透过堂区牧灵的经验在圣德中成长

“你当在本身的立场成圣，而我当在天主安置我的立场成圣。

所以成圣并不是非凡的事。成圣也不只是一些人才能享受的。             

至圣是你我的简单职务。我们是因它而被造的。”

                                                                                                                  德肋撒姆姆

我们知道我们是受召成圣。“但要象那召叫你们的圣者一样，在一切生活上是圣的，因为经上记载：‘你们应是圣的，因为我是圣的。’”(伯前1:15-16)。有些人认为

圣就是时常祈祷、虔诚或甚至过着清苦的生活。虽然这些都是圣的表现，但只是外表的工夫。

然而，我欣然面对堂区生活的现实，接受堂区生活中的许多喜乐和痛苦，并学习在各种情况下去爱和服务所有的教友。以上是帮助我透过堂区牧灵的经验在圣德中成长的例子。

以下是以“H-O-L-I-N-E-S-S”的各字母组成我圣德在堂区成长的心声：

H = Holy Spirit 圣神	在家庭、基信团、堂区和社会里，在我们的圣德成长中圣神扮演了重要地位。
O = Old Testament 旧约	在旧约中，天主拣选了一个民族不因为他们是圣的而因为他们可透过割损和天主的诫命成圣。
L =Love 爱德	在成圣的过程中，我们以爱主和爱邻人两条并重的诫命去爱所有的人。
I = Internal Holiness 内在圣德	人着重外表，但是天主关怀我们内心的动机，这解释了我们的所作所为。
N = New Testament 新约	诫命是旧约的标记、而十字圣架是新约的标记。身为耶稣门徒，当我们背起十字圣架跟随耶稣时，该努力去聆听并了解天主的旨意。
E = Emptying oneself 空虚自己	在成圣的过程中，他应该兴盛，我却应该衰微。这意识是空虚自己，把一切荣耀归予主。
S = Service 服务	在成圣过程中，我们无条件地为人服务，因为如果要成为在先的，必须要先成为在后的，并成为众人的仆人。
S = Suffering 受苦	受苦是成圣过程中的一部分。我们“是天主的承继者，是基督的同承继者；只要我们与基督一同受苦，也必要与他一同受光荣。” (罗 8：17)

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.