Catholic News Issue 22 2018

A publication of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2018

SINGAPORE $0.70 CENTS / WEST MALAYSIA RM$2.10

MCI (P) 076/06/2018

PPS 201/04/2013 (022940)

VOL 68

NO. 22

INSIDE Relationships, love more important than work Archbishop Goh explains why we cannot substitute work for relationships n Page 4-5

All Saints’ Day Mass schedule n Page 7

In-vitro fertilisation Understanding the Church’s teaching n Page 12

My favourite saint is …

Catholics talk about their favourite saint for All Saints’ Day n Page 16-17

Dog lovers carrying their pets for the special animal blessing marking the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology.

Jared Ng Little Kayla, carrying her pet dog, Foxx, waited patiently amid the crowd that thronged the carpark at the Church of St Mary of the Angels as Franciscan friar Esmond Chua made his way around to bless the wide array of canine breeds.

When it was her turn, she gently lifted Foxx to receive the special blessing which honours the feast day of

St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology.

The Oct 7 event is “a Franciscan tradition ... A celebration of St Francis and how he saw God in all things around him including animals and the environment,” said Friar Jason Richard.

Elsewhere in the church, other animals like cats, turtles, hamsters and rabbits received a similar blessing.

About 250 pet owners participated in the event which has been going on for than a decade.

Besides the blessing, various charities and animal organisations like Cat Welfare Society, Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) and Purely Adoptions set up stalls at the church. jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

Caring for the terminally ill Featuring Assisi Hospice n Page 18

S’pore couple appointed to Vatican dicastery Other animals like cats and hamsters receive a similar blessing.

Photos: LUMINAIRE PHOTOGRAPHY MINISTRY

Daniel and Shelley Ee say they are “truly humbled” n Page 19

2 HOME

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Faith, social issues among film festival highlights

Sun

s

M S

W ni an Ca

w co ol be th no of re in

a

Left: Panel discussion on “Keeper”, a movie exploring the issues of pregnancy and abortion among teenagers. Right: Participants listening intently to a panel discussion.

This year’s CANA Film Festival (CFF) was an eye-opener for many who watched the wide selection of movies ranging from faith issues to mental disability, human dignity and care for nature.

The films helped acquaint people with “a broad base of social and other issues within a short space of time”, said Ms Lina Chua, a viewer. The stories “highlighted several areas

which I had not encountered”.

Twenty-three local and international films, a mix of full length features, documentaries and short films, were screened at the CFF from Aug 29-Sept 30.

The biennial festival seeks to highlight noteworthy movies that espouse the universality of Catholic social teachings that touch on the dignity of the person and work, friendship, love,

hope and the promotion of peace.

According to the organisers, some 2,000 people attended this year’s screenings held at CANA The Catholic Centre and Golden Village Vivocity.

A panel discussion was also held at the end of most screenings with experts on the subject matter featured in the film, and often including a Religious Brother or Sister who would share their views.

Another 1,100 attended the pre-festival film screenings held in CANA and several of our churches in July and August.

One movie that inspired many was the Singapore premiere of the award-winning documentary, Pope Francis – A Man of His Word.

“It really shows you who he is, what he stands for, and how he is able to inspire people,” said Jesuit Father Ravi Michael. “The line that captured me in the film was when a Religious Sister said that his [Francis] very life is a homily.

That struck me.”

Fr Ravi added that he felt “proud to be living in the Church” at this time.

This year’s film festival also saw CFF collaborating with two communities in bringing two special movies to audiences.

CFF partnered Faith and Light community, which serves intellectually disabled people and their families, with the screening of Summer in the Forest. The movie features the life of people living with such disabilities and their daily interactions with each other in the L’Arche community near Paris.

CFF also worked with the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant People (ACMI) in screening The Helper, a documentary that chronicles the journey of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong

In yo in ac id pr pa a fr m m

m m no ha th G m I th Summer in the Forest features the life of people living with intellectual disabilities. (Image taken from the film)

m fre I an lif w

be

D in ha jo th Re

The Helper is a documentary that chronicles the journey of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong. (Image taken from the film)

and the many challenges they face in providing for their families back home.

“It is our sincere hope that our efforts have paid off in inspiring everyone who came by to think deeper about the way they live their lives, and assess the impact they are making in their respective communities and social circles,” said the organisers in a press release.

They added that they will re-

screen some of the more popular films in the coming months. These are: On Wheels: Nov 3. 3pm4.45pm.

Keeper: Dec 15. 3pm-5.15pm.

Love & Bananas: Jan 26, 2019. 3pm-5.15pm Bending the Arc: Feb 23, 2019. 3pm-5.15pm For more information, email canatheplacetobe2013@gmail. com or call 6338 4080. n

Ar sa

ws

is-

s-

ar se

m-

m.

6,

3,

ail il.

BUILDING THE CHURCH FOR TOMORROW 3

Sunday October 28, 2018  CatholicNews

struggling with a christ-centred life Monica Khoo, a cradle Catholic, age 40, shares how faith, when rediscovered, has led her to true joy.

She now volunteers at the Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC).

When I was young, I spent nights tossing and turning and wondering to myself if the Catholic faith was really for me.

As a cradle Catholic, faith was inherited and not a conscious choice. As I grew older, the complexities of life became a big challenge to this lukewarm faith that could not withstand the onslaughts of modern tests and the realisation that my faith indeed was a stumbling block.

a rough beginning On hindsight, for much of my youth, I was fully immersed in modern society and its accompanying materialistic ideals and self-centred priorities. I struggled with my parents’ separation. I lacked a community of Christian friends. And I generally lived my life preoccupied with material possessions.

The general breakdown in many aspects of my life led me to believe that God was nowhere near me despite having been brought up with the knowledge of a loving God. This further pushed me away from the faith as I felt that I had nothing to thank Him for.

I can vividly recall blaming my family for not giving me the freedom to choose my religion.

I had different priorities then, and I felt as if I could live my life however I pleased, and be whoever I wanted to be.

being christ-centred Despite my rough beginning in finding my faith, God had plans for me and my journey led me to attend the Conversion Experience Retreat over 10 years ago.

I recalled His Grace, Archbishop William Goh saying, “Faith is not a

lifestyle, and certainly not a sentimentality.” His words affected me immensely on how I viewed my faith, and was the catalyst I needed to start living my life right – living it in Christ.

Initially, it was agonising trying to focus my attention on the mysteries of faith, instead of prioritising consumerism and earthly treasures. But each day, I faced countless battles to let God prevail.

I tried to counter this by silencing negative thoughts

family members and friends.

Renewed eyes of faith built through prayer, and the knowledge that Jesus is there with me at every step, was what eventually helped me get through each one of these major celebrations.

Of course, the path to Christ is wrought with challenges and struggles.

My increased awareness of Christ’s love has also made me more aware of my personal feelings, imperfection and the weight

I am at peace and find myself placing less importance on materialistic possessions.

Because of my faith, I can live a simpler life. and reminding myself that I had been chosen.

Since then, I have persevered and made a conscious decision, daily, to place Christ at the centre of my life.

However, this was not well received by my peers at work and my circle of friends.

Unsurprisingly, I eventually fell out with many of them because I was perceived as “crazy and emotional” and for always having a “Jesus moment”.

Centring God in my life also meant I had to overcome my personal fears and insecurities with the new found understanding of faith whenever these held me back. For example, I was afraid to attend Mass on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, and other big occasions as it was for me, an extremely lonely affair. I recall how painful it was, standing there by myself, while everyone else was surrounded by love and affection in the form of

of each sin. With each fall, owning up to each mistake also becomes tougher.

However, with each fall, I learnt more about myself and the value of Christian strength.

christian strength On reflection, this journey has taught me something else – the value of Christian strength. I would define it as the moments we take to embrace the flaws, cracks and trials with faith, and cherishing each one as an opportunity to learn how to be a better Christian. Saint Paul declared that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more.

This is not to say that we receive more blessings by doing wrong. Rather, it is that God’s mercy and forgiveness will always outmatch our sins.

This realisation encouraged me in the growth of my faith, and I began to feel more enthusiastic, finding joy in my deepening faith.

where i am today The negativity I felt towards the faith in the past has now become a tool in my service of God. At the Catholic Spirituality Centre where I volunteer, I discovered that nothing makes me happier than sharing stories about the ‘old me’ to help others in their journey.

Today, I am glad I neither let my past nor my insecurities hold me back from putting God at the centre of my life. It has helped me live life better.

I am at peace and find myself placing less importance on materialistic possessions. Because of my faith, I can live a simpler life.

I am thankful for the friends who accept me for who I am. Most importantly, I accept that I am imperfect and I try every day to be a better child of God. While I will be the first to admit that my journey to being a great Christian has just begun, I look forward to the day when I can share with Christ how much I had struggled to love Him daily.

Our archdiocese envisions a more vibrant, missionary and evangelistic Church. As the fundraising arm of the Archdiocese of Singapore, the Catholic Foundation has launched the Giving in Faith & Thankfulness (GIFT) campaign to urge every Catholic to participate in making the vision of the archdiocese a reality.

Gift Now

gift.catholicfoundation.sg

Volunteering at CSC helped Monica discover that she found great joy in sharing life experiences to help others.

Photo: Monica Khoo.

catholic spirituality centre The Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC) plays a vital role in propelling the New Evangelisation in our archdiocese. It does this by re-evangelizing Catholics and helping the laity to deepen their spiritual life so as to grow to become better witnesses for Christ. CSC achieves this primarily through its retreats, most notably the Conversion Experience Retreat (CER), Prayer Experience Retreats, and Healing Retreats.

These are supplemented continually by weekly formation sessions, monthly healing services as well as recurring or one-off events in collaboration with various Catholic ministries. CSC aims to increase its suite of retreat offerings, provide intentional discipleship formation, and partner with more Catholic organisations to empower and equip the lay faithful for leadership and service in our archdiocese.

a series contributed by

4

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

WE

are by vocation apostles rather than contemplatives. We like

to “do” rather than to simply “be”. Why? Because doing makes us feel that we are useful and that we are alive. It gives us a sense of self-respect, importance, independence and dignity. When we can contribute to society, we feel also that we do not owe society our existence. So “doing” gives us meaning. After all, man is created with a will to exist and to live. We fear death and so we seek to create and perpetuate ourselves. This, of course, is a sharing of God’s procreative power and His image and likeness.

The problem comes when we try to build ourselves and make ourselves the centre of the universe. Instead of using work as a means to express our love for humanity by building a better world, we use it as a means to seek attention.

When that happens, we become egoistic, like St Paul before his conversion and Martha in today’s incident.

She became judgmental, irritable and proud. Worst of all, she had a self-proclaimed martyr complex, lamenting her suffering whereas Mary was having a good time. She even became domineering, accusing Jesus of being indifferent to her plight and wanting Jesus to tell her sister to help her.

Jesus of course was not inconsiderate or blind to her predicament. As the evangelist remarked, Martha “was distracted with all the serving”. But the truth is that it was not the situation that was causing Martha to suffer but her disposition towards the whole event.

She failed to examine deep within herself and recognise her real motive for serving the Lord. If she were truly doing it for the Lord in love, then she would not have minded whether she was the only one doing the work or not. She wanted the attention of Jesus and His praises. Instead, the attention seemed to be given to the undeserving sister, Mary, who did nothing! Egotism is the offspring of the sin of envy.

Martha mistook relationship for attention. What we most need in life is not attention or admiration from people. Those who are not capable of relationship, or are afraid of relationships, tend to replace these with work that gets attention from people. But fame, popularity and attention are not the same as relationship. This explains why even celebrities, who get all the attention from their fans, commit suicide, because they are deeply lonely people. What they really want is relationship, which they do not have. Indeed, one of the greatest regrets among the dying is that they did not have time for relationships.

They spent their whole life working, making money and a name for themselves, but their emotional life was sadly lacking. They know there is a vacuum in their hearts. They leave this world not having been truly loved or having loved. What matters at the end of the day is love and relationships. Money, success and fame cannot make one happy even though one might have all the attention. Only the love and attention of our loved ones can satisfy our hearts. Those who love and make time for relationships are those who truly live a full life. What is needed is not what we can do for Jesus but what Jesus can do for us. Or rather, what is needed in strengthening our relationships is not so much “doing”, but “being” with and for each other.

We cannot replace “being” with “doing”. We cannot substitute relationship for work. What is primary is “being with” before one starts “doing”.

Martha had to learn to be like Mary, to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him and be strengthened by His love before beginning to serve Him. Contemplation therefore must precede action. Otherwise what we

Sun

do bec in an im like get rather t Mary tr it is not ried an cause s wisdom in deep

St encou

diately prayer St Paul who wa earn th Christ, nurture able to

ws

money nal life uum in g been he end uccess gh one d attenThose e those ot what r us. Or elationand for

h “do-

k. What doing”. feet of d by His mplation hat we

5

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

intimacy with the Lord must be the source of our strength to do good. From Truly,

the love of God in us flows all our actions, otherwise it becomes competition and domination. Intimacy is the root of vocation; otherwise it becomes only our ambition. Many confuse vocation with self-fulfilment.

The latter is the product of self-transcendence and not a goal in itself. Those of us who are apparently serving God, the poor and society, should examine our motives regularly; otherwise we will fall into the same frustration as Martha in service. Many who are giving service to the Church often become jaded and resentful because they did not receive the due recognition and appreciation they consciously or unconsciously expected.

do becomes self-serving, ambitious and often done in an impatient, hurried and insensitive manner; more like getting a job done purely out of obligation or duty rather than truly an expression of love. In this context, Mary truly, as Jesus said, “has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.” Yes, if Martha was worried and “fret(ed) about so many things”, it was because she lacked the one thing, namely, the love and wisdom of the Lord. Without Christ, she lived her life in deep anxiety and fear.

