Catholic News issue 3, 2018

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2018

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Canossa Convent Primary to go co-ed next year Principal Eugenie Tan and Sr Theresa Seow speak to Catholic News about this move

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INSIDE HOME

To carry out your work, you need God Catholic lawyers told at special Mass

By Jared Ng Canossa Convent Primary School (CCPS) is set to go co-ed in 2019 for its Pri 1 intake.

An official announcement was made earlier in January by Canossian provincial Sr Theresa Seow and principal Eugenie Tan to the Canossian alumni exco and parents.

“We hope to raise daughters and sons of Canossa with a Canossian education focused on character and formation of the heart,” Mrs Tan told Catholic News.

Sr Theresa expressed her excitement at being able to “formally start accepting Pri 1 boys into the school from next year onwards.”

“The idea [to go co-ed] has been in the works ... for about two years and the Sisters felt it was important to move with the times and respond to the needs of the community,” she told Catholic News.

Some of these needs include catering to parents and their sons, living in the MacPherson-Aljunied area, who are affected by the merging of MacPherson Primary School and Cedar Primary School. Going co-educational will also cater to newer estates around the area, such as the upcoming Bidadari estate.

Futhermore, “many of our Canossian schools abroad have already gone co-ed, like in Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, Timor Leste and Italy,” said Sr Theresa.

In the early years of the school, there were boys in the boarding house looked after by the Sisters, said Sr Theresa. They attended school with the girls here. However, the emphasis then was to provide girls with an education because at that time, they did not

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n Page 4

Praying as one Christians from various Churches mark Unity Week n Page 8

ASIA

Region’s bishops discuss Rome trip Will visit pope and major Vatican offices n Page 12

WORLD Canossa Convent Primary School will go co-ed in 2019 and will be renamed Canossa Catholic Primary School.

We hope to raise ‘ daughters and sons of

Possible solution for isolated parishes

Canossa and to provide a Canossian education focused on character and formation of the heart.

n Page 13

’

Euthanasia law in Belgium

– Canossa Convent Primary School principal Eugenie Tan

have as many opportunities as the boys to attend school. Today, the Canossians feel it is timely to also provide boys the Canossian brand of education, she added.

According to Mrs Tan, parents with eligible children under the various registration phases can register from July this year for both girls and boys for next year’s Pri 1 intake.

She added that the school

Vatican official on ordaining married men

Church concerned over abuse n Page 17

Canossian provincial Sr Theresa Seow and principal Eugenie Tan emphasised the importance of responding to the needs of the community as one of the reasons for the change.

name will be changed to Canossa Catholic Primary School next year.

The reaction so far from par-

FEATURES

False missile alarm in Hawaii

ents, teachers and alumni has been very positive, said Mrs Tan.

Writer shares what the experience taught him

n Continued on Page 5

n Page 20

2 HOME

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

Archbishop gives catechumens advice for their spiritual journey Freque nt the sacraments, read the os els an ee from tem tation is was some a ice t at Arc is o illiam o a e to more t an A ite of ristian nitiation of A ults catec umens at ere at t e urc of t e ransfi uration on an r anise t e ffice or atec esis in colla oration wit t e ffice for t e ew an elisation t e arc is o s catec esis aime at el in t e catec umens from aris es an c urc es re are for a tism at aster e session starte wit t e rea in on t e oman at t e ell o n an t e ent ronement of t e i le Arc is o o ointe out t at con ersion to rist s oul not e seen in a ne ati e wa suc as a in ur ensome o li ations to atten un a ass an not eatin meat on ri a s nstea con ersion s oul e seen as a ositi e act of turnin towar s esus rist w o romises us t at a e come t at ou ma a e life an a e it to t e full o n en one turns towar s o e sai one naturall as one s ac towar s sin is is cause for cele ration ecause re entance sets eo le free to lo e e sai e a ise t e catec umens to e aware of t eir esires an t e tem tations t e face from

t e worl t e es an t e e il e also s are wit t em t e ifferent wea ons t e nee e to fi t tem tation o fi t t e tem tations from t e worl one nee s to a e fait in esus As o n sa s or e er one orn of o o ercomes t e worl ose w o elie e esus is t e on of o will follow an sta close to esus an e a le to see t e worl t rou is e es us t e will e a le to rec-

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A rchbi shop G oh urged the catechumens to read al l four G ospel s from the B ibl e at l east once, and to go for confession and attend M ass regul arl y after bapt ism. o nise an illusions ro ose t e worl en face wit t e tem tations of t e es t e est res onse is to ee As imot sa s lee t e e il esires of out an ursue ri teousness fait lo e an eace alon wit t ose w o call on t e or out of a ure eart e a e t e e am le of a erson wit i c olesterol w o s oul a oi ein near tem tin foo s li e suc lin i or juic stea s

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A rchbishop W illiam G oh praying for the R CI A catechumens gathered for his catechesis at the Church of the Transfiguration on Jan 13. P hoto: V I T A I mages

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e wea on to fi t t e e il is t e armour of o As esians sa s e stron in t e or an in is mi t ower ut on t e full armour of o so t at ou can ta e our stan a ainst t e e il s sc emes Arc is o o also note t at some ristians w o claim

to elie e in t e i le ic onl t e teac in s t e a ree wit an reject t ose t at o not sit well wit t eir lifest le e sai t ese are false ristians as t e o not acce t all t e teac in s of esus e cite t e e am le of t e call of eter u e an ro ose t at true ristian li in means followin t e res onse of t eter to esus re uest to cast is fis in nets en t ou eter was ou tful of esus su estion e still listene to esus f ou sa so will lower t e net Arc is o o ur e t e crow to rea all four os els from t e i le at least once an to res on to esus in itation enterin into a ersonal relations i wit im e encoura e t em to o for confession an atten ass re u-

larl after a tism e em asise t at t e acrament of econciliation is er alua le for t e ealin of o min soul an eart Arc is o o also as e artici ants to s en at least minutes in ail ra er to a oi sin n conclusion e in ite catec umens to surren er t eir li es to esus atec umens sai t e foun it enli tenin ins irin an informati e an were a to ear from t e arc is o imself an sai t e foun t e catec esis el ful in re arin t em for a tism t ers s are t at it ma e t em realise ow im ortant fait is an ow o lo es e er one To find out more about the archb ishop’ s catechesis for catechumens and the R CI A process, email : enq uiry @ catechesis.org.sg n

Dispensation from abstinence from meat and fasting on Feb 16 Bishop Sebastian F rancis of Penang, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of M alaysia, Singapore and Brunei, has issued a letter to all bishops of the conference on abstinence and fasting during Chinese New Year.

I n the letter dated Jan 15, Bishop Francis said that at the meeting of the bishops’ conference in January

2017, “we have decided that we give dispensation to all Catholics from fast and abstinence from meat on Friday, 16 February 2018 in view of the festive season of Chinese New Year”.

However, “fast and abstinence on A sh W ednesday will remain as usual”.

A sh W ednesday falls on F eb 14 this year. n

BUILDING THE CHURCH OF TOMORROW 3

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

sfx seminary:

moulding the shepherds of tomorrow

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Thank you for your patience and support of the staff and seminarians of the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary in the past two years since it moved out of its premises at 199 Punggol Seventeenth Avenue.

After 30 years of usage, the Punggol facilities were in need of upgrading. Coupled with the limited lease of the land, it was decided that a new and more permanent home for the seminary

will be built on freehold land within the compound of St Joseph’s Church (Bukit Timah). Meanwhile, the seminarians have moved to temporary accommodation at St Teresa’s Church.

In this time of transition, our tendency may be to feel frustrated, but the Word of God gives us many examples of how God’s timing is best.

With the support of many through the GIFT campaign, construction of the new building was able to kick start early and has

will bring great joy and fulfilment if we surrender and patiently cooperate with God’s grace. As we enter into this new period of formation, may we do so with rejoicing and excitement.

progressed smoothly toward its expected completion in the second half of 2018. I thank God for His providence, and for each one of you who has responded to GIFT. But to date, only about $10 million has been raised out of $19 million needed for the building’s construction. The continued support of everyone is urgently needed to build this sacred space for the formation of future shepherds and leaders in our Church.

I believe this period of change

Yours in Christ, Msgr Ambrose Vaz Rector, St Francis Xavier Major Seminary

SHEPHERDS OVER THE YEARS

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

Gift Now

gift.catholicfoundation.sg

Fr Richards Ambrose

Fr Cary Chan

Fr Joachim Chang

Fr Valerian Cheong

Fr Eugene Chong

Fr Edmund Chong

Fr Alex Chua

Fr Brian D’Souza

Fr Damien De Wind

Fr John Joseph Fenelon

Fr Erbin Fernandez

Fr Luke Fong

Archbishop William Goh

Fr Augustine Joseph

Fr Peter Koh

Fr Kenson Koh

Fr Albert Ng

Fr Aloysius Ong

Fr Stanislaus Pang

Fr Terence Pereira

Fr John Bosco Pereira

Fr Frederick Quek

Fr Henry Siew

Fr John Sim

Fr Michael Sitaram

Fr Peter Tan

Fr Kenny Tan

Fr Gerard Weerakoon

Fr Adrian Yeo

Fr Ignatius Yeo

Fr James Yeo

Fr Paul Yeo

Fr Stephen Yim

SUPPORT THE SHEPHERDS OF TOMORROW

The seminary is the heart of every diocese. Much like the human body, the heart is needed to pump new blood into every part of the body so it can function.

It is inspiring that our archdiocese has laid a strong foundation for the future and exciting that there will now be a shared space where priests and laity are formed!

- Fr Valerian Cheong, Vice-Rector, St Francis Xavier Seminary

- Anthony Soo, Parent of a Seminarian

You can do so by posting a cheque payable to ‘Catholic Foundation’ and indicating ‘SFX Seminary’ on the back, or giving online through credit card, eNETS, or GIRO at gift.catholicfoundation.sg.

The seminary is a symbol that invites all in the archdiocese to take Catholic formation seriously and also how formation must inevitably lead to discipleship and mission.

This is now a compact building, very near to a vibrant parish community where those in formation can concentrate better in their academic and pastoral formation.

Your action today will make a lasting impact for the future of the Catholic Church in Singapore.

- Br Justin Yip, Seminarian

- Fr Cornelius Ching, Priest ordained in 2016

$10million raised to date

$19million total needed

Contribute to a restricted fund under the GIFT campaign, to help build the new seminary and formation building for the shepherds of tomorrow.

a series contributed by

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Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

M sgr A mbrose V az blessing members of the legal profession at the R ed M ass on Jan 12.

Blessings invoked on legal fraternity during Red Mass The special mission that members of the legal fraternity play in society was highlighted during a special Mass on Jan 12.

“We especially need you in society and the Church to bring truth and justice to the people; and truth and justice are not concepts but a person – Jesus Christ,” Msgr Ambrose V az told about 130 members of the legal profession during the Mass at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.

To do this, they need to have a relationship with God so that He will be the centre of their lives, and this will help them discern His will for them and the people they serve, said Msgr V az at the annual “R ed Mass” organised by the Catholic Lawyers Guild (CLG).

Msgr V az also thanked the CLG for its pro bono legal services to the needy.

The R ed Mass invokes the Holy Spirit’s guidance on the legal profession and the intercession of its patron saint, St Thomas More, a martyr. e first recor e e ass was celebrated in 124 5 in Paris.

As the liturgical colour for votive

Present at the R ed M ass ( from left) : Catholic L awyers G uild president Peggy Y ee, Chief Justice Sundaresh M enon and Caritas chairperson Janet A ng.

masses of the Holy Spirit and martyrs is red, the celebration became popularly known as the R ed Mass.

The highlight of the Mass was the Prayer to St Thomas More by CLG members and Msgr V az ’s laying-on of hands over them to invoke the gifts and blessings of the Holy Spirit.

D uring the offertory, together with the gifts of bread and wine, the scales of justice, the White Book (the R ules of the Supreme Court) and a lawyer’s court robe were brought to the altar by the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, D eputy Attorney-General Lionel Y ee, a senior practising lawyer, a junior practising lawyer and a law student respectively.

The lector, cantor, commentator, pianist and choir were also all members of the legal profession.

At a dinner after Mass, CLG president Peggy Y ee shared how the organisation had held members’ retreats and prayer meetings last year and is planning a workshop this year. Last year, the CLG

assisted with 138 cases of legal advice, 14 cases of legal representation and two mediation cases, all pro bono , she noted.

Commenting on the celebration s onia ajen ra a first year Singapore Management University law student said: “Seeing the unity and commitment of the legal community gave me such a sense of belonging! ” Sr Sylvia Maria Ng, an executi e officer of t e Arc iocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant People (ACMI) to which CLG renders pro bono legal consultation services, said she is “thankful that our Catholic lawyers are striving to ensure that God becomes the foundation and focal point of their legal ministry”.

“My prayers are with them,” said the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary nun.

F or more information on the Cathol ic L aw y ers G uil d, cal l 6801749, email admin@ cl gsingapore.com, or visit w w w .cl gsingapore.com. n

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Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

Regard teaching as a vocation, educators urged

Positive reaction from parents, teachers, alumni n F rom Page 1

“Some parents with sons in Canossaville Pre-School, a fullday child-care and kindergarten within the same compound as the school, have also been approaching their kindergarten principal and teachers with regard to registration,” she said.

O ne parent, Mr Edwin Chan, said, “Now my son Jackie can join his elder sister Jade in the same school.”

Another parent, Mrs Michele

uring the Commencement of the chool Year ass, retired principals passed on the ame from their candles to serving principals and vice-principals, symbolising the passing of the light from one generation of school leaders to the next .

A teacher is called to motivate his or her students. For this to happen, teachers must be passionate and regard teaching as a vocation, not just a means of earning a living.

Archbishop William Goh made this point during a Mass to mark the start of the school year.

Speaking to principals, viceprincipals, teachers, parents and students on Jan 20, he said that the school principal’s role is to nurture teachers’ passion for their work by sharing with them the school’s vision and mission.

He assured school leaders that they were not alone in their journey as they could rely on the Council of Catholic Schools’ Principals and the archdiocese for support.

D uring the Commencement of the School Y ear Mass, held at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, the archbishop also commissioned

fi e newl a ointe rinci als of Catholic schools.

In a ceremony, retired princials asse on t e ame from t eir candles to serving principals and vice-principals, symbolising the passing of the light from one generation of school leaders to the next.

Many who attended described the occasion as a heart-warming experience.

Parent volunteer Anastasia X avier said she was glad that the archbishop urged educators to serve God with passion as this was “something much needed in today’s education culture, which has a heavy emphasis on results”.

Ms Christina Tan, a teacher, said she found inspiring the archbishop’s challenge to educators “to rise above secularism which would distinguish Catholic schools from the rest”.

“It was very reassuring with His Grace telling us that the Catholic Church is behind us every step of the way in Catholic school education,” she said.

