NOVEMBER 06, 2011, Vol 61, No 22

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www.catholicnews.sg SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2011

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OSening Rur hearts tR migrants· SOight Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus has made it clear that He values the way we treat each other. For the Last Judgement, Jesus will consider acts done “to one of the least of these” (Matthew 25:40, 45), as having been done to Himself. In other words, Jesus will look carefully at how we have treated the poor and marginalised during our lives. What we have done to them, we have done to Jesus in His eyes. When we reach that moment, will we be prepared for His judgement on our actions? Historical events such as the slave trade, the Holocaust and apartheid offer particular insights into the thinking and behaviour of the people in those times. Otherwise “good” people were led to believe that “bad” acts were okay, and in some cases, even participated in carrying out those acts. Others just looked the other way as if such abominable things did not exist around them. On the occasion of World Day of Migrants, which is celebrated in our Archdiocese on 30 October this year, I ask all Catholics to open up their hearts and minds to the plight of migrants in Singapore – more than 25 percent of the population. We must ask ourselves how historians will view our attitudes and behaviours towards migrants years down the road. More importantly, how will Jesus view these actions?

FRreign matFhmaNing Over the last few years, demand for “foreign matchmaking”, where men pay agents to ¿nd a suitable foreign bride, has grown

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INSIDE HOME Fighting human tUaIÀFNing Religious release brochures highlighting problem Page 6

HOME 75 years serving neeGy NiGs %r (mmanuel reÀects on Gabrielites’ work in Singapore Page 7

HOME 1ativity FriE in Paris e[hiEitiRn OLPS group’s project aids charity Page 8

ASIA 7aFNOing FOimate Fhange Asian bishops to set up special agency Foreign domestic workers attending a baking course run by the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People. Migrants must be paid fair wages, given adequate food and ample time to rest each day, says Archbishop Nicholas Chia.

to the point where some consider it commonplace in Singapore. In most cases, the brides are from very poor, rural families and are only looking for a better life. They speak very limited English, and the “marriage” is often not more than an excuse for using a person for convenience. Even more commonplace is the belief that domestic helpers should work seven days a week, sometimes even 24/7, with no days off and little or no time for themselves each day. Some employers do not trust their helpers, feeling that they

might “get into trouble” if given some time off. Others feel that they cannot possibly cope without help due to their own need, caring for a child, elderly parent, or someone with a disability. In his message for the 97th World Day of Migrants and Refugees (2011), Pope Benedict XVI explains that while people may come from different backgrounds and experience different situations during their lives, we are all moving through life together, and we are all “one human family”. Therefore, “the value of work should be measured by the same

standard and not according to the difference in nationality, religion or race” (Laborem Exercens 23). In other words, migrants must be paid fair wages, given adequate food and ample time to rest each day and have the ability to reunite with their families on a regular basis. Jesus’ Golden Rule tells us to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12). As Catholics, we are called to follow this rule by showing respect for one another, most especially those living under our own roof. Continued on page 4

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WORLD <ear RI Faith tR Eegin Rn OFt Aims to renew faith and missionary zeal Page 16

FAITH ALIVE! ‘And with yRur sSirit· Why do we say this during Mass now? Page 0

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1CCs asked to ‘reÁeFt *od· in their neighbourhoods By Teresa Lye “I know a piece of bread is not enough but I learnt what it means to be of service to others.” Ten-year-old Jacob from the Church of St Michael was sharing his experience of being in a Neighbourhood Christian Community (NCC) with a crowd of about 200 on Oct 15. Laypeople from 18 parishes, together with priests and Religious, were participating in the 5th Archdiocesan Neighbourhood Christian Communities’ Day. Though still young, Jacob has already distributed bread to the needy, visited the housebound, the sick, the elderly and participated in prayers at wakes in his neighbourhood. These he did with his parents and other members of his NCC. Archbishop Nicholas Chia, in his opening address, noted that service to others, or diakonia, is one of the four essential aspects of Christian life. These are based on how the early Christians lived as recorded in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Life in the Word of God (kerygma), in community (koinonia), and in faithful worship (eukaristia) were the other three aspects emphasised. Archbishop Chia, who has been visiting NCCs in various

A member of the Joo Chiat Neighbourhood Christian Community speaking at the 5th Archdiocesan NCC Day to a gathering which included Vicar General Msgr Eugene Vaz (extreme right).

parishes since 2009, expressed his gratitude to all the groups who welcomed him to their gatherings. “We gather together not as crowds, like at a shopping mall, but when we come together as an NCC, we are a community, people with a relationship with one another«brothers and sisters on a journey together,” he said. He reminded NCCs to “be

messengers of God in your neighbourhood « reÀecting God in all that you do”. Last year’s NCC Day theme was <our .ingdom Come, in which participants were af¿rmed as friends of Christ. This year’s theme, A Journey of Friendship, saw NCCs sharing how they have lived out this friendship since then. The day’s programme began with a paraliturgy, followed by a video presentation on the lay apostolate. Another video showed how NCCs had their roots in Vatican Council II and the development of NCCs in Singapore. This was followed by sharings

from various NCCs and a panel discussion. Vicar General Msgr Eugene Vaz remarked at the conclusion of the discussion that more on-going formation is needed to develop NCCs. In his homily during Mass, catechetical director Fr Erbin Fernandez shared his personal experience of how he bene¿ted from community life. This helped him discover his own humanity and recover from burn-out, he said. The NCC Day, organised by the Singapore Pastoral Institute, was held at Catholic Junior College.

ARCHBISHOP’S DIARY Nov 02 8.00pm Church of St Teresa: Mass – All Souls’ Day Nov 0 5.30pm Church of Divine Mercy: Mass – Con¿rmation Nov 07 10.00am Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour: Mass – Beati¿cation of Frank Duff Nov 12 3.00pm Church of St Vincent De Paul: Mass – Con¿rmation

CHARIS sends relief aid, asks for funds CHARIS, the archdiocesan umbrella body for overseas humanitarian work, is raising funds and sending emergency supplies to countries affected by recent natural disasters. Caritas Humanitarian Aid Relief Initiatives, Singapore (CHARIS) is sending some 1,500 blankets, 00 tarpaulins, 1,040 mosquito nets and 10 water ¿lters to Caritas organisations in Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam. These countries are currently suffering from the destruction caused by Typhoon Nesat and Typhoon Nalgae. CHARIS is in touch with Caritas Philippines, Caritas Vietnam and Caritas Cambodia on their needs, said Mr Frederick Foo, CHARIS’ director of operations. CHARIS is also sending about $75,000 in monetary aid. The total value of the initial relief aid, including the emergency supplies, is more than $150,000, said Mr Foo.

Flooded area in Cambodia.

His organisation is monitoring the situation and will follow up with further aid, especially in the reconstruction phase, he added. Meanwhile, CHARIS is making an appeal for contributions to its Humanitarian Aid Fund to help it respond to these and future disasters. Archbishop Nicholas Chia, in his recent letter to Catholics in Singapore, has also asked them for their “prayers and generosity, and to do your part for our brothers and sisters who are affected by these disasters”. CHARIS, together with the Filipino Catholic Community, ACTS, acts29 and Love Seeds, will organise a special Mass at Novena Church on Nov 8 at 7 pm. Those wishing to donate to the Humanitarian Aid Fund can pick up an appeal envelope at their parish. You may also send a crossed cheque, payable to “Humanitarian Aid Fund”, together with your name and contact information to CHARIS at 55 Waterloo Street, #09-03A, Singapore 187954. For more information, contact Christopher Wee at 63380182 or email info@charis-singapore.org.

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Lay Catholics urged to share Good News with others By Benedict Tang “Through their baptism, all believers are called to take part in the new evangelisation: families, young people who are generally the most open to being missionaries, and also parishes, the movements, and new communities.” In an Oct 23 Mass commemorating World Mission Sunday, Archbishop Nicholas Chia echoed these words of Pope Benedict XVI to the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences in their Sept 29Oct 2 plenary assembly in Albania. Archbishop Chia told the congregation at the Church of the Holy Spirit that even though they may not be fulltime missionaries, they can still spread the Good News. “You have the power to spread God’s word through your own actions,” he said. “As the early Christians were excited to teach others what they had learned from Jesus, so too must we teach those

around us, not only through our words, but through our actions as well. We must not be afraid or embarrassed to talk about our faith.” Archbishop Chia also quoted the pope as saying, “Places of catechesis and Catholic schools must also be and become ever more places of evangelisation… There is also the question of seeking new ways to evangelise, such as, for example, new technology, the Internet, and social networking sites.” During the Mass, Archbishop Chia commissioned about 20 teenagers from the parish’s Con¿rmation class, who would be embarking on a missionary trip to Bicol, the Philippines, from Dec 8-18. They have been raising funds for the needy and preparing spiritually for the trip. Celestine Neo, 15, and Vanessa Tay, 16, said they were excited about helping the less fortunate in a foreign country. They said they look forward to buying spectacles

A Japanese Catholic community member presents gifts at the offertory during the World Mission Sunday Mass. Beside Archbishop Chia is Fr Kenson Koh, chairman of the Archdiocesan Commission for Missionary Activity.

for the Filipino children who need them. Also present at the Mass were participants of the Lay Missionary Formation (LMF) course conducted by the Archdiocesan Commission for Missionary Activity (ACMA). One of them, Ms Monica Goh, said Archbishop Chia’s words “reinforced my belief in living our faith daily to the fullest … so that we may be blessed and be led by the Holy Spirit to spread Christ’s love to others”.

She said the LMF programme “has provided me with much inspiration to bring Christ to others and the necessary tools, right knowledge and useful resources to embark on any mission journey”. Members of the international Catholic community also attended the Mass. Representatives from the Japanese community presented gifts during the offertory. The Mass was organised by ACMA in collaboration with Holy Spirit Church.

You have the ‘power to spread God’s word through your own actions.

