OVEMLE
As we welcome the relics of the Blessed Pope John Paul
JOAN D'COTTA made
remembers the impact the late
I
II,
Pontff
has
in our generation.
'' Viv
at! H:lJT.#:::#;;:'fl#ffi
Xllloi. ",,n.
IN THIS ISSUE
The Pope of My Genâ‚ŹrEttioh
pnce +
And the children Came tO Him... PAGEB
Papal Mass in Singapore! Everyone was undeterred by the rain! We may have been damp and bedraggled, but we were all excited, enthralled, filled with an indescribable joy at being able to see our Pope in the flesh! Kallang Stadium is certainly no St Peter's Square, but
it did fine, the bright stadium lights
Fr Paul Goh: Father
of Faith
PAGEIr
reflected on our shining, happy faces.
The roar that rose up when we caught our first glimpse of
him
NCC? But isn't
it rivaied
SCC?
the volume of the Kallang Roar during Malaysia Cup. I was privileged to be part
of the choir that historical day - who could believe it? I'd just joined
PAGE 14
the Sanctus Spiritus Choir (for Christmas carolling) when it was announced
Relics: Objects
that all choirs were invited to join the mass choir that sang lor the Papal Mass
Gracg
... I shall never forget pride and gusto
it
PAGE 16
there r,ve stood on the open terraces, singing with
we welcomed Pope John Paul steadily, but it was "showers of blessing" to us. as
II to Singaporel The rain
fell
it
Children and VOCatiOn
PAGE18
of
Celebrating a brand new Dovetale! Parishioners,
iiiiii::stt.iCtr we
had taken a short break from producing. The PPC has taken upon
ves :;:i1::::::t*11 :l:l:l::r:::tirne ,,i
"
to ensure that this particular channel of communication is used
To this end, I extend to you, dear parishioners, an invitation to take l aIIII'aTa to ponder on what God has been doing lor you in your lives.
If
you
have any particular talent in writing or photography, do come forward and
offer your time. He may
be.
calling you and giving you a great opportunity to
serve him.
Speaking of calling, it is our duty as Christians to give consideration to what
God is calling us to. Each day at Mass, we have been praying for the Lord to send more labourers into His vineyard. You know that we use the prayer for
vocations composed by BlJohn Paul relics of BIJohn Paul
II himself It is with gratitude that we can also look forward to the visit of the
II to our parish on l7 and 1B Sep. These
are great objects worthy of veneration, but one may
wonder: is it unnecessary and perhaps even superstitious to even bother about relics? We have dedicated a space in this issue to providing a basic understanding for the Church's attention to relics (pl6). Coming up in October, we also celebrate Children's Day It is a time to give thanks for the gifts that God has given to all parents. It's is also perhaps a good time for all parents to consider how they have encouraged their children to listen to the Lord, to foster their vocation, their calling in life. The Dovetale team shares some ways parents can help do that (pl8). And is there a better way to help our children love the Lord, than to first spend time with Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament? Come Fri 28 Oct, we will once again have Eucharistic Adoration for Children. Be sure to bring your little ones!
Finally, we are pleased that the new Roman missal will soon be implemented. We can all look forward to a deeper experience of praying the Mass, the source and summit of our worship. Mark well this date:27
Nov
201I
the first Sunday of Advent
-
the English speaking members of the Catholic Church will
implement it together on this day. More details to come as the big day arrives.
In the mean time, enjoy the first new and improved edition of Dovetale!
"n,
u\o,c\ b*f*^* !\bng
Fr Andrew
Parish Priest
---r
COVER STORY
Indeed, that day was truly a blessing. The I
05,000-strong Catholic population
-__
of
Singaporb felt like our "papa" had come
I
__*rqry{k
{
to visit. 25 years later, looking back at that
momentous occasion, we can see the impact the Papal visit had on Singapore Catholics. The word "catholic" means
"universal", and we never felt it more than that day. We were part of the universal church, all united as one.
On 20 November 2005, the late Pope John Paul II spoke of love and peace - two simple words, but oh, so hard to achieve. It is no wonder then, that through all his travels, he continued to spread that same message to Catholics everywhere, and shared it with all who were wilLing to hear.
,td
The multilingual pope reached out to diverse audiences
-
the rich and
powerfirl, the young and the cld, the poor, the disenfranchised and the
downtrodden. As the successor to the apostle Peter and the vicar of Christ, he brought the Gospel message far and
wide. He inspired, he challenged, he
-I
listened and he took on the weight of the
I felt that familiar
world upon his shoulders. He built the
was a member
Church into a sacrament of uniry love
Church, who gathered to for the
and smiling; while we felt the loss, we
and peace for all the world.
Eucharistic celebration and to bid a final
rejoiced that his su{Iering was over and
farewell to a beloved pope.
he was with the Lord.
Did we
and many encyclicals were written. He
A week after, we attended a memorial mass at Holy Spirit Church. I'd
Ieft a legacy that will live on, because he
volunteered to prepare the pre-mass
inkling. Because we knew that our
touched our minds, our hearts and our
PowerPoint slideshow on the late Pope's
generation had already been blessed.
souls.
life and death; sorting through the
sense
of privilege
of the universal Catholic
at the interest the world had in the late Pope,
I noticed that we were all happy
Throughout his papacy, more audiences were held, more saints were canonized,
guess
then that sainthood was
on the cards? We might have had some
X\|I
countless photographs available, it was
On I May 201l,
On 2 April 2005, Divine Mercy Sunday, John Paul II returned to the Lord. The Church had lost its "papa", but rejoiced
soon obvious how the images showed the
proclaimed in Latin'From now on Pope
many facets of this man of God.
John Paul shall be called'blessed'. In his homily, Pope Benedict said thatJohn Paul
in the gift of his life and work, and how
After the mass, I joined some of the St David's choir members for supper at a
had 'the strength of a titan' and gave
he had changed the way the world looked at the Catholic Church. In the days
nearby coffee-shop. As we talked about
after, we watched the live telecast of the
how we avidly watched the Requiem
We praise the Lord for giving us
requiem mass at St Peter's Square. Again,
Mass at St Peter's Square, and marveled
.|ohannes Paulus
Pope Benedict
millions of people 'the strength to believe'.
