Friday

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Reminder : Episcopal Ordination of the Coadjutor Archbishop of Singapore, Msgr. William Goh at EXPO tomorrow, Friday, 22 February 2013

The Episcopal Ordination of the Coadjutor Archbishop of Singapore, Msgr. William Goh, will be held at the EXPO, Singapore, tomorrow, Friday, 22 February 2013, on the Feast of Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle, beginning at 7.30 pm.

For those who are going for the event, the doors will be open at 4.00 pm, and sessions of prayer will begin at 6.30 pm to prepare for the Ordination Mass which will begin at 7.30 pm. The event will be held at both MAX Pavilion and Hall 9 of EXPO. It is highly advised to take the public transport to the site, as parking spaces may be limited, and to avoid traffic jam during the event.

For more details on tomorrow and the following events after the Ordination Mass, please visit the CatholicNews site at :

http://www.catholicnews.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8332:episcopal-ordination-solemn-vespers-holy-hour-thanksgiving-mass-&catid=328:episcopal-ordination&Itemid=147

 

The official press release on the Episcopal Ordination of the Coadjutor Archbishop can be found here : 

http://www.catholicnews.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8453:press-release-episcopal-ordination-of-msgr-william-goh-as-the-coadjutor-archbishop-of-singapore&catid=328:episcopal-ordination&Itemid=147

(Text below)

 

The Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli will preside at the Mass for the Episcopal Ordination of Monsignor William Goh as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Singapore. He will be assisted by Archbishop of Singapore Nicholas Chia, and Archbishop Murphy Pakiam from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). The Ordination will be held on 22ndFebruary at 7.30 pm at the Singapore Expo (The Max Pavilion and Expo Hall 9).

The Ordination will be witnessed by the President  and Mrs Tony Tan Keng Yam, who will be joined by other dignitaries including Deputy Prime Minister and Mrs Teo Chee Hean, Members of Parliament, the President and members of the Inter-Religious Organisation, the clergy, religious and laity from Singapore and around the region.

On Saturday, 23rd February 2013, at 10.30am, Prime Minister and Mrs Lee Hsien Loong, as well as Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Lawrence Wong, will attend an Official Reception at the Catholic Spirituality Centre at Upper Serangoon Road, together with other VIPs.

Meanwhile, the Mass is expected to attract a capacity crowd of about 14,000 people from across the Catholic community in Singapore. This historic milestone in the calendar of the Singapore Catholic church comes close on the heels of the Vatican’s announcement of Msgr William’s appointment on 29th December, 2012 as the Coadjutor Archbishop

Mgsr William, who is the fourth and current Rector of St Francis Xavier Major Seminary in Singapore, was ordained as a priest on 1st May, 1985 by the late Archbishop Gregory Yong at the Church of the Holy Family. During his 27 years of service as a priest he has distinguished himself as a visionary and change-agent, turning around not just the culture of organisations especially the way seminarians are formed but also the lives of thousands through the Conversion Experience Retreats that he conducts. He is also a persuasive homilist and convincing teacher, drawing large audiences to the weekly spiritual growth talks that he conducts at the Catholic Spirituality Centre and the daily scripture reflections he posts on its website. Hence, the wide interest among many who will come to witness the Mass for the ordination of Msgr William. Among qualities attributed to him are that he is a people’s priest; one who is at once passionate about his ministry and the Church yet compassionate with all those who are wounded and in need of spiritual, emotional and psychological healing. Notwithstanding the many demands on his time, he is always ready to make time for others, often at the expense of his own comfort. He is a unifying figure who firmly subscribes to the Principles of St Augustine of unity in essentials, diversity in non-essentials but in all things, charity.

