Catholic News Issue 24 2018 by CatholicNews

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A publication of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore SINGAPORE $0.70 CENTS / WEST MALAYSIA RM$2.10

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2018

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Jared Ng A slow but gradual shift is taking place in the Church to get more laypeople to step into more responsible roles for the Church. When this happens then it would allow the clergy to focus more on their core responsibilities. What this means is that there must be a mindset change by both laypeople and the clergy and Religious if the Church in Singapore is to remain a body that is run by local priests instead of foreign missionaries. Archbishop William Goh made this call in a special interview with Catholic News. “There needs to be a paradigm shift in the way we see the role of priests and Religious,” he said. “Priests must be willing to let go of their autonomy over every aspect of the running of the church, especially mundane matters and instead delegate such responsibilities to the lay as they are coequals and co-responsible in the work of building Church. “They should focus on the work of formation, proclamation of the Word of God, preparing and delivering inspiring homilies and talks, catechesis, prayer, administering the sacraments, counselling, ministering and pastoring the people, and empowering the laity to undertake work that they are more equipped to do, whilst providing overall direction and supervision for accountability. “On the other hand, the lay must also

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ChristianTaoist dialogue for global ethics Special colloquium held at Cathedral n Page 3

learn to accept lay leaders and teachers and not be overly-dependent on the clergy for everything. Some lay leaders, if properly trained, can be good formators and teachers of faith. Unless we have lay leaders who are accepted among the laity, it would be difficult to groom new lay leaders as they would not be accepted by the lay faithful and even by priests and Religious,” said Archbishop Goh. Setting the background to this call is the startling statistics that fewer than five priests are below the age of 40. There are about 155 priests in Singapore, half of whom are between 40 and 55 years; and the rest above 55 years. The greying population among the clergy and Religious is exacerbated by the decline in young people taking up priestly and Religious vocations. This has thus accelerated the need for more laypeople to support the Church in Her mission. “We can import more foreign priests, as we are increasingly doing, to fill the urgent needs of the Church, but this is neither sustainable nor ideal due to the lack of stability and cultural differences. If the local Church is to be truly a local Church, we need to cultivate more local priestly and Religious vocations. Otherwise, we are returning to where we were before, a Church sustained by missionaries from abroad,” he said. Archbishop Goh pointed out that “even the Apostles recognised the need to devolve some of the responsibilities of Church to

the deacons so that they can focus on their core responsibilities, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.’ (Acts 6:2-4). The call for more laypeople to come forward was first mentioned on Oct 29 when he spoke at the Catholic Foundation dinner. He said the Church would “diminish” if the laity are not missionary disciples, ready to serve. “We are not missionary disciples. We are just involved in the mission without being disciples,” he said at the dinner, adding that what the Church needs are laypeople who, together with priests and Religious, can form other laypeople, by giving retreats and formation. Training lay teachers However, before the laity can take over certain roles and responsibilities in the Church, it is imperative that they first become trained, missionary disciples. Archbishop Goh explained that this would entail “being academically trained for pastoral ministry” and being equipped with the necessary theological and doctrinal knowledge to teach and to form. “They

Helping refugees live normal lives

Concert of praise for young people

A look at the Jesuit Refugee Service

Liveloud concert coming to S’pore

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must also be grounded in their spiritual life to be able to share their faith with conviction and passion.” Once a pool of lay teachers and leaders has been developed, they “can be outsourced to various organisations and groups to train the second echelon of trainers and pastoral leaders.” As part of their preparation for this role, they will need to be “sent for further training, locally and overseas, in dogmatic, moral and pastoral theology, scriptures, canon law, catechetics, communication and other specialties,” he said. Relying on priests for pastoral formation alone can no longer be the only way because of their limited time and resources spent on ministering to people in the areas of catechesis, sacraments and liturgical celebrations, and administrative responsibilities, said Archbishop Goh. “Our priests are left with not much time to continue the work of faith and spiritual formation, sometimes not even to conduct RCIA classes, less still, provide ongoing formation for those newly baptised or members serving in ministries or their parishioners at large.” Therefore, apart from providing organisation, management and administrative support in areas such as human resource, finance, communications and information technology ... we need lay professionals to undertake formation work alongside the n Continued on Page 2

Putting Franciscan values into action

Don’t let our sins be an obstacle to your trust…

How we lead our lives affects others

Hai Sing Catholic sets up vegetable garden

Bishops tell young people at synod

A reflection from Msgr Heng

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priests – give talks, conduct theological and pastoral courses, conduct retreats and seminars, provide counselling, spiritual direction, catechetics, initiate, coordinate and run pastoral programmes, he added. Scholarships, sponsorships One potential obstacle of developing lay leaders is the financial cost re uired to do so. To this, Archbishop Goh said the Church cannot be shy in investing financially in laypeople. “We need to provide scholarships to sponsor these young laypeople who are willing to serve in the Church full-time. “The Church must not be penny wise and pound foolish. If we are not willing to invest in our laity, in formation and training, we would soon have a laity that is illformed and faith that is weak and easily swayed by humanism, relativism and materialism. The Church will soon be redundant because we cannot communicate effectively with the world. We need professional laypeople to dialogue with the world and to bring the Gospel values to the world,” he said. Although there are already some laypeople who have received the Church s financial support to be trained and formed. Archbishop Goh acknowledged that the local Catholic population is still not used to the idea of “sponsoring our laity for full time pastoral and missionary studies and work.” And, this paradigm shift will take time. “We are overly dependent on volunteers who, much as they like, cannot give all their

time to the Church because they have family, community and work commitments,” he added. Those who have received the Church’s financial support are e pected to contribute back to the Church through service in their respective ministries. This is particularly so for those students who have studied in CTIS as their courses are substantially

“Priests must be willing to let go of their autonomy over every aspect of the running of the church, especially mundane matters, and instead delegate such responsibilities to the lay as they are co-equals and co-responsible in the work of building Church.” – Archbishop Goh

Archbishop Goh said funds are needed “not just to build infrastructure, but also for the work of formation, mission and evangelisation. We must be willing to commit to the formation of our full-time workers, to upgrade their skills and knowledge. At the same time, we need to subsidise our volunteer workers for pastoral courses so that they can better serve in the ministry.” “Whilst the lay are encouraged to volunteer their time and services to the Church, not all areas of work can be outsourced to volunteers. Full-time workers are needed to ensure accountability and professionalism. We must be more ready to employ full-time workers and provide them a decent salary for them to sustain their family,” he said. “There are many who are passionate about their faith but they are not able to give themselves to service in the Church fulltime because the Church does not give them a reasonable remuneration to sustain their livelihood or look after their family. There is the need to balance between operational costs, infrastructure, teaching, mission and evangelisation. Every aspect is important and they must be considered as a package and not one without the other,” he added. Promoting religious vocations

subsidised by the Archdiocese. M ore of our Catholics should enrol for courses at CTIS to better e uip themselves in their faith so that they can confidently defend and e plain their faith to their friends and society. We hope with a better educated laity, they will gain credibility with the people of God who could look up to them for direction and formation.”

Archbishop’s Office relocated D ue to redevelopm ent and repair w ork s scheduled to tak e place, the Archbishop’s Office w ill b e tem porarily relocated to 199, Ponggol Seventeenth A ve, S ingapore 829645. K indly direct your m ail and pack ages to the address indicated. A ll contact num b ers to the Office remain the same. n

Apart from a focus on developing the laity, Archbishop Goh shared some steps the local Church has taken and will need to take to address the shortage of priests and Religious. “We will continue to encourage and help young people to discern their calling in life, especially those who feel called to the

priesthood and Religious life, as we have always done. We do this through awareness-building, vocation promotion programmes, days of recollection, vocation retreats, engagement, empowerment of youth ministries, such as by the Office for Young People and youth groups in our churches, to reach out to young people; helping them to fall in love with Jesus and the Gospel, with a view to interest them in the priesthood or at least full-time ministry in the Church.” Besides these, he said more faith communities need to be formed because “young people need community to support each other in their faith life. They need to be nurtured in their faith and their personal relationship with the Lord. Getting them to form cell groups to share the Word of God together, praying with and for each other, and having fellowship will help them to e perience the love of God in a concrete and personal way. This is why it is necessary to have more full-time youth coordinators who are trained in youth ministry to work in the parish with the young people and for the young people.” At the heart of faith formation for young people today is the role of catechetics and also the need to strengthen family life, said Archbishop Goh. “Family upbringing, the school environment, interactive catechesis in engaging the young people, social media, and world influence play an all-important part in how our youth are being formed in the faith.” (See pages 6 and 7 – Finding joy in service to Christ) jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

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Christian-Taoist dialogue for global ethics