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– Archbishop Nicholas Chia during the World Mission Sunday Mass

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‘Give workers their days off’ From Page 1 For example, if you enjoy having a day off during the week, would it not follow that your domestic helper would also enjoy and appreciate this “luxury”? Many organisations, including the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ACMI), offer classes on Sundays to help migrants improve their skills. By supporting your domestic helper in enrolling in such classes, you not only enable her to learn new skills and build con¿dence, but ultimately you help to create an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect in your household, which will bene¿t everyone. Did you know that, in Singapore, one in six families employs a domestic helper, compared to most countries around the world where domestic help is reserved for only the ultra-rich? It is unheard of in most countries to have help in the house, so in a way, we are very fortunate. However, only 53 percent of domestic helpers receive one day off per month, and only about 12 percent receive one day off per week! Another disturbing trend is the growing pattern of abuses of foreign wives and traf¿cking of women and children in Singapore,

which has increased dramatically over the last ¿ve years. This needs to stop! When historians look back at the Singapore of today, what will they say? Is it possible that the track we are currently on is not the right track in terms of our treatment of migrants? What will it take for us to change our ways? We as Catholics, through our social teachings of loving our neighbour and respecting human dignity, must be examples to others in our attitudes and behaviours towards migrants. We must live out the “Golden Rule” each day and treat others the way we, ourselves, would want to be treated. We cannot turn a blind eye or think that we cannot make a difference. Each of us can make a difference with our own actions. We can be the light that others follow. After all, Jesus is in our midst in the most unlikely places!

A word for migrants I would also like to address our Catholic migrant population directly in saying that you, too, have a calling and responsibility to practise Christian values in your own life, as well as in your service to your employer. It is hard to uphold the dignity

of human labour. To do so, you must be reliable and truthful. You must also show respect, con¿dentiality and discretion, keeping in mind that in serving others, you are serving the Lord Jesus Himself. Please remain faithful to your own family back home, and teach them the self-discipline that you have learned, knowing that your hard work and sacri¿ces will provide a better life for future generations. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on the occasion of World Day of Migrants, let us pray for all migrants in Singapore that they may be given the opportunity to realise their dreams of building a better life for themselves and their families back home. With the support of the Catholic community, through our own actions towards migrants, may we be the change that lights the way for others. Yours in Christ.

Archbishop Nicholas Chia Page 17: Pope defends ‘right to emigrate’

Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

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Spotlight on human trafÀcking The Religious of the region are distributing brochures on human traf¿cking to raise awareness of this growing problem. A set of ¿ve information brochures have been prepared and will be given out in Religious-run parishes in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei on Oct 30, World Day of Migrants, and on each Sunday of Advent. The Conference of Religious Major Superiors of MalaysiaSingapore-Brunei (CRMS) had announced this Anti-Human Traf¿cking Project at the regional bishops’ conference in July. Human traf¿cking “is the fastest growing crime in the world and as Catholics we need to do something to ¿ght it, says CRMS. “Pope John Paul II called it a shocking offence against human dignity.” According to project coordinator Franciscan Friar John Wong, the overview brochure, Slavery in the 21st Century, will be distributed on Oct 30. The other four brochures – Labour Traf¿cking, Child Traf¿cking, Traf¿cking for Sexual Exploitation, and Traf¿cking for Organ Removal, will be distributed during the Sundays of

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Advent in that order. The brochures “were written to provide people, in their midteens and above, with basic information on human traf¿cking, our position on the issue as Catholics and how we can help victims”, said Friar Wong. In Singapore, the brochures

will be available at the Church of St Mary of the Angels, Church of St Ignatius, Blessed Sacrament Church, Church of Sts Peter and Paul and Novena Church. The Religious will also distribute the brochures in all their ministries in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, including schools.

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75 years assisting needy kids %U (PPDQXHO UHÁHFWV RQ WKH *DEULHOLWH %URWKHUV· ZRUN LQ 6LQJDSRUH RYHU WKH GHFDGHV By Darren Boon When the Brothers of St Gabriel ¿rst came to Singapore in 1936, their mission was to impart knowledge and provide education for needy youths. The Brothers founded schools and an orphanage, and taught and lived in them. These Religious, who celebrated their 75th anniversary of their presence in Singapore recently, now have new roles. Because of their dwindling number – there are now only about six Brothers in Singapore – they no longer teach in their schools, says Br Emmanuel, who has been serving in Singapore since 1954. However, they support principals and other laypeople in ensuring the Brothers’ mission still continue in schools such as St Gabriel’s Primary and Secondary, Montfort Junior and Montfort Secondary, Assumption English School, Assumption Pathway School and Boys’ Town. The Brothers retain a say in the appointment of school principals which they do in consultation with the Ministry of Education, says Br Emmanuel, 78. The Gabrielite schools are never meant to be “elite”, but institutions that look “after the child who needs help”, said the former principal of St Gabriel’s and former director of Boys’ Town. And assisting needy students is what the Brothers have been doing. Br Emmanuel recalled that in the old days the Brothers had residences in the school and students could always approach the Brothers whenever they needed help. There were several challenges the Brothers faced in post-World War II Singapore. Some children

The Gabrielite schools are never meant to be ‘elite’, but institutions that look ‘after the child who needs help’. – Br Emmanuel, former principal of St Gabriel’s School and former director of Boys’ Town

MILESTONES 1936: Arrival of the ¿rst Gabrielite Brothers in Singapore

were orphaned or had relatives who died in the war. The Brothers’ challenge was to counsel the children so they could move on with their lives. There were also problems with drug addiction and gangs, Br Emmanuel recalled. He added that the Brothers taught catechism so the students would grow up to be useful citizens. Looking back at the Brothers’ mission, Br Emmanuel said it is dif¿cult to measure the degree of their success. However, he said he is heartened to know that old boys have

Breakfast for a cause Host your friends to a meal in your home and have each person contribute a small sum of money for charity. This is the Breakfast for a Cause project that Boys’ Town has launched to raise $1 million for a new $15-million building for its residents. Br Dominic Yeo Koh, Gabrielite Provincial and board member of Boys’ Town, who mooted this idea, believes this initiative will catch on as “Singaporeans love food”. Br Emmanuel himself treated 12 guests to brunch on Oct 8 at the Boys’ Town dining hall. That event raised $3,550. Ms Jennifer Lim, who joined the meal with her

Boys’ Town, a well-known institution in Singapore for underprivileged boys, was established in 1948.

mother, said she found the event “meaningful” as it was for “a good cause”. Hosting a meal in aid of charity taps into Singaporeans’ passion for food. It also requires less physical effort than other fund-raising activities, she added. Ms Lim said she plans to host her own brunch as a means of “paying it forward” and hopes her friends would do the same. Those interested in the Breakfast for a Cause project may contact Sally Low at 6769 1618 (ext 28) or email sally_ low@boystown.org.sg for a registration form. Details are available at www.boystown. org.sg

1937: Holy Innocents’ English School (renamed Montfort Secondary School in 1959) placed under the care of the Brothers. 1938: St Joseph’s Trade School and Orphanage established World War II: Two Brothers made prisoners-of-war at Changi prison.

Students of Assumption Pathway School gathered in their school hall. The school serves students who prefer a vocational course of study.

spoken fondly of how the Brothers had made an impact on their lives. Some old boys have also become priests or active laypeople in the Church. Br Emmanuel also praised the lay collaborators in Gabrielite schools for trying their best to continue the mission of the Brothers – upholding the Christian spirit and caring for the needs of the students – so that even if one day there are

no more Brothers in Singapore, their values will still live on. The Gabrielite Brothers commemorated their 75th anniversary on Sept 18 at a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Nicholas Chia at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

Page 9: SATS-Assumption Pathway partnership

1948: St Joseph’s Trade School (presently known as Assumption Pathway School) reopened. Boys’ Town established. 1953: St Gabriel’s School and Boys’ Town English School (now known as Assumption English School) founded.

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Young adults’ Nativity crib to be part of Paris display By Darren Boon

Members of the Prized Possessions young adults group from the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour posing with their Nativity crib.

Some working adults from the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour have created a Nativity crib which would go on display in an exhibition in Paris. The exhibition, which showcases Nativity cribs, will be held at the Church of St Georges in Paris from Dec 14 to Jan 8. It is organised by French priest Fr Pierre de Parcevaux in support of La Luciole, an association which he started, and which ministers to young drug abusers and their families. Adults pay 2 euros (S$3.50) and children pay 1 euro for admission. The proceeds go to La Luciole. The young adults at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (OLPS) came to know about this project through their spiritual director Fr Bruno St Girons, assistant priest at OLPS, and a friend of Fr Pierre. After some research, the group, which calls itself Prized Possessions, decided to make a pop-up crib out of cardboard for portability. Fr Bruno’s mother is to take it to France after visiting Singapore, said Ms Abigail Goh, a member of the group. The group, which has about 10 regular members, spent two Wednesday evenings in October working on the crib. They drew ¿gures on cardboard, cut them out, and then assembled the crib together.

Ms Marlene Teo, 32, said the group thought it would be a fun project to work on as a community, and which would put some of the members’ scrapbooking hobbies to good use. The project also allows people to experiment with their creativity, said Mr Philip Low, another group member. Prized Possessions was formed by some friends two years ago. Having such a peer support group helps members journey together in faith rather than merely attending Sunday Mass, said Ms Teo. It also allows young working adults, who have been baptised after their RCIA, to continue their faith journey within a community, she added. The group meets once a fortnight to share the Word of God, discuss issues such as bioethics, or pray the Rosary and other prayers. Ms Jaclyn Lam, who is in her late twenties, said that coming together as a group helps her to pray and get to know more people from the church community. She is also able to learn from other members who have attended Church-organised courses, she added. Mr Low said he hopes more parishes and young working adults would form such communities. darren.boon@catholic.org.sg

Members of the group working on their crib.

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Partnership aims to boost students’ career opportunities Mr Mark Laming, SATS Executive Sous Chef, teaching two Assumption Pathway School students about food presentation. SATS and Assumption Pathway have signed a partnership to help APS students improve their chances of success when they enter the workforce.

By Don Gurugay SATS, Singapore’s leading airline gateway service company, has partnered Assumption Pathway School (APS) in a move expected to boost the students’ opportunities in life. Under this partnership, SATS’ chefs will train APS students taking the baking practices and food preparation course how to work in a commercial kitchen and prepare cuisines from different cultures. This on-the-job training is expected to help the students of the Gabrielite Brothers’ school, who are unable to access mainstream education, improve their chances of success when they enter the workforce. SATS would also be rendering help to needy students. The organisation has in place an interim and long term Student Assistance Scheme which would provide ¿-

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Our students [will] gain hope that they have a place in society DQG WKH FRQ¿GHQFH boost to succeed in the working environment.

