TomorrowNewspaperS t M a r y o f t h e a n g e l S

MICa (P) 010/09/2011 ISSue no. 59 | auguSt 2012

Called and GiftedBy C h r I S to P h e r C h o k

In the Bible, the term “chosen people” has been used on numerous occasions. Whether it is “you are a chosen people,

a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God,” (1 Peter 2:9) or “as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience,” (Colossians 3:12) such instances illustrate God’s calling to his people. Yet, what does being “called” actually entail? On an entirely different note, what is the first thing that comes into your mind when I mention the term: gifted. Many of us would probably think of that brainy classmate in our primary school class solving mathematical formulas far too advanced for his age or maybe that five-year-old child playing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on a grand piano. Would it then be far-fetched to suggest that all of us are actually gifted by God? Would it then be even harder to comprehend that all of us are – and have always been – called by God our Father? How could I possibly be called and gifted?

A few weeks ago, a team of eight from our parish attended a Called and Gifted interviewer and facilitator training workshop in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Led by Fr John-Paul Tan, the team consisted of Ann Yeong, Henry Hoo, Corrina Chua, Dominic Yap, Timothy Wong, Dominic Nalpon and myself. Organised by the Catherine of Sienna Institute (based in Colorado Springs), this workshop aimed to impart the necessary skills and resources needed to conduct a ‘Called and Gifted’ workshop.

So what exactly is the ‘Called and Gifted’ workshop in the first place? Simply put, the ‘Called and Gifted’ process is designed to help Christians discern the presence of charisms in their lives. A charism is a spiritual gift and is the Greek word used in the New Testament for “favour” or “gratuitous gift.” Charisms, or spiritual gifts, are special abilities given to all Christians by the Holy Spirit to give them the power both to represent Christ and to be a channel of God’s goodness for people. Whether extraordinary or ordinary, all charisms ought to be exercised in the service of God (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2003). This workshop has been used since 1993 by over 55,000 lay, ordained, and religious Catholics and other Christians around the world.

I actually attended the ‘Called and Gifted’ workshop in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2011. One issue that was raised on several occasions throughout the workshop was how numerous Catholics, who strongly desired to serve God, could not decide where to go, what to do and how to go about doing it. Often, this scenario leads to inertia and much personal frustration. For some of us (myself included), we then haphazardly join a ministry in which we vaguely feel that we are able to contribute in some way but find out soon enough that either, we are totally not cut out for this ministry or that we were wasting our time all along. The ‘Called and Gifted’ workshop therefore helps circumvent this issue by equipping us with the knowledge of our own charisms and how we can go about practicing it for God’s kingdom.

The training workshop at Colorado Springs further strengthened my awareness about the various charisms of the Holy Spirit. I was also able to learn more about my own gifts and in doing so, feel better able to contribute back to the Parish. Learning about my gifts has given me a newfound direction and sense of purpose in life. The beauty about charisms is that one is able to practice it not just in the realm of church. Everyday life, be it at home, in school or in the office, it is very possible to put these amazing gifts from God to work. In doing so, we will not just radiate the light of Christ outwards into the community but will also bring forth the kingdom of God to earth.

Having the training session at Colorado Springs not only allowed us to bask in the cool weather and view the magnificent mountains of Colorado, but more importantly, it also provided the opportunity for us to meet and interact with American Catholics who were also at the workshop. Their diverse backgrounds (some were parish administrators, others where deacons and priests and one was a missionary!) and personal experiences contributed greatly to the workshop as well. Actively engaging in dialogue with these amazing individuals allowed us to exchange ideas and discuss the ways in which we could help our own respective parishes grow, blossom and mature. For Dominic Nalpon, meeting these Americans made him firmly believe that while we may be people of different cultures and nationalities, our “same hopes and desires” for our respective parishes and our Church made us one with “the Body of Christ.”

Ultimately then, ‘Called and Gifted’ is able to provide direction and faith formation; it helps all of us to realise the immense potential we have, as the laity, to contribute to our parish and our entire Catholic Church. ‘Called and Gifted’ allowed me to see that a relationship exists between the religious community and us, lay people. As Catholics, we are not just passive recipients of the Body of Christ or even a priest’s weekly homily. Rather, ‘Called and Gifted’ makes it clear that all of us are called to be active beacons of light, to evolve from disciples to apostles of Christ in our world today. Simply put, this programme has changed my perception of life. How I view the world and the church now is entirely different. And this paradigm shift was made possible through this workshop.

Most notably, ‘Called and Gifted’ has profoundly influenced my prayer life. I now pray more frequently and actively. Instead of rehashing incessant prayer requests, I am now better able to be still and enjoy my special and intimate moment with God. I now pray for the ability and strength to be used as His instrument, for the conviction that His will, rather than mine, be done. Also, with the newfound knowledge of my various charisms, I now am also able to make life decisions in a more confident fashion. God and discernment has taken the centre stage of my life. From the classes

that I take in school to the ministries that I intend to serve in the Parish, this programme has given me the ability to choose wisely, listen to God’s call attentively and know that my charisms will be put into good use by Him. ‘Called and Gifted’ has in a way, revolutionised my life.

I strongly believe that just as my team and I have gained so much from this workshop, so too will many of our parishioners at St Mary’s. This programme provides spiritual nourishment to all and most importantly, allows us to take greater ownership of our church. In this instance, the parish will definitely benefit tremendously because we will become a hub of faith-driven and Christ-centred people. The various ministries in our parish will not just benefit from more passionate members but St Mary’s as a whole will be a church filled with apostles. Ignited by the Holy Spirit, I strongly believe that our parish will become an even more vibrant community, one that will benefit society at large. Just think about the possibilities. If lay people like you and I are able to put our various charisms into practice, not just in church but also in our daily lives, how wonderful would that be? Is that so hard to conceive? Perhaps, just as it is written in Matthew 17:20, we need to have faith like a mustard seed to recognise that all of us are inherently called and gifted, capable of great things for God.

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By S t a n t h o n y ’S B r I e f – I r I S h f r a n C I S C a n

M I S S I o n M ag a z I n e

Friar Alessandro Brustenghi has become the first friar in the world to land a major record deal when bosses at Decca Records in Britain

signed up the Franciscan friar. The 34-year-old made his album at Abbey Road Studios in London, and he took his first ever flight to begin recording.

International executives from Decca’s parent company Universal flew into London to hear his first performance. The friar works in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi, the original friary founded by St Francis, the Portiuncula. There he welcomes many of the millions of visitors who come annually, and also works as a carpenter, restoring furniture and making lecterns.

