A priest moved to a new parish and some weeks after he arrived, he had occasion to ride the bus from his home to the city. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a 5 cents too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the 5 cents back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only 5 cents. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God' and keep quiet."

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the 5 cents to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change." The driver with a smile replied, "Aren't you the new priest in my parish? I have been thinking lately about going to mass. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday"
When the priest stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest lamp post, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for 5 cents."

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.
This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Catholics and will put us to the test! Always remember (as I try to remember) that you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself "Catholic."

DAISY HATCH DAY!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAISY!!!!

I said a birthday prayer for you and asked the Lord to blessthis wonderful occasion with love and happiness. I asked that He'd bestow upon you special Heavenly graces...Simple pleasures, sweet delights, your favorite faces. I prayed for you to have a year of great dreams coming true, A year of growth and wisdom and deep fulfillment too. Finally, I said a prayer to thank God for the way you enrich the lives of others through all you do and say.

Class Resumes this Sunday, 15th April 2007.

Keep your Calendar marked!!










It's the 2nd Week of Easter!
Did you guys check out the G! magazine?!
Do pick it up this Sunday!!

If it's your first time visiting the blog and you are interested in joining RCIY,
Come and join us this Sunday!!!
Time: 9am-11am
Venue: Church of Christ the King, Room 105

SEE YOU THERE!

This Sunday, 8th April 2007, is
The Greatest Day of the Year

The Resurrection of Christ is the heart and soul of Catholicism. Easter is the day we celebrate the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. On Easter, the season of Lent ends. Christ showed the world that He is the savior.
At the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday through the Octave of Easter, the Catholic Church celebrates this Easter feast. Catholics often give devotion to the Divine Mercy. Jesus asks us to ask for His mercy since He opened the gates of Heaven.

On the second Sunday of Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday. Starting on Good Friday and ending on Easter Saturday, Catholics are encouraged to say the Divine Mercy Novena.
Catholics should also go to confession before Divine Mercy Sunday and receive Holy Communion on that day.

There are two exceptions to the usual sections (Liturgy of the Word and the Eucharist) of the Mass. The Sequence is said and instead of the Profession of Faith, the congregation renews their baptismal promises.

Jesus Christ was born to Mary. She was engaged, and an angel told her she was pregnant with Jesus. Mary was a virgin so this was a miracle itself. Jesus was born, and grew to be a loving and kind man.

His message was simple, but many found it hard to do and still do. The message is to love each other. Jesus performed loving miracles. He healed people physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Jesus had many friends, and He chose twelve apostles. He also had many disciples.

When Jesus was in His early thirties, He was charged for proclaiming He was the Son of God. Even though Jesus never hurt anyone, people turned against Him. His punishment was crucifixion.

Before He was crucified, Jesus was led through town and people teased him. He was beaten as well. Jesus died on the cross after three hours. His body was wrapped and put in a tomb. On the third day, like He said, Jesus rose from the dead. He remained on Earth for forty days until He returned to Heaven.

courtesy of http://catholicism.about.com/

This Saturday,7th April 2007 is
Holy Saturday

In Roman Catholicism, Holy Saturday is a day of waiting. Today is the calmest and quiet day of the Church year. The Church is still saddened about what Jesus had to live through all for us.
Jesus's body remains in the tomb with scars. The altar is left bare, and the sacrifice of the Mass is not celebrated.

The night vigil of Easter signifies Christ's passage from the dead to the living by the the liturgy which begins in darkness (sin, death) and is enlightened by the fire and the candle representing Lumen Christithe Light of Christjust as the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, the community of believers, is led from spiritual darkness to the light of His truth. Christ's baptism, which our own baptism imitates, is represented during the liturgy by the blessing of the water of baptism by immersing (`burying') the candle representing His Body into the font.

Only after the solemn vigil during the night, held in anticipation of the resurrection, does the Easter celebration begin, with joy that overflows into the following period of fifty days. Today we remember Christ in the tomb. It is not Easter yet, so it's not time for celebration. The day is usually spent working on the final preparations for the biggest feast of the Church year.