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– APS principal Wee Tat Chuen nancial help to those who ful¿l the eligibility criteria. “Through such programmes, we hope to provide opportunities and support that will help the bene¿ciaries realise their aspirations, transit to their next phase in life or re-integrate into society,” said Mr Tan Chuan Lye, acting CEO of SATS. Some 80 students each year take up the baking practices and

food preparation course. During the two-year training, they learn with skills such as F&B service and customer service. Upon completion, they receive an ITE Skills Certi¿cation (ISC). Mr Wee Tat Chuen, principal of APS said, “Coupled with the experience of working with the professionals [from SATS], our students also gain hope that they have a place in society and more importantly, the much-needed con¿dence boost to be able to succeed in the real-life working environment, thus realising our school motto – Through Work Achieve Success.” The signing of the letter of collaboration between the two parties took place on Oct 19 at The ART, the Assumption Restaurant for Training, which provides a realistic working environment for APS students. It is open to the public on Mondays to Fridays from noon to 2pm.

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Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

Asian bishops to set up climate change agency BANGKOK – Delegates of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) have agreed to establish an agency to combat climate change within Churches across Asia. Some 55 delegates representing nearly all the bishops’ conferences across Asia met in Bangkok from Oct 19-20. Also in attendance were scientists and climate change experts invited to address current research on the causes and effects of global climate change. The proposed agency would promote “initiatives at the FABC level and [assist] initiatives by local Churches for climate protection,” according to a statement issued by the FABC. The proposal would also establish “practical and effective linkage with” episcopal conferences in Africa, Europe, Oceania, Latin America, the United States and Canada, “as well as UN conferences in order to address the global challenge of climate change”. Furthermore, the agency would do “theological reÀection on the mystery and truth of God’s crea-

tion, on our moral and ethical responsibility with regard to the environment”, says the statement signed by FABC secretary general Archbishop Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato and Fr Josef Sayer, president of Misereor, a German Catholic aid agency which sponsored the event. Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai said it is imperative that the Asian Church be involved in tackling climate change. “There’s no getting out of this. The future looks frightening, and we as a Church have to take a stand.” UCANEWS.COM

A boy cycles through smoke and dust in an industrial area in Mumbai, India. CNS photo

Concern over kids viewing porn on phones KUPANG, INDONESIA – Some

Catholics in the Archdiocese of Kupang, Indonesia, have expressed concern over a recent survey which indicated that 67 percent of children in the town have accessed pornographic sites, mostly via mobile phones. The survey, which started in April, involved 300 respondents aged under 13 years old. “Children and teenagers are the next generation of both the nation and the Church. Their growth should be monitored well … in particular, they should be prevented from accessing such negative stuff which can harm their mental growth,” said Sr Maria Agnes Wathun, who heads the archdiocese’s Ponti¿cal Mission Aid Societies. The Religious of the Virgin Mary nun said that nowadays parents and teachers often face dif-

¿culty monitoring their children. “It is easy for children and teenagers to go to the Internet cafes or access porn sites via cellular phones,” she said. “We cannot ignore the issue since it is like a time bomb. It can even threaten the national character.” She noted that the Ponti¿cal Society of Children and Youth Missioners (SEKAMI) provides formation for children and teenagers. Mr Johanes Seo from Assumption of Mary Church in Kotabaru suggested that those managing the Internet cafes should vet visitors. “If the visitors are children, they should be accompanied by their parents,” he said. He added that schools in the town should monitor more closely children who use mobile phones. UCANEWS.COM

Singing priest helps poor HO CHI MINH CITY – A Vietnamese priest with a good singing voice is aiding thousands of poor people with his CDs of hymns. “God gave me a beautiful singing voice so I use it to help our brothers and sisters in need,” said Fr John Baptist Nguyen Tan Sang from My Tho diocese in Vietnam’s south. The 38-year-old priest said he has produced 14 CDs over the past six years and sold them

to help poor people regardless of their backgrounds. He also visits parishes to see his CDs as well as stages shows in other countries for charity. “I am happy that many Catholics who have stopped practising their faith for years returned to the church after listening to my CDs,” he said. Some people have even converted to Catholicism as a result, he added. UCANEWS.COM

ConÁicting reports over ‘suspension’ of Chinese bishop BEIJING – There have been con-

Àicting reports about whether a bishop has been suspended from his posts in the state-approved Church community for failing to participate in an illicit episcopal ordination earlier this year. According to a reliable Church source, Bishop Paul Pei Junmin of Liaoning (Shenyang) was “suspended from his posts as vice president of the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC) in mid-August and as head of the Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA) and the Church Affairs Commission of Liaoning in September”. Since late September, reports have circulated on Catholic blog sites and online chat groups that Bishop Pei, a Vatican-approved bishop, had resigned his posts. The Church source said that government of¿cials took disciplinary action against the 42-yearold bishop after he failed to preside over the episcopal ordination of Fr Joseph Huang Bingzhang of Shantou, who had no papal mandate. However, Fr Joseph Yang Yu, spokesman of the CPA and BCCCC, denied that Bishop Pei had been sanctioned. “There is no announcement on our website,” he said, adding that Bishop Pei’s name and biography remain on the site. Bishop Pei reportedly attended a previous illicit ordination in Chengde last November. He was subsequently elected vice president of the BCCCC during the National Congress of Catholic Representatives in December. A week before the ordination in Shantou diocese on July 14 this

Photo: UCANEWS.COM

Bishop Paul Pei Junmin of Liaoning (left) was suspended from certain posts he held because he failed to take part in an illicit episcopal ordination, says a source. year, about 80 diocesan priests gathered at Bishop Pei’s house to prevent him from being taken away by government of¿cials. The ordination was ¿nally presided over by Bishop Johan Fang Xingyao of Linyi, chairman of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA). The Church source said Bishop Pei is now con¿ned to his house and not allowed to meet other priests or visit parishes. Parish priests and nuns have expressed concern that another illicit ordination in Heilongjiang (Harbin) diocese might lead of¿cials to pressure their bishop again to attend. A China-based Church observer who also declined to be named said Bishop Pei was the ¿rst member of the new leadership of the BCCCC to decline presiding over an illicit ordination. The observer said that Beijing might think Bishop Pei has exert-

ed more inÀuence than others who have sought to avoid such ordinations. The government knows that if it turns a blind eye to this, it would face greater resistance in continuing to push for so-called “selfelection and self-ordination” of bishops, the observer said. While noting that it was too early to say if the government’s suspension of Bishop Pei was effective, the observer said the bishop would hardly be able to avoid future illicit ordinations, and that his position reÀects the dilemma facing all bishops in the government-approved Church community. Earlier this year, Bishop Joseph Li Liangui of Cangzhou (Xianxian) was dismissed from his post in the Political Consultative Conference of Hebei province as punishment for his absence from the national congress. UCANEWS. COM

Church programme aids rural youths in Dhaka DHAKA – A group of Catholic priests and nuns are helping young, rural Bangladeshis overcome the many challenges they face when they move to the capital, Dhaka. The Samuel Programme, started in 2007, helps 80 participants each year, most of them residents at the city’s Christian hostels. The fourth intake completed its 2011 session last weekend at Mary Queen of Apostles Church in Mirpur, to the north of the city. The programme includes morality and Bible classes, as well as “life sharing” from trainers on a range of subjects. “We’re trying to help the young people by supporting them in their day-to-day struggles and making their life beautiful, based

on real values,” said programme organiser, Sr Mamata of the Catechist Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Participants say the programme helps them face challenges. “We have been taught to avoid pre-marital sex that goes against Catholic values,” said Sushanto Mondol, 18, adding that he faces temptation in this area as some of his hostel mates indulge in it. One is able to ¿ght such temptations with a strong faith in Christ, he said. Another participant Rupok Rozario, 18, said he learned how to pray, which helped him keep away from immoral acts as well as consider the needs of others. “I didn’t know how to pray

well before,” he said. “Nowadays I pray regularly. Recently when my father had heart surgery I prayed for his speedy recovery and he made it.” Rock Rozario, who comes from a poor family, said the programme “helps me avoid stealing, which is something that poor hostel students sometimes do”. Young people in Dhaka often come into contact with drugs and Bennett Corraya, 17, said he was threatened when he refused to join some friends in taking them. “Life is not easy and challenges are a daily reality,” he said. “Keeping the faith alive and choosing the right path is what the programme inspires us to do.” UCANEWS.COM

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Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

FLOODS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Thai Church struggles to give aid BANGKOK – The Thai Church has mobilised all its available resources to help people badly affected by what has been described as the “worst Àooding in decades”. “Caritas has been responding by collaborating with various Religious congregations as well as Diocesan Social Action Centres [DISACs] in affected areas,” said Fr Pairat Sriprasert, general secretary of Caritas Thailand. The areas he refers to are in Bangkok archdiocese and Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Mai dioceses. “DISAC people are the ¿rst contact points with the communities. They forward information to us and we send relief materials such as drinking water, sandbags, medicine and money,” said Fr Pairat. Almost every church and Church-run school in Ayutthaya, the worst-hit province, has also been affected. “We are using the second Àoor

of our schools for Sunday Mass. The schools also serve as relief centres and shelters for villagers whose homes are inundated,” said Fr Thanu Jedsadaphongpakdee, DISAC director of Bangkok archdiocese. “We may have to postpone the start of the new school term,” he added. Bishop Phibul Visitnonthachai of Nakhon Sawan said his cathedral and a Carmelite convent have been Àooded. La Salle School and St Joseph Convent escaped serious Àooding and have served as relief centres as well as accommodating 100 villagers. “We have launched an appeal for donations to help affected people and publicised it through Udomsarn [the Thai Church’s weekly newspaper]. Presently we have enough resources to help people for one month,” the bishop said. UCANEWS.COM

7KDL VROGLHUV KHOS UHVLGHQWV FURVVLQJ D VWURQJ VWUHDP RI ÀRRGZDWHUV LQ 3DWKXP 7KDQL SURYLQFH CNS photo

Church’s rice Àelds destroyed PHNOM PENH – As the worst

Àoods in more than a decade sweep the country, the Church in Cambodia is struggling to deliver effective aid, even to its own community. Caritas has been distributing food, drinking water and temporary shelters, bringing relief to 7,000 families in six provinces. Their efforts started in late September and is continuing. St Joseph Parish in Phnom Penh has been collecting donations and providing staples such as rice, soy sauce, ¿sh sauce and sugar to 500 affected families along the Mekong River. In Kampong Cham province, northeast of the capital, Koh Roka church has distributed 400 kg of rice to another 25 families.