Mr Eric Lee, the newly commissioned principal of St Patrick’s School, said his favourite moment was the passing on of the li t from can les as it si nifie a strong sense of support and affirmation n

A parent vol unteer said she w as gl ad the archbi shop urged educators to serve G od w ith passion, as today ’ s education cul ture pl aces ‘ a heavy emphasis on resul ts’ .

Ho, expressed her happiness “that my daughter will enjoy an enriching experience growing up with both boys and girls.”

Ms Sylvia Chua, an alumna of CCPS, shared, “Having benefitte from a anossian e ucation, I’m really happy that now even the boys can get a chance to learn what I learnt, especially our Canossian foundation from St Magdalene of Canossa.” n jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

A picture tak en during the 1940s showing both girls and boys in Canossa Convent Primary School. L ater, the emphasis was to provide girls with an education.

History of Canossa Convent Primary School According to the CCPS website: e official o enin of • was on Aug 15, 1941.

• CCPS was suppose to function in January 1942. However due to the Second World War, the school became a refuge for war victims.

• O n May 15, 1942, CCPS began functioning using Japanese as the medium of instruction.

• After the war in 1946, a private Chinese school was established

• • •

on the site for those who had reached school-going age.

In 1951, the Chinese school was converted into a one-session government-aided English school.

The Canossian Sisters began to teach the classes which were previously taken by the Chinese-speaking lay teachers.

In 1962, CCPS became a twosession government-aided English school.

CATHOLIC CO-ED SCHOOLS IN SINGAPORE

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Canossian School for the hearing-impaired D e La Salle School Holy Innocents’ Primary School St Anthony’s Primary School Assumption English School

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Assumption Pathway School Hai Sing Catholic School Holy Innocents’ High School St Joseph’s Institution International School Catholic Junior College

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Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

When God Has Other Plans For You

by Wendy Tan

by Wendy Tan

My world fell apart 15 years ago My world fellout apart ago when I found that15 myyears husband when I found out that my husband was having an affair and had was having affair and had fathered a childanwith this woman.

It fathered a child with this woman.

It felt as though a sword had pierced felt as though a sword had pierced through my heart and whatever through heartwasand whatever trust I hadmy in him destroyed. trustBut I had in him was destroyed. deep down inside, I believe deep downisinside, thatBut a marriage meantI believe to last that a marriage is meant to was last forever and I was sure there forever and I was sure there was a way to salvage ours. Our son a way to three salvage Our and son was only yearsours. old then was only three years old then and I couldn’t imagine putting him I couldn’t imagine through the ordeal of aputting divorce.him through the ordeal of a divorce. for So we stayed together So we stayed together for another seven years trying to make another seven years trying to make things work. But the conflicting things work.

But the conflicting feelings of anger, injustice and feelings of anger, injustice andI grief festered within me. While grief festered within me.

While doubled my efforts to be a betterI doubled efforts to back be a of better wife and my mother, at the my wife and mother, at the back of my mind I was always questioning: mind I was always questioning: “Why me, God? Why did this have “Why me, to God? Why did this have to happen me?” to happen to me?”

As time went on, the unresolved As timebuilt went up on, the unresolved emotions inside of me emotions built up inside me and I was getting more andofmore and I was getting more and more agitated. Finally the day came. My agitated. Finally the for day acame.

My husband asked me divorce. husband asked me for a divorce.

He made it clear that he was done He made it clear that he was done with the marriage. withThat the marriage. was the final blow to my ThatInwas final blow to my world. thatthe moment, I saw the world.

In that moment, I saw broken pieces that I had tried the so broken that I had triedpast so hard to pieces patch together in the hard to patch together in the past seven years fall completely apart. seven years fallswirled completely Questions in myapart. mind Questions swirled myutterly mind like a hurricane and I inwas like a hurricane and I was utterly

overwhelmed. “What should Ioverwhelmed. do now? How“What would I,should as a Idivorced do now?

How would I, toas fita woman, continue divorced woman, Church? continue to fit in the Catholic How in the Catholic Church?

How would others see me? Would I would others see me?from WouldtheI be excommunicated be excommunicated from the Church? My first task was to keep Church?

My first task was to keep my sacramental life active as that myfor sacramental active part as that is me a very life important of is for me a very important part of my relationship with God.” my relationship with God.” Asking the right questions of the Asking the right questions of the right people right people Thankfully, I had the grace to trust Thankfully, I hadguide the grace to trust that God would me through that God would guide me through the mess. And sure enough, He the mess. sure enough, He did.

I foundAnd a Christian counsellor did.

I found a Christian counsellor for emotional support, a Catholic for emotional Catholic lawyer to find support, out whata my legal lawyer to find out what my rights were, spiritual directorslegal for rights were, spiritual spiritual direction and directors guidance for on spiritual direction where I stood withand the guidance Church asona where I stood with the Church as a divorced woman. divorced woman.

With all this support and Withdiscernment, all this support and proper I peacefully proper discernment, I peacefully decided not to agree to the divorce, decidedinstead not to for agree to the divorce, opting “divorce without opting instead for “divorce without consent”, which meant that we consent”, which meant that we would be legally separated for four would be legally separated for four years before the civil divorce could years before the civil divorce could proceed. proceed.

Drawing strength from God Drawing strength from God Despite all the preparations, I was Despite all the was not spared the preparations, devastation Iwhen not spared the devastation when my husband served the divorce my husband served the divorce

Images courtesy of Pixabay Images courtesy of Pixabay

What What should should II do do now? now? How How would would I, as a divorced woman, continue I, as a divorced woman, continue to to fit fit in in the the Catholic Catholic Church?

Church? papers in 2013. The divorce was papers in 2013. The divorce was now real. nowI cried, real. I screamed and I pleaded cried,during I screamed and I pleaded withI God this period.

I called with God during this period. called Him dirty names because I Iwas so Him dirty names because I was so angry and disappointed with Him! angry and disappointed with Him! I questioned: “Why did you put me I questioned: “Why didI served you putyou me though this? Haven’t though this?

Haven’t I served you well in my mission work?” I found well in my missiondown work?” found myself breaking in I public myself breaking down in public places at inopportune moments. places at inopportune moments.

After many years of being After many years of beingI absent from silent retreats, absent from silent retreats, packed my bags and headed toI packed Fountain. my bags Iand to Seven let headed God have Seven Fountain.

I let God have my full fury! During one of my my full with fury!the During onedirector, of my sessions spiritual sessions with the spiritual director, I was asked where I got my I was asked I gotcame my strength from. where The answer strength from.

The answer came to me immediately. My strength to from me immediately.

My strength is God. 2 Corinthians 12:9: is from God. 2 Corinthians “My grace is sufficient for 12:9: you, “My power grace isis sufficient for you, for made perfect in for power became is madea perfect in weakness.” reality for weakness.” became a reality for me. This breakthrough set the tone me.the This breakthrough setjourney. the tone for rest of my healing for the rest of my healing journey.

Forgiveness didn’t come easy Forgiveness didn’t come easy This doesn’t mean my journey This doesn’twholeness mean my became journey towards towards wholeness became easier. Anger, injustice and envy easier. Anger, continued to injustice plague and me. envy But continued to plague But knowing that God was me. my rock knowing that God was my rock and foundation gave me the and foundation gave to me work the stability and strength stability and strength to work through those emotions and begin through those Iemotions andon begin my life anew. could carry life my life anew.

I could carry on life as a mother to my young boy and as a mother to my young boy and as an effective worker in the office. as an effective in thedirector office.

Once, myworker spiritual Once, my spiritual director asked me if I wanted to save my asked me Iif did I wanted to save my husband. not quite know husband.

I did not quite know what he meant and my immediate what he meant and my immediate

thought was: “This is such a stupid thought was: “This suchwould a stupidI question.

Why on isearth question.

Why on earth would want to save him when he hadI want tomesave him pain?” when he had caused so much caused me so much pain?”

It was only last year, during It was only last year, during a pilgrimage to Assisi, Italy that aGod pilgrimage to Assisi, Italy showed me what it meantthat to God showed me what to save my husband and ittomeant forgive save my husband and to forgive him. He wanted me to keep an him. heart He wanted me to to bring keep my an open and mind open heart and mind to bring my husband back to the Church and to husband to the Church to Him. Myback husband has shownand signs Him. My husband has shown signs of wanting to return to God and I of wanting return to God felt that Godtowas asking me and to doI felt that God was asking me to do something about it. something about it.

So finally I opened my heart and So God finally mytoheart and asked forI opened the grace forgive asked God for the grace to forgive my husband and the woman and to my husband the woman and an to listen to His and promptings.

I sent listen to His promptings.

I sent an open invitation to my husband to open invitation my husband to come back to thetoChurch and I left come back to the Church and I left the door open for him. He attends the door open for him. He Church occasionally andattends even Church occasionally Christmas mass last year.and even Christmas last year.

While mass our first and primary While our first primary relationship is withandGod, our relationship is with God, our Father, He will want peace, Father, He will want peace, unity and goodwill among men unity women. and goodwill among men and Forgiveness and and women.

Forgiveness and reconciliation are paramount with reconciliation are paramount with God. (Matthew 5: 23-24).

God. (Matthew 5: 23-24).

Providing a stable environment Providing a stable environment As a mother, I wanted to protect As ason mother, wanted to protect my from Ithe trauma of the my son from the trauma the divorce but also help himofgrow divorce but also help him grow spiritually through the ordeal. I spiritually ordeal. assured himthrough that he the would neverI assured him that he would have a stepfather as I stillnever see have a married stepfather as eyes I still myself in the of see the myself married in the eyes the Church and impressed uponofhim Church and impressed upon him that divorce is never the answer to that divorce never the answer to problems in aismarriage. problems in a marriage.

I made sure that I didn’t get I made sure I didn’tbond get in the way of thethat father-son in the way of the father-son bond either, even though I was feeling either, evenearly though washusband feeling hurt in the days.I My hurt in the early days.

My husband has legal rights to visit my son has legal rights to visit my only during weekends, but son he only during weekends, he actually comes to our homebut every actually comes to our home every day to be with my son, something to be with my son, something Iday never stopped.

I never stopped.

To my kindred spirits To my kindred spirits To all those who are experiencing To all those who brokenness in are theirexperiencing marriage, brokenness in marriage, know that you aretheir not alone.

The know that you are not alone.

The breaking down of your marriage is breaking down of your marriage is not the end of the world. not Happiness the end of theisworld. within you Happiness through God. is Seekwithin God you and through God. Seek GodWhen and you will find happiness. you will find happiness.

When something doesn’t go as you had something doesn’t go as you had planned, know that God is showing planned, know that God is showing you another way. youHealing another is way. an ongoing process Healing is ongoing feelings process and takes time.anNegative and takes time.

Negative feelings will resurface from time to time. willthese resurface fromgotime to totime.

In moments, back the In these moments, go back to the times you have experienced God’s times and you draw have strength experienced grace fromGod’s those grace and draw strength precious experiences of from grace.those precious experiences ofunexpected grace.

My life has taken an My life has taken an unexpected turn, something I did not ask for. turn, something didjourney not ask and for.

Being open to Ithe Being open to the journey and the gifts that God desires to bless the gifts thatitGod me through has desires resultedtoinbless the me through it has resultedDivorce in the initiation of the Surviving initiation of the Surviving Divorce programme. programme.

Running this programme and Running programme and being able tothis support those going being able to support those going through the same pain has been an through the same pain has been an immensely humbling experience immensely humbling experience for me. As a divorcee, I felt I was for me.forAsnothing. a divorcee, felt I God was good But Inow, good for nothing.

But now, God showed me how that power is truly showedperfect me how power isand truly made inthat weakness it made perfect in weakness and it is no longer I who live, but Christ is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. (Gal 2:20) livesKnow in me.that (Gal 2:20) God has His plans Know that God plans for you too. Open has yourHis heart to for you too.

Open your heart to Him and let Him take charge of Him and let Him take charge of your life. your life.

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Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

Surviving The Holidays After A Marriage Breakdown 5

A s the L unar N ew Y ear ap p roaches, E lena F ernandez , an E nglish teacher and p art- time D J with G old 9 0 F M , shares tip s on how to survive festive seasons as a sep arated or divorced p erson.

C an you share with us a bit about your marital j ourney?

We were from Kuala L umpur (KL ) and moved to Singapore 10 years ago when my husband was posted here for his job. When my marriage imploded five and a half years ago, my girls were only 11 and 13 years old. It was the most painful thing I’ve ever been through, especially as my family was in Malaysia.

But you know, the L ord works in his own way and had arranged support for me when I needed it. A few years earlier, when I became deeply unhappy in my marriage, I took part in a mission trip to Sabah to teach E nglish to children from surrounding villages. I remember feeling so wretched that I walked into a big field and cried to the L ord: “I can’t do this. How can I be of service to these children when I have nothing to offer?”

Two angels on this trip sensed something wrong and reached out to me. They were a little unprepared when I unleashed all the pent up pain of my marriage. But because of their support, I was calm when my marriage eventually imploded.

H ow did you break the news to your family?

I didn’t tell anyone at first. How do you announce something like that long distance? But eventually I had to, as Christmas was approaching and we’d be returning to KL without my husband. I asked my mum to make sure everyone in the family knew we were separated and not to bring it up. I wanted to protect my girls from having to answer questions as to where their dad was.

I f you could change things now, would you?

I do not know what the future holds for my marriage but I believe in J ohn 2:5, “Do whatever he tells you” and leaving it in God’s hands.

Despite the unimaginable pain I’ve been through, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m now closer to God, I’ve learnt to enjoy my independence, and I’ve discovered things about myself that I didn’t know before, such as, I’m a dog lover! I’m a different me now!

C an you share some tips on surviving the festive seasons as a separated/ divorced person?

Separation and divorce makes the festive seasons even more difficult: seeing other families having their reunions and remembering the times past can be excruciating.

These are some ways that have helped me cope with Christmas and I hope it will help others too.

1

Set realistic expectations

2

Have a network of friends to support you

Accept that things are going to be different and it will take time to get into a new routine. Be honest with friends and family about what you can and cannot do and be firm with your boundaries.

At a time when everyone is together and celebrating, being alone can be harder to bear. U se the time to get to know yourself better and reconnect with God. L earn to go on a date with yourself and God. Y ou might just discover something new!

E lena and her younger daughter Kiana

really cathartic and made me realise my situation isn’t that bad.

3

Acknowledge your emotions

Be honest with how you are feeling and know that it is ok to feel not okay. Give yourself the space to grieve, but don’t throw a pity party.

P salm 23, The L ord, my shepherd, always comforts and assures me that everything will be OK in time.

4

Know that it is OK to leave gatherings early

If unwelcome memories or extreme emotions surface during gatherings, have the freedom to thank the host and leave early. Cut yourself some slack. Spend some time with God and pour your heart out to Him.

2 7

7

Be in tune with your kids

8

Give gifts of joy

Read your favourite scripture passage, listen to a special song, or hold a treasured item. Whatever comforts and lifts your spirits, make sure you can reach for it when you need a boost. We all need a pickme-up sometimes!

