Friday, September 28, 2007
Saint Thérèse de Lisieux
Introduction Mary Frances Therese Martin was born at Alencon, France. Her parents were pious individuals who were well endowed with a confortable amount of the goods of the world. Despite all the material possessions, she entered the Carmelite Convent in Lisieux at the age of fifteen; she would spent the next nine years of her life in holiness and humility before expiring at the age of twenty four.
Her ambition to love God perfectly and to conquer souls for Jesus was fulfilled when she died in the odor of sanctity aftering wisphering her very own words of commendation, "My Lord, my God... I love Thee!"
Self-Abandonment
The spirit of self-abandonment that St. Thérèse possesed led her to holiness. What is self-abandonment? Can we abandon ourselves in today's context?
Holy abandonment is one of the purestforms of love; it is the height of love; it is loveing giving to God, unreservedly, our whole being, with all it's energies, activities, concerns, etc... in order that we may be a true and worthy sacrifice to God.
The for example the lives of the monks or cloistered nuns. What makes them holy? What drives them to their lives apart from the world? To do nothing else but pray, meditate, and work? Because these prayer warriors have been given a special grace, the grace of self-abandonment. When the spirit of self-abandonment to God animates a monk's/nun's whole life, that monk/nun has attained holiness.
Holiness
Being holy does not make one a living saint. Being holy also does not mean that a person does not sin; he may sin less, but sins nonetheless. Being holy is substantially the conformity of all our being to God; it is amen said by the whole being and it's faculties to all the rights of God. This is somewhat like Mary's fiat, a fiat full of love, whereby the person responds unceasingly and unfalteringly, to the Divine Will of God.
Our Amen, our Fiat
Dear friends, if we want to do God's Will, if we want to be holy, we must say amen with St. Thérèse and utter our fiat with her. In other words, we need to offer our lives to God like she did. Together with her, let us shout a resounding amen and humble offer our fiat in a spirit of perfect donation whereby the whole being to God is the spirit of abandonment, a spirit which is the sum total of faith, confidence and love. Amen.
Let us pray. O Lord, who had said, "Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven". Grant we beseech you, so to follow in humility and simplicity of heart the footsteps of Saint Thérèse, the Virgin, that we may obtain everlasting rewards. Saint Thérèse, pray for us. Amen.
Labels: Prayer, Saints, Spirituality
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Liturgy & Theology
(From the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy)
"......Bad theology is supported by bad liturgy and together they spawn bad morality. As Catholic clergy and as baptized members of the Church, we ask that across the board, our shepherds enforce the universal laws of the church; to protect and serve the people of God by ensuring that every ordained deacon, priest or bishop will act morally, properly and pastorally; defend the deposit of faith as taught by the Magisterium; and insist that reverent and proper celebrations of the sacred liturgy be done everywhere, from seminaries to parishes to cathedrals. "
Labels: Liturgy
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Greek-Catholic Services in Singapore!
(From Edward)
Father Serge Keleher, an archimandrite (monsignor) and parish priest of the Greek-Catholic Congregation of St. Nicholas in Dublin, will be in Singapore from 20th to 25th September. As he will be in town for the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God (on the traditional Julian church calendar) and for the weekend, he will be celebrating a full cycle of services according to the Byzantine rite.
The schedule is as follows:
Thursday 20th September- Eve of the Feast:
Vigil (Vespers, Matins, First Hour) at 7.00 p.m.
Friday 21st September- The Nativity of the Mother of God:
Hours and Divine Liturgy (Mass) at 7.00 p.m.
Saturday 22nd September:
Vigil (Vespers, Matins, First Hour) at 6.00 p.m.
Sunday 23rd September:
Hours and Divine Liturgy (Mass) at 10 a.m.
Liturgy on Sunday naturally fulfils the Sunday obligation for those who are bound by it.
Yes, this IS a Catholic Mass - Fr Serge is a Russian-rite Catholic Priest and these services are taking place with the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Peter Stasiuk of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Ss. Peter and Paul of Melbourne. More information on Fr Serge may be found here.