St Paul learned that as well, for after his encounter with Jesus, he did not set out immediately for mission but left for Arabia to spend time in prayer and meditation. This was of course something St Paul was not used to doing as he was an active man who was always on the move and doing something to earn the merits of God. But through that intimacy with Christ, he came to realise that unless his mission was nurtured by His love and wisdom, he would not be able to proclaim Christ effectively.

What matters at the end of the day is love and relationships. Money, success and fame cannot make one happy even though one might have all the attention. Only the love and attention of our loved ones can satisfy our hearts.

Those who love and make time for relationships are those who truly live a full life.

Intimacy presupposes that we are ready to spend time in prayer, listening to the Lord so that we can purify our motives in serving Him. Like the psalmist we need to pray for discernment and guidance. “Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way. O Lord, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinise, with all my ways you are familiar.” It is not enough to serve, but we must serve with love, in love and for the love of God and our neighbours. The moment we become anxious as to whether people appreciate our services or not, then it is clear that our motive for service is imperfect and self-centred.

Martha had to learn to be like Mary, to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him and be strengthened by His love before beginning to serve Him. Contemplation therefore must precede action. Otherwise what we do becomes self-serving, ambitious and often done in an impatient, hurried and insensitive manner; more like getting a job done purely out of obligation or duty rather than truly an expression of love.

Let us go back to the one thing, that which is absolutely essential for ministry – a deep intimacy arising from a fervent life of prayer and contemplation. Without prayer, in vain is our ministry. Without intimacy with the Lord, we will lose our centre, zeal and focus. If we are focused on the Lord, then a clear indication is the experience of peace, joy and confidence in our ministry, regardless of our success. We know that what is of utmost importance is our fidelity, not success.

Lest we misinterpret the message of Jesus, we must realise that Martha was not criticised for

her efforts in wanting to make Jesus’ stay comfortable. Surely, Jesus was very appreciative of the hospitality she tried to give Him. In the same vein, God also wants us to work for Him. It is not enough to pray and stay at the feet of the Lord the whole day. Sitting at the feet of Jesus must be our priority but this does not exclude using the gifts He gave us for the service of the Church and the world. We make room for Jesus not just in our hearts but in our relationships with others, in our homes, offices and in the people we meet each day. It is not enough to give hospitality to Jesus for He too is found in the poor, the abandoned, the sick and the lonely. The Lord wants us to find Him in them as well. Of course, before we can become a real Martha in the world, we must first become Mary. We are with Jesus so that we can be for others and be His apostles.

From Scri

6 HOME

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Learning about “death” in Judaism, Islam, Christianity Christopher Khoo Jews believe in reincarnation.

Muslims believe that the prayers of a “righteous child” can spiritually benefit a deceased parent. Christians believe that Jesus’ death and resurrection opened up eternal life to people.

These interesting nuggets of information about the Abrahamic faiths were conveyed to participants of an interreligious dialogue held at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd on Oct 4.

The session, which saw representatives speak on the topic of death in their respective traditions, was the third in a series this year organised by the Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Interreligious Dialogue (ACCIRD). The other two sessions handled topics concerning birth and marriage.

Rabbi Mordechai Abergel, the Chief Rabbi of Singapore, shared that to Jews, each person has a mission and purpose in life. If he does not fulfil these completely, he will continue to be reincarnated as a human being until he does.

The soul has to observe 613 commandments in Judaism, Rabbi Abergel explained. “Over successive lives, the soul has to observe all these … commandments perfectly.”

This can go on for “over hundreds or even thousands of years” until the soul has fulfilled its purpose.

“There is no concept of eternal damnation” in Judaism, he said.

After death, prayers help a soul disconnect from its physical life and get further reunited with the divine. Judaism forbids the cremation of the body as it doesn’t “allow for this process of disconnection”, the Rabbi explained.

Ustazah Lina Sakina bte Salim, a docent with the Harmony Centre, an initiative of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), shared that for Muslims, death is not the absolute end of one’s existence.

One dies only by the “permission of Allah”, and the soul may experience comfort or misery based on his past deeds, she said.

The dead can receive spiritual rewards in the afterlife in various ways, she added, one of which is if a “righteous child … continues to pray for your pardon, to pray for mercy for you [and for] your well-being in the afterlife”.

Another aspect is if the deceased has donated assets for people to use after his death, such as donating land for mosques or religious schools. Yet another is if people continue to benefit from knowledge that the deceased had

Speakers at the interreligious dialogue session on “death”. From left: Rabbi Mordechai Abergel, Mr Gerald Kong (moderator), Ustazah Lina Sakina bte Salim and Sister Theresa Seow.

imparted in his lifetime, she said.

Canossian Sister Theresa Seow, Vice Chairperson of ACCIRD, shared the Christian belief that death came into the world because Adam and Eve sinned against God. However, “death is contrary to

God’s plan” for man, she said. Jesus freely suffered death in “complete and free submission” to His Father’s will and by His death and resurrection, opened heaven to people.

For the Catholic Church, “cremation is acceptable and … should

occur after the funeral Mass”, she said. The remains “should not be scattered” but buried in the ground, at sea or entombed in a columbarium. n christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg

Dialogue: Weaving the Fabric of God’s Kingdom Christopher Khoo What is interreligious dialogue and how does one go about doing it? This was an issue that speakers at an interreligious session grappled with on Oct 6.

Titled “Dialogue: Weaving the Fabric of God’s Kingdom”, the event aimed to give the audience, mainly Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore (CTIS) students and church-based InterRacial and Religious Confidence Circle (IRCC) members, an introduction to the ways that interreligious dialogue can be practised.

“If God wishes, he can create all of us with only one religion, one race, one creed, one colour,” Mr Mohammad Alami Musa told participants at the event, organised by CTIS, the Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Interreligious Dialogue (ACCIRD) and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).

“But it’s His design that all of us are born differently,” said Mr Alami, who is the Head of Studies in InterReligious Relations in Plural Societies Programme (SRP) at RSIS. “He wants us to learn from each other, to enrich each other,” said Mr Alami, who is also the President of Muis (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore). “In-

Associate Professor Paul Hedges speaking at the dialogue session at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.

terreligious dialogue is the tool to communicate across religions.”

Mr Gerald Kong, ACCIRD Executive Secretary, shared some of the teachings of the Catholic Church on interreligious dialogue at the event held at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.

He noted that Cardinal Francis Arinze, former president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID), had said in a document that people who believe in such dialogue “meet

to listen to each other, to come to know and respect one another and thus to work together in society on projects of common concern”.

The Church has also stressed that Christian laity need a good knowledge of the beliefs of people of other religions so they can be better equipped to engage in “the dialogue of daily life” and contribute to the Church’s involvement in the world.

Nevertheless, the Church has stressed that Catholic involvement

in interreligious dialogue “should never be at the expense of sharing who Jesus is, who Christ is”, said Mr Kong. Pope John Paul II, in his document Redemptoris Missio, emphasised that “interreligious dialogue is a part of the Church’s evangelising mission”, said Mr Kong.

Paul Hedges, Associate Professor in Interreligious Studies at the RSIS, presented a chart showing how interreligious dialogue can be done on four levels: • Dialogue of life, which is or-

dinary daily encounters between people of different faiths.

• Dialogue of action, such as when religious charities gather to work for the common good.

• Dialogue of theological exchange.

• Dialogue of religious experience such as the sharing of contemplative or mystical experiences.

In a panel discussion that took place, Dr Mohamed Ali, Assistant Professor at SRP, shared that in interreligious dialogue, it is important to “get to know each other first”. The next step is to “live together”, he said. “In Singapore, we have lived with each other for many years”.

The last level is “interaction”, which “happens in our daily lives”.

Verbum Dei Sister Leticia Candelario Lopez, who is from largely-Catholic Mexico, said she was very impressed with her experiences of Muslim-Catholic dialogue in Singapore.

An eye-opener for her was attending the joint Christmas-Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration in 2001, where she met Muslims who were eager to learn about her faith. Last year, she was part of a group of Catholics and Muslims who learnt about the various tenets of each other’s faith over several sessions. n christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg

Sun

B f

A up fro ar as ut pl in

Fr Fr by

E

Fr C

Th K th ra It w sio ar dw

ab la cr m ou th ly cl

ws

ng

he ot he a

m

en

as to

x-

rim-

ok nt nnt he he ed s”. ch

ia m he xa-

atari 1, re ast of nt h-

HOME 7

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Bringing aid to rural families in Sabah CITY DISTRICT

The 11 missionaries pose with Mount Kinabalu in the background.

Franciscan aspirant Julian Chua (front row, right) shared how he encountered God during the trip.

A team of 11 missionaries, made up of 10 Singaporeans and one from Sabah, Malaysia, made the arduous journey to Ranau, Sabah, as part of a mission trip to distribute essential humanitarian supplies to about 300 families living in seven villages.

Among them were Franciscan Friar Father Justin Lim and two Franciscan aspirants. (See sharing by one of them below).

An affiliate of Caritas Human-

itarian Aid & Relief Initiatives, Singapore (CHARIS), Clare’s Missionary’s July 5-10 visit was part an outreach to 52 mission outstations under the care of St Peter Claver Church in Ranau.

In collaboration with the church’s parish priest Fr Nicholas Stephen and with support from the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC), the team distributed to the villagers water filter containers, solar-powered lamps

and hand-cranked torch lights, which were funded by CHARIS. The team also got to know the villagers better by chatting with them, dancing and singing with the young and old and eventually praying together during Masses.

Every year, Clare’s Missionary organises about three such mission trips to Sabah to assist the indigenous communities that lack basic necessities such as food and education. n

Encountering God on Mt Kinabalu Franciscan aspirant Julian Chua shares his experience: The journey to Ranau from Kota Kinabalu took our mission team three hours across undulating terrain and misshapen gravel tracks.

It was uncomfortable at best. I wondered how my fellow missionaries managed to endure this arduous journey. After all, we city dwellers are creatures of comfort.

This line of thought was abruptly cut short by the spectacular view of Mount Kinabalu which crept up on us. Almost by instinct, my fellow missionaries whipped out their phones hoping to capture this magnificent beauty. As quickly as it had revealed its face, the clouds veiled the mountain side.

The mountain is a mysterious

place. To St Francis of Assisi, the caves and mountains were places of intimate encounter with the Lord.

St Francis ached to know who the Lord was, who he himself was and who the Lord was to him. Yet above all, it is the Lord who desires to avail Himself to love and draw all to Himself. It is the Lord who first humbled Himself by taking the form of an infant, and having died in love for us, continues to be made vulnerable in that little piece of fragile host offered to unworthy hands.

In the heart of all encounters lies a deeper appreciation of our human dignity. I take this disposition into my mission while waiting patiently for the Lord. To me, that translates to being open to changes and surprises. I may not get to

build that house we envisioned, but that is fine. The distribution of humanitarian supplies may be chaotic, but that too, is perfectly fine.

I am not suggesting that we do not do our utmost. On the contrary, it is necessary. However, we must not lose sight of the dearest of all treasures. In everything we do, I pray not to forget that it is the Lord whom we wait upon. We are here not by the virtue of our goodness, but because of the sweet desire of our Lord for us.

During the sharing among the mission team, we came to recognise the hand of the Holy Spirit working in unexpected and surprising ways. We do not dictate when or how we encounter the Lord; we can only wait patiently in anticipation for Him. n

CLARE’S MISSIONARY Clare’s Missionary was founded in 2010 by MaryClaire Fan, a lay Singaporean Franciscan. The organisation centres round the concept of Christ in the marketplace, to bring Jesus’s love to the needy, lonely and hungry.

In Singapore, they help children from needy or dysfunctional families by providing education

services at Clare’s Enrichment Corner in Yishun Street 72.

There is also an English Reading Programme on Sunday mornings targeting children who need help in learning to read.

For their outreach overseas, Clare’s Missionary collaborates with the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC) in

Sabah. It supports the evangelisation efforts of the Franciscan Sisters by organising mission awareness trips to support the indigenous communities. Clare’s Missionary has a programme to raise the standard of education of these communities by running an English programme in collaboration with volunteers from Sabah and Singapore. n

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, 12.15pm (Mandarin), 5.30pm (Infant Jesus devotion followed by Mass) Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Oct 31 : 6.30pm & 8pm 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 : 6.30am (Carmelite Monastery), 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 DISTRICT 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, 6.30pm & 8pm

NORTH DISTRICT 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 & 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 DISTRICT Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Oct 31 : 7pm & 8.30pm (Mandarin) Nov 1 : 6.30am, 7pm & 8.30pm 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 DISTRICT Church of St Ignatius Oct 31 : 6pm Nov 1 : 7am, 6pm & 8pm Blessed Sacrament Church Oct 31 : NIL Nov 1 : 7am, 8.30am, 6pm & 7.30pm Church of St Mary of the Angels Oct 31 : 7pm Nov 1 : 6.55am, 12.15pm, 6pm & 8pm 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, 12.15pm, 6.15pm & 8pm Refer to parishes’ website for updates.

CATHOLIC PRAYER SOCIETY For updates, visit http://www.cps.org. sg/centres/All_Saints.php Science Park Palm Room, level 1, of the Oasis Building, Blk 87 Science Park Drive.

Time: 12.30 pm

8

Sunday October 28, 2018  CatholicNews

Sun

Every Child is a Child of God informed choices, and also “Before and After Care” support. The PCS Team comprises dedicated case workers and trained volunteers, associate therapists and medical practitioners, who provide support in a non-judgemental manner and in strict confidence.

The following two stories illustrate the difference PCS makes in the lives of pregnant women needing emotional and financial support to be able to carry their pregnancy to term and deliver a precious life from God.

