Catholic News issue 22, 2017

SUNDAY OCTOBER 29, 2017

SINGAPORE $0.70 CENTS / WEST MALAYSIA RM$2.10

MCI (P) 010/08/2017

PPS 201/04/2013 (022940)

‘Follow Mary’s example of faith’

VOL 67

NO. 22

INSIDE COMMENTARY Teen sex and condoms A look at the issues n Page 11

... says Msgr Philip Heng at closing centennial Mass of Our Lady of Fatima ASIA

Prayers for Winter Olympics in S Korea As tensions grow between US and N Korea n Page 12

WORLD

Keep migrant families together Vatican official tells UN n Page 14

POPE FRANCIS Death penalty ‘contrary to Gospel’

Catechism needs to be more explicit against capital punishment: pope n Page 16

OPINION

The statue of Our Lady of Fatima being carried in procession on Oct 13 at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.

By Jared Ng There was a strong sense of anticipation among the 2,500-strong crowd gathered for the closing centennial Mass of Our Lady of Fatima on Oct 13.

Some had arrived at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd four hours early for the special celebration and the building was packed about two hours before Mass started.

Some were seen in deep prayer while others knelt before the statue of Our Lady of Fatima near the sanctuary.

Cathedral rector Msgr Philip Heng, in his homily, urged people to “follow Mary’s example of faith to God.” “She was willing to say ‘yes’ to God in obedience to His will,” said Msgr Heng, referring to the Annunciation.

“We as Christians, must live

like Our Lady; have the faith to believe that the impossible can become possible,” he said. And when doubt arises, to remember what Archangel Gabriel said to Mary: “Do not be afraid.”

“We must not be afraid ... and learn to let go and let God transform our lives,” Msgr Heng said,

Christians, must live like our Lady; ‘We as have the faith to believe that the impossible can become possible.’

– Msgr Philip Heng

adding that “God will not fail. He will not disappoint us.”

Msgr Heng also spoke about the “sins and discouraging influences that keep us away from God,” some of which were addiction to gambling, pornography and alcohol.

He urged everyone present to pray for healing and a conversion of heart for themselves and those who they knew were struggling with these addictions and temptations. n Continued on Page 10

Care for the wounds of humanity Says pontiff in Mission Sunday message n Page 18

ALL SAINTS’ DAY MASS SCHEDULE n Page 19

2 HOME

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

Domestic workers’ ministry holds 50th graduation ceremony

By Jared Ng

Archbishop William Goh congratulating a domestic helper for completing a baking course.

“I feel really happy and have enjoyed my time here,” said Ms Jelly Rose Opiaza, a Filipino domestic helper.

She was speaking to Catholic News at the 50th graduation ceremony of the Filipino Ongoing Development Programme (FILODEP).

FILODEP aims to provide pastoral care for domestic helpers through skills training courses such as baking, cooking, dressmaking, English classes, taekwondo and hairstyling.

Ms Opiaza was one of 250 who graduated from such courses this year on Oct 15. The event was held at the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) House of Prayer and Formation.

FMM Sr Rosalind Chan has helmed the programme since 1995.

“Sr Rosalind has been with me throughout this journey and I am really grateful to her,” said Ms Opiaza, who has been in Singapore for 30 years.

She learned how to play the guitar during the FILODEP course held from February to October.

FILODEP was founded in November 1988 by the FMM Sisters.

The programme initially catered to Filipinos, however since 1995, it was extended to domestic helpers from other countries such as India, Indonesia and Myanmar.

Ms Serly Rembaen, an Indonesian domestic helper for three years, echoed the sentiments of Ms Opiaza, saying the programme was “ really good for me and I feel very happy.”

Ms Rembaen learned basic English during her time in FILODEP. Archbishop William Goh and Mr Antonio A. Morales, Philippine ambassador to Singapore, were among the guests at the event.

Others included employers of the graduates, many of them Caucasians.

Sr Rosalind, in her speech said, “God continues to journey and bless us in FILODEP.” To date, “there have been

13,616 graduates” who have gone through the programme, Sr Rosalind added.

She thanked the volunteers of whom some are domestic workers themselves for their help in teaching the courses.

In his speech, Archbishop Goh said that besides providing skills training, FILODEP is also a “holistic programme that promotes inclusivity.”

These domestic helpers of “different nationalities have a place that helps their faith and also provides a sense of community,” said Archbishop Goh. Counselling and guidance from the FMM Sisters is also available, he added.

Sr Rosalind Chan speaking during the Oct 15 event.

He reminded employers to treat their employees well and to be “concerned for their welfare.”

Also, “encourage your domestic workers to attend the [FILODEP] programme because not only will it benefit them, but through the courses, they can give more and work better,” he said.

During the event, certificates were handed out to those who had completed their courses.

There were also performances including dances, songs, fashion shows and a taekwondo performance.

To find out more about FILODEP, email rosalind.fmm@ gmail.com or call 6473-7324. n jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

Graduates from the taekwondo class put on a performance at the 50th graduation ceremony of the Filipino Ongoing Development Programme.

BUILDING THE CHURCH OF TOMORROW 3

Sunday October 29, 2017  CatholicNews

26 Nov 2016 - 30 Sep 2017

Giving in Faith & Thankfulness gift campaign report The Catholic Foundation’s Giving in Faith & Thankfulness (GIFT) campaign is a rallying call to all Catholics in Singapore to support the vision of the archdiocese to be a more vibrant, missionary and evangelistic Church. Every individual is challenged to pledge a monthly monetary contribution for the archdiocese’s operational and building needs. Launched in Advent 2016, this regular giving campaign by the Catholic Foundation seeks to help raise $238.1 million for the needs of the archdiocese over the next seven years. This is where we are at today.

amount currently raised and needed Annual Target

$34.1 million Raised To Date

$10.7 million

breakdown of contributions by parish

Since the launch of the GIFT campaign on 26 November 2016, a total of $10.7 million has been raised for the archdiocese.

This will go a long way towards funding the pastoral plan of the archdiocese, for which $238.1 million will be needed by the end of 2023.

However, the support of more Catholics is still needed in order to reach the fundraising target.

how the money has helped so far organisations office for young people Contributions have helped fund the programmes and outreach efforts of numerous organisations in the archdiocese.

One such organisation is the Office for Young People (OYP). OYP reaches out to young people between 16 and 35 years old, and strives to meet their growing pastoral needs in the archdiocese.

From 29 July to 6 August this year, OYP sent a group of 15 youth delegates for the 7th Asian Youth Day (AYD) in Indonesia. The delegates, four of whom were OYP staff, were accompanied by OYP Chaplains, Fr Jude David and Fr Brian D’Souza.

The delegates joined over 2,000 Catholics from

OYP delegates sent for the 7th Asian Youth Day. Photo: OYP

other Asian countries to explore the theme of being “Joyful Asian Youth: Living the Gospel in Multicultural Asia.”

other organisations Funds have also helped other archdiocesan organisations involved in areas such as the youth, migrants, faith formation, evangelisation, and many others. Visit gift.catholicfoundation.sg to learn more about archdiocesan organisations such as these:

Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore

Office for the New Evangelisation

Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools

Archdiocesan Commission for the Family

Office for Catechesis

buildings bethany east

Residence before the renovation started.

Bethany East currently under renovation.

Artist impression of the completed project.

There are roughly 160 priests in the Archdiocese of Singapore today, of which a third have been in the priesthood for more than 30 years. With an expected rise in the number of retired priests in the near future, the archdiocese has begun the construction of Bethany East, a residence for retired priests.

Renovation of the property will cost $3.1 million, and will turn the previously private residence into a 7,000 sq ft, two-storey detached residence for retired priests. It has been optimally designed to be elderly friendly and will have lifts for easier access. It will also have a prayer room and en-suite bathrooms for each bedroom.

Bethany East will be located along Changi Road, a stone’s throw away from the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, where the priests can continue to play an active role in the community.

When completed in 2018, Bethany East will be able to accomodate about eight retired priests.

CITY DISTRICT Cathedral of the Good Shepherd Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Church of St Alphonsus (Novena Church) Church of St Bernadette Church of St Michael Church of Sts Peter & Paul Church of St Teresa Church of the Sacred Heart St Joseph’s Church (Victoria Street)

Nov’16 - Sep’17 $2,348,936 $40,892 $45,726 $254,462 $145,907 $65,729 $144,441 $143,223 $75,362

EAST DISTRICT Church of Divine Mercy Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church of St Stephen Church of the Holy Family Church of the Holy Trinity

$195,264 $493,043 $278,038 $82,529 $397,146 $273,601

NORTH DISTRICT Church of Christ the King Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church of St Anthony Church of the Holy Spirit Church of the Risen Christ St Joseph’s Church (Bukit Timah)

$339,833 $98,187 $122,567 $572,147 $263,480 $226,658

SERANGOON DISTRICT Church of St Francis Xavier Church of St Vincent de Paul Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church of the Transfiguration St Anne’s Church

$355,626 $302,492 $415,953 $325,361 $13,390 $217,653

WEST DISTRICT Blessed Sacrament Church Church of St Francis of Assisi Church of St Ignatius Church of St Mary of the Angels Church of the Holy Cross

$171,364 $105,984 $615,236 $322,886 $472,173

OTHERS Contributions not identifiable to a parish

$798,019

TOTAL

$10,723,308

your involvement matters

pray

act

give

visit gift.catholicfoundation.sg or pick up a gift envelope today to play your part in the mission of our church I dream of a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, language and structures can be channelled for the evangelisation of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation.

Pope Francis, 2013, Evangelii Gaudium 27

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Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

A musical tribute to Our Lady of Fatima As a tribute to the centennial anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, the Vox Cordis Chorus (VCC) performed a wide genre of songs to inspire faith, hope and charity.

The Oct 7 and 14 music performances highlighted Mary’s earthly walk with Jesus and aimed to help the audience reflect upon her unfailing service to God. During the concert at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd on Oct 7, conductor Lucia Kusuma Wardani Tirta Pratiwi led the choir in presenting songs such as Hassler’s late-Renaissance “Dixit Maria”, Schubert’s Romantic “Magnificat”, and Karl Jenkin’s

contemporary “And The Mother Did Weep”.

Accompanied by the 1912 pipe organ, Singapore’s oldest pipe organ, each song was selected to highlight a mystery of the rosary.

The fifth Luminous Mystery, the institution of the Eucharist, was represented by Arboleda’s “Anima Christi” – a rendition of the 14th century prayer that meditates upon Christ’s passion and its place at the centre of our lives.

The Vox Cordis Chorus choir performed songs which highlighted the different mysteries of the rosary. Photo: DAVID WIRAWAN

“It was truly beautiful,” said Mr Lawrence Pushpam, an audience member, adding that it was a very meditative experience.

A second musical tribute was held at Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (OLPS) on Oct 14.

The two-hour concerts were ten months in the making. The choir

The music performances highlighted Mary’s earthly walk with Jesus.

felt they wanted to serve through music as well as to contribute to the Church in tangible ways.

All proceeds from the event were donated to the archdiocese’s GIFT Campaign. The Giving in Faith & Thankfulness (GIFT) campaign is a fundraising initiative of the Catholic Foundation to support the archdiocese.

This was not the first charity event by VCC. The choir previously raised funds for the Roslin Orphanage located in East Timor through the “Once Upon a Tree”

Easter Concert in 2013 as well as for Duke-NUS Project Dove Overseas Medical Mission in Cambodia through the “The Joy of the Gospel” concert in 2015.

VCC was formed in 2012 by a group of Catholic Indonesians based in Singapore. The name Vox Cordis (which means the voice of the heart) was chosen to represent their spirit in singing, ie. that is to sing from the heart, to profess their faith, and to share the love.

VCC regularly serves at OLPS. n

SJI Foundation’s partnership with Christ’s College The St Joseph’s Institution Foundation for the Lasallian Mission (The SJI Foundation) has established the SJI Foundation – Christ’s College Cambridge Scholarship Programme in partnership with Christ’s College, Cambridge, UK. Under the programme, which is expected to run for 20 years, the SJI Foundation will award up to two scholarships per annum to selected candidates to pursue a full-time undergraduate degree at Christ’s College.

According to a press release from the SJI Foundation,

the scholarships will each provide funding of up to £20,000 (S$36,000) per annum for the duration of certain courses available at the University of Cambridge.

Applicants must have completed their IB Diploma at St Joseph’s Institution or St Joseph’s Institution International in Singapore and must apply directly to Christ’s College.

Through the scholarships, the SJI Foundation aims to assist and nurture exceptional individuals with drive and passion in realising their full potential. Over time, it is

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anticipated that the scholars will also become the future leaders of Singapore in their respective fields and contribute to society for the benefit of the wider community.

Applications are now open for eligible students who are applying to Christ’s College for the academic year commencing in October 2018. Interested applicants can download the application form from the SJI Foundation website at www.sjifoundation.org For more information, please contact Cheng Kai at CKGan@ duanemorrisselvam.com n

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Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

Promoting a culture of peace, harmony: a Christian view Recognise the principle of “unity in ligions and cultures. We must be proactive in appreciating what is diversity” and engage in dialogue.