The Byzantine Rite developed around the court and cathedral of the Eastern Roman Emperors in Constantinople, and is thus marked by much ceremony and solemnity. This is a rare occasion to see a non-Roman rite of the Catholic Church in use, as the last Greek-Catholic Divine Liturgy celebrated in Singapore was in June 2000. If you are able to make it for only one service, do come for Liturgy rather than Vigil, as there will be a small choir to sing the services.
Vigil on the 20th and 22nd will be in a mix of languages, but Hours & Divine Liturgy on the 21st and 23rd will be mostly in English, with small amounts of Church-Slavonic, Greek, Romanian and possibly even Arabic.
All Catholics who have observed the appropriate Communion Fast and are in a state of grace are welcome to receive Communion at both Liturgies. Fr. Serge will be available to hear confessions before the services in English, Irish, Russian, Ukrainian and French. He will also be available to answer questions about the Christian East and Eastern Catholicism.
All services will be held at the Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator, 30 Hill Street, Singapore. Questions?
Labels: Announcements, Byzantine Rite, Liturgy
The Gospel of Hope
(By Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia in Europa)
In a special way priests are called by virtue of their ministry to celebrate, teach and serve the Gospel of hope. Through the Sacrament of Orders which configures them to Christ the Head and Shepherd, Bishops and priests must conform their whole life and all their activity to Jesus. By the preaching of the word, the celebration of the sacraments and their leadership of the Christian community, they make present the mystery of Christ, and in the exercise of their ministry they are called to prolong the presence of Christ, the One High Priest, embodying his way of life and making him visible in the midst of the flock entrusted to their care.
As men who are in the world yet not of the world (cf. Jn 17:15-16), priests are called in Europe's present cultural and spiritual situation to be a sign of contradiction and of hope for a society suffering from horizontalism and in need of openness to the Transcendent.
In this context priestly celibacy also stands out as the sign of hope put totally in the Lord. Celibacy is not merely an ecclesiastical discipline imposed by authority; rather it is first and foremost a grace, a priceless gift of God for his Church, a prophetic value for the contemporary world, a source of intense spiritual life and pastoral fruitfulness, a witness to the eschatological Kingdom, a sign of God's love for this world, as well as a sign of the priest's undivided love for God and for his people. Lived in response to God's gift and as a mastery of the temptations of a hedonistic society, it not only leads to the human fulfilment of those who are called to embrace it, but proves to be a source of growth for others as well.
Celibacy is esteemed in the whole Church as fitting for the priesthood, obligatory in the Latin Church and deeply respected by the Eastern Churches. In the present cultural context, it stands out as an eloquent sign which needs to be cherished as a precious good for the Church. A revision of the present discipline in this regard would not help to resolve the crisis of vocations to the priesthood being felt in many parts of Europe. A commitment to the service of the Gospel of hope also demands that the Church make every effort to propose celibacy in its full biblical, theological and spiritual richness.
Labels: Catholic Belief, Celibacy, Holy Father, Priesthood
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Church Maintenance
The original stain glass windows in St. Joseph's Church may not see their first centernary in 1912 as the lead rods supporting them have eroded and are giving way. As a result many have began to warp and become dislodged from their frames.
For the safety of parishioners and visitors, the rector has commissioned the restoration and reenforcement of all the stain glasses in the Church.
Early this Monday, 5 levels of scaffolding was erected at nave's south entrance. Work was swiftly completed yesterday and the structure will be wheeled into the sanctuary on Thursday.
Braving the heights, this blogger scaled the sacfforlding to present you the following photos:
Rector Fr. Michael Teo spent $1000 to procure this second-hand scaffolding
It took approx. the entire morning to erect the scaffolding. On it is Andrew, the Chruch's verger. 
If you look closely, you see that the glass has been dislodged from the frame; The gap is wide enough to put your fingers through. 
The image on the glass; it depicts a sword with the blooming flower for the grip. 
This is exactly how large the glass is; it's approx. 12 feet long.
Please say the following prayer for us:
O my God, I offer Thee the work of restoration of Thy holy Church which have already begun for Thy love. Most holy Virgin, take all who are working on the restoration of the Church under Thy protection. St. Joseph, pray for us. Amen.