Msgr William, in sharing his thoughts on his new role said: “I see a powerhouse of bubbling enthusiasm, grace and talent among the Presbyterium and Laity (particularly the youth) that can be harnessed and unleashed to propel the Church forward in this new millennium. Together, we must find new and creative ways to catechize our youth, who are looking for a faith that is personal, real and tangible.  We must harness modern technology to influence the values of society. We must also give greater attention to the family and married life, which is under threat by a world that no longer believes in the sanctity and indissolubility of the Sacrament of Matrimony.  We must protect the institution of the family, which is the first cradle for Catholic spirituality.  The Church must reclaim its voice in influencing world views, without fear, particularly with respect to the universal values of truth and justice. We must continue to steadfastly resist the lure of secularism and relativism which threaten to suppress the voice of God by working assiduously in the areas of inter-religious dialogue and ecumenism. Unless religions unite, faith will be relegated to the private domain of an individual’s life, thereby weakening the impact of religions on society and morality.”

Notwithstanding the issues at large, Msgr William said, “What I hope for above all in my episcopacy is to be both an encouraging and supportive brother to my priests, empowering them in their ministry, and a compassionate and caring father to the laity. We must, therefore, work to becoming a vibrant, faith-filled, visionary and evangelical Church and not be complacent or satisfied with a maintenance Church. This will be achieved not only by me, nor the clergy, religious or just the laity, but together as the entire People of God in unity. Hence, ‘passion’ and ‘compassion’ will be the hallmarks and thrust of my ministry in renewing the Church in Singapore.”

The Ordination Mass
The Ordination Mass will be preceded by half an hour of Praise and Worship at 6.30 pm.

The Episcopal Ordination Mass begins with the procession of Bishops and Priests, followed by the Greeting, Penitential Rite, the Gloria, the Collect and the The Liturgy of the Word.

This will be followed immediately by the Rite of Ordination, when the Elect is presented. The Apostolic Letter is then read and the Consent of the People given. His Excellency, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, will then deliver a Homily, after which the Elect will make his Promise, followed by the Laying on of Hands on the candidate.

Following this will be the Prayer of Consecration, Anointing of the Bishop’s head and Presentation of the Book of Gospels before the Investiture. During the investiture ceremony, the newly-appointed Bishop will be presented with his ring, the mitre and crozier. The newly ordained Coadjutor Archbishop will then be led to the Seat of Bishop and embraced by the Bishops in a Kiss of Peace.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist will follow, where there will be an Offertory Procession, Holy Communion and Solemn Blessing.

A 322-strong combined church choir from the 31 parishes in Singapore will be in attendance to provide the sacramental music. In addition, 579 lay volunteers drawn from parishes across Singapore will serve in various capacities as altar servers, wardens, ushers, security, public relations and other duties. The Episcopal Ordination Mass will be concelebrated by 17 bishops and 151 priests from Singapore and the region.

As Coadjutor Archbishop

Msgr William will be the second Singapore-born clergyman to hold the office of Archbishop. The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd will be the seat of Coadjutor Archbishop William when the current Archbishop Nicholas Chia retires. Thereafter, Archbishop William will lead the flock of 31 churches (28 parish churches and 3 non- parish churches).  As at October 2012, there are 71 diocesan priests, 71 religious priests, 35 religious brothers and 166 sisters serving the people in different capacities, from parish priests, counsellors, social workers to teachers and nurses.

The Catholic population in Singapore is approximately 303,000, which includes permanent residents and foreigners living and working here.

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Friday, 15 February 2013 : Friday after Ash Wednesday (Scripture Reflection)

Today, and many other days in this season of Lent, we are asked to do penance, and repent, and truly focus our attention back to the Lord. Also today being friday, we usually do the practice of abstinence, that is to abstain from eating meat, particularly red meat today. We also have the practice of fasting, which all of us Catholics must do on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, on which day we fast, by eating only a full meal and up to two smaller meals or snacks.

Have we done our part in doing these fasting and abstinence practices? These are the practices highly recommended for us to be done during this season of Lent. One may ask, then why don’t we fast like those Muslims or other religions do? That when they fast, they do not eat for long hours of the day, and fast for a whole month, then why don’t we just fast for the whole of the 40 days, and eat only once per day? Does it not fit better with the description of Lent as a season for fasting?