These were some points of- good, holy and noble in others’ fered by Archbishop William Goh faith and culture.”

However, this means that peoin a paper titled Christian Perspective: Promoting Culture of ple must be honest with their own Peace and Harmony in Singapore. beliefs and values. “We need to The paper was read out by recognise and acknowledge that Msgr Philip Heng at an Oct 14 we differ,” Msgr Heng read out.

“In such situations, we need to interfaith roundtable discussion, which saw various religious lead- articulate our views clearly without ers speaking on the topic, Towards condemning others who think differently. In expressing our identity, Better Inter-faith Relations.

Unity and peace among peo- we should always respect other reples is one of the most important ligious traditions and cultures.”

The third principle of unity, he aspirations of every human person and community, Msgr Heng, Sin- noted, is the need to engage each gapore archdiocese’s vicar general other in dialogue, which should for interreligious relations, read out take place on three levels.

The first is a during the event. dialogue of “cul“What is the We must be ture and life”. real cause of the “This is where proactive in lack of unity we share our among peoples? appreciating what culture and our It is the wrong or is good, holy and common love for narrow perception humanity, in helpof seeing unity as noble in others’ ing the poor and uniformity,” said faith and culture. in works of charMsgr Heng durity. We too should ing the discussion, – Msgr Philip Heng, which was part of reading out Archbishop Goh’s work together to promote family a two-day internapaper on peace and harmony life and family valtional conference on the role of Muslim NGOs in ues such as care for children, elderly and the sick,” Msgr Heng read out. promoting a culture of peace.

The second level is the dia“The mistake of leaders is in thinking that unity is uniformity, logue of faith.

“This dialogue should begin and then trying to impose one common faith, values and culture with the sharing of faith experiences and encounters,” said Msgr on all,” said Msgr Heng.

He noted that when faith and Heng. “The whole purpose of values are imposed, there is bound sharing and faith testimony is so to be a negative reaction, resent- that we can strengthen our quest for God and promote fraternal ment and opposition.

Quoting from Archbishop Goh’s unity among all peoples.”

Finally, people need to be strong message, Msgr Heng said the first principle to promote a culture of and persevere in building unity in peace and harmony is to recognise diversity. “We must desire to see the truth and be sincere in searching for “the principle of unity in diversity”.

“Diverse cultures and faiths the fullness of truth together with need not divide us if we learn to other believers,” said Msgr Heng.

The conference was organised expand our horizons in looking at people who are different from us by Jamiyah Singapore, also known as a boon and not a bane,” he said. as Muslim Missionary Society The second principle of unity Singapore, in cooperation with the is that “we must foster what is Islamic Educational Scientific and common among the different re- Cultural Organisation. n

‘

’

Msgr Philip Heng speaking at an interfaith roundtable discussion on Oct 14.

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Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

Encountering God’s Love As A Family A Singapore family who spent three weeks with a Catholic mission in a poor, remote Kenyan region shares the highs and lows of the eye-opening trip with Tee Hun Ching.

After Adrian Tee visited a Catholic mission in Kenya with his wife Jennifer in 2010, they promised to return with their three daughters.

But work and life got in the way.

Due to financial constraints, the family decided this year that the trip would be postponed yet again. The three girls – Leah, 17, Christiane, 15, and Trina, 13 – were disappointed but understanding.

Then God intervened.

Jennifer recalls how Christiane announced one day that she would skip a school trip to Japan in June, as she was convinced the family would be travelling to Kenya then.

Stunned by her faith, her parents prayed and trusted in the Lord to fulfil their wish. A few days later, they received an e-mail that allowed them to fly to Kenya using the air miles on their credit cards. Soon after, they won a few thousand dollars in the 4-D lottery.

“We took these as a clear sign from God that He was making this trip possible,” says Jennifer, 44.

Pushed to the limit In early June, the family headed to Nariokotome, a village in Turkana where the Missionary Community of St Paul the Apostle (MCSPA) have their headquarters.

MCSPA is made up of priests and lay volunteers who devote their lives to helping marginalised communities in remote places.

Turkana is Kenya’s second largest county and one of its hottest and poorest regions.

While glad for the basic but adequate guest rooms at MCSPA, the three teenagers found themselves pushed to their limits at the start of their three-week stay.

“The first two nights were the toughest as it was so hot and stuffy,” Leah recounts. “I broke down on the second night.”

Christiane recalls being “on the verge of screaming most of the time” as they constantly dodged and swatted away the myriad flies, moths, wasps and spiders that plagued them.

After a week, however, they found ways to cope.

“I pretended that the moths were butterflies,” says Trina. “I

they soon began to dread leaving.

“I am very proud that they overcame many of their fears and made the best out of the trip,” says Jennifer. “They also expressed the desire to do more if they could turn back time.”

The missionaries’ compassion and selflessness have reminded the girls to be of service to others. While few can become missionaries, they

believe everyone can do God’s work.

Citing a Mother Teresa motto, “Do small things with great love”, Christiane says, “By doing small acts of kindness, we, too, can do our part to help others in need.”

Visit catholicfamily.org.sg/famfare to see more photos and other details.

My Family Moment

(From left) Trina, Christiane and Leah mingling with the local children as they tagged along with the missionaries in Turkana

“Do small things with great love”, Christiane says, “By doing small acts of kindness, we, too, can do our part to help others in need.” decided to pay attention to more important things.”

The family soon settled into a routine. They usually started the day with a dip in a nearby dam and went to bed after watching a movie with the MCSPA folks. The outdoor movie screening is the only form of entertainment at the Nariokotome mission.

Doing their part In between, the Tees would visit the schools, dispensaries and garden plots set up by MCSPA and contribute in their own ways.

Jennifer helped out in the kitchen, while the girls did data entry work for MCSPA’s healthcare programme. Adrian helped to patch Nariokotome’s spotty wireless network.

“I would never dare consider our brief experience as mission work. We were the ones who

were evangelised because we overcame our misconceptions and prejudices, seeing how people who have so little can remain so joyful.” says Adrian.

“On one occasion, the missionaries invited me to give a sharing about the Sacrament of the Eucharist. I was deeply moved by their humility. The experience of faith became real to us.”

With no Internet connection, the family spent more time chatting and praying together.

“We became closer. The heat, discomfort and basic amenities also compelled us to step up to help one another. We took turns to do the laundry and dishes,” says Adrian. “Encountering God and the work of His Church as a family was a unique experience.”

The girls, too, look back fondly on the trip. While they wanted to shorten it initially,

The Choong Family

Jason and Andrea Choong from the Couple Empowerment Programme share their favourite memories of being family...

When we were asked to write about our favourite family event or moment, we struggled as there were so many. But after much reflection, we concluded that our special moments are the times when we serve together as a family.

We have 4 girls – Marilyn, 16; Kristen, 14; Shannen, 11; Caitlin, 10. Since they were young, we have been been serving together in various family groups – Couples For Christ (CFC), Couple Empowerment Programme (CEP), Infant Baptism and Family Life Ministry (FLM).

When the girls were between 4 to 8 years old, they started helping with small tasks at Infant Baptism - put up flowers and name tags on the pews, carry the baskets, etc. When they got bored, we took the opportunity to

explain to them that service is an intentional act of love and not giving in to temptations to choose otherwise. They continued to help, sometimes grudgingly, but we still give thanks for their effort.

As they grew older, they served at the FLM games booth, joined the Choir, and helped with childminding at the CEP. These days it is harder to serve together as a family due to their busy schedules but we are proud to see that they carry the values with them.

Throughout the years, the community reminds us that as parents, our duty is to lead our children back to our heavenly father and we can only do that when our children are brought up with good values. We are still working hard at it and we pray for God’s guidance in our vocation as spouse and parents.

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Man on a Mission

Fr Francis Teo, who was born in Malaysia and studied in Singapore under the Asean Scholarship, tells Tee Hun Ching how he came to be a missionary in Africa

Fr Francis blessing the altar boys at a mass in Kokuselei village in Turkana.

Smart, bold and driven, the law undergraduate at the National University of Singapore seemed destined for a bright future.

Then a devastating famine struck Ethiopia in the mid-1980s and started Fr Francis Teo on his quest for a more purposeful life.

This quest eventually led him to the Missionary Community of St Paul the Apostle (MCSPA), a Public Association of the Faithful in the Church, in Turkana, an impoverished region in north-western Kenya.

MCSPA now runs 10 missions in four African countries and a formation house in Metro Manila, Philippines, which Fr Francis helms.

Now, 30 years on, he says, “I’ve never regretted my decision to choose a different path.”

Why did you drop out of law school after two years?

I was in spiritual and emotional turmoil. I travelled to Turkey and hitchhiked across Europe during my first year. The following year, I trekked across the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan.

I found it hard to return to face four walls. I felt a deep emptiness and lost interest in my studies and prospects of life as a lawyer.

Why Africa, of all places?

Ethiopia was the hardest hit

when famine struck East Africa.

We at NUS did our part to help but I wanted to do more. After I failed my second-year final exams, I decided to go to Africa.

Then came the movie, The Mission. I thought: How could I be content with what I had without doing anything for the many who had less?

How did you come to join MCSPA? A friend sent me a list of 23 Catholic missions in Africa. I wrote to all but only the Bishop of Lodwar Diocese in Turkana replied. He invited me to work at a mission on the border with Ethiopia.

I felt at home instantly with the community there. The Spanish priest who started the mission, Fr Paco, was never indifferent to the needs and suffering of others. Through him, I began to understand the Gospels.

How did your parents react?

They weren’t happy. There were many reasons to object: my prospects, the dangers.

I hung a large map of Africa on their wall so they could follow my movement. Phone calls were expensive, so I wrote long letters.

Years later, I learnt that my dad looked forward to news from me.

What about your decision to enter the priesthood?

That was a real problem. I remember my father pleading with me, “Be a priest here!” But I argued that my roots were in Turkana.

I was ordained in 1997 but my parents couldn’t be present because my father had bone cancer. A month before he died in August 1999, my sister called to say his condition was serious. Paco insisted that I return, and I spent a few weeks in the hospital with my dad.

One night, he got out of bed and shuffled towards the mirror.

Then he said, “Son, if I had to live my life all over again, I would be a priest like you.” I was moved to tears. He went on to say, he could see that everything he had done

Parents, families and friends are welcome to this Memorial to honour their children who are now with the angels and saints in heaven.

For more information please see www.facebook.com/pg/PietaSingapore/events For enquiries, email pieta.singapore@gmail.com

What does Mission Sunday mean to you?

Not everyone can go on mission trips or give up everything to be a missionary. But Mission Sunday is World Mission Sunday.

We need to look beyond our family and friends, parish, religion, race and even nation, allowing “the joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties” (Gaudium et Spes, 1) to be our joys and hopes, our griefs and anxieties. This day reminds us that we are Catholic, universal, and to be open to God speaking to us in the lives of peoples near and far.

See more photos and details on catholicfamily.org.sg/famfare.

View videos on the MCSPA on http://mcspa.org/videos.

Caritas Singapore is the official social and community arm of the Catholic Church in Singapore, and the umbrella body for 25 Catholic charities whose work touches the lives of more than 50,000 beneficiaries regardless of race, language or religion.

These charities support a wide array of causes such as the poor, children, youth at risk, families, prisoners, elderly, sick, people with life-limiting illnesses, people with HIV/AIDS, those with disabilities, migrant workers, people with legal and medical needs.

Through more than 70 programmes run by our member organisations, we hope to be the visible sign of God’s love for humanity, witnessed

by Catholics living the principles and values of the Catholic Social Teaching (CST).

Families and individuals who are interested to find ways to share God’s love may wish to: • Participate in formation programmes organized by Caritas Singapore to learn about the Catholic Social Teaching which underpins the work they do;

• Volunteer your time and talent with Caritas Singapore and/ or any of their 25 member organisations by signing up on www.caritas-singapore.org/ volunteer-sign-up.

Not sure where you can serve?

You can still submit your interest via the link above and Caritas Singapore will be in touch with you.

Caritas Singapore W: www.caritas-singapore. org |E: info@caritassingapore.org | T: 6339 3448

For a list of family events in the Archdiocese visit

catholicfamily.org.sg/events

December 24

10 November (Friday), 7pm Good Shepherd Place Chapel, Toa Payoh Lorong 8

While it might appear that my mother has “lost” two sons to Africa because my brother and I have our respective missions there, I think she has “won” so many other sons and daughters from Africa and beyond.

What lessons have your daily encounters with the poor and marginalised taught you?

The indomitable human spirit to survive, to improve.

Also, the amount of good that can be achieved when each of us brings our five loaves and two fishes.

Sharing God’s Love With All

November

Memorial Mass for Children who have Died

Has your family visited you in Africa?

My mother and her sisters visited us in Turkana in 2012. In the last four years, she has been visiting us at our formation house in Metro Manila. She spends much of her time shopping with our Kenyan seminarians for foodstuff and teaching them to clean and store the items and to cook.

One night, he got out of bed and shuffled towards the mirror. Then he said, “Son, if I had to live my life all over again, I would be a priest like you.” I was moved to tears.