The singer loves classical composers such as Bach, Mozart and Verdi, but is also a huge fan of Michael

Communion of Communities

The Mass – Our Community Meal

By S t e P h e n W o n g

“God has something to say to us!” exclaimed Fr Michael Arro, MEP, as he addressed the 60-odd parishioners on the first day of the

three-part series of talks titled “Source & Summit” held at Church of St Mary of the Angels in June.

Fr Arro went on to share that when we come together at Mass, God is not only listening to us but He is also speaking to us, especially during the first part of the Mass when we have the readings.

“The Bible is a book of love in which God is telling us how much we are loved and how we can respond to Him,” said Fr Arro.

Our Church Fathers had written in Sacrosanctum Concilium, a key document from Vatican II Council: “The Liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows” (SC 10). With the Church celebrating the feast of Corpus Christi in early June, it was apt that a series of talks such as “Source & Summit” was held to help parishioners deepen their understanding and have a greater appreciation of the Eucharist.

With many references to Bible passages, especially from Gospels of Luke and John, Fr Arro went on to explain the origins and institution of the Eucharist. During His 3-year public ministry, Jesus would have broken bread with His apostles many times during their meals together, said Fr Arro. Although these instances were not recorded in the Bible, we could infer that this happened by the fact that the two disciples, walking to Emmaus after the death and resurrection of Jesus, recognised the “stranger” who joined them only after He broke bread with them during the meal at the end of the day. (“…while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognised him “ Luke 24: 30-31)

By going through various passages in the Gospel of Luke, Fr Arro also pointed out the various actions that Jesus did throughout all the meals He had with various people in the Gospel. It was through His own actions during these meals that Jesus revealed to us what the full meaning of

the Eucharistic celebration, which is primarily a meal, should be.

Giving personal sharing and experiences throughout the talks, Fr Arro also helped the audience better appreciate how we could make the Eucharistic celebrations more personal and meaningful in personal ways. One such way is to recognise the “smile from God” that we receive in our lives. He gave an example of how he was driving once and his car tyre got punctured. Before he could step out of his car, a stranger pulled over from behind, greeted him “Hello, Father”, proceeded to change his flat tire. Within 10 minutes, he was on the move again. Another instance when he received a “smile from God” was when he returned to his parish after a house blessing late one night and had to attend to a sick call in a nearby hospital. Since he didn’t have the car that night, a couple at the parish volunteered to fetch him to the hospital, waited for him to finish his hospital visit and fetched him back to the parish. By sharing such examples, Fr Arro impressed on the audience that these are “smiles from God” which we should recognise and then bring them to the “table” where we have the Eucharistic meal, in thanksgiving and gratefulness.

Fr Arro also cited other stories in the Gospel that challenges those present to re-look at how we see ministry. In Luke 10: 38-42, we see how Jesus told Martha that Mary has chosen the better part, which was to sit at His feet and listen to Him instead of busying herself with the “cooking” (i.e. ministry work).

“We have to ask ourselves, is an active church just to keep people busy or to put across the message of the Gospel?” Fr Arro said. “Ministry is not simply doing something but doing something in God’s name. These things go together: inspiration coming from God and action,” he continued.

In the concluding session, we read that Jesus identified Himself as the Bread of Life (John 6:35). Essentially, Christ has offered Himself in the form of bread for us so that we can be in union with him. There is a common saying: “Do we live to eat or eat to live?” For us, the Church, I would say that we do both. We live to be in union with Him and we receive Him in communion so that we can live our Christian life fully. For the Eucharist is an invitation to all of us for conversion, reconciliation and mission. It is our source and summit only if we live it out in the daily activities of our lives.

By C h e ry l e d I n a t e o

To celebrate St Mary of the Angels’ Feast Day, which falls on 2 August, our Parish had our annual Parish

Food and Funfair. A surfeit of sights, sounds and smells – the mirage of colours that ostentatiously declared the celebration, the comely crooning of familiar tunes at the stage outside the canteen and the flagrant fragrance of satay that warmed the occasion and tantalised my taste buds – welcomed me as I entered the church compound on 29 July. It was indeed a feast and gathering of the church.

As I headed to the carpark where most of the booths were located, a vast array of stalls lining the walls of the carpark greeted me with their tempting dishes. The variety of food from different cultures, ranging from local delicacies to those from Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Italy, Philippines, etc, all housed under one roof. It reflects how the Church, too, encompasses a diverse range of culture and ethnicity, yet manages to transcend these differences with our universal faith. Jeremy Leong, a Secondary 4 student who was helping his mother at the fair, stated, “Although it was tiring, it was a fun experience.”

While food filled the hungry stomachs of the parishioners, the game booths kept those who were younger at heart entertained. I was particularly intrigued by a game booth, where a toy Angry Bird would be catapulted from a

Friar Alessandro: A Record Deal!Jackson. Reflecting on the travels which will be necessary to promote the album, he said: “I am a bit nervous but I understand this is necessary and will contribute to the project and is a good opportunity to unleash the Gospel to everyone. I feel excited, very excited, because it has realised my vocation. Music for me is a direct line with God – and is the way to communicate with Him. It is the way God uses to communicate with us. It is the way to spread the Gospel to everybody, the world – and it is a beautiful way.”

Proceeds from the album will go directly to the Order for its charitable work. The album is due for release in October and will feature traditional and modern sacred songs, including a new setting for prayer written by St Francis of Assisi, on a track created by royal wedding composer Paul Mealor.

Hear Alessandro’s beautiful singing on www.friaralessandro.com

On the right (sound)track (from left): Friar Alessandro with Fr Derrick Yap and Fr John-Paul Tan.

A Fair with Food,Fun and Faith

distance to knock some pseudo-walls and pigs down. This adaptation of the raging smart phone application, Angry Birds, showcased the ingenious creativity of some of our parishioners.

Back out at the canteen, the ever-so-popular Dunking Machine was the main attraction. Eyes were glued on it the moment Fr Derrick positioned himself precariously on the seat, promptly praying he would not be dunked too easily. While the friars, Fr Joe Lee, Fr Derrick and Br John Soh, prepared to get dunked in a bid to raise money for our parish, youths from our youth ministries and the catechumens from the Rite of Christian Initiation for Youth also contributed by volunteering to be dunked. According to one of the volunteers at the booth, “on the one hand, the youths from various ministries came together to make the booth a success, on the other, they had the chance to interact with others, thereby building a stronger youth community.”