Il.
.r, :.:,a
Pope
John Paul II
;#;l;"1.,.
*; r?.."'
Lord wants you to be intrepid apostles of His Gospel and builders of a new humanity." These
five hours to be exact) to our island on 20 Nov 1986. I was only nine then
words continued to resonate deep in the recesses
and it hadn't really hit me that such an event was highly historic.
of my heart.
John Paul Singapore.
Pope
II remains
Till
today,
the only Catholic Pope to have ever visited Steeped in mediocrity and darkness, the world
I've to admit my knowledge of PopeJohn Paull II is limited to the articles written about him in the Catholic News and a comic-book biography of his life published by Marvel Comics (1983). I still get embarrassed whenever friends from another religious denomination ask me questions about this affable pontificate. However, there's one thing I'm pretty certain and that is
the special relationship PopeJohn Paul
II
had with Catholic youths.
today ofler fragmentation, Ioneliness and alienation. As a working professional entering into his mid-30s, I see many of my peers, Christians and non-Christians
alike
uncertainty, incompleteness, doubt in traditional values and a certain feeling
In
1984, he launched his bold pastoral plan by initiating the World Youth
including myself,
struggling to find hope and God in today's increasingly secular society characterised by
of malaise. My
generation had plagued with discontent, cynicism
Day with the intention of bringing young Catholics from all parts of the world together to celebrate the faith. Who can forget his message for World Youth Day 2000 in Rome where he wrote to young Catholics throughout the world unforgettable words that became the rallying cry lor theJubilee's
and fatigue and these maladies have spiritually blinded us. In desperate need of clear guidance, PopeJohn Paul II came along and offered us wise
greatest celebration: "Young people of every continent, do not be afraid
kind of hope my generation longed gave us the strength and constancy we needed to cope with
to be the saints of the new millennium! Be contemplative, love prayer: be coherent with your faith and generous in the service of your brothers and
counsel. His perennial message of hope
-
the
the vicissitudes of everyday life.
of the Chureh and builders of peace. To succeed in this demanding project of life, continue to listen to His Word, draw
It hit the nail on the head - showing
strengths from the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Penance. The
should not be satisfied with worldly success,
sisters, be active members
+
us that we
NEWS material possessions or Scientific Rationalism. His rich, mellifluous voice spoke our vernacular, represented wholesomeness and authenticity.
\{tthout
Dovetale returns with a fresh look
a doubt, even the most cynical amongst
us could not help but believed when he made
it clear that we were the answer to the world's problems and that my generation was not only
After nine 1'ears of bringing good news, the parish newsletter took a hiatus in late 2009, as preparations for the GoldenJubilee went into full swing.
the future of the Church, but also its present. The we took stock of 50 golden
theme he chose for the 17th International World
Then,
Youth Day in Toronto, 2002, added credence to
years, we saw how our parish has
of the earth. You are
grown in size and diversity. We've
his belief; "You are the salt
as
Charh
ofr,'. Hab S?rit
evolved into a community that has
the light of the world" (Mt 5:13-14).
gron n in the spirit, and we continue growing. Those wonderful stories
To us, he was more than a Pope. He was our
-
captured in the cornmemorativeJu-
our Papa who invested his lile in us, shared in our joys and insecurities, chided us when we
bilee magazine told us there is even
misplaced our trust in God and instilled in us
more "treasure" to be found in the
Biblical values and principles we now hold
life and activities of this vibrant par-
Papa
so
dear; the beaury of marriage, the sacredness
of
ish communiry
-
we should docu-
family life, the challenge of fidelity and integrig*
ment dre living history as we live it.
and the dignity and sacredness of the human life.
Dovetale had ro make a return.
As I reflect on his papacy, I cannot help but
So it is back, reinvented as a rnagazine
marvel at the scale ol his handiwork that had
that hopefully everyone will enjoy reading.
impacted legions around the world - and to say this ar,rrncular gentleman awed me would be a
As I scanned through the list of articles I can't help noticing how the new-look Dovetale
gross understatement.
parallel the "genre" ot- the bible-writing:
Thomas Rosica. CSB llormer National Director and CEO, World Youth day 2002 and Fr.
CEO, Salt & Light Catholic Media Foundation and Television Network) succinctly summed
. . . . .
seems
to
Looking for EpistJes? Don't miss the letters from our priests; Updates on the li{b of the community (Acts) ... there's plenty. Personal testimony? We've got them. StoriesJ Definitely! Foetry? OK, that we don't have, yet!
up my sentiments in his keynote address at
ol the Australian Catholics Bishop Conference in 2008, New South Wales, Australia: "It is important the National Youth Leader Gathering
to realise that PopeJohn Paull
"Noah waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf" (Gen B: l0-1 l).
II did not invent
World Youth Day. Rather, they were born in the heart ol a young, Polish priest by the name of
Karol Wojtyla, who from the beginning of his priestly ministry made a special place for young people in his life. His example is clear if we hope to reach the young - make place for them in your heart and ministry from the very beginning."
Here it is, brothers and sisters, bearing clear signs of the life of our vibranr parish communiry - Dovetale, back and better than ever.
Be a part of
the new Dovetale!
Here's how you can be involved:
. If you have a particular talent in writing or photography,
we
need you to cover events happening at our parish;
PopeJohn Paul II, his legacy looms large over
. If you know a parishioner
an entire generation and continues to have a
lasting and profound impact on today's youth, shaping their lives regardless of their faith
.
you think we all should know or from
whom we can all draw inspiration from, we'd like to hear more; Share with us what you like about the new-look Dovetale, and
rell us what you would like to see in future.
and denominational background; Catholics, Protestants and non-Christians alike.
Email us at doaetale@hojspiiL.sgand we'll get in touch with you!
I
T AROUND THE PARISH
Eventus: Experiencing God in special ways On 2 and 3 Sep,
B0 youths gathered
in our
parish with the desire to find Christ in places unexpected. Divided into four categories
-
Adventure', 'Social Action', Art' and
'Performance' the youths were given an experience based on their choices. Some climbed to the summit of Bukit Timah
Hill, others walked from Serene Centre do',,r,n the Urban landscape of Bukit Timah Road, until they arrived at StJoseph's Church (Bukit Timah), prayng along the way and taking pictures of things they saw God in. Still others were paired up and given the responsibility
of cleaning one-room flats, or were tasked to present a Performance at Mass that evening.