Catholic Family Events in November - December 2017 10

didn’t matter. Only the good that one had done did.

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CHOICE Weekend 24 - 26 November, Friday 7pm - Sunday 6:30pm CHOICE Retreat House, 47 Jurong West Street 42, Singapore 649368 CHOICE is for single young adults aged between 18 – 40 years old (Catholics and NonCatholics) seeking for some time to re-examine the values, lifestyle and relationships in their own lives. registration@choice.org.sg Hillary (9790 0537) Carrie (9671 6695) Francesca (9710 9680)

1

Pieta Monthly Support Session for Bereaved Parents 28 November (Tuesday), 7.30pm - 9pm Agape Village, 7A Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, Singapore 319264 We meet as a group of bereaved parents to find mutual support through prayer, scripture and sharing of experiences.

No need to register, just walk in.

Pieta.singapore@gmail.com facebook.com/PietaSingapore

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Marriage Encounter Weekend 1 - 3 December (Friday - Sunday), 8pm - 6pm Marriage Encounter House, 201B Punggol 17th Avenue, Singapore 829651 Discover the weekend that has been transforming marriages all over the world for more than 40 years.

Pieta Monthly Support Session for Bereaved Parents 26 December (Tuesday), 7.30pm - 9pm Agape Village, 7A Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, Singapore 319264

For couples married two years and above.

We meet as a group of bereaved parents to find mutual support through prayer, scripture and sharing of experiences.

Programme starts Friday (8pm) and ends Sunday (6pm).

No need to register, just walk in.

wwmesg.org/me-weekend-selector to book a weekend.

Pieta.singapore@gmail.com facebook.com/PietaSingapore

This section is produced by the Archdiocesan Commission for the Family and is published on the last issue of each month. For more information on Catholic family life matters, visit catholicfamily.org.sg.

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Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

TESTIMONY

& THANKSGIVING

TREASURE#8

Led by Father Jude David, the chaplain of OYP, Treasure 8 saw young working adults from past retreats and OYP’s young adult communities ministering to participants in most aspects of the retreat, including the conducting of sessions and sharing of powerful testimonies to complement God’s message of love at each session.

him go.”’ (John 11: 44).

Just as Lazarus emerged from the tomb after resurrection, Father Jude challenged the participants to visit the stench (sins) within their tombs, leave their binds (vices) behind, and follow God’s will. Father Jude reminded participants that God wants the whole of their being. Otherwise, “you are in the most dangerous place if your life is left in your hands”, he urged. Kathleen David, 26, from the Church of the Holy Family Young Adults community, experienced this message profoundly, “I came into the retreat having certain preconceptions about what I needed to be healed from and

closer to Him.” As difficult as the challenges were, the fruits of the personal encounters were rewarding for the participants.

“I came to this retreat feeling numb and indifferent.”, said another participant from Church of St Mary of the Angels, Isabella Tay, 30. “(The retreat) allowed me to discover the most fundamental reason for my numbness in life and how I have lost the sense of joy in my life.

During the session with sacrament of reconciliation and praying over, I gained the courage to surrender it to God and through the process, my heart for the first time, felt alive, light and peaceful.”

“

you are in the most dangerous place if your life is left in your own hands

“

by Jane Quek Treasure, a young adults’ encounter retreat organised by the Office for Young People (OYP), saw a record-breaking 130 participants at its eighth run (31st August to 3rd September 2017).

Priscilla Ng, 26, from the Holy Family Young Adults community, said the encounter left her desiring a deeper intimacy with God and to testify of God’s love to others, “I have a greater desire to have a deeper relationship with God so that I can go on to spread His love to the people around me. It is only through encountering Him with such intimacy that I can tell people how wonderful my God is, and how beautiful His love is for all creation!”

These intimate and transformative experiences were not limited to participants. The service team members were also inspired in different ways. Esther Goh, 29, from Church of St Anthony, shared her powerful experience with the intercessory team, “Having served as a facilitator (previously), I thought that no other service team role would allow me as powerful an experience as that. Yet, a single prayer is so much more powerful than any amount of human words. Intercessory made me feel so close to the other prayer warriors in the team, the participants, and most importantly, to God.”

Fr Jude preaching

Our amazing and joyful F&B team

Brandon Chin, 33, from the Seven Graces community, shared how he was humbled by God’s grace while preparing himself for his session. “All the Lord needed was my ‘Yes’ and my willingness to be an instrument for His glory.” He said, “Following the lead of the Holy Spirit during the session was a leap of faith. However, from the testimonies at the end of the session, it was evident that many lives were healed and hearts set free by the Holy Spirit. I am in awe at the power and works of the Lord.”

Jaime Lye, 25, a Protestant participant, shared how she was more appreciative of her relationship with Jesus through listening to the testimonies, “God has challenged me to take my relationship with Him more seriously through Father Jude’s messages and the powerful testimonies shared by community members. I am also thankful for having experienced deep and genuine fellowship with my group members.”

The resurrection of Lazarus (John 11: 1 – 44) was the central scriptural message for the retreat. The passage speaks of faith in the perceived absence of God and choosing to leave behind the vices that binds us. Community was also presented as an important component in overcoming sin as Jesus enlisted the help of others to free Lazarus: ‘So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let

FINAL Correct Size.indd 2-3

Praise & worship

how I needed to be healed. However, He knows me better than I know myself and showed me that the greatest danger is letting my life lie in my own hands instead of God’s. He is in command of my life, and my experience has inspired me to seek permanent transformation and conversion in my life.”

Samuel Bernadi, 26, from St Joseph’s Church (Bukit Timah), shared that it was hard to surrender but God was patient with His invitation, “The Lord kept calling me to give my all, my very being through the sessions, adoration, praying over. As difficult as it may be, the Lord is inviting me to trust him and to start cooperating with His Grace to make the right decisions at every point of my life. And that’s what I’m going to do.”

In one of the sessions, participants were challenged to reflect on their image of God and their desire for a personal encounter with Jesus. Desmond Seah, 32, from Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea, recounted how God reached out to him through his experiences with ministry, “During one of the adoration sessions, I surrendered previous hurts and weariness from serving in ministry, and felt a tremendous sense of relief and reassurance that I could trust in His Love. Such personal encounters with the Lord stirred my yearning to grow

Brothers during cell group sharing

Frances Gan, 31, from the Church of St Bernadette, strongly felt God’s love through her role as a facilitator, “I can say I am a witness to His love that can break down walls, heal hearts, (and) speak to souls. He also revealed my insecurities and walked me out of my inward-looking self, to see beyond, towards Him and His church.”

The next run of TREASURE retreat will be in 2018. More details will be released towards the end of the year. Make sure to follow us on our social media channels to stay updated!

9

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

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

THANKSGIVING & TESTIMONY

7 WAYS TO REVAMP YOUR PRAYER LIFE

POLY LEADERS RETREAT 2017

by Natasha Chandra Students from various Catholic polytechnic communities gathered at the Office for Young People (OYP) for the third run of the Combined Polytechnic Leaders Retreat, held from 21st to 24th September 2017. The retreat, organized for current and potential poly leaders, saw many grow in their relationship with the Lord.

The theme for this retreat was from Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” The retreat focused on helping participants to grow in their identity in the Lord, and gain an understanding of what it means to be made whole in Him. Many participants

A highlight of the retreat was a para liturgy where participants were invited to take a walk towards Christ, picking up pebbles that represented the wounds in their hearts along the way. As they surrendered these to the Lord in prayer, the words of brokenness on the pebbles were replaced with the truth, “God’s love”. This left many impacted by the Lord’s love for them; that truly “He heals the wounds of every shattered heart”, as proclaimed by Nicole Xiao, 17, from Singapore Polytechnic. The retreat also served as an important reminder that the Lord continues to walk with each of them, despite their struggles and brokenness.

by Amanda Er Often we may find ourselves struggling with prayer, not knowing what to say, what to do or constantly finding it impossible to be still. If that is your struggle, you’ll be relieved to know that prayer is not as restrictive as you may think. There are many creative ways to pray and add a whole new richness and depth to prayer life. Here are 7 Ways to Revamp Your Prayer Life!

1. Prayer Wall

Just as the name suggests, a prayer wall is simply a wall filled with prayers. You can choose to dedicate a section of your bedroom wall (or a wall in the living room if you plan to do this as a family activity) to this prayer station. Get creative! You are free to use anything as your prayer wall, be it a fridge, tree, or even household items. Pin prayers onto your wall, and watch it fill up over time. As your prayers are answered, you may replace your answered prayer with a thanksgiving prayer. The prayer wall will become your source of joy and hope, as our faithful Lord is one who says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7 2. Promise Jar The participants and service team together with Fr Brian D’Souza

Walking towards Christ during The River of Life para liturgy

shared that they left the retreat feeling renewed in their relationship with God. Throughout the duration of the retreat, students experienced different forms of prayer and worship of the Lord – from partaking in the daily Eucharist and adoring the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, to praising Him through music. They also started each day with prayer as a community using scripture (Lectio Divina), and ended the day in reflection with the Examen prayer, a first for many participants. Coming back this year to serve as a facilitator, Nigel Chowdhurie, 22, from Republic Polytechnic shared, “I was exposed to and learnt new ways of spending time with the Lord.”

The retreat led participants into a deeper understanding and encounter of God’s personal love for each of them. As the retreat unfolded, participants learnt and reflected about their identity in the Lord. They were also reminded of the immense love that God the Father has for each of them. Many then took steps to return to the Lord, and experienced His love and mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Participants also experienced the power of prayer and community, as their deepest struggles were taken to prayer during prayer ministry.

Participants giving their testimony

Constance, 17, from Nanyang Polytechnic shared her takeaway, “I have learnt to put the Lord in the center of all I do, (knowing) that He is with me always. All I have to do is believe in how much He loves me.”

The retreat also fostered a sense of greater community. Students from the various polytechnics spent much time in fellowship through mealtimes as well as games.

Participants and service team alike also took turns to tidy communal areas, which allowed them to take ownership of their shared space while getting to know one another. There was also time for cell groups, facilitating a more intimate sharing of lives. This served as an encouraging reminder to the participants that they were not alone in their struggles.

The retreat ended with an important call to live as disciples of Christ. On a more personal note, what impacted me the most in the retreat was the empowerment prayer on the last day. It reminded me of why I serve, and inspired me to re-dedicate my life to Him! The song ‘Here I Am’ really resonated with me and I was once again affirmed of the truth that I could trust in His plan for all areas of my life. Amen!

A promise jar is meant to be filled with God’s promises to us. These are reminders of God’s love and faithfulness in our lives. When our sin and humanness distort our vision of God and of ourselves, these jars can serve as a reminder of the truth in our lives and shine light into the darkness of our hearts. Fill it with encouraging words, bible verses, song lyrics, poems, pictures or even messages from the Lord. Come back and read them whenever you need a pick me up!

3. Colour in Rosary The rosary is a favoured form of prayer for us Catholics.

However, as much as we love Mary and Jesus, the rosary can become a chore if we just recite it instead of praying it purposefully. For more visual people like myself, a great way to pray the rosary would be to be to colour and pray!

You can print out a Colour in Rosary and as you pray, write an intention for each decade and colour in the beads of the rosary.

“The rosary is a weapon for these times.”

– St. Padre Pio This article appeared in its entirety on our website. For the full article and links to useful resources, visit us at: http://oyp.org. sg/7-ideas-to-revamp-your-prayer/ All you

12/10/17 11:53 AM

10 HOME

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

Msgr Philip Heng blessing the crowd with the Blessed Sacrament.

People praying the rosary during the celebration.

Prayers for healing, conversion of heart n From Page 1

A candlelight procession in which the statue of Our Lady of Fatima was carried followed the Mass. Although those in the cathedral had to remain seated, they were able to watch a live feed of the procession.

The recitation of the rosary took place after the proces-

sion. It was recited in four languages – English, Mandarin, Latin and Japanese. This was to symbolise the universality of the Catholic Church, said Msgr Heng.

Msgr Heng later blessed the crowd with the Blessed Sacrament as hymns echoed throughout the cathedral.

Ms Caroline Tang, 56, said

she was moved by the prayerful mood.

“The atmosphere here was really powerful,” she said. “I saw people kneeling on the road during the rosary and many in earnest prayer throughout the night which was inspiring to see.”

Mr Fredrick Toh, 77, said, “It was really touching for me to

watch the procession of the statue of Our Lady.”

“My wife and I used to attend the [Fatima] devotions at St Joseph’s Church [Victoria St] before she passed away but I know Our Lady and the Lord are looking after her now,” he said.

The local centennial celebration of Our Lady of Fatima started with a May 13 Mass held at

St Joseph’s Church (Victoria St).

From Sept 11-18, a Marian statue blessed by Pope Francis made its way around the archdiocese. The highlight of the visit was the Sept 13 Mass held at St Joseph’s Institution which saw about 5,000 people participating. n jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

COMMENTARY 11

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

Teen sex and condoms – should we or shouldn’t we?