Pieta M onthly S upport S ession for B ereaved Parents 27 February (Tuesday), 7 .30 pm – 9 pm A gap e V illage, 7 A L orong 8 Toa Payoh, S ingap ore 3 1 9 2 6 4 We meet as a group of bereaved p arents to find mutual sup p ort through p rayer, scrip ture and sharing of exp eriences.

Draw close to God

Through retreats, I learned to love myself. I find solace in scriptures and they have been my constant companion. At one retreat, around the time of my separation, I experienced a truly transformative spiritual experience. As I recited prayers of forgiveness, a force that felt like a bright light entered my body and pulled out the pain in my chest. I felt amaz ingly light and glowing afterwards.

It’s tempting to try to cheer your kids up with extra expensive presents to compensate for a missing parent.

But think again. Is that what they truly need now?

Handcrafted jars for E lena’s BBBs

I make little craft jars stuffed with joyous messages such as verses like J eremiah 29:11 or motivational quotes from people like Helen Keller and Martin L uther King, and give a jar to each of my BBBs – the people I consider Beautiful, Blessed and Beloved. They remind me of

E lena is a facilitator with S urviving D ivorce: Hop e and Healing for the Catholic F amily, an initiative under the A rchdiocesan Commission for the F amily to sup p ort Catholics who are sep arated or divorced. To find out more about the p rogramme, visit www. catholicfamily. org. sg/ sd.

Time:

7.30 pm - 9.30 pm

Venue: Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre, 2 Highland Road, Singapore 549102 Contribution: $120.00 Registration: http://catholicfamily.org.sg/sd/ Enquiries 9780 4456 (Joann) or 9383 6868 (Jileen) cdsg@acf.org.sg

F or a list of family events in the A rchdiocese visit

catholicfamily. org. sg/ events

March 9 2

Pieta. singapore@ gmail. com

Have a go-to list of things that lift your mood

9

Dates: Mondays, 5 March to 28 May 2018

Catholic Family Events in February - March 2018

N o need to register, j ust walk in.

6

E veryone goes through highs and lows. Being able to turn to people in my support group and be honest, no matter how raw the emotions, has made a world of difference.

L istening to the sharing among members of the group has been

February

God’s goodness and help me to be grateful for what I have.

Learn to enjoy me time

9

M arriage E ncounter W eekend

C ouple M entor J ourney I nfo S ession

B eginning E x perience

2– 4 March (Friday - Sunday), 8 pm – 6 pm M arriage E ncounter House, 2 0 1 B Punggol 1 7 th A venue, S ingap ore 8 2 9 6 5 1

9 March (Friday), 7 .30 pm – 9.30 pm Church of D ivine M ercy

9– 11 March (Friday - Sunday), Friday 6 :30 pm to Sunday 4 pm L ifesp rings Canossians S p irituality Centre, 1 0 0 J ln M erbok , S ingap ore 5 9 8 4 5 4

D iscover the week end that has been transforming marriages all over the world for more than 4 0 years.

F or coup les married two years and above.

Programme starts F riday ( 8 p m) and ends S unday ( 6 p m) . wwmesg. org/ me- weekend- selector to book a weekend.

Catholic or Interfaith Coup les married over 5 years are invited to this CM J Info S ession to consider being Coup le M entors to younger coup les in their first 3 years of marriage.

F or more info and to sign up :

J oin us for a lifetime of change – help ing those who are divorced, sep arated or widowed to come to terms with their loss so that they are free to love themselves, others and most of all, G od.

http: / / catholicfamily. org. sg/ cmj / mentors

http: / / besingapore. com

Roderick and Caroline (96 6 8 0956 ) Clement & Cheryl (927 3 158 1)

beginningex periencesg@ gmail. com

facebook. com/ PietaS ingapore

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.

8 HOME

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

Praying together as one Christians from various Churches come together to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

By Christopher K hoo

at unites us is infinitel reater t an w at i i es us e anon err on s are t is in is omil at a ee of ra er for ristian nit ser ice on an ea in to t e crow at t e An lican t An rew s at e ral com risin ristians from arious urc es t e cat e ral icar note t at ristians are certainl not uniform owe er t e o s are a unit in rist a we continue to esire for more e sai e sai t at it woul e oo for ristians to come to et er to e a lessin to t e nation e ser ice was art of a series of fi e ser ices el at ifferent ristian urc es urin t e ee of ra er for ristian nit el annuall from an e ser ices saw re resentati es from arious urc es ta in art in ra ers rea in assa es from t e i le

an

lessin t e crow urin t e an ser ice at t e ar oma rian urc r omas ssac from t e t omas rt o o rian at e ral in a ore s are a out esus t e oo e er ommentin on ristian unit an referrin to alatians e note t at t e oo e er wants to unite t e s ee n an a ser ice was el at t e o enant ommunit et o ist urc urin t e ser ice ra ers were ma e to t e ol irit to set our earts on fire for t e unit of ristians A ser ice on an was sc e ule at t e al ation Arm w ile anot er ser ice was sc e ule at t e urc of t e ransfi uration on an e ser ices were or anise t e Arc iocesan at olic ouncil for cumenical ialo ue an ost c urc es n christoph er.k hoo@catholic.org.sg

R epresentatives from various Churches praying together at a service at St A ndrew’ s Cathedral.

Church representatives praying a blessing at the M ar Thoma Syrian Church ( left) and engaging in a discussion prior to the service at the Covenant Community M ethodist Church.

A time of song and praise at Jesus Youth event t was an e enin of music an raise for a out oun eole as t e ra e an san urin t e A A V e ent on an e e ent or anise esus out in a ore was el at t e A a e Villa e t aime to rin o s lo e to oun eo le as a an le t em into a time of ra er wit ristian son s ran in from o to roc e au ience was also in ite to ance to some son s r erar rancisco of A in a ore Arc iocesan at olic arismatic enewal a e a minute tal on o s lo e s arin ow is life c an e w en e encountere t e ol irit uotin o n r

L eft: Y oung people praising G od at the JY A G A PE EV E event. R ight: A band helped people enter into a time of prayer.

rancisco s are to sa e us eal us to is lo e t e stru les an face

t at o came us an restore re ar less of situations we

is musical e ent was first amon a series lanne e ne t concert is sc ule for ul accor in to or anisers

t e for e t e

e esus out mo ement starte as a at olic la mo ement in n ia in an as since s rea to more t an countries t as een acti e

in in a ore for t e ast ears T he J esus Y outh Si ngapore F acebook page is https: / / w w w .facebook .com/ j y 15s g n

9

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

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

F E AT U R E

COMBINED UNI RETREAT

F E AT U R E

SOW 2018 UPDATES

The School of Witness 2018

On 8th January 2018, the 9th School of Witness officially opened. This year’s school boasts a total of 38 participants .

We celebrated the opening of the school together with the families of our participants as well as with the various alumni of the school dating as far back as 2009! We are indeed amazed and humbled to continue witnessing the great works of the Lord through the school.

As you read this dear brothers and sisters, we will be about to embark on our 4th week of the school. We humbly ask that you keep the participants and staff of the school in prayer.

The participants and service team of Combined Uni Retreat with Archbishop William Goh, the OYP Chaplains and staff

by Natasha Wong Hearts were healed, walls were broken, and joy abounded in the Combined University Retreat organised by the Office for Young People. 4 days, 3 nights, 170 retreatants, and 80 service team members – this is testament to how God is truly casting His nets wider and further to bring His sheep back home in time for Christmas.

In the season of Advent, we were led to retreat from distractions and truly be present in community, fully participating in the masses, sessions, and prayers for each other! God showed us the way to love one another in these few days as brothers and sisters in Christ, where kingdom friendships transcended the barriers of university names and to echo Father Jude, we bonded as one Church, one Body, and one People.

In CUR, we were fed well, nourished physically and spiritually through tasty food and engaging sessions. Fuelled by a single-minded passion for Christ’s mission, the speakers expounded on topics close to the hearts of the youth, sharing with us countless truths that resounded so strongly in our lives as well as teaching us how to embrace and claim them, much like equipping us with tools to help us on our journey as His disciples. With every truth that was so prophetically spoken, it was as if Jesus was striking the rusty chords in our hearts and bringing us into a new reawakening after a long (and tiring) academic year. We were challenged to reflect on our faith, actions, and relationships, unlearning the ways of pride and sin and taking a courageous step to walk in His ways. We were empowered to glorify God through simple actions in praise and worship, and with every hand lifted higher in praise, how much more we rejoiced in opening our hearts to receive the authentic, true, and limitless love of God!

vent and Christmas season, we were blessed to be able to come humbly before Jesus in the veil of the Eucharist, adoring Him in His vulnerability and humility as God made Man. On the third night, it was as if the Holy Spirit descended in glorious yet tender fashion and touched every heart that yearned for Him. When the Eucharist was placed in the manger of the Nativity scene, we made our personal pilgrimages to the front of the hall and encountered the Infant Jesus. It was the night that I truly fell in love with Jesus, and I told Him that I loved Him, and He told me He loved me too. This was the Good News that I had been searching for my entire life and to taste it for a moment, how my spirit yearned for more!

UPCOMING

SHINE Combined Tertiary Retreat

The SHINE Combined Tertiary Retreat will be held from 20th to 23rd March 2018. This retreat is open to students in Polytechnics, ITE and those pursuing diploma studies.

Registration fee is $40. To register for the retreat, please visit https://tinyurl.com/oypshine2018. Registration closes on 14 March 2018.

Archbishop William Goh celebrating mass at CUR

On the last day, we were so blessed to have Archbishop William Goh to celebrate the closing mass and feast with us in the thanksgiving lunch to mark the end of CUR. His presence really touched the hearts of many, to know that the Church of Singapore truly cares for her youth and that every single one of us is important and greatly loved by our shepherds too.

When it came to testimonies of God’s awesome work in CUR, never have I seen such a long and winding queue full of almost 30 excited retreatants whose hearts were transformed by God! With unspeakable joy on our faces as we left the retreat, marked by laughter, smiles, and hearts renewed in Christ, may we continue to be joyful witnesses to Jesus Christ! Amen!

UPCOMING

Nox Gaudii at the Cathedral

THANKSGIVING Participants and service team members waiting to give their testimonies

Christ truly paved the way of CUR, by preparing us through the sacraments of mass and confession, being comfortable with the company of our brothers and sisters, and most importantly, opening our hearts for Him to move in and within us. The true meaning of Christmas was revealed to us in the mystery of the Eucharist, where He was the Word Incarnate, and came as an infant child.

Beyond the festivities and merrymaking that marks the Ad

02.indd 1

CUR probably changed my entire relationship with Jesus. I never understood the meaning of being a child of God or being loved

by God. I thought I knew God loved me, but CUR gave so much more meaning to that phrase. I am brimming with joy! - Rachel Tan, NUS I’ve never experienced meeting Jesus as a baby. It was extremely movingly and meaningful for me to have met Him as a baby during this retreat especially since I’ve had privilege of spending time with my baby nephew. Thank you for bringing me to come to love, adore and be in the presence of dear baby Jesus. - Alyssa Chua, NUS

Nox Gaudii returns in 2018 with its first outing at the cathedral of the Good Shepherd on Saturday 24th February.

The original Nox Gaudii set on 23rd February at OYP is thus cancelled. We will share more information with you as we get closer to the date.

In the meantime, mark your calendars and spread the word!

See you there!

19/1/18 12:08 PM

10 HOME

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

Jared Ng speaks with three students who overcame t

Student living with cancer scores 5 distinctions Samantha Gan has mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that develops from the layer of tissue covering many of the internal organs.

D espite this, the former CHIJ St Theresa’s Convent student went on to score distinctions in Elementary Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Humanities, Pure Biology and Chemistry in the O level examinations.

At the tender age of nine, she was diagnosed with cancer which req uired surgery to remove a tumour behind her liver.

She also had to go for subseq uent chemotherapy sessions as part of the treatment.

Another surgery was req uired about a year later when it was found that another tumour had grown.

In May 2016 , Samantha had a relapse which req uired “more surgery and I also went for chemotherapy after my recovery,” she recalled.

As a result, Samantha missed many days of school up until March 2017 and spent the remainder of her Sec 4 year catching up on her studies.

D ue to her chemotherapy treatment, administered through a drip at the National University Hospital (NUH), “I often feel fatigue, nauseous, have body aches or headac es w ic ma e it ifficult to focus on my homework or revision,” said Samantha.

She added that she also went for MR Is every six months as well as checks on her blood pressure and blood cell count.

O n days when she was absent from school, Samantha would compensate by doing her own revision at the hospital or at home.

She shared that some of her close friends from school visited her at the hospital and also compiled a list of revision notes for her.

F ormer CH I J St Theresa’ s Convent student Samantha G an spent many days at home and at the hospital doing her own revision.

Her form teacher, Ms Emily Koh, also made time to visit and encourage her.

“My Mathematics teacher, Mr Patrick Ng, recorded his lessons for me and some of my other subject teachers also arranged for consultation after class hours,” added Samantha.

Her peers from the Church of God (Singapore) also visited and prayed for her. Some even offered to tutor her in certain subjects.

Asked whether she ever thought of missing a year of school because of her health, Samantha said she was “determined to study and wanted to progress with her friends.”

Her family fully supported her by accepting her decision to carry on studying. “It meant a lot to me,” said Samantha, who has a younger sister.

As for the next step in her education, Samantha shared that she has applied for Catholic Junior College.

Studying in a junior college “may be an even tougher challenge but I have faith in God that I will be able to handle it regardless of my condition,” she said.

Samantha, who was a trombone player in the band during her time in St Theresa’s Convent, said she hopes to work in the healthcare sector in the future.

Her reason: “Whenever I went for chemotherapy or MR Is at NUH, the staff there were really friendly and supportive. They inspire me to want to help others in the future.”

To those struggling with their own challenges, Samantha said, “D on’t be afraid to share your ro lems wit ot ers onfi e in others and don’t lose sight of your goal.” n jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

‘M

y M athematics teacher recorded his l essons for me and some of my other subj ect teachers al so arranged for consul tation after cl ass hours.

’

– Samantha G an on the support she received from CH I J St Theresa’ s Convent

HOME 11

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

e the odds to do well in the O-level exams

He took exam in Reformative Training Centre I realised I was reckless and always took my life for granted, said Justin (not his real name) when asked what his biggest takeaway was after spending 27 months in the R eformative Training Centre (R TC).

The R TC is a place where those under the age of 21 found guilty of offences such as theft, assault and drug abuse are sent to.

However, Justin was given an opportunity to take the O -level examinations as a private candidate in the R TC and scored 10 points including distinctions for Principles of Accounts, Business Studies and R eligious Studies.

His other results were a B3 for English and Mathematics.

“I was speechless upon receiving my results,” said Justin, 20. en e was fi e ears ol Justin’s mother committed suicide and he was sent to live with the Children’s Aid Society.

Justin’s father had a drinking problem and is no longer in contact with him.

At the age of 13, he stayed at a facility which assists boys who have behavioural or family-linked challenges but ran away after about a year because he felt he did not belong.

He stayed at various friends’ homes and it was then he began to get involved with bad company.

