CATHOLICtoday’s A monthly publication of the Archdiocese of Kuching, Sarawak

Permit No PPK 148/01/2013(031378) Vol 26 No 10 January 2015 RM1.50

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“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well

pleased.”

Mk 1:11

Inside...

On Christmas, Pope urges people to hear the cry of suffering children

Continued on p4

VATICAN CITY — The crying of Baby Jesus is not the only cry people should hear on Christmas; many children around the world are crying because of war, maltreatment and abuse, Pope Francis said.

“Baby Jesus,” he said on 25 December, pausing for effect. “My thoughts today go to all children who are abused and mistreated: those killed before they are born; those deprived of the generous love of their parents who are buried under the selfishness of a culture that does not love life; those children displaced by war and persecution, abused and exploited under our eyes and the silence that makes us accomplices.”

Before giving his solemn Christmas blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world), Pope Francis addressed an estimated 80,000 people in St Peter’s Square, urging them to pray for peace in Ukraine, in the Middle East, Nigeria, Libya, South Sudan, Central African Republic and Congo.

With thousands of children looking at the Vatican’s Nativity scene and receiving the Pope’s blessing with their parents Christmas morning, Pope Francis’ strongest words were about less-fortunate children.

“May Jesus save the vast numbers of children who are victims of violence, made objects of trade and trafficking or forced to become soldiers,” he said. He added special prayers for the families of the dozens of children killed on 16 December by a Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar, Pakistan.

“There are so many tears this Christmas, together with the tears of the infant Jesus,” he said. Children are dying “under bombardment, even there where the son of God was born. Today their silence cries out under the sword of so many Herods,” those who kill children just as Herod did in Jesus’ time.

The Pope prayed that Christ’s “divine power, by its meekness,” would “take away the hardness of heart of

so many men and women immersed in worldliness and indifference. May his redeeming strength transform arms into ploughshares, destruction into creativity, hatred into love and tenderness.”

In the dark of the night on 24 December, in a St Peter’s Basilica filled to capacity, 10 children led Pope Francis toward the altar of the church. Together they stood waiting while a lector read the solemn “Christmas proclamation”, recounting the timing of the birth of Christ in human history.

As the children from the Philippines, South Korea, Belgium, Italy, Lebanon

and Syria looked on, Pope Francis removed the cloth that had been covering a statue of Baby Jesus. He bent over and kissed it gently.

In this homily, the Pope said Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet, “announces the rising of a great light which breaks through the night. This light is born in Bethlehem and is welcomed by the loving arms of Mary, by the love of Joseph, by the wonder of the shepherds.”

The birth of the Son of God in a lowly manger is the sign of “the humility of God taken to the extreme; it is the love with which, that night, he assumed our

frailty, our suffering, our anxieties, our desires and our limitations.”

Ever since sin entered the world, humanity was yearning for light and for peace, the Pope said. The birth of Jesus revealed that “the message that everyone was expecting, that everyone was searching for in the depths of their souls, was none other than the tenderness of God: God who looks upon us with eyes full of love, who accepts our poverty, God who is in love with our smallness.”

PAPAL BLESSING ... Pope Francis delivers his Christmas blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican (Photo: CNS)

“My thoughts today go to all children who are abused and mistreated: those killed before they are born; those deprived of the generous love of their parents who are

buried under the selfishness of a culture that does not love life; those children displaced by war and persecution, abused and exploited under our eyes and the silence that makes

us accomplices.” — Pope Francis

Christmascheer

P3

19 Spiritual resolution ideas for the New Year

P9

PAGE 2 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015NEWS

PUBLISHERThe Archbishop of Kuching

ADVISORFr Felix Au

EDITORStella Chin

ASSOCIATE EDITOR(Chinese)

Magdalene YeoEDITORIAL TEAM

Freddy Bohari (BM)Martha Ngui (English)Victoria J Lim (English Children’s Section)Simon Lo (Chinese)Margaret Bong (Chinese Children’s Section)

YOUTH PAGEAudrey Yu

STAFFAudrey Yu

CATHOLICtoday’s THE TEAMEDITORIAL Stepping out in faith

CONGRATULATIONS ... Fr Lawrence (2nd left) cutting the anniversary cake with Archbishop John Ha (3rd left), Matthew

Bilong (4th right) and his relative (1st right)

Fr Lawrence Chua celebrates Golden Jubilee

She told the CNN reporter that her son was looking forward to his trip to Singapore, he was in his twenties, and first time on a plane, first time out of the country, he was stepping out, spreading his wings. In excited anticipation he had bought himself a new pair of shoes, a new shirt and jacket. He was even more excited after booking his ticket. Waving happy goodbyes at Surabaya Airport, he boarded Air Asia flight QZ8501, she never saw him again.

2014 has been a horrendous year for all of us as far as airplane disasters are concerned. Three in one year, one disappeared, another shot down and the third one crashed into the sea, all Malaysian based planes / airlines. Unimaginable. Yet we are now forced to imagine the unimaginable, every time we step on a

plane, every time we wave someone goodbye at the departure gate, every time we wait for their arrival, there’s a unsettling feeling at the pit of our stomachs. Maybe this is it.

Are we spiritually ready for the worst? How is our relationship with God? Family? Friends?

If anything, these unthinkable tragedies make us think of being prepared at all times to meet our Maker.

It’s 2015 and we look forward with joyful hope to a new beginning, stepping out, trusting in His divine mercy and love.

Let our faith be borne on eagles’ wings.

Stella Chin

Sr Perpetua, SSFS celebrates silver jubilee

KUCHING — On 14 December, Catholics in the Archdiocese of Kuching came together to celebrate the 50th sacerdotal jubilee of the first local priest from Sarawak, Fr Dato Lawrence Chua, at a local restaurant.

Prior to the dinner, a thanksgiving Mass was celebrated in the morning at Blessed Sacrament Church, BDC where Fr Lawrence is the rector. Concelebrating at the Mass were Archbishop John Ha, Bishops Emeriti Dominic Su (Diocese of Sibu) and Anthony Lee (Diocese of Miri), Archbishops Emeriti Anthony Soter Fernandez and Murphy Pakiam (Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur), Msgr Paul Ionug (representing the Nuncio) and six priests.

Fr Lawrence Chua, 79, was ordained on 13 December 1964 by Bishop John Vos at the Church of St Peter & Paul, Mukah. He then celebrated

his first Mass on 14 December 1964. “The two dates loom large in my memory and are indelibly and vividly etched there” was how he described the two significant events in the souvenir magazine.

As a young man who excelled both academically and in sports and with a bright future, Fr Chua chose to answer God’s call to the priesthood over his ambition to pursue engineering.

In his speech, Archbishop John Ha said he saw in Fr Chua ‘a builder’ of physical facilities and Christian communities. “There is a connection between the physical building and community building. It is hardly possible to build up a community without the physical facilities. That’s where Fr Chua sees the need to put up facilities in order to build up the community of people, the Church,” said the Archbishop.

Thanking Fr Chua for his

commitment, the Archbishop made an appeal to the people to support the classroom-building project at Blessed Sacrament Church which Fr Chua is currently working on.

Fr Chua, in his speech, shared on the time he heard his first Confession. “The first penitent who came into the Confessional, to my surprise,

was my late grandmother.” Seeing his grandmother, the one who nurtured his faith, kneeling before him and confessing her sins, he said “it was a humbling experience”.

He also recalled the day of his ordination, where people of various ethnic and religious backgrounds from Mukah joined his family to witness

and celebrate the occasion. It was not just the celebration of a Christian community, but a celebration of all the communities that belong to the family of God.

“This is our precious heritage and we are justly proud of it,” he added. “May this spirit of harmony, respect and reaching out to one another be not only preserved but cultivated and actively pursued by Sarawakians of all ethnic and religious backgrounds.”

Thanking all for their support and friendship, he also requested everyone to pray for him.

Two tribute messages from Christina Eng and Fr Chua’s niece, Elizabeth Wee showed that Fr Lawrence, though a perfectionist and a stern priest, is a compassionate shepherd very much loved by his flock and his family.

Audrey Yu

SERIAN — On 20 December, the St Joseph’s Convent celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Sr Perpetua Nyarung’s Religious Profession with a Thanksgiving Mass and lunch at the Convent.

Among those attending the auspicious occasion were Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak (SSFS) General Superior Sr Flora Tingang, Convent Sister-in-Charge Sr Jane Mbang, Rector Fr Paul Herry, priests, Sisters, parish council chairman Dennis Sung, friends and relatives of the jubilarian.

Sr Perpetua from Kpg Riih Daso shared that God’s call for her to the religious life

came when she was in Form Two. She was too young then to be accepted by the SSFS. However, the strong support from her parents and family members helped her to continue to pursue her wish. At the age of 22, she was finally admitted to the religious profession.

Sr Perpetua has served the people of God in different ministries in Kuching, Bau, Bunan Gega, Long San, Sarikei

and Sibu before serving in Serian.

The jubilarian thanked God for his blessings of the ‘sweet and sour taste’ in life. She said she did not regret her choice for religious life.

Sr Perpetua also requested for continuous prayers, co-operation and assistance from all fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Joseph Then

THE MANY “FIRSTS” IN HISTORY ... On the evening of 7 December, Christians from various denominations took part for the first time in a Christmas Parade in Serian, an initiation of

St Theresa’s Parish Council. It was one of the many ‘firsts’: the first time to have a huge Christmas tree erected in the middle of Serian bazaar; the first time where prayers led by Church

leaders predominated; and the first time a government agency, Majlis Daerah Serian joined in the Organising Committee.

Photo shows a Christmas float taking part at the parade.

JOY ... Sr Perpetua (left, standing) gracing a photo call

TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015 PAGE 3CHRISTMAS 2014

BLESSING OTHERS ... One of the Christmas activities for St Joseph’s Parish (Kuching) Ladies Guild was the participation in the Advent Share-Care project organised by the Society of St Vincent de Paul. Photo shows the handing over of “wished

for” gifts by a representative of Ladies Guild to a member of the Society of St Vincent de Paul on 20 December.

SPECIAL GUESTS … In the Diocese of Miri, the Bible Class students of His Lordship Bishop Richard Ng organised

a Christmas party on 19 December. The ANAWIM (visual impaired) were invited to the party. Photo shows Bishop Richard

(left) presenting food hampers to their special guests.

PARISH FAMILY CHRISTMAS ... On 28 December, more than 100 parishioners of St Mary of the Divine Mercy Parish, Sibu joined the Christmas Family Day organised by the Parish Pastoral Council. Theme ‘Build the Family and we build the

Church’, the programmes lined up were carol singing, games, ‘Jamilah Dance’ competition and lucky draws. Also present was

rector of the parish, Fr Andrew Tan.

NOT FORGOTTEN ... A group of youth from St

Anthony’s Church, Sarikei together with SSFS sisters and Fr Vincent Oates, went carolling to Sarikei Hospital

on 22 December. The patients received Christmas gifts from Fr Vincent Oates, who was the

‘Santa Claus’.

CHRISTMAS FLASHMOB ... In Holy Trinity Church, Kenyalang, the combined choir put up a Christmas

flashmob during the Christmas Vigil service. It was the first

time a flashmob as such was organised in the parish, participated by youths and

other ministries. The flashmob continued with carol singing

and Mass.

JESUS STILL CARES … About 300 faithful from the city parishes of the Archdiocese of Kuching were among the

reported 7000 strong Christians at the 8th annual Christmas Parade on the evening of 6 December. The group also prepared

a Christmas float depicting the nativity scene enacted by children, which was paraded with the others along the streets of

old Kuching.

Bringing cheer of Christmas to the inmates

Disabled and needy families receive Christmas cheer

MUKAH — The Ladies’ Guild and youth of St Peter & St Paul Parish, Mukah brought joy to the patients in Mukah Hospital on 18 December. They brought Christmas cheer to the patients with gifts and lightened up the wards with Christmas carols.

Fr Joseph Sebastian, on behalf of the visiting group, presented a Christmas cake to the Director of Mukah Hospital, Dr Yeo Khee Wei.

Also present were Balingian State Assemblyman, YB Yussibnosh Balo, Mukah

Divisional Medical Officer, Dr Osman Haji Rafaiee and St Peter & St Paul’s parish council

chairman, Dominic Aseng Edal.

Harapi Charles

FOR THE ALBUM ... The group posing for a photo with YB Yussibnosh (to the left of Fr Joseph), Dr Osman (in green), Dr Yeo

Khee Wei (in black)

KUCHING — The Lions Club of Kuching Ixora has successfully launched the “Bring Joy X’mas Project 2014” for the fifth consecutive year. The aim of this project is to alleviate the hardship and touch the lives of the needy families by way of donation of daily basic necessities.

The Club has been working closely with the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) and Catholic Welfare Services (CWS) to identify the poor families who, due to unfortunate circumstances, cannot even earn a decent monthly salary for their whole family. They are the widows, orphans and the disabled who are victims of accidents or left handicapped through illnesses.

This year the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Damai joined to participate in this project by donating cash and kind to benefit more families.

The Club has raised about

RM9,000 cash and a stock of foodstuff for the project. The foodstuff has been distributed to 40 needy families by members and friends of Lions Club on 13 December. Each family has been given food items which can see them through for two months. It

is estimated about 200 people would benefit from the project.

The Club President thanks everyone for their support and generosity for making the project a success.

Lions Club of Kuching Ixora

CHRISTMAS OUTREACH ... Lions Club members delivering food items to a needy family

PAGE 4 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015NEWS

Continued from p1

Nothing is so strong as gentleness,

nothing so gentle as real strength.

St Francis de Sales

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On Christmas, Pope urges people to hear the cry of suffering children

“On this holy night, while we contemplate the infant Jesus just born and placed in the manger, we are invited to reflect,” he said. “How do we welcome the tenderness of God? Do I allow myself to be taken up by God, to be embraced by him, or do I prevent him from drawing close?”

Put more simply, he said, the key question is: “Do I allow God to love me?”

In the face of difficulties and problems, the Pope said, “the Christian response cannot be different from God’s response to our smallness.

Life must be met with goodness, with meekness.”

“When we realise that God is in love with our smallness, that he made himself small in order to better encounter us,” the Pope said, “we cannot help but open our hearts to him, and beseech him: ‘Lord, help me to be like you, give me the grace of tenderness in the most difficult circumstances of life, give me the grace of closeness in the face of every need, of meekness in every conflict.’”

Shortly before the Mass, taking advantage of the satellite link of a crew from the Italian bishops’ TV2000, Pope Francis

made a telephone call to Christian refugees gathered for Mass in a camp in Ainkawa, Iraq.

“You are like Jesus on Christmas night,” he told them. “There was no room for him either, and he had to flee to Egypt later to save himself.”

“You are like Jesus in this situation, and that makes me pray even more for you,” he said. “Dear brothers and sisters, I am close to you, very close this evening. With all my heart, I am near you, and I ask Jesus to caress you with his tenderness and I ask his mother to give you much love.” — CNS

LEGIONARIES GRAND FAMILY REUNION ... About

290 members of the Legion of Mary, friends and family

members attended the Annual General Reunion dinner

held at a local restaurant on 7 December. It was also the

63rd anniversary of the Legion of Mary in Sarawak. Picture shows Fr Patrick Heng (3rd

left), Spiritual Director of Kuching Comitium, Fr Felix

Au (2nd left) and presidents of the various Curiae cutting the

anniversary cake.