No, the reason we do not fast for such periods is because, we do not want to lose the focus of fasting, that fasting should not be done for the sake of fasting, that fasting should indeed be done out of sincere love for God and desire to turn back fully to the Lord. Fasting should be a facilitator of our repentance and a vessel through which we can better focus our attention to God. For in the reading today, the Lord tells us that He do not desire our fasting and abstinence, but rather our hearts, our broken and sinful hearts, that truly change and repent into renewed and sanctified hearts through our complete transformation, not only physically, but most importantly, the transformation of what is inside us.

Therefore, what matters this Lent is that we strive to make changes in our life, from those things that we have done in sin, slowly and surely we turn these into things done for the glory of God. For when we fast, it is to actually turn our focus and attention into our hearts, to look inside, whether we have done what is concrete to change from our sinful ways and walk into the light. For it is wrong when we fast or abstain, but we end up doing the opposite, for example, there are some who abstain on Fridays of the Lent, but then gather together and have a seafood BBQ or seafood party. Well technically you are not eating meat indeed, and fish is the alternative allowed, but then you are missing the point of fasting if you do so.

The same is also when you fast, but then during the fast, you grumble and think why should I waste my time with this fast, and look forward to the meal time, and when the meal time comes, you just devour as much food as you can. This is also missing the point on doing fasting during this holy period of Lent.

Therefore brothers and sisters in Christ, in this Lenten period, do fast, and do abstain, and if you like even not only on Fridays, but also on other days of the Lent if you want to, but most importantly, do not forget that what matters is to make sure that we are changed internally, and that we make use this time, to bring ourselves closer to God, closer to Him who loves us, and willing to accept us back into His embrace, if only we reject our sins and turn our face back towards the Light. May God bless all of us in this Lent, and have a blessed fast and abstinence everyone! Amen.

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Friday, 15 February 2013 : Friday after Ash Wednesday (Gospel Reading)

Matthew 9 : 14-15

Then the disciples of John came to Him with the question, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast on many occasions, but not Your disciples?”

Jesus answered them, “How can you expect wedding guests to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The time will come, when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

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Friday, 15 February 2013 : Friday after Ash Wednesday (Psalm)

Psalm 50 : 3-4, 5-6a, 18-19

Have mercy on me, o God, in Your love. In Your great compassion blot out my sin. Wash me thoroughly of my guilt; cleanse me of evil.

For I acknowledge my wrongdoings and have my sins ever in mind. Against You alone have I sinned; what is evil in Your sight I have done.

You take no pleasure in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, You would not delight in it. O God, my sacrifice is a broken spirit; a contrite heart You will not despise.

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Friday, 15 February 2013 : Friday after Ash Wednesday (First Reading)

Isaiah 58 : 1-9a

Cry out aloud for all you are worth; raise your voice like a trumpet blast; tell My people of their offenses, Jacob’s family of their sins.

Is it true that they seek Me day after day, longing to know My ways, as a people that does what is right and has not forsaken the word of its God?

They want to know the just laws and not to drift away from their God. “Why are we fasting,” they complain, “and you do not even see it? We are doing penance and you never notice it.”

Look, on your fast days you push your trade and you oppress your labourers. Yes, you fast but end up quarreling, striking each other with wicked blows.

Fasting as you do will not make your voice heard on high. Is that the kind of fast that pleases me, just a day to humble oneself? Is fasting merely bowing down one’s head, and making use of sackcloth and ashes? Would you call that fasting, a day acceptable to YHVH?

See the fast that pleases Me : breaking the fetters of injustice and unfastening the thongs of the yoke, setting the oppressed free and breaking every yoke. Fast by sharing your food with the hungry, bring to your house the homeless, clothe the one you see naked and do not turn away from your own kin.

Then will your light break forth as the dawn and your healing come in a flash. Your righteousness will be your vanguard, the Glory of YHVH your rearguard. Then you will call and YHVH will answer, you will cry and He will say, I am here.