Participants of the Second Christian- T aoist Colloq uium

Christopher Khoo Why is Christian and Taoist dialogue important today? What do we hope to achieve through this dialogue? These questions were posed by Bishop M iguel Á ngel Ayuso Guixot, ecretary of the ontifical Council for nterreligious ialogue C , during the Second Christian-Taoist Colloquium held from Nov 5-7 . Speaking to 76 Christian and Taoist scholars and practitioners at an interreligious dialogue at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Bishop Ayuso noted that many of the problems today such as terrorism, unemployment and food and water security, transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone. “We need a ‘global ethics’ that brings together the universal values and norms that for centuries have formed the patrimony of human experience,” he said in his keynote address at the event organised by C , the rchdiocese of Singapore, and the Taoist Federation of Singapore (TFS). The theme of the colloquium was “Christian and Taoist thics in ialogue epresentatives of other religions

held at the Cathedral of the G ood Shepherd. Photos: ArchProductions

also attended the event. Bishop Ayuso noted that both Christianity and Taoism share “a patrimony of moral values common to all human beings. The religious and philosophical wisdom of both traditions have contributed to shape civiliz ations and cultures.” He urged the participants, who came from Singapore, M alaysia, China, South K orea, Taiwan, France, Switz erland, and the V atican, to “work together to make our world a better place”. A total of 36 local and international speakers shared their views on various aspects of the theme. M aster K arine M artin, Chairman of the rench aoist ssociation, said that if religions such as Taoism and Christianity are to help solve society’s problems, they should share their spiritual teachings on calming the minds and hearts of people. According to Taoism, man is born good, but society’s emphasis on over-consumption and competition, leads him down the path of fear and competitiveness, said M aster M artin. For people to be reconnected to their original “benevolent nature”, they must overcome their fear of lac ing material sufficien-

B ishop M iguel Á ngel A yuso G uixot , Secretary of the ontifical Council f or I nterreligious D ialogue, and M r T an T hiam L ye, Chairm an of the T aoist Federation (Singapore).

cy, which very often drives one to competition, lies and other undesirable acts, she said. aster i i, eputy ecretary General of the Shanghai Taoist Association, concurred. Suffering results when “you desire things you cannot get”, he said. M uch of the world’s crises such as the energy crisis and conflicts between countries are “caused by greed”. Fr Henry Siew, a lecturer at the Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore and St Francis X avier Seminary, noted that Jesus

spoke of the “kingdom values” such as mercy, compassion, generosity and forgiveness. “The ethical teaching of Jesus is not just for personal good, it has a natural overflow to society. A good person spontaneously would care for those around him and seek the common good of society,” said Fr Henry. M sgr Philip Heng, the Archdiocese’s V icar-General for Interreligious Relations, shared that in the context of today’s “morally relativistic, secular world”, Chris-

tians believe that what is needed for spiritual development and to live a meaningful and fulfilling life is to seek the will of God as revealed through Jesus. At the end of the colloquium, a final statement was read out e pressing participants’ desire for further collaboration (see story below). Participants said they found the event enriching. M s Helen Choo, a parishioner of the Church of the Holy Spirit, noted that both Christianity and Taoism “have a very strong element of service to the community” and collaboration can start from working for the good of society. M aster Han X iao said she found the colloquium “really good” but suggested that future dialogues be held for the laypeople of both religions. “It’s very important for them,” she said. The colloquium’s programme also included cultural and interreligious visits to the Taoist K ew Ong Yah emple, the Catholic Church of the ransfiguration, and the armony in iversity allery developed by the M inistry of Home Affairs. he first such collo uium was held in Taipei in 2016. n christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg

Collaboration for both to continue, says joint statement The Second Christian-Taoist Colloquium has issued a seven-point statement which, among others, recognised that the present day’s crisis of ethics requires a rediscovery of universal values based on social justice, integral ecology, as well as the dignity of human life at every stage and circumstance. t affirmed that the niversal eclaration of Human Rights (19 48 ) “remains a shared fundamental expression of hu-

man conscience for our times and offers a solid basis for promoting a more just world”. The other points in the joint statement acknowledged that the Colloquium has helped to strengthen their bonds of friendship and nurture their desire for further collaboration. Participants shared their concerns and hopes for the future. hey affirmed that because of the fundamental ethical teachings of the Christian

and Taoist traditions to do good and avoid evil, that “no one can escape the moral responsibility of transforming unjust socioeconomic, political, cultural, religious and legal structures”. They also believe in the capacity of the two religious traditions to inspire a multi-faceted response to the current challenges herefore, together they identified the need to improve the methods of communication of their traditions and stories

in a language that is easily understandable. They also believe that families, educational institutions, and religious communities are places of spiritual and moral formation where today’s youth can learn to shape tomorrow’s world into a better place. They noted that the interpersonal and scholarly exchanges have enabled them to work together to shape the ethical frameworks needed for the common good of this and future generations. n

BUILDING THE CHURCH FOR TOMORROW

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angelico art award 2018 : The Angelico Art Award is a thematic Christian art prize in Singapore. Organised by Heartspace, in support of Catholic Foundation, it seeks to promote creative endeavours through the integration of art and faith.

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selah moment After 20 years in fashion merchandising, Irene Wong left it all behind for the arts. She had felt called to the career switch for many years, but only had the courage to do so after reﬂecting, “On my deathbed, what will I regret not doing the most?” Her answer? “Painting.” She shared, “I had no formal training, and last painted in Secondary 2. I started by attending part-time night classes at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and have not stopped painting since.” That was 10 years ago. Now 53, Irene is an art teacher. When a friend shared about the Angelico Art Award, Irene knew she could not miss the opportunity to be a part of

what God was doing. She explained, “The award promotes art as a channel for Christian artists to develop their practice and to experience and express their faith through art. This resonated with me as I have been organising mini exhibitions to encourage Christian artists to explore

their faith through art.” Her painting, Selah Moment, which clinched the top prize, captured the moment Ruth and Naomi ﬁrst sighted Bethlehem on their journey back. She shared, “The biggest challenge was expressing their pain, relief and joy at the same time.”

Irene Wong (second from left), with the judges of the Angelico Art Award, Christine Kuok, Rev Fr John-Paul Tan, and Lee Suan Hiang. Photo: VITA Images

Selah Moment: Naomi and Ruth took on a journey of faith to Bethlehem after losing their family in Moab. This painting portrays the moment they ﬁnally saw their destination: a place of hope and rest. Photo: VITA Images.

sanctitatem vitae (sanctity of life)

A piece of paper pinned onto the parish notice board caught the attention of Joshua Yang, 44, as he was leaving the Church of St Ignatius one day. It was a poster inviting artists to join the Angelico Art Award by envisioning in paint what the Church for Tomorrow would look like. Stirred by the theme, it was not long after that inspiration for his piece struck him. Joshua recalled, “It came to me as I was driving towards the west one day. The sun was setting when I saw a streak of cyan blue in the sky. It was a brilliant colour, and I thought it resembled Mother Mary’s mantle.” He continued, “The clouds ref lected all the other hues of pink, purple and orange and to me, they seemed like the faces of the saints ref lecting Christ’s light.” Just like that, the composition for his piece fell in place before him. He explained, “I see the Church for Tomorrow as

one that recognises and proclaims the need to respect life and the dignity of all people. My painting depicts my hope to see stained glass designs that did not only feature saints, but those whom we must reach out to and welcome as well.” After starting on his piece, he faced a practical challenge: finding a conducive time and place to paint in. He had planned to work on the painting in a studio with his godson, Samuel Chen. Elaborating, he said, “The studio was between both our houses and we managed to make things work initially.” A few months later, the space was no longer available and Joshua had to bring the painting home, leaving it in the middle of his living room. They eventually found a way to overcome this inconvenience: Joshua would paint at night on weekdays after work, and

Samuel would come over on weekends and public holidays. The fruit of their labour was made even sweeter as Joshua received the High Commendation Award for the artwork, Sanctitatem Vitae (Sanctity of Life).

Joshua Yang was pleasantly surprised to hear how well his artwork did in the Angelico Art Award. Photo: VITA Images.

Sanctitatem Vitae: Our eyes are drawn to the glorious light of Christ in communion with Mother Mary and the saints. Mary’s gaze leads us to the downtrodden: the neglected youth, the homeless person we walk past and the unborn child we do not see. The light pouring in from the stained glass window illuminates the Sanctity of Life that we ought to defend. It is also a call to come home to the Mass, for it is only through Christ who strengthens us that we can do all things. Photo: VITA Images.

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BUILDING THE CHURCH FOR TOMORROW

preparing the way for the lord The award received close to 100 entries based on this year’s theme, “Prepare the way for the Lord”. In this article, we feature some of the artists who participated so that we can better understand the meaning behind their art.

i am

I AM: The strong vibrant colours reﬂect His creation. The rays of light pave the way for the Church to follow. Since all things were made through Him, and for Him, all are subject to Him. We are created to partner with Him to fulﬁl our destiny. Photo: VITA Images

Christine Kek, 54, is among the few non-Catholics to join the 2018 Angelico Art Award. Christian by faith, she attends Good Gifts City Church and serves in the Prophetic Art ministry there. As recently as the beginning of 2017, Christine did not paint. She ﬁrst pic ed up a brush after a pastor prophesied that she would be able to paint. She proceeded to take art lessons and learned very quickly. After discovering her passion, she began to recognise her desire to use her creativity to explore different genres of art, and to use her gift for the beneﬁt of others. She joined Art For Mission - a group of artistic volunteers reaching out to the community to help

the poor, needy, sick, and underprivileged in the rural parts of Asia. Christine came close to not participating in the Award at all. She shared, “I only heard about it because my friend and art teacher told me about it. I was so excited to share with others how we can express our love for Him, and worship Him, through art.” Currently unemployed, her enthusiasm for this artistic journey quickly receded when she considered the cost. Thankfully, her sister swiftly offered to ﬁrst pay for any supplies she needed. This generosity allowed her to paint her piece, I AM, which was inspired by the profound beauty of a sunrise, and by the beauty she witnessed in creation all around her. She strove to make His

presence and love manifest through the colours. She elaborated, “It was challenging to control every stroke of paint to be the right size and in the right place. I also wanted it to bring comfort and peace to viewers.” Her painting received an Honourable Mention.