Antonio Gonzalez, a Spanish national, who is doing his University Summer programme here in Singapore, visited our parish and even offered to take centre-stage with a few songs. Apart from enjoying himself, he even commended the organisation and efficient planning of the event. To him, the most amazing thing was the Funfair itself. According to Antonio, “I was really impressed by the quantity of stalls, families involved, people attending and it really was a wonderful event which brought out our beautifully vibrant parish.”

Jeanne Toh, a Secondary 1 youth who attended the fair with her friends expressed that although the games did not appeal to her and the satay was sold out the moment she wanted to get them, “what was fun was the experience and the time spent hanging out with friends.” Like many others, Jeanne felt that the Parish Food and Funfair was an opportunity for her to give back to the Church.

The funfair was indeed a fun-filled affair for parishioners, visitors and the volunteers involved. As we gathered for this joyous occasion, we are reminded that through these fun and fellowship, our participation and involvement in the Parish Food and Funfair contribute to the building of a communion of communities in the Church of St Mary of the Angels.

A Spirit-filled experience!By Pat r I C I a d e S o u z a

It was a spirit-filled Saturday, as parishioners at Church of St Mary of the Angels came together for the “Praying the Word of God” workshop on July 7, to learn and

experience how to pray and listen to God through the Word in a community.

In the course of the day, participants visited and worked through Steps 1 to 5 of the Seven-Step Gospel Sharing Method. By doing so, we hoped that they would deepen the experience of Gospel Sharing, have questions answered, and take home an understanding and experience of what happens when we share the word of God in community.

The run up to the “Praying the Word of God” session was packed with challenges for the team; it sometimes felt a perfect storm was brewing! But what happened that day is borne in the testimonies of those present.

“I have gained so much it prompts me to share with our Mary’s Soldiers Neighbourhood Christian Community (NCC) in Choa Chu Kang Crescent the soonest possible,” shared one participant.

“It is very helpful – understanding the ways of praying the word of God,” said another.

One important lesson, another participant shared, was “allowing God to run the session instead of only keeping with what is planned.”

Each member gave totally of themselves trusting that all would work out. What is important is not just the detailed planning, but the openness that we have with one another that really matters. This is what is asked of us and the rest is left in His hands.

“Trust the Holy Spirit” was the mantra from team members Ben and Joanne through what appeared to be daunting circumstances!

This attitude carried through in the sessions that day and it was evident to the participants. We approach the Seven-Step Gospel Sharing with this same openness.

“I came to a deeper understanding of the purpose and essence of each step,” another participant said. “Saw the process in a different light rather than a rigid and routine practice.”

Indeed, the Holy Spirit was clearly in our midst during the “Praying the Word of God” workshop. In the words of one of the participants: “it was indeed a Spirit-filled and very fruitful experience!”

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Camino de Santiago

2,000,000 steps. 790km. 1 pilgrim. 1 way.

For 1,000 years, the Camino de Santiago in Spain has drawn millions of pilgrims to walk it in faith. Rachel Tan joins the

journey on foot to keep pace with God’s call.

Until two years ago, I had never even heard of the route. Yet, it turns out that the Camino de Santiago or Way of St James is the third most important and established pilgrim’s route in Christendom, after the ones to Jerusalem and Rome.

It made its name for itself because St James the Greater was buried in Santiago after his martyrdom in Jerusalem (see box). And that fact alone was enough to draw pilgrims to risk disease, being robbed or killed by brigands, just so that they could whisper their intentions in his Cathedral. And yes, earn a plenary indulgence or two.

When I first learnt of the Camino in a book two years ago, I dismissed the endeavour as being extreme at best, outdated at worst. Yet, the seed of the idea became planted in my head and over the next year, Camino references came up in books I read, conversations I had and they wasn’t even always in a religious context.

With each mention, there was a greater fascination about how a trek across Spain’s backyard could garner interest from pilgrims of every ilk. St Francis of Assisi was one. And

so was Pope John Paul II. But the Camino has also drawn jocks and hippies, corporate honchos and carefree teenagers, Catholics and atheists…and every shade of spiritual seeker in between.

THE FIRST STEPCuriosity became a yearning and I knew then I had to go. I decided it would be the French Way, the most popular and established route. All 790km of it. And I would do it on foot, in 35 days and alone.

I couldn’t say the walk was for any religious reason initially. I hesitated even calling it a pilgrimage, which I associated with a certain rosary-chanting, ascetic form of piousness. I had no specific intentions in mind to make in Santiago. Penance wasn’t quite on the cards. And neither was I convinced that I needed to walk the length for discernment, as some people are inclined do. Yet it was more than a passing curiosity for me to make the leap from stilettos to hiking boots, ditch handbag for hulking haversack.

Eventually, I figured, it was just going to be a walking prayer, and if nothing else, it was time to ‘waste’ with God. Something I realised I hadn’t been able to do much of. There was nothing to prove and I didn’t need any lofty reasons or achievements to justify this trip. The call was too great to ignore and I knew if I was just open to the moment, God

would indulge me the reason at the end of the day.

JET, SET, GOSo there I was in mid-May, having been dropped off by my taxi in foggy, soggy Roncevalles, rain running off my bags, wondering what I had got myself into.

This little village, like many others en route, exists only for the Camino. It’s perched in the Pyrenees, on the border of France and it marks the first Spanish stop on what is known as the French Way, one of the most established routes to Santiago.

But if there were any vestiges of regret that day, it disappeared that evening after I joined 50 other bedraggled hikers for a special Pilgrim’s Mass in the gem of a Gothic church.

It was a joy to see the many diverse faces and features all joined in prayer in that tiny church. It did not matter the celebrations were in Spanish, the Catholics contributed their responses in their own language. And whether we spoke only Japanese, Korean, Russian, or Portugese, we all understood the common prayers and intentions in getting on the Camino – a comforting reminder at all the Masses I later attended along the way.

As I began my walk next morning and plunged into the squelching muddy track,

mummified in my $2 Daiso poncho and rain pants, it dawned on me the enormity of the task ahead. My pack was overweight. The fiddly walking sticks tripped me half the time. My flapping raingear demanded I wrestle it down in the frigid wind.

I had to ford bloated streams and wade through rivers of mud that should have been dirt paths. I walked eight hours and 24km the first day – mostly through woods and farmland with a 20-minute lunch break in a tiny village café.

Adrenaline kept me aloft till I hit my final checkpoint that first day. And when the endorphins wore off, every fibre in my body was screaming. I had to down painkillers to get to sleep that night and next morning, I had bands of bruises across my legs – apparently burst capillaries from overly stressed hamstrings. That unfortunately, spelt out the routine for first few days of the walk.