The Water

The Easter Vigil includes a blessing of water. The water is a sign of purification and of baptism. Holy water, that is, water that has been ceremonially blessed is a sacramental. Sacramentals are "sacred signs which bear a resemblace to the sacraments[by which the faithful are] given access to the stream of divine grace which flows from the paschal mystery of the passion, death, and resurrection of Christthe fountain from which all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power." [Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, No. 60. Second Vatican Council Documents] Some other common sacramentals are blessed palm (and the ashes used on Ash Wednesday made from them), candles, medals, priestly blessings and other prayers.

Water blessed during the Easter Vigil is used for baptisms and other blessings. This water does not last the whole year, so there is a special blessing for holy water used at other times of the year, also. Traditionally the blessing of holy water includes an exorcism, or protection against evil, and the addition of salt, a spiritual symbol of wisdom which preserves our faith.

Catholic churches have basins or `fonts' containing holy water near the entrance so that believers can dip their fingers in it before making the sign of the cross as they enter the House of God as a symbol of purification. This simple gesture reminds believers of their consecration to Christ in baptism, and visibly indicates their acceptance of the Catholic faith.

The blessed water is available for members of the parish to keep at home to use for special prayers and blessings. In European Churches there are usually large stone basins filled with holy water near the entrance which are used by people in making the sacramental sign and also serve as reservoirs.

A bottle of holy water used to be found in virtually every Catholic home, but the private use of holy water has diminished, probably because people no longer know what it is used for or how to use it. However, it is a very powerful sign and children especially love to learn to use holy water to bless a wreath or flowers or other special religious articles used in the home as a sign of consecration to the Lord. It would be good to have a small bowl or font of holy water near the entrance door of the house for family members to use during the penetential season of Lent.



The Light of Christ (Lumen Christi)

The Paschal candle represents Christ, the Light of the World: "I am the light of the world. He that followeth me walketh not in darkness" [John 8:12]. The pure beeswax of which the candle is made represents the sinless Christ who was formed in the womb of His Mother. The wick signifies His humanity, the flame, His Divine Nature, both soul and body. Five grains of incense inserted into the candle in the form of a cross recall the aromatic spices with which His Sacred Body was prepared for the tomb, and of the five wounds in His hands, feet, and side.

During the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night the priest or deacon carries the candle in procession into the dark church. A new fire, symbolizing our eternal life in Christ, is kindled which lights the candle. The candle, representing Christ himself, is blessed by the priest who then inscribes in it a cross, the first letters and last of the Greek alphabet, (Alpha and Omega `the beginning and the end') and the current year, as he chants the prayer below; then affixes the five grains of incense.

The Easter candle is the largest and most beautiful in the Church. It is a reminder of the Risen Redeemer "who shining in light left the tomb." It is lighted each day during Mass throughout the Paschal season until Ascension Thursday.

In Rome, the wax of the Easter candle from St. Peter's is used to make little locket-like Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) medals. The heart-shaped gold-colored locket is embossed with a cross and a lamb and contains a drop of blessed wax.

Christ yesterday and today,
the Beginning and the End,
the Alpha and Omega.
His are the times and ages:
To Him be glory and dominion
Through all ages of eternity. Amen

This Friday, 6th of April 2007 is GOOD FRIDAY

Good Friday, the entire Church fixes her gaze on the Cross at Calvary. Each member of the Church tries to understand at what cost Christ has won our redemption. In the solemn ceremonies of Good Friday, in the Adoration of the Cross, in the chanting of the 'Reproaches', in the reading of the Passion, and in receiving the pre-consecrated Host, we unite ourselves to our Savior, and we contemplate our own death to sin in the Death of our Lord.

The Church - stripped of its ornaments, the altar bare, and with the door of the empty tabernacle standing open - is as if in mourning. In the fourth century the Apostolic Constitutions described this day as a 'day of mourning, not a day of festive joy,' and this day was called the 'Pasch (passage) of the Crucifixion.'

The liturgical observance of this day of Christ's suffering, crucifixion and death evidently has been in existence from the earliest days of the Church. No Mass is celebrated on this day, but the service of Good Friday is called the Mass of the Presanctified because Communion (in the species of bread) which had already been consecrated on Holy Thursday is given to the people .

Traditionally, the organ is silent from Holy Thursday until the Alleluia at the Easter Vigil , as are all bells or other instruments, the only music during this period being unaccompanied chant.

The omission of the prayer of consecration deepens our sense of loss because Mass throughout the year reminds us of the Lord's triumph over death, the source of our joy and blessing. The desolate quality of the rites of this day reminds us of Christ's humiliation and suffering during his Passion.