After is first rus wit t e law, he was sent for two years of probation at HopeHouse, a Catholic shelter for boys who are home-

less, abandoned by their families or without a family.

Under the guidance of D e La Salle Br Collin Wee in HopeHouse, Justin said he was constantly reminded not to “continue to mess up his life” but instead “focus on his education.”

However after a year there, he was involved in another brush with the law which had him sent to the R TC in September 2015.

“I thought my life was over,” recalled Justin. “I didn’t feel motivated to do anything. I felt that

I al w ay s had ‘an amb ition to be a l aw y er. ’

– ‘ Justin’ on his aspirations for the future

even when I’m out, life would still be the same,” he added.

After a year in the R TC, Justin had the opportunity to sit for the O level examinations after he scored well in a placement test examination.

“There were a group of tutors for those sitting for the exams in another block within R TC,” said Justin.

There he would spend most of the day studying.

Initially, “it wasn’t easy [to study] because I lacked motivation

‘ Justin’ ( right) , seen here with D e L a Salle Br Collin W ee, scored 10 points for the O -level exam inations despite being in the R eformative Training Centre.

but the others who were also studying told me to do it for myself,” said Justin.

He shared that he and Br Collin exchanged letters during his time in R TC and that he apologised for not listening to Br Collin’s advice.

“I also asked if I could return to HopeHouse after I left R TC.” Justin got his wish when he returned to HopeHouse in November 2017 and shared that he has applied for the Law & Management course at a polytechnic.

“I always had an ambition to be a lawyer,” Justin said with a chuckle.

His advice to those with their own struggles, “Always put in the effort and the results will come.” n jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

Scoring well despite tough family challenges Samuel (not his real name) used to have freq uent squa bbles with his mother who had a drinking problem.

“My parents divorced when I was about seven and my mum and I never really got along well,” shared Samuel, 18, adding that his mother also suffered from depression for a period of time.

These arguments sometimes turned physical and it began to affect Samuel’s well-being and education, causing him to et into fi ts ic u rin in an e entually dropping out of school and leaving home.

O n one occasion, an argument with his mother took a turn for the worse and the Ministry of Social and Family D evelopment subseque ntly arranged for Samuel, then in Sec 2 at an arts school, to move into HopeHouse.

“It was qui te a tough period for me and I became abit depressed as well,” shared Samuel, who left school in Sec 3 due to persistent breaking of rules.

He enrolled in another secondary school but said “the environment took some time getting used to because I had no friends and the [curriculum] structure was different.

In HopeHouse, D e La Salle Br Collin Wee “tried to motivate me to change my ways,” said Samuel.

“He told me to stop wasting my time and potential and it’s something I’m really grateful for,” he added.

‘H w

e tol d me to stop asting my time and potential and it’ s something I ’ m real l y grateful for.

’

– ‘ Samuel’ on how D e L a Salle Br Collin W ee ( left) supported him

In an attempt to get Samuel’s education back on track, Br Collin suggested that Samuel move into Boys’ Town to study for the N-level examinations.

There, Samuel said the volunteer tutors an ut officers were er su orti e an encouraging.

“They made me want to ace my Ns [N-level exams] and I remember constantly asking for revision papers because I

was so determined to succeed,” he said.

After the N-level examinations, Samuel returned to HopeHouse to stay and studied for his O -Levels. He credited D e La Salle Br Nicholas Seet for teaching him Humanities and cheering him up when he was under exam pressure.

“I owe a lot to him for what he did,” shared Samuel.

His former form teacher would also con-

stantly remind him of his goal of entering a polytechnic which “really kept me constantly motivated.”

Samuel scored 15 points in the O -levels including a distinction in English.

He was able to secure a place in his dream course, Music & Audio Technology, at a local polytechnic through the Early Admissions Exercise.

“I have always enjoyed music and I hope to manage a record label and produce my own music in the future,” he shared.

His advice to those preparing for their major exams while facing challenges, “Everybody has his own issues and problems but that doesn’t mean that you should neglect your studies.” n jared.ng@catholic.org.sg

12 ASIA

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

Vatican envoy encourages region’s bishops ahead of their Rome visit The bishops of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei discuss upcoming trip to visit pope and major Vatican offices

By V incent D ’ Silva

I w il l pray that this ‘fraternal encounter

JOHOR BAHRU – “Y ou are going

to R ome to see Peter, to share the experiences of the Gospel in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei with the Holy Father.”

So said Archbishop Joseph Marino, the V atican’s envoy to Malaysia and Apostolic D elegate to Brunei, to the region’s bishops as he opened their bi-annual meeting.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (CBCMSB) were meeting at the Majodi Centre in Plentong, Johor Bahru, from Jan 8 -12.

In his address, Archbishop Marino noted that the bishops will have an audience with Pope Francis on Feb 8 during their ad l imina visit, a visit that bishops are req uired to make periodically to the V atican.

He recalled that their last ad l imina visit was nine years ago.

He told the bishops that its primary importance was to visit the tombs of Sts Peter and Paul and to make direct contact with the pope. The visit is an explicit manifestation of the communion that the bishops have with the pope, he said.

“I will pray that this fraternal encounter will bear fruit for your ministry as bishop and for the Churches over which you preside,” he said.

The bishops are expected to leave on Feb 4 . In R ome, they will celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St Paul and meet with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the V atican Secretary of State. They will also meet with cardinals and archbishops from the various V atican congregations, as well as visit V atican dicasteries.

In addition to discussing their ad limina visit, the meeting saw the bishops discussing

w il l be ar fruit for y our ministry as bi shop and for the Churches over w hich y ou preside.’

– A rchbishop Joseph M arino, V atican envoy to M alaysia and A postolic D elegate to Brunei

A bove: Participants at the bishops’ conference meeting.

Seated from left: A rchbishop Simon Poh ( K uching) , A rchbishop W illiam G oh ( Singapore) , Bishop Sebastian F rancis ( Penang) , A rchbishop Joseph M arino ( A postolic Nuncio to M alaysia) , A rchbishop Julian L eow ( K uala L umpur) and A rchbishop John W ong ( K ota K inabalu) .

Standing from left: Sr M argarete Sta M aria ( ex ecutive secretary) , Bishop Cornelius Sim ( Brunei) , Bishop Cornelius Piong ( K eningau) , Bishop R ichard Ng ( M iri) , Bishop Joseph H ii ( Sibu) , Bishop Bernard Paul ( M elak a-Johor) and Bishop Julius D usin G itom ( Sandak an) .

organisational, spiritual and social issues affecting the Church in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

The CBCMSB is the topmost

M eeting of Conference of R eligious M aj or Superiors ( CR M S) of M alaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

body of the Catholic Church in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. It holds its plenary assembly meeting twice a year to discuss various aspects of Church life in the region and to evolve common

action to revitalise the Church and to render the Church more effective in serving its members and society.

Archbishop Marino also spoke to the Conference of R eli-

gious Major Superiors (CR MS) of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei who were also at Majodi Centre for their meeting, held from Jan 9-11.

He stressed the importance of the bishops’ upcoming ad l imina visit and urged the 22 superiors of men and women’s R eligious congregations to pray specially for them.

The R eligious superiors also joined the bishops in a session with SUHAKAM, the Human R ights Commission of Malaysia.

The organisation encouraged the Church to continue its work of promoting and upholding human rights based on the dignity of the human person.

SUHAKAM also mentioned that Catholic schools could make valuable contributions in this area through information campaigns in schools.

D uring their meeting, the R eligious superiors shared updates on what was happening in their communities and ministries. They also discussed possible collaborative projects among themselves and with other Christian organisations. n

Serving domestic migrants HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM – A

southern archdiocese in V ietnam, home to millions of domestic migrants, plans to offer basic services to help them integrate into the local Church.

Some 5 00 migrant workers and students attended the launch of Migration Week on Jan 7 at D on Bosco Y outh Centre in Ho Chi Minh City.

“Y ou have to leave your homes to study and work in this city. It means you contribute to building the city so you become children of the local Church,” Auxiliary Bishop Joseph D o Manh Hung of Ho Chi Minh City archdiocese told the gathering.

Bishop Hung, head of the Episcopal Commission for the Pasto-

ral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, said the local Church has a duty to receive, protect and integrate migrants into the local Church and improve their lives.

Migrants have rights to join parishes, attend catechism courses, hold their marriage celebrations and funerals at churches, and take part in church activities, he said.

The bishop said the city is home to 3 00,000 Catholic migrants.

He added that the commission offers migrants online information on Mass schedules at churches, and addresses of hospitals, schools, boarding houses, and job centres. Migrants are also given legal advice. n U CA N E WS.C O M

WORLD 13

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

Vatican official ordaining married men could be solution for isolated parishes VATICAN CITY – The idea of exceptionally ordaining older marrie men of ro en irtue to celebrate the Eucharist in isolated Catholic communities is something that should be discussed, said Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for ler “It is not about being in faour of or a ainst somet in ut a out attenti el e aluatin arious possibilities without being closed or rigid,” the cardinal said in a new book in Italian, Tutti gli omini i rancesco All rancis en release on an e oo talian journalist Fabio Marchese R agona, includes inter iews wit urc men named to the College of Cardinals o e rancis Pope Francis was asked by the German newspaper D ie Z eit last year about whether, in the Latin-rite Church, he could see allowin marrie iri ro ati men of ro en irtue to ecome riests e a e to stu w et er iri ro ati are a ossi ilit e then also need to determine which tasks they could take on, such as in remote communities, for examle o e rancis sai The issue is expected to come u in t e s ecial at erin of the Synod of Bishops to study q uestions related to the Church’s astoral wor in t e Ama on Alrea at s no s in on t e riest oo an on t e uc arist some is o s es-

A

ciborium containing hosts and a agon of wine is seen during ass. fi e hoto

‘

T hey coul d offer part- time service to the community they come from in order to guarantee the sacraments, e special l y by presiding at the eucharistic cel ebr ation.

’

– Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy

pecially from Braz il’s Amaz on re ion su este or ainin married men as the only way to ensure at olics in isolate illa es recei e t e uc arist re ularl

Cardinal Stella said that in the Amaz on or in some remote Pacific islands, “but not only, there is acute suffering because of a real ‘ sacramental emergency,’ which the few priests present are not a le to accommo ate The discussion Pope Francis wants t e urc to a e e sai is to look seriously at all the options for responding to people’s real hunger for the Eucharist and honouring its central place in the life of t e urc While the Catholic Church throughout the world, especially in the more secularised West, must im ro e its ocations wor Cardinal Stella said, it also should study the possibilities and see if t e irit su ests somet in O ne possibility to explore is the exceptional ordination of older married men in remote communities e sai ontinuin to maintain t eir famil an jo s an recei in a formation conte tualise for t eir en ironment t e coul offer art time ser ice to the community they come from in order to guarantee the sacraments, especially by presiding at the euc aristic cele ration ut an attenti e stu an a widespread ecclesial discernment are necessar efore mo ing in that direction, he said, adding that the ordination of elders in t ose cases woul ne er mean changing the usual requi rements for and ministry of priests in the Latin rite and “in no way would lea to o tional celi ac n CN S

Kachin bishops meet Myanmar military chief MAND AL AY, MYANMAR – Four

Kachin bishops met Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing on Jan 16 to talk prospects for peace in t e countr s nort w ere fi ting between the military and armed et nic rou s as intensifie The bishops and military chief Min Aung Hlaing discussed the situation in Kachin and Shan states w ere intense fi tin as erupted in recent months between ethnic armed groups and Myanmar s militar Bishop R aymond Sumlut Gam of Banmaw said the bishops told military chief Min Aung Hlaing a out more s ora ic fi tin t e situation of displaced people such as their desire to return home, and t e ifficult of ro i in umanitarian assistance to camps, especiall in remote areas

e con e e t e messa e on the Catholic Church’s stance of getting a durable peace through dialogue instead of arms, and the

We convey ed the ‘ message on the Cathol ic Church’ s stance of getting a durab l e peace through dial ogue instead of arms.

’

– Bishop R aymond Sumlut G am of Banmaw

Church stands ready to take part in nation building in collaboration with all stakeholders,” he told ucanews com Bishops Philip Lasap Z a Hawng

of Lashio said the meeting was fran an constructi e an e o es the discussion may impact on the eace rocess in t e lon term is is a first time meeting between Kachin bishops and the military chief and it is a step forward for peace by meeting personally and discussing issues fran l e tol ucanews com Military chief Min Aung Hlaing told the bishops that the military oes not a e an ro lems wit ethnic groups and holds peace talks wit arme et nic or anisations “The Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] will accept the discussion of differences with these organisations e nee to a e een wishes to actually restore peace and not to break peace agreements and pledges,” he said on his Facen U CA N E WS .CO M oo a e on an

Church leaders challenge US decision on Jerusalem tries, Pope Francis also urged a AMMAN, JORD AN – Church leaders in the Middle East are intensi- two-state solution for Palestinians fying efforts to combat US Presi- and Israelis, saying: “D espite the ifficulties a willin ness to en a e dent D onald Trump’s unilateral decision declaring Jerusalem as in dialogue and to resume negotiasrael s ca ital an lans to mo e tions remains the clearest way to ac ie in at last a eaceful coe t e em ass t ere “The two-state solution is ac- istence etween t e two eo les Fr R ifat Bader of the Catholic cepted by all the world, including Center for Media t e Vatican t corand Studies in Amresponds to the leJ erusal em man said that, shortgitimate resolutions passed by the Unit- cannot be reduced ly after Mr Trump’s ed Nations,” Auxilto a dispute. I t is D ec 6 declaration, King Abiary Bishop William something much “Jordan’s dullah II met with Shomali of Jeruthe pope with great salem, patriarchal more than that. emotion, focusing icar for or an – A rchbishop Pierbattista on the status q uo of told Catholic News Piz z aballa, ap ostolic Jerusalem, how iner ice administrator of the L atin A r c h b i s h o p Patriarchate of Jerusalem ternational decisions need to be respected, Pierbattista Piz z aballa, apostolic administrator of and how to maintain the custodianthe Latin Patriarchate of Jerusa- ship of Jordan’s Hashemite monarristian lem, told CNS, “Nothing should c o er t e uslim an ol sites in erusalem re ent erusalem from ein a naLater, Christian and Muslim tional s m ol for t e two eo les “Any unilateral decision is not leaders from Jordan and the Palesa solution,” Archbishop Piz z abal- tinian territories met at the Baptisla sai erusalem cannot e re- mal ite on t e or an i er an a ree to fi t t e ecision uce to a is ute t is somet in “They all agreed to support muc more t an t at In his annual “state of the the king and his diplomatic efforts world address” on Jan 8 to diplo- callin for justice for erusalem r a er sai n CN S mats from more than 18 0 coun-

‘

’

The gold-covered D ome of the R ock at the Temple M ount complex is seen in this overview of Jerusalem’ s O ld City. Church leaders in the M iddle East are challenging U S President D onald Trump’ s decision declaring Jerusalem as I srael’ s capital.