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Friday, 8 February 2013 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Jerome Emiliani, and St. Josephine Bakhita, Virgin (Scripture Reflection)

We heard today of the tale of how St. John the Baptist was killed by Herod, out of Herod’s adulterous behaviour with his brother’s wife, and that wife’s hatred on John. St. John the Baptist, who had come before Christ to make straight the way for the Lord, met his death at the hands of the corrupt and immoral person who called himself the king of Judea at that time.

Who is John the Baptist? He is the cousin of Jesus, son of Elizabeth, miraculously conceived when Elizabeth was already old and barren, because the Lord desires that through her, a great prophet preceding Christ be born. St. John the Baptist indeed become the last prophet just before the coming of the Messiah, declaring to the world to repent and to be baptised at the River Jordan, in order to prepare themselves for the Messiah, who in fact at that time, had already walked on this world, in the form of Jesus, son of Mary, and Son of the Most High God.

John the Baptist’s call was heeded by many, who came to be baptised by John, and to truly repent from their sins. Nevertheless, the Pharisees and the scribes, just as they will later reject Jesus, they were also skeptical of John’s prophetic mission, and did not repent as many others do. But John managed to lay out the foundation for the later works of Christ and His disciples, just like a farmer plowing the soil preparing for it for the sower, who is Christ, who spreads the seeds on the plowed soil, fertile and ready, and thus are able to produce fruits hundredfold and thousandfold.

After Jesus was baptised by John, He arises in importance, which John in great humility said to his own disciples that just as the Lord for whom he has come to prepare the path for, is rising, he himself has to become lesser. His task in preparing the path for the Lord is complete, and in the last part of his life, which was told in the Gospel today, he was imprisoned for chastising Herod the king and his adultery with Herodias, his brother’s wife.

In ancient Jewish custom, this is actually not unacceptable for a brother to take care of a deceased brother’s wife, and take her as his own wife. Remember another story from the Bible, where the Saducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, asked the Lord about whose wife is the woman who was married to seven brothers, who died one after the other. Clearly, this custom is identified as the norm at that time, as the widow is perceived to be financially incapable of supporting herself, and therefore, it is justified for the brother to come in and take care of his sister-in-law by marrying her himself.

However, in this case, this is different because, just as Jesus later will stress, that marriage is a sacrosanct act, in which a man and woman is joined by God, and through God, this union, when made is eternal and cannot be dissolved by either man or even angels. For what God has made one, no man shall divide. This is the new commandment of the new covenant that Christ brought with His coming, and John, as the messenger of the Lord, did his last service to God by putting forward this teaching, against none other than Herod himself.

It is sad that today, many disregard the sanctity of marriage, and think that marriage is a trivial matter, and that divorce can be so easily contemplated and done. Divorce is something which should be avoided at all costs, as it directly violates what God has told us, that what He had brought together in marriage, which is a Sacrament on its own, no one, not even the husband and the wife themselves should divide back into two. It is sad that in our modern world, many take divorces lightly, and even marry again after the divorce. Many who did this, did so because they claim that they no longer love the wife, or worse that they have been tempted with lust and desire for another woman or man.

In order to maintain the sanctity of marriage, it is paramount that in the family, the faith in the Lord be kept strong, and that all actions should be carried out in love, and in accordance with God’s will. This is why it is important for couples and families, to come together and have meals together as best as they can everyday, so that they will stay close, despite challenges and temptations, and pray together, that the Lord will continue to bless them and strengthen their union, so that the evil one cannot come in between them and made them to decide to split.

Many couples are able to last for decades and many last beyond 50 years, and indeed, until death brought them apart, but not forever, since we know that we eventually will be reunited with the loved ones when we ourselves ascend to heaven at the end of our own lives. Indeed, their secret is no other than ensuring that couples constantly speak to one another from heart to heart, and coming together at all times, with their children, to pray regularly, to share the meal at the table. Remember that when more than two and three gathered in God’s name, He will be there, and will remain there with them, always.