My miracle baby favoured by God

A tough journey, but favoured

by God

A story of Audrey* a single mother who braved the odds

The PCS volunteers were always there when I needed someone to talk to. They gave me a sense of hope and confidence. PCS arranged for a Case Worker to journey with me through my pregnancy. The Case Worker kept in touch with me before and after my routine check-ups, and provided useful counsel and advice.

Another struggle that I had was breaking the news of my pregnancy at work. I feared that I would lose my job. But talking to PCS gave me the courage to break the news to my bosses and colleagues. Praise God! Although the company kept me on the job and paid me through my maternity leave, I still worried about the financial aspects of raising my child single-handedly.

As the time got nearer to deliver, I also worried about the prospect of giving birth. But by God’s grace, I had a relatively painless natural birth that lasted only one hour. My heart was filled with joy when I saw my

new-born and his big eyes. That made my decision to keep the baby that much sweeter.

Life starts at conception and every life is sacred, given by God. No matter the circumstances, no baby’s life deserves to be terminated by an act of abortion. Instead, it is to be respected and given the dignity that he or she deserves as a child of God; made in the image and likeness of God.

I was raised by a single parent, and given my unstable upbringing, my dream was to get married and have my own kids. I would do it the “right” way: date, marry, and then build my perfect little family, ideally having twins, a boy and a girl. However, my dreams shattered the day I discovered that I was pregnant out of wedlock.

That day, I had started my morning routine just like any other. While having my breakfast, I began to feel nauseous. I took a pregnancy test, which turned out to be positive. My boyfriend accompanied me to the hospital, where we received confirmation that I was pregnant.

Everything happened so suddenly. There were so many things for me to consider. My first concern was how to break the news to my family. What was I going to say to them? How would my father react? Was I going to be kicked out of the house?

On leaving the hospital, we talked about getting married,

Pregnancy Crisis & Support (PCS), a service line of Family Life Society, is a free community programme that aims to support and journey with women facing unplanned pregnancies and to uphold the sanctity of life by saving unborn babies. Since its

which helped calm me down.

The following day my boyfriend changed his mind and asked me to go for an abortion instead. At that point, I heartbrokenly agreed.

However, before I could go for the abortion, I was hospitalised for a week with severe injuries after my boyfriend beat me up after an argument. The incident shook me and made me realise then that I had to make a clean break from him. So I ended the relationship.

The hospital doctors advised me to take a month to consider my decision to abort my baby. During that time, I looked to my friends for advice, and sought refuge and support at The Salvation Army, where I had spent eight to ten years of my childhood. A thought was constantly on my mind that month as I spent time reflecting on my situation: “No child is unwanted; every child is wanted

by God. There is a reason God allowed this to happen to me”.

The Salvation Army introduced me to Pregnancy Crisis & Support

establishment over 30 years ago, PCS has saved about 350 babies and helped about 900 mothers.

PCS provides women facing unplanned pregnancies, regardless of their race, religion or nationality, with relevant information and support to enable them to make

(PCS) and, after some internal battles about bringing my child up in a single-parent environment, I came to the realisation that I had to take responsibility for the consequences of my actions. After feeling confused, guilty and at times angry, I decided to keep my baby. While I knew that I would definitely face difficulties, I stood by my decision and carried the baby to full term.

True blessings I faced many challenges, especially in the months after my baby’s birth. But help soon arrived and I received assistance from PCS’ After Care Support, where essentials like diapers, milk powder and bottles, and baby clothing were delivered to my home. I was also given a lot of encouragement and guidance on breast-feeding.

Through PCS’ referral, I also received support from the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP) by way of cash top-ups and supermarket vouchers. This has helped lessen my financial burden. Special allowances during festive seasons were bonuses.

Now, more than a year after his birth, my son Joel* is a happy, healthy baby, growing bigger every day.

Moving forward for a better future together My pregnancy journey has not been an easy one. But I am grateful to be blessed with support from PCS and SSVP. I am especially grateful to the volunteers and my Case Worker, who has remained a friend, a listener, a comforter and a source of counsel.

I now feel more positive and ready for the future. I know that there will still be tough times ahead and many lessons that I will have to learn as a mother.

But I now have renewed hope and strength, and believe that nothing is impossible with the grace of God. (*Not their real names)

Se m liv ag in wh ye Si

m

ac de Id to Ho wi wa

of a I co ac fin m no qu kn co no

(*

ws

9

Sunday October 28, 2018  CatholicNews

Trying times, but a mother’s perseverance prevails

I lost the world I once knew, but gained a universe of joy

Finances were a constant worry.

How would I take care of my baby if I had to work? How could I pay for all the things necessary for the baby? Fortunately, the Case Worker helped me. She told me that single mothers like me needed to pay less i.e. between $5 to $15 a month for infant care at certain centres, which I could afford. She also introduced me to some support schemes. What a relief, what a miracle! I felt like a huge burden had been lifted off my shoulders.

A story of a single mother who held on to hope.

es es en ial eir a

hat he

es, er on ce rt, rs, nd to ot ce

I he ul ps his ial ng

er py, er

ot m th VP. he er, a ce

nd hat es I er. nd ng of

es)

Strength found through a chubby little girl My Case Worker and the PCS volunteers stuck by me throughout my tumultuous journey. They were always on-hand to give me advice and were of great emotional support during my pregnancy. In fact, they were also right beside me when I

Seldom do people anticipate misfortune, especially when their lives are going well. Three years ago, I was living a contented life in Johor Bahru with my boyfriend whom I have been dating for five years. I also had a stable job in Singapore.

But my world changed when my boyfriend died in a traffic accident. The grief from his sudden death was hard for me to deal with.

I decided to quit my job and move to Ipoh with my boyfriend’s parents.

However, before I could even deal with the grief, I discovered that I was two months pregnant.

I was overjoyed at the prospect of having a baby and becoming a mother. But, upon reflection, I started to feel a lot of fear and confusion. Single parenthood, acceptance by my mother, and finances were top among the many things troubling me. I had no income at that time – I had just quit my job, my mother did not know about the baby and my baby couldn’t remain in Ipoh, as I had not been married to my late

boyfriend. In that situation, abortion would have been the logical choice.

But it never crossed my mind to get rid of my unborn child.

My boyfriend’s parents welcomed the news that they were going to be grandparents. They suggested that I allow one of their relatives to adopt my baby so that she could become a Malaysian citizen and stay with them. But I didn’t want to give my baby up to anyone. Feeling desperate and alone, I Googled for help and found Pregnancy Crisis & Support (PCS).

The first glimpse of hope Upon my return to Singapore, I contacted PCS. My decision to return home was not an easy one as I did not really have any family support. I was raised in an adopted family. My adoptive father, whom I was close to, had already passed away. I was not on good terms with my adoptive mother and wasn’t in touch with any other relatives.

I knew the related pains of being raised as an adopted child

and I wouldn’t have considered giving my child up for adoption.

Nor did I consider foster care.

Looking back, I am glad that I did not consider those options because when my daughter was born, I felt such a strong bond that I had never felt before, I couldn’t imagine being apart from her.

I remember the first time that I visited the Case Worker at PCS. I walked into the room with much trepidation and uncertainty. But the Case Worker was so patient and encouraging as she guided me through my options. I vividly remember how relieved and hopeful I felt when I left PCS that day.

It was the first time in many months that I had felt so positive and empowered.

Things slowly started to look up. I got my previous job back.

PCS then referred me to the Singapore Anglican Community Services (SACS) Family Care Centre, which arranged temporary accommodation for me. All the while, the Case Worker and PCS volunteers continued to support me.

went into labour, so I did not feel alone.

All the problems I faced seemed worth it the second I held my daughter in my arms. She has given me the strength to fight for a life with her.

After giving birth, I continued to receive help from PCS’ After Care Support over the next six months, in the form of diapers and milk powder. I also received essential baby products from the PCS community and the Church that I attended. I am immensely grateful for the help and the lifelong friendships I’ve made with the Case Worker and the PCS volunteers.

Today, home is a one-room rental apartment that I share with my chubby little girl, Zoe*. I still experience occasional difficulties, but, I believe that nothing is impossible as long as Zoe and I have each other.

For pregnancy support or more information: call the PCS 24/7 Hotline 6339 9770 email help@pregnancycrisis.sg or visit the PCS office at Agape Village in Toa Payoh.

We invite you to join in a Mass in honour of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Protectress of the Unborn.

Venue: Church of Christ the King Celebrant: Rev Fr John Sim Date: 12 December 2018 Join us for Rosary at 5.40 pm and Mass at 6.15 pm For more information, contact 6339 9770

(*Not their real names)

Catholic Family Events in September - November 2018 October 27

27 October 2018 Tuesday 7.30 pm – 9.00 pm 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

catholicfamily.org.sg/events

November 8

2

Pieta Monthly Support Session for Bereaved Parents

For a list of family events in the Archdiocese visit

Marriage Encounter Weekend 2 – 4 November 2018 Friday 8 pm – Sunday 6 pm 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.

For couples married two years and above. wwmesg.org/me-weekend-selector to book a weekend.

Annual Pieta Memorial Mass for Children Who Have Died 8 November 2018 Thursday 8 pm Cathedral of the Good Shepherd A, Queen Street Singapore 188533 We will be holding a mass for all children who have died (including unborn and adult children). The Mass will be celebrated by Msgr Philip Heng, SJ. If you would like to include the name of your child in this mass, please contact us by email with your name, contact details and your child’s name.

Email to pieta.singapore@gmail.com before 26 October 2018.

23 CHOICE Weekend 23 – 25 November 2018 Friday 7 pm to Sunday 6:30 pm CHOICE Retreat House, 47 Jurong West Street 42, Singapore 649368 CHOICE is for single young adults aged between 18 – 40 years old (Catholics and Non-Catholics) seeking some time to reexamine the values, lifestyle and relationships in their own lives. registration@choice.org.sg Hillary (9790 0537) Carrie (9671 6695) Francesca (9710 9680)

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.

10 HOME

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Space to rest, reflect and listen to God

The retreat serves as a timely opportunity for retreatants to look back at the past year and see how God has worked in their lives.

The Quieting the Soul retreat is for those seeking prayerful rest and quiet reflection.

For the past 13 years, a large number of people have experienced the tranquillity and warmth of God’s presence at the Quieting the Soul (QTS) retreat. In response to a need for those seeking prayerful rest and quiet reflection, the Cenacle Sisters in Singapore have been organising the retreat to serve as a time of silence, prayer and listening to the Lord.

Not only are the retreats held in Singapore but also other places like Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and the Philippines. This is so people have the option of “getting away” from Singapore and experiencing other venues.

a quiet inner joy, resilience and a heart of gratitude.” She shared that “through the solitude of my wanderings and meditation in the grounds, I learnt to appreciate the sacredness of all beings and was led to express pure gratitude to God.” Another past retreatant, Mr Rodger Mok, said that the retreat helped him realise his “limitations and shortcomings” and how he needed to put “trust in Him, and not to be too hard on myself.”

According to the Sisters, QTS is structured as an individually directed silent retreat where each retreatant is assigned a director. The retreatant would see

Said Sister Amy Lee, “Many make this retreat to deepen their relationship with God while others come to find time for quiet prayer and reflection.” They are also timely opportunities for retreatants to look back over the year and see how God has worked in their lives through the joys and challenges they have experienced, she said.

Ms Thana Thaver, a past retreatant, said that “the retreats have made a tremendous impact ... in helping me make changes in my life to deepen my relationship with Him. The almost daily meditations and visits to the adoration room have created

his or her retreat director once a day and be given suggestions for prayer and reflection for that day.

Retreatants are encouraged to spend the days in prayerful silence and to enter the retreat with an open and generous heart to listen to where and how God may speak to and lead them.

The specific schedules for the retreatant each day are the appointments with his or her retreat guide and the meal times of the retreat house. Other than these, the retreatants, in dialogue with their retreat directors, are free to decide their times for prayer and rest for each day.

From Nov 9-11, the QTS retreat will be held at St Patrick’s House at 490E East Coast Road.

The three-day retreat costs $250.

Next year from Jan 12-18, a similar retreat will be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, at the Seven Fountains Jesuit Retreat Centre. This retreat will cost about $600 excluding airfare.

Food and lodging are covered as part of the cost.

The only differences between these two retreats are their location, schedule and duration.

Those interested in registering for or finding out more about the QTS retreat can visit www. cenaclemission.com. n

Sun

ws

11

Sunday October 28, 2018  CatholicNews

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

OFFICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

TURNS 5!

teract with and love them for who they are. I’ve learned what it means to walk with the Lord, even when I don’t feel like it. He has all things in His hands, and I do not have to worry about what is about to come. - Melissa Lee, SIM The Lord cannot be outdone in generosity. And in my yes to the Lord, I spent 3 months working at OYP. He taught me to dream big for His kingdom, do small things with great love and what it means to live a kingdom culture.

Dear friends, As we celebrate our 5th year at the Office for Young People, we give thanks to God for the many stories of good works He has been doing in the hearts of our young people. As we witness the Lord’s healing touch in their lives, we are indeed being blessed as an office. We can testify that our ministry has also transformed our hearts and lives and it is continuing to expand our hearts for the young people. We also thrive as a family community in the office. There is purpose, meaning and great joy in serving the Lord. After all, how many people can claim that their big boss is also their Father?

Personally, as a chaplain with Fr Jude David, I have witnessed what community is all about – clergy and laity working together to restore young hearts. Most of our work is focused on pastoral and human formation, and this takes many hours, days, weeks and months. As we walk and journey with young people from the ages of 16

to 35 years, it really calls for exceptional strength and faith from God above. I praise Jesus Christ for the dedicated staff I am blessed with. As many people realise their identity and their call to discipleship, I hope they will share this blessed gift with others and invite them into communal faith living.