Warnings against media repression in Philippines MANIL A – e eral urc lea ers in t e ili ines a e joine a growing protest against what they called a state attempt to suppress the media following the licence re ocation of an online news we site critical of t e o ernment Fr Edwin Gariguez of the social action secretariat of the Catholic is o s conference sai t e o ernment foun a con enient wa to arass an silence its ercei e critics” with the withdrawal of the license for t e a ler news site R appler is known for its critical co era e of resi ent o ri o D uterte’s policies, especially his anti-illegal drugs campaign that has reportedly resulted in the death of at least 13,000 suspected ru users an e lers “This is clearly suppression of the press and freedom of expression r ari ue sai

O n Jan 16, Mr D uterte accused t e site of s rea in fa e news “Y ou can stop your suspicious mind from roaming somewhere else ut since ou are a fa e news outlet then I am not surprised that your articles are also fake,” Mr D uterte told a R appler reporter at a ress conference in asa it Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de O ro said that instead of silencing R appler, it should be supported because it is well nown for oo in esti ati e re ortin Fr R aymond Montero Ambray of Tandag diocese in the southern ili ines sai t e mo e to reo e a ler s license is un enia l a form of arassment “If the D uterte administration succeeds in this, then it has the complete recipe for authoritarianism sai t e riest n U CA N E WS.C O M

14 POPE IN CHILE & PERU

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

lerg a use in igenous

Pope asks for forgiveness, reaches out to i S ANTIAG O, CHIL E – Pope Francis

met in private on Jan 16 with survivors of sexual abuse by Chilean clergy, a V atican spokesman said.

Mr Greg Burke, the spokesman, said the pope met with “a small group of victims of sexual abuse by priests” at the apostolic nunciature in Santiago, Chile.

“The meeting took place in a strictly private way, and no one else was present: only the pope and the victims,” Mr Burke told journalists that evening.

Pope Francis “listened, prayed and cried with them,” Mr Burke added.

The appointment of Bishop Juan Barros of O sorno as bishop by the pope in 2015 drew outrage and protests due to his connection to Fr Fernando Karadima, his former mentor.

Fr Karadima was sentenced to a life of prayer and penance by the V atican after he was found guilty of sexually abusing boys.

Arri in in ui ue on an at t e site of is final ass in ile Pope Francis was asked by local journalists about his support for Bishop Barros.

The pope reiterated that he has yet to see any evidence that Bishop Barros knew or witnessed the abuses committed by his former mentor.

“The day they bring me proof against Bishop Barros, I will speak.

There is not one piece of evidence against him. It is calumny. Is that clear? ” the pope told the journalists.

A oar is i t ac to ome from Lima, Peru, on Jan 21, the pope apologised to victims of clergy sex abuse, saying he unknow-

People hold banners reading ‘ Neither lefties nor fools, O sorno suffers, Bishop Barros, accessory after the fact,’ during a Jan 16 protest as Pope F rancis visits the L a M oneda presidential palace in Santiago, Chile. Pope F rancis met in private that day with survivors of sexu al abuse by Chilean clergy, a V atican spok esman said. CN S phot os

ingly wounded them by the way he defended a Chilean bishop accused of covering up abuse by his mentor.

He said he only realised later that his words erroneously implied that victims’ accusations are credible only with concrete proof.

“To hear that the pope says to their face, ‘ Bring me a letter with proof,’ is a slap in the face,” the pope said.

Asked about the incident, Pope Francis said he meant to use the word “evidence,” not “proof.”

that there are many abus ed peopl e w ho cannot ‘I brk nowing proof [ or] they don’ t have it. O r at times they have it but they are ashamed and cover it up and suffer in sil ence. T he tragedy of the abus ed is tremendous.

’

– Pope F rancis

Meeting with women inmates S ANTIAG O – When mothers are in prison, “children are the ones who suffer the most,” a female inmate at San Joaqui n Women’s Prison told Pope Francis on Jan 16.

“Nothing and no one can replace a mother,” the inmate told the pope on behalf of the hundreds of other women in the prison.

Pope Francis has visited other risons ut t is was t e first time on his travels as pope that he visited one just for women. He was greeted by women standing with their babies in their arms.

He stopped and spoke to one woman who was seven-and-a-half months pregnant and touched her stomach to bless her unborn baby.

The prisoners can have their children with them until they are two, then they must hand them over to another member of the family to look after or, if no one is available, the children go into the care of the state.

Sr Nelly Leon, a member of the

Pope F rancis blesses a pregnant prisoner as he visits the women’ s prison centre in Santiago on Jan 16.

Sisters of O ur Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, has been chaplain at the prison for the last 13 years. She welcomed Pope Francis and told him she believes inmates are the people

who are most forgotten by society.

Pope Francis deviated from his original speech and repeatedly told the women they must demand their right to return to society with dignity and not to forget their hopes and dreams.

“A sentence without a proper future isn’t humane,” he said. “Instead, it is a torture.”

He praised the prison guards for treating the women with dignity an a e t at i nit li e t e u was contagious.

He also spoke of the importance of motherhood and the gift of children.

“Many of you are mothers, and you know what it means to bring a new life into the world,” he told them. “Y ou were able to take upon yourself a new life and bring it to birth. Motherhood is not, and never will be a problem. It is a gift, and one of the most wonderful gifts you can ever have. n CN S

The way he phrased his response, he said, caused confusion and was “not the best word to use to approach a wounded heart.”

“O f course, I know that there are many abused people who cannot bring proof [or] they don’t have it,” he said. “O r at times they have it but they are ashamed and cover it up and suffer in silence. The tragedy of the abused is tremendous.”

n ig t we

However, the pope told reporters on t e a al i t t at e still stoo firml e in is efence of is o Barros, because he was “personally convinced” of the bishop’s innocence after the case was investigated twice with no evidence emerging.

Pope Francis said that while “covering up abuse is an abuse in itself,” if he punished Bishop Barros without moral certainty, “I would be committing the crime of a bad judge.”

Earlier on Jan 16 , the pope asked forgiveness from the victims of sexual abuse during an address to government authorities and members of Chile’s diplomatic corps, expressing his “pain and shame at the irreparable damage caused to children by some ministers of the Church.”

Meeting with priests, men and women eli ious seminarians an novices that same day, the pope told them he is aware of the “harm and suffering of the victims and their families, who saw the trust they had placed in the ministers of the church betrayed.”

He also recognised the efforts of t e countr s riests an eli ious to “respond to this great and painful evil,” and he said he knew sometimes innocent priests and men and women eli ious are often iewe with suspicion by others.

“I know that at times you have suffered insults in the subway or walking in the street; that by going around in clerical attire in many places, you pay a heavy price,” Pope Francis said during the meeting. n CN S

a

i

ing clarifie

T

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis’ de-

cision to convalidate the marriage of two i t atten ants in t e air sent waves of turbulence through the Catholic blogosphere, where respected canon lawyers and pastors raised serious q uestions. But three days later, the pope gave reporters more of the background.

“I judged they were prepared, they knew what they were doing,” the pope told reporters on Jan 21 on is i t ac to ome ot of them had prepared before God – with the sacrament of penance – and I married them.”

The blessing of the marriage of A A i t atten ants arlos Ciuffardi Elorriaga and Paula o est ui too lace urin t e o e s i t on an from antiago, Chile, to Iq uiq ue.

They told the pope they had planned to marry in the church, but on the day of the wedding, on Feb 27, 2010, an earthqua ke struck Chile and the church collapsed.

The couple ended up marrying in a civil ceremony, and they have two daughters.

Pope F rancis performs a wedding ceremony for Ciuffardi Elorriaga ( far left) and Paula Podest R uiz .

“I q uestioned them a bit and their answers were clear, it was for life, and they told me they had done the pre-marriage course,” the pope told reporters. ne of ou sai was cra to do this,” the pope told reporters.

But “they were prepared, and if the priest says they are prepared and I decided that they were prepared ... the sacraments are for the people.”

“All the conditions were there, that is clear,” he said. So, “why not do it today,” otherwise they could have put it off for another 10 years, he said. n CN S

S

POPE IN CHILE & PERU 15

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

us issues mar

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i ision segregation a t reat to umanit o e tells in igenous eo le TEMUCO, CHIL E – Celebrating

Mass in a land steeped in indigenous history and culture, Pope Francis said the greatest threat facin umanit is t e sti in of differences driven by the idea that some cultures are better than others.

Greeting members of the Mapuche people and other indigenous peoples living in southern Chile on Jan 17 , Pope Francis recognised the suffering and injustice endured by the indigenous population.

“Seen through the eyes of tourists, this land will thrill us as we pass through it, but if we put our ear to the ground, we will hear it sing: ‘ Arauco has a sorrow that cannot be silenced, the injustices of centuries that everyone sees taking place,’” Pope Francis said, q uoting famed Chilean songwriter V ioleta Parra.

In his homily at the Mass at Maq uehue Airport in Temuco, the pope also acknowledged that the area, while rich in history and beauty, brought memories of “sorrow and pain” and “was the site of grave violations of human rights.”

Maq uehue Airport, a Chilean air force base, was used as a torture and detention centre during the brutal dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet from 197 3 -1990.

“We offer this Mass for all those who suffered and died, and for those who daily bear the burden of those many injustices,” the o e sai e sacrifice of esus on the cross bears all the sin and pain of our peoples, in order to redeem it.”

While supporting the rights of the indigenous peoples to maintain their cultures, Pope Francis insisted that the only way to survive and thrive was to remain united and to shun violence.

“Let us instead seek the path of active nonviolence as a style of politics for peace,” he said. “Let us seek, and never tire of seeking, dialogue for the sake of unity. That is why we cry out: ‘ Lord, make us artisans of your unity.’”

Exercise “the solidarity that makes us say: We need one another and our differences so that this land can remain beautiful! ” he told them. “It is the only weapon we have against the ‘ deforestation’ of hope.”

According to the V atican, an estimated 15 0,000 people attended the Mass. Many of them were singing, cheering, and hold-

‘L

Pope F rancis accepts offertory gifts from indigenous people as he celebrates M ass at the M aq uehue A irport near Temuco, Chile, on Jan 17.

ing signs written in the native language of the Mapuche people, Mapudungun.

The Mass began with a traditional greeting to the pope de-

et us seek , and ne ver tire of seek ing, dial ogue for the sak e of unity .

’

– Pope F rancis

ontiff c allenges out S ANTIAG O – Pope Francis chal-

lenged young Chileans, telling them to always ask themselves, “What would Christ do in my place? ” “At school, at university, when outdoors, when at home, among friends, at work, when taunted [ask yourself]: ‘ What would Christ do in my place? ’” he told thousands of young people who came from all over Latin America and Chile to a youth rally at Santiago’s Maipu shrine.

Pope Francis told young people they are the protagonists who will change the Church, and the young people responded. Throughout the service they freque ntly shouted, “This is the pope’s young people.”

He spoke of the inspiration of St Alberto Hurtado, founder of the Hogar de Cristo movement, which provides vocational training and other services for young people. The saint “had a golden rule, a rule for setting his heart ablaz e wit t e fire t at ee s jo ali e or esus is t at fire e er one w o draws near to it is set ablaz e. Hurtado’s password was q uite simple – if your phones are turned on, I would like you to key this in. He asks: ‘ What would Christ do in my place? ’” Several young people were chosen to tell Pope Francis about their dreams and hopes. O ne of them, Ariel R ojas, told him, “We

livered by a group of indigenous people.

In the Araucania region of southern Chile, Mapuche communities have been stripped of their lan re eate l first anish colonists, then by settlers who moved to the region to farm, and more recently by timber plantations.

D espite the pain and divi-

at woul

sion associated with the territory, Pope Francis called on the people of southern Chile to work toward building unity and resist attempts at uniformity. nit is not an i ol or t e result of forced integration; it is not a harmony bought at the price of leaving some people on the fringes,” the pope said. n CN S

rist o

recognise in you a way of being, a way of love.”

R ojas got a loud cheer when he told Pope Francis, “We want to help you and support you with your faith, and we want you to know that we will help you when you are tired, because of all the many things you have to do.”

Later, the pope met with professors, staff and students at the Pontifical at olic ni ersit of ile He told them they can contribute to fostering peaceful coexistence in the country through education. n CN S

n

age 16 to Peru

tories on pope’s trip

Youth cheer for ope Francis as he arrives for a meeting in antiago on Jan. 17.

16 POPE IN CHILE & PERU

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

In Peru, pontiff calls for Church with ‘Amazonian and indigenous’ face Violence aganist women, justice for poor among other highlights of trip P UERTO MAL D ONAD O, P ERU –

Pope Francis called on indigenous people of the Amaz on to work with missionaries and bishops to shape a Church with an “Amaz onian and indigenous” face.

The pope pledged the Church’s “whole-hearted option for the defence of life, the defence of the earth and the defence of cultures” and called his audience to work together towards the Synod of Bishops for the Amaz on, which he has called for 2019.

“The native Amaz onian peoples have probably never been so threatened on their own lands as they are at present,” Pope Francis said on Jan 19 in Puerto Maldonado. “Amaz onia is not only a reserve of biodiversity, but also a cultural reserve that must be preserved in the face of the new forms of colonialism.”

He also called for a change in t e consumer culture t at e tracts resources from the Amaz on without regard for the people who live there, and he had harsh words for officials w o consi er in i enous people an obstacle to development.

“Y our lives cry out against a style of life that is oblivious to its own real cost,” the pope told the audience of some 2,500 indigenous people from Peru, Braz il and Bolivia.

A Harakbut woman and man and an Awajun woman described the threats their peoples face from outsiders who take timber and other resources from their lands, as well as their fear that their cultures could disappear.

The pope echoed their concerns, listing oil and gas, mining,

End violence against women

M embers of an indigenous group from the A maz on during the meeting with Pope F rancis on Jan 19 in Puerto M aldonado, P eru. CN S phot os

logging, industrial agriculture and even conservation programmes as activities that do not take indigenous peoples into account, but “strangle” them and force young people to migrate because of a lack of alternatives.

“We have to break with the historical paradigm that views Ama onia as an ine austi le source of supplies for other countries without concern for its inhabitants,” he said.

The day before his visit, in a meeting with Amaz onian bishops, representatives of various indigenous delegations said they hoped

the pope would urge governments to respect their rights, especially by demarcating their territories and respecting laws requi ring officials to consult in i enous communities about development projects that would affect them.

Without mentioning titling or prior consent laws directly, the o e calle for institutional e pressions” of respect and dialogue with native peoples.

“R ecognition and dialogue will be the best way to transform relationships whose history is mar e e clusion an iscrimination,” he said. n CN S

have to br eak w ith the historical paradigm ‘Wethat view s A maz onia as an inex haustibl e source of suppl ies for other countries w ithout concern for its inhabi tants.

’

L IMA, P ERU – Praying before a beloved statue of Mary in the northern city of Trujillo, Pope Francis acknowledged the deep faith of Peruvians but also acknowledged the serious problem of violence against women.

The statue of O ur Lady of the Gate, or the V irgen de la Puerta, had been taken to Trujillo from a shrine in the town of O tuz co, in the Andean foothills, accompanied by dancers and musicians who have a special devotion to her.

