Catholic News issue 4 2018

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2018

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Religious life has its roots in family values ... said Redemptorist Fr Francis Vijayan during the World Day for Consecrated Life Mass

By Christopher Khoo The Religious vows of chastity, poverty and obedience are all rooted in family life, and Religious life will never die as long as it remains relevant to the present.

Redemptorist Fr Francis Vijayan made these observations during his homily during the World Day for Consecrated Life Mass on Feb 2.

Fr Vijayan, who was ordained in 2016, acknowledged that he was one of the youngest among the crowd of 200 or so Religious priests, nuns and Brothers gathered at Novena Church, but nevertheless was chosen to speak to them.

“I have up to now lived Religious life for about seven years since y first rofession ut the strange thing is that the deeper I dig for wisdom in living out my Reli ious life, find the ans ers in family,” he said.

Elaborating on the parallels between the Religious vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, and family living, he noted that chastity in the married state “is the glue that keeps the family together”.

“The moment children cannot see their parents’ love for each other, their security and esteem weakens.

A child’s identity is found in his parents before anything else.”

Furthermore, without husband and wife listening to each other, and parent and child listening to one another in mutual dialogue, there can be no real harmony.

“This is obedience,” he said.

Poverty is also most evident in any family. Everything that a father and mother owns does not just belong to them alone. “It has to be shared in such a way that the hole fa ily enefits and ideally even their larger community around them,” he said.

VOL 68

NO. 04

INSIDE HOME

CNY cheer for foreign workers Caritas staff, volunteers bring them festive goodies n Page 9

ASIA

Vatican, China nearing agreement on bishops Decision made for Church unity n Page 12

WORLD

Special Valentine’s Day cards With a focus on migrants n Page 13

POPE FRANCIS Religious hold lighted candles during the World Day for Consecrated Life Mass at Novena Church.

‘Family life inspires Religious life and Religious living in turn witnesses to family living.

’

– Fr Francis Vijayan in his homily

“In this way, family life inspires Religious life and Religious living in turn witnesses to family living.

We are taking the ideals in family as the foundation for loving the wider community in the world.”

Addressing the perceived decline in Religious vocations today, he felt that “we are far from the death of Religious life”.

“It will always have its witness value ecause it finds its inspiration at the heart of any family. It will never die as long as it remains relevant to the present.”

The Mass saw representatives from the various Religious congregations in Singapore praying Prayers of the Faithful that are connected to their charisms.

For example, a Missionaries of Charity nun prayed for the abandoned, the poor and the sick; a Franciscan friar prayed for respect for the environment; while a Daughters of St Paul nun prayed for media practitioners.

A video of newly-ordained Malaysian Carmelite priest, Fr Nicholas Hoh, was also shown before Mass, in which he and his father shared about his vocation.

Religious that Catholic News spoke to said they fully agreed with Fr Vijayan making the connection between the family and Religious life.

“The family releases the person, frees him to be a Religious,” said De La Salle Br Collin Wee. “In return, the Religious also serve the family. So it’s a two-way process.” n Continued on Page 9

Stopping loan sharks

Pope gives some advice n Page 16

ASH WEDNESDAY MASS SCHEDULE n Page 8

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Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Moving beyond prejudices for Christian unity

Church re resentati es ra ing a

are

g

“I feel empowered after hearing what Msgr Heng said about building greater Christian unity by moving beyond our prejudices and hurts about one another,” said Ms Cindy Saw. For Mr Alex Yip, his hopes of “one united Church were renewed” and he said he intends to engage in more meaningful dialogue with his Christian colleagues.

essing at the Church of the Transfiguration eft an at the The a ation r

These were some comments from participants who attended the last service of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

The service, held on Jan 25 at the hurch of ransfi uration, saw participants recite the Creed and also join hands to sing the Our Father.

In his homily, Msgr Philip Heng said that “in spite of our differences, Christians have to recognise the greater fundamental

truth that we all believe in: Jesus Christ, our saviour and our Lord.” “[Christians] must have the ability to go beyond our prejudices against one another... and learn to build greater unity among the different denominations,” he added.

He urged those gathered to foster greater communion to achieve Christian unity.

“This gift of communion with one another comes from God ... it

a estier Cor s

must be nurtured into a maturity that witnesses to Christian unity,” he said.

During the Jan 24 service held at The Salvation Army Balestier Corps, prayers of reconciliation were made to deliver Christians “from the fear and suspicion that separate us from each other and place limits on hope and healing.”

Other services on Jan 18, 19 and 23 were held at the Covenant

Community Methodist Church, the Mar Thoma Syrian Church and the Anglican St Andrew’s Cathedral respectively.

The services were organised by the Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Ecumenical Dialogue (ACCED) and host churches. n j ared .ng@catholic.org.sg

n e ate stor on age

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Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Early CNY celebration for poor, elderly

By Jared Ng Shouts of “hu at ah! hu at ah! ” filled the hall in Agape Village as an estimated 120 beneficiaries from various community service organisations took part in a l o he i lunch.

They were from Catholic Welfare Services, Society of St Vincent de Paul, Care Corner (Toa Payoh) and Potong Pasir Community Club.

The early Chinese New Year celebration, held on Feb 3, was a collaboration between Caritas Singapore and its partners in the social services sector

and government agencies.

The event also saw a lion dance troupe entertain the beneficiaries. ounds of lau hter and joy could be heard as the troupe wowed those present.

In his speech, Mr Saktiandi Supaat, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, thanked Caritas for organising an event that brought “festive joy” to members of all races. He urged the different organisations present to work together to make Singapore a better place for everyone.

During the celebration, the

A dancer holds a replica of the Señ or Santo Niñ o image.

eneficiaries taking part in the loh ei lunch held at Agape Village.

eneficiaries also en oyed atching a ukelele performance, a Z umba routine and an Elvis impersonation act which had people singing and dancing along. ach eneficiary also received a $ 10 NTUC voucher. his as the first ti e aritas had organised such an event to bring cheer to the needy during Chinese New Year as well as foster collaboration with its partners in the social services sector to serve the poor, according to the organiser. n j ared .ng@catholic.org.sg

Devotees in procession together w ith the Señ or Santo Niñ o image at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour.

Special Filipino devotion filled with dance, colour

By Margaret Uy

Other dancers during the Jan 28 celeb ration.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, receives a souvenir from Ms Janet Ang, c hairperson of Caritas Singapore.

It was an afternoon of colour, dance and devotion at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour as 2,800 mainly Filipino devotees along with a few local parishioners celebrated the Festivity of Señor Santo Niño.

Señ or Santo Niñ o is the Spanish name given to the Child Jesus based on a famous religious icon in Cebu, Philippines. A cultural and religious festival is held in His honour on the third Sunday of January.

In Singapore, the festivity took

place a week later with a Pilgrim a e of e or anto i o flo n in from Cebu.

During the celebration at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Church on Jan 28, the image was carried in procession, leading a colourful street parade called the Sinulog, a ritual dance offering to the beat of drums in honour of the Child Jesus.

Following the Sinulog dancers were other devotees carrying with them replicas of the image and chanting “Viva Señ or Santo Niñ o!

Viva Señ or Santo Niñ o! ” a Spanish phrase exalting the Child Jesus.

The parade took place after a special Mass was celebrated by Fr Charlie Oasan from the parish, French priest Fr David Francesco, and a contingent of Filipino riests ho had flo n in fro the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino Cebu, the oldest Roman Catholic church in the Philippines.

A procession was also held the previous evening with the image of the Señor Santo Niño, with devotees praying the rosary.

This was the fourth year that the parish has held this festive celebration. n

4 BUILDING THE CHURCH OF TOMORROW

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

structure and governance

of the catholic church in singapore The Giving in Faith & Thankfulness (GIFT) programme, which calls for greater financial support for the archdiocese, has raised renewed curiosity on how the archdiocese is governed in the collection and use of its funds. In this first of a series on governance, Msgr Philip Heng, Spiritual Director of Catholic Foundation and Vicar General for Finance and Administration, provides an overview of the structure and governance of the Catholic Church in Singapore.

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

The Catholic Church depends on its faithful for the resources necessary to sustain and extend its mission. This is evident in the Church’s collection of money from the faithful and the active participation of the laity in the mission of the Church. But what structures and practices does the Church have in place to protect these resources given to do God’s Will?

background - canon law For an organisation with an estimated 1.29 billion members worldwide, with all its complexities, a robust and professional governance structure is necessary for the universal Catholic Church to function and fulfil its mission.

As the Church grew over the centuries, a system of laws, legal principles and norms came to be established and are enforced by the Church’s hierarchical authorities. This system is

known as the canon law of the Church.

Canon law is updated with the times. As St Pope John Paul II said on the promulgation of the latest edition of the Code of Canon Law in 1983: “During the course of the centuries the Catholic Church has been accustomed to reform and renew the laws of canonical discipline so that in constant fidelity to its divine founder, they may be better adapted to the saving mission entrusted to it.”

The current edition comprises 1,752 canons divided into seven books, and is freely available on the Vatican’s website.

Canon law concerns the Catholic Church’s life and organisation and is distinct from civil law. Canon law is meant to complement civil law.

In recognition of the competence of the state, canon law sometimes defers to civil law. In these

the code of canon law

Book I – General Norms (1) Book II – The People of God (204) Book III – The Teaching Office of the Church (756) Book IV – The Sanctifying Office of the Church (834) Book V – The Temporary Goods of the Church (1259) Book VI – Sanctions in the Church (1311) Book VII – Processes (1400) End: 1752

instances, the prescriptions of the civil law must be observed and are given effect in canon law, insofar as the civil law is not contrary to the Gospel.

governance of the archdiocese of singapore Following canon law, the Archdiocese of Singapore is governed by Archbishop William Goh and the archdiocesan curia, which “consists of those institutions and persons which assist the bishop in the governance of the whole diocese, especially in guiding pastoral action, in caring for the administration of the diocese, and in exercising judicial power” (Can. 469).

The key institutions in the curia include the Board of Consultors, Senate of Priests, Presbyterium (of all priests), Chancery, and Ecclesiastical Tribunals.

Assisting the Archbishop of Singapore are also several individuals appointed by

him to take on special tasks (see box below).

The roles of each institution and individual can be found in Book Two of the Code of Canon Law, as well as the archdiocese’s website.

organisations in the archdiocese The archdiocese consists of more than 300,000 Catholics, organised in a network of over 200 pastoral units: 32 parishes, commissions, offices, groups, councils, apostolates and other organisations, like many parts of the same Body of Christ.

Every group and organisation is connected to the archbishop and the archdiocesan curia, and thus to the Universal Church.