Scripture says,“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news” (Isaiah 52:7). Indeed, we are blessed beyond all earthly measure to be called to serve our God and Father in this way. As He saves, heals and restores the lives of our young people, He continues to do the same for each of us, the workers in His vineyard. We give Him all credit and praise for the good things He has done. Amen!

In God’s Love, Fr Brian D’Souza

TESTIMONY & THANKSGVING My name is Jonathan, and I am a cradle Catholic. I went through catechism and served in church without really understanding or knowing who Jesus was. I went through a rough patch in my life and resented God for not delivering me from it. One day, when I was at my breaking point, something urged me to turn to God for help. I thought to myself, “It can’t get any worse.” I decided to pray every day for a week, and in that time, something stirred in my heart.

My godbrother who works at OYP had been encouraging me to attend their events, but I kept turning him down. I decided then, to meet him, not knowing what to expect. The moment I stepped into OYP, I was greeted by many warm smiles and loving people who just made me feel so welcome for the first time in my life. I started attending sessions in my polytechnic community and came to know more about God on a deeper and much more intimate level. I learned how to build a stronger relationship with Him. Slowly, I started to find healing.

I discovered genuine friendships and friends whom I could count on in times of need. As it says in John 15:13, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

The Lord reminds me that there is still so much more in store for me by His grace. He affirms me that all my 21st Oct Issue FINAL.indd 1

small yeses to Him will direct me towards the big plans He has for my life. I no longer have any reason to doubt Him. Christ has commissioned me to be his apostle to spread His Good News. He desires to use me as his instrument, to be a living testimony of His love and grace.

He has turned my life around, rescuing me from the darkness that engulfed me. If the Lord is able to turn a sinner and a non-believer like me around, there is no doubt that He can do the same for you too! - Jonathan Tan, Temasek Polytechnic When I said yes to interning at OYP, I didn’t know what to expect. I remember telling God that I would give Him this time to reveal what He wants of me. And He did, as He moved me out of my comfort zone and stretched my heart through the ministries I was involved in.

I learned the importance of allowing Him to take control of my everyday life, especially of the things I thought weren’t significant. When I struggled to find Him, the chapel (my favourite room at OYP), was my solace. The ability to step back from the doing and just to be with Jesus was a blessing.

I saw how the staff at OYP have given their lives for the kingdom of God and am very inspired by their capacity to love. Working here has opened my eyes and heart to know that I too am able to see Jesus in the people I in-

Through events like Emmaus in the City and journeying with fellow brothers in Christ, I encountered the great hunger for something more and witnessed so many young men and women who genuinely love the Lord and live their faith daily. There was always much to do in the office, and yet in the midst of being busy, I would still see the staff filled with great joy, and serving with great love! One instance that struck me was when the team prepared coffee for over 50 people during one of the sessions at the office. It taught me that it is often in the small and simple actions, that we can share God’s love and joy with others.

I’ve begun to understand even more of what it means to build a kingdom culture and to be a spiritual family. It is celebrating and honouring each other on special occasions, going out of our way to show love to fellow brothers and sisters, continually looking to empower and grow others, while always being bold in praying and speaking truths into each other’s lives. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to be in his mission field. - Ian Cheng, 7 Graces (2) Working Adults Community My name is Sharon, and I have worked at the office for the past 9 years as a part-time Youth Coordinator.

Since I was 18 years old, I have had a desire to work for the church, but at that time, it was but a dream. So I went on to work as a graphic designer while volunteering in church and keeping this dream alive in my heart. In 2009 the Lord led me to what is now OYP and what I thought was a distant daydream became a reality.

I continue to be in awe of how the seed of desire God had placed in my heart came to fruition. I see how God’s movement throughout my life led me here.

Everything I did before, prepared me for my work here.

In these 9 years, the office has in turn seen me through various stages of life; from being single, to becoming a wife and then a mother, and now, watching my children grow up. Through this good work, I have been stretched in every way, and it has made me a better wife, community member, daughter, mother, and child of God. There were many times when the lies of not being worthy or good enough prevented me from allowing God to use me more fully. But even then, the Lord used these moments to build me up. As a community, we learn together about how to strive for the best in all that we do, to try despite the fear of failure and to see more of who we each are in the Lord. OYP has indeed helped me recognise that despite being broken and wounded, God can still use me to do His will.

The Lord has indeed united us to build His kingdom and being assured of this, we continue to work towards this common goal with love! - Sharon De Roza, OYP Created by Freepik 11/10/18 11:55 PM

12 HOME

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Understanding the Church’s teaching on in-vitro fertilisation Dr Colin Ong explains the moral problems of this method of having children THE desire to have a child is one of the most natural of human desires, and when couples have difficulty having babies it is common to seek medical help. In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is often regarded as the only viable option.

Not only does it seem to deliver the happiness couples long for, but the goals of IVF also appear to be aligned with the Church’s pro-life stance. It is no wonder that many Catholics find it difficult to understand this particular teaching.

This article is written to help us appreciate the gift of the Church’s teaching on this issue.

To understand the moral dilemma behind IVF, we must first explore the miracle of life. A child that is conceived and begotten through the mutual giving of parents to each other in marital intercourse reveals an openness to receive the child as a gift from God. In IVF, the parents and doctors take on, and in a sense, usurp God’s role. The external manipulation involved means that they no longer remain mere co-operators in the act of procreation but become the final arbiters and manufacturers of the child, who then becomes a product that is made and fashioned solely from the parents’ will.

This begs the question: can Christians really claim to love the child as a gift from God and yet proceed to manufacture him/her in a laboratory as if the child was a commodity?

St John Paul II in his “Theology of the Body” discourses gives us an answer. He noted how Adam and Eve were both “naked without shame” (Gen 2:25) before they disobeyed God and ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But after they ate, they realised that they were naked, and hid from God (Gen 3:8-10).

This dramatic change, he explained, stemmed from a fundamental turning of their hearts.

In IVF, the parents and doctors take on, and in a sense, usurp God’s role.

A laboratory director working in an in-vitro fertilisation clinic in Leipzig, Germany. CNS file photo

While originally open, receptive and trusting towards their creator God and His gifts, they had been tricked to eat of the tree and started doubting God’s loving-kindness towards them.

No longer believing that God’s command was really for their ultimate good, they began to grasp for themselves things which seemed attractive but which the Lord had forbidden them to take.

In IVF, this fundamental “turning” from the attitude of

openness to God’s gifts to one that doubts God’s love and resorts to what is seemingly good but forbidden, is the essential difference between a child that is begotten through marital embrace, and one that is made through technological prowess in the laboratory.

NOT surprisingly, scientific developments have confirmed what theology teaches us, that the removal of the procreation of a human being from the safety of the

Ethical ways to achieve pregnancy Currently, there are two methods available that can help couples achieve pregnancy effectively and that are deemed morally acceptable by the Catholic Church.

The one that is taught in our churches is the Billings Ovu-

lation Method. For more information, please visit naturalfamilyplanning.sg NaProtechnology is the other method that is available (albeit on a commercial basis).

For more information, visit naprotechnology.com

marital embrace exposes both mother and child to a wide range of threats.

Many women who have experienced failed IVF cycles report frustration, anxiety, depression or a lack of self-worth.

The relatively low success rate (about 20 to 35 percent), coupled with the high costs and medical side effects, contribute greatly to this.

There are also the dangerous side effects of the treatment that occur in six per cent of women

Upcoming seminar A seminar titled Overcoming Subfertility – Naturally: Medical and Ethical Perspectives will be held on Jan 19, 2019, from 2-4.30 pm. Speakers: Fr David Garcia, Dr Douglas Ong and Dr John Hui. For more information, please visit hv50sg.info

who undergo hormonal injections to stimulate the ovaries to produce more follicles, and who may develop severe headaches, vomiting, psychiatric disturbances, and rarely, even death.

Furthermore, it is well known that embryo wastage in IVF is extremely high. Those with defects are directly discarded, while those that are not implanted in the womb are either used for research, destroyed or frozen so that a potentially harmful multiple pregnancy may not occur.

Australian data showed that 3.6 per cent of embryos that are created by IVF survive to be born. This means that 96 human lives are damaged, lost, discarded or frozen so that three others can live!

Finally, IVF opens wide the doors towards a dangerous eugenic mentality when embryos formed in-vitro undergo genetic diagnosis, followed immediately by the elimination of those suspected of having genetic or chromosomal defects. This can very quickly lead to the removal of embryos that do not have the desired qualities or sex.

While IVF appears to be good in its quest for life, it is forbidden because it leads to a fundamental “turn” of the heart away from God and His gifts. The scientific landscape of high failure rates, serious psychological and physical side effects, millions of embryo wastage and the spectre of a new “holocaust” in embryonic eugenics in IVF serve to remind us of how true that is. n The writer is head of the Catholic Medical Guild’s Bioethics Committee.

Waiting Hearts: for couples facing infertility CMG’s Bioethics Centre The pain of infertility is heartbreaking. But sadly, it is a silent pain, borne mostly by the couples alone.

Most couples start trying to conceive a child full of hope and anticipation, looking forward to the day that they too, like so many others, will become proud parents.

However, this seemingly

straightforward phase of life does not come easily to all.

For couples bearing the cross of infertility, the days grow into months and eventually into years.

Anticipation turns into disappointment, and hope morphs into despair.

Waiting Hearts is a support group serving couples carrying this cross. Through prayer, open

sharings and mutual support, the group comes together as fellow pilgrims on this difficult journey, striving to find meaning amidst the suffering, and guided by their spiritual director, Dominican Father David Garcia.

For more information, email Shiling at waitinghearts@hotmail.com. All sharings are kept confidential. n

The Catholic Medical Guild of Singapore (CMG) provides a resource for those who are seeking help in answering real-life ethical dilemmas on issues ranging from contraception and abortion counselling to that of endof-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, is 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

Sun

nd th of er ce,

p-

By Jennifer Ficcaglia God was unhappy with King Ahab of Israel. Ahab was evil and did a lot of bad things, one of which was marrying Jezebel, a pagan who got the king to worship the false god Baal.

So the Lord sent his prophet, Elijah, to give Ahab a warning.

God said that no dew or rain would fall on the land for a long time. The dew and rain would only come again when God instructed Elijah to say so.

After Elijah delivered God’s message, God told him to go into hiding.

“Leave here, go east and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan,” God said. “You shall drink of the wadi, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.”

Elijah had plenty to eat and drink at the Wadi Cherith. But, since there was

a drought, the wadi – which is a stream bed that has water in it only during the rainy season – eventually dried up.

God had another plan for Elijah’s care.

“Arise, go to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow there to feed you,” God told Elijah.

Elijah went to Zarephath. As he entered the city, he saw the widow, who was gathering sticks to make a fire. He called to the woman and asked for a cup of water. As she was leaving to get Elijah a drink, he also asked that she bring him a crust of bread.

“As the Lord, your God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug,” the widow replied.

“Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

St Felicitas St Felicitas was a Christian who lived in Italy in the second century. She is said to have been a widow who had seven sons.

Felicitas also was said to be very devoted to works of charity. She won many people to the faith, which greatly upset local pagan priests, who often complained about her.

Around the year 165, Felicitas was arrested for being a Christian. She was ordered to worship pagan gods or face death. After she refused to worship the false gods, the Roman emperor had her executed.

Felicitas was buried in the cemetery of Maximus on the Salerian Way in Rome, and we honour her on Nov. 23. n

for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die.”

Elijah told her to not be afraid and to make him a little cake before making something for herself and her son.

“For the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth,’” he said.

The widow did what Elijah asked.

And just as God had said through Eli-

jah, the widow’s jar of flour and jug of oil did not go empty, and she and her son had plenty to eat for a long time. n Read more about it: 1 Kings 17

Q&A 1. Where was the first place God told Elijah to hide?

2. Who was afraid of running out of flour and oil?

Wordsearch: n RAIN

n BREAD n PLENTY

n DEVOTE n PLAN n CAKE

n SEASON

n PREPARE n PROPHET

n EARTH n CHARITY n WORSHIP

ESSAY: How do you show that you have faith in God?

Bible Accent: God performed another miracle through Elijah while the prophet was staying with the widow in Zarephath.

One day, the widow’s son became very ill. He became sicker and sicker until he stopped breathing and died.

“Why have you done this to me, man of God?” the widow asked Elijah. “Have you come to me to call attention to my guilt and to kill my son?”

Elijah looked at the woman.

“Give me your son,” he told her.

Elijah took the boy from his mother’s lap and carried him to the upper room of the house where the prophet had been staying. He laid the child on the bed and called out to God. “Lord, my God, will you afflict even the widow with whom I am staying by killing her son?” Elijah cried.

He again called out to God. “Lord, my God, let the life breath return to the body of this child,” Elijah prayed.

God heard Elijah’s prayer and returned the son to life.

Elijah then brought the boy back downstairs to his mother.

“Now indeed I know that you are a man of God, and it is truly the word of the Lord that you speak,” the widow said to Elijah. n

PUZZLE: Using the hints provided from 1 Kgs 18, put a T next to the sentences that are true and an F next to the ones that are false.

1.

Obadiah saved 100 prophets from being killed by Jezebel. (verse 4) 2.

There were 5,000 prophets of Baal. (verse 22) 3.

God told Elijah to end the drought in the fifth year. (verse 1) 4.

All of Israel was summoned to Mount Carmel. (verse 19) 5.

Elijah told his servant to look at the sea three times. (verse 43) ____

____

____

____

____

Answer to Wordsearch

ty. or liof te in es hwe to er, nd he he

13

Sunday November 11, 2018 n CatholicNews

Answer to puzzle: 1. T; 2. F; 3. F; 4. T; 5. F

ws

14 HOME

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Sun

The Choice Weekend: a journey of self-discovery

Participants praying at the start of the weekend.