There were also those who chose to experience God through 'Art'; they were guided through an experience of self-discovery and self-
realisation through artistic exercises such as moulding clay and drawing who they saw themselves to be.
individual's interests, many of the participants were able to experience God's love in different
of God, Euentus
ended off with mass celebrated by Fr Andrew.
It
10
of our youths went to Spain
to
join almost two million other young
people to celebrate World Youth Day (IVYD), a weekJong festival (16-21
Aug) that culminated with Mass with Pope Benedict XVI. Before heading to Madrid to meet the Holy Father, four members of the FUEL youth Community joined a group from St Ignatius Church to attend MAGIS, a programme leading up to \{YD to help them discover God in all things through the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. 99 di{ferent experiences, grouped
w
into six categories (Ecology, Pilgrimage, Social Service, Spirituality, FaithCulture and Art & Creativitf were held across Spain, Portugal and North Africa.Joel Koh, a 21-year-old NUS student, who was assigned to a Social
Because each unique experience catered to the
ways. Through the grace
Young People return from WYD with experience of a lifetime!
is with much hope that youths, after
experiencing this event, will continue to be empowered and will in turn empower others
to experience God in our world! Euenhts was planned in conjunction with the FUEL youth community's fifth anniversary
Service experience ttied'Fraternifit and Companinnship Skin Deep', was sent
to
teach a group of African immigrants
to write and read Spanish. "I was a
bit worried, considering that none of us Singaporeans knew any Spanish,"
Joel shared, "It was very challenging ... but it taught me to love all of God's creation, and not just parts ol His creation which are convenient to love".
Another six youths went to Spain with the Verbum Dei communiry A member lrom this group, ChristopherJohn Peter, was moved by God's gracc that allowed him to make the trip, "I needed a break from my work. I was burnt out and I knew it was time to break away and go on honeymoon with God," Christopher said, adding that his favourite memory is celebrating the Holy Mass with the rest of the participants. "[t was] at the air field. There were two million people, celebrating and giving reverence to the Lord. It was so powerful, and it showed me how big Christianity is in the world." For Gabriella Kow, 20, who was also part of the St Ignatius group, has been an experience
of
a
\4YD
lifetime: "With time away from my fast paced
lifestyle, I was able to reconnect with God once again, and found him in the least likely of places," she said. "My eyes have been opened and the
Holy Spirit has touched me through the sharings, the Mass, and mostly, the people. Learning and sharing about our faith with other countries through dance and song are moments that I will treasure dearly".
Regular Eucharistic Adoration for young people kicks off It began
25 Aug, after months of prayer and
simple desire amongst members
discussion, iAd.ore happened, the very
Tradition. 'As a monthlv fixture on tJre calendan it can be something the
of the Friends ofJesus young
first Eucharistic adoration session catered
young people of our parish can look
several months back as a
ol
adults.community to be closer to
lor
Jesus. Together, they visited several Adoration rooms to pray in the Real
Marshall Penafort, 28, the leader of the communiry says that the programme
Presence
ol
the Lord. [n Adoration,
t-he
young people
forward to definitively," he said.
the parish.
iAdore Eucharistic atlorationfor louths and
aims to bring young adults and youth
will
ltoung adults
take place
into a deeper relationship withJesus
Thursr!ry of the mctnth,
lasting peace and joy, one which they
through Eucharistic adoracion, Scripture
Chapet.
desired to share with others. So on
reading and celebrating our Catholic
b1
the young people discovered
a
B.
eunl fourth lSpm al the
with an hour of adoration, followed
fet towsh ip
un
til
I hpm
Holy Spirit X: A fun-filled Pentecast for the kids On 5June,
a week trefore Pentecost,
aged four ta eight came together
children
in the Upper
Room to parlicipale in the first-ever camp for our young ones in crle bration ol our parish Feast Day.
I{amed "Holy Spirit X
- The Power ol Christ",
the camp was organised by the Legion of Mary
RCIA: A Conversion Experience
Junior praesidium, Our Lady of the Cenacle, and eo-hosted by the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children lRCIC) lacilitators, to bring lhe message
of Pentecost to our
litt-le ones. Held in a superhero
The RCIA ministry started a newJourney with a Welcome and Opening Nght on 26May. During the first period of thejourney, the Inquiry period, our Inquirers are invited to ask questions about Christianity and receive truthful, lifesharing answers from their sponsors. The Rite ol Acceptance
theme, 41 children attended the camp, ttrimming
and Welcome, is a celebration where baptised and unbaptised
and action songs lrom lOam to 4pm. The key
inquirers publicly declare to the church their intentions to
acdviry
continue their faith journey The Church welcomes and accepts
the kids went through seven stat-ions. to earn
them
as persons
who intend to become its members. Our
with energy and enr-husiasm to learn how to become Christ-sent superheroes.
The children participated in a variety of games
ol
the day was the station games, where
badges as proof
ol them attainine
inquirers (now catechumens) and candidates will then continue their conversion journey within our faith community. During
of the Holy Spirit. After enjoFng
this first major Rite, held on 27 Aug at the 5.30pm Mass, 22
how to make a rosary
the seven gilts a lbst food
lunch, they were recharged and eager to learn
-
a first lor many
ol rhem
youths from the RCIY and
lrefure the day came to an end with a paraliturgy,
signed with the Cross,
using the Pentecost readings accompanied with a
l2 children lrom the RCIC were the sign of our salvation. Those who
answer God's call will need to learn how to let go and die to
old ways of life, which often is not
re-enactment by their facilitators.
easy.
following Christ. Indeed, in faith, we are confident that for our
Apart {rom the lreebies the kids took back, the children also brought the Holy Spirir, along with a deeper understanding of God's love and empowerment of his people. With their new-
catechumens and candidates who persevere, the end of their
fiound "superpowers"l let's pray ficr these kids,
journey will be more marwellous than can be imagined!
that they grow into splendid young Christians!
