To Say "I Do"

The words "I do" seem easy to say, but there are far-reaching consequences when uttering those words. It is not enough to just say those words, since one should know what one is really saying, and not only know, but also be willing to hold on to those words till death do us part. Far too many have uttered those words, only to end up changing their tune and saying "I don't" when so called irreconcilable differences occur.

But does one really understand what these words mean? It seems so simple, but the words could also be just as complex and challenging to understand and to live out. "I" refers to a person: you, me, not someone else. "I" means an individual who is offering himself or herself wholely, totally, completely, fully. The "I" requires commitment, patience, persistence, for better or for worse.

"Do" is an action. When we "do," we are putting all our efforts, resources, gifts, talents, and time on the line. We cannot say "do" and hold back: it must be generous, abundant, benevolent. "Do" involves effort, for one cannot delegate it to someone else, one must be responsible, enthusiastic and dedicated in refining, improving and carrying out such an action for a lifetime. "Do" can be difficult, even painful, but when the going gets tough, one needs to keep going, keep doing.

In all this, saying such words could do with much help from the Lord. One could try to say and live such words, but the road could turn out rough, when you don't have the wings of His providence, and His gentle breeze calming the many storms that may come and go. When we turn to the Lord to guide us, the words become less strenuous, since one is uttering such words in His presence, in His care, in His love.

So consider carefully what you are about to say. Words are cheap, meaningless, lack substance, when one just say such words just for the sake of formality, or as some may say, "just to get it over and done with." May your "I do" be real, true, generous, complete, free, joyful and for a lifetime.

The Altar Server - An Overview

Altar servers are chosen from among the faithful who display a desire to participate in a more intimate way during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is an extreme privilege to kneel so close to the altar as our loving Saviour, Jesus Christ, becomes truly present in the Eucharist. Thus, it is both wise and necessary for a server to perform all assigned duties with attention, dignity and reverence.

Who May Serve

A server can be any baptised Catholic of good standing who has received at least first confession and Holy Communion. Each bishop of the diocese and each parish may have additional requirements but basically there are no other universal Church restriction about age or gender. The server leader should discern the reasons a candidate wants to serve and be reasonably certain that the candidate, and not parental pressures, are the main motivation. A reluctant or disinterested server is a distraction during the Mass and may have a negative effect on parish faith.

Basic Knowledge of the Mass

A server candidate is required to know the principal prayers of the Mass: The Gloria, Our Father, Nicene Creed, Lamb of God, Lord, I am not worthy and Holy, Holy, Holy to demonstrate they have sufficient interest in being a server. Not knowing these prayers usually results in a server who just stands in ignorance of what to do during these prayers and becomes a distraction to the parish.

What else should a Server Know

1. All candidates should know the definitions of the liturgical items and their purposes.
2. All candidates must demonstrate their ability to make use of the “tools of the trade” such as matches, candle lighters, books and candles, processional cross, preparation of credence table, chalice, Mass colours, etc.
3. All server candidates must know the proper way to make the sign of the cross, kneel, stand and sit during Mass

What do Servers do

1. A server is not a wall decoration. They are primarily there to assist the priest and to discern their vocation if they have one. Here is a short list of server duties.
2. The servers duty is to set up for Mass, or if there is a sacristan present, to assist the sacristan in setting up for Mass. It is not the priest’s or deacon’s task to do so. The server must be willing to get to Church early, usually 15 minutes, to perform the appropriate setup for their parish.
3. The Server must also stay after Mass to return the Church to its non-service condition. This includes offering help to store linen, books and other items in their proper places, if a sacristan is present.
4. Servers should not handle any consecrated bread or wine unless specifically directed by the priest or deacon in an emergency situation. If the server suspects any consecrated fragments or wine remain on the sacred vessels they must inform the priest or deacon immediately.
5. Servers must remain in the sanctuary during the entire Mass and are not to leave the sanctuary during Mass for any reason other than Illness or the direction of the priest or deacon. Altar servers are on duty from the time they enter the sanctuary at the start of Mass until the priest exits at the end of Mass.
6. Servers have three primary positions when not performing a specific duty. These are standing, sitting and kneeling. In any of these positions they should maintain a straight formal posture.
• In the standing position hands should be held in the praying position.
• In the kneeling position hands should be held as in the standing position. You must kneel upright, not slouching or sitting on your heals.
• When sitting the hands should be held on the lap or at the sides. Never slouch. Never play with your cinctures, pick your nose or otherwise cause a public reason to take notice of you.
7. Remember, you are not on stage; you are serving at the altar of Our God.
8. Every altar server must attend every Mass they are scheduled for. When a server cannot be present, that server must arrange for a replacement.