Christine intends to continue using her newfound artistic talents to help the needy. Photo: VITA Images.

daily reflections Joseph Ng, 42, was baptized in 2016 after attending the Conversion Experience Retreat the previous year. He began s etching his daily reflections of his journey with the Lord shortly after attending the Prayer Experience Retreat (PER) in 2017. He shared, “I had difficulties remembering the daily readings, just hours after I read them. I recalled being exposed to different journaling methods taught to me at PER, including sketching, and began practising them each day.” By conversing with Him in s etches while reflecting on the Mass readings of the day, he found that his relationship with the Lord deepened. He added, “The demands of daily life and work commitments that distracted aily Reflections: The silhouette of our Lord’s crucifi ion is the focus of the artist Joseph’s daily reflections as he gazes upon Him and reflects on His love for us. od is our ever-loving, constant anchor and peace amidst the daily storms we face, both e ternally and internally. Photo: VITA Images.

me when I was sketching became an opportunity for me to learn to surrender to Him.” His sketches would help him remember the teachings throughout the day, and even came to mind while praying during Sunday Mass. His wife, Susan Toh, persuaded him to share his spiritual sketches with others. This gave him the push he needed to upload his works on Facebook. Upon doing so, Joseph received messages from supportive friends who encouraged him to join the Angelico Art Award. His submission integrated 70 selected sketches of varying sizes, appearing to fall in place below the silhouette

of Jesus on the cross. Joseph found the process as important as the final product, if not more so. He explained, “Sketching our Lord is an emotional experience. The pain and the suffering He endured hanging naked on the cross affected me deeply. Every single stroke on His body represented His suffering due to our sins. It is a reminder of the pain we continue to inflict on Him each day when we fail to love our neighbour.” Having received an Honourable Mention for his artwor , aily eflections, Joseph intends to continue glorifying the Lord, not just through his sketches, but in his daily life as well.

Joseph with his wife Susan, who persuaded him to share his daily spiritual sketches with others. Photo: VITA Images.

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The Church needs more lay people to come forward and volunteer. While there is a lot of joy and satisfaction in serving Christ, yet many also fall aside because of frustration, disillusionment etc. What happened? Why? Is it because these volunteers had served with spiritual worldliness? ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM GOH examines the reasons. Scripture Readings: Phil 1:18-26; Ps 42:2-3, 5; Lk 14:1, 7-11

any of us want to serve Christ and His people, but for various reasons. Some do so because they

experienced His love for them. This is particularly so after a Christ-encounter. Having fallen in love with Christ and tasted the joy of loving Him, we want to share our joy with others so that they too could enter into the same fellowship we have with our Father. (cf 1 Jn 1:1-3) Others serve in the ministry because they are convinced of their obligation as Christians to proclaim the Good News. Like St Paul, they say, “If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16) Yet others do so because of their love for the people.

way they think it should. They cannot get along with their leaders and fellow members. Some, although claiming to work for Christ, are not finding fulfilment because they did not get to do the job they like, or the ministry they want to serve in. Then there are others whose ego is bruised because their plans are not adopted by the community. For some, they are scandalized by the sins of the community. They cannot tolerate weaknesses in the Christian community. They are judgmental and feel that others are hypocritical in their service to the community. So, they despise such leaders and members in their hearts. Finally, some leave the ministry because they do not feel appreciated or recognised, or simply because they are not in control. They want position, recognition, power and influence.

But many lose steam and enthusiasm along the way because they serve with spiritual worldliness. Frustrated and

But when we look at Paul’s ministry, he never gave up even though he faced obstacles throughout his apostolate. He

disillusioned with the way things are happening, they give up simply because things are not evolving the

faced opposition from within and without. From within, he was often misunderstood and opposed.

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Some members slandered him and accused him of not being faithful to the gospel. There were false teachers and false teachings that he had to contend with. From outside, the Jews and the Romans found him to be a potential trouble maker… He was never discouraged or bitter with God, life or others. He took everything, suffering and success, in stride. He was never complaining but always contented wherever he was. In fact, later he wrote, “I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.” (Phil 4:11f)

What was his secret? He was singular minded. He was focused in his mission. His sole desire and mission was to proclaim the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to make Him known to all. He wrote, “Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” (Eph 3:8-10) …

So passionate was his desire for the gospel to be spread that it was immaterial who spread the gospel, but simply that the gospel was proclaimed to all. When the Corinthians were fighting over their leaders, he wrote to them, “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Cor 3:5-9) And even when those who served the Lord with impure or not so noble motives, St Paul said, “What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice.” St Paul could even accept those who served with the wrong reasons, unlike us who are judgmental and critical of people’s motives in service.

No one and no circumstance could prevent St Paul from proclaiming the gospel. He was a man who never gave up in the face of trials and opposition to the gospel… So even when he was in prison, he did not lament his fate but used the opportunity and time to spread the gospel to the Romans. And even when he finally faced the prospect of death, he was ready to die for Christ. He said, “It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death.”

Frustrated and disillusioned with the way things are happening, they give up simply because things are not evolving the way they think it should. They cannot get along with their leaders and fellow members. Some, although claiming to work for Christ, are not finding fulfilment because they did not get to do the job they like, or the ministry they want to serve in. How could he be so focused in his mission if not for his passion for Christ? His passion for the gospel was the consequence of his passion for the Lord. For St Paul, he lived only for Christ and His people. Life or death did not matter so long as he was with Christ. He said, “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.” …

Secondly, he could continue to remain focused in his ministry because he saw everything from a divine perspective, through the eyes of our Lord, in faith and in trust. He trusted in God’s plan and the work of

the Spirit in him and in all the situations. He knew that God’s Spirit would work in and through him regardless of the situation because as he said, “we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28) He was always positive in outlook because of his faith in Christ.

That is what the Lord Jesus is asking of us in today’s gospel. We must be humble and be disposed to His grace. Our focus should not be on honour, glory and status like the rest of the world. That is why we should not be choosing our seats in life. This was what the Lord told His disciples. “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” (Mt 20:23) It is not passion that divides us but ambition. St James warned us that such ambition destroys the community and make us our passion for the mission. “But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.” (Jms 3:14-16).

Rather, let us follow Jesus in choosing what is truly good and noble. In St Luke’s understanding, there is this eschatological reverse in Jesus’ message. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.” What man thinks is of value, in God’s kingdom, such things have no value. What is of true value? St James says, “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.” Let us remember the advice of St Teresa of Calcutta, the Lord wants us to be faithful, not successful. (The full version of Archbishop’s Daily Reflection was first published on 03 November, 2018, Saturday, 30th Week, Ordinary Time)

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Helping refugees to regain the – education, skills training, pa A look at the Jesuit Refugee Service in this series on Catholic social service organisations Jared Ng When the Rohingya crisis made headlines in August last year with reports of some 7 00,000 refugees fleeing yanmar to neighbouring angladesh because of a deadly military crackdown, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) swung into action. heir first tas was to ma e people understand the issues facing the refugees. They organised an e hibition at the Church of t Ignatius to create awareness of the crisis and to pray for a quick resolution. With no end in sight to the Rohingya crisis, JRS Singapore took further action by sending a team of four volunteers to the refugee camps in Co s a ar, angladesh, in ay this year to better understand what the Church was doing to help the refugees and to find out how they could offer support. Besides that, JRS Singapore also wor ed with t gnatius Church during their feast day celebrations to raise funds to support the refugees.

is an international Catholic organisation, with offices in countries, with a mission to accompany, serve and advocate on behalf of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons ounded in ovember 9 as a wor of the ociety of esus, was officially registered on arch 9, 2 , at the V atican State as a foundation. JRS Singapore was formed in 999 as a response to the ast Timor refugee crisis. Aiding refugees is just one area of work that JRS Singapore is involved in. Other areas are in education, emergency assistance, healthcare, livelihood activities and social services. or e ample, in ang o , Thailand runs a learning centre for refugees as part of their rban ducation programme. The learning centre provides nglish and hai language, as well as vocational training such as basic computer skills, hair dressing and sewing classes. n the refugee camps in ae Hong Son (Northern Thailand), JRS Thailand runs a Pastoral Ac-

companiment programme. A team of Catholic priests and nuns minister to the Catholic refugee community hey celebrate ass, provide faith formation and administer the sacraments. They also provide pastoral care, counselling and assistance to all refugees in the camps. Another education initiative is the Befriending Refugees in Indonesia programme. The learning

Aiding r e f uge e s is j ust one ar e a of w ork that J R S Si ngapor e is inv ol v e d in. O the r ar e as incl ude e m e rge ncy as sistanc e , he al thcar e and social se rv ice s.

centres in Bogor provide language classes for asylum seekers and refugees. These classes are taught by teachers from the refugee community. In Singapore, the organisation s activities include fundraising, organising mission trips and creating awareness about the plight of refugees and displaced persons through e hibitions and tal s Churches such as t gnatius, ivine ercy, t nthony, ovena and the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd have played host to e hibitions, prayers and tal s on refugees. ingapore members, made up of one full-time staff based at gape illage and about active volunteers, come together monthly for faith formation and to discuss projects. On their experience working with and assisting refugees, one volunteer, Jeremy Lim, said that JRS “has exposed me to another side of the Church beyond our air-con asses, uiet devotions and e uberant praise and worship. JRS is the gritty and

dirty side of the Church, the image of Christ touching the leper, of the Church as a field hospital for the bro en to heal each other s wounds.” nother member, oris hoo, said “going to the refugee camps not only brings home how blessed we are but gives us an opportunity to reach out to our disadvantaged sisters and brothers he visits truly allow us to live our faith.” The priority for JRS the next year is to work with its partners in Indonesia and Thailand to improve access and quality of education and improving psychosocial and counselling support for refugees and asylum seekers. On top of this, JRS Singapore plans to continue with its visits to refugee shelters, camps and learning centres as a continued means of maintaining personal interactions with and accompanying refugees. T he J R S S ing a p ore w e b site is http :/ / j rssg . org / . n j ared .n g@catholic.org.sg

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Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1222

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Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

Finding God in our darkest moments Anyone who has lost a child will know the indescribable pain of the loss and the tremendous challenge of the grief process. While some find comfort through secular support groups, others need a faith-based process to help with the healing. Pieta was set up in September 2016 to fill that gap for the Catholic community. Named after the famous sculpture of M other M ary cradling her dead son in her arms, Pieta is a peer ministry for bereaved parents, set up to help parents find healing through their faith. The founders of Pieta; Greg and Eliz abeth K rygsman, V alerie Lim and Audrey K uang, explain why they set up the group and how it has helped them to move forward.