TWO DECADES AND COUNTING … The Family Bloc Rosary (FBR) Comfort of the Afflicted (in RPR Batu

Kawa Phase 2) celebrated their 21st anniversary with a

Thanksgiving Mass by Fr Alvin Ng, SJ, followed by a potluck

dinner at a member’s residence. Prior to that, the members made up of eight families recited the Rosary together. Fr Alvin in his homily challenged the members

to live up to their FBR name and reach out to the afflicted.

“Life must be met with goodness, with meekness.” – Pope Francis

St Joseph’s Parish Ladies GuildTriennal General (Election) Meeting

Venue: St Mary’s Function Room, 2nd Floor, ACCPCDate: 24 January (Saturday)Time: 9.00 am

All Guild members are cordially invited to attend.

Honorary Secretary

NOTICE OF MEETING

TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015 PAGE 5CLASSIFIED

5TH ANNIVERSARY

In ever-loving memory of

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,and let your perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.Amen.

Dearly missed by beloved wife, sons, and all loved ones.

MOSES JOSHUA BETIE

who was called home by the Lord on 6 January 2010.

Always remembered and dearly missed by wife, Magdalena, son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandchildren

and all loved ones.

13TH ANNIVERSARY

MICHAEL LUANG AK LANJANwhom the Lord called to rest on

1 January 2002.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace. Amen.

In ever-loving memory of

3RD ANNIVERSARY

In ever-loving memory of

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord,and let your Perpetual Light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace.Amen.

Dearly missed and remembered by husband, children, grandchildren and all loved ones.

PATRICIA LING SIIK KING

who was called to be with the Lord on 26 January 2012.

Tomb MakerSimon

Sim See Huat15 Nanas Road

93150 Kuching, SarawakTel: 082-617616 / 013-

8117616Fax: 082-627616

Specialise in:Construction & Cleaning of

Grave MonumentsManufacturing Gravestones imported from China, Italy

20TH ANNIVERSARY 7TH ANNIVERSARYIn ever-loving memory of

ANTHONY YAP NYUK SIONGwhom the Lord called to rest

on 5 January 1995

LUCY NGUI LUK YUwhom the Lord called to rest

on 10 March 2008

Sadly missed by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The passing of Brother Hyacinth Fitzgerald

24TH ANNIVERSARYIn ever-loving memory of

MARY TAN NGO LANGof Bintulu

who was called home by the Lordon 4 January 1991

Lovingly remembered by sons, daughters, grandchildren and l oved ones.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O LordAnd let perpetual light shine upon her

May she rest in peace. Amen.

In loving memory of our beloved

One Year has passed on 4 January 2015,for the Heavenly Father loves you more.

“May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.” 1 Thess 5:23-24

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May his soul rest in peace. Amen.

STIAN @ JOHN SEBASTIAN GUDANG (29 May 1951 - 4 January 2014)

Deeply missed and always remembered by Wife : Mdm Rosaline Kamen ak DulisChildren: Jenifer Stian, Henry Stian @Sebastian Caroline StianDaughter-in-law: Valerie Jessica Lim

Grandchildren: Nathan Alan Henry, Nadiv Adan Henry.God-son/ Foster son: Dave Sebastian Santang,And all relatives and friends.

1ST ANNIVERSARY

HONG KONG — Brother Hyacinth Fitzgerald, FSC, aged 85, passed away on Sunday 14 December at 5.55 am at the La Salle Brothers Home in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

A funeral Mass was held at 12.30 pm on Friday, 19 December at St Theresa’s Church, Kowloon.

In Kuching, a requiem Mass was held at St Joseph’s Cathedral at 5.30 pm on the same day. Friends and former students of Br Hyacinth attended to pray for the repose of his soul.

Br Hyacinth, a La Salle

Brother, taught in St Joseph’s Secondary School, Kuching from 1963 - 1974 and in Sacred Heart Secondary School, Sibu from 1974 - 1984.

He taught English, Commerce in Sacred Heart School and was the badminton coach and music teacher.

He was the last of the three La Salle Brothers who taught in Sacred Heart Secondary

Those we love and lose are always connected by

heartstrings into infinity.

~ Terri Guillemets

4TH ANNIVERSARYIn loving memory of

(SJN 1099762)AUGUSTINE ANAK PATRICK BUJANG

who was called home by the Lordon 5 December 2010

Deeply missed by wife Minahsiah Binti Bah Sugep, daughters and son (in Kapar, Perak); parents, sisters, brother, and brothers-

in-law (in Kuching).

Eternal rest grant unto him, O LordAnd let perpetual light shine upon him

May he rest in peace. Amen.

1ST ANNIVERSARYIn ever-loving memory of

KATHLEEN COX(1 November 1931 - 27 January 2014)

Sadly missed missed, deeply loved and fondly remembered by sons, daughters, sons & daughters-in-law, grandchildren,

great-grandchildren and all loved ones.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O LordAnd let perpetual light shine upon her

May she rest in peace. Amen.

School. The other two brothers, Br Albinus Michael O’Flaherty passed away on 4 August 2013, while Br Hillary in 2011.

Br Hyacinth hailed rom Rathcoole, County Dublin, Ireland. He entered the Juniorate at Castletown in 1944 and joined the Novitiate the following year. He spent his Scholasticate in Mallow from 1946 to 1947.

His first assignment in the East was St Xavier’s Institution in 1949. He spent much of his teaching life in Malaysia, particularly in Sarawak.

Upon his retirement at the age of 55 in Malaysia, he went to Hong Kong to teach English and Religious Studies in Chan Sui Ki (La Salle) College until 1993.

In his later years, he was down with Alzheimer’s disease.

Adapted from Borneo Post

PAGE 6 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015NEWS

Malaysian invited to speak at USA Billings Ovulation Method®

Conference

ALL EARS ... Participants making notes while listening to the talks

KNOWLEDGE SHARING... Dr Lek-Lim Chan presenting a paper at the BOM Conference

TEXAS — Natural Fertility Awareness Service of Malaysia national President, Dr Lek-Lim Chan from Kuching was invited to speak at the Conference of the Billings Ovulation Method® Association of USA held in Dallas, Texas on 21-22 November. This was the second time he has been invited to speak, the first being in November 2009. Dr Chan who is trained in complementary medicine is also an Associate Director on the Board of WOOMB International (World Organisation of the Ovulation Method - Billings).

The topics he presented were: “Think in Patterns, Ask the right questions – the heart of follow-up”, “Case Studies in Challenging Charts” and “How to Successfully Tackle a Difficult Basic Infertile Pattern”. In addition, Dr Chan jointly presented with other speakers namely, “The Critical Role of the Supervisor” with Rosemary Heron of Canada and “Medical Red Flags Revealed on a Billings Chart”

with Gynaecologist Dr Mary Martin of Oklahoma, USA.

Dr Chan specialises in diagnosing the root causes of infertility using the Billings Ovulation Method®. His consistently kept record of cases provides good illustration of how useful the Method could be in the life of women.

Dr Mary Martin and other speakers presented another five sessions, one of which included “Diagnosing and treating the underlying issues of PCOS”.

Prior to the Dallas conference, Dr Chan also gave a half day seminar in Buenos Aires, Argentina on “Billings Ovulation Method® as a Diagnostic Tool”. Another one day seminar held in Sao Paulo, Brazil covered topics on “Billings Ovulation Method® as a Diagnostic Tool”, “Other Method of Natural Family Planning” and “Correct Understanding of the Basic Infertile Pattern”.

Sue Ek

Pope Francis prays for ongoing AirAsia search

Dialogue with local communities foster better

understanding

SERIAN — A dialogue with the principal officers of the Village Chapel Committees (KGK) and Basic Christian Communities (BCC) under the jurisdiction of St Theresa’s Parish was held on 30 December at the Church Hall. About 400 participants attended the dialogue to foster better relationship and understanding.

Rector Fr Paul Herry, Chairman of Parish Council Dennis Sung, Chairman of Special Function Committee Dennis Edwin Manung, Parish Council Secretary Wilson Banyui and members of Parish Council also attended the dialog.

The dialogue began with a Holy Mass celebrated by Fr Paul Herry.

Wilson Banyui gave a talk on Gospel Leadership while Fr Paul Herry touched on the Parish regularities especially on

death ceremony. In his address, Dennis Sung

told the participants that the dialogue was important to give them knowledge on the faith of a Christian so as to equip them to face new challenges of the present days. He was very thankful to all those who had helped in one way or another so that the Parish Council could put into action all the proposed plans.

Dennis said in the new year, the major events of the Parish Council would be to continue the donation appeal to fund the building of the Pastoral Centre, the relocation of the existing primary school to make way for the Pastoral Centre, the building of a bell tower, the extension work of St Veronica Chapel and other spiritual activities.

Joseph Then

VATICAN — Pope Francis said on 28 December that “his thoughts are with those on board the missing AirAsia plane that disappeared during a flight between Indonesia and Singapore.”

He added he was also thinking of two separate accidents involving two merchant ships and a ferry in the Adriatic Sea. “I am close with my affection and prayer,” the Pope said, to the families and loved ones who are undergoing “these difficult situations with apprehension

and suffering” and also to those involved in the rescue operations.

His words of solidarity came at the end of his Angelus address on the feast of the Holy Family in which he spoke about how

the light coming from the Holy Family encourages us to offer human warmth and where he also stressed the important role played by grandparents in the family setting.

Vatican Radio

On 21 January, the Federal Court will be hearing the Church’s application to review its decision which denied the Church leave to

appeal over the Home Minister’s ban on the use of the word “Allah” in Herald.

Let us join our brothers and sisters in Semenanjung Malaysia to pray for this cause.

TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015 PAGE 7NEWS

Islamist threats fail to deter Nigerians’ Christmas celebrationsLAGOS, Nigeria —

Catholic Nigerians displaced by violence and the threat of suicide bomb attacks by Islamist insurgents celebrated Christmas not knowing when they might return home.

Despite the uncertainty, a spokesman for the Diocese of Maiduguri in troubled Borno state said the celebrations focused on Mass and thanksgiving for life.

“Christians were seen trooping in to churches for this all holy and solemn celebration, to commemorate the birth of Christ,” Fr Gideon Obasogie, diocesan director of social communications, said in a statement sent to Catholic News Service on 28 December.

He said the celebrations continued although vehicular traffic was restricted in Maiduguri on 25-28 December in an effort to prevent the Islamist militant group Boko Haram from claiming new territory.

Boko Haram, an insurgent

Islamist group, seeks to overthrow the Nigerian government and create an Islamic state. More than 2,000 people have died in 2014 in quick-hit attacks and bombings in a large swath of the country.

Despite their faithfulness, the displaced people are living in a state of hopelessness, said Fr Obasogie.

“Their faith, however, (was) proven and tested, refined and purified, as they were out on foot for long distances to see the baby Jesus,” he said.

“Some were not even sure of returning home, since there was much fear of terrorists attacks particularly at crowded areas,” he added.

Fears among the displaced were fuelled by information that some insurgents were dressing in the garb of Christian women’s groups, making them more difficult to detect in public gatherings, the priest’s statement said.

“More so, some were out to use babies, even dead ones, carried around with explosives

on them to get at crowded areas,” the statement said.

A Christmas message from Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme of Maiduguri attempted to reassure the thousands of displaced people. He said that God was aware of the sorrow and rejection the people were experiencing.

Bishop Doeme pledged that he would remain united with their plight.

“Be consoled, for I, as your servant, am with you in spirit

wherever you are, whether in the forests or mountains, or caves or bushes, towns or villages, I am there with you sharing in your pains, troubles, anxieties and anguish,” he said.

On 29 December, Bishop Matthew Ishaya Audu of Lafia urged Nigerians to preach peace, unity and love among themselves, saying such actions would help the country overcome its security challenges and move development along.

“Our role as religious leaders

is to preach the good news to the people and to ensure that peace and unity are sustained in the states and Nigeria at large, because no meaningful development can be achieved in any society without peace; peace is priceless and non-negotiable,” the message said.

“The security challenges facing the state and some parts of the country have affected our lives and the socio-economic development of the country negatively. I want to call on all of us to continue to preach peace, unity, love and tolerance among ourselves as exhibited in the Scriptures.

“If there are peace, unity, love and tolerance among ourselves, the security challenges facing the state and the country will be a thing of the past,” Bishop Audu said.

The bishop urged both Christians and Muslims to strictly follow their religions’ doctrines and continue to accept each other no matter their ethnic, religious and political affiliations. — CNS

“Pope’s seat” to fund a home for single mothers

Charity “is not just about giving one-time”

Pope names Tauran new camerlengo

DAEJEON, South Korea — The “pope’s seat” has become one of the most desirable spots in South Korea’s public transit.

The seat Francis used for his trip from Seoul to Daejeon during the apostolic visit he made to South Korea in August 2014 has elicited the interest of the local press, after the railway company announced that it would give a portion of the ticket price to charity.

Last month, Mgsr Lazzaro You Heung-sik, bishop of Daejeon, had already mentioned the decision by the Korea Railroad Corporation (aka Korail), South Korea’s main railway company.

Since the papal visit, the seat has become very famous.

Every time someone books it, some of money for the ticket goes for charitable causes in the local diocese.

Between late August and late December, Korail collected some 15 million won, about US$ 13,500, which the CEO of Korail Dr Choi Yeon-hye handed over to Mgsr You (pictured).

The prelate explained to AsiaNews that these funds are not a one-off. “The company,” he said, “told me that a donation will be made on an annual basis,” and “We decided to allocate the funds to a shelter for single mothers.”

“It is wonderful that the seeds planted by Pope Francis in his trip to Korea will continue to bear fruit.”

AsiaNews

During his apostolic journey to South Korea, Francis chose to travel from Seoul to Daejeon on a high-speed train. His seat now

bears a small plate indicating the event. A portion of the ticket price paid to use the seat now goes to the local diocese.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on 20 December named French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran the new camerlengo, or chamberlain, charged with temporarily taking over the pontiff’s duties if he resigns or dies.

It was 71-year-old Tauran, head of the Vatican’s Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, who in March 2013 told the world from the balcony of St Peter’s basilica that a new Pope had been elected, pronouncing the famous words “Habemus Papam”.

Tauran will replace the Pope’s number two, Tarcisio Bertone, an Italian cardinal who

after turning 80 this month has retired.

Bach-loving Tauran, from Bordeaux, previously served as head of the Vatican’s diplomatic service and travelled the world for late Pope John Paul II.

As the Vatican’s top official for inter-religious dialogue he has regularly condemned Islamist extremism, but has also said that ignorance was often at the heart of the anti-Islam sentiment in the West.

UCAN

TANAUAN, Philippines — Extending assistance is not just about giving one-time aid to the needy, but doing it with long-term effects in mind. This is why a compassion organisation is pouring efforts into outreach programmes in barangays that were devastated by typhoons Yolanda and Ruby.

Corporal Works of Mercy Foundation, Inc (CWMFI), which is managed by Fr Abe Palaña JCD, parish priest of the Assumption of Our Lady Parish in Tanauan, Leyte, offers livelihood opportunities and scholarships in Tanauan and Tolosa, two towns in Leyte still struggling to get back to normal after two major natural calamities.