Proper Dress

 The server should dress in proper clothes and footwear for Mass. It is recommended that you wear solid colours, especially colours which would not reveal your insides, when looked at a certain angle and when there is certain lighting present. Likewise pants, dresses and skirts should also be of some solid colour. Proper shoes should be worn. Sneakers, no matter how expensive, are for casual dress and sporting events and have no place at the Altar of Our God. Servers must show respect for the Mass they attend at.

The Musical Scribe

Whenever we read or hear of the word “scribe”, we naturally think of the scribes from the Gospels who seem to be constantly criticised by Jesus Christ. To be fair, a scribe is actually a person who is well versed in interpreting and teaching the Torah (the Law or the first 5 books in the Old Testament) as well as making copies of the Torah for distribution. Being a scribe is a vocation and it takes years of training and practice to be one. Unfortunately, the scribes mentioned in the Gospels deviated from their true calling, becoming aloof and corrupted instead of being fair and just to all.

What is a Musical Scribe?

A Musical Scribe is a person who is well versed in music and is able to compose or arrange a music piece. To compose a music piece means to write an original music piece whereas to arrange a music piece is to write an exact or similar copy of a music piece composed by someone else. In the past, the music piece had to be written or copied by hand; a slow, difficult and error-prone process. With the emergence of computers, the task is so much easier. The music piece need only be written once and it can be printed over and over again.

Why do we need a Musical Scribe?

Throughout this article, when I use the word organist, I mean any musician (for example, an organist, a pianist, a keyboard player, etc.) other than a guitarist.

In most parishes, there are hymns that can be played from hymnbooks such as the Sing Your Praise to God (SYPG). However, there are many other hymns or songs, Charismatic or otherwise, which cannot be found in any of the hymnals or songbooks available in the market. Quite often, only the words and chords are available. To a guitarist, the words and chords are usually sufficient but to an organist, the words and chords are not enough, especially if he or she is not familiar with the hymn. The musical notes are needed as well so that the organist will be able to play the hymn correctly. There are also hymns that can be found in other songbooks but the key for these hymns may be too high or too low for singing.

Besides that, some parishes are dependent on one or two organists and these organists are usually the only ones who know the hymns that are in words and chords form. What would happen if these organists leave the parish for good (they get married and settle down in some other place; they move to another place because of work or family commitments, etc.) or if these organists decide to retire and serve the Lord in some other way? If new organists are trained, then this may not be a problem but training new organists without music notes is downright difficult, if not altogether impossible. Besides that, it is not possible for a person to teach the new organists all the hymns that are in words and chords form because of time constraint and also because of the huge number of such hymns floating around.

As you can see, the above situations can cause these hymns to be lost if they are not written down and preserved for future generations. The church is gifted with so many beautiful hymns that are inspirational and educational. That is why we need people who are willing to take time and effort to write down these hymns so that any organist would be able to play them easily. These people are known as “Musical Scribes”.

What are the requirements?

To be a Musical Scribe, you need to meet the following requirements:

1. A sound knowledge of music, especially in the writing of music notes

2. A good understanding of chords, since most of the time, you will need to determine the suitable chords for the hymn.

3. Much patience, as it takes time to get the music written properly. This is not much of a problem if a computer is used to write the music.