In this beautiful Rite, the Church consecrates and makes holy
-
sets
apart
those who are committing themselves to
Shaun .Nathan
RCIT
catechumen Kcgleigh Wee shares herjournel
Turn to page I 0 to read her reflection.
sofar uith Douetak.
I
MINISTRY LIFE
I
I
and all the little children cometo Him.
ooo
Since
Ma2 lastyear, our paish has
been
brins*S children to our
Euchaistic Lord, in adoration. But, as it turns out, as the adult facilitators introduce the little ones to the Lord, they are moued to a deeper louefor the Lord, b2 the exampk of the children.
T-l
I
iPad. online games. Children
I
As the Archdiocesan Coordinator, Sr
I aC e D O OK.,H:#:;nffi:ffi:.
Angie meets up with different parents
generation ago, the Internet was hailed as the world's greatest innovation, even at a
calendar. With a simple structure
connecting speed of 56kbps. Fast forward several decades, and we find a majority of
vocal prayer and silent adoration, the
us taking Internet connectivity for granted. The problem, howeve4 is that while our
CEA gives children the opportuniry to
that our forefathers could only dream of having
indeir
time. Not more than a
children have become more well connected to the world, there is a genuine valid
-
-
and
or catechists to plan the session, usually themed according to the Liturgical
of
explore prayer in many ways.
concern that they have become disconnected from God.
Of course, there
are challenges. Some
There is reason for us to sit up and take action. There is a need to re-connect our kids
of
to God our Father again. And thankfully, there is hope. And it's available, right here.
children will not be patient enough. But
At our parish.
testimonies have shown that children
us may already be thinking that our
themselves are surprised at how Sr Angeline Lim,
FMDM
has been leading the charge, along with a committed group
sessions
with the Blessed Sacrament
of parents and catechists, in encouraging this reconnection with God through the Children Eucharistic Adoration (CEA). Since May 2010, Sr Angie and her team have
are not as dry as they first imagined.
dedicated themselves to leading children toward Christ, and introducing them to
for example, faced opposition when
the mystery of the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist. And how crucial this
she
has been to the formation
of our little
ohes.
With
so
many forms of distractions, one
could easily imagine the empty adoration rooms in a matter of years,
if
our children
do not learn and appreciate the power of adoration of our Blessed Lord. o
Lidia (occupation, parish, ministry) brought her eight-year-old for the
session.
"My
son told me after the
session: 'Mummy, it was not as boring as
I thought it would be.'When I
asked him
"Let the Children Come
to Me!'
Mallhew l9:14
of Hope" more than
decades ago. Over
and parents," she said, "For me, it's
the years, word was spread, and the
wonderful to introduce young children to
programme was introduced in many
the Real Presence ofJesus in the Blessed
parishes and Catholic schools around
Sacrament. Children pray so naturally
the world.
belore the Blessed Sacrament, because they have a capacity to connect with God more
Fr Antoine came to Singapore for
which part he liked the most, Gabriel
the first time in April last year) at
said he liked the part when there was
the invitation of the Serra Club
silence with the guitar playing sofdy.
It
moved him close to tears." The Lord does touch diflerent individuals
in
different ways.
of
or keeping silent. During the sessions, they are given roles by facilitators to
contribute to the session in small ways:
With a good mix of prayer, song, silence
Singapore, as one of the speakers at their 15th Bi-Annual Asian Convention. It was during his stay here that Fr
in being part of this community, where
Antoine conducted
to a real prayer life from a young age,
a
workshop for
parents and catechists that sparked the
And it is by no means that children are just sitting there merely verbalizing words
easily and readily than many grown-ups."
interest in bringing CEA to Singapore.
With the blessing of Archbishop Nicholas, the CtrA was started, and have been hosted at Holy Spirit monthly since.
and scripture, children have much to gain they can, as peers, encourage one another
simply by praying sincerely themselves. But it is not just the children who have taken much out
ol
these sessions. The
parents who bring their children to these sessions, the
facilitators and the catechists
also grow lrom these sessions.
carrying lighted candles, ringing the accompanying the priest bringing the
Fruits of labour While it has been
Blessed Sacrament into the room where
the community has grown and now
the table is set as an altar.
sees a
bell to indicateJesus' coming, and
"I a
lot of hard work,
regular attendance of about 50
childre.n, accompanied by their parents,
Iives
of parents and children during group
sharings," Sr Angie testifies. "You may call this a mystery. I believe the children lead
the adults toJesus! So often, it is the child
How lt All Began
each month. Sr Angie shares
It
at the growth of the programme:
who will enthuses his parents to pray
inspired to start a Children's Eucharistic
"The greatest fulfillment is seeing the
before the Blessed Sacramentl It is truly a
Adoration community called "Children
transformation in the lives ol children
faith-filled experience. "
was Fr Antoine Thomas CSJ who was'
herjoy
get a glimpse of a transformation of the
who brings the family together in prayer,
T WALK WIT"ffi ffiffiffi
I've
;:".'J:#Jffi#Tnlil'
took the leap and signed up Ibr the Rite of Christian Initiation Youth (RCIY] at the Church of Holy Spirit.
After two months of formation, the RCIY inquirers were linally ready lor the Rite of Acceptance (RoA), on 27 Aug. A week be{bre, one of the ibrmators approached mc and talked to me about the Acceptance, telling me it was a vital phase because
I
was confirming my readiness to accept God. She asked
me to spend the u,eek preparing myself by thinking
about why I wanted to become Catholic, and what it meant to lead the life of a Christian. I spent the week thinking but I couldn't work out any significant way it would, except that I could receive Holy Communion after I was baptised.
Then came the day. In a solemn ceremony, we assembled in front of the altar. I'r Paul asked: "My dear inquirers, r,vhat do you ask of God's Church?" There was a pregnant pause, no one quite brave enough to profess what they wanted. I looked down at the
Accepting His lnvitation
pamphlet and there was the answer staring at me : "We ask lor Faith". Fr Paul conl-inued, "What does this faith o{Ter
you?" This time the reply came back stronger)
"Eternal Lifle". Then he invited us to lace our sponsors, who then signed us with the cross on our ears, that we may
of the Lord, on our eyes, that we may alrvays see the glory of God, on our lips, that we may respond to the word of God, and over our hearts, always hear the voice
RCIT/RCIC Rite of Acceptance and Rite of Welcoming r.uas celebrated on 2 7 Aug RCIT C atechumen I{AYLEIGH WEE shares her The
.journe;rt into the Church sofar
that Christ may dr,vell there by faith. This is u,hat I learnt from my Rite of Acceptance that I seek to cnter the Catholic faith so that I can trust
in God wholeheartedly, to never doubt everything He does for me, and to have utmost faith in His love lor us.