Shunning the usual style of other foundations that constantly solicit financial help from

benefactors, patrons and the public to prevent their resources from getting drained, CWMFI make it a point that beneficiaries, especially the recipients of their pedicab distribution and scholarships make a good living for their family.

Vicki Palaña-Rollins, one of the major backers of the organisation, said the scholars are requested to give 5 percent of their annual income back to the foundation once they land a

job. The scholars are likewise encouraged to sponsor the schooling of a family member the moment they find work.

“In this way, we are teaching them of helping back, paying forward to other people needing help,” she stressed. She added, “When we help people, we do not want to go back to them. We have to move to another family and help them”.

AsiaNews / Cbcp

Volunteers pack relief goods for Philippines typhoon victims (Photo: CNS)

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran(Photo: CNS)

Photo: CNS

PAGE 8 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015NEWS

NEW CARDINAL ... Pope Benedict XVI presents a red biretta to new Cardinal Luis Tagle of Manila

Kidnapped priest found dead on Christmas in southern Mexico

Catholic nuns lead raids on brothels in India

Indian migrants in Holy Land walk to Bethlehem for peace

MEXICO CITY — A Catholic priest was kidnapped from a seminary and found murdered in Guerrero, the same state in southern Mexico where 43 students were kidnapped and probably killed in September.

The body of Fr Gregorio Lopez Gorostieta was found on Christmas along a highway in the municipality of Tlapehuala, 180 miles southeast of Mexico City, said Fr Fidencio Avellaneda Reinoso, Diocese of Ciudad Altamirano spokesman.

Fr Avellaneda told Catholic News Service Fr Lopez was grabbed from a seminary at gunpoint on 21 December. He said the priest was shot in the head, although asphyxiation was ruled the cause of death because his mouth and nose were covered with tape.

“Today, I communicate with great sorrow that our brother Gregorio Lopez Gorostieta has departed for his father’s house,” read a message on the Facebook page of the Cathedral of Ciudad Altamirano. “God forgive whoever did such an abhorrent action.”

The murder of Fr Lopez made national news and came as the country continued expressing outrage over the missing and murdered college students.

Their parents passed Christmas Eve, a time traditionally spent celebrating with family, protesting outside the

Mexican president’s residence. Only one of the missing students has been confirmed dead.

The priest’s murder also came within a month of President Enrique Pena Nieto announcing plans to calm the country and an initiative to send soldiers and police to the Tierra Caliente region - served by the Diocese of Ciudad Altamirano - in a high-profile attack on organised crime.

Organised crime violence has crippled Guerrero, one of Mexico’s poorest states, and hit the Church hard, especially in the Diocese of Ciudad Altamirano, which has had several priests suffer attacks in

recent years.“The Diocese of Ciudad Altamirano

has suffered greatly as a consequence of the situation the entire country is experiencing,” Bishop Maximino Martinez Miranda said in a statement.

“Bishop, priests and the community of God, we protest to demand justice and peace. ... ‘Enough Now’, is the shout of all of Mexico’s bishops and this diocese”.

Bishop Martinez led priests and parishioners in a protest march on 24 December through Ciudad Altamirano, demanding the return of Fr Martinez and calling for an end to attacks on clergy and

the population at large.“The violence is becoming very

aggressive,” Fr Avellaneda said. The incident, he added, “is only going to cause more dismay”.

According to the diocesan statement, Fr Lopez was abducted at around 11:30 pm 21 December, when he returned to the seminary after a day of celebrating Mass in the Cathedral and taking in a “pastorela”, a Christmas play commonly performed in Mexico. The following day, a break-in was attempted at the seminary residence for women religious. No kidnappers tried to contact the diocese or seminary after Fr Lopez’s abduction.

The death of Fr Lopez is the fourth murder in five years for the Diocese of Ciudad Altamirano. Fr Ascension Acuna Osorio of San Miguel Totolapan was found dead in a river in late September, while Fr Habacuc Hernandez Benitez and two seminarians were shot dead as they drove through Ciudad Alamirano in 2009.

In the neighbouring Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, Ugandan Comboni Fr John Ssenyondo was murdered and his body found in a mass grave in November. His murder remains unsolved, although diocesan officials suspect he was being extorted.

CNS

VATICAN CITY — Leaving their habits behind and disguised along with police in regular clothes, a small group of three or four nuns raid brothels in Kolkata, India, at night, snatching young women and girls as young as 12 from the clutches of their captors.

In four years, “we have put 30 traffickers in jail,” Sister Sharmi D’Souza, a member of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, told journalists at a Vatican news conference on 10 December. She and a number of other religious women attended the event that presented Pope Francis’ World Day of Peace message, which urged everyone to fight modern forms of slavery.

“In one night, we saved 37 girls,” she said, adding that 10 were minors. The sisters take the women to safety and offer them support and assistance; the women also provide critical information to police, such as names of traffickers and the location of other brothels.

If police refuse to go with the nuns on a raid because they have been bribed

by traffickers, the nuns go to someone higher up on the chain of command, “and they take action,” she said.

“We never go alone. We go along with other NGOs together. But we need our pastors to come along with us, our bishops, our priests to support us, because if they are with us we can still do more,” she said.

The ongoing call to get more priests and men religious active in the fight against trafficking was reiterated by a US priest in the audience during the question-and-answer portion of the news conference.

“The presence of such dedicated women religious is extraordinary. The absence of priests and male religious (at the news conference) is even more noticeable,” said Fr Jeffrey Bayhi, pastor of St John the Baptist and Our Lady of the Assumption Churches in Zachary, Louisiana; he appeared to be the only priest in the audience who was not part of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which presented the Pope’s message to the press. — CNS

Photo: Globalgiving.com

BETHLEHEM, West Bank — More than 2,000 Indian migrant workers in the Holy Land took part in a brief pilgrimage from Jerusalem to Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity over the weekend as part of their preparations for Christmas.

As they walked the five miles between the cities on 13 December, the faithful prayed the Rosary for the intention of peace in Palestine and Israel.

The pilgrimage is held annually by the Indian Chaplaincy in the Holy Land.

“It has become an annual event in the life of the Indian community in the Holy Land to prepare spiritually for the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ and especially to pray for lasting peace and harmony in the region,” Fr Tojy Jose, OFM, head of the Indian Chaplaincy in the Holy Land, told CNA on 15 December.

“The pilgrimage is an expression of love and devotion to the Baby Jesus, and we trek on the trail of the Holy Family.”

Fr Jose thanked the Indian expatriate community working in Israel which gathered at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City at 9 in the morning.

Bishop William Shomali, an auxiliary bishop of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, blessed the pilgrimage in the presence of Fr David Neuhause, SJ, patriarchal vicar for Hebrew-speaking communities; Fr Guy Tardivy, OP, prior of St Stephen’s Monastery; and Fr Dominic Mendonsa, OP, as well as other clergy.

“There is a need for healing and reconciliation for lasting peace in the land,” Bishop Shomali said.

Praising the migrant community, the prelate added that “the Indian faithful are an example to the Christians in the Holy Land in their practice of the Catholic faith”.

The faithful manifested the joy of Christmas, singing joyful carols and waving thousands of colourful flags and placards, many of them in Santa hats.

On arriving at Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, Fr Jose explained it was a unique opportunity to be a part of a biblical experience, reflecting on the Holy Family’s trip to the same location more than 2,000 years ago for the birth of Christ.

“Re-living and reflecting on this experience galvanizes our faith, unity, and solidarity,” he said.

The procession was followed by Masses said in Konkani and Malayalam at St Catherine’s Church and at the Salesian monastery chapel in Bethlehem. Konkani is the official language of Goa, while Malayalam is that of Kerala; both Indian states have, for India, especially high numbers of Christians, and many of those served by the Indian Chaplaincy in the Holy Land have roots in these states.

CNA/EWTN News

“The pilgrimage is an expression of love and devotion to the Baby Jesus, and we trek on the trail of the Holy Family.”

– FrTojy Jose OFM

FEATURETODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015 PAGE 9

So you’ve vowed to up your intake of kale and have signed up for yoga to kick off the New Year. But has your spiritual life been part of your New Year’s resolutions? Here are a few ideas of small, practical steps you can take to get spiritually stronger in 2015.

1. Daily Mass. If you don’t go at all, try going one day a week. If you go one day a week, try two. If you go every day… well, good job.

The best way to economise time is to ‘lose’ half an hour each day attending Holy Mass.

~ Frederic Ozanam

2. Pray a daily rosary. My favourite times to get my daily rosary in are in the car or while walking outside. If I try to do it right before bed I end up falling asleep. Find what works for you.

3. Memorise a weekly bible verse. Write it on a post-it note and stick it on your desk for the week.

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

~ Matthew 4:4

4. Visit an adoration chapel once a week, even if it’s just for five minutes.

We believe in the communion of all the faithful of Christ, those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in heaven, all together forming one Church; and we believe that in this communion, the merciful love of God and his saints is always [attentive] to our prayers.

~ Pope Paul VI

8. Participate in the life of your parish. Offer your talents to God through singing, reading, leading, or just helping out.

9. Adopt a priest or religious sister and pray and fast for them. Even people living the religious life need people to pray for them! The Handmaids of the Precious Blood specialise (visit their website at http://www.nunsforpriests.org/AdoptAPriest/AdoptAPriest.php) in helping people adopt priests for prayer.

10. Do something for the homeless. Pope Francis has continually encouraged us to encounter the poor – to know them and look them in the eye and love them. Try volunteering at a local shelter, or even just smiling at a homeless person on the street.

11. Visit someone you know is lonely. Step away from (un)social media and reach out to a friend you know is struggling.

Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.

~ Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ. ~ St Jerome

My daughter, just as you prepare in My presence, so also you make your confession before Me. The person of the priest is, for Me, only a screen. Never analyse what sort of a priest it is that I am making use of; open your soul in confession as you would to Me, and I will fill it with My light. (1725)

~ St Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul

We represent those in the world who do not know Jesus during our Holy Hour in Adoration.

~ St John Paul II

5. Commit to a parish. My generation (looking at you millennials!) is notorious for parish hopping and being non-committal when it comes to parishes. However, it’s much better for community-building if we commit. Let’s do this.

6. Start tithing. Give to your parish (that you have decided to commit). God will bless your generosity, I guarantee.

Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed, for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the commandment. The offering of the righteous enriches the altar, and its pleasing odor rises before the Most high. The sacrifice of the righteous is acceptable, and it will never be forgotten. Be generous when you worship the Lord, and do not stint the first fruits of your hands. With every gift show a cheerful face, and dedicate your tithe with gladness. Give to the Most High as he has given to you, and as generously as you can afford. For the Lord is the one who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold. ~ Sirach 35:6-13

7. Learn about someone who is on the path to canonisation but is not there yet (a Blessed or Venerable or Servant of God). Start asking for their intercession and see if you can help their cause! Learning about the lives of saints can strengthen our own faith and give us role models to look up to.

12. Find a bible study. Can’t find one? See number 13.

13. Start a bible study. Find materials online, or ask your parish priest.

14. Go to confession. Has it been awhile? Resolve to make the sacrament a more regular habit this year. Once a month or even more frequently is recommended.

15. Invite someone to Mass or confession. Evangelisation is sometimes as simple as a personal invitation.

16. Try a new way of prayer. Stuck in a rut? Try a new devotion. Check out the Liturgy of the hours or intercessory prayer. God speaks in many different ways.

17. Visit a nursing home or a friend in the hospital. Corporeal work of mercy? Check.

18. Get a spiritual director.You don’t necessarily need to be discerning your vocation to seek spiritual counsel. Maybe you’re pondering a big move or your relationship with God isn’t where you’d like it to be. A priest (or religious sister or brother) can help. Just ask.

19. Go on a retreat.Take some time for just you and Jesus.

The important thing in the spiritual life is to take small, manageable steps toward God so as not to get discouraged. Pick one or two new things from the list and start incorporating them into your life.

Adapted from CNS Blog

19 Spiritual resolution ideas for the New Year

by Mary Rezac

PAGE 10 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015FEATUREThe wisdom of Pope Francis

by Fr John Catoir

Keeping an eye out for the quiet hero among usby Effie Caldarola

The Jesus of the Gospels is amazing in his power to observe people and to understand human character.

Consider the way the Pharisees and Sadducees continually try to trip him up, asking questions conceived to put him on the wrong side of religious authority. Jesus’ answers are always clever yet truthful. He so often stymies these self-conceived religious experts, turning the table on their questions and revealing their lack of human compassion and their obsession with rules.

He was a brilliant man, but also, of course, a man of shrewd insights into the motivations of others. Jesus could take the measure of a man – or a woman – quickly. He knew human nature.

It’s amazing how well the Gospel writers, telling his story so many years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, are able to reveal this aspect of his character.

Do we appreciate Jesus’ observant powers, especially the attention he pays to the poor?

Recently, a daily liturgical reading focused on the woman who put two coins in the temple treasury. It had been a busy day for Jesus. He was in the temple, involved in the usual back and forth with his adversaries, who were peppering him with questions, about a tribute to Caesar, about the resurrection of the dead, baiting him with what they considered trick questions, bent on catching him in error.

It must have been stimulating yet exhausting for Jesus. Later, sitting

with his disciples, he notices the woman, a widow, who places her coins in the treasury. Surely, she would have been amazed to know someone was observing her so thoughtfully.

Jesus points out to his disciples that “she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood” while others far wealthier gave more, but money they could easily spare.

Jesus’ observation is, let’s face

it, so upside down from the way our world views giving. This year, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, was lauded for giving the largest single charitable donation of 2013. Others, like Bill Gates and many other billionaires whom he and Warren Buffett have inspired, all receive ample attention for their charity.

I’m grateful that they are putting some of their wealth to work.

But many of the world’s wealthy donors continue to live in luxury and prestige. Meanwhile, there are still people, unobserved and unheralded, who are noticed by Jesus alone for “offering their whole livelihood”.

When you get the annual report from your alma mater, who’s listed first in the brochure? The wealthy person who gave the most, of course, not the woman who gave from “her whole livelihood”.

Jesus always noticed the poor. He heard the blind man calling him from the side of the road even when others tried to shush him. He felt the woman who touched his garment in the hopes she would be healed, even when the crowd pressed all around him. He focused on the woman about to be stoned, not her multitude of accusers.

As Pope Francis teaches us, Jesus is interested in the poor and in mercy. He had to contend with those obsessed by rules and regulations, but his interest was first in real people and their suffering. “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath,” he famously tells his interlocutors in Mark’s Gospel.

Jesus is asking us to view others, especially the poor, as he did and not as the world does. He’s asking us to be countercultural Christians, to be observant as he was of the unnoticed hero, the quiet sufferer, the unnoted faithful, and to model our lives after them.

CNS

Jesus had to contend with those obsessed by rules and regulations, but his interest was

first in real people and their suffering.

“Unity in necessary things, freedom in doubtful things and charity in all things”: This is a time-honoured prin-ciple of moral theology that will help you to understand the thinking of Pope Francis, who is very wise.