4. Some basic knowledge of using a computer.

The fourth point here is optional but recommended as the computer is a real time saver when it comes to writing music notes. Of course, you do not need to use a computer to write music but from my experience, using the computer is more efficient and the hymn can be easily reproduced (try making copies of a hymn by hand and you will see what I mean). Of course, you can always make photocopies of the hymn but this is not always reliable because the photocopies could turn out not clear or if your handwriting is bad, the photocopies will not be of much help.

Let There Be Peace on Earth

How often do we get news about peace these days? More often than not, we get news through different media containing matters about conflicts, wars, murders, rape, torture, violence, terrorism and other similar negative news. Seeing how such news is being rampantly distributed, how can we as Christians make a difference? Can I make a difference, even if it seems to be a small and insignificant part, in efforts to bring about true peace?

To us, it may seem impossible. We may feel as if we are too few, too small or too weak to make a difference. But to God, everything is possible. We must believe that we can make a difference, and that we must start somewhere. It may be a small step, but it is still a step, and if we believe that we can make a difference, then there is hope.

To make a difference, to bring about peace, we need to look at two foundational and crucial aspects that help in the peace process. The two are love and forgiveness. True peace must be rooted with genuine, unconditional love for all, because it is only in love that we can reach out to others who are so different from us and accept them for who they are. Love breaks down the barriers of race and language that are put up by our prejudices. With love, true peace can be present even in the midst of our troubles and problems. True peace must also be rooted in forgiveness. Some people think that forgiving others is a sign of weakness. Some people think that to be strong, one needs to take revenge or put another person down. But true peace requires that we show our strength by taking courage to forgive others. Forgiveness is also about a healing of your hurts as well as a healing for those who have hurt you. Forgiveness sets us free and allows us to be at peace with ourselves and with others.

Today, let us be peacemakers in whatever way we can. Let us do our part in bringing about peace, regardless of how small or insignificant the part may seem. With a little effort, decision and commitment, we can and will make this world a better and more peaceful place to live in.

Baptism: An Analogy to our Faith

Have you ever noticed how infants behave when they are about to be baptised? Some of you may wonder: "But infants are infants. They either sleep, feed or cry. What are you getting at?" Well, actually if you observe infants and how they respond when you baptise them, we could get some insights about ourselves, as well as how and where we are in our faith.

Among the many infants I have baptised, the ones I find quite interesting are the little ones who look at you with those big eyes, as if they are looking with curiosity and wonder. When you baptise them, they do not make much of a fuss, and it is a joy to see the reaction of the parents, godparents and others present. Sometimes, I hear a little chuckle or happy sound coming from the infant. Perhaps the infant might have experienced the Lord's presence, or the feeling of being redeemed by the Lord.

The second kind of infants I encounter are those who cry like crazy when they are about to be baptised. It sounds as if they are saying: "NO! Don't give me that! I don't want! Leave me alone! Go away! Arrgh! Water is coming! No good!" Some of these infants may be crying for a good reason: perhaps it is hungry, or has soiled its diapers, or something might have happened, but wow can they make a fuss. Sometimes, the infant continues crying even after the baptism, and some even cry louder, appearing as if they are trying to voice their displeasure or throw a tantrum. It is interesting to see the response of the parents and other family members, doing their utmost best to calm the little one down, while possibly getting stressed and frazzled as well.

The third kind of infants are those who sleep through the baptism, or just open their eyes for a little while, and then go back to sleep. It is as if they are saying: "Mmmh? What's this? Oh? A bath? Some water to drink? Some... zzzzz." These infants seem to be oblivious about what is going on, and they can really sleep, even long after the baptism has been completed.

Now what does all these have to do with our faith? If I may make an analogy, our faith could be similar to those infants who are a joy while being baptised, or those infants who make so much fuss, or even those infants who seem sleepy and oblivious to what is happening. Some of us are like the first kind of infants, curious and full of wonder of our faith, and we joyfully find ways and means to find out more about our faith, as well as being willing and enthusiastic in sharing our faith with others, while building a relationship with God and with others. Some of us are like the second kind of infants, and we seem to only know how to complain or grumble. When we don't get what we want, we kick up a fuss and create a ruckus. Some even begin to leave and go to some other denomination or even follow a different faith, feeling angry or disillusioned when things don't go our way. Some of us are like the third kind of infants, looking sleepy and fed up, or not interested in or bothered about anything. When asked to help out, some may shy away or do without any interest or enthusiasm.