I do this
so
that He might one day accept me into His
kingdom and so that I can have eternal life with Him.
It darvned on me that the di{Ierence between the Christian lile and the one I have been living is that God should now be my priority; my life should now revoive around God, instead of being a mere part of my life on Sundays. Myjourney in RCIY has been an
enlightening one thus far, but the RoA has put into perspective what it means to be Catholic. As I continue my journey, now as a Catechumen in RCIY, I hope to
better understand the Catholic laith, be open to God, and of course. to be baotised ncrt Easter.
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#i W. ba
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by Hilary
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qj a (J
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a 17-year-old boy whose ramily were non-catholic christians. rr he came up to you one day and told you he wanted to become Catholic,
because he had discovered in his reflections and reading
of the Bible that the Catholic
Church was indeed the one thatJesus Christ founded, you would most likely be blown away by not just the ability to make comparisons and apply the evidence to his faith. You would also be in awe of his initiative to take his faith seriously.
Many people at that age are busy with school and socialising. Not Fr Paul Goh. Even as a young student growing up in a Protestant family, he read the scriptures diligendy, and sought to find the meaning of his faith. It led him to the Catholic Church.
"I
was fortunate to be at St Patrick's
Bible, and learned to pray"
School
we learned about God there, read the
Fr Paul credits his road to the Church to his school. But in
truth, the school merely provided the means. Fr Paul himself took the initiative, asked the questions and sought for answers. "Reading Scripture and looking at the evidence available, it became clear to me thatJesus Christ did found the Catholic Church. The sacraments also made so much sense to me. Christ, who founded the Church, would
protect it, heal it
-
and that's what the Sacrame nts are for. It was just logical."
And it was that same way of thinking, with a level of maturity beyond his years, that led him to contemplate joining the priesthood. "I thought to myself; I only have one life, how do I best use this one life?" he said, "We all have the same destination in the end, whatever we choose to do with our lives, it's got to lead us to Heaven. I felt
strongly for the priesthood, so I gave it a go." 11
T
PROFILE
But interestingly enough, it was the priesthood that provided one of the obstacles in his becoming a Catholic in the first
In fact, what he really needed was a renewal. And, being the character of strong will and initiative as he's always been, Fr
place. "Even before I was baptised, I had a feeling somewhere
Paul sought for and was granted permission to go to the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Manila. In the seven months the
deep within me that God was calling me to be a priest, but initially I'didn't want to be a priest! Better to get married, I
thought to myself!" he said laughing almost as il embarrassed to share this part of his journey,"If I didn't become Catholic, then I couldn't be a priest!"
stayed there, among a community
"It But he got past that road block and did become Catholic. But how did he navigate past the real worry - Q6i's calling to the
"I realised after reading Scripture that there is more to life that earning bread and butter ... and when you don't give God a chance, you feel an emptiness in your heart. And that emptiness almost becomes painfirl." He was ready priesthood?
to fill that void. And it helped that his teachers and mentors in school motivated him, not by words, but through their very lives.
"I
saw the example of good priests. They, along with the La
of about B0
priests from
various countries, he synthesized and refreshed all that he had learnt in his nine years in seminary. was so wonderful, but that was a refreshment in the head,"
he said, tapping his left temple. His heart was still empty. The
turning point was when he attended a Life in the Spirit Seminar that a fellow priest friend was conducting during his stay in Manila. "I remember that encounter with the Holy Spirit. It was so beautiful, and it was so real." It kick-started a soul that was desperate to love and serve God fully. "That very night, I prayed for three hours - and it didn't feel like it was enough!" Fr Paul was re-energised by a power greater than his own. He prayed more, and more fervendy than before.
Selle brothers, served God with so much joy, and they made a
di{ference in my life. This, I thought, this was a vocation of .joy!
I had So
in
to
join in."
1961,
at23,Fr
Paul joined the seminary and was
ordained nine years later.Just one year into the priesthood, Fr Paul received an affirmation from the Lord. He recalls fondly, 'As I was entering my second year in the priesthood, I had to counsel a young couple who had become disillusioned by financial woes. They were ready to die together, there and then.
I
spoke with them, trying to persuade them that life was worth
living, that God could help them
il
they stayed close to him."
Fr Paul remembers meeting one of the two people he had counseled just a few years back. "They had survived the
ordeal. And almost 40 years later, they are doing ok. They have a son, who is doing exceptionally well."
"I
am glad God used an unworthy person like me to help them
through that difficult period ... I am convinced that we priests are called to bring faith and hope to the people of God. Many people live in despair, and see no meaning in life. I had nothing to offer that young couple except encouragement, but that was enough to save them from making a big mistake."
That's not to say that it was all a bed of roses. Everyone goes through a dry period, and Fr Paul was no di{ferent. 'Around the fourth or fifth year fin the priesthood],
I started feeling
Iost and dry. I was spending a week preparing for a l0 minute sermon, and it came to a point where I asked myself, is this all there is? I felt unfulfilled
... I was so close to throwing in the
towel and walking away."
t2
f &i
Today, more than 35 years after that
are about the same; we have tall people,
sports hasjust never been a big part of
experience, Fr Paul has learned much,
short people, thin ones and fat ones," he
his life.
and knows his priorities. "Prayer life
.jokes, "but they all make up the same
very important. When I was young, I prayed, but it was not central to my life. My priority was preparing the
Church. So it's no di{Ierent. I like to
That, in no way implies that Fr Paul is
think of the Church
unhealthy. Every morning, he wakes up
The Bishop can tell you to go centre
at 5am
one sermon that the people could take
midfield, or quarterback or goalkeeper."
the day
vine to branches, he needs to first be
Picking up a possible interest by way
morning Masses and breaklast with Fr
connected to the Lord, in order to give
of his sports analogy, I
the Lord's message.
a football fan (Perhaps an Manchester
duties. Fr Paul also sets aside about
United fan). "No, no, I don't watch much football. I played lootball during my days as a seminarian but that's only part of our training. But I've never been
an hour fbr prayer some time in the
is
as a
playing field.
stretching. A bit of prayer, alternate
home." Fr Paul had understood that like
Having serwed in no less than eight parishes since his ordination, Fr Paul has had the experience
of working with
asked
il
he was
di{Terent kinds of people. To him, there
a sports person." Fr Paul likes to travel,
is little diflerence between parishioners
has a keen interest in photography (as
from different churches, he says.
