission Srolanh 2013, our LGHQWLW\ DV &DWKROLF PLVVLRQDULHV was strengthened. Working together with the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang, a team of medical students and doc-

tors provided free medical checkups at mobile village clinics and clinical education for the villagers. We also conducted sharings ZLWK OHVV IRUWXQDWH \RXWKV DW WKH Don Bosco Foundation and the Arrupe Welcome Centre for People ZLWK 'LVDELOLWLHV 0DQ\ RI WKHP DUH victims of landmine accidents. For student Teri Teoh, 20, “Mission Srolanh has been an exFHOOHQW RSSRUWXQLW\ IRU XV WR JURZ VSLULWXDOO\ DQG WR FRPPLW RXUVHOYHV to serving the Cambodian commuQLW\ ´ “It was a call for me to place P\ WUXVW LQ WKH /RUG DQG VHHN WR GR +LV ZLOO WKURXJK P\ WKRXJKWV DQG DFWLRQV ´ The next Mission Srolanh will take place from Dec 14-21. Visit www.cmg.org.sg for more information on Mission Srolanh. „

MISSION SUNDAY 19

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

eyes of individuals

f World Mission Sunday

Former lawyer who turned missionary By Esther Fong Often, people ask me, “Why did you become a missionary? How do you continue to do this? It must KDYH EHHQ GLIÂżFXOW WR JLYH XS \RXU career to do this.â€? If 26 years ago, someone had told me that I would leave the security and comforts of being a lawyer to become a lay missionary, I would have laughed. My ambitions were very different and I did not even know lay missionaries existed! Sometimes, I still wonder whether the Lord made the right call as I would probably have supported the missions better as a lawyer. Yet it is my heart and availability that the Lord seeks. In searching for meaning and purpose in life, I opened my heart to Jesus and experienced his love and joy. This encounter led to a friendship with the Lord. Now, I am excited to share this ORYH DQG MR\ ZLWK RWKHUV , ÂżQDOO\ understood why previously I had never shared about Jesus with others. My excuse was that faith is a personal, sensitive matter. The truth was that I was not evangelised – I could not introduce Jesus to others. Through my encounter of poverty in the Philippines during ICPE Mission, we are helping the poor with material needs. Yet the prima-

ry call of mission is to share with WKHP WKH *RG ZKR ORYHV WKHP LQÂżnitely and who is present with them in their situations. It is such a joy to see the children, youths and women discover that they can endure life’s challenges with “strength, light and consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christâ€?, with “a community of faith to support themâ€? DQG KHOS WKHP ÂżQG PHDQLQJ LQ OLIH (EG 49). This is indeed the joy of my mission – to share God’s love and life with others, especially those who do not yet know Him. Even in the midst of challenges, I have received much as it is God who “asks everything of us, yet at the same time he offers everything to usâ€? (EG 12). The Lord has called me as a missionary disciple to follow him and share the Father’s love as He did. I am grateful that I can respond, and thankful to my family, friends, brothers and sisters in the Singapore Church who accompany and encourage me to be a faithful missionary disciple. ICPE Mission Philippines’ missionary efforts include evangelising and empowering women, youth and children to live their identity and dignity as children of God. For more information, visit www.icpe.org „

Religious Overseas: Jesuits Fr Paul Goh Lian Kok SJ (Hong Kong) Fr Emanuel Lim Hwan SJ (Macau) Verbum Dei Sr Elaine Seow (Taiwan) Sr Su Fern Khoo San (San Francisco, USA) Sr Jeanette Kong (San Francisco, USA) Sr Monika Punan (Philippines) Fr Noel Campos (Colombia) Fr Michael Cheong (Philippines)

Ms Esther Fong facilitating a Bible sharing with Balikatan women.

Daughters of St Paul Sr Grace Lee (Hong Kong) Sr Theresa Lim (Italy) Scheut Missions Fr Peter Koh (Italy) Fr Anthony Lim (Taiwan) Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood Sr Jacinto Kow (England) Sr Andreina Chin (England) Sr Sixtus Thariyan (England) Sr Mary Holy Child de Cruz (England) Sr Marie Elise Tay (England) Sr Angeline Lim (England) Sr Regina de Roza (Ireland)

0V )RQJ H[SODLQLQJ KRZ D ZDWHU SXULÂżHU GRQDWHG E\ &+$5,6 6LQJDSRUH works.