On this Day we spend fasting and reflecting on the death of Jesus. Why did HE choose to die for us. What pain HE went through to give us today. Let's spend this day in personal prayer and reflection.

Courtesy of http://www.catholic.org

Maundy Thursday Announcement

Meet at 600pm sharp at the Church bookshop

Thereafter we'll proceed for church visiting.

We'll end at about 10pm.

Pls contact your sponsor for more details.

MAUNDY THURSDAY

Thursday, 5th April 2007

The most complex and profound of all religious observances, saving only the Easter Vigil. It celebrates both the institution by Christ himself of the Eucharist and of the institution of the sacerdotal priesthood (as distinct from the 'priesthood of all believers') for in this, His last supper with the disciples, a celebration of Passover, He is the self-offered Passover Victim, and every ordained priest to this day presents this same sacrifice, by Christ's authority and command, in exactly the same way. The Last Supper was also Christ's farewell to His assembled disciples, some of whom would betray, desert or deny Him before the sun rose again.

On Holy Thursday there is a special Mass in Cathedral Churches, attended by as many priests of the diocese as can attend, because it is a solemn observance of Christ's institution of the priesthood. At this 'Chrism Mass' the bishop blesses the Oil of Chrism used for Baptism and Confirmation. The bishop may wash the feet of twelve of the priests, to symbolize Christ's washing the feet of his Apostles, the first priests.

The Holy Thursday liturgy, celebrated in the evening because Passover began at sundown, also shows both the worth God ascribes to the humility of service, and the need for cleansing with water (a symbol of baptism) in the Mandatum, or washing in Jesus' washing the feet of His disciples, and in the priest's stripping and washing of the altar. Cleansing, in fact, gave this day of Holy Week the name Maundy Thursday.

The action of the Church on this night also witnesses to the Church's esteem for Christ's Body present in the consecrated Host in the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, carried in solemn procession to the flower-bedecked Altar of Repose, where it will remain 'entombed' until the communion service on Good Friday. No Mass will be celebrated again in the Church until the Easter Vigil proclaims the Resurrection.

And finally, there is the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament by the people during the night, just as the disciples stayed with the Lord during His agony on the Mount of Olives before the betrayal by Judas.

courtesy of http://www.catholic.org/

Remember to keep those days free :)!!

This Sunday 1st April 2007 is Palm Sunday

The Sunday before Easter is known as Palm Sunday. It is the beginning of Holy Week. It celebrates Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Great crowds of people thronged the streets waving palm branches to welcome Him. The people shouted "Hosanna" and laid their cloaks and palm branches from the nearby trees in His path.


Scripture Reading
Matthew 21:1-11,14-17

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' " The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.

A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee." The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read," 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?" And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

After this week comes

Maundy Thursday

Good Friday

Holy Saturday

Easter Sunday

Look out for the stories about these days coming up on this blog!!

Lenten Penitential Services 2007

CITY DISTRICT
CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE - Monday, March 26: 8 pm
CHURCH OF SS. PETER & PAUL - Tuesday, March 27: 8 pm, Sunday, April 1: 1.30 pm (Chinese)
CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL - Wednesday, March 28: 8 pm
CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES - Thursday, March 29: 8 pm
NOVENA CHURCH - Monday, April 2: 8 pm
CHURCH OF ST. TERESA - Tuesday, April 3: 8 pm

EAST DISTRICT
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR - Monday, March 26: 10.30 am & 7 pm, 9pm
CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY - Tuesday, March 27: 10.30 am, 7 pm & 9 pm
CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY - Wednesday, March 28: 10.30 am, 7 pm & 9 pm
CHURCH OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE - Thursday, March 29: 8 pm
CHURCH OF ST. STEPHEN - Friday, March 30: 8 pm

WEST DISTRICT
CHURCH OF ST. MARY OF THE ANGELS - Monday, March 26: 8 pm
CHURCH OF ST. IGNATIUS - Tuesday, March 27: 8 pm
CHURCH OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI - Wednesday, March 28: 8 pm
CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS - Thursday, March 29: 8 pm
BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH - Friday, March 30: 8 pm