'i\ll
- he firmly believes in starting young and takes a bit of time
his vast collection of photos testifes), but
Andrew sets him going about his daily
afternoon, no matter how busy he is. "It's
important to keep a healthy prayer life. And if one is busy, all the more he must spend time in prayer." Apart from those regulars items to check
off on the to-do list, there
is something
new every now and then. "You are nevet never sure," Fr Paul says, as he flips his heavily marked organiser. He turns
it
slightly to o{Ier me a view, and I take a glance. It looks like a fairly busy week for Fr Pau1, but he is last to warn: "We must
"Many people liue in despair, and see nto ?ne&lt
*s in lifu
make sure there's time for God and for rest. Sometimes
if I'm
really tired, I just
have to take a break, for the sake of the people and for your own sake."
Hardworking and willing to go the distance, but balanced and realistic at
the same time. It is hard to imagine a 17-year-old who wouid venture so lar as
...
I arn corlainced
to seek the fullness of truth that is in the Catholic Church. Such a deep, mature young person would be hard to find.
that we priests are called to bringfaith end hope to the
That boy now
serves
in our parish, as
priest to the people. What a gift we have
in Fr Paul Goh.
If
all Catholics, young
and old, would draw the sense of wonder and the zeal for God from Fr Paul, I get a feeling that shortage of vocations
will
not be a problem in our diocese in time to come.
people of God."
t3
"NCC? Isn't it SCC?"
lTml;T.iffiT:*
reason, because for over 20 years the Archdiocese of Singapore has used the term SCC. So why the sudden switch from the
'S'to the 'N', and does it matter at all?
Of course, 'S' stood for 'small' and 'N' stands for 'Neighbourhood'. Archbishop Nicholas Chia, together with the Senate of Priests, decided to cease the usage of the term 'Small Christian Community' or SCC, in favour of 'Neighbourhood Christian Community' or NCC. Parishes and diocesan organisations were requested to adopt the change
ol terminology in their communications
and publications by the second-half of 201 1. Before we get behind the reason for the change in terminology, let's look at the reasons for building
Small Christian Communities. The idea behind the word'small'was two-fold. On one level, 'small'is, quite simply, the opposite of 'big'. On another level, 'small' refers to something that is basic. For many years the parish was the most basic level of a local Church, which is a diocese. Therefore all
activities to serve the needs of Catholics were organised on the parish level. This can be seen in the many ministries that we have in parishes. In time, however, the Bishops in many countries recognised that their parishes had grown too big to meet basic needs of all their parishioners. As in any big organisation, this could lead to individual members becoming just a number. This was not what should happen in a Church-community. Therefore many Bishops, including our own Archbishop, saw the need to build smaller communities within the parishes. For in order to live out the call to community, which is fundamental to our life as
followers of Christ, we cannot say that we are committed to a community which remains a big,
abstract and. faceless group of people. That is why the members of the universal Church are all part
of
a parish, to make the vision more concrete. But as parishes grew bigger the need arose to organise
parishes in smaller geographical units: the neighbourhoods.
l4
just be part of a bigger community? The call to community is part of our universal call to holiness.Jesus never called disciples to follow Him individually. He called them to follow Him together. And even when He sent them out on mission trips, He sent them out tlvo by two. To grow in holiness, we cannot just say we love God, whom we cannot see, if we Why can't
we
and 'for all'. Thus the Church has always organised itself geographically, in order to be all inclusive and to make sure that everyone is taken care of. Thus besides these 'communities by specific calling', the Archbishop wants the parishes the divide
itself into neighbourhood groups, which ensures that every parishioner is part of a smaller community.
not love our 'brother'first, whom we can see (cf. I John 4:20).
In the same way, we cannot
say we love
The idea of "Small" Christian Communities has not been
our brother, unless
he becomes concrete. We can't just love mankind in general, unless mankind becomes concrete in individual human beings. And these individuals cannot just be people we like and those
abandoned at all. The purpose of changing "Small" into
whom we already consider our friends. These should be every
parishionersandwhichlormcommuniLiesinwhich.lovingyour
individual that God gives to us as our 'neighbour'. For that is our call: "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Mt 22:39). And that 'neighbour' may even include your enemy, whom we are
neighbour' can become very
also called to love (cf,
Mt 5:44).
"Neighbourhood" was to specify to parishes that we are talking about a network ol communities which encompasses all
concrete.
,'.,:',l.ii
This vision of building NCCs. which is the vision to build a communion of communities because NCCs need to remain united in one parish in union with their shepherd, the parish
By now the need to organise the parishes into even smaller units
Priestisnotaboutstartingpost-AlphagroupsorpoSt-RCIA
has become clearer. In order to grow in holiness, we need to be part of a communiry one in which we are not just a number to "the rest", and in which no one of "the rest" is a number to me.
groups. Many parishes have started such groups, or have tried to push catechumens to become RCIA lacilitators in order to keep them active in Church. This they did.
oi
course. with
the best intentions, but not always with good results, So is the idea
;
:;.#
because
:,,,,,,:,,
different people have different charisms. Thus the vision of
of Small Christian Communities to be totally
abandoned? When it comes to your personal call and charism,
ourArchdioceseistobuildNCCs,forintheir..basic-ness'',
it is important to remember that God continues draw people to join or to start specific communities for specific missions. In
there is a place for everyone to journey with others and
use
:
,
their gifts.
the Church we have many such communities, like the Focolare movement, the Neo Catechumenal Way and many more. They are not geographically organised, yet they have the blessing
of
Because
of the
address of your house, you are
part of an NCC, even
if
automatically
.