Using gifts, talents to evangelise with love By Jackie Pau My spiritual director once shared with me a request he asked in morning prayer: “Lord, show me how to love.â€? This request became the starting point not only of my day upon waking, but of how I wish to lead my life. Mission means service. As a follower of Christ, it is to concretise the love of God in this world, share the joy of being a beloved child of God, and help others make that same connection: to fall in love with Jesus and live in an intimate and loving relationship with the Father. 6SHFLÂżFDOO\ LW LQYROYHV XVLQJ my gifts and talents to touch lives, bringing light and happiness to whoever I meet and wherever I go. As a single woman who cares for a healthy, independent parent, I attend weekly The Women to Ministry meetings that support women in their faith journeys. This ministry draws women

Bringing joy to the Montalban dumpsite in the Philippines.

from all walks of life to come together and grow in their faith in a nurturing environment and thus to empower them to build a civilisation of love in their lives.

Canossian Daughters of Charity Sr Anne Tan (Italy) Sr Josephine Sim (Italy) Sr Iris Jaswant (Italy) Sr Mary Yong (France) Sr Bridget Foo (Australia) Sr Elizabeth Tham (Australia) Sr Calista Ponnudurai (Tanzania) Sr Catherine Wu (Hong Kong) Sr Jacqueline Chin (Myanmar) Sr Marion Liong (Myanmar) Sr Angela Ng (Myanmar)

I am also active in my parish as a lector, and help out with the youth and faith formation ministries on an ad hoc basis. My latest involvement includes Pilgrim-

age In My Backyard, where lay volunteers act as tour guides to places that highlight the history of the Catholic Church in Singapore. Previously, I served two terms in the Parish Pastoral Council at Church of St Teresa. $SDUW IURP ¿QDQFLDOO\ VXSporting the Institute for World Evangelisation – ICPE Mission Philippines’ efforts, I participate in reverse carolling, an annual outreach to bring the joy of Christ’s birth to families living in the Montalban dumpsite in the Philippines. I became a companion of the ICPE Mission this year as I desired to live out the expression of my vocation and my mission. ICPE’s spirituality of worship and evangelisation gives me that renewed focus and encouragement through faith formation and the sharing of lives as a community of like-minded individuals. „

Sisters of the Good Shepherd Sr Margaret Lee (Democratic Republic of Congo) Sr Juliana Lee (People’s Republic of China) Sr Clare Lee (Vietnam) Sr Susan Chia (Italy) Missionaries of Charity Sisters Sr Lee Fong (Kolkata, India) Sr Shin Lei (Darwin, Australia) Sr Peiling (Cebu, Philippines) Sr Carmel (Hong Kong) Sr Maria Toni (Hong Kong) Sr Francisca (Washington, USA) Sr Longinus (Taiwan) Sr Maria of the Cross (Korea) Sr Jovier (Perth, Australia) Sr Tarcisius (Rome, Italy) Cenacle Sisters Sr Amy Lee Siew Hwee (XiaoWei) (Philippines / Macau) Sr Christine Lam (Philippines)

$UWLFOHV VXEPLWWHG E\ WKH 2IÂżFH for the New Evangelisation 2 Highland Road, #02-02 Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre. To post your sharings, go to www.mission.one.org.sg

20

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

By Jennifer Ficcaglia

ways. It wasn’t until the end of the second parable that the chief priests and The chief priests and the elders of the HOGHUV ÂżQDOO\ XQGHUVWRRG VRPHWKLQJ people were very mad at Jesus. They Jesus was really talking about them. Just to make sure he was getting did not like Jesus teaching and healing people at the temple in Jerusalem. his point across, Jesus told one more When they saw Jesus teaching there one parable, about a king who was givday, they rushed up to Him to question ing a wedding feast for his son. Jesus his authority. They thought Jesus had no explained that the kingdom of heaven could be compared to the feast. business doing what He was doing. Many guests had been invited to Jesus said he would answer their question if they could tell Him where the wedding feast. When everything John the Baptist’s baptism came from, was ready, the king told his servants to go and gather the invited guests, God or man. The chief priests and the elders but the guests refused to come. The king sent out his servants were afraid to answer Jesus’ question, for fear of upsetting the people, who again and told them to describe to the saw John as a prophet. So they said, guests all of the good things to eat that were waiting at the feast. “We do not know.â€? Some of the invited guests igJesus refused to answer them. Innored the invitation and just went back stead, He told them three parables. 7KH ÂżUVW ZDV WKH SDUDEOH RI WKH to their farms or businesses. But some two sons and the second was the par- of the other guests were mean to the able of the tenants. The parables point- servants and even killed some of them. The king was so angry that he sent ed out that the people in the stories needed to change their unbelieving his army to kill the murderers and burn