At the Marian celebration on Jan 20, the pope said the packed main plaz a of this colonial city had been “transformed into an open-air sanctuary in which we all want to let our Mother look upon us with her maternal and tender gaz e.”

Echoing a theme he had mentioned the day before in the Amaz onian town of Puerto Maldonado, the pope decried violence against women, which is widespread in Latin America.

He asked his listeners to fi t t e scour e of femicide,” or murders of women simply because they are women, usually perpetrated by men.

Pope Francis also urged his listeners to combat “the many situations of violence that are kept qui et behind so many walls” by “calling for legisla-

Pope F rancis speak s during a M arian celebration of O ur L ady of L a Puerta at Plaz a de A rmas in Truj illo on Jan 20.

tion and a culture that repudiates every form of violence.”

Earlier in the afternoon, Pope Francis had suggested to priests, R eligious and seminarians that young people entering religious life be encouraged to pray as their mothers and grandmothers had taught them at home.

He mentioned mothers and grandmothers again in the plaz a, calling them “the true driving force of life and of the families of Peru” and “a bastion in the life of our cities.” n CN S

– Pope F rancis

At Mass for 1.3 million, pope preaches message of hope L IMA – Pope Francis took his mes-

sage of hope to this sprawling, dusty capital of Peru, celebrating Mass on Jan 21 within view of the rocky, waterless Andean slopes where most of the city’s poorest residents live.

The day’s Scripture readings, in which Jonah was sent to Nineveh and Jesus set out toward Galilee, “reveal a God who turns His gaz e toward cities, past and present,” the pope said in his homily.

Lima’s heat and blaz ing sun did not affect the spirits of the estimated 1.3 million Mass attendees, who chanted and sang as they waited for the liturgy to begin.

The place where Pope Francis presided at the liturgy is not far from the vast neighbourhood of V illa El Salvador, where Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass in 1985, when it was a dusty shantytown in which community lead-

Pope F rancis greets the crowd before celebrating M ass at L as Palmas A ir Base in L ima on Jan 21.

ers, many of whom were active in parishes, were threatened by terrorist violence.

The poorest neighbourhoods form rings around Lima and other Latin American cities, as people

migrate from other parts of the country in search of opportunities.

Most build their own houses bit by bit, sometimes in haz ardous areas vulnerable to disasters, like the unusual rains in early 2017

that left thousands homeless on the east side of Lima and in cities such as Trujillo, which the pope visited on Jan 20.

The majority also work in the informal economy, eking out a living with day labour, selling goods in markets or working in small, family-run businesses with no health insurance, pension or vacation time.

The pope spoke to them when he talked of “our cities, with their daily situations of pain and injustice,” which “can leave us tempte to ee to i e to run awa While some people are able to build their lives, others are left “living on the fringes of our cities and lacking the conditions nee e for a i nifie e istence,” he said. “It is painful to realise that among these ‘ urban remnants’ all too often we see the faces of children and adolescents.

We look at the face of the future.”

Seeing those things, people may be tempted to become “indifferent, anonymous and deaf to others, cold and hard of heart,” he said.

“It has come to us as a timely antidote to the globaliz ation of indifference,” he said. “In the face of that love, one cannot remain indifferent.”

Walking through the city with His disciples, Jesus saw people who had “given up in the face of indifference, laid low by the grave sin of corruption,” Pope Francis said.

Jesus taught His disciples to see things they had overlooked before and to notice new needs, he said.

“The kingdom of heaven means fin in in esus a o w o gets involved with the lives of His people.” n CN S

WORLD 17

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

Church organisations condemn Trump’s immigration remarks VATICAN CITY – The V atican

newspaper has noted US President D onald Trump’s “particularly harsh and offensive words about immigrants” from several countries while US Church organisations have condemned his remarks.

The lead story for L’O sservatore R omano’s edition dated Jan 13 and published late on Jan 12 reported how in the past few days, “the tension on the theme of immigration has risen noticeably” during a meeting between Mr Trump and a bipartisan group from Congress on Jan 11.

The meeting was to discuss a measure that would keep the D eferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (D ACA) programme intact, but also include Mr Trump’s demands for a border wall.

D ACA protects from deportation between 700,00 0 and 800,000 young people illegally brought to the US as children.

Based on media reports about the meeting, L’O sservatore said, “Trump used particularly harsh and offensive words about immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti and

‘We cal l

on the president to apol ogise to the peopl e of al l the nations he sl andered.’

U S President D onald Trump gestures during a meeting on immigration. H e reportedly used an exp letive to describe El Salvador, H aiti and some A frican countries. CN S pho to

some African countries. The expressions immediately gave rise to controversy and indignation.”

Media outlets reported that, according to people present at the meeting, Mr Trump que stioned “why the US would accept more

immigrants from Haiti and ‘ (expletive) countries’” in Africa.

In a statement following the reports, the National Black Catholic Congress in the US said, “As people of faith, concerned with the dignity of all of God’s people,

– M s Jeanne A tk inson, Catholic L egal I mmigration Network I nc in the U S

we deplore such racist and hateful speech.”

A Jan 12 statement issued by Mr James R ogers, chief communications officer for t e onference of Catholic Bishops, said the reported “disparaging” remarks

“have aroused great concern”.

“As our brothers and sisters from these countries are primarily people of colour, these alleged remarks are especially disturbing,” the statement said.

In Maryland, Ms Jeanne Atkinson, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc, said “the hateful disrespect [the president] expressed only confirms t e i ote attitu e t at undergirds the administration’s inhumane policies – cancelling Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, El Salvador, Sudan and Nicaragua, ending D ACA, barring people from majority-Muslim countries”.

“We call on the president to apologise to the people of all the nations he slandered and to the American people,” Ms Atkinson said. “We ask members of Congress and other leaders to denounce these slurs.”

The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas in a statement said they found it appalling that Mr Trump would use “vulgar and offensive” language to describe the countries, which include places where the women R eligious serve. n CN S

Belgian Church ‘Amoris Laetitia’ calls for new pastoral approach, says cardinal concerned over abuse ifficulties in embracing “Amoris Laetitia”, Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation on the family, probably are tie to ifficulties in acce tin its new attitude and approach to providing pastoral care, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin. “‘ Amoris Laetitia’ (The Joy of o e owe from a new aradigm that Pope Francis is pursuing with wisdom, with prudence and with patience,” the V atican secretary of state said in an interview with V atican News on Jan 11. ro a l t e ifficulties t at arose and still exist in the Church, beyond some points of view on the content, are due to precisely this change in attitude that the pope is asking of us – a change in paradigm, inherent in the text, that is asked of us, this new spirit, this new approach,” he said.

“So, clearly, every change alwa s entails ifficulties ut t ese ifficulties are to e re are for and are to be faced with dedication in or er to fin res onses t at ma become opportunities for further growth, greater study,” he said.

As V atican secretary of state, the Italian cardinal is Pope Francis’ top aide both for internal Church matters as well as for relations with governments and international organisations. He also serves on the nine-member Council of Cardinals that advises the

VATICAN CITY –

Copies of Pope F rancis’ apostolic exh ortation on the family, ‘ A moris L aetitia’ ( The Joy of L ove) .

very ‘E enta

change al w ay s d ficu t e but the e d ficu t e are to be prepared for and are to be faced w ith dedication.

’

– Cardinal Pietro Parolin, V atican secretary of state

pope on Church governance and the reform of the R oman Curia.

When asked about the ongoing reform of the Curia, Cardinal Parolin said the process of change again has less to do with external, “struc-

tural” changes and more to do with an internal call for “conversion”.

R eform is not just a series of new laws, rules and appointments as much as it is about the kind of “deep spirit that must animate every reform of the Curia”, he said.

Every Christian’s life must be a life of conversion, he said, and Curia members, too, should always be removing “those shadows that may hinder this commitment and this mission” of the Church so that they may “become a real help to the pope in proclaiming the Gospel, for witnessing the Gospel, for evangelising today’s world.”

What’s most innovative in the pope’s new approach, Cardinal Parolin said, can be seen in how the Church is reaching out to youth in preparation for this year’s Synod of Bishops on “Y oung People, the Faith and V ocational D iscernment”.

The approach is similar to what former US President John F. Kennedy said at his inaugural address in 1961: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”, but applying it to what young people can do for the Church.

“The pope and the Church ask young people what they can do for the Church, what contribution they can make to the Gospel, to spreading the Gospel today,” he said. n CN S

of euthanasia law

OX F ORD , ENG L AND – Catholics support any investigation into its in Belgium are concerned that the activities or “any steps to ensure it country’s euthanasia law is being functions as it’s supposed to”. abused to kill patients without le“We’re against euthanasia in gal checks and safeguards. e er form an t e urc s offiAuxiliary Bishop Jean Kock- cial position is well known,” he said. erols of Mechelen-Brussels said Euthanasia and assisted dy“not just the Church’s hierarchy, ing were legalised in traditionally but doctors and medical profes- Catholic Belgium in 2002, and eusionals as well” were concerned. thanasia deaths are increasing by O n Jan 9, the Belgian Church’s 27 percent annually, according to Cathobel news Health Ministry data.

T he B el gian agency published The federal euan article saying the thanasia commisChurch’ s new s Federal Euthanasia sion, headed by D r agency publ ished Control and EvaluWim D istelmans, an articl e say ing ation Commission a euthanasia pracviolated its statutes titioner, is req uired the F ederal by failing to refer to verify that euthaE uthanasia Control suspected legal abusnasia deaths follow and E val uation es for investigation. procedures written Commission fail ed into the law, referring “It’s shocking that, 15 years since to refer suspected suspected violations its creation, this within two months to l egal abus es for commission has not a state prosecutor. investigation. referre a sin le file However, in its to prosecutors or report, Cathobel said condemned a single doctor,” the a commission member had recently Catholic report said. resigned when the case of a demen“It is acting as judge and jury, tia patient, killed without consent, an not fulfillin its role t isn t was not referred to prosecutors. broadening application of the law, It added that the commission but violating it.” had failed to refer complaints by Bishop Kockerols told Catho- the family of a 38- year autism lic News Service on Jan 11 that the sufferer, when she was killed by Church had long been aware the reque st without requi red docucommission was “not working as it mentation after ending a love afshould”. He said the bishops would fair. n CN S

18 OPINION

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REFLECTION

e sacrifice at your hands

By L aura K elly F anucci “Pray, brothers and sisters, that m sacrifice an ours ma e acceptable to God, the almighty Father.”

For months, I have listened to these familiar words at Mass in the church’s “crying room”, nursing our youngest when he fusses.

“May the Lord accept the sacrifice at our an s ear t e words, “for the praise and glory of His name, for our good and the good of all His holy church.”

The baby spits up again. The contrast cuts sharp in my mind’s eye: the priest’s hands holding shining gold vessels, mine swabbing stains with a damp burp cloth. at is t e sacrifice at t e priest’s hands that we celebrate in call and response? The gifts of bread and wine, our prayers of praise and thanksgiving, the memorial of rist s sacrifice of love?

Y es to all of this. The sacred mysteries of our faith.

But sitting apart from the rest of the congregation, I hear it differently, too. V oices young and old joined together, gathering from homes and schools and wor laces offerin t e sacrifices of their lives to God. Their voices remind me to look own an see t e sacrifice ol in my lap. The surrender of my own desires to my child’s needs.

“May the Lord accept the sacrifice at our an s carr t ese words as I care for my baby.

Could this refrain be a prayer I carry into my ordinary time? To as t at t e sacrifices of m own hands might become a worthy offering to God? e sacrifices t at eo le make are many, once I open my eyes to see.

Adult children caring for their ageing father, bathing and feeding

the one who once washed and fed them. A single mother who stays up late sewing to support her three children with special needs. New bakery owners who spend hours kneading dough and crunching numbers to birth their dream.

I pray for them as the week winds on. As I pull wet laundry from the washer, carry groceries, wipe the dog’s paws and pour

We may never grasp the ful l ness of Christ’ s acr fice on the cro or in every E ucharist.

B ut w hat w e touch here on earth can remind us of this. medicine for sick children.

May the Lord accept the sacrifices at t ese an s too e ifts of lives poured out, broken open and given up in humble memory of the God we love.

Think of all the things hands can do.

O ur hands type spreadsheets an file ills e row rim with dirt in gardens to feed oth-

ers. They get slick with motor oil to keep machines running. They send texts to friends and hold open doors for strangers.

Hands get calloused from shovelling, pruned from washing and wrinkled from years of labour. They raise families, build businesses, support communities an fi ro lems ot all an s offer sacrifice of course. We can be tempted towar s selfis ness instea ome hands cannot hold or carry, so they need the support of others. ut t e limits of our fin ers teach us as much as their abilities.

We do not get through life without help. And we all know when our hands have done hard work out of love.

We may never grasp the fullness of rist s sacrifice on t e cross or in every Eucharist. But what we touch here on earth can remind us of this.

The words of St Teresa of Avila are particularly inspiring: “Christ has no body now on earth but yours; no hands but yours.” n CN S F anucci is a mother, w riter and director of a proj ect on vocation at the Col l egevil l e I nstitute in Col l egevil l e, M innesota, U SA .

Closer than we imagine THER E’S a growing body of literature today that chronicles the experience of persons who were clinically dead for a period of time (minutes or hours) and were medically resuscitated and brought back to life. Many of us, for example, are familiar with D r Eben Alexander’s book, Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife. More recently Hollywood produced a movie, Miracles from Heaven, which portrays the true story of a young Texas girl who was clinically dead, medically revived, and who shares what she experienced in the afterlife.

There are now hundreds of stories like this, gathered through doz ens of years, published or simply shared with loved ones. What’s interesting (and consoling) is that virtually all these stories are wonderfully positive, irrespective of the person’s faith or religious background.

In virtually every case, their experience, while partially indescribable, was one in which they felt a warm, personal, overwhelming sense of love, light, and welcome, and not a few of them found themselves meeting relatives of theirs that had passed on before them, sometimes even relatives that they didn’t know they had. As well, in virtually every case, they did not want to return to life here ut li e eter on t e ountain of t e ransfi uration wante to stay there.

R ecently, after speaking at a conference, a woman approached me as I was leaving and told me that she had had this exact experience. She had been clinically dead for some minutes and then revived through medical resuscitation. And, just like the experience of all the others in the literature around this issue, she too experienced a wonderful warmth, light, and welcome, and did not want to return to life here on earth.

Inside of all of this warmth and love, however, what she remembers most and most wants to share with others is this: I l earned that G od is very cl ose. We have no idea how cl ose G od is to us. G od is cl oser to us than w e ever imagine! Her experience has left her forever branded with a sense of God’s warmth, love, and welcome, but what’s left the deepest brand of all inside her is the sense of God’s closeness.

I was struck by this because, like millions of others, I generally don’t feel that closeness, or at least don’t feel it very affectively or imaginatively. God can seem pretty far away, abstract and impersonal. oreo er as ristians we elie e t at o is infinite an ineffable. This means that while we can know God, we can never imagine God. Given that truth, it makes it even harder for us to imagine t at t e infinite reator an ustainer of all t in s is intimatel an personally present inside us, worrying with, sharing our heartaches, and knowing our most guarded feelings.