.'
you have never been involved yet. And
Still, the Church needs to take care of everyone. That is
Catholic, , but become active in your NCC, even if you are already in a ;, ,. ministry so that "loving thy neighbor" can become something
why she is called 'Catholic', since her mission is 'universal'
real and meaningful.
the Church and have proven to be fruitful.
that is where the invitation lays: don't be an inactive
:,
,:,,
:.:
I
OUR FAITH C
IT Ir
o0lects L,
It
:::
gK&gw
is a priuilegefor us to haue the relics of Bkssed John Paul
of
II in our parislt. Manl,t
us haue known and adrnired this well-loued Pope in ltis ltears Ef seraice as the
Vicar
of
Wlry do
Christ. But do his old belongings reaQt matter? What exactlt are relics? rfle
-f I
pq
suclt attention to tltem and wltat rok do tlte2 ltaue in ourfaith?
of those who have way While there are many who will shy away
is apparent that people do not regard the possessions
f
a.Ru.t.d in the
same
ILH,:",":T.*ff :ff ::i:1T:J::iT-*l;'ll^1il:#::i:.'.ff: objects. Would this not seem to be the case for us Catholics? Hence, we have the visit
of the relics ol BlessedJohn Paul II in our parish, giving us the opportunity in this article to explore the use of relics and the role they play in our faith. We are familiar with the Church's use of material things as sacred signs and symbols
of grace. We know of the
use
of sacramentals. We
use
material things like water, wine,
bread, oil, and even blessed palms. Many wrongly believe that the Church teaches that these sacramental - these objects actually provide grace. But the church has never taught that. These things, do not make God work the way a coin
mak"es
a
vending
machine work. Rather, their use
depends oz God, and not the other way around. It is God who works through them, and without God's divine intervention, these remain merely material things.Jesus' healing of the blind man, recorded in the Gospel of
John (9: l-7), for example, involved the use of mud and spitde. But it was not the mud and spittle coming together to magically heal the blind man. It wasJesus who In chaptu 19 oif the Acts
o1f the Apostl"es,
records that handlcerchiefs or aprons
Luke
uue caried
aaalfrom hit bod1, n
the
sitk
made the mixture e{ficient.
If
the blind man had done that to himself without God's
blessing, he would still have remained blind and he would have had the added task a dirty face to clean as well.
If
It
wasJesus who healed
him
of
not the mud and the spittle.
we can understand this first idea, then it is easier for us to understand the next: the
of Saints - the bones, ashes, clothing, or personal possessions of the apostles and other holy people held in reverence by the Church. The Church has never taught that relics
there is some magical power in relics. Nothing in a relic itself has any ability to cure.
Rather, the Church says that relics may be the occasion of God's miracles, and in this the Church follows Scripture.
In 2 Kings
13, the prophet Elisha's bones were used as the instruments that brought
a dead man to life: "Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands
of Moabites
used
to invade the land in the spring of the year. And as a man was being buried, lo, a marauding band was seen and the man was cast into the grave of Elisha; and as soon
l6
as the
man touched the bones ol Elisha, he revived, and stood on his feet"
(r,w 20-21).
S,i.i,!,;yJl :jli.!i
:rlll,:::i:
The woman who sffired with a hunorrhagelftr 12 Tears uas cured b) simpQ touching the hem
If
you had thought it was the bones
of Chist\
cloak, as recorded in
Mattheul
Gospel.
handkerchiefs and aprons, so he most
material, powerless things.Just as a photo
that raised the man to life that would be
definitely can work through the relics of
of a loved one in our family
bordering on superstition. Only God can
holy and noble people of faith.
remind us of who we love and why we
raise man to life after death. But in this case, God used the great prophet's bones as the
instrument of grace.
In the New Testament, a woman was cured of a hemorrhage by simply touching the hem of Christ's cloak (Mt
is used to
love him or her, reJics are a reminder of
Two points must be pre-amped. First,
the great love the Saints have for God.
surely there are fake relics out there.
They should move us to seek a greater
There are bound to be greedy people
relationship with God perhaps through
looking to take advantage of the devotion
the imitation of the Saints whose relics
and value placed on the items of the holy
the Church keeps. Whether God has
people of God. It is the same with many
worked miracles through a particular relic
9:20-22). She was not thinking that the
things: fake footballjerseys, fake Rolex
or not, our veneration of them cannot
cloak itself had special powers. She was
watches and fake dollar notes. Things
lurn into worship
focused onJesus, the Divine Healer. In
of great value will
for many Catholics and non-Catholic
the Acts of the Apostles, two more clear
crooks. For this reason, the Church has
examples stand out. In chapter 5, some
placed great care to minimise frauds.
scholar. clarified clearly in his writing,
sick people were healed simply when
Riparium: "We do not worship, we do not
Peter's shadow passed over them (14-16).
The Council of Trent said that no new relics should be recognised without the
In chapter
investigation and approval of the local
to the creature rather than to the Creator,
if need be, even the approval ol the Holy See (see Council of Trent.
but we venerate the relics of the martyrs
handkerchiels or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and
session
19, "God did extraordinary
miracles by the hands of Paul, so that
diseases
left them and the evil spirits
came out of them" (11-12). There is
always be targeted by
bishop, and
XX$.
The sale of any relic
-
this is a great concern
Christians. StJerome, the great Biblical
l/
adore, for fear that we should bow down
in order to better adore [God]'
is
also strictly and explicitly prohibited in
Enjoy the exhibition of the relics of
Canon Law.
the great BlessedJohn Paul
IL May the
objects we venerate be instruments of
indeed Biblical evidence for the use and
veneration of relics, and we are believers
A second point that has to be made, and
God's grace in our lives, and may they
in God's Word. God worked through
perhaps a more urgent one, is that we
inspire us to love our Lord with the same
Elisha's bones, Peter's shadow or Paul's
need to be clear that relics are ultimately
zeal thatJohn Paul
II had all his holy life.
I
FAMILY LIFE
1.
Talk to your children about their calling
Help your children understand what the term 'vocation' is. Explain to them that God is their first Creator, and thus has the best idea what we're called to do. Don't restrict "vocation
talk"
to
just be about being
a priest
or a nun,
but ultimately about what God is calling us to. When the misconception is cleared, the children may then be more ready to seek where God is calling them. Listen to their questions about vocation and discernment and try to guide them to finding the answers.