The Choice Weekend is about helping people live out their authentic selves and acting on the values they’ve learnt from their families, in catechism classes or from the Catholic school they studied in, shared Mr Lawrence De Silva, 45, a member of the newly commissioned Choice leadership team.

Choosing to live such a life makes a person realise how much one needs God’s grace and providence. “I still struggle with this but I have my family and the Choice community

to help me journey on in life,” the father of three told Catholic News.

Mr De Silva, together with six others including Spiritual Director Father Benjamin Anthonisamy, was commissioned at a Mass at the Choice Retreat House on Sept 30, the final day of the recent Choice Weekend.

The Weekend was the 290th since Choice was introduced in Singapore in 1980.

The programme helps retreatants nurture their spiritual life and takes them on a journey of

Commissioning of the new Choice Leadership Team.

discovery to understand themselves and others better.

Sessions involve sharings by priests, Religious and laypeople on their struggles and triumphs in life, as well as small group interactions.

Many single adults aged 1840, the target group of this programme, say they have been inspired by their experience of the three-day two-night retreat.

Ms Janice Ng, 27, a previous Choice participant, said that the honest sharings by participants helped her “to open up to them even though you don’t know them”.

This has helped her make good friends. “The friends that you make at the [Choice] retreat, they follow you through your life,” said Ms Ng, who helps out during the retreats.

Choice came to Singapore when Father Adrian Anthony, inspired to do more for family life, brought back a copy of the programme booklet upon his return from a stint in Brooklyn.

He gave it to a new youth group at the Church of the Risen Christ, where he was posted. The young people met with the leaders of Marriage Encounter then, and

the first weekend was held from Feb 27 to March 1, 1981, at the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary’s Shalom House in Holland Road.

Today, the Weekend is held at the Choice Retreat house in Jurong West. It begins on a Friday night when participants are welcomed with a light dinner, icebreaker games and action songs.

Choice has conducted four weekends this year and the last one for 2018 will be from Nov 2325. Cost: $90. To find out more and to register, please visit www. choice.org.sg. n

D t E

Th in kn sio H ru pe pe

Pr a re tic le PE te so an

w pe

w Em m

re am

W of lo

th m ed ha at en pa an ve

w Re pe

ws

HOME 15

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews Photo: PIXABAY

Deepening faith through the Prayer Experience Retreat The Catholic Spirituality Centre in Upper Serangoon Road is well known for running the Conversion Experience Retreat (CER).

However there are other retreats run at the centre that help build a person’s faith journey or deepen a personal encounter with the Lord.

A particular programme is the Prayer Experience Retreat (PER), a three-day, two-night semi-silent retreat that is aimed at helping participants develop a prayer life and learning to walk closely with God. PER is open to anyone who is interested in developing a more personal relationship with the Lord and growing in their spiritual life.

Many participants said they were deeply inspired by their experience at the PER. “The entire retreat is a holiday with God and for God,” said Ms Emely Tan. “The prayers touched me deep within my soul.”

She added that she learnt to surrender herself and her sins to God amidst meditation and silence.

Another participant, Ms Lydia Wong said that she “felt the love of God” and the need to share that love with non-believers.

According to the organisers of the PER, the retreat is highly recommended for those who have attended the CER. This is because after having encountered the love of God at CER (or a similar God-experience retreat), the next step for these participants is to learn how to pray and connect with God daily and develop a relationship with Him. The PER first started in 2010 with then Fr William Goh as the Retreat Director and a team of lay people supporting him. The PER

programme has been modified over time from four days to three days to make it easier for people to attend. Silence is also imposed for part of the retreat to help participants listen to God and experience Him in the quietness of their hearts.

The PER is modelled on St Te-

Participants learn to listen to the Lord in the quietness of their hearts. resa of Avila’s Seven Mansions concept as a guide to teach participants about the spiritual life and the different forms and grades of prayer.

There are also talks to help participants enhance their knowledge and understanding of the different grades and methods of prayer.

During the retreat, participants learn how to connect heart-toheart with God through journaling, meditation and contemplation. Following the talks, they are given the opportunity to apply the various methods of prayer that they have learned as guided by the Holy Spirit.

Participants learn to listen to the Lord to receive deeper selfknowledge, a deeper experience of God, inner healing and affirmation of their identities as children of God. In addition to personal prayer sessions, there are praying-over sessions for healing and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

The 25th instalment of the PER will be held from Nov 16-18.

It will be conducted by Fr Andrew Wong and the CSC Retreat team.

Cost: $120. Forms are available at www.csctr.net. n

16 HOME

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Sun

Compile d by Jared Ng and Christo pher Wo ng

My favorite saint is Mary Euphrasia, foundress of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd. It was only after I got to know the Good Shepherd Sisters through a young women’s group that I came to hear of this saint. As I grew to know her story through the Sisters who shared the Good Shepherd mission, I was drawn more and more to her.

St Mary entered the convent at 18, joining the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge founded by St John Eudes. Despite the great losses she had suffered in her life, she was able to come out of it filled with a great love for Christ and His people, desiring to serve the women and girls who were at risk of exploitation after the French Revolution. I admire how she had such faith despite the trials and pain she had been through.

In knowing her, I have been greatly inspired by her courage and zeal. Even more so, my spirituality has been influenced by the way in which she carried out her mission and the way in which she taught her Sisters to love and care for those they served. St Mary Euphrasia has taught me much about what it means to respect the dignity of human life, to grow in compassion for others, to go about my work zealously and to live a life of integrity.

In a way, I have been transformed by the Good Shepherd spirituality and mission, bringing it with me in my life: to see with the lens and the eyes of the Good Shepherd in all I do, in my interactions with others and in growing in my capacity to love, recognising that each person is of infinite worth and desiring to treat them as such.

– Sophia Michael, Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour

The saints that I am close to are the three archangels: St Michael, St Raphael and St Gabriel. When I was a teenager I stumbled upon the prayers to these archangels in a Catholic prayer book. I usually ask St Raphael to help my family have a safe journey whenever we travel to Malaysia to visit our relatives.

In one of our journeys, my brother was nearly hit by a van and it barely missed him. After witnessing this, I became closer to this practice of calling upon the archangels to guide and protect me.

My wife and I have three kids named after the three saints. My son Raphael prays for family members who fall sick and follows the footsteps of Archangel Raphael the healer. My second son Miguel stands by each family member when there is trouble – following St Michael. My little girl Gabrielle occasionally reminds us to pray together as a family – like St Gabriel the messenger.

I feel that St Michael has helped my faith grow as I see God as my protector when he sends St Michael to guard His people.

– Jude Miranda, Church of the Blessed Sacrament

My favourite saint is Ignatius of Loyola. I first learnt about him in 2012 when I went into full-time youth ministry at the Church of St Ignatius. You could say I didn’t have much of a choice, since I was in a role which required me to share about him with those I was serving! So I started reading about him as well as seeking spiritual direction in the Ignatian tradition. In the process, I fell in love with the practicality of his spirituality (Ignatian spirituality), which transformed my image of and relationship with God. The practice of gratitude – a hallmark of Ignatian spirituality – has helped me to become aware of God’s abundant blessings and graces in my life, even when I feel like the worst sinner around.

Learning about St Ignatius’ life has also taught me much. From his conversion experience while bedridden for months, I have come to recognise that setting aside time for silence to recognise interior movements does wonders for the soul. I have experienced this countless times, in the process discovering the uniqueness of myself and how God relates to me. From his many journeys as a pilgrim, I have learnt that everybody’s life is a journey with different “missions”, but all are called to God’s heart and to heaven.

– Keith Neubronner, Church of St Ignatius

O is be itu do to th ap m

fo an lo

al ac in w to of

ac th ou of – Ti

ws

rufnd on nd

re sey he al-

n, pe, h. r-

HOME 17

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

One of my favourite saints is Ignatius of Loyola. I have benefitted much from the spiritual patrimony that he passed down especially with regard to the spiritual exercises and the art of discernment. I have applied the principles I learnt in order to gain clarity in the making of major decisions in my life.

During my time in the Philippines, I recall getting to know the founder of the Jesuits substantially during prolonged silent retreats and when I studied about his life and spiritual legacy during my theological studies particularly in my course on medieval mystics.

I know him as an idealistic, ambitious and passionate individual of the noble class who dreamt of courtly love, knighthood and achieving great things in life. The turning point in St Ignatius’ life came when he was severely wounded in battle and while recovering, was touched by God through the reading of the life of Jesus and the saints which made him joyful.

I have learnt how to be a “contemplative in action” and to see the presence of God in all things, whether pleasant or otherwise. As previously mentioned, I have also applied the rules of discernment in making major decisions in life.

– Gerald Kong, St Joseph’s Church (Bukit Timah)

My favourite saint is Lydia of Thyatira, whom I am named after. My father chose this name for me. He briefly told me about St Lydia before I started my catechism lessons and I feel very proud that I am named after her as she is one of the saints mentioned in the Bible, in the Acts of the Apostles.

She was one of St Paul’s first converts and was a generous lady who opened a shelter for the early Christians. Purple is the colour always associated with St Lydia, as she was a businesswoman who dealt with purple fabric for the royals. And coincidentally, purple is my favourite colour too!

My health has been rather weak since I was four years old so I ask for the intercessions of St Lydia especially for me in daily prayer.

Her feast day is on Aug 3, which is the same month as my mother’s and brother’s patron saint, St Monica and St Louis.

– Lydia Wong, Church of the Blessed Sacrament

When I was young, I came across a quote from St Mother Teresa of Kolkata: “We cannot all do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” I found this quote simple to understand and yet it was a way of life that I could learn to live by.

I came to know more about her when a friend bought me a book titled, Mother Teresa, A Simple Path, as a gift to help me prepare for Lent. Through her mission of going out of her way to serve the needy and poor, St Mother Teresa has taught me the simplicity of life, hanging on to what I believe in and depending on God for the strength to do what I need to.

– Jacelyn Pang, Church of Christ the King

st me ou eI ut ng on in aof

de rent e, st

ame on en to de se nes, he w is I ’s nt to

of

My favourite saint is Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei, because his mission statement of seeking holiness in our ordinary life resonates with me. He was born in Spain and canonised on Oct 6, 2002, by St John Paul II. I came to know about him because my sister, Adel, and a beloved friend, Elaine, who has since passed away are members of the congregation. They touched me with their fervour and love for God. I often struggle with reconciling the demands of my work and living out my faith. St Josemaria has taught me that they are not two separate spheres of life – I can strive for holiness in just living out my ordinary life and to turn all circumstances and events that happen to me into occasions of love and service.

– Maria Lim, Church of St Vincent de Paul

Making Halloween holy again!

You see for Christians, the theme of death during Halloween evokes hope and not horror. And this season is celebrated by other Christian churches as well.

Since All Saints and All Souls feasts are back-to-back, we can balance some of the focus of Halloween to the Communion of Saints.

We can use the opportunity to honour our favourite saints, pray for the souls in Purgatory (especially recently departed members of our families), and prepare ourselves spiritually for two great feast days of the Catholic Church, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. All Saints’ Day started from the dedication of the Pantheon under Pope Boniface IV in the seventh century. In the eighth century, it was moved from May to November by Pope Gregory III. Pope Sixtus IV in 1484 established November 1 as a holy day of obligation

and gave it both a vigil (known today as All Hallows’ Eve or Halloween) and an eight-day period or octave to celebrate the feast.

Today however we have an onslaught of Halloween witches, ghosts, goblins, vampires everywhere we turn. Many of these practices of Halloween seem to be innocent fun but some parts of Halloween can be extreme.

We have to understand that all through the centuries, the Church has taken secular feasts and tried to “sanctify” or “Christianise” them. Missionaries who hoped to convert people, tried to find some elements in the culture of the local people that could help them identify and understand Christianity at their level. St Paul tried it with the Greeks.

Seeing their altar to the unknown god, he saw that through their own pagan altar he might bring them to Christianity. n Source: www. catholicculture.org

18 HOME

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Sun

S t

Si Sh ed D ily w O

th te sa by ta M

tio m w th ex w en

Assisi Hospice provides palliative care to patients with life-limiting illnesses, caring for them and their families regardless of faith, age, race and financial position.

na D an ex Fr ist tio th ca its an po

Caring for the terminally ill and their loved ones Catholic News features Assisi Hospice in this series on Catholic social service organisations.

Jared Ng Mr Kwan Fook Chuen became an orphan when he was seven years old. Growing up without parental love, he eventually met his wife, who was also an orphan like him, in 2004. Marriage life was simple but cosy as they settled down in a two-room rental flat, which they shared with a co-tenant.

Their peaceful life was disrupted when Mr Kwan, now 67, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010. Despite the blow, he went through treatment and recovered. However in March 2018, Mr Kwan felt a sharp pain in his leg which affected his movement. To his dismay, he discovered that his cancer had returned and spread to his bones. He had to use a walking stick and could no longer continue working and was unable to support himself and his wife as a result.

Assisi Hospice reached out to Mr Kwan and referred him to its free Home Care service where a nurse visited him regularly and helped with managing his pain. In August 2018, Mr Kwan’s condition deteriorated. He was encouraged to visit the hospice’s Day Care Centre for customised therapy sessions to help him maintain his mobility as much as possible.

Today, he visits the centre regularly on his wheelchair and takes part in therapeutic activities including movement, art and music and interacts with other patients, staff and volunteers.

Assisi Hospice, founded by the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM) Sisters in 1969, provides palliative care to patients with life-limiting illnesses, caring for them and their families regardless of faith, age, race and financial position.