Another story which I will bring to your attention, besides the already told story of John the Baptist, Herod, and Herodias, is the story of the divorces of King Henry VIII, the founder of the Anglican ‘church’ in his vain search for a male heir. King Henry VIII divorced his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, because she was not able to produce a male heir for him, although she did produce a daughter. His appeal to divorce her to the Pope was rejected, and King Henry VIII, displeased at the Papal disapproval went his own way and rebel from the Church, creating his own Anglican ‘church’.

St. Thomas More, King Henry VIII’s chancellor, refused to follow his king into rebellion from Rome, and chastised the king for his immoral behaviour in seeking to marry Anne Boleyn, who was to become the king’s second wife. He was asked to choose between loyalty to his king, and be given great wealth and influence as he always had before that, and thus even greater afterwards, or death if he remains faithful to the true Church. St. Thomas More abandoned all of his worldly wealth and fame, and chose to remain faithful to the Lord, and was therefore martyred.

Ultimately, King Henry VIII would kill Anne Boleyn after she herself failed to produce a male heir, and eventually married no less than four more times, with a total of having six wives and at least two mistresses, and all ultimately in vain, since even when there was a male heir, he died young, and the dynasty died out.

All that futile attempts was most damaging especially if we see how today, 80 million Christians who are in the Anglican Communion, are the direct product of this adulterous behaviour of King Henry VIII. This is an example on how if marriage is not kept as sacrosanct and indivisible in nature, not only it can affect just the two, but especially in King Henry’s case, it caused the destruction of the unity in the Body of Christ, that is the Church. Until today, we still pray and hope that all of them will eventually return soon to the true Faith and Church.

Today we also celebrate the feast of St. Jerome Emiliani, an Italian charitable man who cared deeply for the poor and orphans in early 16th century northern Italy, and died after in his pious work of service to the sick and the poor, he contracted a disease that killed him, and St. Josephine Bakhita, a Canossian nun, who was once a slave from Sudan, who after being freed from slavery, converted to Christianity and committed herself to the Lord by joining the Canossians as a nun. She was noted for her great faith in the Lord, and her dedication to Mary, His mother. She was also very much noted for her great heart and forgiving nature, seeking not revenge against her enemies, and even her former slavemasters, but rather seeking to forgive them and bless them instead.

Therefore, in the footsteps of these great saints, let us all strive, especially for those amongst us who are married, to keep our lives holy and meaningful, by doing what is good for the sake of others, just like St. Jerome Emiliani in service of the poor and the sick, by giving and sharing what we have more to those who need them more, and by our gentle and forgiving nature, following the example of St. Josephine Bakhita, who strive to keep herself pure and holy in the presence of God.

Let us pray also for the unity of all Christians, that especially for the Anglicans today, that their detachment from the Body of Christ that is the Church can soon be reversed, through our constant prayers to God, and through God’s actions, may the unity of the Church be restored. What damages King Henry VIII had done in his adulterous ways parallel to what Herod had done, in direct opposition to the Lord’s will on the sanctity of marriage, may we begin to heal through concrete attempts to reunite back the branches of the Body of Christ back onto its trunk, the Church.

Pray for us, St. Thomas More. And St. Jerome Emiliani, and St. Josephine Bakhita, pray for us all too. Pray for God’s holy Church that it will be one again, and indivisible, just like marriage, as the Lord has made His Church one, just like He and the Father is one and indivisible in the Holy Trinity. Amen.

+Ut Omnes Unum Sint+

(That they all may be One)

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Friday, 8 February 2013 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Jerome Emiliani, and St. Josephine Bakhita, Virgin (Gospel Reading)

Mark 6 : 14-29

King Herod also heard about Jesus, because His name had become well-known. Some people said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in Him.” Others thought, “He is Elijah,” and others, “He is a prophet like the prophets of times past.” When Herod was told of this, he thought, “I had John beheaded, yet he has risen from the dead!”

For this is what had happened : Herod had ordered John to be arrested, and had had him bound and put in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod had married her, and John had told him, “It is not right for you to live with your brother’s wife.” So Herodias held a grudge against John; and wanted to kill him, but she could not, because Herod respected John. He knew John to be an upright and holy man, and kept him safe. And he liked listening to him, although he became very disturbed, whenever he heard him.