By Dr John Hui In the light of concerns surrounding teenage sex, abortions and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), many have called for the introduction of “sex education” into the curriculum for teens. More often than not, such education suggests that the answer lies in promoting the use of contraceptives, in particular condoms.

Such an approach presupposes that: n Contraceptives are effective in reducing pregnancy and STIs; and n Teens will use contraceptives correctly all the time.

Both these presumptions are not supported by fact.

Firstly we must know that only barrier contraceptives, such as the condom, may help to reduce the risk of acquiring STIs. Even then condoms do not offer 100 percent protection, as studies have shown that consistent use of the condom can only reduce the risk of HIV transmission by about 80 percent, gonorrhoea by about 50 to 62 percent, and chlamydia by about 26 percent.

It offers much less protection against STIs that are spread by skin to skin contact, such as herpes simplex and genital warts, since there are areas of the genitalia that are not covered by the condom.

Secondly the condom can only be effective in reducing risk if it were used consistently and correctly. In reality, many people, especially youth, fail to do so. One local survey of “at risk youth” found that about 42 percent had experienced slippage, and about 32 percent had experienced breakage. Other studies showed that only between 8 per-

Dr John Hui: ‘Educating children in sexuality cannot be isolated from formation in other areas, such as character development.’

cent and 48.4 percent of those surveyed use the condom consistently.

Even in a purely hypothetical situation where we assume the condom is 100 percent effective and used all the time, and thus the risk of acquiring STI is virtually zero, wrong choices (in this case engaging in premarital sex) affect us negatively.

Therefore, an adequate response to the issue of teen sex must go beyond a merely biological one.

Indeed, studies have shown that sexually active teenagers are more likely to be depressed and more likely to attempt suicide than teenagers who are not sexually active (even after controlling for sex, race, age and socio-economic status), and most sexually experienced teens are already reporting feelings of regret over premature sexual intercourse.

As Dr Stephen Genuis once remarked in the British Medical Journal, merely promoting

condoms “disregards the complex nature of human sexuality and fails to tackle the underlying social and emotional needs of young people, who are often trapped in high risk sexual behaviour as a consequence of difficult life circumstances.”

The Church, on the other hand, proposes a very different approach that is based on an integrated vision of the human person, who as a living image of God in the world consists not only of the body but the spirit as well.

So while “sex education” deals with only the biological aspects of a person, “sexuality education” takes into account the entire make up of the person as male or female since sexuality is a fundamental component of the person that expresses the call to love as God loves.

As such, educating children in sexuality cannot be isolated from formation in other areas, such as character development.

Furthermore, counsellors have

Sexuality and chastity Sexuality refers to our capacity to love and to procreate, and in a more general way the ability for forming bonds of communion with others.

Sexuality is a good. It is a way of relating and being open to others. It “has love as its intrinsic end, more precisely, love as donation and acceptance, love as giving and receiving.” (Pontifical Council for the Family, “The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for Education Within the Family”, December 8, 1995).

Chastity is a virtue that frees

us for authentic love, which is to love as God loves. Chastity helps us make a sincere gift of self to others, according to the state of life we are in (whether as singles, consecrated celibates, or married people). It is through living out the gift of our sexuality this way that we find true fulfilment.

Singles live out this virtue by being a gift to people around them. They avoid sexual intercourse which is reserved for those who are married, since sexual intercourse is essentially the consummation and renewal of a couple’s wedding vows.

Consecrated celibates forgo marriage, and thus sexual intercourse, not because it is bad, but because this enables them to give themselves to God alone with an undivided heart.

Married couples are also called to chastity in marriage.

They do this by giving themselves exclusively to each other, freely, totally, faithfully and fruitfully “till death do they part”. These four aspects of their wedding vows are consummated and renewed, in and through their bodies, in conjugal intercourse. n

Parents are the best channels for sexuality education of their children, because they are in the best position to form and equip their children with the virtues they necessarily need to live a good life. been unanimous on this point: that teens with good relationships with their parents are much more likely to make better deci-

sions in life. Parents are the best channels for sexuality education of their children, because they are in the best position to form and equip their children with the virtues they necessarily need to live a good life. As Pope Francis has said, “Parents always influence the moral development of their children, for better or for worse. It follows that they should take up this essential role and carry it out consciously, enthusiastically, reasonably and appropriately.”

It is only when we are able to recognise this, and start forming our children in a holistic manner, that they will be able to make the right decisions when faced with such issues in their teenage years. n Dr John Hui is with the Catholic Medical Guild of Singapore’s bioethics centre.

Guild’s bioethics centre The Catholic Medical Guild of Singapore (CMG) provides a resource for those who are seeking help in answering reallife ethical dilemmas on issues ranging from contraception and abortion counselling to that of end-of-life care in a manner that is both professional and faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The CMG bioethics centre consisting of moral theologian, Dominican Friar David Garcia, and medical doctors trained in medical ethics will be available to address ethical dilemmas via the email cmgethicscentre@ gmail.com, or if necessary, through a personal face-to-face dialogue at a date and time that can be arranged. n

Handbook on sexuality education A handbook on sexuality education has been published to help parents on navigating this crucial topic with their children. Entitled “A CaSE (Catholic Sexuality Education) In Point for Parents”, it is designed to equip busy Catholic parents with the necessary information for their role as their children’s primary sex educators.

Written by Dr John Hui, a family physician, the handbook also features a consolidation of information from selected sources that are purposeful and relevant, merging faith and science.

Parents who are keen can obtain a copy from the ACF (Archdiocesan Commission for the Family) office located at the Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre, 2 Highland Road. They can also call 6280 3057 or email admin@acf.org.sg.

Recommended love offering for each copy is $5. All proceeds go to support ACF’s efforts in promoting family life.

The cover of the ‘A CaSE (Catholic Sexuality Education) In Point for Parents’ book designed to equip busy Catholic parents with the necessary information for their role as their children’s primary sex educators.

Visit catholicfamily.org.sg/ CaSE or PortaFidei.com/CaSE to find out more. n

12 ASIA

Bishops warned about helping witnesses MANILA – The Philippine military warned Catholic Church leaders to be “discerning” in offering help to policemen and witnesses who wanted to reveal information about killings linked to President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war.

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman General Restituto Padilla said it could be that “those who seek the help of the Church may not be who they say they are.”

He welcomed the “efforts of the Church as part of the community,” but said some of those who claimed to be witnesses, might “just want to use the Church so they can escape and go back to their old ways.”

Several Catholic bishops have expressed willingness to protect policemen who would testify on the spate of killings of suspected drug users and peddlers in the country.

The bishops made the announcement after Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, president of the bishops’ conference, said on Oct 2 that several policemen have sought the protection of the Church to testify on the killings.

Mr Duterte’s spokesman Ernesto Abella said the government welcomes the “efforts of the Church to help these rogue [policemen] to mend their ways.”

“However, we hope the Church exercises due diligence as there are drug protectors, kidnappers, [and corrupt policemen] who want to destroy the ongoing campaign against illegal drugs,” he said. n UCANEWS. COM

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

Prayers for S Korea Olympics as tensions build in North OSAKA, JAPAN – Parishes in the South Ko-

rean province that will host the 2018 Winter Olympics are praying for the event’s success as tensions increase between Washington and Pyongyang, a spokesman for South Korea’s Diocese of Chuncheon told Catholic News Service.

The prayers are included in general Mass intentions every Sunday, said Fr Apostle John Kim, diocesan spokesman in Chuncheon, South Korea.

The diocese, which straddles the border between South Korea and North Korea, expects demand for pastoral services from athletes, coaches and others at the games in February 2018. Priests will offer Mass and confessions at the Olympic Village.

“It is important because the athletes need support, confidence, courage and resilience,” Fr Kim said.

Some countries have said they may not send delegations if tensions worsen. The Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic sites are about 80 km from the border, within the range of North Korean artillery and missiles.

Around 6,500 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and other team members are scheduled to attend. While the International Olympic Committee bans proselytising at the games, organisers must provide prayer rooms and Bibles as well as texts for people of other faiths.

The main multifaith prayer centre will operate within the Olympic Village at Yongpyeong, from Feb 1 to March 21.

CNS photo

Some countries have said they may not send delegations if tensions worsen.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaking during an event in New York City on Sept 20 to promote the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Austrian Cistercian Fr Johannes Paul Chavanne accompanied his nation’s team to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Fr Chavanne, who teaches at the Pope Benedict XVI PhilosophicalTheological University in Heiligenkreuz, Austria, plans to attend Pyeonchang too.

Fr Chavanne said at the previous games, he celebrated Mass and offered talks, counselling and confession, including at a residential facility used by the Austrian team.

But four months out, uncertainty lingers over the games amid the war of words between Washington and Pyongyang. France, Germany and Austria have said their teams might stay home.

“If the situation worsens and the security of our athletes is no longer guaranteed, we will not go to South Korea,” Mr Karl Stoss, who heads Austria’s Olympic Committee, said in September. Austria is a world leader in alpine skiing and ski jumping.

Meanwhile, the lingering division on the Korean Peninsula is reflected in the fact that the Diocese of Chuncheon includes about 4,300 square miles of territory inside North Korea. Little is known about the environment for Catholics north of the border.

The diocese expects no communication with its northern districts during the games.

Fr Kim said it is difficult to contact Catholics there at all. n CNS

ASIA 13

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

Cardinal defends Myanmar leader YANGON – Cardinal Charles Bo of

Yangon, Myanmar, has defended his country’s leader in the face of global criticism over the alleged ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya minority.

Cardinal Bo said Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, state counsellor, still represented the best hope that Myanmar would emerge from a military dictatorship into a democracy.

He suggested that she did not have the power to stop the expulsion of the primarily Muslim Rohingya from the Buddhist-majority nation.

“As we know, her role has come under scorching criticism,” he said in a message to the 24th World Congress of the Apostleship of the Sea, which took place in Taiwan from Oct 2-6.

“Her status is not official under the constitution,” he said, adding, “As long as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi continues, we have hope.

She is a strong woman with strong principles.

“Despite the piercing criti-

think Daw Aung ‘ISan Suu Kyi has

an agenda to pull the country from the grips of the army ...

This is a tightrope walk and she is trying her best.

’

– Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon

Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, speaking about the Rakhine and Rohingya situation on Sept 19.

Cardinal Bo acknowledged that Ms Suu Kyi has come under criticism.

CNS photos

cisms of the international community, Myanmar depends on her for many compassionate responses,” he said.

“Our perception is that she is trying to stabilise the fragile democracy,” the cardinal continued.

Democracy is hard won and it

took 60 years to reach where the country is.”

Excerpts of the cardinal’s message were released on Oct 6 by the United Kingdom branch of Aid to the Church in Need.

Defending the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Cardinal Bo said:

Vietnam, Japan Churches jointly care for migrants HO CHI MINH CITY – Church of-

ficials from Vietnam and Japan are working to collaborate on how to best provide pastoral care and social benefits to the increasing number of migrant workers and diaspora in both countries.

Jesuit Fr Joseph Dao Nguyen Vu, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People in Vietnam, said that Catholic officials in both countries agreed to establish a joint working group, including priests and women Religious.

The group will offer professional advice and pastoral programs to Vietnamese workers in Japan and also to Japanese workers in Vietnam, Fr Vu told told Asian Church news portal ucanews.com.

The priest accompanied Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Do Manh Hung of Ho Chi Minh City, commission head, during a Sept 23-28 meeting with officials from the Catholic Commission of Japan for Migrants, Refugees and People on the Move.

The priest said Church representatives from both countries planned to establish pastoral centres for Vietnamese migrant workers in the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Osaka. He said about 200,000 Vietnamese migrant workers live in Japan and that many of them suffer economic exploitation, oppression and abuse.

Dealing with the daily needs and challenges to faith life among Vietnamese migrants is a major undertaking, said Fr Vu, who also is the vicar for pastoral care of

foreigners in the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City.

He said that despite a lack of personnel, the Japanese Church in Japan attempts to offer Vietnamese migrants faith education, pastoral work and legal advice. The Church also helps Vietnamese migrants integrate into local communities and tries to protect them from exploitation.

Bishop Hung explained that about 100,000 Japanese migrants work in Vietnam. Since Easter, about 50 Japanese Catholics attended Mass once a month at the Pastoral Centre in Ho Chi Minh City.

Fr Vu said the Vietnamese Church has sent 170 women Religious and 41 priests to study and work in Japan in recent years to support the Church there. n CNS

“The army, like the Thai army, has no patience with democracy and grabbed power from democracy thrice already in Myanmar.

“I think Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has an agenda to pull the country from the grips of the army which controls 25 percent of the parliamentary – and also the important – ministries. This is a tightrope walk and she is trying her best,” he said.

“Having said that, it is very unfortunate that the recent events did not show her in a good light,” he added. “She should have spoken on behalf of the victims, especially so many women and children forced to leave under such painful circumstances. She lost the support of the international community by her silence.”

Ms Suu Kyi faced criticism following a speech in September in which she denied that the government had authorised the destruction of Rohingya settlements following a series of attacks on police stations.