However, each group has its own governance and governing body, and depending upon the organisational construct, a greater or lesser degree of autonomy and accountability to the archbishop as defined by canon and/or civil law.

members of the curia that assist the archbishop in special areas:

Msgr Ambrose Vaz Vicar General (Pastoral)

Msgr Philip Heng SJ Vicar General (Admin and Finance, Inter-religious relations)

Fr John-Paul Tan OFM Chancellor

Deacon Clement Chen Financial Administrator

BUILDING THE CHURCH OF TOMORROW 5

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

infrastructure p’s

o sh e i b c ch Ar Offi

Archdiocesan Biblical Apostolate (ABA) Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission

a Ch

Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC)

ci (Se l of na Pri te es ts )

archdiocesan curia

ery

Office for the New Evangelisation (ONE)

Archdiocesan Communications Office (ArchComms)

un

nc

Catholic Theological Institute of Singapore (CTIS)

Co

Archdiocesan Finance Council Archdiocesan Finance Office

Bo Co ard o nsu f lto rs

formation of laity

Archdiocesan Land & Properties Singapore (ALPS) Archdiocesan Professional Standards Office (PSO)

Ecclesiastical Tribunal

Catholic Foundation (CF)

Office for Catechesis (OFC)

catholic education social mission

communities of faith

Caritas Singapore

32 Parishes

Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives, Singapore (CHARIS)

22 Religious Congregations 12 Foreign Catholic Communities

and their affiliates

family groups Archdiocesan Commission for the Family (ACF) Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and ltinerant People (ACMI) Office for Young People (OYP) Stella Maris Catholic Seamen’s Mission

Archdiocesan Commission for Apostolate of Mandarinspeaking (ACAMS) Archdiocesan Commission for Malayalam Apostolate Archdiocesan Commission for Tamil-Speaking (ACTS) Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Ecumenical Dialogue (ACCED) Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Interreligious Dialogue (ACCIRD)

19 Catholic Primary Schools 16 Catholic Secondary Schools 16 Catholic Kindergartens Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS)

priests and religious development Archdiocesan Commission for Diocesan-Religious Partnership (ACDRP)

ow N t f i G IC ATHOL .SG C .

T F I G ATION FO U N D

Diocesan Vocations Office Singapore Archdiocesan Conference of Consecrated Life St Francis Xavier Major Seminary

This diagram is a simplified visualisation of the Archdiocese of Singapore, and does not reflect all organisations in the archdiocese

legal constructs The Catholic Church in Singapore is established in Singapore by special legislation, the Roman Catholic Archbishop Act (Chapter 375).

Under the Parliament Act, the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore and his successors in office is a body corporate known as the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore (TRCAS). TRCAS is an exempt charity.

Most Catholic organisations in the archdiocese, such as the Office for oung eople (O ), Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS), Archdiocesan Land and Properties Singapore (ALPS) and Office for the e angelisation (O ), for instance, are an integral part of TRCAS.

They work under the auspices of TRCAS, functioning li e offices, departments or divisions, even if they may have their own board of directors or an equivalent oversight body.

These boards, appointed by the archbishop, are directly accountable to him.

Certain affiliated Catholic organisations, are separately legally constituted under civil law. For example, Caritas Singapore and many Catholic charities such as Catholic Welfare Services, ABLE and Clarity are legally set up as either companies limited by guarantee (CLGs) under the Companies Act or societies under the Societies Act. They are also typically granted charity status and sometimes Institution of a Public Character status under the Charities Act. Such organisations are

accountable to their boards which have to comply with the laws under which they are constituted (Companies Act and Societies Act) as well as their constitutional documents. The latter will often include a connection back to the archbishop and/ or TRCAS. While parishes are an integral part of TRCAS, a parish is a “juridical person” (an entity under canon law).

The parish priest, appointed by and accountable to the archbishop, has certain rights and responsibilities under canon law.

Religious congregations are usually legally registered as CLGs or societies. They are ultimately accountable to their superior-generals, but they reside and function in the archdiocese with the mutual agreement of the archbishop, to

provide pastoral services for the various needs and growth of the faithful in the archdiocese.

The archbishop has established diocesan committees, such as the Church Structures and Governance Committee, to review and advise on the legal and governance constructs (e g on finance, legal form, land and buildings matters) of the respective organisations in the Church.

Details of the more than 200 Catholic organisations and groups in the diocese can be found in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore Directory (www. c a t h o l i c . s g /d i r e c t o r y/ singapore_catholic_church).

The information provided include a brief profile of the organisation, office bearers, and contact information.

a series contributed by

6 HOME

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews hoto

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o e Confir an s fro

o Cross Church or e

ith C arit staff on ro ect

eft outh confir an eatri costa ng resents a che ue the resu t of a fun raising ro ect to C arit inga ore The orchi ainting in the hoto as auctione as art of the fun raisng efforts

26 January 2018

CHANCERY NOTICE

APPOINTMENTS 1. The following have been appointed to the Board of Catholic Foundation for a term of two [2] years with effect from 1 January 2018: a. Lee Suan Hiang b. Martha K oh-Suen c. Paul Loo 2. The following have been reappointed to the Board of Abilities Beyond Limitations and Expectations Ltd SEAS for a term of two [2] years with effect from 18 January 2018: a. Ambrose Law b. Simon Wong c. Jessica Lee d. Harry Tan

Archdiocesan Commission for Migrants and Itinerants [ACMI] for a term of two [2] years with effect from 18 January 2018: a. Fr Charlie Oasan – Spiritual Director b. Mark Goh Aik Leng – Chairman c. Jeremy K hoo – Treasurer d. Nicole Vivienne Wee Chui Ling – Secretary e. Benjamin Frois f. Lynn Isabel Yeo Swee Lin OTHER MATTERS Code of Conduct for Lay Teachers of the Faith The Senate of the Archdiocese

CHN/ CN/ 20 17/ 023

has approved a Code of Conduct governing all lay teachers of the faith who intend to exercise their ministry in Singapore.

Any laity intending to continue in their ministry at diocesannational level need to approach the Chancery for their clearance and endorsement. Those ministering at parish level need only to acq uaint themselves with the terms of the Code of Conduct.

Chrism Mass 2018 The Chrism Mass for 2018 will be held at the Church of the Transfiguration on 29 March 2018 at 10.30am. n

3. Fr Joseph K oh OCD has been appointed Spiritual Director for the Singapore Bible Association (Mandarin Speaking) for a term of two [2] years with effect from 18 January 2018.

Fr John-Paul Tan, O FM, JC L, C hancellor

4. The following have been appointed to the Board of the

Chancery of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore #07- 01 Catholic Centre, 5 Waterloo Street, S ingapore 187954 Email: chancery@ catholic.or g.s g

r re Cor eiro of

Young Catholics raise awareness of mental health issues A parish project in aid of people which was strongly supported by with mental health issues, and other parish ministries and parents which saw the involvement of the of some of the young participants. rou of confir ands also visparish’s teens, raised more than ited and participated in a jamming $ 40,000.

The Church of the Holy Cross’ session with Clarity’s youth clients Project G.O.D (Gift of One Dol- for their year-end Christmas party.

On Oct 7 last year, the young lar), raised a total of $41,357 for Clarity Singapore, a Church Catholics interacted with these organisation assisting persons clients during the World Mental with mental health issues to live Health Day concert held at the meaningful lives through support, Singapore Botanic Gardens. he confir ands also contherapy, acceptance and recovery.

A cheque for the amount was ducted interviews with Clarity management and prepared video presented to Clarity on Jan 13.

The project was started by the clips on mental health challenges, the support available church’s former parand funding needs. ish priest, Fr Richards T he Se c 3 Uniq ue to this latest Ambrose. Its purpose o fi project was a silent aucwas to challenge the tion for an orchid paintec youth confiro ol ing. The original orchid mands to engage in soh is a hybrid created by cial mission work after C o p Mr K oh K eng Hoe, their confir ation. o e who has more than 60 Led by their team th Cl t registered hybrids to of catechists, this included creating aware- S po e to his name. The orchid een officially re ness and raising funds e eo has istered as Dendrobium for an organisation lp o Holy Cross.sg and givserving the needy. to the parish.

For their recently e t l he lth en free Ms Florence Fooconcluded project, the h lle e Lay, an artist and canparish chose to work cer survivor, drew a with Clarity. It saw the organisation’s volunteers sharing picture of the orchid and donated with the youth the kind of suffer- the painting for a silent auction ing that people with mental health that closed towards the end of December last year. issues experience.

The winning bidder was preAs part of the fund raising initiative, the parish held a food and sented with the painting on Jan 13.

Parish priest Fr Henry Siew craft fair on Dec 3 last year during which the young people manned told Catholic News he felt the prothe stalls and also sang and played ject has helped to develop the social consciousness of the parish’s teens musical instruments.

Clarity staff, with the help of the and also helped other parishionyouth, spread awareness of mental ers get to know the social services health conditions during the event, available in the archdiocese. n

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

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OBITUARY

Fr Louis Loiseau called to the Lord Fr Louis Loiseau, MEP, of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris (MEP) in Singapore passed away on Jan 26. He was 91.

Fr Loiseau was born on June 25, 1926, as the second of five children. He was raised in an environment of faith and later said that “only one third of vocations [would persevere] if not encouraged by families and priests.”

Fr Loiseau was ordained an MEP priest on Pentecost Sunday in 1950, becoming the 16th priest within his family circle.

After his ordination, Fr Loiseau was appointed to Burma. He taught in the Central School in Mayanchaung and was in charge of the Minor Seminary in Rangoon (now Yangon). He returned to France to be procurator for the Seminary of Bièvres and was posted to the United States to be in charge of the society’s finances until 1968.

After arriving in Singapore in 1968, Fr Loiseau served as assistant priest at the Churches of St Bernadette and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and parish priest of the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour.

In 1982, he pioneered the Parish Renewal Experience (PRE) in Singapore. In 1990, Fr Loiseau was posted to serve at the Church of the Risen Christ. He was spiritual director to the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVDP) Conference, SVDP Council North, and chaplain to the French-speaking community in Singapore from 1991-2003.

In the archdiocese, Fr Loiseau worked with Marriage Encounter Singapore and Choice Singapore.

CITY DISTRICT

Fr Louis Loiseau (1926-2018)

He started Engaged Encounter in 1982, joined Retrouvaille in 1991, served with the Senatus Legion of Mary until 2003 and was a judge on the Marriage Tribunal until 2004.

Fr Loiseau once said that his ministries gave him deep joy because they “put me in contact with people who did not know Christ. I had left home for them.”

His missionary zeal was matched by his simplicity before God. Despite his numerous accomplishments, when interviewed for

his 60th anniversary of ordination several years ago, Fr Loiseau said, “I am 83, and 60 years a priest in 10 months’ time. But I will say to the Lord only, ‘Remember me.’”

Fr Loiseau’s wake was held at Risen Christ Church. Archbishop William Goh celebrated his funeral Mass on Jan 30 at Risen Christ Church, with cremation after at Mandai Crematorium Hall 2.

We invite you to pray for him in your Masses and prayers. n Sub m itte d

by t he C H A N C E R Y

C A T H O L I C A R C H D I O C E SE

F r L oi s e auonc e s ai dt hat hi s gav e hi m de e pj oy be c aus e t he c ont ac t w i t hpe opl e w hodi dnot I hadl e f t hom e f or t he

O F O F SI

T H E

R O M A N

N G A P O R E

m i ni s t r i e s y ‘ put m e i n k now C hr i s t . m .’