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Y ou are not alone

Greg and Eliz abeth’s children - Andrew (far right) was called to heaven at 24 years.

G reg and E liz ab eth K rygsm an lost their 24 - year- old son A ndrew suddenly in 20 15. W hile they w ere b lessed w ith the support of f am ily and f riends, and received counselling individually and as a couple, they struggled w ith the answ er as to w hy A ndrew had b een tak en f rom them . “When we suffered the loss of our child, we looked for support and we found a community called the Child Bereavement Support (Singapore),” explains Greg. “We found this group very supportive and consoling, but yet, because it is a secular group and not faithbased, we felt that we needed to speak of the hope that we have in Christ and have our grief centred on God so that healing and peace could come.” Eliz abeth adds: “We wanted to share with parents who suffer the loss of their child that they are not alone and that we are with them on this difficult journey which calls for great faith in God who loves us. We say to parents in our group that we don’t know why

this has happened and we offer no reasons. All we know is that we who are still alive need to grieve and allow ourselves to reach out to God in our darkest moment, and just hold on to Him, to cry our hearts out and feel His arms embrace us, and know that He loves us and our child too.” “In a crisis like this, you blame God,” says Greg. “The path splits into two, and you can either move closer to Him or away from Him. I had to make a conscious decision to not give up.” A nsw ering a calling The couple knew that their faith would be a major component of the grieving and healing process. When they met two other grieving parents, they understood that they had been called to create a support group for other parents going down the same journey. “In our search, the Holy Spirit led us to find V alerie and Audrey, who provided the community support and shared experience that we needed in our grief journey,” said Eliz abeth.

They didn’t realise when they started Pieta that there were so many other parents who had lost a child. They found that attending a support group allowed them to not feel alone. Saying their son’s name and talking about him and his passing allowed them to continue to feel his presence in their lives, and they look to God and his mother, M ary, to continue to look after Andrew since they are not able to do that anymore. “As long as we have the faith to know where and who our son is with,” says Eliz abeth, “then we feel a sense of peace despite our missing him so very much every day.” R eceiving f ull support f rom com m unity

the

The couple has been very blessed in that the Archdiocese allowed them to start the group and they were given the support they needed to get things moving. “ACF has been tremendous in taking us into their fold and supporting us. Agape V illage welcomed us with open arms when we asked whether we could conduct our sessions on their premises,” says Greg. “At our first few sessions, it was just us the original founders, but we felt God’s presence in these sessions and continued to post our sessions in church bulletins and the Catholic News. We also met with

as many parish priests as we could to introduce ourselves, and shared with them our pamphlets for them to give to any bereaved parent they would meet, especially when celebrating the funeral mass of a child. At our recent session, we had a total of 16 parents.” A nyone is w elcom e Pieta welcomes any parent grieving the loss of a child, regardless of faith. The Pieta sessions are not tied to compulsory attendance. If a bereaved parent wants to be there, then they are welcome, but they are not obligated to attend. “We feel that this freedom is important in their grief journey,” explains Eliz abeth. “The sessions are open to people of all faiths,

W e f e l t tha t w e ne e de d to sp e a k of the hop e tha t w e ha v e in C hrist a nd ha v e our g rie f ce ntre d on G od so tha t he a l ing a nd p e a ce coul d com e .

but we advise anyone who wants to come that we are centred on the light of Christ, and we also draw much consolation from M other M ary, who accepted the death of her Son and saw Him at the Resurrection.” One highlight was organising the first memorial mass for bereaved children in November 2017 at Good Shepherd Convent. They received the support they needed and were able to publish an inspirational prayer and reflection book for each family to help guide them on their journey. This year, they held a memorial mass at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd and specially hand-made rosaries (by a bereaved mother to honour her child’s memory) were given to each family. And this month, they organised their first D ay of Reflection for bereaved parents. R eaching m ore couples M oving forward, Pieta hopes to offer its monthly sessions at more venues around Singapore so that bereaved parents can come for sessions more easily. “This really is a group that nobody actually would want to join if they could help it,” adds Greg, “but the important thing is that people know we exist and we are here to provide any support when needed.”

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Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

L ook f or the little light in each m om ent of the day V alerie L im and her husb and G erard L ee lost their 16- m onthold daughter, N ing, i n 199.

Eryn Lee Shan Ning (Ning) (8 Aug 1998 31 D ec 199) Gerard’s and V alerie’s first born and only child when she was called to heaven.

“M y personal journey after my daughter’s death has been filled with angels along the way,” says V alerie. “I have learnt to listen more closely to the nonverbal, non-visual and nonobvious messages which guide me along. I believe that after experiencing a child’s death, the

innocence of a light and easy parenthood disappears. Our life’s perspectives change and we adjust our ways with more humility and gratefulness. V ery quickly I became attuned to how the Spirit moves in me and in those around me.” V alerie’s family are very open about death. Her sons know about their older sister as she and her husband still talk about her. They also witness how their parents

support other bereaved parents through Pieta and believe that this touches them in more ways than they can imagine. V alerie urges any parent who has lost a child to come forward in their own time: “Y ou are not alone – we are with you, and God is certainly with you although you may feel abandoned. K eep the faith, share your thoughts with God constantly, and look for the little light in each moment of the

day. This is the light of Christ that may not be apparent now, but you can always feel the warmth of His glow.” We hope to continue supporting bereaved parents through prayer and friendship for as long as we can at Pieta. The small plan for me is to grow a network of compassion. Sometimes it’s not so much the organisational growth that is important, but the growth of a community of hearts.”

G row ing a netw ork of com passion

Audrey and San’s children - D avey (2nd from left) was called to heaven at 10 months.

Spirit has become more real to me along this journey. Where before I depended on myself, I find myself able to submit to the Holy Spirit’s leading. I feel so blessed that I have the Advocate to guide and nudge me along my faith and life journey, and pray that I am able to surrender more areas of my life to God’s leading. One of my deepest darkest fears is that another child be called to the Lord. The depths of grief were so dark and painful that I couldn’t bear to experience another one. M y faith journey, which Pieta has been an important part of, has led me to slowly learn to trust in God’s goodness. M y concern is still there of course, but not so debilitating a fear for my three surviving children that they are discouraged from venturing into any situation that worries me. So for them, I think it has been liberating somewhat that they are allowed to lead their own lives more, and that M ummy believes God will, in His mercy and goodness, never let them go.

A udrey K uang and her husb and have lost three children: Carys lived f or just one day; another child w as lost in a m iscarriage; and 10- m onthold D avey died af ter heart surgery. “It was God that called me to help start this ministry. Every little piece fell into place so providentially, from how and when the four of us came together, the calling we felt we had to realise, the way we were supported by people who embraced our ministry, the manner in which we were introduced to the community at the Family M ass – God was leading us and backing us up along the way. That we are co-missioned already makes the journey

a beautiful one. We have individually and collectively deepened our walk with Christ, M an of Sorrows, and our Lady of Sorrows. We have been blessed with a wonderfully loving and wise Spiritual D irector in Sister Eliz abeth Lim (Good Shepherd), who has patiently guided us. The Family M ass at the Cathedral where Pieta was commissioned and blessed was the first of many highlights for me. Then there was the inaugural Pieta M emorial M ass in Nov 2017 where God’s love and mercy was palpably felt. I also think that our Pieta retreat for the core members at Oasis with our SD planted seeds in us, and the fruit may take some time to show. In so many ways, the Holy “M

ay the G od of hope f ill you w ith all joy and peace as you trust in H im , so that you overf low w ith hope in the pow er of the H oly Spirit.” R om ans 15: 13

Catholic Family Events in November - December 2018 November 23

W e invite any b ereaved parent to visit Pieta Wh

at to exp ect at a Pieta m eeting

•

M embers of Pieta meet on every fourth Tuesday at Agape V illage. •

Each meeting begins with each parent lighting a candle for their child, saying the child’s name and placing it at the prayer table in the room. This simple gesture of remembrance draws our minds and hearts towards Christ’s light and reminds us of His presence in our families. •

Those present then read a chosen scripture and reflect on its meaning. •

If they choose to do so, they also share their thoughts as a means to expressing their sorrow and talking about their faith with others who have also suffered the loss of a child. •

Every session is closed with a prayer or hymn to bring healing and hope to all who come each month.

Ju st com e There is no obligation to speak during these walk-in sessions, or even to attend them regularly. Any bereaved parent is welcome, no matter how long ago the loss happened, no matter how old the child was, and no matter what the circumstances were. Pieta also welcomes non-Catholics, as long as they are open to the group’s faith expressions. “Just come” is the team’s personal invitation.