Compounding this is the fact that whenever we do try to imagine God’s person, our imaginations come up against the unimaginable.

For example, try to imagine this: There are billions of persons on this earth and billions more have lived on this earth before us. At this very minute, thousands of people are being born, thousands are dying, thousands are sinning, thousands are doing virtuous acts, thousands are experiencing violence, thousands are feeling their hearts swelling with joy, all of this part of trillions upon trillions of phenomena.

How can one heart, one mind, one person be consciously on top of all of this and so fully aware and empathetic that no hair falls from our heads or sparrow from the sky without this person taking notice? It’s impossible to imagine, pure and simple, and that’s part of t e er efinition of o How can God be as close to us as we are to ourselves? Partly this is mystery, and wisdom bids us befriend mystery because anything we can understand is not very deep! The mystery of God’s intimate, personal presence inside us is beyond our imaginations. But everything within our faith tradition and now almost everything in the testimony of hundreds of people who have exerience t e afterlife assure us t at w ile o ma e infinite and ineffable, God is very close to us, closer than we imagine. n

FAITH ALIVE 19

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

e significance of a goo a olog How saying ‘sorry’ can help one overcome sin

By F r Nathaniel M eyers My mother passed away last year rather suddenly, but her many lessons remain with our family.

While I learned countless things from my mother, one of the most important things she taught me was t e si nificance of an apology.

Unsurprisingly, as a child I would do stupid, foolish, inconsi erate an selfis t in s followed by a q uick “I’m sorry” (usually prompted when my behaviour produced undesired conseq uences for me personally). My mother would respond to these rushed apologies with a steadfast refrain: “‘ Sorry’ means you’ll change.”

I have been thinking about this motherly instruction in the wake of the various reports of sexual miscon uct major fi ures in our society. Whether these accusations involve politicians, movie titans or journalists, each of them has produced some form of an apology.

Y et, despite these apologies, it seems that few people are convinced of the accused person’s contrition or that justice is being served through such apologies. Why do these apologies from prominent men in our culture come across as empty gestures?

The answer can be found in the fact that we see no real sense of change on the horiz on. For an apology to truly resonate, it can-

A girl becomes emotional as a priest hears her confession. A sincere apology to another person should also be accompanied by a sacramental confession to G od. fi e hoto

ood a o o be n to redre the errant beha our b ac no ed n the truth that one ha nned not be a carefully crafted public relations message.

Instead, an authentic and comlete a olo is one t at si nifies a person will change his or her life. In essence, a real apology is a statement of conversion that begins with accepting responsibility for one’s own life. Excuses, scapegoats and conditions are not included in sincere apologies. A good apology begins to redress

the errant behaviour by acknowledging the truth that one has sinned.

Sin is an offence against God and His creation, so the best way for us to offer a valuable apology is to consider the damage our behaviour has caused in our relationship with God and our fellow man. The other person’s faults are not our concern when we offer an apology; the focus must remain

entirely on our own responsibility and the impact our behaviour has had on another.

Naturally, as Catholics, any sincere apology to another person will also be accompanied by a sacramental confession to God. In fact, the sacrament of penance is a perfect place to begin our efforts at reconciliation with other people, for a good confession not only bestows God’s forgiveness, but it also grants us the grace of conversion to overcome future sin.

Part of our confession to God in ol es a firm ur ose of amen ment. In seeking to turn away from sin, we must also have a s ecific lan of ow to c an e our life.

The amendment that we seek to produce in our life cannot be a vague sentiment to try again or be better, but it must have concrete goals on how we will turn our life over once again to the good things of God. Apologies that take full responsibility for one’s own action, acknowledge the damage caused by the offence and clearly articu-

late a means of becoming virtuous are what allow the process of reconciliation to begin.

In apologising for our sins, our purpose is to hold ourselves to a higher standard so that our lives may present no obstacles to Christ in this world. n CN S Th art c e fir t a eared n The atho c r t ne a er o the rchd oce e o t au and nnea o

20 FEATURES

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

When faced with an alert about an ‘inbound’ missile Patrick Downes, who experienced the false alarm in Hawaii, shares what the incident taught him.

CN S phot o

I

T WAS seven minutes after 8 am on Jan 13 when hundreds of thousands of cellphones across the state of Hawaii buz z ed in unison with a stunning text message: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THR EAT INBO UND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMED IATE SHELTER . THIS IS NO T A D R ILL.” We were having breakfast at a family restaurant in Honolulu – my wife and I, our three adult children, two sons-in-law and three little grandchildren. It was a final et to et er efore our el est an er famil of fi e ea e back to the mainland. They had come home for the wedding of our second daughter. A close family friend also was with us.

We had just ordered our meals.

R eading the alert, my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.

Was this for real?

We read the message again.

And again. There was no getting around the stark words.

We scanned the crowded restaurant. The looks on people’s faces were of puz z lement and bewilderment. But everyone stayed put. Where could we go? It would only take about 20 minutes for a North Korean missile to reach the islands.

I pictured the explosion coming through the windows we were seated next to – clearly not a good place to be in a nuclear blast.

Warning drills say to duck under the nearest table, but that seemed ridiculous.

The restaurant staff didn’t

O ur famil y received a gift that day : a meal together w e w il l never forget.

O ur famil y connections be came a l ittl e bi t stronger, the grandk ids a l ittl e more cherished, and l ife itsel f more precious.

A n electronic sign reads, ‘ There is no threat’ in O ahu, H awaii, after a false emergency alert that said a ballistic missile was headed for H awaii on Jan 13 .

seem to know what was happening, maybe because they didn’t have their cellphones on the job.

O melettes and hash browns and pancakes were being delivered to tables without any noticeable heed of the impending Armageddon.

We called 911 but the lines were jammed. TV news wasn’t reporting anything.

The sceptical and humorous streak that runs through my fam-

ily offered some relief. My second daughter consoled me by saying the North Koreans have real bad aim. My son said that the missile was probably carrying nothing but used plywood.

My eldest daughter, with the patience, acceptance and wisdom of motherhood, simply said wasn’t it good that we were all together?

She was right. I had thought about praying, but even that

c ool starts new ear wit Hai Sing Catholic School traditionally begins each school year with three activities that seek to bring students and staff of all faiths together.

These are the Staff Mission Seminar, the school opening, and the Student Mission Seminar.

O n D ec 29, school staff visited the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) House of Prayer and Formation at Holland R oad for the Staff Mission seminar.

The FMM order founded Hai Sing Catholic School in 195 9, and continues to manage the school as a Government-Aided school today.

The seminar aimed to get all staff to renew, refresh and recommit themselves in the service of educating the young.

It commenced with a prayer involving staff representatives from four different faiths – Buddhism,

Islam, Hinduism and Christianity.

The Sisters shared about their wor in arious fiel s ri en an guided by their sense of universal mission, duty and above all, their love for God, seen in their works of charity.

Staff who were unsure about the early beginnings of Hai Sing were enlightened by the Sisters’ sharing.

D uring the opening of the new school year on Jan 2, the student body conducted a prayer ceremony to welcome back students as well as new Sec 1 pupils.

Similar to the Staff Mission Seminar, the prayer ceremony involved student representatives from the four different faiths.

Candles were lit and prayers were recited for blessings and peace for the new school year. e first wee of sc ool saw Sec 4 students participate in the

seemed like a distraction, a waste of precious minutes with loved ones. Y es, I was thankful we were all together.

As the time ticked away, we had no real option except to enjoy the moment, however long it might turn out to be. So we passed the Tabasco, cut the pancakes into bite-siz ed pieces for the kids and acce te refills of coffee And it seemed the people around us had come to the same graced conclusion. They kept calm and carried on with their meals.

Elsewhere in the islands, people were running for their lives, crowding in hotel basements, huddling in bathtubs, even sending their children down manholes.

The longer we waited, the more an attack seemed unlikely.

The 20-minute threshold passed.

We heard no air-raid sirens (which had been tested a few weeks ear-

da ted rom an art c e that fir t appeared in the J an 19 issue of the H aw aii Cathol ic H eral d, new spaper of the D iocese of H onol ul u. n

ra er re ection

A teacher assists a H ai Sing Catholic School student with lighting a candle on the first day of school.

Student Mission Seminar, led by Catholic teachers.

D esigned as a contemplative

lier). We saw no police on the streets no fi ter jets ta in off from nearby Hickam Air Force Base. And the Internet was having its doubts. e official all clear came a long 38 minutes after the initial alarm. “There is no missile threat or danger to the state of Hawaii.

R epeat. False Alarm.”

It was almost anti-climactic, though I will admit my eggs began to taste better after the allclear sounded.

O ur family received a gift that day: a meal together we will never forget. A realisation that the best times together are the ordinary ones. At least that’s what I received. My family actually took it all in stride. Besides, my daughter still had some last-minute packing to do to catch the 2.05 pm plane to Seattle. on re ection t ere was a detonation of sorts during those 38 tense minutes. O ur family connections became a little bit stronger, the grandkids a little more cherished, our lovely island home more tranqui l, and life itself more precious.

An now finall t ere was time enough for prayer, a prayer of gratitude for the protective hands of a tender God who, in His inscrutable wisdom, allows us to be rattled every so often if only to remind us once again of His abundant love and mercy. CN S

experience, it was intended for students to retune to the start of the sc ool ear an to fin t eir ur-

pose as they prepare for the national examinations and graduation.

O ne activity saw students write notes of affirmation to eac ot er Three students shared that they found the Student Mission Seminar very meaningful and that God blesses them in many ways which they often overlook.

Mr R iz al Subani, a staff member in the school, said the Staff Mission Seminar “was the most impactful one I’ve ever attended.”

He added that he was inspired

by Sr V eronica de R oz a’s sharing and pledged to put to practice what he learned.

FMM Sr Maria Ng shared, “I believe that after 59 years, the spirit of Hai Sing remains strong, and these school traditions continue to build a love for all persons and recognise our universal humanity and universal values.” n

21

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

By Jennifer Ficcaglia After preaching to the people, Jesus boarded a boat with His apostles and crossed the Sea of Galilee to the territory of the Gerasenes.

In this territory, a ragged-looking man lived alone among the tombs. He acted as if he had lost his mind, crying out day and night, and sometimes bruising himself with stones. People tried to put him in chains and shackles, but the man always broke free.

The man saw Jesus and His friends come ashore and rushed up to them.

Jesus immediately knew that the man had an unclean spirit living in him.

“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? ” the man shouted as he prostrated himself before Jesus. “I adjure you by God, do not torment me! ”

Jesus asked the man his name.

“Legion is my name,” the man replied. “There are many of us.”

The man begged Jesus not to drive the unclean spirits from the territory of the Gerasenes. He looked at the hillside and saw a large herd of swine.

“Send us into the swine. Let us enter them,” the man said.

Jesus let the unclean spirits come out of the man and enter the swine.

There were about 2,000 animals in the herd. When the unclean spirits entered the swine, the animals suddenly became wild and rushed down an embankment and into the sea.

The men who were tending the herd saw what happened and told everyone in town about it. People came to the seashore to see what was going on.

There they saw the man they had known to be unwell. He was sitting

calmly with Jesus and the apostles and was now in his right mind.

When the townspeople heard what had happened, they were afraid.

They told Jesus and His friends to leave their territory.

The man begged to leave with them, but Jesus had another plan for him.

“Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in His pity has done for you,” Jesus told him.

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

So the man told everyone he saw that Jesus drove the unclean spirits from him, and all who heard were amaz ed. n R ead more about it: M ark 5

Q & A 1. H ow did Jesus and the apostles get to the territory of the G erasenes?

2. Wh at caused the man who lived among the tombs to be unwell?

Wordsearch:

St Josephine Bakhita St Josephine Bakhita was born in Sudan in the late 1800s . When she was a young girl, she was kidnapped by Arab slave traders.

She had several owners, some of whom were very cruel. But the Italian consul who eventually bought her planned to free her. He brought her to Italy, and she won her freedom in court in 18 8 9.

She became a Christian who took the name Josephine, joined the Canossian Sisters and served her order in Italy for more than 50 ye ars.

We remember Sudan’s n first saint on e

n CL O A K n F R EE n CU R E

nL O R D n SU D A N n A NI M A L

n PL A N n ENTER n JA I R U S

n I TA L Y n SPI R I T nA M A Z E

BIBLE TRIVIA: Wh at miracle did Jesus perform before traveling to the territory of the G erasenes? ( H int: M

ark4:

39-

41)

Bible Accent:

PUZZLE: U nscramble the words below and arrange them to form a q uotation from the children’ s story.

het toni wnesi su dens –

A nsw er to Wordsearch

A nsw er to B ibl e T rivia: Cal ming the storm

His cloak and was cured of her illness. Jesus stopped to talk to her, telling her that her faith had saved her.

By the time Jesus reached Jairus’ house, the girl was dead. Everyone in the household was upset and crying.

“Why this commotion and weeping? ” Jesus asked. “The child is not dead but asleep.”

Jesus walked into the girl’s room with her parents and a few of the apostles.

“Little girl, I say to you, arise! ” Jesus commanded.

The girl got up and walked around. Jesus said to feed her and tell no one what He had done. Those who witnessed the miracle were astounded by what they had seen. n

A nsw er to puz z l e: Se nd us into the sw ine.

In Mark 5: 21-43, we learn that Jesus and the apostles left the territory of the Gerasenes by boat and again crossed the Sea of Galilee.

A throng of people greeted Jesus. O ne of t em was airus an official from t e s nagogue. He begged Jesus to come home with him to cure his 12-year-old daughter, who was on the verge of death.

“Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live,” he said.

Jesus tried to move through the crowd to Jairus’ house, but the people were pressing in all around Him. Suddenly, Jesus felt power leave Him. A woman in t e crow w o a een af icte with hemorrhages for 12 years, had touched

22 WHAT’S ON EV ENT SU BM I SSI O NS WH

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SEPT 27, 2017 TO M A Y 1, 2019 SH A R E TH E JO U R NEY : A G L O BA L CA M PA I G N BY CA R I TA S I NTER NA TI O NA L I S O rganised by Caritas Internationalis, the campaign aims to increase spaces and opportunities with Caritas organisations and parishes to enable local communities and migrants to have more positive encounters. D o join in the campaign activities organised by Caritas Singapore and CHAR IS. Follow CaritasSingapore and CHAR ISSingapore on Facebook for more updates.

JA N 16, 23, 30; F EB 13, 20 BA SI C CA TECH I ST CO U R SE L EV EL 1 – SCR I PTU R E Every Tuesday from 7: 30pm -10pm.

In this basic course, catechists will discover the fundamental principles that undergird and animate the great themes of Sacred Scripture. The objective of this specially designed Scripture course for catechists is that they understand how to craft catechetical sessions that truly become encounters with the Living Word.

Speaker: Fr Erbin Fernandez , catechetical director. For more information, E: formation@ catechesis.org.sg.