Perhaps we should take a good look at ourselves. Are we falling more into one of these "kind of infants"? Have we been like one kind or another at different times of our lives? When we were baptised, we were given the Holy Spirit. May we utilise the Holy Spirit in our lives, and with enthusiasm, joy and curiosity grow closer to God, while we grow in love and friendship with others. Baptism was the start of Jesus' ministry, and He showed us many examples of how we ought to fulfil our duty as Christians. Let us not delay and do our part, for the greater glory of God.

Titles and Styles of Addressing For Roman Catholic Hierarchy

Noticed that some folks seem to be getting the proper terms mixed up, especially when it comes to titles used for church hierarchy. Some of you may wonder why we need to be so kiasu or gan cheong about such titles, but for the sake of protocol and decorum, we may need to take note lah.

Also, this bit of write-up is not about the difference or similarities between a deacon, priest, bishop, archbishop, cardinal or pope. The differences and similarities would require a different write-up, so see how later. So...


When it comes to non-clergy - those not ordained by the bishop

Sr. - Sister

Br. or Bro. - Brother

Note that strictly speaking, Diocesan seminarians are technically not "br." or "bro." or "brother." We call them as such out of courtesy or politeness, but they are not "br." or "bro." or "brother" because they have not taken any religious vows. Well, some say that the Diocesans are informally and cheekily known as "OOO" (that's Oh... Oh... Oh... or triple "O") - since Diocesans do not belong to a particular Religious Order, so "OOO" = "Out Of Order", but that's a different story ;)

Seminarians, men or women belonging to Religious Orders or Congregations may be called Sr. or Br. or Bro., depending on whether they have taken any religious vows and also depending on the governance of the congregation or order (how the congregation or order is run). In such cases, when it comes to religious orders or congregations, it is best to check with the leader, or superior.


When it comes to clergy

Rev. Deacon - Reverend Deacon

Priest - Rev. Fr. (Reverend Father), or just "Fr", or some may informally say "padre"

Bishop - Rt. Rev. (Right Reverend)

When addressing the Bishop formally and directly, we usually say "Your Lordship"
For example: Your Lordship Bishop ???, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen

When addressing the Bishop formally from a third person perspective, we usually say "His Lordship"
For example: We now invite His Lordship Bishop ??? to come forth to give his opening address

Archbishop - Most Rev. (Most Reverend)

When addressing the Archbishop formally and directly, we usually say "Your Grace"
For example: Your Grace Archbishop ???, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen

When addressing the Archbishop formally from a third person perspective, we usually say "His Grace"
For example: We now invite His Grace Archbishop ??? to come forth to give his opening address

Cardinal - His/Your Eminence

When addressing the Cardinal formally and directly, we usually say "Your Eminence"
For example: Your Eminence ??? Cardinal ???, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen (for example, Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle)

When addressing the Cardinal formally from a third person perspective, we usually say "His Eminence"
For example: We now invite His Eminence ??? Cardinal ??? to come forth to give his opening address

These are some of the more common titles used when addressing such folks. If you are not sure, it is best to check.

To Sponsor or not to Sponsor?

A Bit of Background

There was a time in the past where Christians were facing tremendous persecution from the Roman Empire, especially before the year 313 AD (313 AD was the year when the Edict of Milan declared the Roman Empire neutral towards religious views, in effect ending the persecution of Christians). Because of such persecution, it was necessary for Christians to be cautious of who they admitted into their community, as well as how they went about in their tasks. Also, at that time, the Sacraments of Initiation (i.e. baptism, holy Eucharist, and confirmation) were administered together (all one shot) instead of separately.