This year’s exceptionally heavy Àoods, which have killed more than 200 people nationwide, have also destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of rice. “This directly affects our ability to provide food to children and the poor from our own ¿elds,” said Mr Them Thun, a lay leader in Siem Reap province, where 75 percent of the Church’s own rice ¿elds have been destroyed. Churches in Kompong Thom have also lost around 100 hectares of rice ¿elds. Here, in Cambodia’s worst affected province, ¿ve churches have been under up to 1.5 m of water. The damage is especially devastating for the country’s many smallholders. One Catholic farmer,

Mr Vong Tim, said his two-hectare ¿eld has been destroyed. “Some people have been forced to sell their cows and buffaloes cheap because they had nothing to eat,” he added. “I’m worried about what my neighbours and I will do in the aftermath, without a rice ¿eld or any farm animals to sustain us.” Caritas, however, has formulated a strategy. Its disaster management of¿cer Sok Sakhan reports that they are already preparing to distribute rice seed to farmers whose crops were lost. Commenting on the estimated 160 bridges and 3,000 km of road left in disrepair, he added, “We will help with rebuilding the roads and canals as soon as the Àooding subsides.”

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Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

CHURCH AND EDUCATION

HK cardinal fasts over education ruling HONG KONG – Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong began a 72-hour fast on Oct 19 to express his grief over a court ruling on a school management policy case. The 79-year-old retired bishop told a press conference that day that while he objects to the ruling, the Church respects the court’s decision. “We do not have to agree, however, that we were wrong in our demand,” he said. Cardinal Zen said he would remain at the entrance of the Salesian House of Studies and would abstain from food, except for water and Holy Communion, until Oct 22. Voluntary health workers were on hand to monitor the health of the cardinal, who suffers from a heart ailment. The cardinal’s fast stems from an amended education ordinance in 2004 that requires all govern-

ment-aided schools to form an incorporated management committee to replace the current management board. After six years of litigation brought by the diocese seeking an exemption, the Court of Final Appeal recently rejected the case. Cardinal Zen has said the new ordinance contradicts the Basic Law, which guarantees religious organisations’ right to run schools according to practices in place prior to the handover of Hong Kong by the UK in 1997. The issue in question, he said, was more about the right to govern schools. Cardinal Zen said the Church today would not readily give up its right to run schools but might be forced to do so if it can no longer manage schools according to its vision and mission. UCANEWS.COM

Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun started his fast on Oct 19. &16 ¿OH SKRWR

Indian Catholics oppose teacher scheme MANANTHAVADY, INDIA – The Catholic Church in India’s Kerala state has condemned a new education scheme by which appointments of teachers at state-funded schools would be made from a pool of candidates decided by the government. State schools until recently had the right to name their own teachers, but the new regulations allow the government to “usurp” that power, said Mr VC Sebastian, secretary of the Syro Malabar Church Laity Commission. “The direction to appoint specialist teachers through the Kerala public service commission is an attempt to gradually get it to ap-

point teachers, a move even the left-front government in Kerala would not dare to do,” he said. Under the new plan, announced by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sept 28, a “teachers’ bank” option has been provided, which will contain a list of more than 8,000 candidates. Fr Jobin Vadakkancheril, corporate manager for Mananthavady diocese, said teachers are generally recruited on the basis of tests that measure their skills as educators and ensure that posts to Catholic-run schools are given only to the best-quali¿ed people. “The new teacher’s package is the ¿rst step to taking away the management’s privileges to appoint quality teachers in their schools,” he said. Layperson John Kuttukallel said it was because the Catholic management had the right to appoint quali¿ed teachers that those schools were performing well. However Mr Thomas Aranjaniyil, another layperson, said there was nothing wrong with the government’s plan, and that since the government was paying teachers’ salaries it had the right to appoint them. UCANEWS.COM

Manila gets a new archbishop MANILA – Pope Benedict XVI has

appointed leading Asian theologian Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle of Imus as Archbishop of Manila. Bishop Tagle, 54, succeeds Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, 79, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) announced, citing a letter from the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila. At the time of the appointment, made on Oct 13, Bishop Tagle was serving as chairman of CBCP’s Commission on Doctrine of the Faith and chairman of the Of¿ce of Theological Concerns of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences. He was also serving as a member of the Vatican’s International Theological Commission, a body of expert advisers on Church teaching. His speech at the October 2008 Synod of Bishops, in which he said “the Church must learn to listen the way God listens”, earned him applause. Cardinal Rosales, who turned 79 in August, had announced he would retire this year and was waiting for his successor to be named. The cardinal, who served as Manila’s archbishop for seven years, submitted his resignation in 2007 when he turned 75, the mandatory retirement age for prelates, but the pope had

Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle (left), a leading theologian, takes over from Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales. &16 ¿OH SKRWRV

extended his term inde¿nitely. Asked of his greatest achievement, Cardinal Rosales cited his encounters with different people, particularly the poor. “I think it’s having been given the opportunity to get to know the poor more, the good-hearted people, the generous people who continuously help the Church. I thank all of them,” he said. He leaves Manila’s more than 2.7 million Catholics in the pastoral care of Bishop Tagle. Bishop Tagle, who is of Filipino-Chinese descent, was born in Manila on June 21, 1957. He went

to the Jesuit Ateneo De Manila University’s San Jose Major Seminary for diocesan priests and was ordained a priest on Feb 27, 1982. In 1992, he completed his doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. Six years later, he was appointed as an expert at the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Asia in Rome. Months before becoming a bishop in 2001, he was assigned by the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy to participate in a series of video conferences about ongoing formation of priests. UCANEWS.COM

Nuns run marathon for charity BEIJING – Six nuns and one priest

had the stamina and faith to complete this year’s Beijing Marathon while a number of other Religious taking part in the event achieved encouraging results. A Run for Charity team organised by Jinde Charities, a nationwide Catholic NGO, was joined by 52 nuns, four priests and two Religious Brothers. Of these, 39 out of 40 completed the event’s 9-km minimarathon, while nine out of 11 ¿nished the half-marathon. Holy Spirit Srs Li Min and Zhang Reijuan from Shandong completed the 42-km full course in just over ¿ve hours with Fr Ye Fei ¿nishing a few minutes behind them. “I didn’t think 42 km was a very long distance when I signed up for

A Chinese nun (in white T-shirt) running in this year’s Beijing marathon. 8&$1(:6 &20 SKRWR

the race. But after I started training, I soon realised how wrong I was,” recalled Sr Li, who was taking part in a marathon for the ¿rst time to raise money for the elderly. Sr Lei Lujia, from the Charity

of Sacred Heart of Jesus Convent in Hubei province, took part in the Oct 16 event to raise cash for a minivan so her fellow nuns can visit the elderly more easily. Serving in a mountainous area, Sr Lei trained on rugged roads and was even hit by a car during a practice run. “I only got minor sprains. I think God was watching over me,” she said. Sr Yu Chungjing, who completed the course, said on the eve of the event that she and the other nuns were not running for prestige. “We’re running for those whom we serve,” she said. The 52 nuns from nine congregations were running for 14 projects. They were joined by 30,000 other runners in the annual race, which began in Tiananmen Square. UCANEWS.COM

Vietnamese kids use pocket money to help others BAO LOC, VIETNAM – Children

from a parish in Vietnam’s Central Highlands are helping the poor by making weekly charity donations. Hundreds of children are putting part of their pocket money into donation boxes in front of the altar during Sunday Mass in Bao Loc Church, Bao Loc City. Maria Nguyen Thao Tram, 12, said she recently donated the 2,000 dong (S$0.12) that she had she saved over the week. “I want

to give this small sum of money to Catholics from a poor parish who want to build a church,” she said. Tram said her money may be enough to buy a brick but if some 1,000 local children make donations they could buy 1,000 bricks. Parish priest Fr Joseph Nguyen Huu Duyen said local children started making donations several years ago. The initiative “aims to develop among children a love for people in need”, he said.

He added that the funds are to provide relief for victims of national disasters, study materials for students from poor families, and assistance for parishes wanting to build new churches. Parishioner Maria Nguyen Thi Dan Thuy said the initiative gives children a practical way to demonstrate Christian values. She said she gives her eight-year-old son 5,000-8,000 dong each week for the fund. UCANEWS.COM

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Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

Caritas team assesses Turkey’s quake needs ISTANBUL – A team from Caritas

of¿ces in Turkey has headed east to assess needs in the region hit by the Oct 23 earthquake. The magnitude 7.2 quake and multiple aftershocks left more than 260 people dead, but the death toll was expected to rise as workers shifted through debris. More than 1,000 people were injured in the quake, which wiped

out sections of the city of Van and the town of Ercis. A statement from Caritas Internationalis, the umbrella Caritas agency based in Rome, said, “Caritas will assess the needs of people whose homes or livelihoods have been impacted by the quake. Access to the area’s villages, where many mud-brick homes have collapsed, may be dif¿cult.” CNS

Survivors gather around a collapsed building in Ercis, near the eastern city of Van, Turkey, after the quake struck. CNS photo

Catholics hail European court ruling on patents derived from embryos &16 ¿OH SKRWR

From the ‘ perspective of

LONDON – A leading Catholic

bioethical institute has welcomed the decision of a European court to ban the patenting of any medical treatment derived from destructive experiments on human embryos. The Oxford-based Anscombe Bioethics Centre praised the decision by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) as a “triumph of ethical standards over commercial interest”. “From the perspective of those who recognise the dignity of the human embryo, this is a small step in the right direction,” said Mr David Jones, director of the centre formerly known as the Linacre Centre for Healthcare Ethics, serving the Catholic Church in Great Britain and Ireland. “The court has acted with clear and commendable ethical consistency in judging that if it is wrong to pro¿t from destroying human embryos, then it is wrong to pro¿t from cells that are derived from destroying human embryos,” Mr Jones said. “It should not matter if someone else has destroyed the embryos for you,” he added. “Inventions that rely on using human embryos both pro¿t from and encourage their destruction. This clear decision closes a loophole left by the European Patent Of¿ce.” The ruling, he explained, does not prevent human embryos from being destroyed or stop scientists from using human embryos in research, “but it does make it more dif¿cult for commercial companies to pro¿t from this destruction”. The bishops of the European Union also welcomed the ruling, saying it “provides a broad, scienti¿c sound de¿nition of a human embryo.” “This judgment can foster existing and promising ¿elds of research, which can combine the respect of human life with ef¿-

those who recognise the dignity of the human embryo, this is a small step in the right direction.