Labels: Miscellaneous, Photos, SJ's Restoration Program, Stain Glass
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
An Invitation: An Evening with the Fraternity of Altar Servers
St. John Berchman, patron of Altar Servers+J.M.J.+
Dear Friends-in-Christ,
"The beauty of the liturgy is part of this mystery; it is a sublime expression of God's glory and, in a certain sense, a glimpse of heaven on earth. ... Beauty, then, is not mere decoration, but rather an essential element of the liturgical action, since it is an attribute of God himself and his revelation. These considerations should make us realize the care which is needed, if the liturgical action is to reflect its innate splendour." H.H. Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis.
The Fraternity of Altar Servers was recently formed to foster bonds and windows of interactive learning amongst Altar Servers in the Archdiocese of Singapore. Under the spiritual directorship of Rev. Fr. Gerard Weerakoon, we seek to organize reverent celebrations of the Sacred Liturgy for the glory of God and deepen the spiritual and catechical understanding of the Sacred Mysteries of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass of all who are present. We desire that our liturgies and fraternal atmosphere will inspire many young men (altar servers or otherwise) to the holy order of priesthood.
Our young Fraternity is currently represented by the twelve following parishes: Christ the King, St. Joseph’s (Victoria St.), Holy Family, Holy Trinity, St. Francis Xavier’s, Holy Spirit, St. Mary of the Angels, St. Stephen’s, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bernadette’s, Immaculate Heart of Mary and Ss. Peter and Paul.
Dear Friends-in-Christ,
"The beauty of the liturgy is part of this mystery; it is a sublime expression of God's glory and, in a certain sense, a glimpse of heaven on earth. ... Beauty, then, is not mere decoration, but rather an essential element of the liturgical action, since it is an attribute of God himself and his revelation. These considerations should make us realize the care which is needed, if the liturgical action is to reflect its innate splendour." H.H. Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis.
The Fraternity of Altar Servers was recently formed to foster bonds and windows of interactive learning amongst Altar Servers in the Archdiocese of Singapore. Under the spiritual directorship of Rev. Fr. Gerard Weerakoon, we seek to organize reverent celebrations of the Sacred Liturgy for the glory of God and deepen the spiritual and catechical understanding of the Sacred Mysteries of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass of all who are present. We desire that our liturgies and fraternal atmosphere will inspire many young men (altar servers or otherwise) to the holy order of priesthood.
Our young Fraternity is currently represented by the twelve following parishes: Christ the King, St. Joseph’s (Victoria St.), Holy Family, Holy Trinity, St. Francis Xavier’s, Holy Spirit, St. Mary of the Angels, St. Stephen’s, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bernadette’s, Immaculate Heart of Mary and Ss. Peter and Paul.
We are still actively looking for servers to be part of our fraternal brotherhood.
Our inaugural Mass will be celebrated on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Do join us if you can; the Mass is offered for all secondary and tertiary students throughout the various institutions of learning across Singapore (among other intentions).
All altar servers, aspirants to the Diocesan Priesthood, and Seminarians are cordially invited to come and serve in their cassock/alb; as the (22) active roles have already been taken, all other servers will 'serve from the pews'. Dinner will be provided after the Mass and all are welcomed to join in fellowship. Do send me an email to let me know if you wish to serve.
14 Sep 2007, Friday
Solemn Mass
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
1830hr
Church of St. Francis Xavier
N.B. All Masses organized by the Fraternity adhere strictly to the norms set out in the General Instructions to the Roman Missal Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite.
"By praying the Psalms, the Scripture readings and the readings drawn from the great tradition which are included in the Divine Office, we can come to a deeper experience of the Christ-event and the economy of salvation, which in turn can enrich our understanding and participation in the celebration of the Eucharist." H.H. Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis.
Hence, do join us in our evening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God for our redemption by praying the office of Vespers with us as well.
14 Sep 2007, Friday
Simple Vespers
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
1700hr
Church of St. Francis Xavier
Do forward this to all your friends and relations if you feel the Holy Spirit prompting you to help support our cause.
I look forward to having you on the 14th. Till then, take care and God bless. I am yours sincerely
In the Eucharistic Lord,
Paul D. Molina
Fraternity of Altar Servers
Our inaugural Mass will be celebrated on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Do join us if you can; the Mass is offered for all secondary and tertiary students throughout the various institutions of learning across Singapore (among other intentions).