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

F EB 5 TO A PR I L 9 A T H O M E R ETR EA T Every Monday. A 10-week programme based on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola to know Jesus more intimately in the midst of life’s daily routine. Includes weekly meeting of faith sharing, daily prayer with Scripture and spiritual direction by Cenacle Sisters and team. Two time slots available: 9.30a m11.30a m at LaSalle Centre, 490 E ast Coast R oad; or 7.30pm -9.30pm at CANA Catholic Centre, 5 Waterloo Street.

For more information, T: 652895; E: cenaclesing@ gmail.com.

JA N 30 TO M A Y 22 CO U R SE O N PR O PH ET JER EM I A H Every Tuesday except Mar 13 a nd May 1.

Time: 9.30 am-11.30a m. Fifteen sessions conducted by Msgr Ambrose V az .

V enue: CAEC 2 Highland R d. Cost: $120.

To register: E: aba_s ecretariat@ catholic. org.sg; T: 6280 0356.

F EB 8 CR A F T O F CA TECH ESI S: M A NA G I NG Y O U TH S I N TH E PR A Y ER SPA CE Time: 7: 30pm -10pm. V enue: CAEC, 2 Highland R d. At the end of the workshop, catechists will have a better understanding of teenage behaviour, what makes young people tick and how to engage them more effectively in catechesis. Note: This workshop is a repeat of the one conducted last year, with similar content. R egister via the link before Feb 4: https: / / tinyurl. com/ y9qht ohd. For more information, W: www.catechesis.org.sg; E: formation@ catechesis.org.sg.

F EB 2 WO R L D D A Y O F CO NSECR A TED L I F E Time: 6: 30 pm. V enue: Novena Church.

Come celebrate and pray for all consecrated persons on the World D ay of Consecrated Life. All are welcome.

F EB 3 M A SS F O L L O WE D BY PR A Y ER S F O R H EA L I NG All are welcome and no registration is needed. Time: 2pm-4pm . Y ou are invited to join us for praise and worship, and Mass followed by prayers for healing. After Mass, prayer teams will be available to pray with you for healing. Please spread the word to your family and friends. Celebrant: Fr Tom Curran. O rganised by SACCR EPraise@ Work. V enue: Church of Sts Peter and Paul. For more information, E: praiseatworksg@ yahoo.com; T: 97 4 7 24 6 7 .

m

m

F EB 27 TO M A Y 22 U NCO V ER I NG ST M A R K ’ S G O SPEL

BY M SG R A M BR O SE V A Z Time: 7.45pm -10pm. What was the purpose of St Mark’s writing? Who is he writing for? What does his Gospel emphasise? Let Msgr Ambrose V az guide you in 10 insightful sessions on St Mark’s Gospel. FO C. O rganised by F.R .E.E. Ministry at the Church of the R isen Christ, Toa Payoh. To register: W: http: / / free.risenchrist.org.sg; E: free. risenchrist@ gmail.com.

F EB 10 I NTR O D U CTI O N TO A U TH ENTI C CO NV ER SA TI O NS Time: 9.30a m-5.30pm . This retreat day explores the art of listening, which is at the heart of an authentic conversation.

Are we aware of what we really listen to?

Facilitator: Mr Lance Ng. O rganised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 V ictoria Park R d.

Cost: $60. To register: http: / / tinyurl.com/ itac2018; T: 647072.

M A R CH 2 TO M A R CH 4 M O NTF O R TI A N X PER I ENCE 3 ( M X 3) F R I END S O F TH E CR O SS Time: 7pm (Fri)-1pm (Sun).

A friend of the cross is a glorious trophy aine t e crucifie rist on al ar Come to discover the true way of life based on the spirituality of St Louis Marie de Montfort. V enue: Montfort Centre.

R etreat masters: Br D ominic Y eo-Koh and Br John Albert. Cost: $130 ( twin/ sharing).

For more information, T: 679571 1; E: enqui ries@ montfortcentre.org.

F EB 11 A CCI R D I NTER R EL I G I O U S D I A L O G U E L EA R NI NG TR I P TO CH ESED -EL SY NA G O G U E Time: 9.30a m-noon. Catholics are invited to join to better appreciate Church teachings on interreligious dialogue and promote mutual respect, understanding and friendship with our Jewish brethren.

As preparation, all must attend a formation session on Feb 6 f rom 7.30pm 9pm at R oom 4 i n the Cathedral Annex Building. R egister by Feb 4 w ith your: (1) Name in NR IC/ Passport; (2) NR IC/ Passport No; (3) Parish; (4) Handphone number to gerald.accird@ catholic.org.sg.

F EB 9 TO F EB 11 U ND ER STA ND I NG R EL A TI O NSH I PS This weekend retreat aims to help you understand the different aspects of human sexuality from a developmental perspective, and how sexuality helps us grow in self-intimacy, intimacy with others, God and creation. This weekend is open to all and highly recommended for dating couples. O rganised by Cenacle Mission. For more information, T: 652895; T: 97223148; E: cenaclemissionsingapore@ gmail.com; W: https: / / www.cenaclemission.com.

F EB 10 O NE D A Y ime

F EB 22 TO M A Y 31 BI BL E STU D Y : A CTS O F TH E A PO STL ES Conducted by Msgr Ambrose V az . Every Thursday from 8 pm-10pm at the Church of St Ignatius, annexe hall (level 2). No preregistration. FO C. All are welcome. Come enjoy the living Word of God. For more information, E: henrythwu@ gmail.com.

New Evangelisation (O NE) is looking for colla orators w o are fire u to build the kingdom of God. Collaborators will use their unique gifts to share in the work of O NE. O NE D ay serves to introduce the work of O NE to potential collaborators and to explore opportunities for contributing to the work of the New Evangelisation.

To register: www.one.org.sg/ events.

V enue: CAEC, 2 Highland R d, S549102.

For more information, T: 691 10420; E: enqui ry@ one.org.sg.

JA N 27 A ND F EB 3 BA SI C CA TECH ESI S CO U R SE L EV EL 2 – L EA R NI NG TO L I STEN A ND F A CI L I TA TE Jan 27: 9: 30a m-6pm , Feb 3: 1pm-6pm .

V enue: CAEC 2 Highland R d, S549102.

Participants will learn the key to facilitating small faith-sharing groups – w hich is how to listen authentically and the practical skills needed to help individuals and the community grow in faith. R egister via the link before Jan 24: https: / / tinyurl.com/ yc3k4z om. For more information, W: www.catechesis.org.sg; E: formation@ catechesis.org.

M A R CH 2 TO M A R CH 4 H O M ECO M I NG – A L ENTEN SO JO U R N March 2 (7.30pm )-March 4 ( 4pm ). This Lent, Jesus wants to invite you on a journey home to God’s love. In the words of o e rancis ent is a eneficial time to rediscover one’s Christian identity, w ic is lo e t at ser es not selfis ness that uses.” Facilitators: Fr Greg Tan and Mr Lance Ng. O rganised by Kingsmead Centre, 8 V ictoria Park R d. Cost: $260 (non-AC), $300 ( AC). To register: http: / / tinyurl.com/ hals2018; T: 647072.

F EB 21 TO M A Y 30 BI BL E STU D Y : A CTS O F TH E A PO STL ES Conducted by Msgr Ambrose V az .

V enue: Church of St Francis X avier.

Every Wednesday night from 8pm -10pm (14 l ectures). FO C. To register: E: maisielee21@ gmail.com; nsron2003@ yahoo.com.

e ffice for t e

Crossword Puzzle 1202 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

15

14

11

12

13

16 6 7

18

17 21

20 24

22 26

25

34

35 39

38

46

36

37

40

31

32

52

53

11 12 13 22 23 25 26 27 29

41 44

45

48

47

55

27 30

59 54

9 10

29

43

42

8

23

28 33

19

50

51

57

56

58

30

59

60

61

62

64

65

66

67

68

69

31 32

63 3 34 35

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

A CR O SS 1 Bishop R omero 6 Mountain range 10 Luxurious 14 X box ancestor 15 Where Samson slew the Philistines (Jdg 15: 9) 16 _ boy!

17 _ voc e 18 Semi-monthly tide 19 R ivers in Spain 20 Serpent’s tail?

21 East Indian tree 23 Jonah follower 24 Fawning

26 Corp. V IPs 28 “D ouble Fantasy” artist 29 Prayers of the _ 3 Allot 36 V ex 37 Malt beverage 38 _ N ews 39 the Archdiocese of Accra is here 41 Fortuneteller’s phrase 42 Friendly skies ier a r 43 He was in “The Godfather” and “Misery”

4 46 48 49 05 54

57 58 59 06

64

62

Title for Jesus O doriferous Center starter Eve’s second Possessing knowledge These were waved at Jesus when he entered Jerusalem Beanies Colour TV pioneer Minute qua ntity Member of the long grey line The “A,” for one Timber wolf 65

Monk’s room Tied 67 Encumbrance 68 Easy stride 69 V ery hard mineral 6

D O N W 1 Patriarch respite, perhaps 2 Jesus referred to Himself as this, rejected by the builders 3 Provide food 4 Catholic actor Carney 5 Causing chaos

Forearm bones Fetor Expression of triumph Sass Aristide’s In the _ of the Poor Auricular Portico Slung fare Lengthen Speck Empty First murderer Fine thread Former Parisian exchange Ash Wednesday and Good Friday requi rement Peter Fonda “golden” role Sly look Element of Baptism, to Pedro Fly Musical composition for one

40 “__ H oly Q ueen” 41 Egyptian goddess of fertility 43 Cars for hire 45 O ne of the Twelve 47 Y ou cannot serve God and this (Mt 6: 24) 50 Catholic actor of “Gone with the Wind” fame 51 V estige 52 More aloof 53 Easter treat 54 Altar linen 5 To you, to Pierre 56 R oundish projection 57 “O ur soul waits for the Lord; he is our _ and shield” (Ps 3: 20) 60 Former D R E 61 Heavenly lion 63 An ancestor of Jesus, in Matthew 1

Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1201 M O N K

A R O O

R E R A N

C H O P S

O R E O

Y A R D

P A L M

A L I A

P A N T

K L M

L O R K E O R T P I O A S C L S E C L I M A I A L I R C F H S

A L E P H H A U L M N I T

S E R L I E I N S T V P L E F R A T O I P O R D S P T E Y H A D O U G O A L A I R E L D A Y S

M A R I A

A G O G

S U F I

H E L L

C L A Y

C O M E

L I B E L

Y O C U O N O G

I J K L

L O P E

L L A M A

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

IN MEMORIAM 23

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE F ourteenth A nniversary In loving memory of

Ninth A nniversary In loving memory of

F irst A nniversary In loving memory of

G L O R I A L EE D eparted: Feb 5 , 2017 JA CL Y N D earest Mum, CH O NG JU N ER ED M O ND Y ou left us with Called home: BR A NSO N JR beautiful memories Feb 8, 2009 Born: Aug 20, 196 7 and smiles of you D eparted: Feb 4 , 2004 All who knew and We still feel strongly loved you To us his name your presence among us honour your memory, will ever be Though we cannot keeping our faces The key that unlocks see you to the sun. memory We know your love The joy you were far O f a dear one gone is living in us. outweighs the sorrow. but cherished yet We love and We thank God for you, A beloved face a beautiful gift bar none. miss you very much. we’ll never forget.

Husband: D avid D eeply missed Loved by family, Children: by all loved ones. relatives and friends.

Mathew and R egina Son-in-law: Twelfth A nniversary Pierre R enard In loving memory of Grandchildren: D ominiq ue (deceased), D amien, D aryl, and Severine.

F ourth A nniversary In loving memory of

SY L V I A PER EI R A NEE JA NSEN D eparted: Feb 1, 2006 A thousand times I’ve needed you.

A thousand times I’ve cried in silence.

If love alone could have saved you Y ou never would have died.

In life I love you dearly.

In death, I love you still.

In my heart, you hold a place, o one else can e er fill It broke my heart to loose you But you didn’t go alone Part of me went with you.

The day God took you home D early missed by husband Allan, R oger, R yan, Selina, Shania, R hylan, V al, Amber, Adele and loved ones.

In loving memory of our dear parents / grandparents Joined in holy matrimony 1 O ctober 1955

JENNY L I M CH I N K EO W D eparted: Jan 24, 2014 We think of you in silence No eyes can see us weep But still within our aching hearts Y our memory we keep.

D early missed by all loved ones.

Third A nniversary In loving memory of

Thirty-eighth A nniversary

G A BR I EL &

TH ER ESA L O U R D ES D eparted 3 1 March 2000

29 January 2017

Thank you for the years we shared Thank you for the way you cared We loved you then and we love you still Forget you, we never will.

Fondly remembered by loved ones.

CLASSIFIED THANKSGIVING

Eighteenth A nniversary In loving memory of

CA TH ER I NE NEO K H U A I Y ENG D eparted: Feb 6 , 2015 R est: St Anne’s Church, L 2 In our hearts, you will always live Y our love, your voice and your smile forever imprinted in our minds.

D eeply missed by your husband, children, son-in-law and grandchildren.

Eighteenth A nniversary In loving memory of

D ear St Jude, thank you for all the prayers answered. Please guard and guide my family in the future. Thank you again for the successful job for my son and bringing the family back to Australia.

I nm em oriam r ates M inimum $80 f or an insertion not ex ceeding an eightcentimetre col umn.

A dditional space: $8 pe r one- centimetre col umn.

Classified advertisement rates: M inimum S $ 4 0 for the fir t ord dd t ona ord a ord

JA M ES A .

SCH EER D ER D eparted: Feb 9, 2000 We often think of bygone days When we were together; The family chain is broken But memories live for ever.

Fondly remembered by wife O live, children, grandchildren and friends.

M D M L I L Y TH ER ESA D eparted: Feb 7, 2000 A light from home has gone The voice we loved to hear is stilled Gone is your face we so dearly loved Leaving a vacuum in our home Never shall your memory fade Sweet thoughts of you will always remain.

D eeply missed and always remembered by daughter Mary Joseph, son Steven Joseph and all loved ones.

ED WI N D ’ CR U Z D eparted: Jan 31, 1980 Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

Amen.

D early missed by wife, children, grandchildren, relatives and friends.

Tenth Anniversary In loving memory of

EDWARD ANDREW DE ROZARIO Departed: Feb 8, 2008 Time changes many things but not the memory this day brings Till now you are still in our minds and hearts.

Sadly missed and always remembered by loved ones

Sixt h A nniversary In loving memory of our beloved mother / grandmother

PH I L O M ENA CH A N W A I K U A N D eparted: Jan 29, 2012

There is a place in our hearts which is yours alone A place in our lives No one else can ever own We hold back tears when we speak your name But the ache in our hearts R emain the same.

D early missed by your sons and daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and loved ones.

F ifth A nniversary In loving memory of my beloved wife

M A R Y L I M SI EW ENG , mother of K eng M ei D eparted: Feb 3, 2013 Y ou are always in our thoughts.

24

Sunday February 4, 2018 n CatholicNews

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