’

An embryologist removes embryos from a storage tank.

frozen

cient and innovative treatments for healing people. “Therefore, this judgment of the ECJ has to be welcomed as a milestone in the protection of human life in EU legislation that will most likely have a positive impact in concrete policy ¿elds like the funding of research in the EU,” the bishops said. L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, ran a frontpage article on Oct 19 on the court’s decision, using the headline: “A sentence in favor of human dignity.” The court’s ruling, published on Oct 18, was made unanimously by 13 judges sitting in Luxembourg and concludes a case brought by Greenpeace, the environmentalist group, against Mr Oliver Brustle of the University of Bonn, Germany. Greenpeace had objected to Mr Brustle ¿ling a patent with the German government in 1997 when he was trying to convert embryonic stem cells into nervous tissue to treat patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

– Mr David Jones, director of the Oxford-based Anscombe Bioethics Centre

The court’s 10-page judgment effectively bans the patenting in Europe of any process involving the removal of stem cells from an embryo and resulting in its destruction. “Patents may not be granted for inventions whose commercial exploitation would be contrary to morality,” the ruling says. “In particular, patents should not be awarded for uses of human embryos for industrial and commercial purposes.” CNS

Nepal joins Church’s communications body KATHMANDU – Nepal became the ¿rst predominantly Hindu nation to join the Church’s global communications body SIGNIS during a gathering of the group’s Asian assembly in the Nepali capital Kathmandu. The assembly unanimously endorsed Nepal’s membership during the Oct 16-22 meeting, attended by representatives from 19 Asian countries and six delegates from Nepal. Mr Chirendra Satyal, an organiser, said membership for the country was an important step in the evolution of the country’s media and communications sectors. “This means Nepal can directly

network with members of other countries and our young people can get better access to Catholic institutions in other countries, which offer training in social communications.” Mr Satyal, a journalist and secretary of the country’s Catholic media commission, said Christian media faces signi¿cant challenges in the country. Christian media in Nepal is mainly understood as non-Catholic. He said the Catholic Church “is still struggling even in the ¿eld of print media and is challenged to start a national communication centre and train committed Catholics in the ¿eld”. RADIO VATICAN

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Sunday November 6, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Rome marks Blessed John Paul’s 1st feast day ROME – Thousands of Catholics

in Rome celebrated the Âżrst feast of Blessed John Paul II on Oct 22, and the promoter of his sainthood cause said he has received several reports of healings that could be the miracle needed for the late pope’s canonisation. Msgr Slawomir Oder, the postulator of Pope John Paul’s sainthood cause, told Vatican Radio, “I have received several very signiÂżcant testimonies and am waiting for the complete documentationâ€? that would allow him to judge which would be the most appro-

priate to submit to the Vatican. In Rome, Blessed John Paul’s feast was marked with two particularly large celebrations: the Diocese of Rome held a prayer vigil and Mass at the Basilica of St John Lateran, the diocesan cathedral. The Church of the Holy Spirit near the Vatican, known for its dedication to the Divine Mercy devotion promoted by Pope John Paul, hosted a special Mass and a concert featuring important texts written by the late pope set to music. „ CNS

3 new saints proclaimed VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict

XVI proclaimed three saints and said their lives demonstrated that true faith is charity in action. “These three new saints allowed themselves to be transformed by divine charity,� the pope said at a canonisation Mass in St Peter’s Square on Oct 23. The new saints are: „ St Guido Maria Conforti, an Italian who founded the Xaverian Foreign Missionary Society, dedicated to the sole purpose of evangelising non-Christians. He sent missionaries to China in 1899 and personally travelled to China in 1928 to visit the society’s communities. Plagued by ill health, he also served as a diocesan bishop in Italy for many years.

„ St Louis Guanella, the Italian founder of the Servants of Charity, the Daughters of St Mary of Providence, and the Confraternity of St Joseph, whose members pledge to pray for the sick and dying. Having worked with young women in northern Italy, he came to Rome and founded an association of prayer for the dying. „ St Bonifacia Rodriguez Castro, a Spanish cordmaker in Salamanca who gathered working women for spiritual growth in her house-shop. The group became the Servants of St Joseph, a congregation dedicated to providing a religious and technical education to poor women and protecting them in the workplace. „ CNS

Meeting in Rome (from left): Roberto and Maria Frangione, Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, Tony and Cathy Witczak, Fr Emile Frische, and an unidentiÂżHG FRXSOH

ME delegates meet Vatican ofÀcials ROME – A delegation from World-

wide Marriage Encounter met recently with Cardinal Ennio Antonelli of the PontiÂżcal Council for the Family and Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko of the PontiÂżcal Council for the Laity. Cardinal Rylko stressed that the witness of committed Christian couples helps others believe lifelong marriage “is not only possible, but beautiful!â€? Marriage Encounter’s (ME) International Ecclesial Team, consisting of Tony and Cathy Witczak from the US and Fr Emile Frische, MHM, of New Zealand, said the encouragement they received in their ministry will inspire couples and priests all over the world. The ME delegation also in-

cluded the Italian Ecclesial Team comprising Fr Giuseppe Greco, and Roberto and Maria Frangione, as well as former Bologna leaders Mauro and Silvana Zambonelli along with Fr Valentino Menengatti, OFM, of Rome. Preparations are now underway for the Worldwide Marriage Encounter World Council meeting to be held in Rome in January 2012. The World Council consists of six continental leadership teams representing more than 90 countries where ME is active. These are in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and the Paci¿c region. The last meeting of the World Council was in Rio de Janeiro in February 2011. „

People gather for a vigil marking the feast day of Blessed John Paul II outside the Basilica of St John Lateran on 2FW 7KH GDWH LV WKH DQQLYHUVDU\ RI WKH LQDXJXUDWLRQ RI KLV SRQWLÂżFDWH LQ CNS photo

Vatican calls for a world body to regulate markets VATICAN CITY – A new Vatican

document is calling for the gradual creation of a world political authority with broad powers to regulate Âżnancial markets and rein in the “inequalities and distortions of capitalist developmentâ€?. The document says the current global Âżnancial crisis has revealed “selÂżshness, collective greed and the hoarding of goods on a great scaleâ€?. A supranational authority, it says, is needed to place the common good at the centre of international economic activity. The 41-page text, prepared by the PontiÂżcal Council for Justice and Peace, was released on Oct 24. It is titled Toward Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of Global Public Authority. The document cites the teachings of popes over the last 40 years on the need for a universal public authority that would transcend national interests. The current economic crisis, which has seen growing inequality between the rich and poor of the world, underlines the necessity to take concrete steps toward creating such an authority, it says. One major step, the document says, should be the reform of the international monetary system in a way that involves developing countries. The document foresees the creation of a “central world bankâ€? that would regulate the Ă€ow of monetary exchanges it says the International Monetary Fund has lost the ability to control the amount of credit risk taken on by the system. The document also proposes: „ Taxation measures on Âżnancial transactions. Revenues could contribute to the creation of

People are UHĂ€HFWHG RQ DQ electronic board displaying exchange rates in Tokyo. The Vatican has issued a call for JOREDO ÂżQDQFLDO reform, recommending the creation of a world political authority. CNS photo

a “world reserve fundâ€? to support the economies of countries hit by crisis. „ Forms of recapitalisation of banks with public funds that make support conditional on “virtuousâ€? behaviour aimed at developing the real economy. „ More effective management of Âżnancial shadow markets that are largely uncontrolled today. Such moves would be designed to make the global economy more responsive to the needs of the person, and less “subordinated to the interests of countries that effectively enjoy a position of economic and Âżnancial advantageâ€?. In making the case for a global authority, the document says the continued model of nationalistic self-interest seems “anachronistic and surrealâ€? in the age of globalisation. “We should not be afraid to propose new ideas, even if they might destabilise pre-existing balances of power that prevail over the weakest,â€? it says. The “new world dynamicsâ€? call for a “gradual, balanced transfer of a part of each nation’s powers to a world authority and

to regional authoritiesâ€?, the document adds. “In a world on its way to rapid globalisation, the reference to a world authority becomes the only horizon compatible with the new realities of our time and the needs of humankindâ€?. Helping to usher in this new society is a duty for everyone, especially for Christians, says the Vatican document. Establishing such an authority will be a delicate project and will no doubt come at a cost of “anguish and sufferingâ€? as countries give up particular powers, the document continues. This authority should be set up gradually, on the basis of wide consultation and international agreements, and never imposed by force or coercion, it adds. This authority should also operate on the principle of subsidiarity, intervening “only when individual, social or Âżnancial actors are intrinsically deÂżcient in capacity, or cannot manage by themselves to do what is required of themâ€?. Countries’ speciÂżc identities would be fully respected, it says. „ CNS

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Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

GaddaÀ’s death marks Hindus, Christians urged to promote end of ‘oppressive religious freedom regime’ Vatican VATCAN CITY – The Vatican said the death of Libyan strongman Muammar Gadda¿ marked the end of a “harsh and oppressive regime” that was based on power instead of human dignity. It expressed hope that the bloodshed would end in the North African country, and that the new Libyan government would open a rebuilding phase based on “a spirit of inclusion” and social justice. The statement was issued by the Vatican press of¿ce on Oct 20, several hours after Gadda¿ was reported killed in his coastal hometown of Sirte, where he had been barricaded with loyalist troops. His death came after months of bloody civil strife and NATO airstrikes in support of Libyan rebels. The Vatican said the Libyan conÀict had been “too long and tragic” and should prompt reÀection on the “cost of immense human suffering” that accompanies the collapse of systems not founded on respect for human rights. It encouraged the new Libyan government to try to prevent further violence caused by a spirit of revenge and to begin a programme of paci¿cation. The international community, it said, should provide generous aid toward the reconstruction of the country. For its part, the minority Catholic community in Libya will continue to offer “its witness and its unsel¿sh service, especially in the areas of charity and health care”, it said. The Vatican said it would work in favour of the Libyan people in the international diplomatic arena.