Bible Accent: The marriage feast was very special and important to the people of Israel. To say no to an invitation to a wedding feast was a really bad insult to the families who were celebrating such a special time in their lives. In his parable, Jesus said He was comparing the king’s wedding feast for his son to the kingdom of heaven. If you read the parable a few times and really think KDUG DERXW LW \RX ZLOO ¿JXUH RXW HYHQ PRUH FRPSDULVRQV The king represents God, the son who was married represents Jesus, the people who had been invited to the feast but refused to come were the people of Israel, and the good and bad people who were brought in from the streets represent everyone else. Just like the king in the parable, God invited everyone to know and accept His son so they could enjoy eternal life in heaven, and He gave an extra-special invitation to the people of Israel. God’s invitation to believe in Jesus was accepted by some people but not by others. Like the man invited off the street who did not wear a wedding garment to the feast, some people who accepted the invitation to believe in Jesus did not make the changes they needed to in their lives in order to follow Him. That is why Jesus said that many people would be invited to have eternal life in heaven but very few would be chosen to do so. „

their city. Then the king told his servants, “The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and LQYLWH WR WKH IHDVW ZKRPHYHU \RX ÂżQG ´ So the king’s servants brought back both good and bad people, and WKH EDQTXHW KDOO ZDV ÂżOOHG But there was one man who refused to dress properly. “My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?â€? the king asked, but the man did not answer. So the king asked his servants to “bind his hands and feet, and cast him

into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.� Jesus looked at the chief priests and elders. “Many are invited,� He said of the feast, which He was comparing to the kingdom of heaven, “but few are chosen�. „ Read more about it: Matthew 21 and 22

Q&A 1. What did Jesus compare the kingdom of heaven to? 2. Why did the king remove one man from the wedding feast?

Wordsearch: „ ARMY

„ HEAVEN

„ PROPHET

„ GUEST

„ PARABLES

„ ELDERS

„ CHIEF

„ FEAST

PUZZLE: Fill in the blanks with the word or words that complete these sentences from the parable of the wedding feast. Verse numbers from Matthew 22 have been given as hints. 1. Many are invited, but _____ are chosen. (Verse 14) 2. Some ____ the invitation and went away. (Verse 5) 3. The ____ is ready, but those who were invited were not ______ to come. (Verse 8) 4. The ____ may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. (Verse 2) 5. My friend, how is it that you came in here without a ______? (Verse 12)

KIDS’ CLUB: Answer to Wordsearch

3. feast, worthy; 5. wedding garment.

Why do you think a wedding is such an important thing to celebrate?

Answer to puzzle: 1. few; 2. ignored; 4. kingdom of heaven;

Share your thoughts on this week’s Bible story with family and friends by writing an essay in response to this question:

WHAT’S ON 21

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

EVENT SUBMISSIONS We welcome information of events happening in our local Church. Please send your submission at least one month before the event. Online submissions can be made at www. catholic.org.sg/webevent_form.php OCTOBER 22 ARCHDIOCESAN CATHOLIC FAMILY DIALOGUE 8.30am-4pm: The Church in Singapore is engaging its members in an open dialogue on the family. All are invited to the event on Oct 22 to discuss how families can be fully alive in God’s plan despite the evolving social environment, and how the Church can journey with you in these challenging times. Organised by the Archdiocesan Commission for the Family. At Catholic Junior College, 129 Whitley Road. For more information and registration, visit: catholicfamily.sg/dialogue. OCTOBER 11 TO DECEMBER 31 CATECHISM FOR THE ELDERLY Catechism classes for the elderly are held in English, Mandarin, Peranakan, Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese on Thursdays from 1pm-2.45pm at Holy Family Church and on Saturdays at St Joseph’s Church (Victoria Street, parish hall) from 9.30am-11.30am. Register T: 9115 5673 (Andrew). OCTOBER 11 TO OCTOBER 13 NOVENA MASS FOR 5TH CENTENARY OF THE BIRTH OF ST TERESA OF JESUS (AVILA) Join us for Novena Masses to celebrate the centenary of the birth of St Teresa of Jesus. On Sat at 5.30pm, the theme would EH 7KH ZLOO WR VDFUL¿FH RXU RZQ GHVLUHV for the one we love. The Sunday 4.30pm Mass would be on based on the desire to be with Christ in heaven and on Monday

at 6.30pm, Mass would encourage us WR UHĂ€HFW RQ WKH WKHPH RI ORYH IRU +LP There would be veneration of relic after every Mass. Organised by Church of Sts Peter and Paul. At 225A Queen Street.

UHĂ€HFWLRQ )HH LQFOXVLYH RI GLQQHU (non-member)Organised by Catholic Business Network.At 55 Waterloo St, St Flora Rm, Level 2. Register T: 9228 4463 (Raymond); E: admin@cbn.sg.

OCTOBER 11 TO OCTOBER 18 PARENTS AS LEARNING COACHES 9am-1pm: For 2 Saturdays, learn how to render emotional support to your child, PDQDJH \RXU DQ[LHW\ DQG IUXVWUDWLRQ identify your child’s strengths and create a good environment for learning. Organised by Morning Star Community Services. At Morning Star (Hougang Centre), 4 Lor Low Koon. Register T: 6285 1377 (Gabriela Hung); F: 6285 2702; E: programs@morningstar.org.sg; W: www. morningstar.org.sg/events_PALC.htm.

OCTOBER 16 LIFE TO THE FULL – BRINGING THE BIBLE ALIVE 7.45pm-9.30pm: Every Thursday, come MRLQ XV WR H[SORUH \RXU IDLWK WRJHWKHU DQG live life to the fullest. This UK-based programme called the Catholic Faith ([SORUDWLRQ &D)( ZRXOG SUHVHQW D YLGHR series about faith. This 6-part DVD series ZRXOG VKRZ KRZ H[SORULQJ WKH 6FULSWXUHV can strengthen your faith and give you hope and joy in everyday life. Organised E\ &DWKROLF )DLWK ([SORUDWLRQ $W &KXUFK of Immaculate Heart of Mary, St Peter & Paul Room, Level 3, 24 Highland Road. Enquiries T: 9127 0707 (Faustina) / 9221 2816 (Agnes); E: cafe@ihm.sg.

OCTOBER 12 CHILDREN’S EUCHARISTIC ADORATION AT CHRIST THE KING 4-5pm: Come together with your children to adore Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament! Spend some quiet time with -HVXV DQG H[SHULHQFH WKH SHDFH DQG ORYH that only He can give. Theme: You’re Invited! Organised by Christ the King Children Eucharistic Adoration Team. At Church of Christ the King, Basement Chapel, 2221 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8. Enquiries T: 9620 7856 (Irene) / 9456 4051(Susie); E: susiegleo@yahoo.com.sg. OCTOBER 15 CBN SPIRITUAL TALK – IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY ON THE EXAMEN OF CONSCIOUSNESS 7pm-9pm: The Catholic Business Network invites you to join us for an evening of fellowship, networking and to listen to the spiritual talk. Facilitated by Fr &ROLQ 7DQ 6- 7KH ([DPHQ LV D WHFKQLTXH RI SUD\HUIXO UHÀHFWLRQ RQ WKH HYHQWV RI WKH day in order to detect God’s presence and GLVFHUQ KLV GLUHFWLRQ IRU XV 7KH ([DPHQ instils in us habits of prayerful, thoughtful