More than 420,000 Rohingya have fled across the border to Bangladesh for safety since late August when the Myanmar military began retaliating after attacks on security check posts by militants from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. The conflict has resulted in more than 1,000 Rohingya deaths, dozens of houses burned and many women being raped. n CNS

14 WORLD

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

Find ways to keep migrant families together, Vatican official says VATICAN CITY – Overly strict immigration laws do not discourage migration, and more must be done to keep migrant families together, a Vatican representative said.

“The migrant family is a crucial component of our globalised world, but in too many countries the presence of the families of migrant workers is often legally impeded,” said Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Vatican observer to UN agencies in Geneva.

“If we truly wish to leave no one behind, we must devise frameworks that help keep families together, including migrant families. The human vacuum left behind when a father or a mother migrates alone is a stark reminder of the toughness of the choice to migrate and of the fundamental right to be able to stay at home in dignity,” he said.

Archbishop Jurkovic spoke on Oct 12 about regularised migration during a UN session preparing for a global compact for migration dedicated to facilitating safe, orderly and regular migration around the world.

“A tangible sign of increasing inequalities, socio-economic imbalances and unregulated globalisation,” he said, is the fact that there are some 1 billion people in the world with some sort of migratory status.

“Regrettably, all too often, the response to irregular migration is a short-term one, with a strong emphasis placed on security,” he said.

“But while it is right and just to respect the legitimate interests of the receiving countries, it is possible and highly recommended to reconcile these interests with migrants’ rights,” he added.

Some ways to do that, he said, would include keeping migrant families together as well as making available more legal and “dignified pathways” for migration.

Syrian refugees walk with their families after crossing into Jordanian territory last year. Frameworks must be designed to keep migrant families together, said a Vatican official. CNS file photo

“Overtly strict immigration laws and restrictive immigration policies, including limits to migrants’ access to social services, hardly discourage migration,” he said.

“Desperation and hope always prevail over restrictive policies.

While it is right and just to respect the ‘ legitimate interests of the receiving countries,

it is possible and highly recommended to reconcile these interests with migrants’ rights.

’

– Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Vatican observer to UN agencies

Unfortunately, the same is true for profits, hence, turning to an irregular workforce becomes the likely response when there is a strong demand for ‘cheap’ labour,” he said.

Policies should also be attentive to the hidden problems migrants may face when in a country illegally, the archbishop said.

“They find themselves ignored and neglected, gripped by the constant fear of expulsion or deportation. Out of desperation, they are compelled to accept dangerous work conditions, and often end

up being exploited and abused,” he said.

“Indubitably, every state has the sovereign right and responsibility to regulate the movement of people and should do so with a clear system of migration laws,” Archbishop Jurkovic said.

“However, the approach to migration in all of its aspects, including irregular migration, should begin first and foremost from the perspective of the human person, and his or her fundamental rights,” he said. n CNS

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

POPE FRANCIS 15

Christian life is a love story with Synod dedicated God, pope says at canonisation to Amazon VATICAN CITY – Like the Catholic

Church’s newest saints, Christians are called to live their faith as a love story with God who wants a relationship that is “more than that of devoted subjects with their king,” Pope Francis said.

Without a loving relationship with God, Christian life can become empty and “an impossible ethic, a collection of rules and laws to obey for no good reason,” the pope said during Mass on Oct 15 in St Peter’s Square.

“This is the danger: a Christian life that becomes routine, content with ‘normality,’ without drive or enthusiasm, and with a short memory,” he said during the Mass.

At the beginning of the Mass, Pope Francis proclaimed 35 new saints, including the “Martyrs of Natal,” Brazil, a group of 30 priests, laymen, women and children who were killed in 1645 during a wave of anti-Catholic persecution; and the “Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala,” three children who were among Mexico’s first native converts and were killed for refusing to renounce the faith.

Tapestries hung from the facade of St Peter’s Basilica bearing images of the martyrs as well as pictures of St Angelo da Acri, an Ital-

Priests arrive for the canonisation Mass of new saints in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Oct 15. Pope Francis canonised groups of martyrs from Mexico and Brazil, an Italian Capuchin priest and a Spanish priest.

ian Capuchin priest known for his defence of the poor, and St Faustino Miguez, a Spanish priest who started an advanced school for girls at a time when such education was limited almost exclusively to boys.

An estimated 35,000 pilgrims – many of them from the new saints’ countries of origin – attended the Mass, the Vatican said on Oct 15.

In his homily, Pope Francis re-

flected on the day’s Gospel reading from St Matthew in which Jesus recounts the parable of the wedding feast.

Noting Jesus’ emphasis on the wedding guests, the pope said that God “wants us, He goes out to seek us and He invites us” to celebrate with Him. “For Him, it is not enough that we should do our duty and obey

Without a loving relationship with God, Christian life can become empty and ‘an impossible ethic, a collection of rules and laws to obey for no good reason,’ said Pope Francis.

His laws,” Pope Francis said. “He desires a true communion of life with us, a relationship based on dialogue, trust and forgiveness.”

“The saints who were canonised today, and especially the many martyrs, point the way,” Pope Francis said. “The robe they wore daily was the love of Jesus, that ‘mad’ love that loved us to the end.” n CNS

people

VATICAN CITY – Addressing the challenges of evangelisation in one of the world’s most remote areas and the connection between faith and environmental concern, Pope Francis announced a special gathering of the Synod of Bishops to focus on the Amazon region.

“Accepting the wish of several episcopal conferences of Latin America as well as the voice of pastors and faithful from other parts of the world, I have decided to convene a special assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the PanAmazonian region, which will take place in Rome in October 2019,” Pope Francis announced on Oct 15.

Speaking at the end of a Mass in St Peter’s Square, the pope said the synod would seek to identify new paths of evangelisation, especially for indigenous people who are “often forgotten and left without the prospect of a peaceful future, including because of the crisis of the Amazon forest,” which plays a vital role in the environmental health of the entire planet. n CNS

16 POPE FRANCIS

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

Death penalty ‘contrary to the Gospel’, says pope VATICAN CITY – The death penalty, no matter how it is carried out, “is, in itself, contrary to the Gospel”, Pope Francis said.

Marking the 25th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church at the Vatican on Oct 11, Pope Francis said the catechism’s discussion of the death penalty, already formally amended by St John Paul II, needs to be even more explicitly against capital punishment.

Capital punishment, he said, “heavily wounds human dignity” and is an “inhuman measure”.

“It is, in itself, contrary to the Gospel, because a decision is voluntarily made to suppress a human life, which is always sacred in the eyes of the Creator and of whom, in the last analysis, only God can be the true judge and guarantor,” the pope said.

The death penalty, he said, not only extinguishes a human life, it extinguishes the possibility that the person, recognising his or her errors, will request forgiveness and begin a new life.

The Church’s position on the death penalty, he said, is one ex-

ample of how Church teaching is not static, but grows and deepens along with a growth in faith and in response to modern questions and concerns.

In the past, when people did not see any other way for society to defend itself against serious crime and when “social maturity” was lacking, he said, people accepted the death penalty as “a logical consequence of the application of justice”.

In fact, he said, the Church itself believed that, and the death penalty was a possible punishment in the Papal States. It was only in 1969 that Pope Paul VI formally banned the death penalty, even though it had not been imposed since 1870.

“Let us take responsibility for the past and recognise” that use of the death penalty was “dictated by a mentality that was more legalistic than Christian”, Pope Francis said. “Remaining neutral today when there is a new need to reaffirm personal dignity would make us even more guilty.”

The first edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published by St John Paul II in 1992,

Pope Francis addresses participants at an event marking the 25th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church at the Vatican. CNS photo

recognised “as well-founded the right and duty of legitimate public authority to punish malefactors by means of penalties commensurate with the gravity of the crime, not excluding, in cases of extreme gravity, the death penalty.”

At the same time, it said, “bloodless means” that could protect human life should be used when possible.

But the language was formally changed in 1997 after St John

Paul II issued his pro-life encyclical, Evangelium Vitae.

Since then, the catechism has specified that the use of the death penalty is permissible only when the identity and responsibility of the condemned is certain and when capital punishment “is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor”.

The development of Church teaching, Pope Francis insisted,

The Church’s position on the death penalty, the pope said, is one example of how Church teaching is not static, but grows and deepens along with a growth in faith and in response to modern questions and concerns.

is not the same as contradicting or changing Church teaching.

“Tradition is a living reality and only a partial vision would lead to thinking of ‘the deposit of faith’ as something static.”

The Christian faith, he said, always has insisted on the dignity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death. So, the Church has a continuing obligation to speak out when it realises something that was accepted in the past actually contradicts Church teaching.

“Therefore, it is necessary to reiterate that, no matter how serious the crime committed, the death penalty is inadmissible, because it attacks the inviolability and dignity of the person,” the pope said. n CNS

Reading Bible is act of love VATICAN CITY – The importance

of the Bible in the life of Christians can be seen in the number of faithful around the world who risk prison and persecution just to possess and read the Bible, Pope Francis said.

“Many of our brothers and sisters are in prison on account of the Word, and many more have shed their blood as a testimony to their faith in Jesus Christ,” Pope Francis said on Oct 5 during a meeting with members of the Church relations committee of the United Bible Societies.

Addressing members of the group, which translates, prints and distributes Bibles around the world, the pope said that just as “we devote time to those

we love”, Christians must devote time to reading the Word of God, “who desires to talk to us and offer us words of life eternal”.

“It is vital that the Church today go out to proclaim the Gospel to all, in all places, on all occasions, without delay, reluctance or fear,” the pope said, adding that “we do so in obedience to the Lord’s missionary mandate”.

The pope told the representatives of the United Bible Societies, a non-denominational organisation, that Christians should work together to spread God’s word and pray together that God’s will for the unity of Christians be accomplished. n CNS

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

Pope: Canon law must serve Church’s mission VATICAN CITY – The Catholic

Church’s Code of Canon Law is an instrument that must serve the Church’s pastoral mission of bringing God’s mercy to all and leading them to salvation, Pope Francis said.

Just as the first full codification of Catholic Church law was carried out 100 years ago “entirely dominated by pastoral concern,” so today its amendments and application must provide for a well-ordered care of the Christian people, the pope said in a message on Oct 6 to a canon law conference in Rome.

Leading canonists, as well as professors and students from all the canon law faculties in Rome, met from Oct 4-7 to mark the 100th anniversary of the first systematic Code of Canon Law, which was promulgated by Pope Benedict XV in 1917.

Work on the code began under the pontificate of St Pius X and was a response not only to the need to examine, systematise and reconcile often conflicting Church norms, Pope Francis said.

After the Vatican lost its temporal power, he said, St Pius knew it was time to move from “a canon law contaminated by elements of temporality to a canon law more conforming to the spiritual mission of the Church.”

The 100th anniversary of the code, which was updated by St John Paul II in 1983, should be a time to recognise the importance of canon law as a service to the Church, Pope Francis said.

When St John Paul promulgated the new law, the pope said, he wrote that it was the result of an effort “to translate into canonical language ... the conciliar ecclesiology,” that is, the Second Vatican Council’s vision of the Church, its

A Latin-English edition of the Code of Canon Law. Pope Francis said the 100th anniversary of the code should be a time to recognise the importance of canon law as a service to the Church. CNS file photo

structure and relation to its members and the world.

“The affirmation expresses the change that, after the Second Vatican Council, marked the passage from an ecclesiology modelled on canon law to a canon law conforming to ecclesiology,” Pope Francis said.

The Church’s law must always be perfected to better serve the Church’s mission and the daily lives of the faithful, which, he said, was the point of his amendments to canon law streamlining the Church’s process for determining the nullity of a marriage.

Canon law, he said, can and

should be an instrument for implementing the vision of the Second Vatican Council.

In particular, Pope Francis said, it should promote “collegiality; synodality in the governance of the Church; valuing particular churches; the responsibility of all the Christian faithful in the mission of the Church; ecumenism; mercy and closeness as the primary pastoral principle; individual, collective and institutional religious freedom; a healthy and positive secularism; [and] healthy collaboration between the Church and civil society in its various expressions.” n CNS

Pope Francis said canon law can and should be an instrument for implementing the vision of the Second Vatican Council.

Pre-synod meeting to listen to youth VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has invited young people who are Christian and those who are not to a meeting in preparation for the Synod of Bishops on youth in 2018.

Before concluding his weekly general audience, the pope said the March 19-24, 2018, pre-synod meeting, to be held in Rome, will be an opportunity for the Church to listen to the hopes and concerns of young men and women.

“Through this journey, the Church wants to listen to the voices, the sensibilities, the faith as well as the doubts and criticisms of young people. We must listen to young people,” Pope Francis said on Oct 4.

The theme chosen by the pope for the Synod of Bishops, which will be held in October 2018, is: “Young people, faith and vocational discernment.”

The general secretariat of the

synod said the initiative “will allow young people to express their expectations and desires as well as their uncertainties and concerns in the complex affairs of today’s world.”

Young people attending the

The Church wants ‘ to listen to the voices, the sensibilities, the faith as well as the doubts and criticisms of young people.

’

– Pope Francis

meeting will represent bishops’ conferences, the Eastern Catholic Churches, men and women in consecrated life and seminarians preparing for the priesthood, the general secretariat said.