Libyans celebrate in Tripoli’s Martyrs Square (above) after hearing news that ousted leader Muammar *DGGD¿ ULJKW ZDV NLOOHG E\ ¿JKWers in Sirte. CNS photos

The statement said the Vatican considers the transitional government as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. The Vatican, it said, has already had various contacts with the new authorities in Libya, through the Libyan Embassy to the Vatican, at the United Nations and in Libya. It said the apostolic nuncio to Libya, who resides in Malta, had gone to Libya for talks in early October with the provisional prime minister Mahmoud Jibril and other of¿cials. “In these diverse encounters, both sides underlined the importance of the diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Libya. The Holy See had the opportunity to renew its support for the Libyan

people and its support for the transition,” the Vatican said. The of¿cials of Libya’s new government have expressed appreciation for the humanitarian appeals of Pope Benedict XVI and for the Church’s service in Libya, in particular the work of 13 religious communities in hospitals or assistance centres. CNS

VATICAN CITY – In a message to the world’s Hindus, a top Vatican of¿cial called on Christians and Hindus to work together in promoting religious freedom. The lack of religious freedom is “taking centre stage in many places, calling our attention to those members of our human family exposed to bias, prejudice, hate propaganda, discrimination and persecution on the basis of religious af¿liation”, wrote Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Ponti¿cal Council for Interreligious Dialogue. The freedom to “profess, practise and propagate” one’s religious belief “is the answer to religiously motivated conÀicts in many parts of the world”, especially as so many people desperately seek full human development and peaceful coexistence with others, he wrote. His comments came in an annual message to mark the Hindu celebration of Deepavali or Diwali, which fell on Oct 26 in most parts of the world. The cardinal’s letter, released by the Vatican on Oct 20, said when religious freedom is hampered or denied “all other human rights are endangered”. The freedom to worship in public or in private “also involves a serious obligation on the part of civil authorities, individuals and groups to respect the freedom of others. Moreover, it includes the freedom to change one’s own religion,” the message said. Hinduism is the third largest religion with more than 1 billion followers, the majority of whom live in India. In recent years, mi-

nority Catholic communities in India have faced increasing episodes of violence carried out by Hindu militants and have seen the passage of anti-conversion laws in some states. The cardinal’s message said true religious freedom bene¿ts all of society because when believers are free from intimidation and prejudice, they are more willing to cooperate with others in building a just community. Hindus and Christians can work together for the common good, especially by defending

$ ,QGLDQ ZRPDQ PDNHV DQ RIIHULQJ during a Hindu ritual. The Vatican released its message for Deepavali on Oct 20.

life, protecting the family and fostering education, honesty and the protection of resources, it said. The cardinal’s message also highlighted Pope Benedict XVI’s scheduled pilgrimage to Assisi on Oct 27 with religious leaders from around the world to renew a pledge to make religions a path to peace. “We will be spiritually united with them, con¿dent that believers will always be a blessing for the whole world,” said Cardinal Tauran. CNS

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Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

Year of Faith to be launched The special year, lasting from Oct 11, 2012 to Nov 24, 2013, aims to renew missionary zeal in the Church VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI has announced a special “Year of Faith” to help Catholics appreciate the gift of faith, deepen their relationship with God and strengthen their commitment to sharing faith with others. Celebrating Mass on Oct 16 with participants in a Vatican conference on new evangelisation, the pope said the Year of Faith would give “renewed energy to the mission of the whole Church to lead men and women out of the desert they often are in and toward the place of life: friendship with Christ who gives us fullness of life”. The pope said the observance would begin on Oct 11, 2012 – the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council – and conclude on Nov 24, 2013 – the feast of Christ the King. “It will be a moment of grace and commitment to an ever fuller conversion to God, to reinforce our faith in Him and to proclaim Him with joy to the people of our time,” the pope said in his homily. He explained his intention more fully in Porta Fidei (The Door of Faith), an apostolic letter released on Oct 17 to formally announce the special year. “Faith grows when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience of grace and joy,” the pope wrote. He said the Catechism of the Catholic Church should serve as the handbook for helping Catholics rediscover the truths of faith and deepen their understanding of Church teaching. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he said, will publish a “note” to help people live the year “in the most effective and appropriate ways at the service of belief and evangelisation”. Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, told reporters the document would be published by the end of the year; its tone will be pastoral, rather than doctrinal, giving bishops and laypeople ideas for implementing the pope’s call. In his apostolic letter, the pope said the year’s focus will be on Jesus Christ because “in Him, all the anguish and all the longing of the

Pope Benedict XVI arrives for a Vatican conference to promote the new evangelisation on Oct 15. He announced the special year to participants the next day. CNS photo

The Year of Faith would give ‘renewed energy to the mission of the whole Church to lead men and women out of the desert they often are in and toward the place of life’. – Pope Benedict XVI

human heart ¿nds ful¿lment”. Pope Benedict said that in addition to studying the catechism and gaining a greater understanding of the creed, the Year of Faith also must be accompanied by more acts of charity. Pope Benedict said Catholics cannot “grow lazy in the faith”. “What the world is in particular need of today is the credible witness of people enlightened in mind and heart by the word of the Lord, and capable of opening the hearts and minds of many to the desire for God and for true life,

life without end,” he wrote. The papal Mass and announcement of the Year of Faith followed a daylong conference on Oct 15 sponsored by the Ponti¿cal Council for Promoting New Evangelisation. The morning session brought together representatives of 33 bishops’ conferences and 115 new movements, organisations, Charismatic groups, parish renewal programmes and study groups. Participants discussed how to better evangelise in the area of culture, among immigrants, in Catholics’ political involvement, through the use of media, in families, through the liturgy and in active parishes. The day’s focus on new evangelisation continued in the evening in the Vatican audience hall where various speakers gave personal testimonies to a crowd of about 8,000 people, mainly from new Catholic movements. The event also marked the of¿cial announcement of a new Internet project established by Jesus Colina, who recently resigned as head of Zenit news service. The new platform, aleteia.org, is designed to be a multimedia “community” where people can ask questions about the Catholic faith and practices and receive answers they can be sure are in line with of¿cial Church teaching, Colina said. CNS The pope’s apostolic letter is at http:// www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/motu_proprio/documents/ hf_ben-xvi_motu-proprio_20111011_ SRUWD ¿GHLBHQ KWPO

WORLD 17

Sunday November 6, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Pontiff defends ‘right to emigrate’ VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI said the world has a responsibility to help refugees Âżnd places to live and work in safety, as part of its vocation to form “one familyâ€?. Welcoming refugees is an “imperative gesture of human solidarityâ€?, the pope said in his message for the 2011 World Day for Migrants and Refugees. “This means that those who are forced to leave their homes or their country will be helped to Âżnd a place where they may live in peace and safety, where they may work and take on the rights and duties that exist in the country that welcomes them,â€? he said in his message which has One Human Family as its theme. The message was released at the Vatican last year. Singapore archdiocese celebrates the special day on Oct 30 this year. The human family is multiethnic and multi-cultural, the pope said, and everyone, including migrants and the local populations that welcome them, “have the same right to enjoy the goods of the Earth whose destination is universal, as the social doctrine of the Church teachesâ€?. “It is here that solidarity and sharing are founded,â€? he said. The pope underlined that the increasing movement of peoples today is often motivated by situations of conĂ€ict or discrimination. “For these people who Ă€ee from violence or persecution, the international community has taken on precise commitments. Respect of their rights, as well as the legitimate concern for security and social coherence, foster a stable and harmonious existence,â€? he said. The pope defended the “right to emigrateâ€? as a fundamental right to leave one’s country and enter another country to look for better conditions of life. That implies responsibilities among immigrants

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and the host countries, he said. “States have the right to regulate migration Ă€ows and to defend their own frontiers, always guaranteeing the respect due to the dignity of each and every human person. Immigrants, moreover, have the duty to integrate into the host country, respecting its laws and its national identity,â€? he said. At a news conference to pre-

Welcoming refugees is an ‘imperative gesture of human solidarity’, said the pope in his message for the World Day for Migrants and Refugees. sent the message, a Vatican ofÂżcial said such integration does not mean mere assimilation into a kind of “melting potâ€?. Archbishop Antonio Veglio, president of the PontiÂżcal Council for Migrants and Travellers, said that immigrants sometimes undergo a “de-culturalisationâ€? where they are expected to simply conform to the host culture. On

the other hand, immigrants who completely resist the host culture end up living in a kind of cultural ghetto, he said. The proper balance involves “cultural synthesisâ€?, in which cultural values are exchanged, beneÂżting both the immigrant community and the host country, he said. Fr Gabriele Bentoglio, undersecretary of the pontiÂżcal council, said many have acted with “courageâ€? in leaving tragic circumstances in their homelands. He said it is a common misperception that only places like Europe or the United States are facing a large inĂ€ux of immigrants. In 2009, he said, South Africa had 220,000 people requesting refuge, nearly equal to the total for all of Europe. He said the behaviour of many countries today is one of refusal and discrimination towards immigrants, in contradiction to the international agreements they have signed. „ CNS The pope’s full message can be viewed at http://www.vatican. va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/migration/documents/hf_ ben-xvi_mes_20100927_worldmigrants-day_en.html

18 LETTERS/OPINION

Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

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GUEST EDITORIAL

War is hell. What can we do? By Tom Sheridan NOW, as we enter the second decade after 9/11, we seem little closer to the peace our prayers at Mass call us to. Or to the Prince of Peace who is the central focus of our faith. I’m not naive. I understand human conÀict sometimes calls for a justi¿ed armed response. While defence can be right, neither should war be humanity’s default position. Too often, even when the de¿nition of war is fuzzy, we experience an “unpeace” – or however you want to de¿ne the state of being belligerent towards others of your own species. There’s too much unpeace today. Some are armed: Iraq and Afghanistan and various African nations. Some are simmering disputes: India and Pakistan, the two Koreas. Some aren’t exactly war but explosions of violence in the name of religion: Israel, Palestinians and others, and Islamic terrorists against Western society. There’s more: economic unpeace, ethnic unpeace, political unpeace. It’s a paradox of faith: worshipping a God of peace while accepting a god of war. But how does faith ask us to respond to war and warlike actions in our midst? War has hardly been a stranger to Christians, from the Crusades and before, to conÀicts between nations and city-states in which a Àag of faith marched before the troops. Too often, we’ve been challenged to “praise the Lord and pass the ammunition”. More than once as a deacon,

Local boys watch as US soldiers patrol a village in Afghanistan. CNS photo

I’ve preached what the Church says about war only to be criticised, particularly about response to terrorism. A faith that opposes war can challenge a nation’s patriotism. In 2003, Pope John Paul II sent then-Archbishop Pio Laghi to ask President George W Bush to not invade Iraq, warning that terrorism cannot be defeated solely through repressive means. Bush refused. Cardinal Laghi later said, “Respect for human life should

There’s too much ‘unpeace’ today. Some are armed, some are simmering disputes, others are violence in the name of religion.

always be honoured and ... the struggle against terrorism does not justify the abandonment of a state of law, because the means do not justify the end.” Pope Benedict XVI has continued to warn against violence, decrying the loss of life in Afghanistan and other places of conÀict. Beyond respect for life, war is an affront to human dignity. It creates refugees, encourages corruption and waste, and threatens justice. Peace, maintains the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “is not merely the absence of war. ... Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication, ... respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity. ... Peace is the work of justice”. Despite the entreaties of faith, war continues to be an unrelenting reality. Even our veterans, who deserve our respect, are saying that this war, at least, isn’t worth the effort. Didn’t the Prince of Peace already tell us that? CNS Sheridan is former editor of the Catholic New World, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and a deacon ordained for the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, USA.