PACE AND PRAYERSIf I had dreams of a gentle meditative jaunt, it was initially less spiritual and more a question of surviving the falls and injuries. The weather made the terrain treacherous in parts and there was a body count to be reckoned with as we learnt on the lively Camino grapevine.

In the first week that I began, there were two fatalities – both men, over 65, one from a

The story goes that St James the Greater’s remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to the north of Spain where he was buried. The site and sepulchre

was lost for a while but rediscovered around 830AD by a shepherd who was guided across the plains by starlight. The bishop was notified and King Alfonso II set a Cathedral on the spot on what we now know as Santiago de Compostela. Santiago is a variation of the name St James and Compostela is derived from the phrase “field of stars”.

Pilgrims started making their way there through the Middle Ages and it even inspired the Códex Calixtinus, a 12th century illuminated manuscript which is the first known travel guide in history.

The route, however, was slowly forgotten over the years and was more recently revived when Pope John Paul II visited

the Camino himself in 1982. Last year, the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago welcomed over 180,000 people from all over the world.

Pilgrims doing the Camino carry a credencial or pilgrim’s “passport” that marks them as such. It is stamped along the way at hostels, churches and cafes as proof of passage. And it also gives pilgrims access to cheap hostels where they will be hosted for a night and discounted access to some sights.

Those who wish to earn the Compostela or certificate, have to cover the minimum 100km distance for walkers and 200km for cyclists. It is certificate of completion written in Latin and worded exactly the way it was for the pilgrims of yore. Those who aren’t on the Camino for religious reasons are given a differently worded certificate but are also obliged to cover the same distances for it.

heart attack, another from a fall. One threw out his back from strain. Another had hypothermia from being caught without his poncho. A few strapping teens halted their walk to recover from horrific blisters from racing up the first mountain in record time. Yet others went home because they couldn’t deal with the wrenched ankles and falls on the scree – felled equally by hubris and physical hazards.

Fitness, strength and youth in no way correlated with one’s success on the walk, I learnt. Overweight geriatrics with dodgy knees could finish as well as the strapping teenage athletes, just slower perhaps. Seasoned mountain climbers were floored by the extensive plateaus. The muscles and abilities we relied on to serve us back home did not necessarily translate well to the landscapes we encountered. And as I figured later, the Camino gives each pilgrim the journey and possibly the lessons he needs.

For the next five weeks I made my way through Spain, trekking between 19 to 46km daily with the odd rest day in between. The sodden start gave way to days of blistering heat as I climbed scaled the mesetas and mountains. Flat table-top terrain morped into rocky scrub and verdant woodland. And while there were lovely long (but easy) walks there would be dreadful days spent scrambling and slipping through scree and shale. The butterflies posed for my iPhone, as did the robins and jewel-coloured lizards. It was wild.

And punctuating the beautiful expanse of nature would be man-made gems of ancient Romanesque churches as in

Eunate or soaring Gothic cathedrals and vivid rose windows of Burgos and Leon. Along with the other pilgrims, I’d make prayer stops there and collect a “sello” or stamp for my credencial (Pilgrim’s passport) to prove I had come along this way.

THE LANDSCAPE OF LIFEIt took me over a week to get used to the physicality of it all, and only then, did I settle into the quiet rhythm of walking, prayer and introspection that I came for.

While I missed my family back home, I very much enjoyed the quiet space I found in the routine of solitary eight hour walks, picnics of jamon bocadillas and gentle pilgrim chatter. The caged city girl in me learnt to lower my defences to be open to the moment… and to the characters the Camino sent me. And in them, I found wise words, unusual charity and even moments of Grace.

Take Frenchman Gilles for instance. His day job overseeing 15,000 staff has him jet-setting

across from arctic to tundra. Yet he’d park his bespoke boots as happily in a swish hotel as in a 7 Euro a night hostel,

slumming it with impoverished students just so he could ‘give’ back to the Camino at every level. He felt a duty to share his blessings.

Then there was the Polish vet who was fulfilling a vow for his sickly son by taking a roundabout walk from Warsaw to Rome and then Santiago, without credit cards. He camped in the open and worked at farms for food. And he did it with his dog, Leo, a 25kg haversack of surgical gear and a heart fuelled by hope.

And then there was Sato-san and his pal Inoi, staunch Buddhist retirees and ex-Fukushima volunteers who were walking the Camino to thank the world for helping with the post-tsunami relief. They’d bow deeply to anyone toting a Japan-made camera, and tweet a tune on their bamboo flute to liven things up on the trek.

THE FINAL LANDINGAfter 34 days of hard walking, the villages and towns melt one into one another along with the rolling plains and steep slopes. But seared into my memory are the extravagant landscapes of human nature I met. Every pilgrim had a story to tell and a lesson to share – sometimes in gestures small and simple, or experiences gracious, inspired and certainly spiritual.

If I had walked around Singapore with a furrowed brow before, over on the Camino, the lines opened up and I was hardly without a smile. If I had started the walk with the single-minded aim of hitting all the sights in my travel guide and getting my Pilgrim’s certificate, I let ambition slide and a carefree-ness take over. I spent my days in joyful recollection of the blessings of my past, present and future. And the walk indeed became a lovely waste of time.

As I approached the last 100km where I was joined by the hordes of new pilgrims bent on chalking up the minimum distance required to earn their walking certificates, it became clear that the destination wasn’t the point at all.

Much as I was thrilled to trudge the last stretch into the cathedral square in Santiago, and receive my Compostela, I realised that it was only a formality. My Camino buddies – the ones who stood beside me and the ones who had cheered me online via Facebook, emails and SMSes – were the real cause for my joy.

Joy for having accompanied me through one of the biggest challenges in my life. Joy for having been beside me all the way as my God had been for me. Joy for inspiring me to make a fresh start in my post-Camino days.

And as I dusted the dirt off my boots I became convinced the journey didn’t quite end with the over 2,000,000 paces I took in Spain, nor at the 790km mark in Santiago. The real Camino starts from my doorstep back home.

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“Homecoming” in KuchingBy Jeanette Chang

When I went on my first Kuching mission trip at the age of 15, it was my first time overseas without my parents. The buzz of excitement within the group was palpable as we fidgeted at Changi Airport’s departure gate, posing for the obligatory group shot, counting down the moments till we strapped ourselves in and flew away to the adventure that awaited us.

Over the years as I attended two more Mission Trips at 16 and 18, the excitement never fizzled out, it only increased each time! It was a homecoming of sorts – I was returning to Kuching as a different person, and I knew whatever awaited me there would bring me back to Singapore a different person.