NEWS

‘ISIS held a knife to my throat but I refused to convert’ LONDON – An Iraqi Christian

woman has described how she deÂżHG ,6,6 WHUURULVWV ZKR SXW D VZRUG to her throat and told her to either convert to Islam or lose her head. With the blade at her neck, she replied that she would rather die than give up her Christian faith. But instead of decapitating her, the Islamists – many of whom she described as foreigners with long beards – robbed her of all her possessions before eventually driving her from Qaraqosh. The woman, Ms Khiria Al-Kas Isaac, 54, is one of a rising number of Christian refugees to straggle over the border to Kurdish-controlled territory with tales of how they narrowly escaped with their lives after they refused to convert to Islam. Weeping as she recounted her ordeal, she said she and husband, Mufeed Wadee’ Tobiya, awoke on WKH PRUQLQJ RI $XJ WR ÂżQG WKDW Qaraqosh had been over-run by ,6,6 ÂżJKWHUV She was told repeatedly by the militants, “who spoke different ODQJXDJHV´ IURP WKH ÂżUVW GD\ WKDW if she did not convert to Islam she would be decapitated. When she refused, she and 46 women, who had also rejected such demands, were separated from their families and whipped and beaten over a 10day period in an attempt to make them abandon their Christian faith. “I answered [the terrorists] immediately, I was born Christian and if that leads me to death, I prefer to die a Christian,â€? said Ms Khiria. Quoting from the Gospel of St

Matthew (10:33), she said: “Jesus said: ‘Whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven’.â€? She said the women were often assembled as a group to be whipped so they could witness how the others were suffering grievously. She said none of the women capitulated under the scourging DQG RWKHU FUXHOWLHV LQĂ€LFWHG XSRQ them. “All of us were crying but refused to convert.â€? She added that when an ISIS WHUURULVW ZKR ZDV Ă€RJJLQJ KHU across her back told her he would “hurt you moreâ€? unless she became a Muslim, she answered him: “I am an old lady [and] sick . I have not got any daughter or son that may increase the number of Muslims or follow you, what is WKH EHQHÂżW LI , ZLOO FRQYHUW"´ On the 10th day, all of the women were assembled together again and a terrorist “put the sword on my neck in front of all the ladies and said to me: ‘Convert or you will be killed.’â€? She answered: “I am happy to be a martyr.â€? At that point the terrorists relented, and robbed her of all possessions, including money she had saved for a kidney operation, and drove close to Kurdish territory where she was released on Sept 4 along with her husband and two other women. The following day 14 men and ZRPHQ ZHUH DOVR H[SHOOHG IURP Qaraqosh. It is not known what has happened to the remaining Christians. „ CATHOLIC HERALD

OCTOBER 16 FOSTERING SERVICES 4-5pm: Presented by Ministry of Social and Family Development There are many children whose families are unable to care for them. Fostering could be a very meaningful way that families can step LQ WR H[WHQG KHOS WR WKHVH YXOQHUDEOH children. These children await a loving home environment that can greatly facilitate their healing and development. Organised by Canosaville Children’s Home. At Canossaville Children’s Home, 1 Sallim Road, Gate 3. Register T: 6748 5777; E: edcch@cch.org.sg.

OCTOBER 17 TO OCTOBER 19 UNDERSTANDING YOUR DREAMS 7pm (Fri) - 12pm (Sun): Come join us for a stay-in workshop, where Cenacle Sr Linda Lizada will help us work with our significant dreams to understand the symbolic language of dreams communicated by God through 6FULSWXUHV WR OLVWHQ WR WKHP DQG H[SHULHQFH them as a way in which the Divine speaks to XV )HH QRQ DLU FRQ DLU FRQ Organised by Kingsmead Centre. Register T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com.

OCTOBER 17 TO OCTOBER 18 DAN SCHUTTE IN CONCERT – A TIME WILL COME FOR SINGING 8 pm: Join us for an evening of songs of hope, songs of joy, songs of promises by

OCTOBER 19 BLOOD DONATION DRIVE 9am-3pm: Do your part for Mission Sunday by donating blood. Organised by Fr Damien Society LLP. At Blessed Sacrament Church, 1 Commonwealth Drive, Damien Hall. Enquiries T: 8162 2235 (Ruby Sicat).