A picture of Dorian Gray NEARLY a century ago, Oscar Wilde wrote a famous novel entitled A Picture of Dorian Gray. It begins this way: Basil Hallward, a painter, has just ¿nished a portrait of a young man of extraordinary good looks, Dorian Gray. Just as he ¿nishes the painting, a brilliant, though highly cynical, young Lord, Henry Wotton, wanders into the room, marvels at the painting, and compliments Dorian on his good looks. Dorian, quite humble at this stage of his life, tells Lord Henry that his good looks mean little to him. But Lord Henry challenges Dorian to make his good looks mean something, both because they are real and because they are transient. Here are his words to the young, Dorian Gray: “You have a wonderfully beautiful face, Mr Gray. Don’t frown. You have. And Beauty is a form of Genius, is higher, indeed, than Genius, as it needs no explanation. It is one of the great facts of the world, like sunlight, or springtime, or the reÀection in dark waters of that silver shell we call the moon. It cannot be questioned. It has its divine right of sovereignty. It makes princes of those who have it. “You smile? Ah! When you have lost it you won’t smile... People say sometimes that Beauty is only super¿cial. That may be so. But at least it is not so super¿cial as Thought is. To me, Beauty is the wonder of wonders. It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. “The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible... Yes, Mr. Gray, the gods have been good to you. But what the gods give they quickly take away. You have only a few years in which to live really, perfectly, and fully. When your youth goes, your beauty will go with it, and then you will suddenly discover that there are no triumphs left for you, or have to content yourself with those mean triumphs that the memory or your past will make more bitter than defeats. “Every month as it wanes brings you nearer to something dreadful. Time is jealous of you, and wars against your lilies and your roses. You will become sallow, and hollow-cheeked, and dull-eyed. You will suffer horribly... “Ah! Realise your youth while you have it. Don’t squander the gold of your days, listening to the tedious, trying to improve the hopeless failure, or giving away your life to the ignorant, the common, and the vulgar. These are the sickly aims, the false ideals, of our age. “Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you! Let nothing be lost upon you. Be always searching for new sensations. Be afraid of nothing... A new Hedonism, that is what our century wants. You might be its visible symbol. With your personality there is nothing you could not do. The world belongs to you for a season...” A new Hedonism – that is what our century wants! Oscar Wilde prophesied this nearly a century ago and, it would seem, that is precisely where we have evolved in the Western world. Bodily appearance, looking good, having a trim, athletic body, being sexually attractive, remaining young, and being admired for your body is, for the majority of our culture, a huge, obsessive preoccupation. Most people in our culture, perhaps not in theory but certainly in our practical life choices, would agree with Lord Henry when he says: “The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible. Good looks tend to trump everything.” Not that this is all bad. Shallow is the spirituality that discredits the body! We are not angelic, disembodied spirits, but creatures of body and soul, and both are important for our spiritual health. God did not make us to walk this earth indifferent to our bodily appearance, sexually numb, and careless about our physical health. Indeed, indifference to our health and bodily appearance is one of the signs of clinical depression. Being young, healthy, and sexually attractive is meant to be enjoyed, one of the pleasures that God intended for us. There is no virtue in looking and feeling shabby. Thus, it’s good, spiritually, to be physically healthy! It’s good, spiritually, to work at keeping our bodies attractive! It’s good, spiritually, to healthily feel our sexuality! But these are a means, not an end. Youth, health, and sexual attractiveness do not, as Lord Henry and much of our contemporary society suggest, have a divine right of sovereignty. They are not ends in themselves, but only part of our journey towards maturity, altruism, and happiness. They are not the aim of that journey. And when we do make them the aim of our journey, we will, soon enough, taste the bitter bile warned of in Lord Henry’s counsel to the young Dorian Gray: You will suddenly discover that there are no triumphs left for you, or have to content yourself with those mean triumphs that the memory or your past will make more bitter than defeats.

OPINION 19

Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

Where new technologies are concerned...

Better to be safe than sorry By Karen Osborne IMAGINE what a miracle the telephone felt like at the turn of the 20th century. All of a sudden, people could speak directly with friends without leaving their living rooms. The world shrank immediately. The telephone changed the way people related to the world. These days, everybody knows how to use a telephone. It’s common sense, but that wasn’t always the case. Historians note that people in 1915 had to be reminded that they didn’t need to scream into the receiver to talk to someone far away, or that they needed to watch what they said on the phone in a room full of people. It seems funny now, but with every advance in technology, people have to adapt their strategies to stay safe and polite. When cellphones started becoming popular, people would answer calls anywhere – in meetings, at dinner, in class. A few years ago, your school and your country probably had very few rules about

CITY Cathedral of The Good Shepherd Nov 1 : 7.00am, 1.15pm & 6.30pm St Joseph’s Church Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30pm & 7.45pm Church of Sts Peter & Paul Oct 31 : 7.00pm (Mandarin) Nov 1 : 7.20am & 7.00pm Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30pm, 12.30pm & 7.30pm (Tamil) Church of the Sacred Heart Oct 31 : 5.30pm Nov 1 : 7.00am; 5.30pm & 7.30pm Church of St Teresa Oct 31 : 7.00 pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 7.00pm Church of St Alphonsus (Novena Church) Oct 31 : 7.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 12.15pm & 7.00pm Church of St Bernadette Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 7.00pm Church of St Michael Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 8.00pm

EAST Church of the Holy Family Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 6.15am, 1.00pm & 7.30pm Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8.15pm (Mandarin)

Internet safety and etiquette starts with this central truth: Whatever is posted online can eventually be seen by everyone. cellphones; now, teachers and police enforce strict policies in the classroom and on the road. Just like the landlines of yore, we had to ¿gure out how to use the new technology safely and without being rude. Now, social networking is rewiring our world yet again. Like the telephone, programmes such as Facebook are radically changing the way people relate to one another. Everyone’s doing the Internet equivalent of answering their phone while driving on the road and

Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Oct 31 : 6.15pm Nov 1 : 6.30 am, 12.30pm, 6.00pm & 8.00pm Church of St Stephen Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 8.00pm Church of the Holy Trinity Oct 31 : 6.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.00pm & 8.00pm Church of the Divine Mercy Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30am; 1.00pm & 7.30pm

NORTH Church of St Joseph (BT) Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 8.00pm Church of St Anthony Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 8.00pm Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.45am & 8.00pm Church of the Holy Spirit Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.00pm & 8.00pm Church of the Risen Christ Oct 31 : 7.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 12.45pm, 6.00pm & 8.00pm Church of Christ the King Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 1.00pm, 6.15pm & 8.00pm

yelling into the receiver in a roomful of people. Internet safety and etiquette starts with the central truth of this new form of communication: Whatever is posted online, everyone will eventually see it, and you will never be able to take it down. What does that mean for teens? First, if you wouldn’t want your mother, coach or principal seeing your status update, photo or link, do not post it online – ever. Even private pages and phones can be hacked, as some celebrities have discovered. It’s better to

SERANGOON Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Oct 31 : 6.30pm, 8.00pm (Mandarin) Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8.00pm Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Oct 31 : 8.00pm (no 6.15pm Mass) Nov 1 : 6.15am, 6.15pm & 8.00pm Church of St Francis Xavier Oct 31 : 7.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8.00pm St Anne’s Church Oct 31 : 8.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.15pm & 8.00pm Church of St Vincent De Paul Oct 31 : 8.00pm. No 6.00pm Mass Nov 1 : 7.00am, 6.00pm & 8.00pm

WEST Church of St Ignatius Oct 31 : 6.00pm Nov 1 : 7.00am, 6.00pm & 7.30pm Blessed Sacrament Church Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 7.00am, 8.30am, 6.00pm & 7.30pm Church of St Mary of the Angels Oct 31 : 6.30pm & 8.15pm Nov 1 : 6.55am, 1.15pm, 6.30pm & 8.15pm Church of St Francis of Assisi Oct 31 : 7.00pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 7.00pm (Mandarin) & 8.15pm Church of the Holy Cross Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.00pm, 7.30pm & 7.30pm (Mandarin in St Michael Room)

keep those things to yourself. Likewise, it’s really tempting to post that hilarious photo of you and your friends doing something that may not be completely legitimate – but before you tag away, think of what a future employer might think. A 2009 study by CareerBuilder.com found that 35 percent of employers decided not to offer a job to a candidate based on their Facebook or Twitter pro¿les. Are the comments you’re going to get on that photo worth risking a future possibility? Protect your digital rights online. Whenever you sign up for a service on the Web or get an account on a content-sharing site, read the usage agreement, even if it’s long and boring. Some services lay claim to rights to use your photos, words and creative expression however they want; others will access per-

sonal information and sell it. Make sure that what is yours stays yours. Resist the temptation to over share. Checking into Foursquare is the equivalent of going into a crowded coffeehouse and posting your whereabouts on the wall complete with blinking neon lights. Your friends and family will see it – and so will a whole bunch of strangers who may or may not have the best of intentions. Also, do not “friend” or add people whose identities you cannot verify in real life. Just like you wouldn’t hand over the keys of your brand-new car to a complete stranger, don’t hand over your personal information to someone you do not know. You don’t have to swear off technology completely to stay safe on the Internet and navigate our changing technological world. But, like those pioneers of the past, you do have to be smart. CNS