The natural beauty of Kuching for one, gave me the chance to be truly in awe of what a beautiful world we have. At our retreat centre on Mount Singai, we spent nights gazing at and chatting under a velvet sky that brimmed with stars, far from the artificial light of Singapore’s streets. Even after it had just rained one night, we came running out because the sky was filled with glowing streaks – a meteor shower! Despite the wet ground, we tumbled onto the platform and lay there watching one of the most beautiful sights on Earth.

Apart from our small piece of Heaven on earth at Mount Singai, our hosts in Kuching were angels who welcomed us like long lost siblings. Although we stayed at a different kampung each year, every village greeted us with open hearts and arms. At the house I stayed at, our host excitedly brought us to pluck rambutans in the morning, fresh off the tree, still wet with morning dew! They brought us to play in their river, rafting and shrieking from the cold water while the kampung kids took turns to somersault off into the deeper end of the river. We were spread throughout the kampung, and some of our hosts brought my friends to climb trees, visit their fruit plantations, and even pick river snails for dinner! One year, we squeezed into different houses through the village to carol our hearts out and were moved when the villagers joined their voices to ours in their own language, harmonising to songs like ‘Silent Night’ and ‘Feliz Navidad’. Another year, we were the ‘opening act’ for a night of dancing, Christian songs and games for the kampung children in the village hall. The sheer enthusiasm of our hosts was contagious and our awkward Singaporean selves slid away as we waved our hands, spun around and jumped to sing to God in a language we hardly understood!

Music was a huge part of the village’s life, but more so the holy Mass. There are many kampungs dotted throughout Kuching, but only a few priests. I understand that there is a rotation system, so that a priest comes to the village to celebrate Mass once a month, and what an occasion it is then! During the last Kuching trip I went for, we were fortunate to attend Mass in the village. In our jeans and t-shirts, we were shabbily dressed compared to the villagers who turned up in clothes that truly defined “Sunday best”. Although the Mass was held in the local language (Bidayu), every part of the Mass was carried out with such heartfelt meaning and sincerity that it was one of the most beautiful Masses I have ever attended. During Offertory, apart from the bread and wine that was offered, the village head walked down the aisle bearing the biggest and most beautiful fruits from their harvests. How truly this gesture highlighted the significance of coming to God and offering Him the fruits of our labour and lives!

As the almsgiving bag was passed around, I saw old men take out a few small coins from their pockets, count each one and drop them as if each was their last coin. It was then that the Bible story of the widow’s mite was truly brought to life for me. During communion, the choir sang ‘Give Thanks’ in Bidayu. As I recognised the tune, I teared while singing along in English, realising (cliché as it sounds) that I had so much to be thankful for back in Singapore.

Every mission trip an individual undertakes starts off with the intention to do good and give of ourselves to others. Over the years, St Mary’s youths have painted an outdoor auditorium, cleaned a nursing home, visited homes to set up Christmas trees, and more. However, for all our efforts, I dare say that Kuching and the mission trip have given us experiences far richer and deeper than any we could hope to return. The retreat on the mountain, mingling with our kampung friends and the luxury of fresh air and fresh food is simply an experience that cannot be missed!

Jeanette Chang and alyssa alahakOne share their experiences in Kuching and Sabah, where youth from Church of St Mary of the Angels have been helping out on annual mission trips organised by the Catechetical Office. Want to sign up for the Sabah and Kuching mission trips in December 2012? Contact the Catechetical Office now! Email acheong@stmary.sg. Bookings and payments to be made by August 26, 2012.

YOuTHON A MISSION

Sabah 2011: Redeemed!

By a lyS S a a l a h a ko n e

In December 2011, a group of approximately 25 youth from Church of St Mary of the Angels went to Sabah, Malaysia on a mission trip. We started out as a rather separated and individualistic group but the journey took us by surprise in many ways – all without our knowledge. Some were friends; others, strangers. However, we had one thing in common: for all of us, the Sabah mission trip was an opportunity for us to achieve what we had never done before – the mission at hand. We found ourselves helping more people than we ever had in our lives, and the best part was, we enjoyed every second of it.

We started our missionary work on the second day of our trip when we began painting a chapel for the Sisters in Sabah. We

painted the chapel from the walls to the ceiling, and even the window grills! It may have been tiring and tedious but for us, time flew by as we worked hard to finish our makeover of the chapel. We accomplished the job in a matter of three days and had loads of fun cleaning the chapel before we finally presented it to the Sisters. I think I speak for all of us when I say that the happiness and joy of the Sisters when they saw their “new” chapel was the best icing on the cake!

During the course of our trip, the team also got a taste of the kampung life when we stayed in a village for two days. This was definitely an eye-opening experience for many of us who had never been to rural areas before. We got to take our shower in the nearby river, sing carols with the villagers and their children, and even spot some shooting stars when we stargazed at night!

Apart from this, we also had an opportunity to get to know some of the youth from a church in Sabah and caroled with them for one night. It was truly an interesting and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the local houses and carol for the villagers in English as well as in the Sabah dialect. Furthermore, this also gave us the chance to make some friends and get to know more about the lifestyle of the people in Sabah.

Simply said, the trip to Sabah in December 2011 was not only enjoyable but an impactful trip for all the youths. It provided us with an opportunity to give back to society as well as to experience the lives of people in different parts of the world. Moreover, the Sabah mission team became extremely bonded over the course of the trip and I can safely say that although we may have started out as strangers, we came home a family. Sabah 2011! Redeemed!

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Abba Father, the PotterBy By M a r I a l I M

My first and very basic understanding of pottery stemmed from the movie ‘Ghost’ many years ago. Oftentimes

in church in the past, I have sung the all-familiar song ‘Abba! Father’ with lyrics that goes: “Abba! Father, You are the potter, we are the clay.” But that was just it – a visual understanding and a song. My understanding turned into fascination with this art when I had the opportunity to personally see skilled workers shaping beautiful earthen vessels out of formless clay during a trip to Turkey two years ago. Even then, it was merely fascination and appreciation of the beautiful end products, with no significance to my life at all.

One morning, I was reading about how God commands Jeremiah to go to the Potter’s house (Jer 18:1-6) to observe a potter with a fresh set of eyes, to look at the process with new intention, which is to learn something about God. Somehow I kept playing back that particular song in my heart and revisiting that pottery-making scene in Turkey in my mind. I wondered why God has chosen this metaphor of a potter to teach us. What does God want Jeremiah and me, His children then and now, to learn about Him? Simply that, He is the Creator and He has complete sovereignty and authority and power over His people, to mould us according to His plan.