Cathedral of the Good Shepherd Noon, 1.15pm, 5.45pm & 7.30pm St Joseph’s Church (Victoria Street) Under restoration/renovation Church of Sts Peter & Paul 7.20am, 12.15pm (M*) & 5.30pm Church of Our Lady of Lourdes 12.30pm, 6.30pm & 8pm (T*) Church of the Sacred Heart 7am, noon & 7pm Church of St Teresa 12.30pm & 8pm Church of St Alphonsus (Novena Church) 6.30am, 12.15pm & 6.30pm Church of St Bernadette 6.30am & 7pm Church of St Michael 6.30am & 8pm

EAST DISTRICT Church of the Holy Family 6.15am, 1pm & 7.30pm Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8.15pm (M*) Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour 6.30am, 12.30pm, 6pm & 8pm Church of St Stephen 6.30am & 8pm Church of the Holy Trinity 6.30am, 6pm & 8pm Church of Divine Mercy 6.30am, 1pm, 6.30pm & 8pm

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

SERANGOON DISTRICT Church of the Nativity of the BVM 6.30am, 7pm (M*) & 8.30pm Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary 6.15am, 6.15pm & 8pm Church of St Francis Xavier 6.30am, 6.30pm & 8.30pm St Anne’s Church 6.30am, 6.15pm & 8pm

Church of St Vincent De Paul 7am, 6pm & 8pm Church of the Transfiguration 6.30am & 8pm

WEST DISTRICT Church of St Ignatius 7am, 6pm & 8pm Blessed Sacrament Church 7am, 8.30am, 6pm & 8pm Church of St Mary of the Angels 6.55am, 12.15pm, 6pm & 8pm Church of St Francis of Assisi 6.30am, 7pm (M*) & 8.15pm Church of the Holy Cross 6.15am, 12.15pm, 6.15pm (M*) & 8pm

CATHOLIC PRAYER SOCIETY (CPS) CPS OUTRAM Time: 12.15pm Venue: SGH Campus Medical Alumni Association, 2 College Road, Level 2 Auditorium, S169850 Contact: 98233971/ 98782833 CPS SHENTON WAY Time: 11.20am, 12.20pm & 1.20pm Venue: B1 City House 36 Robinson Rd S068877 (directly opposite Lau Pa Sat – Robinson Road) Contact: 90463061/ 91149240 CPS ORCHARD Time: 12.40pm & 1.20pm Venue: Grand Hyatt Hotel, 10 Scotts Road (refer to event board for room venue). Nearest MRT: DT Telok Ayer Contact: 97543672/ 97940963 CPS RAFFLES PLACE Time: 11.15am, 12.15pm & 1.15pm Venue: TPI Building 62 Cecil Street #06-00 S049710 Contact: 98270815/ 93800202 CPS SUNTEC CITY Time: 12.15pm & 1.15pm Venue: Suntec Convention Centre 1 Raffles Boulevard Level 6 Room 606A & 606B Contact: 64087891/ 93665573 CPS CHANGI Time: 12.15pm Venue: UE Convention Centre 4 Changi Business Park Ave 1, Level 1 (opposite FairPrice) Auditorium (see signage). Nearest MRT: Expo MRT Contact: 98262246 / 81807089 N ot e : P l e as F or C c ps .or

M

*: M andar i n; T :* T am i l e c he c k w i t hpar i s he s f or updat e s.

P Supdat e s ,pl e as e r e f e r t oht t p: / / g.s g

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Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Addressing decline in vocations

Representatives of various Religious congregations praying the Prayer of the Faithful. n From Page 1

Young Matthew Tan presents oranges and hongbao to a migrant w orker as part of an ACMI outreach.

CNY joy for migrant workers Chinese New Year came early for some 300 foreign workers as staff members of Caritas Singapore, together with volunteers and their children, presented them with festive goodies.

The Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant People (ACMI) led the group of 29 to two foreign workers’ dormitories in Jurong and Tuas on Feb 4. There the visitors presented each worker with a pair of oranges and hongbao containing grocery vouchers.

The visitors also learned more about the workers’ experience living in Singapore.

Caritas staff and volunteers reached out to migrants on Feb 4.

The visit was part of Caritas Internationalis’ “Share The Journey” migrants campaign which

aims to highlight the need for better integration and care of migrants around the world. n

Good Shepherd Sr Elizabeth Lim said that a Religious vocation “comes from the relationship you have with the family. Then you realise that you want to share this kind of love relationship with others.”

However, she also noted the lack of communication among families today, which could be a reason for the decline in vocations.

“You look at families today, they hardly have family lives, they hardly speak to one another.

They speak to their videos and their handphones,” she said.

“You go to the dinners, the family reunions, what happens? ” Each person is on the handphone, she said.

Jesuit Fr Christopher Soh said he feels that the drop in Religious vocations is a result of a decline in people who see Christian life itself as a vocation. thin the first ay to ad-

dress the issue of vocations to the Religious life is to address the issue of the vocation to holiness that is the Christian life,” he said.

Cenacle Sr Francisca Tan, on the other hand, feels that vocations are ultimately “a gift from God”.

“And if it’s a gift of God, it will continue if God so desires.

And with that attitude we just do our mission as good missionaries, as good Christians,” she said.

“God will call no matter how. We have to do our part in living our charism, in living our ministry, and people will see the value.”

Br Collin is of the same view.

“I believe God provides,” he said.

Nevertheless, in a situation where vocations are slow in coming, his congregation, whose charism is in education, has been training laypeople in Lasallian values and spirituality to run their schools, he said. n christopher.khoo@catholic.org.sg

n Related story on Page 16

10 ASIA

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China’s religious clampdown sparks increasing fear, concern HONG KONG – Fears are growing among Christians that China’s amended Regulations for Religious Affairs will lead to increasing suppression.

Since Sept 7, 2017, when Premier Li K eqi ang announced that the regulations would be effective from Feb 1 this year, China’s religious measures have become more stringent.

Authorities organised seminars for religious people and govern ent officials across the country to explain the new regulations and even implemented measures to suppress religions and religious practices.

At Christmas, local governments issued a circular to not allow students and party members to participate in religious festivals.

A Catholic source who wanted to be unnamed told ucanews.com that he does not believe the Cultural Revolution will be repeated but expects religious measures to be tightened, extending the government’s control to all levels of society.

The Cultural Revolution (1966-

1976) was a sociopolitical movement in China whose stated goal was to preserve “true” Communist ideology in the country by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society.

Another unnamed Catholic said that before announcing the regulations, China’s government had already reque sted all priests, including those from the underground Church, to register for a cler y an certificate so that the government could monitor them.

“But, after announcing the implementation of the regulations, the government has put more pressure on underground priests to register. As for what happens after Feb 1, we still do not know.

But all local governments will certainly step up efforts to cater to

People pray during a Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Beij ing.

A set of amended regulations aimed to suppress religion in China has caused concern among Christians.

CNS file photo

the central government,” he said.

Mr Ying Fuk-tsang, director of the divinity school at the Chinese University of Hong K ong, told ucanews.com that the recent ban on Christmas celebrations was the beginning of a policy directed against Christianity.

However, he believes authorities “will not go back to the Cultural Revolution and eliminate religions but will continue to step up their controls of religions

A c c or di ngt ot he ne w r e gul i t w i l l be i l l e gal t ogoabr f or r e l i gi ous e x c hange s andt andor gani s e r s w i l l be ar r

at i ons , oad r ai ni ng, e s t e d.

under the order of sinicisation.”

Mr Ying said authorities might allow certain local churches to serve as models in demonstrating that the government’s religious policies were feasible.

The regulations state that if an organisation conducts an activity without authorisation, the State Administration for Religious Affairs and relevant departments would order an end to the activity and i ht i ose a fine of not less than 100,000 yuan (S$20,000) but not more than 300,000 yuan.

Illegal income and illegal ro erty can also e confiscated, while the registration authority can order the group or venue owner to replace the person in charge who was directly responsible.

According to the new regulations, it will be illegal to go abroad for religious exchanges and training, and organisers will be arrested.

But Mr Ying said there was no clear definition of or aniser and a Church pastor could even be defined as one.

“I do not know if I will become an organiser if I advertise on the Internet or overseas. Will I be arrested when I go to China in the future? ” he asked.

“Who dares to challenge these regulations? ” Ying said the new rules also empowered grassroots communities and neighbourhood committees to administer religious affairs. n U C A N E W S.C O M

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Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Vatican, China nearing agreement on bishops, according to reports – Multiple news reports indicate that the Vatican has made substantial progress in reaching an agreement with China’s communist government on the naming of bishops for several dioceses.

The news agency Reuters and The Wall Street Journal both reported on Feb 1 that the deal would involve two bishops recognised by the Holy See stepping aside to make way for two bishops chosen by the government-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association; the new bishops would have to recognise the authority of the pope and ask forgiveness for having accepted ordination without papal approval.

Both articles relied on unnamed sources at the Vatican. Mr Greg Burke, director of the Vatican ress office, ould not co ment when contacted by Catholic News Service on Feb 2.

However, the reports coincide with claims made by Cardinal Joseph Z en Z e-kiun, retired archbishop of Hong K ong, who announced in late January that

V A T IC A N C IT Y

‘t heC

om m uni onbe t w e e n bi s hop of R om e and al l C at hol i c bi s hops t ouc he s t he he ar t of t he C hur c h’ s uni t y .

’

– C ardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state

A priest distrib utes communion in China. Recent reports indicate that the Vatican is nearing an agreement w ith China’s government that w ould involve tw o b ishops recognised b y the Holy See stepping aside for tw o b ishops from the government-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. CNS file photo

he had met personally with Pope Francis to express his opposition to the plan and to deliver into the pope’s hands a letter from one of the bishops involved.

Asian Church news portal ucanews.com reported on Feb 1 that 88-year-old Bishop

Caritas to offer shelter for those displaced by eruption L E GA Z P I

C IT Y ,

P HI L I P P I NE S

–

The social action arm of the Philippine bishops’ conference will be setting up tent cities for people displaced by the eruption of a volcano in a province about 330 km south of Manila.

As of Jan 31, authorities said 23,250 families or 89,828 individuals in 61 villages in the province of Albay have already been affected by the eruption of Mount Mayon.

The government social welfare office said 2,9 2 eo le have sought temporary shelter in 6 evacuation centres hile 11,993 individuals are staying with relatives in nearby areas.

A “rapid needs assessment” conducted by Caritas Philippines stressed the urgency to decongest overcrowded shelters.

“There is an urgent need for temporary shelters to relieve the congestion,” said Fr Rex Arjona, social action director of the Diocese of Legazpi.

The priest said classrooms in public schools that are designed to host u ils are no filled ith up to 90 evacuees.

Mr Jing Rey Henderson, spokesman of Caritas Philippines, said the organisation will be relocatin the first 5 fa ilies soon.

He said Caritas is already coordinatin ith to n officials to identify locations where the tent cities, which will have sanitation, drainage, and potable water system, will be set up.

“It is a prototype of the kind

The Our Lady of the Gate Church seen on Jan 25 as Mount Mayon volcano erupts in the distance. C N S p hot o

of evacuation camp that we must build,” said Mr Henderson, adding that Caritas is partnering with other faith-based organisations in the project.

Catholic Relief Services will build the drainage and water systems.

Fr Edwin Gariguez, executive secretary of the social action office of the isho s’ conference, said his office is coordinatin everything to prevent duplication of relief distribution. here is sufficient food aid right now, that’s why Caritas is focusing on temporary shelters,” he told ucanews.com.

Mount Mayon is the most active of the country’s 22 volcanoes.

In 1814, its major magmatic eruption killed at least 1,200 people. n U C A N E W S .C O M

Peter Z huang Jianjian of Shantou confir ed in a tele hone conversation that he had met with Vatican officials in Bei in in ece er.

Earlier, ucanews.com had reported that Bishop Z huang, who is recognised by the Vatican, was asked to retire to make way for

Bishop Huang Bingzhang who was excommunicated by the Vatican after being appointed by the patriotic association and illicitly ordained. Reuters reported that under the agreement, the government would recognise Bishop Z huang as the “emeritus” bishop and his successor would reconcile with the Holy See. Also under the agreement, according to Reuters, Bishop Vincent Guo X ijin, 59, of Mindong, another Vatican-recognised bishop, would become the auxiliary bishop of the diocese and serve under the government-approved bishop of the diocese, Bisho han ilu, 5 .