A relatively small number of Catho-lics have taken issue with Pope Francis in his attempt to bring more compassion and less legalism to the Church and its members. Most Catholics find him re-freshing and in perfect harmony with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There are always those who claim to be more Catholic than the Pope; they instinctively conclude that mercy is a sign of weakness and not something to be practised. They live by a moral rigid-ity that borders on self-righteousness, which Pope Francis says leads to “hos-tile inflexibility”. Their opinions are inspired more by shortsightedness than the mercy the Gospel calls us to.

God’s love is his mercy. Legalism was the sin of the Pharisees; they ap-plied the letter of the law, not the spirit. The teachings of Jesus Christ are filled with the spirit of compassion. Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites because of their insensitivity and rigidity.

Stop and think about this: Did Jesus come to save only the morally upright? Or, as in the parable of the lost sheep,

did he leave the 99 to find the one lost sheep? I hesitate to call all of the lost sheep sinners because some of them are holy, living in good conscience.

Yet some of our brothers and sisters who are “lost sheep” feel rejected by the Church and its people and are negatively affected by the snap judgement of others who may not know the particular circum-

stances of the position they find them-selves in. Only God knows who the real sinners are. We do not.

Yet have we, at one time or another, been in a rush to judgment that often does others more harm than good?

Pope Francis is a true Christ figure among us. At the end of the recent synod on the family, he warned that a few of the

cardinals who were opposed to some of what he proposed should be careful not succumb to “inflexibility”.

Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement and known for her lifelong service to the poor, once said that what she loved about the Cath-olic Church is the freedom it allows the people of God. — CNS

Have we, at one time or another, been in a rush to

judgement that often does others more harm than good?

TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015 PAGE 11FEATUREPADI SEEDS

Fr Terry Burke is a Mill Hill Missionary,

who has served in Sarawak, Indonesia, India and England.

Currently, he is a resident lecturer at St Peter’s College and also

assigned to do formation work in the Archdiocese.

Today’s Catholic thanks him for sharing his rich pastoral reflections

in his column ‘Padi Seeds’.

He sends out a blog each week. If you would like to receive it,

please email him at terrylburke@gmail.com.

Embracing weaknessSome twenty odd years ago, I

became sick. I felt tired all the time, I could not do my work properly and found it very difficult getting up in the morning. Into this mess stepped a young man, who was training as a student of Mill Hill. He would come in the mornings to help get me up, he would make sure that I had whatever medicines and other things I needed and would often come and sit for a while in the evenings to keep me company – he even read up about my condition to see how he might help me further. At that time, I felt so ashamed of my weakness and prayed desperately for the Lord to take it away – and while I was grateful for the help of that young man, I wished it was all so different!

Now, some twenty five years later, my opinion about that time has changed. That young man, who was such a help to me, has now left Mill Hill and followed a different path in life, but the friendship that began during the time of my weakness, is still there and has deepened and matured over the years. I went to see him, while I was last at home on leave, and although I only meet him about once a year, it struck me that our friendship is as though we saw each other every day. So, when I look back at that time of my sickness, I no longer reject the feelings of weakness and helplessness that were mine, but, instead, I remember the deep and abiding friendship that grew out of that time, a friendship that could only have come about because I was weak – and I give thanks for the weakness that was mine.

Weakness is something we look down upon and despise in our world and often this works its way into our attitude as Christians – we are frightened of weakness, both physical and spiritual,

and reject it, even though we proclaim that the prayers of the sick and weak are powerful in the sight of God. More and more I realise how we need to re-evaluate the place of weakness in our lives, because were there no weakness in our world, no brokenness or damage in our lives, then neither would there be compassion, mercy, or even faith, for we can only truly find our Saviour – and, indeed, each other – in our weakness and failure – not in our strength and success.

This does not mean that God sends us pain and sickness, as some seem to think, he does not. Our world and the people in it are more than capable of doing that, but God does reach out to us in our weakness and takes up that pain, brokenness and weakness and brings out of them such miracles of love and care that we can only stand in awe and wonder. On Good Fridays, as celebrant at the ceremonies, I am able to watch those coming up to venerate the cross and I see the love and devotion in the people’s faces as they kiss the cross and hold up their small children to touch the figure of the one who died for us. It shows how God can take the cruelty and hatred of the world and make it the very place where love, compassion – and

friendship – are born. There is a time of our lives for us to be

strong, to do, to create, but our lives begin in weakness, and it is in that weakness that we begin to know love – first through our parents and others who hold us and care for us in our weakness as babies. The same is also true, for most of us, at the end of our lives – we come to know weakness once more as our strength drains away due to age and sickness and we become reliant on others. A point to ponder is that the things we are most proud of are those we accomplish in the times of our strength and ability, but the things of beauty and gentle joy that will abide forever, are born not in the times of our strength, but in the times of our weakness. Both strength and weakness have their place in our lives, but the part we do not particularly like, our weakness, is usually the more fruitful part – and this is true of both our friendship with God as well of our friendships with those around us.

Cardinal Hume said of friendship: “Love between two persons, whether of the same sex or of a different sex, is to be treasured and respected… When two persons love, they experience in a limited

manner in this world what will be their unending delight when one with God in the next… To love another is to have entered the area of the richest human experience…”

True friendship is born and grows when we are there for the other in their weakness and need and they, in turn, for us. It is being true to someone, when the world sees only failure, and giving them the courage to stand up and walk again. The deepest part of the friendship I have with my Saviour was born in the times of my weakness, as was my friendship with that now “not so young” man, who came to me in my time weakness so many years ago.

Fr Terry Burke

Clapping at Massby Fr Kenneth Doyle

Q&A

Q I have noticed that when the choir does a piece of music differently or performs a song especially well, someone inevitably starts to applaud and the rest of the congregation follows suit. I think that this detracts

from the mood that the music has just created and interferes with the solemnity of the Mass. Is it just me, or should applause be reserved for musical performances outside of Mass?

A The church has no specific “rules” for or against applause at Mass, so we are left to reason for ourselves according to what comports with the purpose and spirit of the liturgy. Fundamentally, I agree with your

observation. Music during Mass, whether sung by the choir or by the congregation, is not a performance. It is meant to glorify God and sanctify the faithful. It is a form of prayer and should draw those present into deeper contact with the Lord.

All of which inclines me in the direction of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later to become Pope Benedict XVI), who in the year 2000 wrote in “The Spirit of the Liturgy” that “whenever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of the liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment.”

There are moments in certain liturgical celebrations when applause is welcomed, although not explicitly called for. For example, in the ordination of a priest, there is a point at which the congregation is invited to give its approval to the candidate “according to local custom,” which in the United States usually results in applause.

Apart from such instances, it seems inappropriate during Mass to break the flow of the liturgy and spirit of prayer by clapping. Having said that, we are properly grateful to musicians and singers for adding beauty and reverence to the celebration

Photo: http://live.stlyouth.org

of the Mass. Perhaps that gratitude could best be expressed once the closing hymn is completed – either by applause or by taking the time to compliment members of the choir personally. — CNS

Whenever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the

essence of the liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment.

- Pope Benedict XVI, The Spirit of the Liturgy

True friendship is born and grows when we are there for the other in their weakness and need

PAGE 12 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015FEATURE

Pope Francis asks religious to “wake up the world” during the

Year of Consecrated LifeOn 21 November 2014, the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

Pope Francis issued another letter to all who consecrate their life in religious life for the Year of Consecrated Life 2015.

At the beginning of the letter, Pope Francis calls himself one like those to whom he addresses the letter, because he considers a Jesuit, a person who consecrates his life.

In his message, the Pope underlines the aims of the Year of Consecrated Life, namely to look to the past with gratitude, to live the present with passion and to embrace the future with hope. These aims are more or less the same as those of St John Paul II’s 1996 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Vita Consecrata.

What in particular does Pope Francis expect from this Year of grace for consecrated life? Foremost, he wants religious to radiate joy. According to him, “None of us should be dour, discontented and dissatisfied, for ‘a gloomy disciple is a disciple of gloom.’”

Using the plural term of the first person, he continues, “Like everyone else, we have our troubles, our dark nights of the soul, our disappointments and infirmities, our experience of slowing down as we grow older. But in all these things we should be able to discover ‘perfect joy.’”

The consecrated life will not flourish as a result of brilliant vocation programmes, but because young people see the religious as happy. The apostolic effectiveness of consecrated life does not depend on the efficiency of its methods, but on the eloquence of religious lives that radiate the joy and beauty of living the Gospel.

Men and women are experts of the spirituality of communion, and they should start from their own respective communities. Criticism, gossip, envy, jealousy and hostility have no place in religious houses. Therefore, the path of charity which opens up for the religious is almost infinite, since it entails mutual acceptance and

Year of Consecrated Life

concern, practising a communion of goods both material and spiritual, fraternal correction and respect for those who are weak.

Pope Francis also hopes that this Year can be an occasion for the different religious congregations to step out from the confines of their respective Institutes and to work together, at the local and global levels, on projects involving formation, evangelization, and social action. These works of cooperation are also done in collaboration with lay people.

Furthermore, he urges the religious to go to the existential peripheries of human life to witness to the Gospel. By doing so, the communities will not be stifled by petty squabbles, because they will find life by giving life, hope by giving hope, love by giving love.

To sum up the letter in a sentence, I would say that Pope Francis wants consecrated men and women to wake up the world with joy, witnessing to the Gospel as prophets in the frontiers of human life.

Fr Francis Lim Chin Choy, SJ

Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak (SSFS)

The consecrated life will not flourish as a result of brilliant vocation

programmes, but because the young people we meet find us attractive, because they see us as men and

women who are happy!

– Pope Francis

CONGRATULATIONS!Please collect your prizes at

Today’s Catholic officeThe Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre,

Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg,93000 Kuching

Tel: 082-231164

TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015 PAGE 13CHILDREN

Hi Kids!The Wise Men, who were supposed to tip off to King Herod the location of the Baby Jesus, took a different route home when an angel told them to do so. This was to protect the Baby Jesus from danger. Let us pray that we will always listen to God’s word and obey them like the Wise Men

did. Aunty Jo

Christmas Colouring Contest

The winners for the Christmas Colouring Contest are:CATHERINA FRANKIE, 7, Taman Matang Jaya

ALFONSINA LYDIA AK JUNLI, 7, Taman Desa WiraMARIA CHAN CHAO FEN, 7, Taman Satria Jaya

RICHARD ANIXTON AK MATTHEW, 8, Kpg Pichin (Serian)FAYE AU JIN NING, 9, Iris Garden Square

FELICIA SII, 9, Taman Matang Indah

Wise Men search for Jesus“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?

We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”Matthew 2:2

Colour the pictures.Then, help the Wise Men find the Baby Jesus.

Simeon recognizes JesusNow there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Luke 2:25-26

Read Luke 2:22-40. Complete the crossword puzzle below.

ACROSS2. Deliverance from the penalty of sin7. Something you said that you would do8. The organs for seeing in the faces of humans and animals9. A building dedicated to religious ceremonies or worship10. The town where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus lived

DOWN1. The mother of Jesus3. The homeland of the Jewish people4. A person who is not Jewish5. The man who was promised he would not die until he had seen the Messiah6. The earthly father of Jesus

EYES GENTILE ISRAEL

JOSEPH MARY

NAZARETHPROMISE SIMEON

SALVATIONTEMPLE

The baptism of Jesus

The Baptism of JesusAs Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:10-11Based on Mark 1:4-11 (NIV)

REPENT JORDAN FORGIVE HEAVEN CLOTHING SINS JESUS WILD LOCUSTS WATER RIVER BAPTIZED SPIRIT CONFESS HONEY JOHN

D V Q K S F O R G I V E J M VB X F P W G J B A P T I Z E DD H R P D T R O H O K X V S HK F H V N E I D R E W G W L JX Q A E T H J Y K D A L F S JV N P A N W T M R K A V F C ZH E W P J I J L M N R N E C WR Q O S N Q J O O C O Z D N YC O N F E S S C L L J T Z D EY J S J O H N U W O H O N E YJ F E I A H I S X T N E P P RI P G S N B T T Z H H M G E DQ F I B U S I S Z I W H V L IB P E O Z S F N D N T I I P NZ Y S P I R I T D G R W U U T

Copyright © Sermons 4 Kids, Inc. • All Rights Reserved • www.sermons4kids.com

As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open

and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:

"You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:10-11

Read Mark 1:4-11. Find the words of the passage in the wordsearch puzzle below.

BAPTIZED CLOTHING CONFESS FORGIVE

HEAVEN HONEY JESUS JOHN

JORDAN LOCUSTS REPENTRIVER

SINSSPIRITWATERWILD

Fishing for people

Jesus called out to them, "Come, be my disciples,

and I will show you how to fish for people!"Mark 1:17

Connect the dots to complete the image.Then, colour the picture.

Fishing for People

Connect the dots to complete the image.

Jesus called out to them, "Come, be my disciples,and I will show you how to fish for people!"

Mark 1:17(NLT)

Sermons4Kids.com

Jesus calls out an evil

spiritThe people were amazed because Jesus taught them

as one who had _____ _____________.

Mark 1:22

Unscramble the words on the right.

Then, arrange the numbered letters to find the word that

completes the sentence below.

PAGE 14 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015YOUTH

Taizé Brother visits Kuching

KYCS Carolling 2014

KUCHING — Brother Andreas from Taizé community in France visited Kuching from 2-5 December. During his visit, he met parishioners from St Theresa’s Church, Serian, Holy Trinity Church, Kenyalang and St Patrick, Krokong.

In St Theresa’s Church, Serian, he had a short tour of the parish where he met the catechists, youth and the priests. Although it was a short visit, it was enriching.

Br Andreas also met the Kuching Young Christian Students (KYCS) youth group. He shared on the history of their community and he also taught them a new Taizé song.

The Taizé brother assisted in chanting the Taizé songs during the Holy Hour at Holy Trinity Church, Kenyalang. More than 50 parishioners attended.

In St Patrick, Krokong, he presented a

video on how young people from different continents live their lives in Taizé. Then, he led a Taizé prayer where more than 20 youth and parents participated.

His final evening prayer in Kuching was held at Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre (ACCPC) where about 50 catechumens including youth and parents attended. It was indeed a fruitful and a wonderful experience for those, especially the youth who met Br Andreas for the first time.

Monica Lisa

Meeting youths from rural parishes

Kuching Young Christian Students celebratesFamily Night

KUCHING — On 14 December, a Family Night was held at St Augustine’s Room at St Joseph's Cathedral Parish Centre to thank the parents for their commitment for sending their children for carolling practices and at the same time enjoying the carols sung by their children. A sectional performance by the sopranos provided great entertainment to them as

well. In addition, testimonies from the juniors on their first time joining the KYCS carolling and coordinator Jacqueline Teo and Patrick Wong were inspiring. Not to say the least, the interactive games were just as entertaining.

Theodore Lee

Youths learning new Taizé song

KUCHING — From17 - 23 December, the Kuching Young Christian Students (KYCS) had their annual house-to-house carolling.

With practices running for about a month, students from various schools gathered at St Joseph’s Cathedral Parish Centre to practise the carol. Students under the guidance of senior carollers, students and teacher animators made up the group.

There were 55 houses including St Teresa’s Convent and the Cheshire Home

at Jln Ong Tiang Swee. Even though most of the carollers were exhausted after seven nights of little sleep, they had a lot of fun proclaiming the coming of Christ Jesus.