I reflected on my life, before and after becoming a Catholic. Before Baptism, I was like a lump of formless clay and on many occasions, the lump would disintegrate into loose mud when washed and tossed about by the storms in my life. After receiving Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, God kneaded me back into a lump of clay again and put me on His wheel to begin the process of moulding me. I have identified with Him by virtue of my Baptism but I did not “know” Him in my heart for who He is. I also did not have a personal and intimate relationship with Him.

Unable to feel His love for me, I resisted His life-changing process of shaping my life to be more like His Son, Jesus. In the process of stubbornly clinging on to my own will and with the Devil’s sabotaging works, the clay in me hardened up and I became rigid and unable to be moulded. But God did not forsake or give up on me. Just like He was patient with King David, Peter and Paul, He patiently picked me up and re-moulded me time and again. Finally, through a heart-transforming Conversion Experience Retreat I attended two years ago, I experienced His love. As the saying goes, “True love melts a stubborn and hardened heart”. I yielded myself to God, enabling His love to melt away the rigid and unbending part in me, to put back the softness of clay in me which is a necessary requisite for pottery making. Since then, He has inspired me to attend more retreats as well as sign up for faith formation programs like Little Rock Bible Ministry’s (LRBM) ‘Great Adventure – Bible Timeline’ and ‘A Biblical Walk Through the Mass’. On hindsight, I believe it is

part and parcel of His process of moulding and shaping me. While the retreats present me with opportunities to encounter God in the Spirit, the faith formation programs are the words of God to refresh my soul. In the moulding and shaping process, God constantly pats me with water – the word of God and the Holy Spirit. I receive this water every time I read and pray the Scriptures, participate in the Liturgy of the Word, and when I receive the Eucharist. Both the word of God and the Holy Spirit keep the clay in me pliable and soft enough to be mouldable. As long as I am on the potter’s wheel, His eyes and hands are always on me. He will occasionally put pressure on me or leave me unattended for a while and I will become wobbly and out of shape again when I encounter sufferings, hardship, setbacks or difficulties in life. But I know He does this with good intentions, to develop my perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope (Rom 5: 3-4). It does not mean that I am lousy clay or defective. To date, I am not sure whether I am still on the Potter’s wheel spinning away or have already been put into the furnace for firing. I also have no idea what kind of earthen vessel He is making of me or how He wants to use me after taking me out of the furnace. One thing I do know, God is always watching over me. As the Potter, God is always working (Jer 18:3). He is always working to make a useful vessel, useful according to His desires (v. 4). Through the many spiritual insights He has given me thus far, God tells me that I can be useful to Him and to others. So long as I remain in His Son, Jesus, and continue to be faithful and obedient in doing His Will, He will mould and shape me into a beautiful, useful vessel.

On my part, I have to cooperate with His grace by surrendering myself to Him and letting Him do what He wants with my life. Just like it would be impossible for Jesus to turn water into wine without the water being there, or feed the 5000 people with five loaves of bread if a little boy had not offered the precious little he had, I have to make myself available to God for Him to perform miracles in my life too. If I am not willing to make time to go for annual retreats or regularly attend courses conducted by LRBM, how can He fashion me into the vessel He desires of me? While I am being moulded, shaped or fired by God, I can also be His instrument by bringing other lumps of formless clay I come across, people who are lost and want to encounter and experience God’s love in their lives, to Him for moulding or remoulding too. The Potter’s way is God’s creative and unique way of shaping the lives of His children. God knows exactly what He wants us to become in our callings in Him. Like Jeremiah, we must be willing to learn from Him, trust Him and let Him fashion us into useful vessels for His glory and for the glory of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Only God can shape us into the finished person that He wants us to become in Him.

She is IT!Communications Office intern Aloysius Teo interviews Church of St Mary of the Angels’ new IT officer, JanCy serJin.

aloysius: hi Jancy, tell us more about yourself!Jancy: I have completed a Master of Computer Application (MCA) degree, and have 8 years of working experience in the IT field. My husband is working as a Manager in an IT Company. We have a 4-month-old baby. I came to Singapore in May 2011 and worked in a company as an IT Programmer. My hobbies are listening to music, cleaning the home, and now, playing and spending time with my cute baby. Until I came to St Mary’s, I had never tasted Chinese food. I only tasted Singaporean food after I came here, and I like all the food which aunty Florence cooks.

aloysius: how has the experience been working as an it Officer at st Mary of the angels?Jancy: I have really enjoyed working here the past one month. Previously, every morning I felt “Oh! My God, why should I go to the office???” But now I feel happy and think “Hey! I want to go to work.” I feel a peace of mind to do work even though I have lot of responsibilities. Every day I learn more new things, and our pastors treat the staff in a friendly manner. They never behave as a boss, so I enjoy and work with my full heart.

aloysius: how different is the job here compared to the previous positions you have held?Jancy: My previous position was pure coding, and it was really tensed job. There was no time to take my eyes from the computer, because my boss gave me a very short time to compete the tasks. But here, Father gives me the full freedom to make the best decisions and does not rush us. But still I learnt from my previous company in Singapore how to do work and finish our work fast. So I implement the same to our church also.

aloysius: Why did you decide to work in st Mary of the angels?Jancy: Since I am a born Christian, I am very much interested to work in a Christian institution. Moreover, I like to take more responsibilities, so I chose this job.

aloysius: What do you hope to achieve at st Mary of the angels?Jancy: As an IT Officer, I have lots of responsibilities and I am the one in charge of our church website and iPhone application. I have lots of confidence and hope it will help in my future as well as to learn a lot.

aloysius: What have been the biggest challenges you have faced so far?Jancy: Since I started just a month ago I haven’t faced any big challenges. But being a new employee here and still learning everything, anything can be challenging.

aloysius: What have been the most enjoyable parts of the job?Jancy: I love each and every day I work here because every day, whenever I face a new problem, it’s time for me to learn new things, so I enjoy working here.

Having studied in a Catholic school for about nine years running so far – three at Maris Stella, three at Saint Anthony’s

and three at SJI – I’ve been influenced by many of my peers and teachers who were followers of the Catholic faith. I will forever remember my first time at Mass: clueless and awkward about what was happening and who the person decked out in green garments on stage was, I decided to employ the “monkey-see-monkey-do” tactic and ended up making up a fool of myself. And that instant, as strange as it sounds, was perhaps a motivating factor for my further discovery of the faith.

Upon graduating from primary school, I decided that continuing my education in a Catholic environment would be best suited. I wanted to continue my growing as a person for others, as well as a person of God, having been previously inspired by a Lasallian brother, Brother Kevin Tan, throughout my stint at Saint Anthony’s. And it is thus that I chose Saint Joseph’s Institution as my secondary school.