According to Reuters’ source, both Vatican-backed prelates recognised they would be making sacrifices for the reater ood of the Church. In addition, the source said, there was “a gentleman’s agreement” on seven government-backed bishops who would be made legitimate after seeking a papal pardon but that it still had to be formalised.

The overall agreement foresees the patriotic association choosing bishops, but submitting the na es to the atican for final approval.

“It is not a great agreement, but we don’t know what the situation will be like in 10 or 20 years. It could even be worse,” the source told Reuters.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, noted in an interview on Jan 31 that “communion between the bishop of Rome and all Catholic bishops touches the heart of the Church’s unity: it is not a private matter between the pope and the Chinese bishops or between the Apostolic See and civil authorities.” n C N S

12 ASIA

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Hailed: Philippine bill recognising Churchdecreed annulments CNS file photo

Couples during a mass w edding in Makati City, Philippines. Philippine Church leaders said a proposed law favours the Church’s mission to protect marriage.

M A NI L A – Catholic bishops welcomed the passage of a bill in the House of Representatives of the Philippines that gives civil recognition to Church-decreed annulments of marriage.

The bishops said the approval of the proposed law in the Lower House of Congress is “very logical” and “upholds the indissolubility of marriage.”

Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon said that because the government approves a marriage performed by a priest, “it is only very logical that when the Church annuls a marriage ... the civil government should also automatically recognise [it].”

Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga said the proposed measure still protects the “stability and sanctity of marriage,” adding that the new law will continue to uphold the “indissolubility of marriage.” “[It] is favourable to the Church in her mission to protect marriage,” said the prelate.

He said the passage of the bill means that the Church declaration of nullity now has the same

effect as civil court decisions.

The prelate said the Church criteria to nullify a marriage can also be the basis for civil courts in its deliberation and decision.

Bishop Santos said couples can also now avoid the costly and tiring judicial process in dissolving their marriage.

The proposed law provides that a declaration of nullity of a marriage by the Church has the same effect as a decree of annulment, dissolution or declaration of nullity issued by a civil court. he ill also s ecifies that a Church annulment decree shall be recorded in the appropriate civil registries with the agreement of the spouses.

Without prejudice to the conditions set forth by the Church, either of the former spouses can marry again after complying with the requi rements of entering into a marriage.

An overwhelming majority of the members of the House of Representatives voted to approve the proposed law on Jan 29. n U C A N E W S . C O M

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Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Catechesis for families meeting available V A T I C A N C I T Y – To help parishes, groups, individuals and families better prepare for the World Meeting of Families, Vatican organisers are releasing a multimedia series of catechetical materials in five lan ua es online.

The Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life announced that starting from Feb 2, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, it would launch a digital series of seven catecheses that include musical interludes starring Italian tenor ndrea Bocelli. here would also be monthly video shorts meant for groups and parishes.

All the materials will be available for free on the dicastery’s site .laityfa ilylife. va and its YouTube channel, htt s .youtu e.co user c a i lia. ardinal evin . arrell, prefect of the dicastery, told reporters on Jan 25 that the series was meant to provide simple and ins irin ays to reflect, ray and prepare over the next seven months until the start of the world meeting in Dublin, Ireland, fro u 21 26. he the e of the gathering is The Gospel of

A screengrab of the World Meeting of Families w eb site. The meeting w ill b e held in Dub lin, Ireland, f rom Aug 21-26.

the a ily oy for the orld. he five day eetin , he said, is meant to promote the Catholic Church’s teachings about love and family life as well as encourage, guide and help all families and individuals without excluding anyone, in line with the text and spirit of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis’ post synodal apostolic e hortation on the fa ily.

Workshops, sessions and seminars will touch on various aspects concerning the family, and ardinal arrell confir ed there would be a seminar, led y ardinal ean . ’ alley

of Boston, dedicated to the protection of minors and vulnerable adults. he ontifical re orian University’s Centre for Child Protection, based in Rome, also ill e involved in the se inar.

While the Vatican had not yet released an official a al schedule, Cardinal Farrell said the pope has assured him, Irish bisho s and ey rish officials that he as lannin to attend the event.

O t he r r e l e v ant l i nk s i nc l u d e : ht t p : / / w w w . w or l d m e e t i ng2 0 1 8 . i e / e n/ , ht t p : / / w w w . w or l d m e e t i ng2 0 1 8 . i e / e n/ R e s ou r c e s and ht t p s : / / am or i s . i e / n C N S

Marking Valentine’s Day with a focus on migrants W A S HI NGT ON – A coalition of

says: “Roses are red, violets are Jesuit schools and universities is lue. y faith teaches e to love encouraging those in their network y nei h our, and so should you. and beyond to celebrate Valentine’s The cover features a red heart Day this year by sending cards to with the words “Love Your Neighlawmakers, asking them and others our and i rants elco e. to “love your neighbour” and send They are meant to be sent to mem“migrants welcome” Valentine’s bers of Congress and it is part of ay essa es fro e 11 18. a larger, two-year “campaign for n alentine’s hos itality. he netDay, show your love to work is also offeryour nei h our. very ing stickers with the nei h our. ncludsa e essa e. ing your immigrant, All materials are refugee, undocumentfree and available at ed, DACAmented .i natiansolineighbour,” says the darity.net ca ai nhio ased natian Cover of the Ignatian Soli- forhos itality.

Solidarity Network darity Netw ork’s ValenThe campaign is on its e site. an effort to promote tine’s Day card. C N S p hot o The Deferred a “culture of hospiAction for Childhood Arrivals tality” towards those who migrate, (DACA) was an American immi- said the network’s executive digration policy that allowed some rector hristo her err. individuals who entered the country ur esuit natian artners as minors, and had either entered or in Latin America actually coined remained in the country illegally, the idea and then encouraged us to receive a renewable two-year to put it into action here in the period of deferred action from de- US,” Mr K err said to Catholic portation and to be eligible for a e s ervice. his s ecific ior er it. t as esta lished y ni-campaign is to build off of the the a a d inistration in une popularity of Valentine’s Day in 2012 and rescinded by the Trump the context of Mark’s Gospel – end inistration in e te er 2 1 . couraging people to promote a culThe Ignatian Solidarity Network ture of care, concern, compassion, provides a template for Valentine’s and welcome toward immigrants Day cards whose message inside and refu ees, he said. n C N S

14 WORLD

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Korean Church reaches out to Olympic athletes he atholic hurch in South K orea is offering pastoral support for athletes at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic a es.

Seoul archdiocese is sending a riest to the hu e s ortin event.

Fr Francis Lim Eui-june, director of the department for the pastoral ministry in the workplace, will stay at the Olympic village during the a es and araly ics.

Meanwhile, Chuncheon diocese, which covers Olympic venues Pyeongchang and Gangneung, is also ettin involved in the event. he diocese is distri utin leaflets in n lish and orean in parishes near Olympic venues with information including maps of sports venues and details of here eo le can attend ass.

In addition, the diocese will hand out leaflets in ei ht lan ua es about the Catholic Church in the country prepared by the Catholic Bisho s’ onference of orea.

Bishop Lucas K im Un-hoe of Chuncheon has urged his faithful

S E OU L –

The rings of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics are seen on a b each in Gangneung. C N Sphot o

to participate in the sports festival since 2014 when Pyeongchang was selected as the Winter Olymics venue.

In 2016, the diocese began a prayer movement for a successful Olympics, while a universal prayer during Sunday Mass asks God to lead the Olympics “as a big festival implementing beautiful sports spirit and bringing eace in the orld . he inter ly ics is held from Feb 9-25 and the Paralympics fro arch 9 18. n U C A N E W S . C O M

Indian Church workshop tac le atanic in uence KOL KA T A , I ND I A – A Catholic group in India has organised a workshop to help priests, nuns and lay leaders handle situations of atanic influences.

Some 60 laypeople, 26 priests and 30 nuns attended the Jan 27-28 programme organised by Calcutta Catholic Charismatic Renewal Service in K olkata, the ca ital of est Ben al state.

Salesian Fr Joseph Aymanathil, spiritual director of the group, said he had organised a similar workshop two years ago and felt “a crying need” for more such programmes to help the archdiocesan clergy, especially those or in in villa es.

Fr Aymanathil said more people, especially youngsters, are bein influenced y e e cults such as yoga, Reiki, witchcraft, Ouija boards, black magic and even Satanic worship such as the lac ass. hese cri le the

s iritually. uch eo le need healin and deliverance, he said.

For the past 14 years, he has been in the “deliverance ministry” of praying over such people to free the fro atanic influences. he riest and lay leader hristopher Correya led the workshop and explained the symptoms of different levels of atanic influences, methods to identify them and ways to deal ith the ith rayers.

Mr Correya dealt with recognising evil spirits and curses, and the modern tendency to deny the e istence of the devil.

He explained that Satanic possession can be effectively handled only by authorised people as possessions happen only in rare cases, but all lower-level Satanic influences can e cured y rayers.

Fr Ananda Haldar, a participant, said he often comes across cases of atanic influences durin his pastoral visits to villages, but he did not know how to handle them as his seminary training did not deal ith such issues. n U C A N E W S . C O M

Pope: prayer, fasting, almsgiving are remedy for modern spiritual ills V A T I C A N C I T Y – Catholics should use the season of Lent to look for signs of being under the spell of “false prophets” and of livin ith cold, selfish and hateful hearts, o e rancis said. o ether ith the often itter medicine of the truth,” the Church – as mother and teacher – offers people “the soothing remedy of prayer, almsgiving and fasting”, the pope said in his message for Lent, hich e ins on e 1 . he o e also invited those who are not Catholics and who are disturbed by the increasing injustice, inertia and indifference in the world, to “join us then in raising our plea to God in fasting and in offering whatever you can to our rothers and sisters in need . he o e’s Lenten essa e, released on Feb 6, looked at Jesus’ message to the disciples on the Mount of Olives, warning them of the many signs and calamities that will signal the end of time and the co in of the son of an. itled, Because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold” (Mt 24:12), the papal message echoes Jesus’ caution against the external enemies of false prophets and deceit, and the internal dan ers of selfishness, reed and a lac of love.

So many of God’s children, the pope wrote, are “mesmerised by momentary pleasures, mistaking them for true happiness”; enchanted by money’s illusion, “which only makes them slaves to rofit and etty interests and convinced they are autonomous and sufficient unto the selves, and end up entrapped by loneliness! ” People can be trapped by the allure of drugs, “disposable relationships,” easy, but dishonest gains as well as “virtual”, but ultimately meaningless relationships, he rote. he o e as ed eo le to e amine their hearts to see “if we are falling prey to the lies of these false prophets” and to learn to

look at things more closely, “beneath the surface”, and recognise that what comes from God is lifegiving and leaves “a good and lastin ar on our hearts .

Greed for money is a major red fla , he rote, ecause it is the “root of all evil” and soon leads to a re ection of od and is eace.

“All this leads to violence against anyone we think is a threat to our own ‘certainties’: the unorn child, the elderly and infir , the migrant, the foreigner among us, or our neighbour who does not live up to our expectations,” the o e rote.

Another sign of love turned

neighbour as a brother or sister,” it said.

Urging people to make charitable giving and assistance a genuine part of their everyday life, he asked that people look at every reque st for help as a reque st from od hi self. Loo at al s ivin as being part of God’s generous and providential plan, and helping is children in need, he said.