20 FAITH ALIVE!

Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

‘And with your spirit’ A look at a major change in the people’s response in the new missal By Fr Daniel Merz The most common liturgical dialogue for the congregation with the priest at Mass is the exchange: “The Lord be with you,” “And also with you.” Catholics know this response in their sleep, but it is the ¿rst major change in the Order of the Mass starting the ¿rst Sunday of Advent this year when the new translation of the Roman Missal goes into effect. Here is why. English is the only major European language that does not translate the Latin “Et cum spiritu tuo” as “And with your spirit”. The Greek liturgy of the Eastern Churches also employs the equivalent of “And with your spirit” in this dialogue between priest and assembly. The phrase “Et cum spiritu tuo” goes back to the beginning of Christianity. It has tradition, Scripture and theology behind it. Why, then, has the English used something different for the past 40 years, and what does this new version mean? The response “And with your spirit” sounds a bit strange to our modern ears, but its Latin and Greek equivalents were strange

also to the ancient world. “And with your spirit” is a phrase that was coined by the ¿rst disciples explicitly for Christian usage. “Spirit” is a gift from God to his people that raises us to a deeper relationship with God. In baptism and con¿rmation, for example, we received gifts of the

‘And with your spirit’ is a phrase that was coined by WKH ¿UVW GLVFLSOHV explicitly for Christian usage. Spirit that raised us to be children of God and members of the body of Christ. In the sacrament of Holy Orders, a new gift of the Spirit is bestowed on those being ordained. The episcopal ordination prayer asks God, for example, that the new bishop receive the “Spirit of governance”, which was given

to Christ, and which Christ gave to his apostles. The ordination prayer for priests asks: “Renew deep within him the Spirit of holiness” that he may “henceforth possess this of¿ce” of the priesthood. The prayer for deacons says: “Send forth upon him, Lord, we pray, the Holy Spirit, that he may be strengthened by the gift of your sevenfold grace for the faithful carrying out of the work of the ministry.” Given the petitions employed in these ordination prayers, it is noteworthy that the phrase “And with your spirit” is only used in response to an ordained minister. The “spirit” refers speci¿cally to the Spirit received in ordination. It is an af¿rmation by the assembly that the ordained minister has received the appropriate anointing with the Spirit to make him their leader in sacramental ministry. It is less about the person of the priest than about the of¿ce of the priesthood, which is supported and guaranteed by the Spirit of God given in ordination. Fr Merz is associate director of the US bishops’ Secretariat of Divine Worship.

Stained glass window depicting the Holy Spirit. CNS photo

Making connections between liturgy and Scripture By David M. O’Brien

The people’s new response, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof’ echoes the words of the centurion in Matthew 8:8.

Many changes in the new Roman Missal highlight the connections between the liturgy and Scripture. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Lamb of God. After the sign of peace, the people sing the Agnus Dei (“Lamb of God”) as the priest breaks the consecrated host. He follows the example of Christ, who repeatedly took bread, broke it and distributed it to those around him (Mt 14:19, Mk 14:22 and Lk 24:30). The priest then elevates the broken, sacred host, saying, according to the new translation: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.” At ¿rst glance, the change from “This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” seems insigni¿cant since

“this is” and “behold” mean nearly the same thing. “Behold,” however, directly quotes John the Baptist in the Gospel of John (1:29) as John sees Jesus coming toward him. Moreover, the word “behold” carries an imperative, commanding quality, as if to say: “Open your eyes to what is right in front of you!” “Behold” also recalls the chilling words of Pontius Pilate (Jn 19:5) when he presents the scourged Jesus to the bloodthirsty crowd, saying, “Behold, the man!” The crowd responds by demanding Jesus’ cruci¿xion. The second part of the priest’s words change from “Happy are those who are called to his supper” to “Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” Here the wedding banquet of the Lamb described in the Book of Revela-

tion (19:9) is evoked. The people’s response, according to the new translation, is: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” Formerly, the people said: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” The revision, however, picks up the exact words of the faith¿lled centurion from Matthew 8:8. In that episode, Jesus encounters the centurion, who petitions Him to heal his paralysed servant. Jesus sets off towards the centurion’s house, but the of¿cer objects. With great humility and faith, the of¿cer tells Jesus: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” The centurion, whom Jesus recognised for his faith, serves as an example of how to approach the great mystery of the Eucharist. We, too, are unworthy to have Jesus enter into our homes (our bodies). And yet, we trust in the mercy and power of Christ to heal us and to make us whole. O’Brien is adult faith formation director in the Archdiocese of Mobile in the US.

FAITH ALIVE! 21

Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

Mass changes will make us pay closer attention to the celebration By Fr Peter J Daly THE changes in some of the words at Mass will probably turn out to be a good thing. Here is why. First, they will make us pay more attention to the celebration of the Mass, at least for a while. Second, they will make us talk about the history and the development of the Mass. Third, they will be a better sign of the unity of the Church, at least in the Mass of the Roman rite. Those are all positive things, and like most priests, I want to accentuate the positive. By de¿nition, any ritual is routine. By frequent use, we run the risk of saying words automatically and without reÀection. Even though the changes in the Mass are relatively minor, they will make us more attentive. When the priest says, “The Lord be with you,” those in the pews will have to say, “And with your spirit.” The addition of the word “spirit” makes us aware of the spiritual quality of the greeting. It makes us conform to the translation in other languages. No doubt we will bumble around for a while. But we will be more aware of our words. Like most parishes, mine has laminated cards with the changes highlighted in bold print. For a while, we will be holding the cards and reading the words. After a while, it will become more natural. The National Catholic Reporter newspaper recently reported that Catholics in South Africa are now getting used to the new words after a rocky start more than a year ago. The same will happen in other places. The very strangeness of some of the new words will make us think about them. I doubt that anyone uses the word “consubstan-

tial” in everyday speech. The change will make us talk about the historical development of the creed – why it was important to the Greek fathers who wrote the Nicene Creed that we emphasise that the Christ is homo osseous (in Greek) “of the same substance” with the Father. They were trying to make it clear that Jesus, the Christ, is a co-equal member of the Blessed Trinity. He is not merely some exalted “creature”. Even seemingly trivial changes, such as changing “seen and unseen” to “visible and invisible” will make us think. God is the creator of things that we cannot see. It is not so much about our perception as it is about God’s creation. Some changes will make us more aware of Scripture. For example, at the invitation to Communion, the priest will say, “Behold the Lamb of God.” This is a direct allusion to John the Baptist when he sees Jesus near the Jordan. The congregation will reply, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,” making a direct allusion to the centurion in Matthew’s Gospel when he asks Jesus to heal his servant. All of these changes will make us more aware that we are part of a ritual that extends beyond our language and culture. The changes also bring us into better conformity with the other languages of the Roman rite. For instance, in the Con¿teor we will again say “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault” just as they do in Italian and Spanish. It is a better echo of the mea culpa of the Latin. It reminds us of our link to the Universal Church. The changes to the Mass are here. This might be a good chance to learn from them. CNS CNS photo

A page of the new Roman Missal showing the change in the people’s response.

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Sunday November 6, 2011 „ CatholicNews

Sunday November 6, 2011 „ CatholicNews

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Sunday November 6, 2011 CatholicNews

CHILDREN’S STORY:

By Joe Sarnicola The Pharisees wanted to trick Jesus into saying or doing something that they believed went against the laws of Moses, so they sent some of their disciples to ask Him speci¿c questions. “Teacher,” one of them asked, “we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” But Jesus was not easily fooled. “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” One of the men gave Jesus a Roman coin. Jesus held up the coin and asked, “Whose image is this and

whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus said, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” This wise answer amazed the men who were sent to trick Jesus. Later that day, a few Sadducees also had questions for Jesus about the resurrection. They tried to twist one of the laws of Moses. But Jesus answered, “And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” Again the people were amazed by the wisdom of Jesus’ answer. The Pharisees decided to try again to trap Jesus with His words. One of them said, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

St Gaudentius St Gaudentius (d. 410) received much of his education and religious training from St Philastrius, who was the bishop of Brescia. Although he was admired and respected by the members of the religious community and the people of his area, Gaudentius was very modest. He went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and hoped that while he was gone the people would realise that they could get along easily without him. However, while he was gone, St Philastrius died, and Gaudentius was named as the new bishop. He accepted the position and became more loved than ever. One of his wealthy parishioners, a man named Benivolus, was too sick to attend Mass and was not able to hear the wonderful sermons of Gaudentius. Gaudentius gave permission to have his sermons written down, so that Benivolus could at least read them, and some of these transcripts still survive. We honour St. Gaudentius on Oct 25.

PUZZLE

Jesus answered, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the ¿rst commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Then it was time for Jesus to ask a few questions to the Pharisees: “What is your opinion about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “David’s,” they answered. So Jesus asked, “How, then, does David, inspired by the Spirit,

call him ‘lord’ ...? If David calls him, ‘lord,’ how can he be his son?” The Pharisees could not answer Jesus, and they did not ask Him any more questions. Read more about it: Matthew 22 Q&A 1. What two groups tried to trick Jesus? 2. What is the greatest commandment?

Bible Accent: The Pharisees believed in a literal obedience to the laws of Moses, and they frequently criticised the more liberal and compassionate teachings of Jesus. As popular as Jesus was with the people, they also respected the Pharisees because they appeared to be holy followers of the religious laws. The Sadducees did not quite have the respect of the people. They were often rude to people in authority if they disagreed with their teachings, and they were especially critical of Jesus. Although the Sadducees are frequently mentioned in the New Testament at the same time as the Pharisees, they had many disagreements with the teachings of the Pharisees. They also felt that the Pharisees were their rivals in their desire for political and social power and control.

Fill in the following blanks with the numbers that go with the following words:

BIBLE TRIVIA:

1. _____ Commandments

4. _____ days of Lent

Which Old Testament man was given the Ten Commandments?

2. _____ Gospels

5. _____ Testaments in the Bible

3. _____ apostles

6. _____ Persons of the Holy Trinity

Answer to Bible Trivia: Moses. Answers to Puzzle: 1. 10,

2. 4,

3. 12,

4. 40,

5. 2,

6. 3

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