Throughout the carolling, the game ‘Guardian Angel’ was executed where carollers randomly picked their ‘masters’ and helped them throughout the carolling. Their identities were only revealed on the last night of the event.

Theodore Lee

May we try to listen and be silent in order to make space for the

beauty of God.– Pope Francis

(@Pontifex)

TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015 PAGE 15YOUTH

KUCHING — The Kuching Young Christian Students (KYCS) movement has seen many faces over the past 21 years, but never once had the opportunity for KYCS members, past and present alike, to gather in solidarity and reunite with old acquaintances as well as make new ones.

On 28 December at a local restaurant, the first-ever KYCS Alumni and Friends Reunion Dinner was organised to raise funds for the IYCS Asian Secretariat. It was to fund future outreach and training programs for the students in Asia as well as to allow past and present KYCS members to get together. The theme ‘Christmas Glitters’ encouraged a total of 201 guests to dress to impress which brought about a cheerful Christmas atmosphere in the dinner hall. Many parents, teachers, friends and alumni of KYCS dating back to more than 20 years ago were found themselves in their best outfit mingling with each other joyfully.

Apart from speeches by the Chairperson of Kuching Archdiocesan Youth Commission (KAYC) Fr Felix Au, and dinner organising chairperson Claudia Law, Archbishop John Ha too gave a video recorded message for those present that evening while Fr Simon Poh shared on the establishment of KYCS. Ralph Balan, the International YCS Asian Secretariat was also present to share on the works of the Asian Secretariat and highlighted the importance of each country’s movement and support in its smooth running. He thanked all present and encouraged everyone to maintain the strong bonds with one another as alumni

of KYCS.Throughout the evening,

there were song performances by individuals and groups, as well as a dance performance by past and current KYCS members. The KYCS Carolling Group was present to grace the evening with Christmas carols on top of blessed draw sessions. The best-dressed youth and adults remained the highlights during the night.

The event came to an end with an open dance-floor for all present. All in all, everyone had a wonderful time. As the curtains came down the guests posed for pictures in memory of a night well spent in solidarity.

The organising committee would like to thank all generous sponsors who provided financial contributions as well as in kind for the dinner, friends of KYCS for the many years of support, teacher animators for journeying with us students throughout the years, parents for your love and sacrifice, and all past and present members of KYCS for being a part of this historical event. The total amount raised from this event was RM9,376.00 which has been channeled to the IYCS Asian Secretariat.

If you would like to continue to support the International YCS

Asian Secretariat or the Kuching YCS movement, please contact the KAYC Office at 082-237 237 or e-mail to:kchycsalumni@iycsasia.org for further details.

Harald Chao

KYCS alumni and friends gather for

a walk down memory lane

BLESSING FOR THE IYCS OFFICE… Asian Coordinator Ralph Balan (left) receiving the

contribution on behalf of the IYCS Asian Secretariat from KAYC Chairperson Fr Felix

Au (middle), witnessed by dinner event coordinator Claudia Law (left).

PADAWAN — St Ann’s Parish Youth Ministry (PYM) organised a Christmas Musical Drama at St Ann’s Church, Kota Padawan, on 21 December. It was graced by the Parish Rector, Friar Gerard Victor OFM and participated by the Children’s Liturgy, youths from PYM and members of the BM Mass and Sunset Mass Choirs.

The service began with the

singing of three Christmas carols by the choir who were dressed in red and black, followed by an opening prayer by Friar Gerard Victor. A drama staged by the youths depicted the Nativity according to Luke’s Gospel. Simple yet attractive props, costumes and an interlude of Christmas hymns enhanced the play.

Friar Gerard gave a special and personal sharing. He hoped that more parishioners would participate in future events. He also thanked the PYM for their commitment and effort in making a difference this year.

The Children Liturgy then presented two carols before the service ended with a potluck fellowship. – Clarice Chan

Christmas Musical Drama

IMAN DAN HIDUPPAGE 22 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015

Jadi anda sudah berikrar untuk menambah pengambilan kubis daun dan mendaftar diri untuk yoga bagi memulakan Tahun Baharu. Namun adakah kehidupan rohani anda sebahagian daripada azam-azam anda pada Tahun Baharu? Di

bawah adalah beberapa cadangan bagi langkah-langkah praktikal yang kecil dan boleh kita ambil untuk menjadi lebih mantap dari segi rohani pada 2015.

1. Misa Harian. Jika anda langsung tidak pergi, cuba pergi sehari seminggu. Jika anda pergi sehari seminggu, cuba pergi dua hari. Jika anda pergi setiap hari… syabas.

“Cara terbaik untuk menjimatkan masa adalah untuk ‘membuang’ setengah jam setiap hari dengan menghadiri sembahyang Misa Kudus.”

~ Frederic Ozanam

2. Sebut doa rosari setiap hari. Waktu kegemaran saya untuk menyebut doa rosari harian adalah di dalam kereta atau ketika saya berjalan di luar. Jika saya cuba melakukannya sejurus sebelum saya tidur, saya sudah pasti akan tertidur. Cari mana yang berkesan untuk anda.

3. Hafal satu ayat dari Al-Kitab seminggu. Tulis ayat itu pada nota kecil dan lekatkan di atas meja anda selama seminggu.

“Manusia hidup bukan dari roti sahaja, tetapi dari setiap firman yang keluar dari mulut Allah.”

~ Matius 4:4

4. Lawati chapel untuk memuja Tuhan sekali seminggu, walaupun ia hanya selama lima minit sahaja.

8. Ambil bahagian dalam kehidupan paroki anda. Persembahkan bakat anda kepada Tuhan menerusi nyanyian, bacaan, kepimpinan, atau sekadar membantu.

9. Angkat seorang paderi atau biarawati dan berdoa serta berpuasa untuk mereka. Orang yang menjalani kehidupan religius juga memerlukan orang untuk berdoa bagi mereka! Perkumpulan ‘The Handmaids of the Precious Blood’ (layari laman sesawang mereka di http://www.nunsforpriests.org/AdoptAPriest/AdoptAPriest.php) secara khusus membantu orang mengangkat paderi untuk didoakan.

10. Buat sesuatu untuk gelandangan. Pope Francis sentiasa menggalakkan kita untuk mendekati orang miskin – mengenali mereka dan melihat mata mereka dan mengasihi mereka. Cuba memberi khidmat sukarela di sebuah pusat perlindungan tempatan, atau pun senyum sahaja kepada gelandangan di jalanan.

11. Lawati seseorang yang anda tahu adalah kesepian. Ketepikan media (tidak) sosial dan hulurkan tangan kepada seorang rakan yang anda tahu sedang menderita.

Kesepian dan perasaan tidak dikehendaki adalah kemiskinan yang paling dahsyat.

~ Blessed Mother Teresa dari Calcutta

“Kita mewakili golongan di dunia yang tidak mengenali Yesus semasa Jam Kudus kita dalam Pemujaan.”

~ St John Paul II

5. Beri komitmen kepada satu paroki. Generasi saya (saya bercakap mengenai semua anda dari generasi milenium) terkenal kerana suka melompat dari paroki ke paroki dan enggan memberikan komitmen kepada mana-mana paroki. Bagaimanapun, ia jauh lebih baik bagi pembangunan jemaat jika kita memberikan komitmen. Marilah kita lakukan perkara ini.

6. Mula memberi persepuluhan. Beri kepada paroki anda (yang anda sudah putuskan untuk diberi komitmen). Tuhan akan memberkati kemurahan hati anda, saya jamin.“Jangan tampil di hadirat Tuhan dengan tangan yang kosong, sebab semuanya wajib menurut perintah. Persembahan orang jujur melemaki mezbah, dan harumnya sampai ke hadapan Yang Maha Tinggi. Tuhan berkenan kepada korban orang benar, dan ingatannya tidak akan dilupakan. Muliakanlah Tuhan dengan kemurahan, dan buah bungaran di tanganmu janganlah kau sedikitkan. Sertakanlah muka yang riang dengan segala pemberianmu, dan bagian persepuluh hendaklah kau kuduskan dengan suka hati. Berikanlah kepada Yang Maha Tinggi berpadanan dengan apa yang Dia berikan kepadamu, dengan murah hati dan sesuai dengan hasil tanganmu. Sebab Dia itu Tuhan pembalas, dan engkau akan dibalas-Nya dengan tujuh lipat.” ~ Sirakh 35:6-13

7. Ketahui tentang seseorang yang berada di landasan menuju kanonisasi tetapi belum lagi sampai di sana (seseorang yang bergelar Blessed (Diberkati) atau Venerable (Dihormati) atau Servant of God (Hamba Tuhan)). Mula memohon perantaraan mereka dan lihat sama ada anda dapat membantu dalam usaha untuk menjadikan mereka santo-santa (orang kudus)! Mengetahui tentang kehidupan santo-santa dapat menguatkan kepercayaan kita sendiri dan memberi contoh yang boleh kita ikuti.“Kita percaya kepada komuni (kesatuan) semua umat Kristus, mereka yang menjadi penziarah di bumi, mereka yang sudah meninggal dunia dan sedang disucikan, dan golongan yang diberkati di syurga, semua bersama-sama membentuk satu Gereja; dan kita percaya bahawa dalam komuni ini, kasih Tuhan yang Maha Rahim dan santo-santa-Nya sentiasa mendengar doa-doa kita.” ~ Pope Paul VI

19 cadangan azam rohani bagi Tahun Baharu

oleh Mary Rezac

12. Cari pengajian Al-Kitab. Tidak dapat cari? Lihat nombor 13.

13. Mulakan pengajian Al-Kitab. Cari bahan dalam talian, atau tanya paderi paroki anda.

“Jahil mengenai Al-Kitab bermakna jahil mengenai Kristus.”

~ St Jerome

14. Buat pengakuan dosa. Adakah ia sudah agak lama (anda tidak mengaku dosa)? Simpan keazaman untuk menjadikan sakramen ini satu tabiat yang lebih tetap pada tahun ini. Sekali sebulan atau malah lebih kerap lagi disyorkan. Anakku, sama seperti kamu bersedia di hadirat-Ku, demikian juga kamu membuat pengakuan dosa anda di hadapan-Ku. Bagi Aku, paderi hanyalah skrin sahaja. Jangan menganalisa paderi jenis apa yang Aku sedang gunakan; buka jiwa kamu dalam pengakuan dosa seperti apa yang kamu akan lakukan dengan Aku, dan Aku akan memenuhinya dengan cahaya-Ku. (1725)

~ St Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul (Kerahiman Rahim dalam Jiwaku)

15. Pelawa seseorang ke sembahyang Misa atau pengakuan dosa. Penginjilan kadang-kadang semudah pelawaan peribadi.

16. Cuba cara doa baharu. Buntu? Cuba kebaktian baharu. Cuba lihat liturgi waktu (liturgy of the hours) atau doa perantaraan. Tuhan bercakap dalam banyak cara yang berlainan.

17. Lawati pusat penjagaan atau seorang rakan di hospital. Amalan belaskasihan jasmani? Check.

18. Dapatkan seorang pengarah rohani. Kita tidak semestinya perlu pandai menilai panggilan atau seruan kita untuk mendapatkan khidmat nasihat rohani. Mungkin anda sedang memikirkan satu langkah besar atau hubungan anda dengan Tuhan tidak berada pada landasan yang anda inginkan. Paderi (atau rohaniwan atau rohaniwati) dapat membantu. Tanya sahaja.

19. Sertai retreat. Luangkan masa untuk hanya anda dan Yesus sahaja.

Perkara penting dalam kehidupan rohani adalah untuk mengambil langkah-langkah kecil yang dapat ditangani menuju Tuhan supaya kita tidak cepat tawar hati. Pilih satu atau dua perkara baharu dari senarai di atas dan mula serapkan ke dalam kehidupan anda.

CNS Blog (Terjemahan)

TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015 PAGE 23IMAN DAN HIDUP

dari pena penulis jemputan,Fr Lazarus Swinie

Hati ke hati...

Tahun baharu seolah-olah tidak akan sah tanpa mercun dan bunga api. Bunyi dentuman mercun memecah keheningan malam. Di udara pula kelihatan pelbagai warna yang dihasilkan oleh percikkan bunga api. Itulah tanda bermulanya tahun baharu. Yang lama tinggal menjadi kenangan. Tahun baharu bermaksud permulaan baharu. Azam baharu dan semangat baharu diikhrarkan.

Gereja juga tidak terkecuali menyambut tahun baharu. Kita memulakan tahun baharu dengan menyambut pesta Maria, Bunda Allah. Ianya

sangat tepat sekali sebab Maria adalah merupakan manusia yang pertama yang percaya kepada Yesus. Setiap apa yang didengar dan dilihatnya tentang Yesus disimpan di dalam hati dan direnungkan.

Iman dan perbuatan Maria tetap menjadi contoh kepada kita. Seperti Maria, kita juga adalah pengikut-pengikut Kristus Yesus. Oleh yang demikian, Yesus berfirman, “Jika seseorang hendak mengikut Aku, dia mesti melupakan kepentingan sendiri, memikul salib, dan mengikut Aku” (Matius 16:24). “Sesiapa yang tidak

mahu memikul salibnya dan mengikut Aku, tidak layak menjadi pengikut-Ku” (Matius 10:38). Memikul salib – itulah azam yang patut kita perbaharui dari masa ke semasa agar ianya berdentum seperti bunyi mercun dan bersinar seperti percikan bunga api di dalam kehidupan kita.

Salib terbahagi kepada dua bahagian iaitu tiang dan palang. Kedua-duanya tidak boleh dipisahkan. Kedua-duanya membentuk salib. Kedua-duanya bagi saya adalah berkenaan dengan hubungan antara kita dengan Tuhan dan dengan sesama manusia.

Tuhan berfirman, “Hendaklah kamu suci, kerana Aku suci” (1 Petrus 1:16). Kesucian hati dan perbuatan berpunca dari rahmat dan cinta kasih Tuhan. Ianya

diperolehi dari hubungan akrab kita dengan Tuhan bukan sahaja melalui pujian dan penyembahan tetapi juga melalui renungan peristiwa-peristiwa yang belaku seperti yang bunda Maria telah lakukan. Harus diingat bahawa Yesus juga tidak pernah melupakan Bapa-Nya yang di syurga ketika di bumi. Hubungan akrab kita dengan Tuhan akan membentuk tiang salib.

Yesus berfirman, “Sebagaimana Aku sudah mengasihi kamu, hendaklah kamu saling mengasihi” (Yohanes 13:34). Mengasihi sesama manusia adalah identiti kita. Yesus sendiri telah menunjukkan kepada kita bagaimana kita harus mengasihi iaitu “datang bukan untuk dilayani tetapi melayani” (Mk. 10:41-45). Melayani seperti

Yesus adalah tanggungjawab kita. Yesus melayani tanpa mengira bangsa, agama dan pangkat. Melalui pelayanan seperti Kristus maka terbentuklah palang salib.

Kita menyembah dan memuliakan Tuhan untuk memohon rahmat dan kekuatan. Rahmat dan cinta kasih Tuhan kemudiannya kita salurkan melalui layanan kita. Melalui kedua-dua amalan ini maka terlaksanalah seruan Yesus agar kita memikul salib dan menyangkal keinginan sendiri.