Here, joining a Catholic society when you are in Secondary One is a must for the purposes of understanding your faith better and sharing it with others; I had an extremely beautiful and wonderful time with the Legion of Mary during my first year, and decided to stay on into my second and third years – and will continue to do so for my fourth year and the years to come, even after I’ve graduated and left SJI.

And that was how I knew of and entered the Rite of Christian Initiation for Youth (RCIY) programme. One of my seniors, Akira, started conversing to me and found out that I was not yet a baptised Catholic. As such, he took the liberty of obtaining an application form into this ministry, which I had not heard of until the day he told me, and passed it to me the next time he saw me. Things came real fast and furious then; registration led to my weekly participation of classes and various activities organised for us, eventually culminating in the big day: Baptism.

That was 3 months and 23 days ago. Since then, I’ve learnt a wealth of new information from all my newfound friends and people I have met through our interaction in Church. It’s a wonderful place to be in, to meet like-minded people and create a group where you know that your friendships will last, for they are all rooted in Christ, through whom we share the same faith, beliefs and ideals for the world now, and for the world ahead.

So to all everyone who’s reading this, I say: whether born a Catholic or a convert, your faith is a journey, and, like life, is full of ups and downs. Even so, continue every step of the way with big dreams and questions in your head, holding Jesus’ hand, daring to ask and make them known, for only then can you truly grow as a person. Even God said so himself – ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find. Wouldn’t you agree?

Rite of Christian Initiation for Youth

Journeying with a DreamBy h u B e r t y e o

Get in on the ActsThe Little Rock Bible Ministry (LRBM) has invited Fr Ambrose Vaz who will conduct over 13 weekly sessions on Acts of the Apostles. The talks will be held every Monday between Aug 27 and Nov 19 at St Clare Hall. For participants’ convenience, the talks will be held in the Morning with repeat in the Evening. Please refer to www.stmary-lrbm.org.sg for details of the programme. Registration via the website only. Registration will close on 19 Aug. Please register early to avoid disappointment.

Contact persons:• Angela Teoh (Morning Session): 9744-0933• Stanley Guan (Evening Session): 9189-1830• Michael Arteche (LRBM Co-ordinator): 9827-5995

For comments or if you feel called and desire to be part of the pilot project that includes reaching out and befriending ex-convicts in our neighbourhood, contact nccso@stmary.sg or the Parish Social Work Office.

• Archilles James Cua Saballa• Aidan Zachary Mathiaz• Audrey Jules Capili Canlas• Eirian Alexa Soh Zi An• Madeleine Tan Hui Ting• Marie Shayna Lam Li Shuen

• Marie Tan Ying Tian• Samantha Clarisse Wijaya• Teng Mei Cui Cordelia Sophia• Alegre Mikaela Angeleigh Tolentino• Dylan James Rodger• Seraphina Isabel Yong

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by Carol Seow

-Lee

The AssumpTion of mAry

prAyer

Dear God, you have given us your son, Jesus, born of the virgin, mary, to live on earth and to die for us, so that we can have eternal life through him. help us to learn from mary, who gained your favour because she keeps close in prayer and loved you with all her heart. Amen.

on August 15, we celebrate another feast for mother mary called the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin mary. so what is this feast about?

on this feast day, we celebrate a special favour that God gave to mary. The Assumption means that mary was taken up into the glory of heaven, to be next to Jesus, not only with her soul,

but also with her body.

Jesus, the Son of God, was born from Mary’s blessed womb. She was given this special role to be the earth mother of Jesus, as announced by the Angel Gabriel. mary was faithful and she obeyed,

saying, “yes,” even though she was afraid. so when mary died, God did not want mary, the mother of God, to remain on earth. This was her reward for her love of God, her years of faithful prayers and for her hard work and suffering.

now mary is in heaven. every time mary asks Jesus to give us graces, he listens to her request. Therefore, we can sometimes ask mary to help to pray or to intercede for us.

so what happens to us when we die? After the resurrection from the dead, we all, too, can go to heaven with our bodies. it is going to be a most beautiful and splendid place! if we use our bodies now to do good these bodies will share in our heavenly reward.

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BOOK REvIEwS

Hail Mary! By Peter hong

Mary - MirrOr Of the ChurCh by raniero Cantalamessa, translated by frances longergan Villa ($9.90)

To say that Mary is the figure or mirror of the Church means in practical terms that after having first considered a word, an attitude, or an event in the Madonna’s life, we then ask ourselves what this means for the Church and each one of us. What should we do to practice what the Holy Spirit wished to communicate to us through Mary? The best answer we can give is not devotion to Mary but imitation of her.

Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap., formerly professor of history of early Christianity and head of the department of religious sciences at the University of Milan, serves as the preacher to the papal household. The Liturgical Press has also published his Mystery of Christmas; Jesus Christ: The Holy One of God; The Eucharist: Our Sanctification; Easter in the Early Church; The Mystery of God’s Word; The Mystery of Easter; and The Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus.

Christ’s MOther and Ours: a CathOliC guide tO Mary by Oscar lukefahr ($15.90)

Throughout history, as well as today, Mary has held a very special place in the hearts of millions. Cross-referenced to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Christ’s Mother and Ours explores Mary’s role based on Scripture, historic teachings, art, architecture, songs, sacramentals, devotions, and apparitions. Father Lukefahr shows readers that by deepening their understanding of Mary, they’ll also deepen and enrich their faith.

All featured books are available at Wellsprings Catholic Books or at the bookcart at the Piazza.

FAMILY FOCuS

Rich wounds By C a r o l S e o W - l e e

Last year, I attended a Catechists’ Recollection organised by the Singapore Pastoral Institute. The programme was facilitated by Joanna

Tan of Heartspace together with the Catechetical Director, Fr Erbin Fernandez.

However, what intrigued me most when I first came across the invitation to the session was in fact the title of the session, “Wounded by Beauty”. Although it had been over a year since then, but still, I could not forget how those words made me wonder… How odd, I remembered thinking to myself… How could beauty, something so good, actually cause any infliction, causing one to be wounded?

At first I was prompted to look up the definition to the word, ‘Wound’ – to see if there was, in fact, a positive aspect to the word? I mean, take the adverb “awfully” for example - we all know, it could be used in an awfully good way or an awfully bad way, right? Well, the search came up zilch and instead, it repeatedly states as, “an injury especially one in which the skin or another external surface is torn, pierced, cut, or otherwise broken; an injury to the feelings”.