Finally, fasting “expresses our own spiritual hunger and thirst for life in od. astin a es us u . t a es us ore attentive to God and our neighbour,” the pope wrote, and “revives our desire to obey God, who alone is capable of

Workers at a b akery prepare b read for fasting. Pope Francis says that fasting ‘ revives our desire to ob ey God, w ho alone is capab le of satisfying our hunger’. CNS file photo

So o o o e t ple ll o o the el e e the pope

hl e e e e e e e h te o e e the e fi e t to p e t ppe lo el e h e te e e

cold is the problem of pollution, he said, which causes creation to become poisoned by waste, “discarded out of carelessness or selfishness . he re edy for these ills can be strengthened during Lent with prayer, almsgiving and fasting, he rote.

Praying more enables “our hearts to root out our secret lies and forms of self-deception, and then to find the consolation od offers, he said.

“Almsgiving sets us free from greed and helps us to regard our

satisfyin our hun er . he o e also re inded eople to take part in the “24 Hours for the Lord” initiative from March 9-10 in which many dioceses will have at least one church open for 24 hours, offering Eucharistic adoration and the Sacraent of Reconciliation. he pope ll e e t http t o te t e o e e e le t o e t p p e o e o e ht l n

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Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Letter regarding Chilean bishop sex abuse raises new questions V A T IC A N C IT Y

– Less than a

week after the Vatican announced that Pope Francis was sending a trusted investigator to Chile to listen to people with information about a bishop accused of covering up clerical sexual abuse, the Associated Press (AP) reported that the pope was given a detailed letter from a survivor almost three years ago.

The Vatican had said on Jan 30 that Pope Francis’ decision to send Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta to investigate was prompted by “recently received information” in the case of Bishop Juan Barros, who was named Bishop of Osorno, Chile, in 2015.

Mr Juan Carlos Cruz, a victim of Bishop Barros’ mentor, Fr Fernando K aradima, gave the AP a copy of an eight-page letter he wrote in 2015 to Pope Francis, graphically describing the abuse he suffered and saying that thenFr Barros was in the room watching when some of the incidents occurred.

AP released its story on Feb 5.

The letter appeared to contradict what Pope Francis had told reporters who accompanied him to Chile and Peru. During the trip,

Pope Francis speaking w ith Mr Greg Burke, Vatican spokesman, ab oard the a a ight fro i a eru to o e uring that ight the o e sai he ha not recei e an e i ence of isho uan arros gui t C N Sphot o

the pope had said that the people accusing Bishop Barros were guilty of slander and calumny because they had presented no “evidence” of the bishop’s guilt.

“No one has come forward, they haven’t provided any evidence for a judgment,” Pope Francis said. “You, in all good will, tell me that there are victims, but

I haven’t seen any, because they haven’t come forward.”

“If anyone can give me evidence, ’ll e the first to listen, the pope told reporters on Jan 21 on the fli ht ac to Ro e.

But Mr Cruz and two former e ers of the ontifical o mission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM) said they were

assured by Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston, commission president, that he had personally given the eight-page letter to Pope Francis in 2015.

“Four members of the PCPM travelled in April 2015 to Rome to meet Cardinal O’Malley. We passed a letter to him for the Holy Father from survivors of K aradima. He assured us he would give the letter to the pope and discuss the Barros appointment. The pope was not left in the dark,” Ms Marie Collins, one of the former commission members, wrote on Twitter on Feb 1.

“This is why I was shocked when I heard the pope had said on the plane the K aradima victims had not come to him and he would listen if they did. I knew they had contacted him directly with this letter three years ago! ” she tweeted on Feb 5 after AP published details about the letter Mr Cruz had written.

The Associated Press had reported that Cardinal O’Malley’s spokesman in Boston referred req uests for comment to the Vatican. either the atican ress office, nor officials at the ontifical o ission for the Protection of Minors, had responded to calls and emails seeking comment as of Feb 6. n C N S

Algeria martyrs recognised V A T I C A N C I T Y – Pope Francis has recognised the martyrdom of a bishop, seven Trappist monks and 11 other Religious men and women killed by extremists in Algeria in the 1990s.

At a meeting on Jan 26 with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, Pope Francis signed the decree for the causes of Bishop Pierre Lucien Claverie of Oran, Algeria, and 18 companions, pavin the ay for their eatification.

The 19 men and women died between 1993 and 1996, while Algeria was locked in a 10-yearlon ar ed conflict et een overnment forces and extremist Islamic rebel groups.

Bishop Claverie and his driver were killed by a remote-controlled bomb left by the bishop’s residence, and the seven Trappist monks, who had been kidnapped from the monastery of Tibhirine, were beheaded by a group of Islamic terrorists trained by the alQ aeda network.

Trappist Fr Thomas Georgeon, postulator of the cause, told the Italian bishops’ radio station on an 2 that a date for the eatification ceremony had not yet been set, but he hoped the Mass would be celebrated in Oran. n C N S

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Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Pontiff to Religious: Focus on your community, not phone V A T I C A N C I T Y – Lift up your eyes

In his homily, Pope Francis, from your smartphones and see himself a Jesuit, told the Reliyour brothers and sisters, those gious that their own journeys who share your journey of faith were “born of an encounter and and those who are longing for the a call” which, while highly perWord of life, Pope Francis told sonal, took place in the context of consecrated men and women. a family, a parish or a community.

“Today’s frantic pace leads us Members of Religious orders to close many doors to encounter, must realise that they need each often for fear of others,” the pope other – young and old – to resaid in his homily for the feast of new and strengthen their knowlthe Presentation of the Lord and edge of the Lord, he said. They the World Day for must never “toss Consecrated Life. aside” the elderly T he c ons e c r at e d “Only shopping members because malls and Internet “if the young are l i f e f r e e s our connections are alcalled to open new af f e c t i ons of e v e r y ways open.” doors, the elderly Yet believ- pos s e s s i oni nor de r have the keys.” ers’ hearts must One’s Brothf ul l y t ol ov e G od be open as well, ers or Sisters in opl e . because every be- andot he r pe the community liever receives the – P ope Francis are a gift to be faith from somecherished, he said one and is called to share it with efore addin a lea ay e others, the pope said at the Mass never look at the screen of our on Feb 2 in St Peter’s Basilica. cellphone more than the eyes of The feast day commemorates our Brothers or Sisters, or focus the 40th day after Jesus’ birth more on our software than on the when, in accordance with ancient Lord.”

Jewish practice, Mary and Joseph Religious life, with its vows of took him to the temple and pre- poverty, chastity and obedience, sented Him to the Lord. always has been countercultural, The Mass, attended by thou- he said. And yet it is the source of sands of women and men belong- true freedom because while “the ing to Religious orders, began life of this orld ursues selfish with the traditional blessing of pleasures and desires, the consecandles and a prayer that God crated life frees our affections of would guide people towards His every possession in order fully to son, “the light that has no end.” love God and other people.” n C N S

‘

’

Priests hold candles as Pope Francis celeb rates Mass marking the feast of the Presentation of the Lord and the World Day for Consecrated Life in St Peter’s Basilica. C N Sphot o

Stop loan sharks with frugal lifestyle: pope – Usury is a grave sin that must be fought by building more just and humane econo ic and financial syste s as well as by teaching people to live within their means, Pope Francis said.

The practice of usury – lending money at exorbitantly high interest rates – “humiliates and kills” just like a snake by “strangling its victims,” the pope told members of an Italian association dedicated to fi htin usury and loan sharking.

“It is necessary to prevent it, saving people from the illness of debt incurred for subsistence or for saving one’s business,” he told the delegation at the Vatican on Feb 3.

But prevention also should include teaching people to live a more frugal lifestyle, he said.

People need to be able to tell the difference between what is su erfluous and hat is a solutely necessary, he said, while learning to never take on debt for things that one could live without.

“It’s important to recover the

V A T IC A NC IT Y

virtue of overty and sacrifice poverty, to avoid becoming a slave to thin s, and sacrifice, ecause one cannot receive everything in life,” he said.

The pope praised the association’s work in saving more than 25,000 families in Italy from loan sharks, thereby helping them save their homes or small businesses and recover their human dignity.

At the root of every economic and financial crisis, he said, lies a orldvie that uts rofits, and not eo le, first.

“Human dignity, ethics, solidarity and the common good must be the focus of economic policies,” he said.

Measures should be enacted to discourage practices that then push people to turn to unethical lenders, such as legalised gambling, which is “another scourge,” the pope said, that “grabs you and kills you.”

“Usury is a grave sin; it kills life, tramples people’s dignity and is a vehicle for corruption and impedes the common good,” he added. n C N S

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

POPE FRANCIS 17

All Christians loved by same God, says pope at unity service R OM E – When different Christian Damascus and then in Jerusalem.”

Churches recognise the validity of “That is our experience as beone another’s baptisms, they are lievers,” the pope said. “Bit by bit recognising that God’s grace is at as we grow in the spiritual life, we work in them, Pope Francis said. understand better that grace reaches “Even when differences sepa- us together with others and that it is rate us, we recognise that we are meant to be shared with others.” part of the redeemed people, the “When we say we recognise the same family of brothers and sisters baptism of Christians from other traloved by the one Father,” the pope ditions, we are confessing that they, said on Jan 25 at an ecumenical too, have received the forgiveness evening prayer service closing the of the Lord and His grace is workWeek of Prayer for Christian Unity. ing in them,” Pope Francis said.

He was joined by Orthodox But, he said, like the Israelites Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy and who wandered through the desert Malta and Anglican after passing through Archbishop Bernard the Red Sea, Christians C hr i s t i ans ar e Ntahoturi, the archface difficulties t today bishop of Canterbury’s c al l e d t o s upor in their journey togethpersonal representative er. Some even face the one anot he r to the Holy See. danger of martyrdom and,‘ ar m e d In his homily, Pope simply because they Francis said the early onl y w i t hJ e s us are Christians.

Church theologians But united in bapandt he s w e e t saw the parting of the tism and strengthened pow e r of hi s Red Sea, the drowning

by God’s grace, he of Pharaoh’s forces G os pe l ,t of ac e said, Christians are and the safe passage called to support one of the Israelites as an e v e r y c hal l e nge another and, “armed image of baptism. only with Jesus and w i t hc our age “Our sins are the sweet power of ,’ s ai d his Gospel, to face what was drowned andhope

by God in the living P ope F r anc i s . every challenge with waters of baptism,” courage and hope.” he said. “Sin threatened to make Earlier in the day, meeting with us slaves forever, but the force of a delegation from the Evangelical divine love overpowered it.”

Lutheran Church of Finland, Pope Precisely because Christians Francis said the greatest ecumenihave experienced God’s “pow- cal challenge is to proclaim togetherful mercy in saving us,” they er faith in God and Jesus Christ to can pray together and sing God’s an increasingly secularised world. praises, he said.

And acting together on that Another lesson from the cross- faith, he said, Christians must ask ing of the Red Sea, the pope said, for God’s grace to become instruis that while it involved individu- ments of His peace. als being saved by God, it also in“May He help us always, amid volved a community. divisions between peoples, to work And after St Paul was knocked together as witnesses and servants off his horse and converted, he of His healing and reconciling said, “the grace of God pushed love, and in this way to sanctify him to seek communion with oth- and glorify His name,” the pope er hristians, i ediately, first in told the Finnish delegation. n C N S

Pope Francis presides over an ecumenical prayer service on Jan 25 w ith Orthodox Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy and Malta (left) and Anglican Archb ishop Bernard Ntahoturi, the archb ishop of Canterb ury’s personal representative to the Holy See (far right), at Rome’s Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls.

18 OPINION

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Fortnightly new spaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore

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T hev iew sor pos itionspr esentedi nar ticlesi nC atholicN ew sdon otn ecessarily r epresentt hev iew sof t heC hu rch.