N ext Pieta M eeting Wh

en:

Every fourth Tuesday of the month, 7.30 pm

ere:

Agape V illage, 7A Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, S319264

Contact: pieta.singapore@ gmail.com www.facebook.com/ pietasingapore

F or a l ist of f a m il y e v e nts in the Archdioce se v isit

ca thol icf a m il y . org . sg / e v e nts

December 7

27 CH O I CE W eek end

Pieta M onthly Support Session f or B ereaved Parents

M arriage E ncounter W eek end

23 – 25 November 2018 Friday 7 pm to Sunday 6:3 0 pm C H O I C E R e tre a t H ouse , 4 7 J urong W e st S tre e t 4 2 , S ing a p ore 6 4 9 3 6 8

27 November and 18 D ecember 2018 Tuesday 7 .3 0 pm – 9 .00 pm Ag a p e V il l a g e 7 A L orong 8 T oa Pa y oh, S ing a p ore 3 1 9 2 6 4

7 – 9 D ecember 2018 Friday 8 pm – Sunday 6 pm M a rria g e E ncounte r H ouse 2 0 1 B Pung g ol 1 7 th Av e nue , S ing a p ore 8 2 9 6 5 1

C H O I C E is f or sing l e y oung a dul ts a g e d b e tw e e n 1 8 – 4 0 y e a rs ol d ( C a thol ics a nd N on- C a thol ics) se e k ing som e tim e to re - e x a m ine the v a l ue s, l if e sty l e a nd re l a tionship s in the ir ow n l iv e s.

W e m e e t a s a g roup of b e re a v e d p a re nts to f ind m utua l sup p ort throug h p ra y e r, scrip ture a nd sha ring of e x p e rie nce s.

D iscov e r the w e e k e nd tha t ha s b e e n tra nsf orm ing m a rria g e s a l l ov e r the w orl d f or m ore tha n 4 0 y e a rs.

N o ne e d to re g iste r, j ust w a l k in.

F or coup l e s m a rrie d tw o y e a rs a nd a b ov e .

Celia or R egina registration@choice.org.sg

Pieta.singapore@gm ail.com

w w m esg.org/ m e- w eek end- selector to book a weekend.

f aceb ook .com / PietaSingapore

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

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A carnival to honour and model after saints

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Ju nior student trying his hand at a station gam e.

What better way to honour the saints than to get everyone dressed up as one of the holy people to mark All Saints D ay. This was the inspiration behind St Joseph’s Institution Junior’s Super Saints’ Party carnival held on Nov 1 at the school. The game stations at the carnival were themed after 10 saints – St John Baptist D e La Salle, the school’s founder, and nine other saints after which the school’s classes are named after. They are Sts M ichael, Stephen, Anthony, Luke, Joseph, Gabriel, Raphael, Patrick and Francis X avier. At each station the focus was on the trait of its patron saint. At St M ichael’s station, for example,

students used swords to stab a serpent (balloon snake) and they had to walk across a balance beam to throw the serpent into a fiery furnace (basket). At St Joseph’s station, students were asked to build structures out of magnetic building blocks. Throughout the carnival, parents and teachers, who were dressed up as various saints, engaged the students by sharing interesting facts about saints. M r Timothy Goh, the principal, made a special guest appearance dressed as St M ichael, which created a stir amongst the students. The carnival was followed by a M ass and skit which focused on saints and their patronage as well as their roles as intercessors. n

Students, teachers, parents and principal, M r T im othy G oh (f ront row b lue), d ressed up as saints.

T he L iveloud concert w ill b e held at the Z E PP@B ig B ox C oncert H all in Ju rong E ast on N ov 24.

A concert for youth to express their prayers, praises to Christ M usic has the power to evoke all kinds of emotion and it explains why some fans would floc to ticket boxes days in advance, while others fork out hundreds of dollars – all to catch their favourite artistes at concerts. The love people have for music truly moves them. And, it is this very realisation that gave birth to the Liveloud movement. With youth naturally drawn to the vibrancy of music, there was an opportunity to share Christ in a creative and exciting way. And thus, the Liveloud movement campaigned to encourage youth to piece their own expressions of God’s greatness through composing original songs of praise and worship to Him. Celebrating 10 years since its inception in 2009, Liveloud has embarked on an international tour, making stops in Austria, Britain and a few regions in the Philippines before ending their tour in Singapore. The Singapore leg is their first concert here and

will take place on Nov 24 at the Z EPP@ Big Box Concert Hall in Jurong East from 6pm-10pm. Aimed at bringing Christ’s people to the very heart of worship, the non-profit concert s main objective is to provide an avenue for His people to express their prayers and praises to the Lord. Whilst Liveloud may primarily be for Catholic youth aged 13- 30, friends, families and everyone from all walks of life are welcome to share in the intimate exchange of worship. It will kick-off with the “Catholic Expo” – a showcase of the vibrancy and charisma of the Catholic youth in Singapore today with games and various youth organisations, such as Church of St Anthony’s Y outh M inistry and Y oung Christian Students’ M ovement Singapore taking part. The programme proper will begin soon after with the source and summit of our Catholic faith; the M ass celebrated by Father

Stephen Y im, spiritual director of Couples For Christ. The programme will then move to rejoice and celebrate by praising His glory at the actual concert. The Liveloud Concert is organised by the local team of the global family and youth arm, Couples For Christ – Y outh For Christ (CFC–Y FC). Present in over 100 countries worldwide, CFC–Y FC Singapore continues their mission of sharing Christ and His love to all. Liveloud is one of many activities and programmes that aim to strengthen the lives of Catholic youth today. While the concert itself may provide an avenue for all to express their praises to Him, the greater hope is that the youth may be able to recognise that truly, their lives are meant to be lived solely and loudly for the glory of God. Thus, the name Liveloud. T ick e ts ar e se l l ing at $20 and ar e av ai l abl e f or pur chas e onl ine at w w w .l iv e l oudsg.c om . n

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Hai Sing Catholic puts Franciscan values into action Walking through Hai Sing Catholic School, one can’t help but notice a simple vegetable garden with the students all hands-on at the plot. This garden is part of the school’s green efforts and to also build the character and faith of its Catholic students. After all, St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the Franciscan M issionaries of M ary (FM M ), the congregation which founded the school in 19 59 , was one who cared about the environment and wildlife. Hence, the garden is an initiative to remind students that, like seeds which are planted, their faith journey takes time to grow and they need to constantly nourish themselves with the Word of God and the sacraments. The garden, about the siz e of a uarter of a football field, was started by school chaplain FM M Sister Bernadetha with the help of Catholic students. For many of the students, it was their first e perience gardening on this scale in urban Singapore. Their green journey started on M ay 18 when they enthusiastically came together to loosen and fertilise the soil and planted the first seeds, a variety of vegetable seeds such as long beans, lady’s fingers, cucumber and other Chinese vegetables.

Six months later, their journey has been filled with ups and downs as not all the plants survived and many also did not bear fruit. However, the students showed resilience throughout this process and re-ploughed the soil and replanted the seeds. Over time, there was greater success as the plants grew and bore fruit. When opportunities arose, the vegetables were harvested, and the students could enjoy the fruits of their labour. Students shared that the garden gave them a sense of achievement and belonging to the school as they witnessed their hard work bear fruit and they were able to leave a tangible mark on the school. These experiences connect well with other aspects of the school’s Catholic programme, where they are also reminded that to be a good Catholic, one must serve the community with a spirit of dedication and compassion. The garden project is now into its second phase, where students are attempting a different variety of plants and herbs, such as tomatoes, limes, sunflowers, chillies and rosemary and putting up proper dividers and support structures for plants. n

Students ploughing the soil in the vegetab le garden.

Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

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Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

1st batch of students graduate from UK catechetical courses It was a celebration of the courage and dedication of some 30 men and women who completed special catechetical courses despite the challenges of caring for new babies, children studying for the PSLE, work stress and health issues. On Nov 9, M onsignor Ambrose V az congratulated the graduates of the inaugural runs of the aryvale Certificate in Catechesis (2016-2018) and the aryvale Certificate in arriage and Family (2017- 2018) courses during their Graduation M ass. M aryvale Institute, based in Birmingham, UK , is an international Catholic college with an outstanding reputation in catechesis. M sgr V az told the graduates, who were accompanied by

friends and family members, of the Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anticipation of their contribution to the growth and formation of others. The Graduation M ass was celebrated by M sgr V az , together with Fr Edward Clare, D irector of the M aryvale Institute, and Fr Erbin Fernandez , former Catechetical D irector. oth the aryvale Certificate in Catechesis and M arriage and Family courses have started a second run in November 2018. F or e nq uirie s on the M a ry v a l e Certificate in Catechesis, please contact the Office for Catechesis at enquiry@catechesis.org.sg. For e nq uirie s on the M a ry v a l e C e rtificate in Marriage and Family, please contact Bernard and Ying Thio at yvangelthio@gmail.com. n

G raduates of the M aryvale I nstitute courses at the Cathedral of the G ood Shepherd.

Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

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After Jesus was baptised, the Spirit led Him into the desert. Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. He was very hungry after going without food for so long. That’s when the devil came to tempt Him. The devil tried to talk Jesus into turning some stones into bread. When Jesus refused, the devil made Him stand on the top of the temple. The devil told Jesus to prove that He really was the Son of God by throwing Himself from the building and having angels catch Him before He reached the ground. Again, Jesus said no. The devil tried one more time to tempt Jesus. He took Jesus to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. The devil said that he would give Jesus all the king-

doms if only Jesus would bow down and worship him. “Get away, Satan! ” Jesus said firmly as e again told the devil no The devil gave up and left. After this, Jesus began His public ministry in Galilee. He went to live in Capernaum and began to preach. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” He told the people. One day, Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He noticed some fishermen busy at wor casting a net into the sea. The two men were brothers – Simon, who was called Peter, and Andrew. Jesus went to talk to them. “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men, esus told them The men at once put down their fishing nets and followed esus As the new friends walked along, they saw another pair of brothers, James

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

St Juan Diego Juan D iego was born in M exico in 1474 a nd baptised at the age of 50. On D ec 9, 1531, he was walking on Tepayac Hill near M exico City when M ary appeared to him. M ary asked Juan to speak to the bishop and ask that a shrine in her honour be built on the hill. Juan did what M ary had asked, but the bishop wanted a sign from M ary. Juan returned to Tepayac Hill on D ec 12, 1531. M ary told him to pic some flowers that were blooming there and put them in his cloak to take to the bishop. When Juan opened his cloa in front of the bishop, the flowers fell out and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared on his cloak. uan lived the rest of his life as a hermit near the first chapel that was built on Tepayac Hill, and he died in 1548. He was canonised in 2002, and we remember him on D ec 9. n

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and ohn, who were mending their fishing nets in a boat with their father. Jesus called out to James and John and asked them to follow Him. The brothers left their father in the boat and went with Jesus, Peter and Andrew. Jesus and His new friends travelled all around Galilee. Jesus taught in synagogues, proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom and cured all who were ill. As Jesus’ fame spread, more and more people from near and far came

to Him to be cured. And great crowds began to follow Jesus wherever He went. n R ead m ore ab out it: M atthew 4

Q & A 1. Wh en did Je sus b egin H is pub lic m inistry? .

ho ere the first t o apostles of Je sus?

Wordsearch: n CR O WD

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BIBLE TRIVIA: W ho w as J am es an ohn’s father ( H in t: M t 4 : 2 1 )

Bible Accent:

Answ e r to puz z l e : 1. B ar thol om e w ; 4. T hadde us; 5. P hil ip; 10. J ma e s; 1 1. Si m on Answ e r to B ibl e T riv ia: AZ e be de e s.

What is an apostle? As a general term, “apostle” means “one sent on a mission.” In the Bible, the word has a very specific meaning it is used to describe the 2 men whom esus specifically chose to be is followers These 12 men were very special to Jesus, and He gave them very important work to do. At the beginning of M atthew 10, Jesus sent the apostles to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” to “cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons” and proclaim that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And in M atthew 28: 19- 20, Jesus gave the apostles a special mission to complete after He returned to heaven: to be the foundation of His Church. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,” Jesus told them. n

PUZZLE: sin atthe ho ere amon

for hints, circle the names of the men esus’ first apostles.

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Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

Don’t let our sins be obstacles for your trust, said bishops to young people VATICAN CITY – Y oung people

have been asked not to let the failings of the priests and others drive them away from the Church. The appeal came from members of the Synod of Bishops in a letter addressed to young people around the world. It states: “Our frailties and sins must not be an obstacle for your trust. The Church is your mother; she does not abandon you; she is ready to accompany you on new roads, on higher paths.” Cardinal Lorenz o Baldisseri, general secretary of the synod, read out the letter after a M ass on Oct 28 in St Peter’s Basilica, at the closing of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment. In the presence of Pope Francis and young people at the M ass, he said the synod members, after attending the Oct 3- 27 meeting at the V atican, wanted to offer words “of hope, trust and consolation”. “The Church and the world urgently need your enthusiasm,” said their letter. “Be sure to make the most fragile people, the poor and those wounded by life your travelling companions. Y ou are the present; be a brighter future.”

Cardinal L orenz o B aldisseri, w ith youth delegates, d uring the Synod of B ishops’ closing M ass. C

Pope Francis, in his homily, also asked young people for forgiveness on behalf of all adult Catholics. He said: “Forgive us if often we have not listened to you; if, instead of opening our hearts, we have filled your ears s Christ s

Church, we want to listen to you with love… ” He added that young people’s lives are precious in God’s eyes and “in our eyes, too”. He thanked the 300 synod members, experts, observers and ecumenical delegates for work-

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ing in communion, with frankness and with the desire to serve God’s people during the meeting. Living the faith and sharing it with the world, especially with young people, entails going out to those in need, Pope Francis said.

He used the day’s Gospel reading (M ark 10:46-52) and its account of Jesus helping blind Bartimaeus as a model of how all Christians need to live out and share the faith. Bartimaeus begged for Jesus’ mercy as soon as he heard Jesus was near, the Pope said. M any told the man “to be silent”. But Jesus asked Bartimaeus to speak. his is the first step in the journey of faith, “listening before speaking”. The second step is to be a neighbour and do what is needed, without delegating the duty to someone else. Being present and close to people’s lives “is the secret to communicating the heart of the faith”, the Pope said. Next is to bear witness, particularly to those who are seeking life and salvation, but who “often find only empty promises and few people who really care”. “It is not Christian to expect that our brothers and sisters who are seekers should have to knock on our doors; we ought to go out to them, bringing not ourselves but Jesus” and encouraging each person by proclaiming that “God is asking you to let yourself be loved by Him,” he said. n C N S

OPINION

Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

Fortnightly new spaper of the Catholic A rchdiocese of Singapore

ighl na d R oad, #0103 Si ngapor e 549 02.1 T e l e p hone : 6 8 5 8 3 0 5 5 . F a x : 6 8 5 8 2 0 5 5 . W : w w w . ca thol icne w s. sg F B : w w w . f a ce b ook . com / ca thol icne w s I G : ca thol icne w s. sg E D I T O R - I N - CH I E F: Sunny W ee: sunny wee catholic org sg

M A N A G I N G D I R E CT O R : A ndrĂŠ A hchak : andre ahcha

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IN M E M O R IA M : R acq uel Castanares: memoriam catholic org sg

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SU B SCR I PT I O N S: R ichard Paul: subscriptions catholic org sg E D I T O R I A L M A T T E R S A N D Q U E R I E S: cnedit catholic org sg

Pl e as e incl ude y our f ul l nam e , addr e ss and phone no. f or al l l e tte rs to the e ditor. Al l de cisions on subm issions re st w ith the C ta hol icN e w s. P ubl ishe d subm issions w il l be e dite d.

T hev iew sor pos ition spr esen tedi n a rticlesi n C atholicN ew sdon otn ecessarily r epresen tt hev iew sof t heC hu rch. A dv ertisem en tst hatappe ari n C atholicN ew sar en otn ecessarily e n dor sedby t heC hu rch.

REFLECTION

n ain and suffering Others are suffering too! Msgr Philip Heng, SJ ow we live our lives and what happens to us does affect others s parents in particular, the uality of our lives affects our children f we are a close- nit family where there is much love and respect for one another, our children will li ely grow up to be wholesome persons more so if they e perience the love of the family within the Catholic ambience of the home owever, if there is much dissension, division and desolation between parents, children will absorb the pain and suffering their parents are going through hey are young, vulnerable and fragile emotionally he hurts and woundedness of their parents painful relationship will permeate their hearts, and they will become insecure, angry and confused about life ecently, someone came up to me and as ed for blessings Crying her heart out she said, ather, my nephew, avid not his real name is going to commit suicide soon and he is only 2 years old hy as ed ecause he cannot ta e it anymore his parents are constantly uarrelling, she responded here are so many innocent and helpless people adly, there are also some of us who are li e avid we too are crying out in so much pain wishing that we too could commit suicide to end our suffering any of us in such a traumatic situation often as , hy is life so cruel hen will my pain end hat is the meaning of life when do not see any hope of getting out of my pain and suffering On a more practical level, even as we try to comfort avid or people in similar situations, in all probability we would not ma e much sense because the pain would be too overwhelming or

sure, it would be totally unhelpful if we attributed blame to his parents, even when we mean well and wish to give avid our support and ma e him feel that we are on his side , feeling his pain f we did so, we would be creating an even deeper chasm of an iety, fear, anger, insecurity and the li e between avid and his parents either can we tell avid, on t worry, everything will be o ay umanly, there are no preformulated magic words, and no lasting solutions sychologists, at most, can only point to the wound,

li e avid, may be called to carry an unbearably heavy cross t gnatius of oyola, in his piritual ercises, counsels us to pray for the graces to e perience what esus e perienced in is uffering in the ospels hrough such graces, we come to now esus more personally and gain the spiritual strength and wisdom to wal in is footsteps uring such times, we need to hear the voice of consolation that says to us, old on, you are not alone have been through your pain and suffering e cept that mine is a million times more pain-

St I ng at ius of L oy ol a , in his Spi ritual E x e rcise s, counse l s us to p ra y f or the g ra ce s to e x pe rie nce w hat J e sus e x pe rie nce d in H is S uf f e ring in the G osp e l s. T hrough s uch gr ac e s, w e com e to k now J e sus m ore pe rsonal l y and gai n the spi ritua l stre ngt h and w isdom to w al k in H is f ootste ps . or even help open the wound ut only od can bring healing evertheless, this does not mean that we cannot do anything for avid he healing that avid needs is primarily restoration of confidence in himself and affirmation of his dignity and identity as a child of od e need to point him to the bigger reality that life is worth living and trust that with od, things can change for the better od is there in your pain because e oves you here may be times when we,

ful than yours his voice , if it is assuring, and if it draws you closer to esus, and identifies your pain with is, would then be a spiritual consolation that could only have come from esus n short, as disciples of esus, we are called to be more fully conscious that the lives we lead daily have effects on others, especially our loved ones, our families, and especially the young n M sgr H e ng is R e ctor of the C at he dral of the G ood She phe rd.