The gathering also will include

representatives from other Christian communities and other religions and experts in the fields of education, culture, sports and arts, who “are involved in helping young people discern their choices in life.”

“The pre-synod meeting will enrich the consultation phase, which began with the publication of the preparatory document and its questionnaire, along with the launch of an online website containing a specific questionnaire for young people,” the synod office said in a statement.

Conclusions drawn from the meeting, the general secretariat added, will be given to members of the Synod of Bishops “to encourage their reflection and in-depth study.”

Young people attending the meeting also will take part in the Palm Sunday Mass at the Vatican on March 25, coinciding with local celebrations of World Youth Day. n CNS

POPE FRANCIS 17

18 OPINION

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

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POPE’S MESSAGE FOR WORLD MISSION SUNDAY, OCT22

Follow Christ’s mission in ‘caring for the bleeding wounds of humanity’ “The world vitally needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” the pope said in his message for World Mission Sunday 2017.

“In a world marked by confusion, disappointment and frustration, and torn by numerous fratricidal wars that unjustly target the innocent. What is the basis of our mission? What is the heart of our mission? What are the essential approaches we need to take in carrying out our mission?” the pope wrote in the message.

World Mission Sunday is celebrated on Oct 22 in most dioceses.

“Through the Church, Christ continues His mission as the Good Samaritan, caring for the bleeding wounds of humanity, and as the Good Shepherd, constantly seeking out those who wander along winding paths that lead nowhere,” he said.

The Church’s mission “is not to spread a religious ideology, much less to propose a lofty ethical teaching,” he wrote. Rather, it is sharing the transformative power and joy of Christ and His word, which helps people become free of selfishness, “narrowness,

A lay missionary (second from left) at a children’s day care centre in Thailand. Pope Francis said ‘mission reminds the Church that she is not an end unto herself, but a humble instrument and mediation of the kingdom.’ CNS file photo

conflict, racism and tribalism.”

“The Church’s mission impels us to undertake a constant pilgrimage across the various deserts of life, through the different experiences of hunger and thirst for truth and justice,” and inspires the faithful to be in “constant exodus” towards the peripheries and as “exiles” moving towards the kingdom of heaven.

“Mission reminds the Church that she is not an end unto herself, but a humble instrument and mediation of the kingdom. A self-referential Church, one content with earthly success, is not the Church of Christ.”

Touching on young people, the pope said that they “are the hope of mission ... they seek ways to put themselves with courage and enthu-

siasm at the service of humanity.”

He quoted his 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium saying: “How beautiful it is to see that young people are ‘street preachers’, joyfully bringing Jesus to every street, every town square and every corner of the earth!”

“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction” (Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, 1).

The Vatican text of the pope’s message in English can be found at: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/missions/documents/papa-francesco_20170604_ giornata-missionaria2017.html n

Christian is not the result of ‘Being an ethical choice or a lofty idea,

but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.

’

– Pope Francis

Healthy and unhealthy fear of God AS a theologian, priest, and preacher, I often get asked: “Why isn’t the Church preaching more fear of God anymore? Why aren’t we preaching more about the dangers of going to hell? Why aren’t we preaching more about God’s anger and hellfire?”

It’s not hard to answer that. We aren’t preaching a lot about fear because to do so, unless we are extremely careful in our message, is simply wrong.

Admittedly fear can cause people to change their behaviour, but so can intimidation and brainwashing. Just because something is effective doesn’t mean it is right. Fear of God may only be preached within a context of love.

Scripture itself seemingly gives us a mixed message: On the one hand, it tells us that “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”, even as it tells us that virtually every time God appears in human history, the first words from God are always: “Don’t be afraid!”

That phase, coming from the mouth of God or from the mouth of God’s messenger, appears more than 300 times in Scripture. The first words we will hear every time God appears in our lives are: “Don’t be afraid!” So we must be careful when we preach fear of God. Fear of punishment is not the real message we hear when God enters our lives.

Then how is fear of God the beginning of wisdom? In our relationship with God, just as in our relationships with each other, there are both healthy and unhealthy fears. What’s a healthy fear?

Healthy fear is love’s fear: When we love someone our love will contain a number of healthy fears, a number of areas within which we will be healthily cautious and reticent: We will fear being disrespectful, fear despoiling the gift, fear being selfish, fear being irreverent. All healthy love contains the fear of not letting the other person be fully free. Reverence, awe, and respect are a form of fear.

But that kind of fear is not to be confused with being frightened, intimidated, or dreading some kind of punishment. Metaphorically, love’s fear is the fear that God challenges Moses with before the burning bush: Take off your shoes because the ground you are standing on is holy ground!

How are we to understand fear of God as the beginning of wisdom? We are wise and on the right path when we stand before the mystery of God (and of love) with our shoes off, namely, in reverence, in awe, in respect, in unknowing, without undue pride, humble before an infinity that dwarfs us, and open to let that great mystery shape us for its own eternal purposes. But that is far different, almost the antithesis, of the fear we experience when we are frightened of someone or something that threatens us because the person or thing is perceived as being mercilessly exacting or as being arbitrary and punitive.

There is too a healthy fear of God that’s felt in our fear of violating what’s good, true, and beautiful in this world. Jesus, for His part, invites us to this kind of holy fear when He warns us that the measure we measure out is the measure that will be given back to us.

There’s a moral structure inherent in the universe, within life, and within each of us. Everything has a moral contour that needs to be respected. It’s healthy to be afraid of violating any goodness, truth, or beauty.

We need to preach this kind of healthy fear rather than that God needs to be feared because of the punishment He might eventually deal out in some legalistic and exacting fashion. Whenever we preach this kind of fear, of a God who deals out hellfire, we are almost always also preaching a God who isn’t very intelligent, compassionate, understanding, or forgiving. A God who is to be feared for His punitive threats is a God with whom we will never find a warm intimacy. Threat has no place within love, except if it is a holy fear of doing something that will disrespect and despoil. To preach hellfire can be effective as a tactic to help change behaviour, but it is wrong in terms of the Gospel.

Fear is a gift. It is also one of the deepest, life-preserving instincts within you. Without fear, you won’t live very long. But fear is a complex, multi-faced phenomenon. Some fears help you stay alive, while others deform and imprison you. You may fear a playground bully or the arbitrary tyrant but God is not one of those things. God is neither a playground bully nor an arbitrary tyrant. God is love and a perpetual invitation to intimacy. n

COMMENTARY 19

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

CITY Cathedral of The Good Shepherd Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : noon, 1.15pm & 7.30pm St Joseph’s Church (Victoria St) Under Renovation/Restoration Church of Sts Peter & Paul Oct 31 : 5.30pm Nov 1 : 7.20am, 5.30pm & 7.30pm (Mandarin) Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : 12.30pm, 6.30pm & 8pm (Tamil) Church of the Sacred Heart Oct 31 : 7pm Nov 1 : 7am, noon & 7pm Church of St Teresa Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 12.30pm & 8pm Church of St Alphonsus (Novena Church) Oct 31 : 7pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 12.15pm & 7pm Church of St Bernadette Oct 31 : 7pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 7pm Church of St Michael Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 8pm

EAST Church of the Holy Family Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 6.15am, 1pm & 7.30pm Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace Oct 31 : 6.30pm & 8pm (Mandarin) Nov 1 : 6.30am & 7pm Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 12.30pm, 6pm & 8pm Church of St Stephen Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 8pm Church of the Holy Trinity Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6pm & 8pm Church of Divine Mercy Oct 31 : 7pm Nov 1 : 6.30am; 1pm, 7pm & 8.30pm

NORTH Church of St Joseph (Bukit Timah) Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6pm & 8pm Church of St Anthony Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8pm Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea Oct 31 : 6.30pm Nov 1 : 6.45am, 12.15pm, 6.30pm & 8pm Church of the Holy Spirit Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6pm & 7.30pm Church of the Risen Christ Oct 31 : 7pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6pm & 8pm Church of Christ the King Oct 31 : 7pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 1pm, 6.15pm & 8pm

SERANGOON Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Oct 31 : 6.30pm & 8pm (Mandarin) Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8pm

Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 6.15am, 6.15pm & 8pm Church of St Francis Xavier Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8.30pm St Anne’s Church Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 6.15pm & 8pm Church of St Vincent de Paul Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 7am, 6pm & 8pm Church of the Transfiguration Oct 31 : 8pm Nov 1 : 6.30am & 8pm

WEST Church of St Ignatius Oct 31 : 6pm Nov 1 : 7am, 6pm & 8pm Blessed Sacrament Church Oct 31 : 7.30pm Nov 1 : 7am, 8.30am, 6pm & 7.30pm Church of St Mary of the Angels Oct 31 : 7pm Nov 1 : 6.55am, 12.15pm, 7pm & 8.30pm Church of St Francis of Assisi Oct 31 : 7pm Nov 1 : 6.30am, 7pm (Mandarin) & 8.15pm Church of the Holy Cross Oct 31 : 6.15pm & 8pm (Mandarin) Nov 1 : 6.15am, 6.15pm & 8pm Refer to parishes’ website for updates.

CATHOLIC PRAYER SOCIETY CHANGI Venue: UE Convention Centre 4 Changi Business Park Ave 1, Level 1 (opposite FairPrice) Auditorium.

Time: 12.15pm Contact: 98262246/81807089 ORCHARD ROAD Venue: Grand Hyatt Hotel 10 Scotts Road. (Refer to event board for room venue).

Time: 12.30 & 1.20pm Contact: 97940963/97543672 RAFFLES PLACE Venue: The 3rd Space 18 Cross Street, #B1-05 China Square Central.

Time: 11.15am, 12.15pm & 1.15pm Contact: 98270815/97658832 JURONG EAST Venue: German Centre 25 International Business Park, 5th floor, Stuggart. (Take the East Wing lift).

Time: TBC Contact: 98893438/93769897 OUTRAM Venue: SGH Campus Medical Alumni Association, 2 College Road, Level 1 Theatrette, S169850.

Time: 12.15pm Contact: 98233971/98782833 SHENTON WAY Venue: B1 City House 36 Robinson Road S068877. (Directly opposite Lau Pa Sat - Robinson Road) Time: 11.20am, 12.20pm & 1.20pm Contact: 90463061/ 90906032 SUNTEC CITY Venue: Suntec Convention Centre 1 Raffles Boulevard Level 3 Room 331 Time: 12.15 & 1.15pm Contact: 64087891/ 93665573 For updates, visit http://www.cps.org. sg/centres/All_Saints.php

Children break from the starting line at the beginning of a run in Garden City, New York. Parents should encourage their children to participate in something out of their areas of strength not to compete or win, but just for the fun of it.

An education for kindness

By Carolyn Woo Like many, I enjoyed watching the video clips of Prince George starting school. I am taken, though, with the choice of school by his parents, one that departs from prior royal practices and entails a longer drive. You see, the school was chosen for its primary focus on kindness encoded in its most important rule: “Be kind.”

That choice seems to echo with many parents.

As parents in a highly competitive culture, it is natural to want to do everything possible within our power, from Baby Einstein videos to special lessons, so that our children are not left behind.

At the same time, most parents I know do not want to trade character for achievements, blunt the exercise of compassion for selfimprovement, or encourage cruel behaviour as a price for success.

It is likely that lost in the daily grind is the mindfulness that continuously prompts the need for kindness, calls out and reinforces the daily examples within family life, models the behaviour that puts compassion into action, and seeks out opportunities for children to serve in their communities. Mobile devices and other

forms of entertainment hijack our children’s time for reading, particularly non-fiction, which research has shown can cultivate empathy and broaden our ability to put ourselves in the shoes of others.

We could also encourage our children to participate in something out of their areas of strength not to compete or win, but just

There is nothing wrong with helping our kids excel and advance.

But we must watch out for the ways by which we elevate this responsibility beyond its rightful proportions. for the fun of it. Busy lives also squeeze out interactions with others, including relatives, neighbours and folks from the community.

Such engagements are the grist that build relationships and bonds that develop affection between people. When children are on the receiving end, they learn kindness and generosity in

the most profound and enduring way.

There is nothing wrong with helping our kids excel and advance. But we must watch out for the ways by which we elevate this responsibility beyond its rightful proportions.

With good intention, we can render our kids’ academic performance the singular family priority that pushes out time for each other, for friends, for decompression, for fun and for worship.

Resulting in destructive personal and group dynamics, performance can become the currency by which children calibrate their worth or think they need to earn love from their parents.

For Prince George’s Thomas’s Battersea School, its approach to forming kindness (and incidentally strong academic performance also) is “Enjoyment, Learning and Achievement,” through a curriculum that includes art, music, ballet, French, drama and physical education. Perhaps parents can read self-help books to recover fun as a way to cultivate kind and able children! n CNS Woo served as the CEO and president of Catholic Relief Services from 2012 to 2016.

20

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

The Bible talks a lot about making purchases, and the way things were paid for changed over the centuries. For example, in very early biblical times, people did not have coins or paper money. Instead, they traded their possessions, crops, animals or professional services for the goods they needed.