NORTH DISTRICT
CHURCH OF THE RISEN CHRIST - Monday, March 26: 10.30 am & 8 pm
ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH - Tuesday, March 27: 8 pm
CHURCH OF CHRIST THE KING - Wednesday, March 28: 10.30 am & 8 pm
CHURCH OF OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA - Thursday, March 29: 8 pm
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - Friday, March 30: 10.30 am & 8 pm
CHURCH OF ST. ANTHONY - Monday, April 2: 8 pm

SERANGOON DISTRICT
CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BVM - Tuesday, March 27: 8 pm
CHURCH OF ST. FRANCIS XAVIER - Wednesday, March 28: 8 pm
CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY - Thursday, March 29: 8 pm
CHURCH OF ST. ANNE - Monday, April 2: 8 pm
CHURCH OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL - Tuesday, Apr 3: 8 pm

Courtesy of Veritas

haha this is a long awaited and overdue post but anyhow here goes =D!! haha and i shall let the photos do most of the talking la hehe :)..

RCIY HIKE 2007 - 04.03.2007

firstly, BIG THANK YOU to the hike I/Cs Daryl, Freddie, Daphne and of course, by default Jasmine :)..

Start of hike at Bishan Park

haha as you can see, all of us look so refreshed and energized hahaha.. then we slowly made our way to our next pit-stop: SHELL STATION.. along the way we got randomly paired up and we had to interact and get to know each other better.. and we got quizzed about our partner after that HAHA!

(and MUAHAHA i ace-ed the quiz la wheeheehee =P)

short cam-whoring session :)... doris was really excited about borrowing simon's cap to pose and take pictures hahaha..

more walking and getting-to-know-each-other-better =D

at our 2nd pit-stop (Casuarina Road Junction), we got handicapped! some of us were tied at our wrists, while wee seng and eugene had their arms tied together haha..

and after a while, we got handicapped further!! poor doris and alastair got blindfolded =X.. but no worries cos iggy and i were there to guide them along :).. along the way we were also asked to look around and pick out an item that would represent us, and we were to share about it later.. (so as u can see, iggy is posing very lame-ly with his leaf HAHA)

at the gate of Upper Pierce Reservoir, we took a very short break as we each shared on why our chosen item represented us, afterwhich all the inquirers had to individually and silently walk to the next junction so that they could do some quiet reflection on their own..

(some of the inquirers were distracted by the numerous cute little monkeys at the second half of the journey though hahaha)

the next pitstop was at the carpark of Upper Pierce Reservoir, where we had yummy--licious chicken rice and ice-cold sugarcane juice for lunch, courtesy of joy and jasmine :)!!

the next activity for the day was the very tiring but fun TREASURE HUNT!! it was conducted stations-of-the-cross style, and we either said a short prayer, or had a sharing question at each station..

but obviously, we first had to source for the clue based on the photo that we got from the previous station, and our Mister Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson of the day was WEE SENG and ALASTAIR =D!!! wahhhh they could find the clues at all the ultimate hidden places la haha :))..

and the photo below shows THE HORRIBLE AND TIRING slope that we had to climb up and down TWICE!! it isnt as easy as it looks, especially under the hot and scorching sun which literally drains you of all your energy!!!!!!! haha..

To wrap up the hike experience, here is the summary of the day and some self reflections:

When we decided to proceed with the hike, I’m sure all of us had doubts as to whether we could do it, where we’d go and what we’d be doing. Some of us may even be thinking about what if I needed to pee, what if I got injured, what if it rained? Many many “What ifs” would have come to our minds.
But we still tried and persevered.

I’d like to draw your attention to how we kicked off the journey from Old Upp Thomson Road. By that time, I’m sure we’d be thinking how far we are going to go. We started to talk to each other, in an attempt to distract ourselves from the difficult journey that is to come. Some of us chose to keep quiet and distract ourselves with other thoughts.

Unknowingly, when we had arrived at the Casuarina Rd Junction, It got worse. Some of us got blindfolded, crippled and handicapped. This was going to be a long day.

Reaching the Lower pierce Gate, Some would have already wanted to give up. Silently walking up and down the slopes really took the breath out of us. Who was going to help me? I need to talk. I need to vent myself. But I can’t!!! HOW LONG MORE!?!?!

Finally we reached the lunch point. It was so so so tiring..

What we had to go through was just a little taste of what Jesus had to go through. Think of the time when he was humiliated, slapped, tortured, laid with a heavy burden, thirst, fell and didn’t have anyone to talk to except God.