When do we say it s finished, our life is fulfilled WHEN is our life fulfilled t what point in our lives do we say hat s it othing can do from now on will outdo this ve given what have to give hen can we say this fter we ve reached the pea of our physical health and strength fter giving birth to a child fter successfully raising our children fter we have celebrated the th anniversary of our marriage fter we ve found a soulmate hen is it finally done hen has our growth reached its furthest place he mediaeval mystic, ohn of the Cross, says we reach this point in our lives when we have grown to what he calls our deepest centre ut he doesn t conceive of this the way we commonly picture it, namely, as the deepest centre inside our soul ather, for ohn, our deepest centre is the optimum point of our human growth, that is, the deepest maturity we can grow to before we begin to die f this is true, then for a flower, its deepest centre, its ultimate point of growth, would be not its bloom but the giving of its seed as it dies hat s its furthest point of growth, its ultimate accomplishment hat s our ultimate point of growth suspect that we tend to thin of this in terms of some concrete, positive accomplishment, li e a successful career or some athletic, intellectual or artistic achievement that s brought us satisfaction, recognition, and popularity Or, loo ed at from the point of view of depth of meaning, we might answer the uestion differently by saying that our ultimate achievement was a life-giving marriage, or being a good parent, or living a life that served others hen, li e a flower, do we give off our seed he late utch priest and spiritual writer enri ouwen suggests that people will answer this very differently or some it is when they are en oying the full light of popularity for others, when they have been totally forgotten for some, when they have reached the pea of their strength for others, when they feel powerless and wea for some it is when their creativity is in full bloom, for others, when they have lost all confidence in their potential hen did esus give off is seed, the fullness of is spirit or esus, it wasn t immediately after is miracles when the crowds stood in awe, and it wasn t after e had ust wal ed on water, and it wasn t when is popularity reached the point where is contemporaries wanted to ma e im ing that e felt e had accomplished is purpose in life and that people began to be touched in their souls by is spirit one of these hen did esus have nothing further to achieve t s worth uoting ouwen again, in answering this uestion e now one thing, however, for the on of an the wheel stopped when he had lost everything is power to spea and to heal, is sense of success and influence, is disciples and friends even is od hen e was nailed against a tree, robbed of all human dignity, e new that e had aged enough, and said t is fulfilled ohn 9 t is fulfilled he ree word here is etelesti his was an e pression used by artists to signify that a wor was completely finished and that nothing more could be added to it t was also used to e press that something was complete t is finished flower dies to give off its seed so it s appropriate that these were esus last words On the cross, faithful to the end, to is od, to is word, to the love e preached, and to is own integrity, e stopped living and began dying, and that s when e gave off is seed and that s when is spirit began to permeate the world e had reached is deepest centre is life was fulfilled hen does our living stop and our dying begin hen do we move from being in bloom to giving off our seed uperficially, of course, it s when our health, strength, popularity and attractiveness begin to wane and we start to fade out, into the margins, and eventually into the sunset ut when this is seen in the light of esus life, we see that in our fading out, li e a flower long past its bloom, we begin to give off something of more value than the attractiveness of the bloom hat s when we can say t is fulfilled n

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REFLECTION

Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

Being Catholic online â&#x20AC;&#x201C; problems and possibilities Jana Marguerite Bennett s there a theology of social media Our sacramental tradition values our bodily natures and the material substances of wine, bread, oil and water ocial media seem to overloo our bodies, instead drawing us into an abstract world of words and images ites li e nstagram, aceboo and witter are nown for generating belligerent, hurtful arguments esearchers note connections between cyberbullying and social media news stories tell of youth who become depressed and even consider suicide due to the horrific online actions of others Yet what can be put to evil use can also be put to good ope rancis noted in his 2 orld Communications ay message

t is not technology that determines whether or not communication is authentic, but rather the human heart and our capacity to use wisely the means at our disposal ocial networ s can facilitate relationships and promote the good of society, but they can also

N ever f orget that w hat w e do and say online af f ects real people. t is easy to forget that the people with whom we interact online are flesh-and-blood people with feelings Yet for all that, we also now that online interactions can have both positive and nega-

Our Catholic theology should re ect our be l ie f in G od and s hape our onl ine life, ust as ith our of ine life. lead to further polarisation and division between individuals and groups suggest that our Catholic theology should reflect our belief in od and shape our online life, ust as with our offline life offer the following points for reflection

tive impact on peoples emotions and well-being, including physical well-being hat is why our sacramental faith is not in conflict with our online participation ull participation in the Church s sacramental life helps us to see others as made in the image of od,

with the dignity that image entails here are also numerous prayer opportunities for Catholics online from praying the iturgy of the ours to rosaries to spiritual reading B uild and f oster sm all online Christian com m unities. great benefit of online social media is to connect people who might otherwise become disconnected his is important for churches llness, disability, fre uent moves, changes in wor schedules and doubts about our faith are all reasons people disappear from church attendance ocial media can be a way to address social isolation and enable vigorous theological discussion about our faith ome communities are wholly online li e online ible study groups , some are online and offline li e my parish s adult education group , and some are devoted to particular faith practices

li e eucharistic adoration hese communities enable us to teach, pray for others and respond to others needs ust as the criptures call us to do E nsure online com m unities re ect Christian irtues. t is easy for our small Christian communities to become isolated, or worse, to see themselves as better than those other online groups he best Christian communities enforce ground rules prohibiting trolling but also cultivate respect when ma ing arguments n short, social media websites can enable us Christians to live by e ample online, ust as we do offline n a social media world that often features vitriol, we might consider how to proclaim and promote Christ s own peace n J na a M ar gue rite B e nne tt is pr of e ssor of m oral the ol ogy ta the U niv e rsity of ayton in Ohio, .

WHAT’S’ON

Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

Sun

Compile d by Jared Ng and C hristo pher Wo ng

Nov 24

Dec 8

Liveloud Singapore Time: 6pm-10pm. Venue: ZEPP@Big Box at Jurong East. Get ready to sing your praises, dance for joy and intimately encounter God through the gift of worship! The non-profit concert is mainly for youth aged 13-30 but all are most welcome. Organised by Couples For Christ– Youth For Christ Singapore.

Catholic Business Network (CBN) Christmas Dinner Time: 6:30pm-10:30pm. Venue: Hotel Jen Tanglin. A Christmas fundraising dinner for CBN project “Bursaries for Needy Students” and other events. Table costs: $5,000 (VIP), $3,000 (regular), $300 (per head for regular table). Emcee: Bernard Lim. For more information, E: celine@cbn.sg; T: 9858 4782.

Dec 5 to Dec 7

Dec 12

Fr Anthony Ho 50th and Fr Francis Lee 43rd Sacerdotal Anniversary Celebrations Fr Anthony Ho’s and Fr Francis Lee’s sacerdotal anniversary Triduum Mass at St Anne’s Church with dinner in the church dining hall on Dec 7 at 7.15pm. Dinner tickets at S$50/pax or $500/table. Tickets can be purchased at church office on a first come first serve basis. Mass Timings: Dec 5: 8pm, Dec 6: 8pm (Rosary at 7.30pm on 5th and 6th).

Dec 15, Jan 26 and Feb 23

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Time: 5.40pm-7.30pm. Venue: Church of Christ the King. Join us for a special rosary and Mass to celebrate the Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe, Protectress of the Unborn. Celebrant: Fr John Sim. Organised by Pregnancy Crisis & Support. For more information, T: 6339 9770; E: help@pregnancycrisis.sg.

Movie Afternoons Venue: 55 Waterloo St, #02-01, S187954. CANA invites you to repeat screenings of popular films that were featured in our recent Cana Film Festival 2018. Keeper – Dec 15 from 3pm-5.15 pm. Love and Bananas – Jan 26 from 3pm-5.15pm. Bending the Arc – Feb 23 from 3pm-5.15 pm. For more information, E: canatheplacetobe2013@gmail.com; T: 6338 4080; W: www.canafilmfest.com. Love offerings welcomed.

Retreat (CUR) 2018 as we prepare to welcome Jesus at Christmas, as one Church. “Where is the infant King of the Jews? We saw His star as it rose, and have come to do Him homage.” (Mt 2:2) All university students (local and overseas) are welcome. To register: W: www.tinyurl.com/CUR18registration. For more information, E: gerald.oyp@catholic.org.sg.

Jan 12, 2019 to Jan 18, 2019 Quieting the Soul: Chiang Mai Venue: Seven Fountains Spirituality Centre, Chiang Mai, Thailand. A special retreat to begin the new year. Spend five days of quiet prayer and solitude with God in a peaceful sanctuary in Chiang Mai. A piritual director will accompany you to journey into your own heart and into the heart of God. By Cenacle Sisters and team. Cost: $600 (excluding airfare). To register: W: www.cenaclemission.com. Deadline for registration: Dec 15.

WH of can ple app to eve

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Jan 6, 2019 to March 2, 2019 School of Witness Are you desiring more of Jesus? Do you believe that Jesus can bring new hope and new life in areas of your life that are wilting and feeling dry? If so, School of Witness 2019, conducted by the Office for Young People, is for you! This is an 8 week live-in discipleship school is for young people aged between 18-30 years. For more information, T: 6285 2571; W: www.oyp.org.sg.