In the Old Testament, we read the terms “shekel” and “talent.” These were units of measure to weigh lumps of silver or gold – called ingots – that were used as currency. If a person wanted to buy something, he or she placed ingots on a scale until the agreed upon weight of shekels or talents was reached for the purchase.

As time went on, silver and gold were minted into coins, and what a coin was worth was stamped right on it. Around 500 BC, coins were made in the kingdom of Lydia in what is now present-day Turkey. The idea of minting coins soon spread and was copied by the Persian, Greek and Roman empires. It is said that the Israelites began using coins during the time that they were ruled by the Persians.

Around 211 BC, the Romans minted a silver coin called the denarius. This coin, which was often decorated with the name and likeness of the emperor, was Rome’s main currency until the third century AD. The Roman Empire controlled most of the known world – including the lands in which the Israelites lived – from the first century BC until its collapse in AD 476. So when Jesus said to repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, He was talking about the Roman denarius. n

Read more about it: Matthew 22

Q&A 1. Who wanted to trick Jesus into saying something wrong?

2. To whom was the census tax owed?

Wordsearch: n PERSIAN n RESPECT n PERFECT n ROMAN n ISRAEL

n LOYAL

n EMPIRE

n PRODUCE n LYDIA

n SILVER

n TALENT n PARABLE

BIBLE TRIVIA: Who was the Roman emperor during Jesus’ ministry?

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS: St Martin de Porres St Martin de Porres (1579-1639) was born in Lima, Peru. He was the son of a freed Panamanian slave and a Spanish knight.

Martin had great compassion for his people. He had been the apprentice of a barber-surgeon and also learned about herbal medicine from his mother, so he was always taking care of the sick and the poor.

longs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God,” he said.

All who heard Jesus were amazed by His perfect answer. n

He also founded an orphanage and ministered to African slaves.

He worked for several years at a Dominican monastery as a member of the Third Order, and in 1603, he professed his vows as a lay brother.

When he died, all Peruvians viewed him as their saint.

We remember him on Nov 3. n

PUZZLE:

Draw a line between each coin and the modern-day Middle Eastern country it is from. For hints, ask a parent to help you research the answers online. new shekel Turkey lira Egypt pound Saudi Arabia dinar Israel riyal Iraq

Answer to Wordsearch

Bible Accent:

the census tax,” Jesus said.

The Pharisees handed Him a Roman coin, which was the only currency that the Roman Empire would accept for the census tax.

“Whose image is this and whose inscription?” Jesus asked.

“Caesar’s,” the Pharisees replied.

Jesus paused and looked intently at the Pharisees.

“Then repay to Caesar what be-

Answer to Bible Trivia: Tiberius Caesar.

Just a few days before His crucifixion, Jesus was teaching the people in Jerusalem’s temple.

He told the parable of two sons whose father asked them to work in the field. One son refused but changed his mind and went, while the other said he would go but did not.

The crowd agreed that the first son had done his father’s will.

Jesus also told the parable of tenants who did not give produce to their landlord. The landlord tried to collect the produce, each time sending a different servant. The tenants beat the first servant, killed the second and stoned the third. The landlord then sent his son, whom he thought would be respected, but the son was killed as well.

Jesus asked the people what the landlord would do. The people said

he would put the tenants to death and lease his land to tenants who would give him his produce.

Jesus then said that those who rejected Him would have the kingdom of God taken from them and given to those who would produce its fruit.

The Pharisees had been listening to Jesus the whole time. They plotted a way to trick Him into saying something wrong in front of the people.

“Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” they asked, referring to the Roman emperor who ruled Israel at the time.

Jesus knew He was being tested.

If He said it was unlawful to pay Caesar’s tax, He would be turned in to the Romans as a traitor. If He said it was lawful to pay the tax, He would be accused of being disloyal to Israel.

“Show me the coin that pays

Answer to puzzle: new shekel-Israel; lira - Turkey; pound - Egypt; dinar - Iraq; riyal - Saudi Arabia

By Jennifer Ficcaglia

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

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

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

OCT 10, 17 AND 24 CATECHIST ELECTIVE COURSE – PRAYING THE DIVINE OFFICE Time: 7:30pm-10pm. Venue: 2 Highland Rd S549102. ​The public and communal prayer of the people of God is rightly considered among the first duties of the Church. To register :http://tinyurl.com/ ydxoy3u8; W: www.catechesis.org.sg; E: formation@catechesis.org.sg; T: 69110400.

OCT 21 AND 28 CATECHIST ELECTIVE COURSE– HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN SINGAPORE Time: 9:30-12:30pm. Venue: 2 Highland Rd S549102. ​This course seeks to create an awareness of the history of the Catholic Church in Singapore. To register: http://tinyurl.com/yaovko3v; W: www.catechesis.org.sg; E: formation@ catechesis.org.sg; T: 69110400.

SEPT 27, 2017 TO MAY 1, 2019 SHARE THE JOURNEY: A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN BY CARITAS INTERNATIONALIS Pope Francis will launch the global campaign on Sept 27 from St Peter’s Square. Organised by Caritas Internationalis, the campaign aims to increase spaces and opportunities with Caritas organisations and parishes to enable local communities and migrants to have more positive encounters.

Do join in the campaign activities organised

by Caritas Singapore and CHARIS. Follow CaritasSingapore and CHARISSingapore on Facebook for more updates.

OCT 25 TO DEC 6 BASIC CATECHIST COURSE LEVEL 1 – INTRODUCTION TO CATECHETICAL PEDAGOGY AND CATECHETICAL METHODS Oct 25, Nov 8, 15, 22, 29, Dec 6. Time: 7:30pm-10pm. Venue: Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary ​This course will introduce participants to the method of teaching as proposed by the Church. To register: W: http://tinyurl.com/ yc8y5jfj; W: www.catechesis.org.sg; E: formation@catechesis.org.sg; T: 69110400.

OCT 6 TO NOV 10 CATECHIST ELECTIVE COURSE – CHURCH HISTORY Oct 6, 13, 20, 27, Nov 3, 10. Time: 7:15pm-10pm. Venue: Church of Sts Peter and Paul. This course offers catechists an overview of the history of the Catholic Church.We will study key historical event and figures and how they influenced the development of the Church’s awareness of the content of the heritage of faith entrusted to her. To register: W: http://tinyurl.com/ ybg2fc2l; W: www.catechesis.org.sg; E: formation@catechesis.org.sg; T: 69110400.

OCT 27 TO OCT 29 MONTFORTIAN EXPERIENCE 2 (MX2) – TRUE DEVOTION TO MARY Time: 6:30pm (Fri)-1pm (Sun). Cost: $130 (twin/sharing room). Venue: Montfort Retreat Centre. Based on the spirituality of St Louis Marie de Montfort, Mary is “the surest, easiest, shortest, and most perfect means by which to go to Jesus Christ.” Discover for yourself the means given by God Himself to bring us salvation, the way of Mary. To register: T: 67695711; E: enquries@ montfortcentre.org. Conducted by: Br Dominic Yeo-Koh and Br John Albert.

OCT 10 TO NOV 21 PERSONAL MORAL COMPASS – MODULE 6: SOCIAL JUSTICE Every Tuesday from 7.30pm-9.30pm at Agape Village (7A Lorong 8 Toa Payoh S319264). Pre-registration is required.

Personal moral compass is a year-long course in moral theology consisting of six modules.

In this series of modules, we gain a better understanding of our moral compass – the basis of how we come to make our decisions.

For more information, E: formation@caritassingapore.org; T: 63383448.

OCT 28 CHOIRS’ DAY OF RECOLLECTION Time: 9.30am-4pm. Calling all choirs in the archdiocese. Fr Terence Pereira, episcopal vicar for the New Evangelisation, will speak on the role of the choir, the elements of ministry, and the need for formation to realise the archdiocesan pastoral vision of a vibrant, missionary

Crossword Puzzle 1196 1

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www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

ACROSS 1 Easter ______ 5 Sister of Judah 10 Joseph had a multi-colored one 14 Tropical tree 15 Eleve’s place 16 It leads to a deal 17 Soccer moms’ conveyances 18 Chapter and ____ 19 3 PM prayer 20 Vane reading 21 Mrs. McKinley 22 He could speak well (Ex 4:14)

23 Online sales 26 The New Jerusalem in Revelation was made of this 28 OT prophetic book 29 Stays 33 Saint who saved France 35 Bed problems 37 “Thou shalt ___…”

38 James was mending these when Jesus called him (Mk 1:19) 39 Draft choice 40 Field yield

41 _____ Rho 42 Past tense of “will” 44 First murderer 45 Expulsion 47 Catholic cartoonist Keane of “Family Circus” 48 State in which the Diocese of Salt Lake City is found 49 They go with the flow 52 “Lord, _____ us to pray” (Lk 11:1) 55 Jonah was thrown into this

57 Scratch (out) 59 Cut ruthlessly 60 Vigorous attack 62 “Rubaiyat” name 63 Woe _____!

64 Island in the Bay of Naples 65 Rentals (abbr.)

66 End for tip or pun 67 Ford flop 68 “Let it stand” DOWN 1 Jazz musician and Catholic convert Brubeck

and evangelistic Church. Organised by the Office for the New Evangelisation. Venue: Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Register as a parish. E: enquiry@one.org. sg; W: www.one.org.

OCT 29 MASS FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Time: 2pm-5pm. (Registration starts at 2pm) Mass starts at 3pm. Venue: Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. The Office for Catechesis invites you to participate in this Mass celebrating the communion of all the children of God. To register: https://goo.gl/forms/HEJ8BFiVF 13JaDQ03; W: www.catechesis.org.sg; E: sn@catechesis; T: 68583011.

OCT 30 TO NOV 1 MONTFORTIAN EXPERIENCE 2 (MX6) – CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP Time: 9am (Mon)-1pm (Wed). Cost: $130 (twin/sharing room). Venue: Montfort Retreat Centre. Are you guided by the same spirit, and live with the same life as Jesus?

To register: T: 67695711; E: enquries@ montfortcentre.org. Conducted by: Br Dominic Yeo-Koh and Br John Albert.

OCT 31 TO NOV 28 BASIC CATECHIST COURSE LEVEL 2 – LEARNING TO LISTEN AND FACILITATE Oct 31, Nov 7, 14, 21, 28. Time: 7:30pm-10pm. Venue: 2 Highland Road S549102. One of the fundamental tasks of catechesis is the initiation and education in community life. To register: W: http://tinyurl.com/y9gjv7aj; W: www.catechesis.org.sg; E: formation@ catechesis.org.sg; T: 69110400.

NOV 4 MASS FOLLOWED BY PRAYERS FOR HEALING All are welcome and no registration is needed. Time: 2pm-4pm. You are invited to join us for praise and worship and Mass followed by prayers for healing. After Mass, prayer teams will be available to pray with you for healing. Celebrant: Fr Tom Curran. Organised by SACCREPraise@Work. Venue: Church of Sts Peter and Paul. For more information, E: praiseatworksg@yahoo.com; T: 97472467.

NOV 9 SPIRITUAL BEINGS, HUMAN EXPERIENCE Time: 7.30pm-9.30pm. In the words of French philosopher and Jesuit Pierre

worshipers of Baal 34 Frequent Mayberry jail occupant 35 Catholic author, Evelyn _____ 36 Former measure of length 38 Sgt., for one 40 Aaron made a golden one 42 Accompanying 43 “Three ___ Match” 44 Agency headed by uncle of Cardinal Dulles 46 Exhaust 47 Country with the largest Catholic population 50 Entice one to sin 51 Glide along smoothly 52 “Give us ____ day our daily bread” 53 The Wise Men came from here 54 Peak 55 Drinks slowly 56 Raison d’____ 58 At one time it was “at one time” 60 Alphabet string 61 Boy 62 Pan-Amer. Union

2 Czar’s edict 3 Dogma 4 “For however many are the promises of God, their ____ is in him.” (2 Cor 1:20) 5 _____ Advocate 6 Tea or coffee, sometimes 7 Mrs. Nick Charles 8 Roker and Capone 9 Bray start 10 St. John the Baptist is the patron saint of this country 11 _____ about 12 “_____time…”

13 Prom attendee 22 Donation to the poor 24 Cries of discovery 25 Electrically charged atom 26 One of the seven deadly sins 27 Multi-volume reference bk.

30 “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” (abbr.)

31 Angelus time 32 NASCAR sponsor 33 Biblical king who destroyed the

Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1195 Z I T A

I N A P T

O F F E R

E D I T

L I N E

B E S S

R E N O

A D A M

M E T E

N O T R E B O O W M I P T A S U L N O N

D E V I L

E M O T E S

G E T S A

T O U I D M E N E L A H O U A B B T E E

A S R Y E R A A U S C R I O N T R S D E T U N I C Y S E O T N S

J O A N A M B O S I L L T E L A S T A N A R I O M E N D I E T S O L I V E

N I C E R

S C A N S

K N I T

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

Teilhard de Chardin, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” In this talk, join us to have a look at the human aspects of our spiritual being. Facilitator: Sr Elizabeth Sim, FDCC. Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. Fee: $30. To register: W: http:// tinyurl.com/spiritbeings; T: 64676072.