A dv ertisem entst hatappe ari nC atholicN ew sar en otn ecessarily e ndor sedby t heC hu rch.

Young people need well-formed consciences for marriage, pope says V A T I C A N C I T Y – The Catholic Church must dedicate itself to properly forming and safeguarding the conscience of its faithful, especially young people so they can see God’s plan for the sacrament of marriage as a great joy for the Church and all of humanity, Pope Francis said.

The recent synods on marriage and the family, as well as the apostolic exhortation on the family, A m or i s L ae t i t i a (The Joy of Love), were focused on “how to save young people from the uproar and deafening noise of the ephemeral, which leads them to reject taking on stable and positive commitments for the individual and collective good”, the pope said.

In a speech on Jan 29 to members of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, which mainly deals with a eals filed in arria e annulment cases, the pope examined the central role conscience plays in the process of discerning the nullity or validity of the bond of marriage.

“The conscience takes on a decisive role in the demanding decisions engaged couples must face in accepting and building a conjugal union and family according to God’s plan,” he said.

That means all those involved in pastoral programmes or ministry for marriage and the family need to dedicate themselves with renewed concern to helping engaged couples build and safeguard “the inner sanctuary of their Christian conscience”.

It is critical, the pope said, to help young people have a continuous experience of faith, hope and charity, so that they can recognise, “with a sure and clear conscience, that the conjugal union, open to the gift of children, is a great joy for God, the Church and humanity”.

The conscience is that inner space “that only God enlightens

New ly married couples pose for a photo. The conscience takes on a decisive role in the demanding decisions engaged couples face, said Pope Francis. CNS file photo

and opens to life, if people let him in”, the pope said.

Pastoral activity dedicated to “the recovery, the protection and the care of a Christian conscience, enlightened by Gospel values”, he said, is “so priceless and urgent” right now. t is a lon and difficult tas that must involve bishops and priests who “tirelessly work for enlightening, defending and upholding the Christian conscience of our people”.

The synods and exhortation made a key point, he said, about the “necessary relationship between the e l fi e (rule of faith), that is, the Church’s faithfulness to the magisterium that must not be touched, as it is in

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regards to the Eucharist, and the urgent attention of the Church to the psychological and religious processes of all people” who are called to choose a life of marriage, he said.

As discussed at the synods, a marriage catechumenate would be indispensable for reawakening the Christian conscience of young people and couples, he said.

The union of marriage “can be called true only if the human intention of the spouses is oriented towards that which Christ and the Church wants”, he said.

Guiding couples so they will be aware of this will requi re the work of all Church leaders, Religious and the lay faithful, he said. nC N S

nm i ni s t r y f or m he m s e l v e s t ohe l pi t he i nne r s anc t uar c i e nc e ’ ,s ai dP ope

ar r i age nge ngage d y of t he i r F r anc i s .

How does God act in our world?

THERE’S an oddity in the Gospels that begs for an explanation: Jesus, it seems, doesn’t want people to know His true identity as the Christ, the Messiah.

He keeps warning people not to reveal that He is the Messiah. Why? Some scholars refer to this as “the messianic secret”, suggesting that Jesus did not want others to know His true identity until the conditions were ripe for it. There’s some truth in that, there’s a right moment for everything, but that still leaves the q uestion unanswered: Why? Why does Jesus want to keep His true identity secret? What would constitute the right conditions within which His identity should be revealed?

That q uestion is centre stage in Mark’s gospel, at Caesarea Philippi, when Jesus asks His disciples: “Who do you say that I am? ” Peter answers: “You are the Christ.” Then, in what seems like a surprising response, Jesus, rather than praising Peter for his answer, warns him sternly not to tell anyone about what he has just acknowledged. Peter seemingly has given Him the right answer and yet Jesus immediately, and sternly, warns him to keep that to himself. Why? Simply put, Peter has the right answer, but the wrong conception of that answer. He has a false notion of what it means to be the Messiah.

In the centuries leading up to the birth of Jesus and among Jesus’ contemporaries there were numerous notions of what the Christ would look like. We don’t know which notion Peter had but obviously it wasn’t the right one because Jesus immediately shuts it down. What Jesus says to Peter is not so much: “Don’t tell anyone that I’m the Christ” but rather “don’t tell anyone that I am what you think the Christ should be. That’s not who I am.”

Like virtually all of his contemporaries and not unlike our own fantasies of what a Saviour should look like, Peter no doubt pictured the Saviour who was to come as a superman, a superstar who would vanq uish evil through a worldly triumph within which he would simply overpower everything that’s wrong by miraculous powers.

Such a Saviour would not be subject to any weakness, humiliation, suffering or death and his superiority and glory would have to be acknowledged by everyone, willing or grudgingly. There would be no holdouts; his demonstration of power would leave no room for doubt or opposition.

He would triumph over everything and would reign in a glory such as the world conceives of glory, that is, as the ultimate winner, as the ultimate champion – the winner of the Olympic medal, the World Cup, the Super Bowl, the Academy Award, the Nobel Prize, the inner of the reat tro hy or accolade that definitively sets one above others.

When Peter says: “You are the Christ! ” that’s how he’s thinking about it, as earthly glory, worldly triumph, as a man so powerful, strong, attractive and invulnerable that everyone would simply have to fall at his feet. Hence Jesus’ sharp reply: “Don’t tell anyone about that! ” Jesus then goes on to instruct Peter, and the rest of us, who he really is as a Saviour. He’s not a superman or superstar in this world or a miracle worker who will prove His power through spectacular deeds. Who is He? The Messiah is a dying and rising Messiah, someone who in His own life and body will demonstrate that evil is not overcome by miracles but by forgiveness, magnanimity and nobility of soul and that these are attained not through crushing an enemy but through loving him or her more fully. And the route to this is paradoxical: The glory of the Messiah is not demonstrated by overpowering us with spectacular deeds.

Rather it is demonstrated in Jesus letting Himself be transformed through accepting with proper love and graciousness the unavoidable passivity, humiliation, diminishment and dying that eventually found Him. That’s the dying part. But when one dies like that or accepts any humiliation or diminishment in this way, there’s always a subseq uent rising to real glory, that is, to the glory of a heart so stretched and enlarged that it is now able to transform evil into good, hatred into love, bitterness into forgiveness, humiliation into glory. That’s the proper work of a Messiah. n

FAITH ALIVE! 19

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

Ash Wednesday: A point of re-entry into active Catholic life?

Ash Wednesday, celebrated on Feb 14 this year, marks the beginning of Lent

By Mike Nelson

he t te e ot o l e ho t ello h p e te e l e t po lte o ol tee the e h o hoo to e h o t to h e e C thol

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nlike Christmas, Easter and every Sunday of the year, Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation. Maybe that’s part of the dra for so e eo le, ho fill their parishes for Ash Wednesday liturgies as they rarely do at any other time.

“Yes, we get big turnouts for Ash Wednesday,” says Fr Dan Rupp, pastor of Mater Dei Church in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. “It seems like many of these folks are people who also come ... anytime there is something different going on than at most Sunday liturgies.”

Or, in some cases, when something is being given away, like palms on Palm Sunday, smiles Fr Adam Lee Ortega, pastor of the Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“Every year, after our Ash Wednesday Masses are done, people will rush up asking, ‘Are you still giving out ashes? ’ And we say, ‘No, we’re done.’ What we need to help them understand is that it’s not about the ashes, it’s about the Eucharist.”

And, in fact, Fr Ortega, like many pastors throughout the country, finds that sh ednesday can be an ideal point of entry, or re-entry, into an active Catholic life.

“I think many people have a good intention to begin their spiritual journey, to improve their lives

Ash Wednesday can b e an ideal point of entry, or re-entry, i nto an active Catholic life.

when they come to Mass on Ash Wednesday,” he says. “So I try to communicate a message of welcome: ‘We’re glad you’re here, and we want to help you become ready for this great spiritual journey.’”

Ash Wednesday provides a particularly strong opportunity to evangelise younger and/ or inactive Catholics, according to a study by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, and cited in “Sparks from Ashes: An Ash Wednesday Young Adult Evangelization Plan,” from the

Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, USA. The study found that in comparison to the 15 percent of Generation X ers (mid-30s to early 50s) and 17 percent of millennials (late teens to mid-30s) who attend Mass weekly, 40 percent of Gen X ers and 50 percent of millennials attend Ash Wednesday services, “with equa lly impressive numbers for other Lenten practices such as fasting, abstaining and almsgiving,” the report stated.

The reasons for these “inactive and semi-active” young adults’

CNS file photo

Ash Wednesday and Lenten participation include “a subconscious Catholic identity”.

So how can parishes hold on to these “Ash Wednesday Catholics”?

To start with, say pastors, give them seasonal opportunities to practise their Lenten call to prayer, fasting and almsgiving: Distribute devotional guides, host fellowship Lenten meals and suggest possibilities for volunteering in their neighbourhood.

Most important, offer them something more than ashes.

“I try always to communicate the joy of the Gospel in my homilies, that there is comfort and peace within the teaching of Jesus,” says Fr Rupp.

Fr Ortega – who moves the distribution of ashes to the end, rather than the middle, of Ash Wednesday Mass, so that attendees hear the homily and receive Communion – says Mass attendance definitely increases durin Lent.

“And some continue to come after Easter, though not in the same numbers,” he says. “In the end, you have to accept people where they’re at, as Jesus did, and pray that a seed has been planted that can be nourished and bring them to a life of participation in the Church.” n C N S C thol o l t e te o So the C l o

Nel o

It’s what’s inside that counts

By Susan Hines-Brigger On Ash Wednesday, it’s not hard to identify Catholics. The smudge of ashes in the shape of a cross on their foreheads is a solid giveaway. The interesting part, though, is that the purpose of those ashes is qui te the opposite of the “Hey, look at me” message it seems to send.

In fact, the day’s Gospel reading says to avoid looking as if you are fasting, to “anoint your head and wash your face.” That seems contradictory, doesn’t it?

As we receive our ashes, we are reminded to “turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel.”

Ashes serve as a visible reminder to us – and others – that we have sinned and must now begin again.

It’s kind of a spiritual do-over, and Ash Wednesday – the starting line of Lent – is when the work begins. he first and second readin s serve as a wake-up call for us, urg-

he p t the th ee p ll o e t p e t l the o pel e the e e th t h to e ee o th t h tt l tte n an age of ace oo an efies here hat one is oing is instant u icised, Ash Wednesday is a reminder to look w ithin oneself. CNS file photo

ing us to “return to the Lord, your God,” and remember that “we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.”

Now that we are awake, today’s Gospel truly instructs us how to go forth on our Lenten journey.

St Matthew highlights the three pillars of Lent – prayer, fast-

ing and almsgiving – and gives us a simple guide to what we should and should not be doing. He reminds the reader that “your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

He writes that when we give alms, we should “not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the

streets to win the praise of others,” but rather, “when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret.”

He provides similar advice regarding prayer and fasting. When praying we are not to “be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them.” n this a e of ace oo , selfies

and constant contact, it’s hard to do things qui etly.

It seems as if all our actions are captured and instantly communicated with as wide an audience of people as we can manage. We gauge ourselves on likes, shares, followers.

As the Gospel continually reminds us, our actions are seen by God and that is what truly matters.

That should be enough.

So, yes, today, we will wear our ashes that tell those who see us that we are Catholic. Some atholics ay even ta e a selfie while wearing them.