Marilah kita pada tahun baharu ini berazam dengan melalui hati, tangan dan suara yang penuh cinta kasih menyampaikan rahmat dan cinta kasih Tuhan kepada sesama manusia.

Fr Lazarus Swinie

Memikul salib – itulah azam yang patut kita perbaharui dari masa ke semasa agar

ianya berdentum seperti bunyi mercun dan bersinar seperti percikan bunga api di

dalam kehidupan kita.Foto: Rolands Lakis

Perhatikan wira senyap di kalangan kitaoleh Effie Caldarola

Yesus dalam Injil ternyata menakjubkan kerana memiliki kuasa untuk memerhatikan orang dan memahami sifat manusia.

Cuba fikirkan tentang cara golongan Farisi dan Saduki yang sentiasa berusaha untuk memerangkap Yesus, bertanyakan soalan yang direka untuk mengaibkannya di hadapan pihak berkuasa agama. Jawapan Yesus sentiasa bijak namun benar. Dia sentiasa menggagalkan usaha golongan yang menganggap diri sebagai pakar agama ini, dengan menterbalikkan soalan mereka dan mendedahkan sifat mereka yang tidak ada belaskasihan manusiawi serta ketaksuban mereka dengan peraturan.

Yesus seorang lelaki yang pintar, dan juga sudah tentulah seorang lelaki dengan pemahaman yang bijaksana mengenai motivasi orang lain. Dia dapat menilai seseorang lelaki – atau seseorang wanita – dengan cepat. Dia mengenali sifat manusia.

Ia adalah menakjubkan betapa pandainya penulis-penulis Injil, yang memberitahu kisah Yesus bertahun-tahun selepas kematian dan kebangkitannya, menunjukkan aspek ini dalam perwatakannya.

Adakah kita menghargai kuasa Yesus sebagai pemerhati, terutamanya perhatian yang dia berikan kepada golongan miskin?

Baru-baru ini satu bacaan liturgi harian memberi tumpuan kepada wanita yang meletakkan dua kupang ke dalam tabung wang di bait. Hari itu Yesus begitu sibuk. Dia berada di bait, dan terbabit dalam perdebatan biasa dengan musuh-musuhnya, yang mengajukan soalan demi soalan kepadanya, tentang ufti kepada Caesar, tentang kebangkitan orang mati, untuk mengumpannya

dengan apa yang mereka anggap sebagai soalan-soalan mengelirukan, dalam usaha untuk mencari kesilapannya.

Ia pasti merangsang minda namun meletihkan bagi Yesus. Kemudian, ketika dia duduk bersama murid-muridnya, dia memerhatikan wanita berkenaan, seorang balu, yang meletakkan duit kupangnya ke dalam tabung wang. Wanita tersebut pasti akan rasa kagum jika dia tahu seseorang sedang memerhatikannya dengan penuh timbang rasa.

Yesus memberitahu murid-muridnya bahawa “dia, walaupun miskin, telah memberikan seluruh hasil pendapatannya” sedangkan orang lain yang jauh lebih kaya memberi lebih tetapi dari baki wang yang mereka dengan mudah dapat berikan.

Marilah kita mengakuinya, pemerhatian Yesus begitu berbeza sekali

berbanding cara dunia kita memahami pemberian.

Pada tahun ini, pengasas Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg dipuji kerana memberi sumbangan derma yang terbesar pada 2013. Orang lain, seperti Bill Gates dan ramai bilionair lain yang mendapat inspirasi daripada beliau dan Warren Buffett, menerima perhatian yang cukup banyak kerana amal kebajikan mereka.

Saya bersyukur kerana mereka menggunakan sebahagian daripada kekayaan mereka untuk membantu orang lain.

Namun ramai penderma kaya di dunia yang terus hidup dalam kemewahan dan keistimewaan. Sementara itu, masih ada lagi orang, yang tidak diperhatikan dan tidak disanjungi, yang menarik perhatian Yesus sahaja kerana “memberikan seluruh hasil pendapatan mereka”.

Apabila kita menerima laporan tahunan dari alma mater kita, siapakah yang disenaraikan terlebih dahulu di dalam risalah? Sudah tentulah orang kaya yang memberi paling banyak, bukan si wanita yang memberikan “semua hasil pendapatannya”.

Yesus sentiasa memerhatikan orang miskin. Dia mendengar lelaki buta memanggilnya dari tepi jalan walaupun orang lain cuba mendiamkannya. Dia dapat merasai si wanita yang menyentuh jubahnya dengan harapan agar dia akan sembuh, walaupun orang ramai bersesak-sesak di sekelilingnya. Dia memberi tumpuan kepada wanita yang hendak direjam dengan batu, tetapi bukan kepada orang ramai yang melemparkan tuduhan kepada wanita tersebut.

Seperti yang diajar oleh Pope Francis kepada kita, Yesus berminat dengan orang miskin dan dengan belaskasihan. Dia terpaksa menangani mereka yang taksub dengan peraturan dan undang-undang, tetapi minatnya terlebih dahulu adalah terhadap manusia sebenar dan penderitaan mereka.

“Hari Sabat dibuat untuk manusia, bukan manusia untuk Hari Sabat,” dia memberitahu orang yang berdebat dengannya dalam Injil Markus.

Yesus meminta kita untuk melihat orang lain, terutamanya golongan miskin, seperti dia dan bukan seperti dunia. Dia meminta kita untuk menjadi orang Kristian yang berani menentang budaya negatif, untuk pandai memerhati seperti dia memerhatikan si wira yang tidak didendang, orang yang menderita dengan senyap, orang beriman yang tidak dipeduli orang, dan untuk menjalani kehidupan kita berteladankan mereka.

CNS (Terjemahan)

Yesus meminta kita untuk melihat orang lain, terutamanya golongan miskin,

seperti dia dan bukan seperti dunia.

BERITAPAGE 24 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015

“Bangkitlah, Belia!” KAJANG — Sejajar

dengan tema pada Hari Belia Asia 2014 di Korea Selatan baru-baru ini iaitu, “Bangkitlah, belia!” juga telah menjadi tema kepada kem belia yang dianjurkan bersama oleh belia-belia dari Gereja Holy Family, Kajang dan Gereja St Francis of Assisi, Cheras. Kem belia ini telah diadakan pada 28 - 30 November dan dinamakan sebagai Seminar Kebangunan Rohani dan Peneguhan Iman Belia Kristian. Bertempat di Gereja Holy Family, Kajang, tujuan seminar ini adalah sebagai medium untuk mempelajari dan mengetahui cabaran-cabaran masa kini serta situasi-situasi semasa yang berlaku di Malaysia ketika ini. Selain itu, seminar ini juga bertujuan untuk mewujudkan semangat kekitaan di kalangan belia yang terdiri daripada pelajar-pelajar universiti/kolej dan belia yang bekerja serta menjadi medium teras dalam memberi pendidikan dan pembentukan iman yang berterusan bagi para belia.

Seramai 73 orang peserta telah menyertai seminar ini dan menghayati tema yang diambil dari petikan Roma 6:8 “jadi jika kita telah mati dengan Kristus, kita percaya bahawa kita akan hidup juga dengan

Dia”. Para belia diseru untuk menyedari cabaran-cabaran masa kini agar mereka berani bangkit dan mempertahankan iman Kristiani mereka. Bagi memantapkan lagi objektif seminar, Fr. Justin Joannis telah dipanggil untuk menyampaikan ceramah-ceramah yang membuka mata semua belia berkenaan isu-isu yang jarang diperdebatkan di kalangan belia Kristian. Sesi-sesi berkenaan menjadi hangat lagi dengan adanya sesi soal jawab yang memberi peluang kepada para belia untuk mengajukan persoalan-persoalan mereka mengenai isu-isu tersebut. Malahan, terdapat juga sesi

yang santai tetapi mendidik belia seperti menonton wayang tentang hak asasi manusia dan kekeluargaan serta sesi ‘Talent Time’ untuk mengetengahkan bakat-bakat terpendam di kalangan belia.

Dengan sokongan yang padu daripada Fr. George Harrison selaku paderi paroki Holy Family, Kajang, beliau telah menyeru kepada semua belia yang datang ke Semenanjung Malaysia agar menjadi rasul dan saksi Yesus melalui penglibatan dalam aktiviti Persatuan Pelajar Katolik di kampus dan program-program belia yang dianjurkan gereja. Beliau juga mendorong para belia agar

mendekati rakan-rakan yang tidak datang ke gereja dengan berkongsi renungan alkitab, buletin gereja dan Herald. Seterusnya, Fr. George telah mengedarkan buku-buku yang mengandungi doa-doa pedoman harian dan persoalan-persoalan lazim dalam gereja kepada para peserta.

Tambahan itu, saudara Becker Ray Benedict yang merupakan salah satu wakil belia Malaysia ke Hari Belia Asian telah menyampaikan perkongsian beliau tentang pengalamannya yang penuh bermakna sepanjang menyertai acara yang bukan calang-calang itu. Tidak dilupakan

juga perkongsian-perkongsian daripada para peserta tentang perjalanan iman mereka dan cabaran-cabaran yang mereka hadapi dalam hidup. Iman mereka dimantapkan lagi dengan sesi refleksi batin, sesi sakramen pengakuan dosa dan pemberkatan dalam misa kudus.

Sesungguhnya, kem belia atau seminar seperti ini adalah wajar diteruskan di masa-masa akan datang. Ini kerana kem ini telah menyedarkan para belia betapa kerinduan mereka terhadap Tuhan dan kehadiran Roh Kudus dalam jiwa mereka. Malah, mereka juga terpanggil untuk kembali dan terus melayani Gereja serta menemukan kegembiraan dan cinta kasih Tuhan melalui pelayanan kepada Tuhan. Oleh itu, bagi pihak komiti pelaksana kem belia ini, setinggi-tinggi penghargaan kepada pengerusi KUBM Holy Family, Kajang iaitu, Dr. Jiloris F. Dony dan isteri, paderi paroki Holy Family, Kajang, Fr. George Harrison, paderi paroki St. Francis of Assisi, Cheras, Fr. Andrew Manickam, dan juga Fr. Justin Joannis selaku penceramah utama atas segala sumbangan dan sokongan yang tak terhingga.

Brenda Alpheus

PERKONGSIAN PESERTA

Program ini telah memberi banyak pengetahuan tentang kebenaran dan memahami kepercayaan tentang Yesus Kristus di dalam ajaran Katolik. Ia dapat mengukuhkan lagi iman saya serta mendalami kebenaran tentang kepercayaan Kristian. ~ Karltwin Ak Kerol

Seminar ini banyak memberi pendedahan kepada saya mengenai isu dan cabaran yang dihadapi umat Kristian pada masa kini. Segala yang dikongsikan dalam seminar ini telah mengukuhkan kepercayaan saya kepada Yesus Kristus. Saya berharap seminar ini seperti ini akan diteruskan. ~ Natasya Nadia Nitip

Saya mahu berterima kasih kepada semua keluarga KUBM kerana ini adalah kali pertama saya mengikuti aktiviti gereja seperti ini dan terus menjadi AJK lagi. Memang seronok dapat bersama-sama dengan kamu semua. Harap dapat buat lagi pada masa akan datang. Tuhan memberkati dan senyum selalu.

~ Elvern Spencer

Program ini telah membuat saya sedar dan mendorong saya untuk sentiasa membuat renungan dan refleksi diri dalam perhubungan antara sesama kita dan juga kepada Tuhan. Saya juga baru menyedari melalui kem ini saya sudah lama merindui keaktifan saya dalam pelayanan gereja seperti dulu.

~ Jennyfer Stephen

Pada saya, kem ini memberikan santapan rohani pada diri saya. Saya mendapat sentuhan Roh Kudus di mana saya merasakan ada air membasahi kepala saya semasa doa Kerahiman Ilahi dijalankan. Kem sebegini amat diperlukan kerana melalui kem ini saya mengenal Tuhan dengan lebih dalam lagi.

~ Mangie Ak Liddy

PEMBERIAN KASIH ... Friar William Lee OFM menyerahkan cek bagi ‘pemberian kasih’ berjumlah RM66,330.35 kepada

Kevin Jindes selaku Pengerusi Gereja St Micheal, Teng Bukap. Majlis berlangsung selepas Misa Penguatan pada 23 November 2014, disaksikan oleh Uskup Agung John Ha, Father Francis Anthony dan jemaat paroki dari Zon Padawan, Zon Penrissen,

Zon Simpok, Zon Siburan dan Zon Semeba.

Pope Francis berdoa untuk pencarian pesawat AirAsia

VATICAN — Pope Francis berkata pada 28 Disember lalu beliau “memikirkan mereka yang menaiki pesawat AirAsia yang hilang dalam penerbangan di antara Indonesia dan Singapura”.

Beliau menambah, beliau juga memikirkan tentang dua nahas berasingan yang melibatkan dua buah kapal saudagar dan sebuah feri di Laut Atlantik.

“Saya dekat dengan kasih sayang dan doa saya,” kata Paus kepada keluarga dan orang tersayang yang mengalami “situasi sukar ini dengan

kegelisahan dan penderitaan” dan juga kepada mereka yang terlibat dalam operasi menyelamat.

Kata-kata solidariti beliau disampaikan di akhir ucapan Angelus beliau sempena perayaan Keluarga Kudus di mana beliau bercakap mengenai bagaimana cahaya

yang datang dari Keluarga Kudus menggalakkan kita untuk memberi kemesraan manusiawi dan di mana beliau turut menekankan tentang peranan penting yang dimainkan oleh datuk dan nenek dalam sesebuah keluarga. Vatican Radio (Terjemahan)

TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015 PAGE 25BERITA

PENERBIT Uskup Agung KuchingPENASIHAT Fr Felix AuEDITOR Stella ChinEDITOR BERSEKUTU(B Cina) Magdalene YeoSIDANG EDITOR Freddy Bohari (BM) Martha Ngui (B Inggeris) Victoria J Lim (Halaman Kanak-kanak B Inggeris) James Lo (B Cina) Margaret Bong (Halaman Kanak-kanak B Cina)HALAMAN BELIA Audrey YuSTAF Audrey Yu

Dari meja pengarangCATHOLICtoday’s THE TEAM

Dia memberitahu pemberita CNN bahawa anaknya menanti-nantikan lawatannya ke Singapura, anaknya dalam lingkungan usia 20-an, dan pertama kali menaiki pesawat, pertama kali meninggalkan negara, dia melangkah keluar, membuka sayapnya.

Dengan teruja, dia telah membeli sepasang kasut baharu selain jaket dan baju baharu. Dia lebih teruja lagi selepas membeli tiket. Selepas mengucapkan selamat jalan dengan gembira di Lapangan Terbang Surabaya, dia menaiki pesawat penerbangan QZ8501 AirAsia, dan ibunya tidak melihat dia lagi.

2014 merupakan tahun yang dahsyat bagi semua kita dari segi bencana nahas pesawat. Tiga dalam tempoh setahun, satu lesap, satu lagi ditembak jatuh dan ketiga terhempas ke dalam laut, semua melibatkan syarikat penerbangan/pesawat yang berpangkalan di Malaysia.

Tidak dapat dibayangkan. Namun kita sekarang terpaksa

membayangkan perkara yang tidak dapat dibayangkan setiap kali kita menaiki pesawat, setiap kali kita melambai selamat jalan kepada seseorang di pintu perlepasan, setiap kali kita menunggu ketibaan mereka, kita rasa tidak keruan. Mungkin inilah dia.