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NOVEMBER 8 TO NOVEMBER 22 COMMON SENSE PARENTING 9am-1pm: For parents of children from 5-16 years, join us for 3 workshops every Saturday. Learn how to keep calm, help your child succeed by preparing preventive measures for certain situations. Organised by Morning Star Community Services. At Morning Star (Hougang Centre), 4 Lor Low Koon. Register T: 6285 1377; F: 6285 2702; E: programs@morningstar.org.sg; W: www.morningstar.org.sg/events_CSP.htm

OCTOBER 19 CMG ANNUAL MASS AND DINNER 6-9pm: Doctors, dentists, pharmacists and medical, dental and pharmacy students, join us at for Sunday Mass celebrated by Archbishop William Goh. There will be dinner after. Families are most welcome. Organised by Catholic Medical Guild of Singapore. At Church of St Ignatius, 120 King’s Road. Register E: contactus@cmg.org.sg.

NOVEMBER 15 EFFECTIVE PARENTING IN THE PRIMARY YEARS 9am-1pm: Come join us at a forum for parents of pre-primary and primary children on effective parenting. Learn the role of both parents in nurturing kids in their primary school years and help your child succeed in primary school. Organised by Family Life Society. At IRAS Auditorium, 55 Newton Road Revenue House, Level 5. Register W: bit.ly/effectiveparenting.

OCTOBER 25 CHIJ SECONDARY OPEN HOUSE 8.30am-2pm: Calling all Primary 6 girls DQG SDUHQWV &RPH DQG H[SHULHQFH WKH warmth and vibrancy of school life at CHIJ Secondary! At CHIJ Secondary, 626 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh. Enquiries T: 6353 4972; E: chijtpss@moe.edu.sg; W: www.chijsec.edu.sg.

Crossword Puzzle 1121 2

NOVEMBER 1 ANGER MANAGEMENT 12-2pm: Do you know that feeling angry FDQ DFWXDOO\ EHQHÂżW \RX" %XW ZKHQ GRHV LW EHFRPH D SUREOHP" &RPH MRLQ XV IRU D WDON by Dr Ishan Gosai, consultant psychiatrist psychological medicine at Khoo Teck 3XDW +RVSLWDO WR ÂżQG RXW WKH DQVZHUV You will also learn strategies to cope with frustrations and anger in your daily life. 5HJLVWUDWLRQ RSHQV DW DP )HH Complimentary for THRIVE partners only. Refreshments will be served and door gifts will be given to participants at the talk. Organised by Clarity. At The Catholic Centre, 55 Waterloo Street, Mary & Magdalene Hall, Level 3. Register T: 6757 7990; E: registration@clarity-singapore.org.

OCTOBER 19 CMG 62ND AGM 4-6pm: Doctors, dentists and pharmacists, join us for our annual general meeting. Organised by Catholic Medical Guild of Singapore. At Church of St Ignatius, 120 King’s Road, St Ignatius Hall. Register E: contactus@cmg.org.sg.

OCTOBER 16 TO OCTOBER 19 PRAYER EXPERIENCE RETREAT This stay-in retreat would help individuals build up their prayer life and to deepen WKHLU SUD\HU H[SHULHQFH /HDUQ DERXW WKH importance and power of prayer and the word and methods of prayer. Facilitated by Fr Andrew Wong and Fr Jacob Ong. Organised by Catholic Spirituality Centre. At 1261 Upper Serangoon Road. Register T: 6288 7901/ 6858 2716; send a completed and signed form with cheque payment to CSC.

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OCTOBER 25 FINDING GOD IN MOVIES 2-5pm: Stories in movies allow for UHĂ€HFWLRQ PRPHQWV 7KH\ FRXOG PDNH us question something about ourselves, our faith, or in a greater sense, humanity. Join us to watch a movie, The Devil wears Prada, and engage in conversation afterwards. Facilitated by Diana Tan and Diana Koh. Organised by Kingsmead &HQWUH )HH $W .LQJVPHDG &HQWUH 8 Victoria Park Road. Register T: 6467 6072; E: cisc2664@gmail.com.

Dan Schutte. Organised by CANA. At Church of Divine Mercy, 19 Pasir Ris Street 72 (17 Oct) and Church of St Mary of the Angels, 5 Bukit Batok East Avenue 2 (18 Oct). Register T: 6338 4080; E: atimewillcomeforsinging@gmail.com.