We must remember, though, to see the ashes for what they remind us to do: Look inward and prepare ourselves. For it is only in dying to ourselves that we can begin our Lenten journey towards the resurrection. n C N S e tho

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Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

By Jennifer Ficcaglia Great crowds followed Jesus wherever He went. People loved to hear Him preach.

One day, he left the crowds and went up a mountain. He gathered His apostles around Him and began to teach.

Jesus talked about many things.

He said that being angry with another person is sinful. He assured those who were having hard lives on earth that they ould find rest and eace in heaven. He even taught the people that they should love and pray for their enemies instead of hating them.

“So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect,” Jesus said.

Then Jesus talked about three things that were very important to the Jewish people: almsgiving, prayer and fasting.

Jesus said that God does not like it when people do righteous deeds just to look good in front of others.

For example, when giving to the poor, “do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others,” Jesus said, referring to the scribes and Pharisees. “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

Jesus said the same thing regarding prayer.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them,” he warned. “But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to

your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

And He taught that those who are fasting shouldn’t look as if they were.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting,” he said.

“But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your

Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

After Jesus was done teaching, He came down the mountain to the crowd and began to heal people. n Read more ab out it: Matthew 6

Q & A 1. Where did Jesus go to teach?

2. Who w ere the hypocrites Jesus w as speaking of?

Wordsearch:

SPOTLIGHT ON SAINTS:

St Ethelbert of Kent St Ethelbert of K ent (560-616) was the ruler of southern England. He married a Christian woman named Bertha, who was the daughter of the king of Paris. Before the king would let the couple wed, he made sure Ethelbert would allow Bertha to practise her faith.

Ethelbert helped St Augustine of Canterbury in his mission to evangelise England by giving him land to build churches and a monastery.

Ethelbert became a Christian in 601, and we remember him on Feb 24. n

n ALMS

n CROSS

n LOVE

n PRAISE

n REST

n TIMES

n HEAL

n GATHER

n GOOD

n PEACE

n LENT

n PERFECT

ESSAY: How do you pray to Jesus, and w hat do you pray for?

Bible Accent:

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ay ; 4.

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b efore receiving the Ten Commandments.

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A ns w e r t o W or d s e ar c h

The Bible contains many references to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These were important practices of the Jews during biblical times, and they are also important to Catholics today.

For example, the Church’s liturgical season of Lent focuses on prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These practices help us remember how Jesus suffered and died for our sins and was resurrected at Easter.

During Lent, Catholics do not eat meat on Fridays, and they fast and abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. This spiritual self-discipline is meant to help us focus on Easter.

Prayer also is an important part of Lent. One popular prayer is the Stations of the Cross, which uses Scripture to recall esus’ al to his crucifi ion at ol otha.

Lent also is a time to focus on giving alms to the poor.

Repenting of our sins also is a highlight of Lent. In the Bible, people who wanted to show God how sorry they were for their sins sometimes placed ashes on their heads. That is one reason why ashes, made in the sign of the cross, are imposed on our foreheads during Ash Wednesday liturgies. n

WHAT’S ON 21

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

EVENT SUBMISSIONS WHAT’S ON sub missions now req uire the completion of a form from the Archdiocese b efore the event can b e pub licised. F or events w ith foreign speakers, p lease sub mit the necessary documentation for approval to the Chancery. F or more information and to dow nload the form, v isit http: / / w w w .c atholic.s g/ events/ announcementadvertisement-req uest/ .

Once forms have b een sub mitted online, k indly send us details of your event for pub lication at w w w . catholicnew s.s g/ w hatson/ at least one month ahead of the pub lication date.

SEPT 27, 2017 TO MAY 1, 2019 SHARE THE JOURNEY: A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN BY CARITAS INTERNATIONALIS Organised by Caritas Internationalis, the campaign aims to increase spaces and opportunities with Caritas organisations and parishes to enable local communities and migrants to have more positive encounters.

Do join in the campaign activities organised

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

JAN 16, 23, 30; FEB 13 , 20 BASIC CATECHIST COURSE LEVEL 1 – S CRIPTURE 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.

JAN 30 TO MAY 22 COURSE ON PROPHET JEREMIAH Every Tuesday except Mar 13 and May 1.

Time: 9.30am-11.30am. Fifteen sessions conducted by Msgr Ambrose Vaz. Venue: CAEC 2 Highland Rd. Cost: $120.

To register: E: aba_s ecretariat@ catholic. org.sg; T: 62800356.

FEB 1 TO MARCH 15 VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT Seeking volunteers for CareNights in Bedok and Sengkang. MondayFriday from 6.30pm-9.30pm. Temasek Foundation Cares–CareNights@ Morning Star needs committed and energetic volunteers to assist children with homework and other necessary skills. The children come from households who must undergo skills upgrading, shiftwork or take on two jobs to make ends meet. For more information, T: 62851377 (Mel or Jaanani).

FEB 1 TO MARCH 21 SPECIAL NEEDS CATECHESIS 1– UNDERSTANDING & SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Every Wednesday from 7:30pm-10pm.

Venue: 2 Highland Rd S549102. This course aims to provide participants with an insight into the wide spectrum of physical, intellectual, emotional, behavioural and learning challenges more commonly faced by people with special needs through experiential exercises. For more information, E: formation@ catechesis.org. sg; W: www.catechesis.org.sg. To register: https://tinyurl.com/ybwf 8yf5.

FEB 5 TO APRIL 9 AT HOME RETREAT 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: 9.30am-11.30am at LaSalle Centre, 490 East Coast Road; or 7.30pm-9.30pm at CANA Catholic Centre, 55 Waterloo Street. For more information, T: 65652895; E: cenaclesing@ gmail.com.

FEB 21 TO MAY 30 BIBLE STUDY: ACTS OF THE APOSTLES Conducted by Msgr Ambrose Vaz. Venue: Church of St Francis X avier.

Every Wednesday night from 8pm-10pm (14 lectures). FOC. To register: E: maisielee21@ gmail.com; nsron2003@ yahoo.com.

FEB 22 TO MAY 31 BIBLE STUDY: ACTS OF THE APOSTLES Conducted by Msgr Ambrose Vaz. Every Thursday from 8pm-10pm at the Church of St Ignatius, annexe hall (level 2).

No pre-registration. FOC. All are welcome.

Come enjoy the living Word of God. For more information, E: henrythwu@ gmail.com.

FEB 27 TO MAY 22 UNCOVERING ST MARK’S GOSPEL

BY MSGR AMBROSE VAZ 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 Vaz guide you in 10 insightful sessions on St Mark’s Gospel.

FOC. Organised by F.R.E.E. Ministry at the Church of the Risen Christ, Toa Payoh.

To register: W: http://free.risenchrist.org. sg; E: free.risenchrist@ gmail.com.

Celebrant: Fr Tom Curran. Organised

by Praise@ Work. Venue: Church of Sts Peter and Paul. For more information, E: praiseatworksg@ yahoo.com; T: 97472467.

MARCH 2 TO MARCH 4 MONTFORTIAN XPERIENCE 3 (MX3) FRIENDS OF THE CROSS Time: 7pm (Fri)-1pm (Sun). Christ died on the cross for our sins. Come to discover the true way of life based on the spirituality of St Louis Marie de Montfort.

Venue: Montfort Centre. Retreat masters: Br Dominic Yeo-K oh and Br John Albert.

Cost: $ 130 (twin/sharing).

For more information, T: 67695711; E: enq uiries@ montfortcentre.org.

MARCH 10 BABY MASSAGE. SELF-CARE LEADS TO BETTER BABY CARE! Time: 10.30am-12.30pm. Venue: Agape Village. Express love and care for your baby through massage! Baby massage has een roven to rovide nu erous enefits, not only to the baby but also for parents.

Soothing and rhythmic stroking of the baby’s body with your hands stimulates feel-good hormones in you and your child, reduces stress and improves sleep. FOC. Love offerings welcomed.

MARCH 2 TO MARCH 4 HOMECOMING – A LENTEN SOJOURN 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 Pope rancis, Lent is a eneficial ti e to rediscover one’s Christian identity, which is love that serves, not selfishness that uses.

Facilitators: Fr Greg Tan and Mr Lance Ng. Organised by K ingsmead Centre, 8 Victoria Park Rd. Cost: $260 ( non-AC), $30 0 (AC). To register: http://tinyurl.com/ hals2018; T: 64676072.

MARCH 3 MASS FOLLOWED BY PRAYERS FOR HEALING All are welcome and no registration is needed. Time: 2pm-4pm. You are invited to join us for praise and worship, and Mass, followed by prayers for healing.

After Mass, prayer teams will be available to pray with you for healing. Please spread the word to your family and friends.

MARCH 24 LIGHTING THE WAY – A GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING DEPRESSION Time: 10.30am-12.30pm. Venue: Agape Village. This workshop is for individuals who have direct or indirect experiences with friends or loved ones who may be suffering from depression but have difficulty ettin the to see hel . ost $ 15. To register, W: https://tinyurl.com/ LTW24Mar; T: 67577990.

APRIL 8, 2018 TO JUNE 9, 2019 RCIA @ THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR Time: 7:30pm-9:30pm. New RCIA journey will begin with a welcome night on April 8 and thereafter every Sunday onwards in Verbist Hall, Level 4. Please register your name or names of those who are interested in the Catholic faith. Registration forms are available at the parish secretariat. For more information, W: www.olps.sg; T: 96671137 (Elayne); T: 96355635 (Peter).

LENTEN FEATURES

Lenten listening: What do you hear?

By Carolyn Woo There is an ongoing debate in our home on how well my husband can hear. He doesn’t always catch the conversation, and particularly so in noisy venues. Sometimes I will loudly convey a message from the bottom of the stairs to his office u stairs.

Almost always, David will work hard to get the message: In a crowd, he will cup one ear and lean towards the speaker; at home he will come into the room where I am; and freque ntly he asks for repetitions.

One day watching David, it hit me that Lent is a time to practise our hearing. For many of us, our spiritual listening skills are probably not much better than my husband’s physical hearing. There is so much noise around us: news and messages demanding our attention, music through earphones to facilitate our escape to some other world we would rather be in, and background TV that is on everywhere.

Lent is a gift from the Church for us to tune into what God is trying to tell us.

When I was young, I associated Lent ith a uch deserved scold ith all the readings and homilies pointing out our faults and follies. t filled e ith dread and unshakeable weariness of my own imperfections and vanities.

In time, my thinking evolved and now I approach Lent as a time of warning – much li e road si ns that s ell out an er, o ot res ass, ead nd, lo , ind the a or it. ll these essa es are meant to alert us, calling for needed behaviour before we get into deep trouble.

The prodigal son found great mercy and a much better life when he returned to his father. But he had to take note, acknowledge his mistakes and reverse direction.

Lent invites us to do the same.

The ultimate goal of Lenten exercises is not to avoid punishment, but to end up in that kingdom in which the prodigal son made his home. Yes, Lent reminds us of our

ne suggeste

enten ractice is to rite our re ections ase on our s iritua rea ing

L e nt i s agi f t f r om t he C hur c hf or us t ot une i nt ow hat G od i s t r y i ngt ot e l l us . faults, but it does not end there. Such examination helps us get out of the ruts that prevent us from living our full potential as children of God: gifted, loved and made in His image.

Lent probes our ways that can be small, suffocating and foolish in light of the real prize. It speaks with a certain urgency to not waste time, to not waste our lives. Most precious for me, Lent offers hope in that my repentance does not all depend on me, but on God’s grace that is there for our asking.

Lent invites us to ask.