So, to watch their back and to filter out potential Roman nasties (spies or infiltrators - you wouldn't want a T-800 or T-1000 or T-X from the Terminator series kacauing right? Just kidding!) bent on exposing and getting them persecuted, Christians introduced the role of sponsors. The role of sponsor had several tasks:

1. To vouch for the adult being baptised (in other words, the sponsor testified that the bloke or the lass is a-ok and not a Roman nasty).
2. To assist the person during the catechumenate in preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation, and in living a Christian life.
3. To make the Profession of Faith in the child's name (in the case of infant baptism) and accept the responsibility of instructing the child in the faith, especially if the parents played hooky and did not do their duty in doing so.

Though nowadays we often identify the sponsor of a child for baptism as the godparent (godmother or godfather or sometimes, both), the actual term (betul-betul, original) remains "sponsor."


Sponsor - Some Preliminary Tots

Now that we have some background on "sponsors," we will need to look at some "undang-undang meriam - oops... undang-undang gereja." Canon Law (Can. 872) tells us "Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents an infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it. So whether you are a big buffalo or a small buffalo, you need a sponsor, not only to witness your baptism, but to "take care" or "jaga" you, in other words, to see that you are kuai kuai (乖乖) and be a good Catholic.

Canon Law (Can. 873) also reminds us "There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each." The reason this is stated is because in some cultures, folks seem to think "the more the merrier," and they have so many sponsors. No need so many sponsors lah. One enough, but if you want 2 also can, just make sure one male and one female lah.


Criteria for the Responsibility. Don't Play Play.

So how do we determine who can become a sponsor? What sort of criteria should we look at? Once again, Canon Law (Can. 874 §1.) tells us:

To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:

1. Be designated by the one to be baptised, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;
This basically means, either:
a. The one to be baptised OR
b. The parents or person acting as the parent OR
c. The pastor or minister
chooses a sponsor. The sponsor is not one simply or suka-suka assigned to the one to be baptised. The sponsor must be chosen carefully.
Also, note that the sponsor may be chosen, but he or she would still need to say "Yes" and accept being chosen, and not only that, he or she must have the right disposition to be chosen. If, for example, the sponsor feels that he or she has too many godchildren already, or for some other reason, the sponsor can still say "No" to being a sponsor. Don't play play... sponsor cannot be forced to be a sponsor one.

2. Have completed the sixteenth year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;
You must be at least 16 years old to be a sponsor, unless otherwise stated by the diocesan bishop, or the pastor or minister has good and valid reason to choose such a young of age sponsor.

3. Be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;
Certainly not an easy criteria. Not only the sponsor needs to be baptised and confirmed as a Catholic, he or she also needs to live an exemplary life as a Catholic. Some examples of an exemplary life include: regularly attending Mass; regularly receiving Sacrament of Confession; good prayer life; active in church, especially in one or two church ministries; just some of the many examples.

4. Not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;
Canonical penalty includes a person who has been excommunicated from the church due to some serious reason; and many other penalties too numerous to discuss here. If you want to know more, see your parish priest and/or read up on BOOK VI : SANCTIONS IN THE CHURCH. Quite a lot to read, and may be a cure for insomnia for some, since the text is legal jargon and requires time and effort to understand well. Certainly not an easy read.

5. Not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
Your fudder and your mudder cannot be your sponsor. This also includes the legal guardian of the one being baptised. Go laa and find someone else. Surely can find one.

§2. A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.
Christians who are not Catholics cannot be a sponsor, since they are not of the same Catholic faith, and do not share the same Catholic understanding of confirmation, Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, and who leads a Catholic life of faith. These Christians can still be a witness to the baptism, no worries.


Conclusion

So you see, finding a sponsor for your child's baptism or the baptism of an adult (whether it is your spouse, a non-baptised parent, or some other adult) is not so easy. Being a sponsor is also not so easy or kacang (in other word, not a walk in the park). You are a sponsor not for fun, since you also need to walk the talk and show by good example. May we be careful who we choose as a sponsor, so that the child or adult being baptised would have a good companion to journey with, as he or she progresses in the Catholic faith.