Adakah kita bersiap sedia dari segi rohani untuk menghadapi perkara terburuk? Bagaimanakah hubungan kita dengan Tuhan? Keluarga? Rakan-rakan?

Apa pun, tragedi yang tidak dapat dibayangkan ini membuatkan kita berfikir untuk bersiap sedia setiap masa untuk bertemu dengan Pencipta kita.

Sekarang tahun 2015 dan kita mengalu-alukan permulaan baharu dengan harapan yang gembira, melangkah keluar dengan kepercayaan kepada kasih dan kerahiman-Nya yang ilahi. Semoga iman kita dibawa di atas sayap burung helang.

Stella Chin (Terjemahan)

Melangkah dalam iman

TERIMALAH ... Brother Leo (dua kanan) dan Brother Terans (kanan) menyampaikan cenderahati berupa potret St Leo

kepada Andrew Gatesco dan James Rijem yang mewakili KGK Kampung Serasot.

TUBUH KRISTUS … Friar Gerard memberi Tubuh Kristus kepada penerima Komuni Pertama.

Menyambut Komuni Pertama Seminarian menabur benih bakti KOTA PADAWAN

— Pada 28 Disember lalu, Sembahyang Misa Kudus bagi Sakramen Komuni Pertama 2014 telah berlangsung di Baruk Gereja St Ann, Kota Padawan.

Misa Kudus dirayakan oleh Rektor Paroki St Ann, Friar Gerard Victor OFM manakala jumlah penerima Komuni Pertama adalah seramai 130 orang.

Friar Gerard menasihati penerima agar terus menyerahkan diri untuk pelayanan di gereja bagi meneguhkan iman sebagai orang Katolik.

Sempena Hari Keluarga Kudus, Rektor juga mengingatkan ibu bapa supaya membimbing anak-anak ini sehingga menjadi orang Katolik yang setia dan takut akan Tuhan.

Pada sebelah petang juga berlangsung penerimaan

Komuni Pertama dan Sakramen Pembaptisan oleh tujuh calon yang disempurnakan oleh Friar William Lee OFM semasa Misa Kudus Mandarin pada jam 5.30 petang.

Friar William juga menggalakkan calon agar terus melayani dalam Misa Kudus sebagai ahli koir atau pelayan altar.

Grace Amy

BAU — Tempoh selama 10 bulan bersama Brother Leo Elias dan Brother Terans Thadeus dari Seminari Kolej St Peter, Kuching, berlalu begitu pantas sekali bagi jemaat Gereja Katolik St Leo, Kpg Serasot.

Sepanjang tempoh tersebut, pelbagai aktiviti telah dijalankan bersama jemaat dengan sokongan yang menggalakkan dari Pergerakan Belia Katolik St Leo.

Antara aktiviti yang diadakan adalah doa Taize, membawa belia Kpg Serasot menziarahi individu dan ahli keluarga yang sakit dan kurang bernasib baik sepanjang Musim Pra-Paska dan Bulan Rosari, selain membawa belia untuk melakukan lawatan ke Rumah Kebajikan Orang Tua HOPE serta lawatan ke Kolej St Peter.

Aktiviti lain yang turut berjaya dianjurkan adalah membawa belia dari kampung terpilih dalam Zon Jagoi, Bau, untuk menyertai Sembahyang Misa di Gunung Jagoi bersama Father Francis Dakun.

Brother Leo dan Brother Terans tidak ketinggalan memberi pesanan kepada belia Kpg Serasot agar terus fokus dalam pelajaran tanpa melupakan tanggungjawab sebagai orang Kristian.

Jemaat St Leo sangat berharap supaya Brother Leo dan Brother Terans dapat kembali semula pada suatu hari nanti, bukan lagi sebagai seminarian tetapi sebagai paderi yang dapat memimpin jemaat dalam Sembahyang Misa.

Kollisa Johia

Vatikan mengeluarkan dokumen kerja tentang perkahwinan dan keluarga

VATIKAN — Dokumen kerja yang dikeluarkan akan merangka perbincangan sesi mesyuarat Sinod para Uskup pada Oktober 2015 nanti. Mesyuarat ini adalah lanjutan perbincangan tenteng perkahwinan dan kehidupan keluarga.

Dokumen itu menjelaskan bahawa mesyuarat yang akan diadakan pada tahun 2015 adalah berdasarkan perbincangan yang telah diadakan sebelum ini. Antara topik-topik kontroversi ialah homoseksual, perbuatan bersekedudukan dan status penganut Katolik yang telah bercerai dan berkahwin semula, merupakan agenda utama.

Pejabat Sinod mengedarkan dokumen baru itu, iaitu Lineamenta kepada semua

persidangan episkopal dunia. Dokumen Lineamenta menggabungkan ringkasan laporan akhir sesi 2014 dan menambah sebanyak 64 persoalan, di mana para uskup diminta untuk membuat refleksi.

Para uskup di seluruh dunia digalakkan membuat “rundingan secara meluas” dengan para Katolik di bawah keuskupan mereka untuk mendapatkan pandangan, terutama dari golongan terpelajar dan wakil-wakil kumpulan kegerejaan. Hasil rundingan tersebut hendaklah dilaporkan kepada Pejabat Sinod yang akan menggunakan laporan itu untuk penyediaan Instumentum Laboris, iaitu dokumen kerja untuk sesi Oktober 2015.

Lineamenta secara

keras mengesahkan ajaran-ajaran Gereja tentang ikatan perkahwinan yang kekal dan status unik kesatuan di antara lelaki dan perempuan membuka kehidupan. Pada masa yang sama, dokumen itu memanggil usaha-usaha baru bagi penyediaan penjagaan pastoral kepada orang-orang yang menghadapi keadaan perkahwinan yang tidak teratur, dan sebutan kajian “amalan Ortodoks” yang membenarkan perkahwinan kali kedua dalam situasi-situasi yang tertentu.

Dokumen tersebut menegaskan kepentingan untuk mengembalikan kefahaman kristian yang jelas berkenaan sakramen perkahwinan dan keluarga sebagai dasar dalam pembangunan masyarakat.

Herald/CWN

Agama Kristian tersebar melalui kegembiraan murid-murid yang

tahu bahawa mereka disayangi dan diselamatkan.

- Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

PAGE 26 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015BERITA

Menerima kelemahan BENIH-BENIH PADIFr Terry Burke ialah seorang mubaligh Mill Hill yang pernah

berkhidmat di Sarawak, Indonesia, India dan England. Buat masa

sekarang, beliau adalah pensyarah di Kolej St Peter selain ditugaskan

kepada kerja pembentukan di Keuskupan Kuching. Today’s

Catholic ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Fr Burke kerana membahagikan renungan dan

pengalaman pastoral yang kaya di dalam ruangan ini yang bertajuk

Benih-benih Padi.

LAWATAN MUHIBAH ... Uskup Agung John Ha dengan mesra menyambut para pemimpin pelbagai agama ke Rumah Terbuka

Krismas di Pusat Pastoral dan Kuria Keuskupan Agung (ACCPC) pada 25 Disember 2014.

Kira-kira 20 tahun yang lalu, saya telah jatuh sakit. Saya rasa letih sepanjang masa, saya tidak dapat membuat kerja saya dengan baik dan mendapati ia sangat sukar untuk bangun pada waktu pagi. Dalam kekalutan ini, muncul seorang pemuda yang berlatih sebagai pelajar Mill Hill.

Dia akan masuk pada sebelah pagi untuk membantu saya bangun, dia akan memastikan saya ada apa jua ubat-ubatan dan benda lain yang saya perlukan dan sering datang dan duduk seketika pada sebelah petang untuk menemani saya – malah dia mencari maklumat mengenai keadaan saya untuk melihat bagaimana dia mungkin dapat membantu saya selanjutnya.

Ketika itu, saya rasa begitu malu dengan kelemahan saya dan berdoa bersungguh-sungguh agar Tuhan mengambil kelemahan itu – dan walaupun saya bersyukur bagi bantuan pemuda tersebut, saya berharap segalanya begitu berbeza sekali!

Sekarang, kira-kira 20 tahun kemudian, pendapat saya mengenai waktu itu sudah berubah. Pemuda itu, yang begitu banyak membantu saya, kini sudah meninggalkan Mill Hill dan mengikuti jalan hidup yang berbeza, tetapi kami masih menjalin persahabatan yang bermula pada waktu saya lemah, dan ia sudah semakin erat dan matang sejak sekian lama.

Saya berjumpa dengannya ketika saya kali terakhir pulang ke tanah air untuk bercuti, dan

walaupun saya hanya bertemu dengannya sekali setahun, saya rasakan bahawa kami bersahabat seakan-akan kami berjumpa dengan satu sama lain setiap hari.

Jadi, bila saya mengingati waktu saya sakit itu, saya tidak lagi menolak rasa lemah dan tidak berdaya yang saya alami, sebaliknya saya mengingati persahabatan mendalam dan berkekalan yang berkembang sejak waktu itu, persahabatan yang hanya dapat terjalin kerana saya lemah – dan saya bersyukur dengan kelemahan yang saya alami ketika itu.

Kelemahan adalah sesuatu yang kita tidak suka dan kita keji di dunia kita dan selalunya perkara ini menyerap ke dalam sikap kita sebagai orang Kristian – kita takut kepada kelemahan, baik dari segi jasmani mahukan rohani, dan menolaknya, walaupun kita menyatakan bahawa doa-doa orang sakit dan lemah amat berkuasa di mata Tuhan.

Saya semakin menyedari bagaimana kita perlu menilai semula tempat kelemahan dalam kehidupan kita, kerana jika kelemahan tidak ada dalam dunia kita, tidak ada kekecewaan atau kehancuran dalam kehidupan kita, maka begitu juga dengan belaskasihan, kerahiman, atau malah kepercayaan, sebab kita hanya dapat mencari Penyelamat kita – dan malah satu sama lain – dalam kelemahan dan kegagalan kita – bukan dalam kekuatan dan kejayaan kita.

Ini bukan bermakna Tuhan memberi penderitaan dan penyakit kepada kita, seperti

apa yang seakan-akan difikirkan oleh segelintir orang, Dia tidak berbuat demikian.

Dunia kita dan manusia yang hidup di dunia ini sudah cukup berupaya untuk berbuat demikian, tetapi Tuhan sesungguhnya mendekati kita dalam kelemahan kita dan menanggung penderitaan, kekecewaan dan kelemahan itu dan menghasilkan keajaiban kasih sayang dan keprihatinan daripadanya sehinggakan kita hanya dapat melihat dengan begitu kagum sekali.

Semasa ibadat Jumaat Baik, sebagai paderi yang memimpin perayaan di acara-acara yang diadakan, saya dapat melihat mereka yang tampil untuk memberi penghormatan kepada salib dan saya melihat kasih sayang dan kebaktian pada wajah jemaat ketika mereka mencium salib dan menggendong anak-anak kecil mereka untuk menyentuh figura si dia yang mati bagi kita.

Ia menunjukkan bagaimana Tuhan dapat mengambil kekejaman dan kebencian dunia dan menjadikannya tempat di mana kasih sayang, belaskasihan – dan persahabatan – dilahirkan.

Ada waktu dalam hidup kita untuk kita menunjukkan kekuatan, untuk membuat, untuk mencipta, tetapi kehidupan kita bermula dengan kelemahan, dan kita mula tahu mengasihi dalam kelemahan itu – mula-mula menerusi ibu bapa kita dan orang lain yang membawa kita dan menjaga kita dalam kelemahan kita sebagai bayi.

Perkara sama juga benar, bagi kebanyakan kita, pada

penghujung hidup kita – kita mengalami kelemahan sekali lagi apabila kekuatan kita susut dimamah oleh usia dan penyakit dan kita bergantung kepada orang lain.

Satu pendapat untuk direnungi ialah perkara-perkara yang kita paling banggakan adalah perkara-perkara yang kita berjaya laksanakan pada waktu kita kuat dan berupaya, namun perkara-perkara indah dan menggembirakan yang akan kekal selama-lamanya dizahirkan bukan pada waktu kita kuat tetapi pada waktu kita lemah.

Kekuatan dan kelemahan ada tempat masing-masing dalam kehidupan kita tetapi bahagian yang kita khususnya tidak sukai, iaitu kelemahan kita, biasanya adalah bahagian yang lebih membuahkan hasil – dan ini adalah benar dari segi persahabatan kita dengan Tuhan dan juga dari segi persahabatan kita dengan orang di sekeliling kita.

Kardinal Hume berkata mengenai persahabatan: “Kasih sayang antara dua insan, sama ada antara jantina yang sama atau jantina yang berbeza,

perlu dihargai dan dihormati. Apabila dua insan berkasih-sayang, mereka mengalami secara terbatas dalam dunia ini apa yang akan mereka nikmati buat selama-lamanya apabila mereka bersatu dengan Tuhan dalam alam seterusnya… Mengasihi orang lain bermakna menikmati pengalaman manusiawi yang paling kaya…”

Persahabatan yang tulen lahir dan berkembang apabila kita ada di sana untuk orang lain dalam kelemahan dan keperluan mereka, dan mereka untuk kita.

Ia bermakna menjadi sahabat yang tulen kepada seseorang, apabila dunia melihat hanya kegagalan sahaja, dan memberi mereka keberanian untuk berdiri dan berjalan semula.

Bahagian paling mendalam dalam persahabatan saya dengan Penyelamat saya lahir pada waktu saya lemah, sama seperti persahabatan saya dengan lelaki yang sekarang “tidak begitu muda” itu, yang datang kepada saya pada waktu saya lemah bertahun-tahun yang lalu.

KUCHING — Pada 14 Disember lalu, jemaat Katolik di Keuskupan Agung Kuching berhimpun untuk meraikan jubli kepaderian ke-50 bagi paderi tempatan pertama dari Sarawak, Father Dato Lawrence Chua, di sebuah restoran tempatan.

Sebelum itu, Sembahyang Misa Kesyukuran dirayakan pada sebelah pagi di Gereja Blessed Sacrament, BDC di mana Fr Lawrence adalah rektor.

Fr Lawrence Chua, 79, ditahbis pada 13 Disember 1964 oleh Uskup John Vos di Gereja St Peter & St Paul, Mukah. Beliau merayakan Sembahyang Misa pertamanya pada 14 Disember 1964.

Sebagai seorang pemuda yang cemerlang dalam pelajaran dan sukan dengan masa depan yang cerah, Fr Lawrence memilih untuk menyahut seruan Tuhan kepada kepaderian dan

mengetepikan cita-citanya untuk menjadi jurutera.

Dalam ucapannya, Uskup Agung John Ha berkata beliau melihat dalam Fr Chua “seorang pembina” kemudahan fizikal dan masyarakat Kristian.

Sambil mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Fr Chua di atas komitmen beliau, Uskup Agung merayu kepada hadirin agar menyokong projek bangunan bilik kelas di Gereja Blessed Sacrament yang kini sedang

diusahakan oleh Fr Lawrence.Dua mesej penghormatan

daripada Christina Eng dan anak saudara perempuan Fr Lawrence, Elizabeth Wee, menunjukkan bahawa Fr Lawrence adalah seorang gembala yang berbelaskasihan dan sangat disayangi jemaat dan keluarga beliau walaupun beliau adalah seorang paderi yang tegas dan menitikberatkan kesempurnaan.