Learning from my husband, perhaps

the first ste in listenin to od is to say, can’t hear. he second ste is to assert and affir our desire to hear, and to actively place ourselves in the presence of God. For these 40 days of Lent, we can hang a reserved si n on certain o ents of the day so we can listen to God through Scripture, the needs of another person and our hearts.

One of my Lenten practices is to keep a ournal of y reflections fro the daily readin s. hey seldo e ceed five sentences. During the Easter triduum, I review these and somehow the act feels like a conversation.

Jesus assured us in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follo e. Lent is that ti e to turn our ears, minds and hearts to the shepherd’s beckoning. n C N S W oo s e r v e d as t he C E O and pr e s i de nt of C at hol i c R e l i e f Se r v i c e s f r om 20120 16.

A pledge to stop badmouthing S E OU L – Parishioners of Donam Church in South K orea’s Seoul archdiocese began a “Stop Bad-Mouthin ca ai n on an 28 after a roposal by head priest Fr Sebastian Joo K yung-soo.

They wore wristbands in various colours and made a pledge saying: “As a Catholic faithful, to show a good model to others, I hereby swear that from now I will not badmouth, grumble, blame and curse, and live a life of gratitude, joy and ho e.

The campaign follows a pastoral letter from Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung with the theme “Faith producin fruits throu h love.

“Not only helping other people materially but also bringing happiness and hope through good linguistic habits can e ays to ive love to others, Fr Joo said.

“Even if one leads a deep, faithful life, if he or she always bad-mouths and grumbles, it’s like pouring water into a sieve.

Parishioners pledged to avoid badmouthing for 21 days. Anyone who fails can switch their wristband to his or her other arm and begin another 21 days. Those who succeed will receive a certificate and a endant of t atrick, guardian saint of the parish, as a present.

Fr Joo said, “Pope Francis once said, ‘Those who do not bad-mouth are on track to becoming saints.’

Through the campaign, I hope Donam Church can be a community of gratitude, oy and ho e. n U C A N E W S.C O M

22 IN MEMORIAM In loving memory of our beloved parents Sixt h Anniversary

Sixt h Anniversary In loving memory of

Nineteenth Anniversary

SELVAM GEORGE Departed: Feb 7, 2012

MAGDALENE LEE PAUL YOKE KHENG CHOO Departed on: Feb 22, 2012 June 12, 1999

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

T ent first nni ersar In loving memory of

Tw elfth Anniversary In loving memory of

PETER TEO KHEOK KAY Departed: Feb 17, 1997 Your memory will never grow old.

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

Fondly remembered and missed by sister Helen and loved ones.

JOSEPH VICTOR SAMY Departed: Feb 17, 2006 Time takes away the edge of grief But memory turns back every leaf Gone from our lives one so dear But in our hearts forever near.

Deeply missed and always remembered by wife Margaret Samy and daughter Theresa Samy, son-in-law Nathan and granddaughters Bernadette Lucy Nathan, Bridget Victrine Nathan and all loved ones.

Six years passed qui ckly, our beloved Father We miss you.

You loved us and gave us your care.

Without you our house is so bare.

Sweet are the memories.

Silently kept of you.

Dearly missed by your wife, children, daughterin-law, grandchildren and loved ones.

The world changes year to year And friend from day to day But never will the ones we love From memory pass away.

Dearly missed by children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and loved ones.

In loving memory of

In loving memory First Anniversary

Tw enty-seventh Anniversary

AGNES MINJOOT SIDNEY MINJOOT Departed: Feb 19, 2017 Jul 21, 1991

Those we love remain with us for love itself lives on Cherished memories never fade because they are gone Those we love can never be more than a thought apart For as long as there is a memory they live on in our hearts.

A l w ay s r e m e m be r e d by f am i l y andl ov e done s .

Fourth Anniversary In loving memory of

In loving memory of

T he L or di s m y s he p he r d; t he r e i s not hi ngI s hal l w ant .

Sixt h Anniversary In loving memory of

THERESA LIM AUGUSTINE GOH PUAY CHOO GEK SENG Departed Feb 23, 2013 Dec 23, 1971

One thing I ask of the Lord; This I seek: To dwell in the Lord’s house All the days of my life, To gaze on the Lord’s beauty, To visit his temple ( P s al m 27:

4)

From your beloved children and grandchildren.

MICHAEL YONG WAH CHEONG Departed: Feb 22, 2012 We remember and cherish the happy times together Remembering them today and forever.

Dearly missed and fondly remembered by your family and loved ones.

I nm M i ni m um $80f e x c e e di ngane A di $8pe r one

em oriam r ates or ani ns e r t i onnot i ght - c e nt i m e t r e c ol um n. t i onal s pac e : - c e nt i m e t r e c ol um n.

GOH NEE ROZ ELLS VIRGINA MONA Departed: Feb 9, 2014 Just a prayer from The family who loved you, Just a memory fond and true, In our hearts you will live forever, Because we thought the world of you.

Forever loved and dearly missed by loving husband (James), children, relatives and loved ones.

P le a s e tu r n to p a g e 2 3 fo r m o r e in m e m o r ia m a d v e r tis e m e n ts .

RAPHAEL NG GERTRUDE POH SIONG HWANG Departed: Sep 28,2002 Departed: Feb 23,1994

Fondly remembered and dearly missed by daughter Cornelia and family.

Crossword Puzzle 1203 1

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17 Three-year-old salmon 18 Holy day of obligation in the United States 20 Writer 22 _ P ence 23 Vane reading 24 In abundance 25 Immature insects 29 Refer to a biblical passage 30 Lend _

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See 31D Shem’s eldest son Swindle Ride runner Mr Arnaz One without enefits, ro a ly Help out on a job Lucifer Bathing suit tops Not mortal Sixth planet Loafer letters

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32 First place 33 Priestly tribe 34 The Archdioceses of Tokyo and Mandalay are here 35 Factory 37 Airlines 41 Determine 42 Town name ending 43 Sacristy 44 St Dominic _ _ _ _ 45 Whatsoever 46 A bit before the hour 47 Artist’s support 48 Small barrels 49 Orderly 50 Biblical name for Syria 51 3 PM prayer 52 Fleming and McK ellen 53 Summer drinks 55 Diamond lady

Solution to Crossword Puzzle No. 1202

www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

ACROSS 1 “None of us lives to himself, and none of us _t o himself.”

(Rom 14:7) 5 Chutzpah 10 Abundance 14 Hebrew month 15 Enthusiastic 16 Book containing calendar of Masses

DOWN 1 Notre _ 2 Marriage vows 3 Big rabbit features 4 Span. lass 5 His feast day is February 3 6 Charlotte’s dessert?

7 Aide (abbr.)

8 Alphabet string 9 Compassion 10 _ voc e 11 Tearful one 12 Worship 13 Spanish titles 19 Catholic Brazilian soccer great 21 Liturgical _ 24 What Goliath was 25 The _ S upper 26 An end to repent?

27 Printer’s purchase 28 Beguile 29 Goddess of tillage 31 With 31A, a father daughter combo

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Tekakwitha Island of Australia Matthew, for one _t o Emmaus Covered in gold (var.)

Passenger Patron saint of Canada Chance for a musician to shine Cunningly Disorder

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IN MEMORIAM 23

Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

In precious & loving memory of

V. SELVARAJ Feb 15, 2003

KULANDAI THIRESAMMAL (RANI) Departed: Mar 16, 2015

SEBASTIAN VEDAMANICKAM Apr 11, 1990

Loving memories never die, as years roll on and days pass by.

In our hearts memories are kept, of ones we love and will never forget.

Dearly missed by family and loved ones.

Seventh Anniversary In loving memory of

Tw enty-second Anniversary In loving memory of

ALBERT KHOO Departed: Feb 11, 2011 Fondly remembered by loved ones.

Wife: Maureen Son: Christopher Daughter: Adeline Son-in-law: K eith Grandson: Tyler Tw enty-second Anniversary In loving memory of

Tw elfth Anniversary In loving memory of

GUY RICARDO MORIER Departed: Feb 11, 2006 is hel in hand as al ays first To tender any aid he could His voice was always raised in praise, His words were wise and good.

Dear father, since you went away, The ones you loved so true, Try hard to carry on the way We know you’d want us to.

From loving wife, children, grandchildren and loved ones.

Seventh Anniversary In loving memory of our beloved

“ Safe in Jesus’ Arms” PETER ANG YONG MONG Departed: Feb 15, 1996 In our home he is fondly remembered, Sweet memories cling to his name; Those who loved him in life sincerely, Still love him in death just the same.

Always remembered and sadly missed by wife Teresa and loved ones.

Eleventh Anniversary In loving memory of

Nineteenth Anniversary In loving memory of

Thirteenth Anniversary In loving memory of STEWART TEO CHYE SOON Departed: Feb 19, 1996 Your presence we miss, Your memory we treasure.

Loving you always, Forgetting you never.

Dearer still as the years depart, You will live forever in our hearts, Pa. Always remembered by your family, Lilian, Elaine, Jimmy, Jaramy and Lenna.

First Anniversary In loving memory of

DESMOND CHEANG MUN FOO Departed: Feb 12, 2007 Memory of you, dear, still casts a gentle glow It braces our days and lights our paths wherever we may go.

Fondly remembered by wife and children.

First Anniversary In loving memory of

MONICA THERESA PETERS NEE DE SOUZ A Departed: Feb 15, 2017 In our hearts you will always live.

Your love, your voice and your smile are forever imprinted in our minds.

Missed by all who celebrate your reunion with Papa.

GREGORY CHEOK POH SEONG Departed: Feb 17, 1999 Gone from our lives One so dear But in our hearts Forever near.

Wife Cecilia and sons Vincent & Peilin

ERIC CHAMBERLAIN 50t h Anniversary S/ O ASSIRVATHAM In ever loving Father, Son & Brother memory of Called home on 15 Feb 2017 “Rest in peace Dear loving Brother One long year Have you passed away You’re gone But are still living In the hearts of those who love you” Sadly missed by Daughter: Anne Gabrina BELSIAN MARTIN Brother: FERNANDO Fitzgerald K ennedy Departed: Feb 14,1968 Sister: Jackque line Our Lord Jesus Bubenheim & family knew what was best Brother: Richard He took you home Stevenson & family for eternal rest Brother: We wiped our tears John Baptist & family and tried not to be sad Parents: And remember the Assirvatham Gabriel precious times we had. & Anne Clara ( D e c e as e d ) relatives, ex-colleagues Dearly missed by and friends. family and loved ones.

ERIC TAN CHUN KWAN Departed: Feb 24, 2005 Among the many gifts we have received from God, we are most thankful for you.

Our fondest memories of you will always remain in our hearts.

Always cherished by family and loved ones..

Sixt eenth Anniversary In loving memory of

LILY LIM HONG DAVID Called home to be with the Lord on 14 February 2002 (Church of St Francis X avier, St Francis X avier J5) Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Dearly missed and cherished by children and loved ones.

P le a s e tu r n to p a g e 2 2 fo r m o r e in m e m o r ia m a d v e r tis e m e n ts .

ROBERT CRASTA Departed 19 February 2011 You were a husband and Dad so special We speak about you with love and pride We smile with tears that we cannot hide Your life was a blessing to us Now your memory a treasure You are loved beyond words And missed beyond measure Life has never been the same ever since But we know we are blessed with your great love As you watch and care for us from Heaven above.

Fondly remembered by your loving wife Stella, daughters Sharon, K aren, Renita, Son-in laws Ramana and Anand and all loved ones.

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Sunday February 18, 2018 n CatholicNews

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