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24 WORLD

Sunday October 19, 2014 „ CatholicNews

Vatican media need to ‘up their game’, says adviser VATICAN CITY – A new papal

commission is looking at how Vatican media outlets can better communicate the Church’s message “of healing, of love, of hope, and of generosity of spiritâ€?, said the panel’s leader. The group is drawing up “proposals that will recognise the particular importance of what the Church is communicating and the way in which it can best communicate that message in the 21st centuryâ€?, said British Lord Chris Patten, commission president. Lord Patten, who formerly served as chairman of the BBC Trust, chancellor at the University of Oxford and governor of Hong Kong, spoke to Vatican Radio on Sept 24 about the commisVLRQÂśV ÂżUVW PHHWLQJ DW WKH 9DWLFDQ since it was established by Pope Francis in July. Composed of 11 media experts from Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and 9DWLFDQ RIÂżFHV WKH FRPPLVVLRQÂśV aim is to propose how the Vatican’s numerous media outlets can ZRUN PRUH HIÂżFLHQWO\ DQG FORVHO\ together. “We have to make sure that the wonderful message

We have to make ‘ sure that the wonderful message the Catholic Church has to offer is offered in ways which get through.

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– British Lord Chris Patten, papal commission president

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most effective ways,â€? he said. 8VLQJ WKH &KXUFKÂśV ÂżQDQFLDO resources more effectively is also a goal of the committee, but not at the cost of diminishing outreach, Patten said. Lord Patten called Pope Francis an “extraordinary communicatorâ€?, who “makes us realise how much the rest of us have to do – to use a sporting phrase – to up our game!â€? The Vatican has nearly a dozen separate communicaWLRQ RXWOHWV DQG RIÂżFHV 7KHVH include the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Radio, the Vatican television production studio, CTV and the Vatican Information Service. But many of which operate independently of one another. A reorganisation of the media structures has been a long time in coming. A papal commission kick-started the process in December 2013 when it hired the US-based global managePHQW FRQVXOWLQJ ÂżUP 0F.LQVH\ & Company to provide recommendations for making the Holy See’s communications’ outlets PRUH ÂłHIÂżFLHQW DQG PRGHUQ´ „ CNS

Late Opus Dei OHDGHU EHDWLĂ€HG MADRID – A Spanish bishop who worked as an engineer before beFRPLQJ ÂżUVW SUHODWH RU KHDG RI the Opus Dei movement has been EHDWLÂżHG LQ KLV QDWLYH 0DGULG Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints’ Causes, said Bishop Alvaro del Portillo was known for his “prudence and rectitude in evaluating events and people, his justice in respecting the good name and freedom of others, his fortitude in facing up to physical or moral GLIÂżFXOWLHV DQG WKH WHPSHUDQFH shown in his sobriety and interior DQG H[WHULRU PRUWLÂżFDWLRQ´ “He was not a talkative person – his engineer’s training gave him habits of intellectual rigour, conciseness and precision, enabling him to go straight to the essence of problems and solve them,â€? Cardinal Amato said at the Sept 27 EHDWLÂżFDWLRQ 0DVV KHOG RXWGRRUV Blessed Alvaro, who died in 1994, succeeded St Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer as head of the personal prelature of Opus Dei. “His humility was not harsh, showy or ill-tempered, but affectionate and cheerful,â€? Cardinal Amato said. %RUQ RQ 0DUFK Blessed Alvaro studied and taught DW 0DGULG 8QLYHUVLW\ÂśV VFKRRO RI HQJLQHHULQJ ODWHU ZRUNLQJ EULHĂ€\

Blessed Alvaro del Portillo was WKH ÂżUVW SUHODWH RI WKH 2SXV 'HL movement. CNS photo

for the Spanish government’s Bureau of Highways and Bridges. He joined Opus Dei in 1935 DQG EHFDPH RQH RI LWV ¿UVW WKUHH priests in June 1944. As secretary-general of Opus Dei, he served as an expert, or peritus, at the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council and after being consultant for several post-conciliar commissions he became the Opus Dei president. Blessed Alvaro was appointed ¿UVW SUHODWH RI WKH PRYHPHQW LQ 1982 and was consecrated a bishop in 1991 by St John Paul II. „ CNS

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

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