Audrey Yu (Terjemahan)

Fr Lawrence Chua meraikan jubli emas

Pada 21 Januari ini, Mahkamah Persekutuan akan mendengar permohonan Gereja untuk menyemak

semula keputusan mahkamah yang menolak permohonan Gereja untuk mengemukakan rayuan

berhubung larangan Menteri Dalam Negeri terhadap penggunaan kaliman ‘Allah’ dalam akhbar Herald.

Marilah kita bersama dengan saudara-saudari kita di Semenanjung Malaysia berdoa untuk perkara ini.

YAMSENG ... Ucapan selamat buat Fr Lawrence oleh para hadirin di majlis makan malam

TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015 PAGE 27BERITA

Bangunan baharu Chapel Sacred Heart diberkati

Kanak-kanak memperingati kelahiran Penebus

Benedict XVI: Panggil saya ‘Father Benedict’

Perarakan sempena karoling antara gereja

Kristian di Saratok

KRISTUS LAHIR ... Belia Gereja St Peter & St Paul Mukah melakonkan peristiwa Kelahiran Yesus sebelum Misa Ambang

Natal pada 24 Disember 2014 untuk membantu jemaat merenungkan kelahiran Kristus dengan lebih baik.

AGI IDUP, AGI KAROLING ... Kumpulan Rosari Taman Rejang, Sibu mempersiapkan diri pada Musim Advent dan

memeriahkan lagi suasana menjelang Perayaan Natal 2014 dengan mengadakan karoling di rumah 19 buah keluarga

Katolik pada 15 Disember lalu. Kumpulan rosari yang diketuai Temenggong Adrian Ringgau (duduk dua kiri) dan Justin

Balang Pako (duduk kiri) ini mengadakan karoling menjelang Natal setiap tahun sejak ia ditubuhkan pada zaman 1980-an.

MUKAH — Bishop Joseph Hii Teck Kwong dari Diosis Sibu menyarankan dalam homili beliau agar jemaat merendah diri dan jangan sombong sesama jemaat.

“Apabila kita sombong, Tuhan tidak dapat melihat kita dan Tuhan tidak dapat mengasihi kita,” kata Bishop Joseph.

Bishop Joseph berkata demikian semasa sembahyang Misa sempena pemberkatan bangunan baharu Chapel Sacred Heart, Kampung Jebungan/Kampung Tega, Mukah pada 13 Disember lalu.

Tuhan sudah membuat manusia cantik dan tidak mahu manusia sombong dan Bishop menasihatkan jemaat supaya sentiasa merendah diri dan mengasihi sesama manusia.

Tuhan mahu semua manusia baik, sebab itulah Tuhan mengutuskan Putera-Nya Yesus kepada manusia, kata bishop tersebut.

Musim Advent musim yang

bagus sebab Allah bersama kita, dan Tuhan telah memilih tapak untuk bangunan baharu Chapel Sacred Heart sebagai tanda bahawa Tuhan bersama kita – Imanuel.

Misa dirayakan bersama Rektor Paroki St Peter & St Paul, Mukah, Father Joseph Sebastian.

Father Joseph turut berucap dan menyarankan agar jemaat sentiasa bersatu dalam Kristus sebagai kesaksian bagi ajaran Tuhan kepada orang lain.

Beliau berkata semua kita

sepatutnya menjadi orang nombor satu dalam masyarakat yang menyembah Tuhan dan bukan sebaliknya.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Chapel Sacred Heart, Alexander Hanipah bin Ubing memberitahu kos pembinaan bangunan baharu chapel berkenaan tersebut sebanyak RM600,000.

Tapak Chapel Sacred Heart diberkati Bishop Joseph Hii pada 14 April 2013.

Harapi Charles

SARATOK — Pada 10 Disember lalu, Persatuan Gereja-gereja Kristian di daerah Saratok telah menganjurkan Perarakan Karoling Bersama (Combined Christmas Carolling) menjelang Hari Krismas 2014.

Kira-kira 1,000 orang Kristian dari pelbagai gereja di seluruh daerah Saratok telah mengambil bahagian dalam perarakan tersebut, termasuk dari Gereja Katolik, Gereja Anglikan, Gereja Baptist, Gereja Methodist dan Sidang Injil Borneo.

Tujuan program ini adalah untuk merapatkan persaudaraan di antara gereja-gereja Kristian dan bagi menyambut Perayaan Krismas.

Acara ini akan dijadikan acara tahunan dan penganjurnya akan digilirkan di antara setiap gereja di Saratok.

Perarakan bermula dari halaman Gereja Methodist yang merupakan penganjur bagi tahun 2014. Ia meliputi jarak kira-kira empat kilometer mengelilingi pusat bandar dan balik semula ke halaman Gereja Methodist.

Perarakan tersebut ternyata meriah dengan setiap gereja yang menyediakan kereta berhias dengan kelipan pelbagai lampu hiasan manakala peserta pula membawa sepanduk dan lilin.

Raphael EngkayauKOTA PADAWAN — Lebih 200 orang kanak-kanak telah menyertai Parti Krismas Kanak-kanak pada 13 Disember lepas di Baruk St Ann, Kota Padawan.

Pelbagai aktiviti dan permainan telah diatur pada hari tersebut khusus untuk memeriahkan lagi suasana Krismas pada tahun lepas.

Lina Peros bertindak sebagai penyelaras semua aktiviti semasa parti Krismas tersebut.

Menurut Pengerusi Pengelola, John Dawi, aktiviti seumpama ini diadakan pada setiap tahun untuk memberi kesedaran kepada semua kanak-kanak akan pentingnya hari Krismas kerana ia memperingati hari kelahiran Penebus Dunia iaitu Yesus

Kristus.Beliau mengucapkan

berbanyak terima kasih kepada semua pembantu yang juga merupakan calon-calon komuni yang telah banyak membantu dalam melancarkan perjalanan majlis.

Hadiah telah disampaikan

oleh Rektor Paroki St Ann, Fr Gerard Victor OFM kepada semua kanak-kanak.

Dalam ucapannya, beliau telah berpesan agar kanak-kanak sentiasa mengingati Hari Krismas iaitu hari memperingati kelahiran Juruselamat.

Sumbangan

VATIKAN — Paus yang telah bersara menyatakan hasratnya untuk kembali ke kedudukan asal kepaderiannya dan mahu dipanggil ‘Father Benedict’, beliau menyatakan hasrat itu telah bermula sejak beliau bersara.

Fr Benedict membuat komen tersebut sewaktu perbualan peribadi bersama wartawan Jorg Bremer. Bremer telah menerbitkan isi perbualan tersebut di dalam surat khabar Jerman FAZ pada 7 Disember lalu.

Menurut wartawan itu, Benedict menerangkan bahawa sejak beliau baru bersara, beliau mahu dipanggil ‘Fr Benedict’ berbanding dengan gelaran Paus Emeritus atau Benedict XVI, tetapi “saya

terlalu lemah pada saat itu untuk menguatkuasakannya”.

Laporan Bremer menyatakan antara alasan untuk mendapatkan gelaran baru hanya dengan panggilan ‘Father’ adalah untuk memberi ruang di antara beliau dengan tanggungjawab Paus, supaya tidak wujud kekeliruan dengan Paus yang sebenar.

Mantan paus itu turut menyentuh versi baru karya koleksi kerja beliau yang telah dikemaskini dengan esei 1972 dan telah dikeluarkan di Jerman.

Herald/CNA/EWTN

SOKONGAN SEPENUHNYA ... Sebahagian peserta dari Gereja Katolik yang mengambil bahagian dalam perarakan karoling

Krismas.RUMAH TUHAN … Bishop Joseph Hii memberkati altar

Chapel Sacred Heart

TERUJA … Sebahagian daripada kanak-kanak yang sedang mengambil bahagian dalam aktiviti

PAGE 28 TODAY’S CATHOLIC JANUARY 2015BERITA

Published by: The Archbishop of Kuching, 118, Jalan Tun Abg Haji Openg, 93000 Kuching. Tel: 082-231164 Printed by: Bahagia Press Sdn Bhd (86546-K), Lot 225, Section 49, Jalan Padungan Utara, 93100 Kuching. Tel: 082-238900

Dalam perutusan keamanan, Paus mengecam perhambaan zaman moden

KOTA VATIKAN — Pope Francis mengecam perhambaan moden sebagai satu “wabak” pada Hari Tahun Baharu dan menuntut tindakan konkrit serta “globalisasi persaudaraan” untuk memerangi perhambaan dan penyeludupan manusia.

“Setiap kali dosa merosakkan hati manusia dan menjauhkan kita dari Pencipta kita dan orang-orang di sekeliling kita, orang-orang di sekeliling kita tidak lagi dianggap sebagai manusia yang memiliki maruah setara, sebagai saudara atau saudari yang memiliki kemanusiaan yang sama, tetapi sebaliknya sebagai objek,” kata Pope Francis dalam perutusan beliau pada 1 Januari 2015 sempena Hari Keamanan Sedunia Ke-48.

Beliau merayu kepada “semua lelaki dan wanita yang memupuk muhibah” dan kepada “peringkat tertinggi dalam institusi sivil” yang menyaksikan “wabak perhambaan kontemporari”.

Beliau menggesa mereka agar “tidak menjadi rakan subahat kepada kejahatan ini, tidak memalingkan diri daripada penderitaan saudara-saudari kita, rakan-rakan manusia lain, yang dinafikan kebebasan dan maruah mereka”.

Dalam satu laporan pada November lalu, pertubuhan Walk Free menyebut 35.8 juta manusia menderita dalam perhambaan, ditakrif sebagai penafian sistematik terhadap kebebasan individu, dan penyalahgunaan tubuh badan mereka bagi eksploitasi komersil atau peribadi.

Perhambaan moden termasuk buruh paksaan, ikatan hutang, pemerdagangan manusia, penyeludupan organ, eksploitasi seksual untuk mendapatkan wang, dan kahwin paksaan.

Pope Francis berkata walaupun perhambaan sudah “dimansuhkan secara rasmi”, jutaan manusia “dinafikan kebebasan dan dipaksa hidup dalam keadaan yang mirip dengan perhambaan”.

“Status sosial dan asal usul yang berlainan tidak mengurangkan

maruah sesiapa atau mengetepikan sesiapa daripada menjadi anggota Umat Tuhan.”

- Pope Francis

“Saya terutamanya berdoa, berdasarkan seruan kita yang sama untuk bekerja sama dengan Tuhan dan semua orang yang memupuk muhibah demi memajukan keharmonian dan keamanan di dunia, agar kita menentang godaan untuk bertindak dengan cara yang tidak sewajarnya bagi kemanusiaan kita,” kata beliau.

Pope Francis meratapi perbuatan memaksa orang melacur diri, baik wanita mahupun lelaki, serta amalan kahwin paksaan.

Beliau juga menarik perhatian kepada nasib pekerja dalam bidang pertanian atau domestik, dalam pembuatan dan pelombongan di negara dengan undang-undang yang tidak mematuhi piawaian antarabangsa atau tidak memberi pelindungan kepada hak pekerja.

Paus bercakap mengenai keadaan hidup ramai pendatang yang buruk dan menghadapi kebuluran, rompakan, dinafikan kebebasan serta penderaan seksual dan fizikal.

Beliau mengaitkan perhambaan dengan kemiskinan, kekurangan pembangunan dan “pengetepian” (exclusion), yang berfungsi dalam kombinasi dengan ketiadaan akses kepada pendidikan atau ketiadaan pekerjaan.

Beliau juga mengecam “rasuah di pihak orang yang sanggup berbuat apa sahaja demi keuntungan kewangan” dan mengecam perantara yang bersubahat dalam penyeludupan dan perhambaan.

Paus menyeru kepada semua negara untuk mencegah perhambaan dan penyeludupan, melindungi mangsa, dan mendakwa dalang.

Perniagaan mesti memastikan “keadaan kerja yang bermaruah dan gaji yang memadai” bagi pekerja, dan mesti berjaga-jaga agar pembekal mereka tidak bergantung kepada penaklukan atau penyeludupan manusia.

Mereka yang membeli barang juga ada tanggungjawab sosial untuk berwaspada terhadap produk atau perkhidmatan yang

bergantung kepada ketidakadilan ini.Pope Francis menekankan keperluan

untuk “memeluk Kristus secara bebas” dan menarik perhatian kepada kesejagatan umat Kristian yang pertama.

“Status sosial dan asal usul yang berlainan tidak mengurangkan maruah sesiapa atau mengetepikan sesiapa daripada menjadi anggota Umat Tuhan. Maka itu umat Kristian adalah tempat komuni (kesatuan) yang dijalani dalam kasih sayang dan dikongsikan di kalangan saudara dan saudari,” jelas beliau.

Berita Baik Yesus Kristus “berupaya

menebus hubungan manusia, termasuk hubungan antara hamba dengan tuan, dengan menyuluh persamaan di antara kedua-duanya: hubungan anak angkat dan ikatan persaudaraan dalam Kristus”, kata pontiff itu.

Beliau memetik kata-kata Yesus dalam Injil Yohanes: “Aku tidak lagi memanggil kamu hamba, kerana hamba tidak tahu apa yang dibuat oleh tuannya; tetapi aku telah memanggil kamu sahabat, kerana segalanya yang aku telah dengar dari Bapaku, aku sudah maklumkan kepadamu.”

Pope Francis memuji “usaha yang begitu besar dan selalunya senyap” untuk membantu mangsa perhambaan dan penyeludupan, terutamanya usaha kongregasi religius wanita yang memberi pemulihan psikologi dan pendidikan kepada mangsa dan bekerja untuk

menyerapkan mereka semula ke dalam masyarakat asal mereka.

“Institut ini bekerja dalam situasi yang sangat susah, kadang-kadang didominasi oleh keganasan, tatkala mereka berusaha untuk memecah rantai halimunan yang mengikat mangsa kepada penyeludup dan penganiaya,” kata beliau.

Paus menyebut tentang contoh St Josephine Bakhita, seorang wanita Sudan pada abad ke-19 yang diculik untuk dijadikan hamba dan mengalami penderitaan di bawah tuan-tuan yang

kejam bermula pada usia sembilan tahun.

“Seterusnya – hasil daripada pengalaman yang menyakitkan – beliau menjadi ‘anak Tuhan yang bebas’ berkat kepercayaannya, yang dijalani dalam konsekrasi keagamaan dan dalam khidmat bakti kepada orang lain, terutamanya mereka yang paling rendah dan tidak berdaya.

“Malah sekarang, santa yang hidup pada awal abad ke-20 ini adalah saksi harapan yang wajar dicontohi ramai mangsa perhambaan; beliau dapat menyokong usaha semua mereka yang komited kepada perjuangan untuk merawat “luka terbuka dalam tubuh masyarakat kontemporari ini, satu penyeksaan ke atas tubuh Kristus’.”

CNA/EWTN News (Terjemahan)

PEMBERTAKAN KEPAUSAN ... Pope Francis menyampaikan keberkatan Natal “Urbi et orbi” dari beranda tengah Basilika St Peter