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

This retreat is about being on watch until the Lord returns and being alert to the dangers to your spiritual life. Held at Majodi Retreat Centre, Johor, Malaysia.

Organised by the Office for the New Evangelisation. To register: E: enquiry@ one.org.sg; W: www.one.org.sg.

NOV 10 TO NOV 12 THE GOD OF MANY CHANCES: A PRAYER WEEKEND This programme will invite participants to enter into a personal relationship with God who desires this relationship with us. It will include times for praying with suggested points, ways of remembering these moments and the means for habitually living in God’s presence. Organised by the Cenacle Sisters.

Venue: Montfort Centre, Upper Bukit Rd; To register: T: 65652895; 97223148; E: cenaclemissionsingapore@gmail.com.

NOV 10 PIETA’S FIRST MEMORIAL MASS FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE DIED Time: 7pm. Organised by child bereavement group PIETA, this Mass brings together in prayer the parents and families who have suffered the death of a child (including unborn and adult children) no matter how recently or long ago.

Venue: Good Shepherd Place Chapel, Toa Payoh Lorong 8. For more information, W:www.facebook.com/PietaSingapore/; E: pieta.singapore@gmail.com.

NOV 14 CONNECTED COUPLES, STAY COMMITTED Time: 7.30pm-9.30pm. This talk is for individuals and couples who would like to explore and discover how to maintain a close and loving relationship with loved ones amidst the distractions of daily life.

Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. Fee: $30. To register: W: http:// tinyurl.com/connectedcouples; T: 64676072.

NOV 17 TO NOV 18 A DAY OF QUIET Time: 9am-4pm. We are opening our doors on these days to individuals who would like to have some personal space and quiet in their lives. For beginner or seasoned seekers who would like to experience a day in silent prayer and reflection. Prayer and handicraft resources, the labyrinth walk and spiritual direction will be available.

Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. Fee: $60. To register: http://tinyurl.com/DOQ2017; T: 64676072.

NOV 18 CHRIST@WORK 2017 – WORKPLACE SPIRITUALITY CONFERENCE Organised by Catholic Business Network (CBN). Time: 8.30am-6.30pm. How do you incorporate faith at work in the face of challenges? How do you manifest spiritual

WHAT’S ON 21 leadership at work? If you have ever faced such questions, join us in sharing on faith and spirituality. Cost: $60 per person.

Venue: Performing Arts Centre, Catholic Junior College. For more information, T: 92284463 (Raymond); E: admin@cbn.sg.

NOV 18 MARYMOUNT CONVENT SCHOOL FAMILY CARNIVAL Venue: 20 Marymount Road S297754.

Time: 9am-3pm. For more information, T: 62566701.

NOV 18 CLARITY’S MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH TALK Time: 10am-noon. Do you have feelings of depression and anxiety during or after having a baby? You may be suffering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), which is a combination of anxiety and depression during pregnancy and childbirth.

Learn more at this talk about the common mood changes that may occur during pregnancy and postnatal period. Mother, expectant mothers, husbands, in-laws are encouraged to attend. To register: login to https://tinyurl.com/ybcc3u47. Cost: $20.

NOV 26 TO DEC 2 WEEK OF GUIDED PRAYER (WOGP) AT ST IGNATIUS The Sojourners’ Companions invites you to a WOGP to learn how to pray with Scripture and develop a closer relationship with God. Nov 26: 2pm-5pm: Taster. Nov 27-Dec 1: Daily 30mins @ home + 30mins with personal prayer guide at a convenient time between 9am-10pm. Dec 2: 2–5pm: closure. Fee: $30. To register: W: www.sojourners.sg; wogp@sojourners.sg; parish office at the Church of St Ignatius; church foyer after Mass on Nov 11,12 and Nov 18,19.

DEC 7 TO DEC 10 CATHOLIC YOUTH RALLY 2017 (For Mandarin-Speaking Youths) This event is organised by youth leaders from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur Archdioceses, Penang and Melaka-Johor dioceses.

Venue: St Anne’s Church, Bukit Mertajam, Penang. Calling youth who want to learn more about your faith, to build a deeper relationship with God and to form longlasting bonds with brothers and sisters from our neighbouring dioceses. T: 91136598; E: nicholas.cheang91@gmail.com.

DEC 14 CRAFT OF RELATIONSHIP: CONNECTING IN LOVE Time: 7.30pm-9.30pm. In this talk, learn about the five love languages (Gary Chapman), the stages of love (Pat Love), and emotional connection/ disconnections (Sue Johnson). Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. Fee: $30. To register: http://tinyurl.com/craftofre; T: 64676072.

DEC 15 TO DEC 17 LONGING – AN ADVENT RETREAT Dec 15 (7.30pm)-Dec 17 (5pm). A weekend silent retreat in preparation for Christmas led by Fr Gregory Tan and Keith Neubronner. Come away for a few days to reflect on the longing of the human heart for the presence of God, and God’s response in the person of Christ.

Organised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. Fee: $260 (non-aircon), $300 (aircon). To register: http://tinyurl. com/laretreat17; T: 64676072.

22 IN MEMORIAM

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

MAY THEY REST IN PACE

In loving memory of

In loving memory of

First Anniversary Sixteenth Anniversary

Sixth Anniversary Fourth Anniversary

In loving memory of

Twenty-eighth Anniversary

Second Anniversary

In loving memory of

Ninth Anniversary Sixth Anniversary

IVAN HO KEW JENNY HO Departed: November 7, 2011 October 23, 2013

You left with painful thought to bear We miss your love and tender care We still love you all the same Though no word can describe our pain This is the cross we have to bear May you always remain in our Lord’s and Mary’s loving care.

Dearly missed and fondly remembered by family and loved ones.

VERONICA KUEN FRANCIS LIM

CHOI MING AH KOK Departed:

July 19, 2008 Oct 31, 2011

Time changes many things but not the memory this day brings Till now you are still in our minds and hearts.

May you always remain in our Lord’s and Mary’s loving care.

Dearly missed and forever cherished by children and grandchildren.

Twelfth Anniversary In loving memory of

MARY TJIOE CHAN LIE HIANG KWANG MENG Departed: October 27, 2016 December 11, 2001

Those we love don’t go away, they walk besides us every day.

Unseen, unheard, but always near, so loved, so missed, so very dear.

Dearly missed and fondly remembered

by Elsie, Elena, Linda and all at home.

In Loving Memory of Our Dearest Papa & Mummy

Mrs ELAINE PAUL SHIRLEY ANN nee KLYNE PAUL COX Departed

Oct 28, 1989 Sept 29, 2015

Peacefully sleeping, resting at last, The world’s weary troubles and trials are past In silence they suffered, in patience they bore, Till God called them home to suffer no more.

Always remembered by family and loved ones.

In loving memory of our parents

Thirteenth Anniversary

Fourth Anniversary

JOSEPH SILVA & JULIANAL SILVA

ANDREW LIM Departed: Nov 2, 2005 (Husband of the late Margaret Ts’ai) You presence is ever near us Your love remains with us yet You were the kindest person Your loved ones will never forget Always cherished by: Daughters & Spouses: Carmel & Noel, Gillian, Audrey & Song Granddaughters & Grandson in law: Louise & Ginno, Laura & Lorraine, all relatives & loved ones.

At Home in Glory with the Lord Jesus Christ November 8th 1986 & March 29th 2003

A light from the home has gone, The voices we loved to hear are stilled Gone are your faces we so dearly loved Leaving a vacuum in our home Never shall your memories fade Sweet thoughts of you will always remain.

Mass will be offered at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour on Saturday, Nov 4, 2017 at 6.30 pm.

Lovingly remembered and cherished by all.

In loving memory of

CHRISTOPHER FELICIA

DOUGLAS GRACIE

de MELLO de MELLO Departed: October 31, 2004 October 10, 2013

Your memory will never grow old.

It was destiny that made us part The sorrow that broke every heart But as time will heal all pain We know we’ll one day meet again.

Fondly remembered by children and grandchildren.

Eighth Anniversary In loving memory of

In loving memory of

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

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

Amen. Thank you for answering my prayers.

MARY LEE NYA SIN Departed: Oct 31, 1970 You had a heart of gold One of the best to behold You were generous, loving and kind These are the memories you left behind Deeply missed and lovingly remembered by grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Thirteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

32nd Anniversary

21st Anniversary

CUTHBERT BETSY (Tony) de SOUZA de SOUZA Departed: Nov 24, 1985 Departed: Nov 4, 1996

Dearest Mum and Dad; Pa and Nanny Your presence is ever near us Your love remains with us yet You were the best parents/grandparents Your loved ones will never forget.

Rest in peace.

Love from children, grandchildren and loved ones.

Second Anniversary In loving memory of

ANTHONY WONG SWEE WAH Departed: Nov 3, 2004 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Dearly missed by children and grandchildren.

Please turn to page 23 for more in memoriam advertisements.

PETER LIM HWA TONG Departed: October 26, 2015 Time changes many things but not the memory this day brings Till now you are still in our minds and hearts.

Deeply missed by Wife Jennifer, Clarence, YingWei, Nicholas, Gabriel and loved ones.

JOHN LIM YEOK KAN Departed on 23 October 2009 Gone from our lives One so dear But in our hearts Forever near.

Dearly missed and fondly cherished by wife, children, grandchildren and loved ones.

Second Anniversary In loving memory of

LAZAR S/O R. APPADURAI called home to be with the Lord on 25 Oct 2015 We hold you close within our hearts, and there you shall remain.

To walk with us throughout our lives, until we meet again.

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

Mass will be celebrated at the Church of the Holy Spirit on Oct 25 at 6.00pm.

Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

First Anniversary In loving memory of

Tenth Anniversary In loving memory of

In loving memory of

Thirty-first Anniversary

SR VITTORINA LAMPERTI May 27, 1916 to Oct 27, 2016 Gone from our lives One so dear But in our hearts Forever near.

Dearly and sadly missed by Gabriel, Jeanette, Sarah and Maggie.

Ninth Anniversary In loving memory of

LUCY CHIN Departed: Oct 28, 2008 We speak your name with love and pride We smile with tears we cannot hide We thank you for the years we shared The love you gave, the way you cared.

Deeply missed by loved ones.

THERESA LYE Departed: Oct 26, 2007 Time changes many things but not the Memory this day brings Till now you are still in our minds and hearts.

Deeply missed and cherished by son, Jonathan and Family.

Eighth Anniversary In loving memory of

Thirty-eighth Anniversary

Thirtieth Anniversary

NATHAN ANTHONY Departed Sept 10, 1987

FRANCIS ANTONIA

SAVARIDASS HENRY NATHAN

Feb 16, 1986

June 15, 1979

BENEDICT HENRY SELVANATHAN NATHAN CARMENTO Jan 22, 2017

Apr 2, 2017

Remembering you is easy, we do it everyday.

Missing you is something that will never go away.

Deeply missed by your loved ones.

Fourth Anniversary In loving memory of

LILY ANG OEI CHENG Departed: Oct 24, 2009 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Dearly missed by loved ones.

DOREEN HO WONG HOE Departed: Oct 31, 2013 Remembering you is easy We do it everyday Missing you is the hardest part As it never goes away Your voice and your smiles Though you have gone far away In our hearts you will closely stay Our love for you will forever last.

Fondly remembered by Michael, Sophie and Gabriel, husband, daughter and son.

First Anniversary In loving memory of

IN LOVING MEMORY

PATRICK CHONG ELIZABETH

TAT CHEONG WANG AN KHENG Departed: Sep 3, 1998 Departed: Jul 27, 2006

The angels came to take you home And you left us all alone We know you keep watching us from above As we still pray for the one we love.

Always fondly remembered

by Ben and Juli.

In memoriam rates: Minimum $80 for an insertion not exceeding an eight-centimetre column.

Additional space: $8 per one-centimetre column.

IN MEMORIAM 23

VINCENT CHAN SEE SOON Departed on October 21, 2016 Remembering Vincent, a husband, a dad, a ĺ…Źĺ…Ź You always had a smile for all and a heart of gold Treasured always by this family, both young and old, Never selfish, always kind A beautiful memory left behind.

Dearly missed by wife Margaret, sons Gregory, Kenneth, Eugene & Kevin and daughters-in-law, Suan, Nuen, Mei & Geok Hwee, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Third Anniversary In loving memory of

DOUGLAS ROZARIO Departed: Oct 27, 2014 We think of you in silence No eyes can see us weep But still within our aching hearts Your memory we keep.

Always remembered and dearly missed by wife Marie, family and all loved ones.

Please turn to page 22 for more in memoriam and classified advertisements.

Fourth Anniversary In ever loving memory of our husband, dad & grandpa

PHILIP YAP TIAM POH Departed: October 27, 2013 His smiling way and pleasant face Are a pleasure to recall; He had a kind word for each And died beloved by all.

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

Remembered with love and dearly missed by Shirley, Stephannie, Hock Hai, Cephas, God-children and all loved ones.

24

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Sunday October 29, 2017 n CatholicNews

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