All the parents I know;::,#.
\Arhen the family has set aside a certain time
their children. That would include comfortable clothes, fun toys and good food. Parents who can afford to provide for their children do it gladly, while parents
of the day dedicated to God, and every member (including the head of the house)
who can't aflord to do so work hard to give as much as they can.
to drop everything they are doing in order to worship God, it is the clearest statement of
However good these things are, however -- and these things are good
of
-
not one
these can have as much value as making sure your children grow up knowing
their calling, their vocation, in life.
2. Priay regularly, together
has
God's importance in the family. Apart from
that, prayer also allows members to lift up one another in prayer. Encourage your children to ask God for direction and help in coping with
I'm not talking necessarily about the priesthood
(yes, you've
heard enough
life situations, like being in the same class with
year after year that boys should consider the priesthood) or religious life. When referring to the word "vocation", many people mistakenly (with much fear!)
asking for God's help in all other matters.
assume the topic to be vocations in the clerical or religious life. Parents are not immune from that misconception. But a vocation is ultimately a path on which
3. Observe your children
one is called to walk on. "Vocation" actually means, quite literally "to call", from
Look at your children and
the Latin "vocare". In the Catholic life, this "call" is one that comes from God,
strengths and interests are. God gives many
who is our Maker and Father. A vocation can be to the priesthood or the religious Iife, or it could be to married life, or even singlehood, or the lay consecrated life.
gifts, and some of those gifts may point them in one way or another. Encourage your children in their interests (as long as they're
Not one is superior to the other. It is God who calls, but are we listening?
a difficult classmate.
It
sets
them on a path of
see
where their
not bad habits) and help them cultivate their And why do we need to discern or listen to what God is calling us to? One can purchase a brand new state-of-the-art television, and fiddle around with it. But
skills where you can.
unless he checks with the manufacturer (via the manual or the advertisements),
The three tips here are not meant to be
he may not know that the new
TV
also has Internet connectivity, a USB port for
an exhaustive list, but they provide a good
viewing photos and videos, and a built-in blu-ray player. The TV would still work perfectly fine, but it will never fulfil its full potential. God, who made us differendy
start. You may even find that one, two or all
and specifically, knows best what we are each created for. Discerning and obeying
parents are willing to work extra hard to make
his call for each of us does not do our Father anv favours.
It benefits
us.
of them
are difficult to carry out, but most
sure their children enjoy the best of life. And since knowing where God calls is just about
\Alhile we are concerned with giving our children the best things in life, perhaps the best gift we can offer is to help them grow up with a discerning heart.
If our children
the greatestjoy one can get on earth, it's surely well worth the effort. It is part of our
discover the path God is leading them to, they may well be set on the path of true
own calling
fiilfiLment and lasting happiness. Here are three tips you can use in the family to
very best for our children. WII you deny your
encourage your children to a more discerning life, whether they are five or 15.
children the best God wants to give them?
IB
as
parents, after all, to want the
I
COMING UP This Deepavali holiday, 26 Oct, at 4.30pm, the Pastoral Care for the Sick Ministry PCS) is inviting the sick, the homebound, their caregivers and all parishioners who wish to join them in prayer to the Mass for the Sick. This once-a-year event will be an important occasion
where those who are homebound or sick come to receive
the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Communion and
Anointing of the Sick
as one
family. Carers for the sick
and parishioners can also take part in the Sacraments
in an act to reneq regenerate and recommit ourselves to God. The Mass is also the culminating event for the PCS, celebrating another more year of work in service
of
God and neighbour. Co-organiser Elaine Tan, who serves
with PCS, said that the Mass will be celebrated "as a faith cor.nmunity in thanksgiving for the past year of graces that God has bestowed upon the sick in our parish". No registration is required, and all are welcome to worship together, with a buflet and fellowship after Mass.
The NCC Core Team has organised the first Day
of Recollection for NCCs on 7 Nov and a repeat session
on l4Jan next
year. The day programme,
which starts and 9am and ends at 4prn, will include talks on faith in the communiry serving our neighbours
and reaching out to others, among others, by our parish priests. Mike Arents, the NCC Coordinator, believes this will be a good opportunity for people
involved in the NCC to gather as a community to reflect, share and grow together.
"ffhe
Day of
Recollection] will be a time to grow in our relationship
with God
as a
community and also to grow in our
relationship with each other." He adds, "Through the talks and sharing the parishioners will also get a better idea of what NCC is all about and it will help them start their own NCC meetings."
BlJohn Paul II had a wide appeal to people of all walks of life. In his ministry as priest, bishop and then pope, he embraced the theme : "One life to live, one life to give". Thus, the Vocation Promotion Team
"Come, Let's Celebrate" is the call from the Family Life Team to join them for the second bi-annual Farnily Carnp held 24-27 Nov
was inspired to kick-off a series of programmes for
at Pulai Springs Resort. After the success of the first edition in 2009,
the upcoming Vocations Awareness Weekends: Exhibition on The Life And Worlts Of Bl john Paul II and
this year's camp promises more days, more families and more fun.
of BIJohn Paul II (22 Oct). Look out for information
Mark Lim, chairperson of the Family Life Team, refuses to give much away, but says: "Participants can expect four days full of fun and activities. [t will be] a time to reflect, to reconnect as a family and grow into a closer union. ffhe camp will be] a place where love can be experienced." Every family could use a little getaway time together to deepen their bonds and become part of the community. And with a good mix of people from all generations, you don't have to worry if you're a grandfather or a grand-daughter. And at about 5$280 per adult lor lour days, it sounds Iike a good opportunity not
on times and precise venues in the parish bulletin.
to be passed up.
Veneration of Relic (17 and 1B Sep), a talk by Fr David Garcia (OP) on
the
Dignitlt of tlu Human Person (28 Sep),
the ongoing Eucharistic Adoration for Children (30 Sep), Theology
ol the Body lor the Youth
movie and talk on "The Man Who Toung
(B
Oct), a
Became Pope:
Hout The
Man Answered God's Call Td The Priesthood (15 OcQ,
and a Thanksgiving Mass to commemorate Feast Day