“In our history of close to 50 years, we have remained true to our mission as a Catholic charity providing compassionate palliative care to adults and children with life-limiting illness ... our patients are cared for by our team of specialist doctors, nurses, allied health and pastoral care professionals,” said Ms Choo

Shiu Ling, CEO of the hospice.

Some of the hospice’s services include Home Care and Day Care for patients living in the community to have access to on-call doctors who make home visits. In 2017, inpatient dementia and paediatric palliative care were added to the list of services. The paediatric ward acts as a safe haven for children with life-threatening illnesses, who need ongoing medical and nursing care throughout their journey, and at times need care to allow respite for their caregivers.

Other facilities include 85 inpatient beds, a sensory garden, chapel

and roof terrace. The hospice serves more than 2,000 patients a year.

Besides medical care, Assisi Hospice also addresses the concerns of patients and their loved ones by attending to their physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Counsellors and medical social workers assist with practical solutions to support a patient’s needs or to be that listening ear for emotional support. The clinical pastoral care team acts as pillars of support for patients and their families regardless of faith and beliefs. The FMDM Sisters give their time to befriend patients or

Patients enjoying their group art therapy session with the hospice’s art therapist.

assist with administrative work.

Ms Choo said that the hospice “will continue to improve and do better to meet the medical needs and preferences of our patients and families during the most vulnerable time in their lives.”

“Additionally, we will be increasing community engagement to raise awareness on palliative care, as well as organising education and training programmes for the palliative care sector,” she added.

The Assisi Hospice website is http://www.assisihospice.org.sg/. n jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

Mr Kwan Fook Chuen, diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010, visits the hospice regularly on his wheelchair and takes part in various therapeutic activities.

ws

ce do ds nts ul-

nto re, nd a-

is n

h er

r t

HOME 19

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Singapore couple appointed to Vatican Dicastery Singaporean couple Daniel and Shelley Ee have been appointed members of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life. The announcement was made by the Vatican on Oct 6.

The couple, who have been the Worldwide Marriage Encounter’s global leaders since 2014, said that they are “truly humbled by this appointment and it is certainly an honour for Worldwide Marriage Encounter.

We believe it is in recognition of the work of our movement throughout the world. We will certainly do our best to serve the dicastery by drawing on our experiences in the movement as well as from our own life experiences.”

In his letter to them, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, said that they would be expected to contribute to Pope Francis’ universal apostolic ministry and the Dicastery’s “promotion of life and the apostolate of the lay faithful, for the pastoral care of the young, the family and its mission following God’s plan and for the protection and support of human life.”

Daniel and Shelley Ee, the Worldwide Marriage Encounter’s global leaders, have been appointed members of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.

In a congratulatory message to the couple, Archbishop William Goh said that “it is with great joy that we received news of your appointment to the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. It is a recognition of the good work you have done in promoting the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Movement. The Archdiocese is proud of you both and honoured that you have been chosen to serve the Univer-

sal Church in one of its Curia.

Your work in the dicastery will not just be your contribution to Church and society but it will certainly enrich your grasp of the challenges of the family and the young in the world, facing problems perhaps quite different from ours. May your time with the dicastery be a fruitful journey in your spiritual growth and apostolate. Assuring you of my prayers and support.” n

Pauline Sisters to hold workshops on faith, media Our world is completely wired and often we cannot see the real connections. And it is not only young people who spend hours using social media every day, more and more adults are joining social media sites. Even Pope Francis tweets!

So how do we live our life of faith in today’s digital world?

Sisters Rose Pacatte and Nancy Usselmann, Daughters of St Paul Sisters from the US, and global educators on media literacy, will be visiting Singapore in November to conduct media workshops on the theme, Bridging Faith and Life in a Digital World.

Media literacy education teaches people of all ages the dynamics of entertainment and information media and the culture they create.

Topics include digital literacy, media mindfulness for the New Evangelisation, digital discipleship and meeting Jesus at the movies.

Describing the workshops, Sr Rose said “participants will come away with practical skills that they can apply immediately in life, faith, catechesis, and educa-

tion. Today it is not enough just to know ‘how.’ We are called to be faithful citizens in the digital universe.”

Elaborating on some topics, Sr Rose added that digital literacy refers to an individual’s ability to find, evaluate, produce and communicate clear information through writing and other forms of communication on various digital platforms.

The presentation on digital discipleship means we will learn how to integrate faith and life and share it in ways that promote human dignity and the common good, she said.

Meeting Jesus at the movies will look at mainstream films for signs of the mystery and grace of God’s presence in the stories that movies tell through sight and sound.

The sessions, held at Cana The Catholic Centre, will be held on Nov 4 (9am-noon and 2pm-5pm) and on Nov 5 (8pm9.30pm). Love offerings are welcomed.

To register, email PaulineEventsSG@gmail.com. More information can be found at www. paulines.org.sg. n

20 WORLD

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Crossword Puzzle 1221 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

14

15

16

17

18

19

21

20 23 27 33

24

25

44

45

32

40 43 46

47 51

31

37

39 42

50

30

36

35

41

13

26

29

38

12

22

28 34

11

48

52

49

53

54

57

58

59

61

62

63

64

65

66

55

56

60

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

ACROSS 1 “And _____ your spirit” 5 Snake 10 Distort 14 Precious metals, to Pedro 15 Bypass 16 Like some lore 17 Mr. Romney 18 Distance 19 Create 20 Young men’s org.

21 “_____ time…”

22 A scout for Moses 23 “Let there be ____…” (Gen 1:3)

25 Lean 28 _____ culpa 29 Noteworthy achievement 30 Pronoun 33 One of two names in a Catholic book publishing company 36 Catholic theatrical family 38 Bye bye 39 Suave 40 Gallic agreements 41 Speak clearly 43 Sham 44 Take to the slopes

45 Diocese opening 46 Voight who portrayed John Paul II 47 Peep 48 The First _____ Argument 50 Language of the Church 53 Coconut husk 54 Wife of St Joachim 57 At the summit 58 Knight dress 60 Treat that can be divided 61 Hawaiian goose

62 Japanese poem 63 Start of a sphere?

64 Barely passing grades 65 Awry 66 Son of Odin DOWN 1 “Blessed is the fruit of your _____” 2 Greek goddess of the rainbow 3 Wreck 4 Fair Deal monogram 5 Sister of Lazarus

6 _____-garde 7 “Kissing disease,” for short 8 Large 9 Lemon or orange ender 10 “…she shall be called _____, because she was taken…” (Gen 2:23) 11 Asian inland sea 12 Scrape up 13 Member of the long grey line 21 Old 22 Vatican _____ 24 “That is…”

25 9 AM prayer 26 Listen up!

27 Politician Kefauver 29 One of the theological virtues 30 “So, could you not watch with me one _____?”

(Mt 26:40) 31 Saintly king of Sweden 32 Boot up again 34 Country singer Williams

35 36 37 39 42 43

46

47 48 49

50

51 52 53 55 56 58 59 60

Sewing case Clerical colour Groans’ partner Father City in Northwest France Number of horsemen in Revelation (Rev 6:2–8) Jesus healed his daughter (Mk 5:22–42) Biblical instruments Too many spoil the broth “You are the salt of the _____” (Mt 5:13) Pastoral letter, “This _____ is Home to Me” Suit to _____ Hue 902, to Nero Lost fish in a Pixar film A queen of Jordan “I knew it!”

A substitute for Isaac Cereal grass

Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1220 J E S S E

P A P A L

I R A T E

S S T S

A U B E

T E D S

C L A Y

C O D E

I L I A

I N N

N E P A H C T E P E W A N B S R O S I O H A K I L S O S H S

I L I A D W A Y N E L O W

B S I E N T S H H O O V Y E A L S H B O A N B O A R

O P E D H I D D E N

A C O R T H R E F A C E P A L M E E L E S N V O N E W M A N S A B R S U T Y P O A P P H E I A R C

N E S S S A T E E X T R A

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

Sun

Church must adopt Jesus’ method, mentor youth VATICAN CITY – Church leaders

and members need to be “spiritual mentors” – like Jesus and the saints – befriending, accompanying and enriching the lives of young people, one observer told the Synod of Bishops.

“Young people are leaving the Church for different reasons, but the absence of spiritual friendships and mentors in our families, schools and parishes lies at the heart of this crisis of faith,” said Mr Jonathan Lewis, assistant secretary for pastoral ministry and social concerns in the Archdiocese of Washington.

The Synod of Bishops is a permanent institution of the Catholic Church established by Pope Paul VI in 1965. The synod is an assembly of bishops from around the world who assist the Holy Father by providing counsel on important questions facing the Church in a manner that preserves the Church’s teaching and strengthens her internal discipline. The focus for the Oct 3-28 synod is “Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment.”

“Spiritual friends and mentors are urgently needed today since young people trust personal relationships more than institutions,” he said in his Oct 10 intervention,

which he shared with reporters.

He began his brief talk in the synod hall by asking those present to think of how many young people they actually know by name.

He recalled the great impact a priest had on his life in college when he was invited to begin spiritual direction, which involved walking in the evenings in conversation, “like a modern-day road to Emmaus.”

While many of his peers had spiritual mentors when they were young, “most young Catholics today do not.”

He said when young people leave because they no longer trust a Church marred by scandal, they still want and need mentors.

Others leave, he said, “because they have serious questions that have never been answered. Young people are asking for mentors who listen to their questions and provide serious answers that offer a coherent Christian worldview.”

Others say they find the Church to be irrelevant, Mr Lewis said. “The Church does not speak about their interests and experience. Young people are asking for mentors to befriend them and inculturate the faith into their lives.”

Mr Lewis, who as an observer was taking part in the synod discussions, said “spiritual mentorship was the method of Jesus, the method of the saints, and should be our method today,” he said.

This “art of accompaniment” is a “long-term apprenticeship in Christian living that no textbook or technology can replace.”

Local churches can start with clergy and laity asking themselves: how many hours they spend each week mentoring young people; whether their sacramental preparation programmes provide longterm spiritual mentorship; and whether they invest financially in the formation of lay mentors. n CNS

O a

w be th a 18

ar

w at an

an

G Fo Is da

S

S

St ga be w

an tin as bi

a 11

21

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

One day, Jesus was teaching people in a synagogue on the Sabbath.

Among the people in the crowd was a woman who was completely bent over. She had been forced into this awkward and painful position by a spirit, and she had been suffering for 18 long years.

Jesus looked up and noticed her.

“Woman,” He called out, “you are set free of your infirmity.”

Jesus laid His hands on the woman, and she was cured immediately. The woman stood up straight and began to glorify God. The leader of the synagogue was angry with Jesus.

In the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses in Exodus 20, the Fourth Commandment instructed the Israelites to remember the Sabbath day – the day on which God rested

after creating the world – and keep it holy.

“You shall not do any work, either you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your work animal, or the resident alien within your gates,” God told the Israelites.

Over the years, however, stricter and stricter rules were put in place for what was to be considered work. And the synagogue leader considered healing a person on the Sabbath to fit the definition.

“There are six days when work should be done,” he said to the crowd.

“Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath day.”

Jesus was having none of it.

“Hypocrites!” He said.

Jesus pointed out that even on the Sabbath, each person would untie

their animals and lead them somewhere to get a drink of water.

“This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for 18 years now, ought she not to have been set free on the Sabbath day from this bondage?” Jesus asked the synagogue leader.

After Jesus finished speaking, the synagogue leader and all of Jesus’ adversaries were humiliated.

And the entire crowd rejoiced at Jesus’ wonderful deeds. n Read more about it: Luke 13

Q&A 1. What was wrong with the woman in the crowd?

2. Why was the synagogue leader mad at Jesus?

Wordsearch:

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

St Martin of Tours

n SABBATH n WORLD n DEED n HONOUR n LEADER n EXODUS n HUNGARY n TEMPLE n ANIMAL n GLORIFY n MATTHEW n BISHOP

St Martin of Tours was born into a pagan family in Hungary in the early fourth century. His father was a member of the Roman army who moved the family to Italy, which is where Martin became a catechumen.

He eventually followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the military. After he was discharged, Martin lived a monastic life and founded France’s first monastery. The people of Tours, France, declared him their bishop in 372.

Martin was the first nonmartyr to be honoured as a saint. He died in 397, and we remember him on Nov 11. n

Bible Accent: PUZZLE: Fill in the blanks in the following sentences using the Gospel passages provided.

1. Something _ _ _ _ _ _ _ than the _ _ _ _ _ _ is here. (Mt 12:6) 2. Neither _ _ nor his parents _ _ _ _ _ _. (Jn 9:3) 3. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ out _ _ _ _ hand. (Mt 12:13) 4. I told _ _ _ already and you did not _ _ _ _ _ _.

(Jn 9:27) Answer to Wordsearch

The Bible details other instances in which Jesus or the apostles were accused of breaking the Sabbath.

For example, in John 9, we read that Jesus cured a blind man on the Sabbath. When the Pharisees found out, they said Jesus was sinful and not from God. In Matthew 12:9-14, the Pharisees asked Jesus if it was lawful to cure a person on the Sabbath.

“Which one of you who has a sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath will not take hold of it and lift it out?” Jesus replied. “How much more valuable a person is than a sheep.

So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Jesus then turned to a man who had a withered hand and cured him.

And in Matthew 12:1-8, the Pharisees accused the apostles of breaking the Sabbath because they ate some grain while walking through a field.

Jesus pointed out that when David and his men were hungry, they ate bread in the house of God that was meant for the priest, and that a priest serving at temple on the Sabbath is innocent of wrongdoing.