Dec 16

2 s from ou are alive

Christmas Recollection Time: 9:30am-5pm. Venue: 47 Jurong West St 42. An invitation to spend a day of prayer to prepare for the feast of the Nativity of the Lord (Mass included). Facilitator: Cenacle Sisters. Love offerings welcomed. To register: W: www.cenaclemission.com.

Dec 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception Venue: Church of Sts Peter and Paul. Thanksgiving prayers, petitions, rosary at 11.45am. Mass at 1pm. Please bring along last year’s prayer books. Organised by the IHM Family Rosary Prayer Group.

Dec 18 to Dec 21 Combine University Retreat Time: Dec 18 (10am)-Dec 21 (6pm). Venue: Office for Young People (OYP), 2 Lorong Low Koon, S536449. This Advent season, join us for the Combined University

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.

1 2

As a principle the funeral is normally arranged at the 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

s at of the do nd

Mai, end

WHAT’S ON

Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

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.

M A R C D I N E SH M A H E SA N Born: Nov 27, 1980 D eparted: Nov 19, 1987 O U R B E L O V E D E V E R IN O U R H E A R T S. Lovingly cherished by M ama, Noel, Belinda, M arcelle, Tyler, Tania and all who love you.

on:

Fif th A nniversary In ever loving memory of

Fourth Y ear A nniversary In loving memory of

Jesus e that 2019, ! ung ation,

JU L I E SA N T H O U D eparted: Nov 18 , 2013 D earest Julie. We miss you, Precious moments you spent with us will always remain in our heart. Julie, pray for us, intercede for us Till we meet in God’s K ingdom. Lovingly your family and loved ones. N inth A nniversary In loving memory of

L L I A M T A N JWE E H U A T He was called home to our Lord on November 24, 2014 M emory drifts to scenes long past, Time rolls on, but memories last, Sunshine passes, shadows fall, Love’s remembrance outlasts all. D early missed and forever in our hearts Wife Emilyn, Children M arcus and June

3rd Anniversary In loving memory of

Funeral Arrangement Policy in Singapore

Parish ffice contacts orrect parish the deceased

hirt first A nniversary In loving memory of

EVENT SUBMISSIONS

will nto : $600

s it parish of he deceased?

IN MEMORIAM

Based on Senate Communication

Is parish venue availabe?

Is priest available?

Priest negotiates date and time of funeral with the family

PA T R I CI A CH U A K O O I N G O H D eparted: Nov 26, 2009 We speak your name with love and pride We smile with tears we cannot hide We thank you for the years we shared The love you gave, the way you cared. Fondly remembered by M onica, Justin, family members, relatives and friends. E ighteenth A nniversary In everloving memory of

Carlose R Pereira was called home to be with the Heavenly Father on 30 November 2015

Your warm embrace, sweet kisses, comforting voice, profound knowledge, words of wisdom, kind & compassionate heart – we love you & miss you, today and everyday. Till we meet in Heaven, we hope to live your legacy here on Earth. “The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.” Proverbs 20:7

Love, The Carloses In loving memory of T w enty- second A nniversary

Parish office looks for another venue

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

Parish office looks for another priest

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

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

M A T H E W E M M A N U E L S/ O A .M . PE R E I R A D eparted: Nov 25, 2000 We’re assured of your love Even though we’re apart ‘Cause so much we’ve shared Is written in our hearts. M ass will be celebrated on Sunday Nov 25 2018 at 5.45pm at the Church of Immaculate Heart of M ary. Fondly remembered by loving brother Joe, Sisters Serin, D orothy, Gatty, in-laws and loved ones.

N ineteenth A nniversary

A N T H O N I SW A M I N A M B I K A I M A R Y D eparted Nov 19 , 19 9 6 Jan 23 , 19 9 9

There’s a sad but sweet remembrance There’s a memory fond and true And a token of love and affection And a heartache still for you But a certainty of your happiness In God’s glory and Holy Presence Fills our hearts with joy and hope And a longing to meet in Heaven.

IN MEMORIAM In loving memory of 10 th A nniversary

4 0 th A nniversary

J O SE PH W O N G K O N G W E E

T H E R E SA T A N SI E W G U A T D eparted

Nov 16, 2008

Nov 8 , 19 7 8

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

T hird A nniversary In loving memory of

First A nniversary In loving memory of

G E R T R U D E L U CY A L B U Q U E R Q U E D eparted: November 22, 2015 Time takes away the edge of grief But memory turns back every leaf Gone from our lives one so dear But in our hearts forever near Lovingly remembered by K enneth Thomas and family and loved ones.

D E N I SK O H D eparted: November 30, 2017 His smiling way and pleasant face Are a pleasure to recall; He had a kind word for each And died beloved by all. Some day we hope to meet him, Some day, we know not when To clasp his hand in the better land, Never to part again. Always remembered by loved ones.

First A nniversary In loving memory of

Sun

D early missed by children and grandchildren. I se e the star s, I he ar the rol l ing t hunde r, T hy pow e r throughout the univ e rse displ ay e d T he n sings m y soul , m y Sav iour G od to T he e H ow gr e at T hou ar t! H ow gr e at T hou ar t!

T w enty- Fourth A nniversary In loving memory of

In loving memory of

CA R O L CA T H E R I N E PE R E I R A O n H er Fif th A nniversary Called Home to the Lord on November 17, 2013 Always in the hearts of D ennis, D enise, Carl, Nicole, M artha, Alexandra (Rafa), Gabriel, M artin, Bryan, Jasmine, D alva, and all family and friends. T hink how she m ust be w ishing T hat w e coul d al l k now today H ow nothing ub t our sadne ss C an t rul y pas s aw ay

E L IZ A B E T H L A M B E R T D eparted: Nov 20, 19 9 4 Peacefully sleeping, resting at last D ear M ama we miss you so much In silence you suffered, in patience you bore Till God called you home to suffer no more. M ay you rest in peace. D early loved and deeply missed by all loved ones.

M A U R I CE N U N I S D eparted: Nov 10, 2017 In our hearts you will always live Y our love, your voice and your smile Are forever imprinted in our minds. D eeply missed by family and loved ones.

Sixt h A nniversary In loving memory of

And think of he r as l iv ing I n the he ar ts of those she touche d F or nothing l ov e d is e v e r l ost And she w as l ov e d so m uch

In loving memory of

D A V I D E R N E ST Z U Z A R T E D eparted: Nov 23 , 2012 We miss you in so many ways. We miss things you used to say. And when old times we do recall. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s then we miss you most of all. Always loved and cherished by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

em oriam rates: M inim um $80 f or an i nse rtion not e x ce e ding an e ight - ce ntim e tre col um n. Additional spac e : $8 pe r one ce ntim e tre col um n.

JO SE PH SO H JI N T A T 19 3 3 - 2017 D ear brother, Rest in peace. Forever in Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perpetual light. Amen. D early missed and always remembered by all your siblings.

In loving memory of E ighth A nniversary Seventh A nniversary

In m

T enth A nniversary In loving memory of M A R IA L E E SWE E CH I N G

PE G G Y T A N G K IN N G U K D eparted Nov 22, 2010 Nov 23 , 2011

In loving memory of E ighth A nniversary Second A nniversary

I miss you both.

CL A R A M I CH A E L

M A R Y CE CI L I A A R U L A N A N D A M D eparted Nov 19 , 2010 Nov 10, 2016

We remember and cherish the happy times together Remembering them today and forever. D early missed by son-in-law and husband.

N A N CY JO A N SA L A SSA N E E R E N JA A N D eparted: Nov 27, 2008 In our hearts your memory lingers, Sweetly tender, fond and true, There is not a day, dear mother, That we do not think of you. D eeply missed by family and loved ones.

IN MEMORIAM

Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

In loving memory of

T hirty- ninth A nniversary In loving memory of

A N T H O N Y Y IM SO O N CH O N G D eparted: Sep 10, 19 69

CL A R A WO N G M U I SI N D eparted: Nov 23 , 2006

Thank you for all the fond memories. We will forever cherish the times we shared together. Fondly missed and remembered by all your loved ones.

y of

L U CA S T H E R E SA V I CT O R I A H SU L O H K A L E E H SU SW E E M E E I 9 Oct 19 25-3 0 Jun 2012 4 Apr 19 29 -28 Nov 2012 12 Oct 19 61-3 D ec 19 9 1

The angels came to take you home And you left us all alone We know you keep watching us from above And we still pray for the one we love. D early missed by family and loved ones.

y es.

CO N N I E M O K L Y E K U M D eparted: Nov 28, 199 We remember and cherish the happy times together Remembering them today and forever. Always remembered by Anthony, Jenny, Jessie and loved ones. In loving memory of

In loving memory of

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N ineteenth A nniversary In loving memory of

In loving memory of

nd ed gs.

CE CI L I A L I M G U E K H IA N G D eparted: Nov 20, 19 7 9 Always remembered by loved ones at home.

N N I FR E D H W A N G D eparted: M ay 6, 2012

CE CI L I A H W A N G D eparted: D ec 1, 19 9 5

D early missed by Julian, Agnes, Gregory

A N T H O N Y JO A CH I M D eparted: Nov 27, 2013 Our Lord Jesus knew what was best He took you home for eternal rest We wiped our tears and tried not to be sad And remember the precious times we had. Always remembered by loved ones.

Sunday November 25, 2018 n CatholicNews

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