All altar servers, aspirants to the Diocesan Priesthood, and Seminarians are cordially invited to come and serve in their cassock/alb; as the (22) active roles have already been taken, all other servers will 'serve from the pews'. Dinner will be provided after the Mass and all are welcomed to join in fellowship. Do send me an email to let me know if you wish to serve.
14 Sep 2007, Friday
Solemn Mass
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
1830hr
Church of St. Francis Xavier
N.B. All Masses organized by the Fraternity adhere strictly to the norms set out in the General Instructions to the Roman Missal Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite.
"By praying the Psalms, the Scripture readings and the readings drawn from the great tradition which are included in the Divine Office, we can come to a deeper experience of the Christ-event and the economy of salvation, which in turn can enrich our understanding and participation in the celebration of the Eucharist." H.H. Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis.
Hence, do join us in our evening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God for our redemption by praying the office of Vespers with us as well.
14 Sep 2007, Friday
Simple Vespers
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
1700hr
Church of St. Francis Xavier
Do forward this to all your friends and relations if you feel the Holy Spirit prompting you to help support our cause.
I look forward to having you on the 14th. Till then, take care and God bless. I am yours sincerely
In the Eucharistic Lord,
Paul D. Molina
Fraternity of Altar Servers
Labels: Altar Serving, Announcements, Events, Liturgy
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Organic Growth
A clip from the lecture "The Classical Roman Rite and the Renewal of the Liturgy," by Msgr. Michael Schmitz of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. The transcript may be found here.
You may also be interested in Msgr. M. Schmitz's article on The Gateway to Eternity as well. In this article, Msgr. Schmitz dicusses the Classical Roman Rite and its meaning for the Church.
Labels: Institute of Christ the King, Litugical Abuse, Liturgy, Traditionalism, Video
Home Altars
Home Altars are essential as the Faith of the family should be displayed in the home. The maxim "The family that prays together stays together" gives us a very good reason to dedicate a prominant place of worship in the home.
To decorate the houses with religious pictures is a custom as old as Christianity itself, for the true Christian has always considered his home as nothing less than a Temple of God, and the religious pictures as means to extend and preserve the spirit of Christianity in the home. In the living room the place of honour should be the crucifix.
"The home must be in accord with the Church, that all harmful influences be withheld from the souls of the children. Where there is true piety in the home, purity of morals reigns supreme. There is a crying need for a renewal of the Christian spirit in the home." St. John Vianney
Making a Home Altar
To decorate the houses with religious pictures is a custom as old as Christianity itself, for the true Christian has always considered his home as nothing less than a Temple of God, and the religious pictures as means to extend and preserve the spirit of Christianity in the home. In the living room the place of honour should be the crucifix.
"The home must be in accord with the Church, that all harmful influences be withheld from the souls of the children. Where there is true piety in the home, purity of morals reigns supreme. There is a crying need for a renewal of the Christian spirit in the home." St. John Vianney
Making a Home Altar
One need not spend a bomb on the home altar. Try looking at second hand shops, garage sales & antique shops for old tables, dressers or trunks- making sure there is somewhere to store extra things like matches, candles, et cetera.
It may also be handy to buy inexpensive but, good quality linens for private Holy Masses.
Here are some items you may want to include on your altar: prayer books, candles & holders, snuffers, flower vases, beautiful containers for rosaries & one for intentions, censer & incense, Holy water fonts, kneelers, Holy Bible & stand, crucifixes, icons, images or statues of our Lord & Lady.
"Of course, religious pictures themselves will not make a family good. Only when they are contemplated upon, are they a practical help to true Christian sentiment, and to a true Christian way of living in the family." St. John Vianney.
With the help of the Lord’s grace and your own creative ideas, you'll be able to build a beautiful home altar. Your home will become a church in miniture. God will add the extra grace.
Above is the makeshift altar in my bedroom; my home altar- which some of you have seen- has been dismantled until I get a new place (soon!). The icon in the background is an authentic Byzantine Icon. If you look closely, you'll be able to see that I've adorned our lady with a crown of twelve jewels and the eyes of the eagle (at the top) with two pearls.
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