“I say to you, something greater than the temple is here,” Jesus said. “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” n

Answer to puzzle: 1. greater, temple; 2. he, sinned; 3. stretch, your; 4. you, listen

ws

22 OPINION

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Fortnightly newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore

2 Highland Road, #01-03 Singapore 549102.

Telephone: 6858 3055. Fax: 6858 2055.

W: www.catholicnews.sg FB: www.facebook.com/catholicnews IG: catholicnews.sg EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Sunny Wee: sunny.wee@catholic.org.sg

MANAGING DIRECTOR: André Ahchak: andre.ahchak@catholic.org.sg

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Christopher Khoo: christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg

ADVERTISEMENTS: Elaine Ong: advertisements@catholic.org.sg

STAFF CORRESPONDENT: Jared Ng: jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

IN MEMORIAM: Racquel Castanares: memoriam@catholic.org.sg

DESIGN / LAYOUT: Christopher Wong: design@catholic.org.sg Elaine Ong: elaine.ong@catholic.org.sg

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Richard Paul: subscriptions@catholic.org.sg EDITORIAL MATTERS AND QUERIES: cnedit@catholic.org.sg

Please include your full name, address and phone no. for all letters to the editor.

All decisions on submissions rest with the CatholicNews. Published submissions will be edited.

The views or positions presented in articles in CatholicNews do not necessarily represent the views of the Church.

Advertisements that appear in CatholicNews are not necessarily endorsed by the Church.

REFLECTION

God’s Mercy – Mystery of Christ’s Passion Msgr Philip Heng, SJ God’s Mercy and Compassionate Love are a mystery that many struggle to comprehend especially when a person’s pain and suffering are overwhelming and there does not seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel. In such situations God seems to be absent.

In suffering, a person could express his/her pain as: “I find myself in the abyss of darkness that is threatening to swallow me. ‘God’s silence’ is deafening … Where is God when I need Him most? Why is He not answering my pleas and allowing the cruelty of my pain to eat into me? What wrong have I done to deserve such pain and anguish?”

In such situations, we are tempted to give up on God ... and turn to other “voices and even vices” ...

Before we rush into some irrational choices because the pain is too much to bear, let us not forget what Jesus went through. Does your pain not echo Jesus’ cry of anguish in the Agony in the Garden: “Father, if possible, remove this cup from Me, but Your Will, not My Will be done” (Lk 22:42).

Some years ago, one of my aunts, Mabel (not her real name), from overseas showed up unexpectedly and cried out to me, “Father, my son who is working here in Singapore was so deeply depressed that he became violent.

He was uncontrollable and took out a knife to threaten to harm his girlfriend (Lucy; not her real name) and me. My heart was pounding in fear and my mind was bombarded with the thought, ‘What if he stabs Lucy?’

“In my desperation, I begged God to rescue us … I was left without any choice but to call the police as the critical situation was beyond me. The police arrived

and arrested my son and sent him to IMH where he was sedated. My son now hates me for calling the police and wishes that I am dead.

My heart was torn and I began to ask myself, “What have I done, in surrendering my own son to the police?”

We are each called to unite our pain and suffering with the Mystery of God’s Mercy and Suffering; they are inseparable realities.

“As I was in deep sorrow and pouring my heart out to Jesus in my prayer, it dawned on me that when I ‘sacrificed’ my only son, what was foremost in my mind was the safety of Lucy. A day later, as my heart was still wrenched in confusion, guilt, sorrow . . . as I sat in silence before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament; it then

dawned on me that God, our loving Father, too, sacrificed His only Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, for the sake and salvation of humanity.”

Reflect on our lives for a moment and ask ourselves, “Have I not gone through similar pain and suffering like Aunt Mabel?

How did I weather the storms of my life?”

In retrospect, was it not eventually because like Jesus, “God gave me the graces and strength to persevere in my faith, hope and love in Him, that I was able to transcend the pain and suffering that I had to endure?”

Likewise, Aunty Mabel was going through the “Passion of Christ”. We are each called to unite our pain and suffering with the Mystery of God’s Mercy and Suffering; they are inseparable realities.

Aunty Mabel’s suffering of her son’s rejection and disowning her was the weight of the cross she was called to bear with “humble surrender” and with “unwavering trust”, and with wisdom, pray with Jesus, “Father, if possible, remove this cup; but Your Will, not my will be done.”

In one of the key principles of the discernment of God’s will, according to St Ignatius of Loyola, one should never make any decisions in time of Spiritual Desolation. In Aunty Mabel’s case, in her emotional pain and suffering, even though she could not feel the Presence of God, she continued to hold on to her faith firmly and trusted God wholeheartedly, that the “Light of Jesus’ Resurrection” will dawn … in God’s time and ways.

This topic will be taken up in future articles. n Msgr Heng is Rector of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.

The search for an indubitable truth IN A book, 12 Rules for Life – An Antidote to Chaos published this year and that’s justifiably making waves in many circles today, Canadian psychology professor Jordan Peterson shares his own journey towards truth and meaning. Here’s that story: At one point in his life, while still young and finding his own path, he reached a stage where he felt agnostic, not just about the shallow Christianity he’d been raised on, but also about most everything else in terms of truth and trust. What really can we believe in? What’s ultimately to be trusted?

Too humble to compare himself to one of the great minds in history, French philosopher Rene Descartes, who, 500 years ago, struggled with a similar agnosticism, Peterson nonetheless could not help but employ Descartes’ approach in trying to find a truth that you could not doubt. So, like Descartes, he set off in search of an “indubitable” (Descartes’ term), that is, to find a premise that absolutely cannot be doubted. Descartes, as we know, found his “indubitable” in his famous dictum: I think, therefore, I am! Nobody can be deceived in believing that since even to be deceived would be indisputable proof that you exist. The philosophy that Descartes then built upon the indubitable premise is left for history to judge. But history doesn’t dispute the truth of his dictum.

So Peterson sets out with the same essential question: What single thing cannot be doubted? Is there something so evidently true that nobody can doubt it? For Peterson, it’s not the fact that we think which is indisputable, it’s the fact that we, all of us, suffer. That’s his indubitable truth, suffering is real. That cannot be doubted: “Nihilists cannot undermine it with scepticism. Totalitarians cannot banish it. Cynics cannot escape its reality.” Suffering is real beyond all doubt.

Moreover, in Peterson’s understanding, the worst kind of suffering isn’t that which is inflicted upon us by the innate contingencies of our being and our mortality, nor by the sometimes blind brutality of nature.

The worst kind of suffering is the kind that one person inflicts upon another, the kind that one part of humankind inflicts upon another part, the kind we see in the atrocities of the 20th century – Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, and countless others responsible for the torture, rape, suffering, and death of millions.

From this indubitable premise he submits something else that too cannot be disputed: This kind of suffering isn’t just real, it’s also wrong!

We can all agree that this kind of suffering is not good and that there is something that is (beyond dispute) not good. And if there’s something that is not good, then there’s something that is good. His logic: “If the worst sin is the torment of others, merely for the sake of the suffering produced – then the good is whatever is diametrically opposed to that.”

What flows from this is clear: The good is whatever stops such things from happening. If this is true, and it is, then it is also clear as to what is good, and what is a good way of living: If the most terrible forms of suffering are produced by egotism, selfishness, untruthfulness, arrogance, greed, lust for power, wilful cruelty, and insensitivity to others, then we are evidently called to the opposite: selflessness, altruism, humility, truth-telling, tenderness, and sacrificing for others.

Not incidentally, Peterson affirms all of this inside a chapter within which he highlights the importance of sacrifice, of delaying private gratification for a greater good long-range. His insight here parallels those anthropologists who point out that the only way of stopping unconscious sacrifice to blind gods (which is what happened in the atrocities of Hitler and what happens in our own bitter slandering of others) is through self-sacrifice. Only when we accept at the cost of personal suffering our own contingencies, sin, and mortality will we stop projecting these on to others so to make them suffer in order to feel better about ourselves.

Peterson writes as an agnostic or perhaps, more accurately, as an honest analyst, an observer of humanity, who for purposes of this book prefers to keep his faith private. It’s where he lands that’s important, and where he lands is on very solid ground. It’s where Jesus lands in the Sermon on the Mount, it’s where the Christian Churches land when they’re at their best, it’s where the great religions of the world land when they’re at their best, and it’s where humanity lands when it’s at its best.

The mediaeval mystic, Theresa of Avila, wrote with great depth and challenge. Her treatise on the spiritual life is now a classic and forms part of the very canon of Christian spiritual writings. In the end, she submits that during our generative years the most important question we need to challenge ourselves with is: How can I be more helpful?

Jordan Peterson, with a logic and language that can be understood by everyone today, offers the same challenge. n

Sun

ws

ang gy o-

delt ’d se ti-

sglp ld e” be us ng ou le th

le och biot cs

ng ur re. on rt, ol g,

oo g! is ng he ng t.” ch as le ulty ss, s. in te els ncis) al oer

an ok nt, in en nd at

nd ms he on l? by

HOME 23

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

wedding is for a day but a marriage is for life. There is much to be done for marriage. However quite often much is done for the wedding. Sometimes the stress of planning for the wedding drives a wedge between the couple so much so that by the time they exchange vows, they are ready for a divorce.

Quite often one of the parties actually wants to exit the relationship but because the invitation cards have been sent out or because of societal pressure, they continue with the charade of the wedding.

A spiritual preparation for marriage is a must. The preparatory programmes available are Engaged Encounter and Marriage Preparation Course including a preparation with the priest who will be witnessing to the exchange of vows.

In the past, some couples have gone through the motion during these preparatory sessions and presenters are fully aware that this couple is not ready for marriage.

There is nothing that can be done because at times the course is just a week before the wedding date. Unprepared as the couple is, they continue on with the wedding to disastrous consequences.

Booking the wedding date with the Church a year in advance will give all parties concerned time to truly deliberate the readiness for marriage. Of course no one will be totally ready for marriage but we

A

need to do our best to be prepared to live out our wedding promises.

The Archbishop, after discussing with the Senate, has decided that going forward, bookings for weddings must be made a year in advance. This decision is effective immediately. There are of course unique instances where deliberations have to be made.

Again – booking the wedding date a year in advance gives all concerned the time to work out issues that may be present.

For instance, one party may be a divorcee and it may take quite some time to have the necessary paperwork done. Imagine the frustration when it is discovered three months before the wedding date that the ceremony cannot take place in Church due to some irregularities that will need nine months to sort out.

Sometimes parties concerned are not aware of other impediments that they are carrying and so if this is surfaced earlier, the parties can be at peace some time before the wedding date.

Getting your wedding date a year ahead is not something unusual because couples do book the hotel or restaurant a year in advance. Sometimes there is greater importance placed on making sure that a booking for the reception is secured than a date where the Church is available. Couples have in the past run into such difficulties

and then they go shopping for the next available Church for the wedding.

The more couples pay attention to their marriage, the more they will draw the graces that are given in a marriage. The Church wedding is not just a ceremony. It is the moment when sacramental grace is bestowed upon the Catholic couple; graces that we cannot do without in marriage. n Contact your Parish Priests or the Parish Office for more details about booking your wedding date.

24 WHAT’S ON

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Sun

Compile d by Jared Ng and Christo pher Wo ng

Venue: CAEC 2 Highland Road, S549102. *NOTE* Participants are required to have attended Basic Catechist Course Level 2 – Intro to Morality. Cost is waived for 2018. Register using the following URL: https://cms.catechesis.org.sg/civicrm/event/ info?reset=1&id=249. For more information, T: 6911 0400; E: formation@catechesis.org.sg; W: www.catechesis.org.sg.

Oct 26 to Oct 28 Montfortian Experience Retreat (MX6) – Christian Discipleship Time: 6:30pm (Fri)-1:30pm (Sun).

Venue: Montfort Centre. A Christian disciple is a person free with the freedom that comes from God, detached from everything and devoid of self-interest.

Animator: Br Dominic Yeo-Koh, SG, Br John Albert, SG. Cost: $130 (twin/sharing).

For more information, E: enquiries@montfortcentre.org; T: 6769 5711.

Re Ve A di un Si

Nov 3 to Nov 5 Deepening Authentic Conversations Retreat Nov 3 (10am)-Nov 5 (5pm). Venue: Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. In this deepening retreat, the invitation is to grow in awareness of how personal the lover’s language is. Facilitator: Mr Lance Ng. Cost: $260 (non-AC), $300 (AC). To register: W: http://tinyurl.com/ dacr18; T: 6467 6072.

N

Fa Ti Ti in Fo

Bridging Faith and Life in the Digital World Time: Nov 4 (9am-12pm/2pm-5pm), Nov 5 (8pm-9.30pm).

Venue: 55 Waterloo St, #02-01, S187954. Media workshop organised by the Daughters of St Paul and CANA. Open to teens, adults, parents, catechists, those in Church ministry, Religious and clergy.

To register T: 8505 9746 (Sister Mel); E: paulineeventssg@gmail.com; W: www.paulines.org.sg. Love offerings welcomed.

Emmaus in the City Time: 7:30pm to 10pm. Venue: Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Annex Level 3 Hall. Emmaus in the City, a 7-part series on Mondays! Inviting all young working adults; come and grow in your relationship with God! Sign-up now to receive updates: tinyurl.com/ emmausinthecity.

Oct 20 to Oct 26

Nov 3 and Nov 10

Angelico Art Award & Exhibition 2018 Time: 10am-8pm. Venue: 10SQ, Orchard Central #10-01.

The award is a platform for artists to experience and express their faith through art as a medium. The theme for reflection this year was “Prepare the way for the Lord.” Come see the finalists of the award and the winning artworks. Paintings are on sale. Organised

by Heartspace in support of Catholic Foundation.

For more information, W: www.angelicoart.com.

My Child is Made for More Nov 3: 9am-1.30pm. Nov 10: 9am-4.30pm. Venue: Lifelong Learning Institute, 11 Eunos Road 8, S408601.