Herodias had her chance on Herod’s birthday, when he gave a dinner for all the senior government officials, military chiefs, and the leaders of Galilee. On that occasion, the daughter of Herodias came in and danced; and she delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want and I will give it to you.” And he went so far as to say with many oaths, “I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.”

She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” The mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” The girl hurried to the king and made her request, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist, here and now, on a dish.”

The king was very displeased, but he would not refuse in front of his guests because of his oaths. So he sent one of the bodyguards with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded John in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother.

When John’s disciples heard of this, they came and took his body and buried it.

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Friday, 8 February 2013 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Jerome Emiliani, and St. Josephine Bakhita, Virgin (Psalm)

Psalm 26 : 1,3,5,8b-9abc

The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the rampart of my life; I will not be afraid.

Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fail; though war break out against me, I will still be confident.

For He will keep me safe in His shelter in times of misfortune; He will hide me beneath His roof, and set me high upon a rock.

I seek Your face, o Lord. Do not hide Your face from me nor turn away Your servant in anger. You are my protector, do not reject me; abandon me not, o God my Saviour!

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Friday, 8 February 2013 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Jerome Emiliani, and St. Josephine Bakhita, Virgin (First Reading)

Hebrews 13 : 1-8

Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to offer hospitality; you know that some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember prisoners if you were with them in chains, and the same for those who are suffering. Remember that you also have a body.

Marriage must be respected by all, and husband and wife faithful to each other. God will punish the immoral and the adulterous.

Do not depend on money. Be content with having enough for today for God has said : “I will never forsake you or abandon you”, and we shall confidently answer : “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Consider their end and imitate their faith. Christ Jesus is the same today as yesterday and forever.

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Friday, 1 February 2013 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflection)

Jesus mentioned plenty about seeds and how they grow today, just as in the days prior, in the readings He mentioned the parable of the sower, where the sower spreads the seeds onto different kinds of soil, and in the end only those that fall on the rich soil will grow and produce yield thirty, sixty, and hundredfold. So does too our faith, which in the beginning is just like a small seed, once nurtured and grown, will grow into a large tree just like the mustard tree.

Therefore, never be afraid of showing your faith to God, since no matter how small it is, what matters is that we truly put our trust in Him, and love Him with all our hearts, our souls, and our minds. If we truly put our faith in God who is faithful to us, He will reward us with great blessings and graces, that will allow our faith to grow ever stronger, and ever more vibrant, just like those seeds. In the first reading, again we see the importance of living our faith, and transforming our faith into real practice, that is doing the will of God.

What is the will of God? Well, Jesus Himself said, what you have done to the least of these, you have done it for Me. When we do our best to help those who are weak, those who are sorrowed, those who are lonely, those who are ostracised, those who are abused, and those who are rejected, we have done the will of God, and we shall be saved. To be saved is not just to be faithful in God, but also therefore to put it into practice in our daily lives.

Just as it was said in the letter to the Hebrews in the first reading that we are not among those who withdraw and perish, but among those who believe and win personal salvation, hence, let us not withdraw from those around us who need the love of God, which we can channel through ourselves, as we ourselves, if we are truly faithful, we have felt and seen the love of God. It is through us, through our speech and our hands that the Lord made His great works and love manifest in our world today. Many people still suffer and many are still in slavery of sin and evil.

Therefore, let us all, brothers and sisters in Christ, take up this mission, to bring God’s Good News to all who yearn to hear it, to bring God’s love and comfort to the sorrowful and to those who suffer, and to bring redemption to those who have fallen into the darkness of evil and sin. Do not let fear, laziness, and inaction to stop us in our works, in our mission to nurture our faith, through our mission and our good deeds in the name of God, and by doing God’s will, our seed of faith will blossom, and from the least of all seeds, indeed we can become the greatest of all in faith.

But do not let this come to competition, but rather, support each other and help one another to nurture each other’s faith. May God bless us all this day and all the days of our life, that our faith may be strengthened ever through our actions in His Holy Name. Amen.