This intriguing thought reminded me of a time, when I was struggling with a response to my daughter, aged 10 then, over a question about faith. I remember wishing I had been more articulate and well-expressed in my reply to her question. But perhaps thinking back, I needed it

more for myself to convince myself and believe in what I was saying to her.

I suppose, in the real sense, we were not that much different from the next family, who may have the usual issues of breakdown within the family and relatives with ill-health, but for a young child, it may have been too overwhelming and so questioned the faith asking, “why do people who believe in God have so many problems, yet those like my friends in school, who don’t go to church or believe in God, seem to have no problems at all?” I guess it was a sensible question and I have little doubt that many faithful adults have had this cross their minds too. Why doesn’t believing in God and doing all that we are expected to do as faithful followers shield us completely from all things bad, if God is good?

I remember explaining to her then, that with God’s help, we can handle the disappointments as they come up in life, a little at a time as we begin to grow up. In these, it was like placing our experiences into a little bank account, to strengthen ourselves – so we can draw on it when we face tougher and bigger problems in life as we grow older. So it is not all bad but a good thing and there is value in having problems.

So as I recalled that incident and coming out of the retreat, I guess it did take me a while longer to convince myself, indeed there is much richness in being wounded. There is true beauty in being wounded – because only when we have been wounded, then and only then, we know how good it feels to be healed!

LiVinG The WorD

hAiL, mAry...As Mary helps to intercede for us, we often say this prayer, praising her for being in the Lord’s favour and also asking her to help us. Do you know this prayer? it is said many times in the prayers of the rosary. fill in the Blanks of the prayer and then colour in the “Amen”!

LiVinG The WorD

And mary said, “my soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour, for he has looked with favour on the

lowliness of his servant. surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the mighty

one has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

— Luke 1: 46-49

INFANT BAPTISMWelcome to the St Mary’s family! Please pray for these newly baptised!

Hail ______________ , full of ______________ , the Lord is with

______________. Blessed are ______________ among women,

and blessed is the ______________ of your womb, Jesus. Holy

Mary, ______________ of God, pray for us ______________ now,

and at the ______________ of our ______________.

Published by the Church of St Mary of the Angels, 5 Bukit Batok East Avenue 2, Singapore 659918. Tel: 65673866.Designed by Extent Communications (service@extent.com.sg). Printed by Chin Long Printing Pte Ltd, Blk 9 Kallang Place #04-08 Singapore 339154. Tel: 62945709. Fax: 62984736

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As a child, I remembered being very afraid of the dark. Left alone in a dark room, my mind often conjured up images of monsters and ghosts that threatened to devour my being. Darkness always seemed

so pervasive and ominous; it hindered my ability to see things clearly. In a similar vein, I recently realised that being in a state of perpetual sin is akin to being in a dark room. Oftentimes, I struggle with hurtful memories of the past and grapple with life decisions that have left me with much regret.

These self-projected monsters of my past often haunt me incessantly and leave me feeling melancholic and sad; these ghostly projectiles have left me in a state of darkness. In such moments, I find God far away, distant and cold. How then, can the light of Christ, the spirit of goodness and love, possibly permeate my being and dispel this darkness from my life?

This photo was taken a few weeks ago during my summer session at Oxford University. Depicted in this photo is a 13th century staircase that connects the courtyard of St Edmund Hall to that of the college’s ancient crypt, situated beneath the library. Spending a few minutes in the crypt was a chilling experience; it was a very ambivalent space. The cool temperature, along with the cobwebs and uneven flooring made me feel as if I was Indiana Jones searching for treasure in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Suffice to say, I was very ready to leave the ancient catacomb and head upwards towards the picturesque courtyard. Emerging from the suffocating darkness of the crypt and into the bright and cherry surroundings of St Edmund’s made me feel extremely relieved.

However, that experience resonated deeply with my heart. In a sense, the brief tour around the crypt made me realise that the dark room that exists in all of our lives – that dark and scary crypt that house our sin, pain and turmoil – is there mainly because many of us are unwilling to let go of our past and more importantly, many of us are unwilling to forgive ourselves (I struggle with that the most). And that perpetuates our sinful state; it further reinforces the notion that darkness is a horrible place and that God is very far away. We beat ourselves up, fall into a downward spiral of regret, feel utterly hopeless and claim that we are unworthy of God’s love and incapable of receiving God’s amazing grace.

The journey upwards from the crypt allowed me to see that I had (and will always have) a choice.

Whether I choose to remain scared in my hellish crypt or move towards Christ and experience His redeeming love is a decision that remains with me. Being in a perpetual state of sin, regret and guilt is a choice. Allowing God to enter into our lives is a choice. The notion of a choice was further reiterated to me through a Capuchin friar during a recent sacrament of reconciliation: “Oh gosh Chris, you’re so egoistic! The way you devote so much energy on dwelling upon your sins, instead of recognising God’s immeasurable mercy, makes you seem like a perfectionist. And you may very well be one, but I’m sorry, God does not love you because you’re perfect. God loves you precisely because you’re not. So stop trying to be perfect. Why are you trying so hard to earn His love?”

All of us therefore have a choice to let go and move on. All of us have a choice to leave our self-inflicted darkness and grow closer to God. However, leaving our dark rooms is only part of the recovery process. The bigger challenge is this: inviting Christ into our filthy catacombs; the facets of ourselves that we despise the most. The bigger challenge is allowing the light of Christ into the darkness of our lives; recognising that He loves us the most when we loves ourselves the least. This act requires faith, prayer and trust. And while this process may take years or even a lifetime to fulfil, the transformations are very real and profound.

At the end of my orientation programme at Oxford, the professor who led the tour casually remarked that the creepy crypt was actually a sacred space used as a place of worship in the medieval times. Perhaps then, the crypts that exist in our lives may gradually transform into sanctuaries of joy and hope when we fully invite Christ into our lives and allow ourselves to be fully transparent to God. Perhaps, the dark room that used to house the haunting memories of the past will then become an Adoration room, a sacred space of love and forgiveness.

Darkness and the Crypt By C h r I S to P h e r C h o k

Bread of LifePuJiantO CeMerlang and the luMinaire PhOtOgraPhy ministry reflect on the Gospel of John 6: 41-51.

It is not easy to keep our faith up, especially when we are facing a difficult time. But God is good! He offers his

people abundant life, but we often miss it.

We miss Him when we shut our door from listening to others (especially those we know and those we think are inferior to us).

We miss Him when we start complaining, doubting and questioning like the Jews in this Gospel reading.

When Jesus offers us real life, he brings us into a new relationship of trust, love, and obedience. We need to Believe and Accept Him as the bread of life!