My Child is Made for More will enable you to be the primary sexuality educator of your child.

It addresses the sexuality issues facing your child, including pornography, pre-marital and casual sex.

The approach is to focus on dignity, respect, sexual honesty and authentic freedom, not consequences.

For tickets: T: 6488 0278 (Look for Hershey/Sophia).

For more information, W: education@familylife.sg; W: madeformore.peatix.com.

Oct 24, 31 and Nov 7, 14, 21, 28 Basic Catechist Course Level 2 – Human Sexuality* Time: Every Wednesday from 7:30pm-10pm.

Guide for Funerals in the Archdiocese

Death of a Catholic

Deaths and funerals are often a time of distress for families. Making funeral arrangements under these circumstances can be challenging especially with the need to coordinate multiple issues.

The family or funeral director must secure parish venue and priest first before booking the crematorium

N

M Th fo It as sp E:

Funeral Is it parish of the deceased?

The Archdiocese of Singapore, in helping to streamline the process for families of the deceased, has outlined the broad principles to assist the bereaved.

1 2

As a principle the funeral is normally arranged at the parish of the deceased.

5

The parish of the deceased is determined by the parish that he/she normally had been attending for their Masses and liturgical services.

The parish secretary will assist in sourcing a priest of the parish or another priest for the families to conduct the funeral rites.

6

For all other logistics in relation to the funeral day and rites, it will then be directed to the parish that will be conducting the funeral.

3

Before arranging a time or day of funeral and cremation, do contact the parish concerned to determine the availability of a priest.

7 8 9

In the case of dispute, the territorial parish will assume responsibility for the funeral.

In the event that the parish that was contacted is not the parish of the deceased, it would be the duty of the secretary to forward the information to the relevant parish and inform the families concerned.

N

Basic Catechist Course Level 2 – Learning To Listen & Facilitate (Intensive) Time: 8:30am-4pm (Oct 27). 10am-4pm (Nov 3).

Venue: Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace, 4 Sandy Lane, S437321. One of the fundamental tasks of catechesis is the initiation and education in community life. In this course, participants will learn the key to facilitating small faith-sharing groups. For more information, W: www.catechesis.org.sg; T: 6911 0401.

Nov 4 and Nov 5

Oct 1 to Nov 12

4

Oct 27 and Nov 3

If the parish venue is not available, the parish should arrange for an alternative venue.

In exceptional cases, the Mass for the funeral can be held at the venue of the wake.

Family contacts parish of the deceased

The parish of the deceased is determined by the parish that he/she normally had been attending for their Masses and liturgical services

Parish office contacts correct parish of the deceased

In the case of dispu will assume respo

ws

8

WHAT’S ON 25

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Nov 9 to Nov 11

Nov 10 TO Nov 11

Retreat for dating couples: Love and right relating Venue: Choice Retreat House, 47 Jurong West St 42.

A weekend of prayerful reflection and meaningful discussion for dating couples as they discover and understand their relationship. Organised by the Cenacle Sisters. Contribution: $250.

A Religious-Charism Retreat Nov 10 (9am)–Nov 11 (3pm). Venue: Kingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. Have you wondered about the different Religious orders in Singapore? What makes each charism so special and unique in answering God’s call to vocation?

Open to all from ages 25–45 years of age. Facilitators: Celina Lin & team. Cost: $120 (non-AC), $140 (AC).

To register: W: http://tinyurl.com/rcr18; T: 6467 6072.

Nov 10 Faith Formation Session Time: 2.30pm-5pm. Venue: CANA 55 Waterloo Street Title: Growing the community with faith and love into an inclusive extended family. Speaker: Bryan Shen.

For registration: T: 9784 2891 (Luke); E: cfsmsg@gmail.com.

0

Nov 16 AES 65th Anniversary Dinner Time: 6pm-10.30pm. Calling all Assumptionknights to return, reconnect, rejoice at AES. Co-organised by Assumption English School and Boys’ Town Alumni. To register: T: 6572 9100 (Nurasyikin), E: aes@moe.edu.sg; W: http://assumptionenglish.moe.edu.sg/.

Prayer Experience Retreat #25 Time: Nov 16 (8.30am)-Nov 18 (6pm). Venue: Catholic Spirituality Centre. A semi silent retreat where you will learn to connect with God in prayer, listen to Him, communicate with Him, receive healing in prayer and grow in the spiritual life. Conducted by Fr Andrew Wong and Catholic Spirituality Centre Retreat Team.

Registration opens on Oct 5. Cost: $120. For more information, T: 6288 7901; W: http://www.csctr.net/.

Nov 17

Nov 10 commencing Maryvale Certificate in Catechesis (MCC) This is a two-year, part-time, distance-learning course for those interested to develop his or her faith.

It includes practical aspects of catechesis, as well as a solid foundation in key areas of theology and spirituality. Organiser: Office For Catechesis.

E: actp@catechesis.org.sg (Jane).

“A Life Surprised By ... ” – A Retreat for Young Adults Time: 9am-5pm. Venue: Verbum Dei Singapore (4 Sommerville Road S358228). Come, and let Him surprise you! “A Life Surprised By ...” is a one-day retreat for young adults aged 20-40 years old organised by the Verbum Dei missionaries and disciples. Cost: $50 per adult (includes tea and lunch). To register: W: tinyurl.com/alifesurprisedby. For more information, T: 6274 0251; E: Vdeisgevents@gmail.com.

Nov 17 St Patrick’s School 85th Anniversary Dinner Time: 7.15pm. Venue: Fairmont Hotel. All alumni are invited to join us for this celebration and fellowship.

Tickets are available at the school office. T: 6344 0929

Funeral Arrangement Policy in Singapore Based on Senate Communication

s it parish of he deceased?

Is parish venue availabe?

Is priest available?

Priest negotiates date and time of funeral with the family

Parish ffice contacts orrect parish the deceased

Parish office looks for another venue

Parish office looks for another priest

The logistics will be arranged by the parish where the funeral is held

the case of dispute, the territorial parish will assume responsibility for the funeral

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/announcement-advertisement-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.

(school hours). Per head: $150. Per table: $1,380. Extra costs apply for specially requested halal food.

Nov 16 to Nov 18

m).

EVENT SUBMISSIONS

For more clarification or information, please contact your parish priest.

Nov 18 to Nov 24 Week of Guided Prayer @ Church of the Holy Cross The Sojourners’ Companions invites you to learn how to pray with Scripture and develop a closer relationship with the Lord. Taster on Nov 18 from 2pm5pm. Nov 19-23: daily 30mins at home and 30mins with personal prayer guide at the church, at a convenient time between 9am-10pm. Closing on Nov 24 from 2pm5pm. To register: W: www.sojourners.sg; E: wogp@sojourners.sg. Registration is also available on Nov 10 and 11 at the church foyer or parish office after Mass. Cost: $30.

Nov 23 to Nov 25 Quieting the Soul: Singapore Time: Nov 23 (7pm) to Nov 25 (4pm).

Venue: St. Patrick’s House (behind St Patrick’s Sch) 490 East Coast Rd, S429058. Step aside from the busyness of life to spend time in quiet prayer and reflection and to deepen your relationship with God. This is an individualised weekend retreat, guided by a trained spiritual director who will help you process your prayer and to discern God’s voice. By Cenacle Sister and team. Cost: $250. To register: W: www.cenaclemission. com. Please register before Nov 10.

26 IN MEMORIAM MAY THEY REST IN PEACE

Fourth Anniversary In loving memory of

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Sun

Third Anniversary In loving memory of

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

PHILIP YAP TIAM POH Departed: October 27, 2013 We hold you close within our hearts, And there you shall remain, To walk with us throughout our lives Until we meet again.

So rest in peace dear husband, father and grandpa, And thanks for all you’ve done, We pray that God has given you The crown you’ve truly won Remembered with love and dearly missed by Shirley, Stephannie, Hock Hai, Cephas, God-children and all loved ones.

Fifteenth 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.

Fourteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

Dearly missed and fondly remembered by all loved ones.

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.

Second Anniversary In loving memory of

Fifth 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.

Second Anniversary In loving memory of

JOHN TAN NGEE TECK Departed: Oct 21, 2003 Broken is the family circle, Our dear one has passed away, Passed from the earth and earthly darkness Into bright and perfect day But we all must cease to languish Over the grave of him we love, Strive to be prepared to meet him, In the better world above.

M

D’CRUZ KISHORE JOSEPH 9-2-1947–20-10-2016 It broke our hearts to lose you But grief knits our hearts in a closer bond.

Dearly loved, cherished and missed by loving family and friends.

Mass will be celebrated at The Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Oct 20, 2018 at 5.45pm.

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.

OBITUARY

VINCENT CHAN SEE SOON Departed on October 21, 2016 Your nature, loving and giving, Your heart, pure gold, And to us who truly love you, Our memory of you will never grow old.

Always remembered and missed by mum, sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In loving memory of 22nd 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.

r

Thirteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

ANDREW LIM Departed: Nov 2, 2005 Gone from our lives One so dear But in our hearts Forever near Always cherished by: Late Wife: Margaret Daughters & Spouses: Carmel & Noel, Gillian, Audrey & Song Granddaughters & Grandson in law: Louise & Ginno, Laura & Lorraine, all relatives & loved ones.

33rd Anniversary

b w S

Our Beloved Pa



Ma

In loving memory of Seventh Anniversary Fifth 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.

ANTHONY ADAIKELASAMY

Third Anniversary In loving memory of

Y

PETER LIM HWA TONG Departed: Oct 26, 2015 We think of you in Silence No eyes can see us weep But still within our aching hearts Your memory we keep.

Deeply missed by wife Jennifer, Clarence, Ying Wei, Nicholas, Gabriel and loved ones.

M

A. THERESA MARY

On their 60th Wedding Anniversary in Heaven October 22, 1958

Take them in thy arms, dear Lord And ever let them be A messenger of love between Our hearts and thee.

W c

D

ws

y of

IN MEMORIAM 27

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

Second Anniversary In loving memory of

In loving memory of Twenty-ninth Anniversary

Eleventh Anniversary In loving memory of

SR VITTORINA LUCY CHIN LAMPERTI THERESA LYE Departed: Oct 28, 2008 Departed: Oct 26, 2007 May 27, 1916 to Oct 27, 2016 You had a heart of gold Time changes many One of the best You had a heart of gold things but not the to behold One of the best Memory this day brings You were generous, to behold Till now you are still in loving and kind You were generous, These are the memories our minds and hearts. loving and kind you left behind.

Deeply missed and These are the memories cherished by son, you left behind.

Deeply missed Jonathan and Family. by loved ones.

Dearly and sadly missed by Gabriel, Jeanette, Sarah In loving memory of our parents and Maggie.

Fourteenth Fifth Sixth Anniversary Anniversary Anniversary In loving memory of

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.

Seventh Anniversary In loving memory of

MARIA DASS S/O PONNIAH Born: 10/05/1922 Departed: 06/10/2012 We think of you in silence No eyes can see us weep But still within our aching hearts Your memory we keep.

Deeply mourned by all loved ones.

SEBASTIAN TAN Departed: Oct 16, 2011 Seven years have gone by, but there has not been a single moment when you have not been greatly missed.

Seven years ago you physically left us, but you have constantly been in our thoughts and prayers, and will forever be in our hearts.

Deeply missed and always remembered by family and loved ones.

In loving memory of

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.

In loving memory of Second Anniversary

Seventeenth Anniversary

In loving memory of our parents Twenty-fourth Anniversary

Fourth Anniversary

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

ep.

i, nd

Tenth Anniversary In loving memory of

Third Anniversary

MAGDALENE GOH JOHN BAPTIST @ PWAY CHENG LIM TECK LIANG Departed May 6, 1994 Oct 31, 2014

We thank God for blessing us with wonderful parents!

We love you, mummy and pa, and cherish our happy times together!

May you rest in peace in God’s Heavenly Kingdom!

Dearly missed by all loved ones!

We thought of you today but that is nothing new.

We thought about you yesterday and days before that too.

We think of you in silence.

We often speak your name.

All we have are memories and your picture frame.

Your memory is a keepsake from which we’ll never part.

God has you in his arms, we have you in our hearts.

Dearly missed and fondly remembered by Elsie, Elena and Linda Charity and loved ones.

CHRISTOPHER FELICIA DOUGLAS GRACIE de MELLO de MELLO Departed: October 31, 2004 October 10, 2013

We often think of bygone days When we were together, The family chain is broken But memories live for ever.

Fondly remembered by children and grandchildren.

28

Sunday October 28, 2018 n CatholicNews

ADVERTISEMENT

Caritas Humanitarian Aid and Relief Initiatives Singapore (CHARIS) is the Catholic Church’s umbrella body for overseas humanitarian aid.

Make

Hope

Happen

932,000

refugees in Bangladesh

Said to be the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis, Rohingya Muslims face physical violence, persecution, statelessness, and natural calamities.

270,000

affected by Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines At least 100 have been killed by the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines since Haiyan in 2013.

70,000

evacuated during earthquakes and tsunami in Sulawesi

These include 1,424 dead, 2,549 injured and 113 missing in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Natural disasters and conflicts are also affecting thousands in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, and beyond.

With numerous natural calamities and conflicts happening in the region, CHARIS is currently partnering with our affiliates to support and contribute to humanitarian aid and relief efforts.

Join us, and make hope happen.

Donate via our online payment page! makehopehappen.charis-singapore.org Contact your local parish for a copy of our flyer and payment envelope to contribute via:

• Cash • Cheque • Monthly Donation via GIRO

55 Waterloo Street #07-02 Catholic Centre Singapore 187954

Tel : +65 6337 4119

www.charis-singapore.org

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