Think of this: Did anyone of you think of praying to God during this journey?

The treasure hunt was made so that we can understand what Jesus went through before he died. And to allow us to be able to relate to his sorrow with our troubles.

Sharing with each other is the way that we have been taught. We are a community, and a family of God. Sometimes, I won’t be able to see God or feel him. But when I share, another person may have a similar experience and was guided by God in his / her after-actions. Sometimes, Listeners may even be inspired by God with a message for the sharer.

It is when we are the weakest, Jesus is there.
It is when we are the most tired, that Jesus is there.
It is when we are sad, Jesus is there.
It is when we listen, that we can feel him.
That does not mean that Jesus isn’t there at other times, but we need to be empty. To empty ourselves of our troubles, worries, thoughts, then we are able to listen.

Hence, Let us, during this period of Lent, repent on our wrongdoings and lift our worries to God. So that Jesus can be there for us and to lead us and comfort us.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED :)!! EVERYONE MADE IT =D!!

even though we cldnt finish the last few stations as the rain was quite heavy towards the end, i feel a sense of accomplishment for completing the hike :).. haha and im sure everyone who attended the hike share the same sentiments as me =D!!!

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Lenten season. On this day all the faithful, according to ancient custom, approach the altar before the priest, dipping his thumb into ashes previously blessed and marks the forehead with the sign of the cross, saying the words: "Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return." The ashes used in this ceremony are made by burning the remains of the palms blessed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year.
In the blessing of the ashes four prayers are used, all of them ancient. The ashes are sprinkled with holy water and fumigated with incense.

There can be no doubt that the custom of distributing the ashes to all the faithful arose from a devotional imitation of the practice observed in the case of public penitents. But this devotional usage, the reception of a sacramental which is full of the symbolism of penance

In the books both in the Old Law and in the New that the men who repented of their sins bestrewed themselves with ashes and clothed their bodies with sackcloth. Now let us do this to signify that we ought to repent of our sins during the Lenten season.

RCIY07 Yahoogroups

The RCIY07 Yahoogroups has been created
If you haven't received the invite yet, sms Daryl @92739592!!
OR leave a message in the Tagboard.

Session on Communication with God

On Sunday, We started off with a game of Drawer and Describer...

Then we shared and learnt about:

Different levels of communication
Level 1 – Clichés (How are you?)

Level 2 – Facts (So hot lately…)

Level 3 – Opinions (I think you draw very well..)

Level 4 – Feeling (I feel proud of you for being brave)

Level 5 – Heart (These are things I find hard to open up and talk about)

Concluding Sunday's session:

Communication with God is necessary. And the best thing is that GOd Listens to us all the time. It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from or what you need. God Listens......

Prayer is a gift of God. "Gift" is a good word to describe prayer, because praying is not something we can do of ourselves. " We do not know how to pray as we ought," scripture says. Prayer is a gift God must give.

And God gives that gift generously, without consideration of our worthiness or our unworthiness. Sinners as well as saints can pray. People of every religious tradition receive the gift. In fact, every human being is able to pray. The Catholic Catechism reminds us of that by entitling its opening section on prayer The Universal Call to Prayer. (2566-2567)

Yes, all are called to pray. All receive the gift. And, surprisingly, sometimes those thought to be "ungifted" pray best and are graciously heard. That's the lesson Jesus taught in his parable about the Pharisee and the Publican who together went up to the temple to pray. The Publican, an outsider who thought himself unworthy of approaching God in prayer, was found more pleasing by God than the Pharisee, a professionally religious person, who prayed so effortlessly.

Prayer, then, is God's gift to the strong and the weak, to the smallest child and frailest of the old. It's given to those who say, " I'm not really religious; prayer is beyond me." It's given to everyone, no matter who you are.
That's not to say we can't refuse to pray or we can't neglect it. Like any gift, prayer must be received. If someone gives you a beautiful piece of clothing, you may use it or not. You may take it and wear it. Or, you can throw it in the back of your closet and never look at it again. The piece of clothing becomes a gift unused. "If you knew the gift of God," Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well. A Gift was there before her eyes, but she was blind to it.

How tragic to go through life leaving the gift of prayer unused!

How to Pray?

1. The Sign of the Cross

2. Thank God

3. You Prayer intentions or what you want to say to God

4. Thank God

5. The Sign of the Cross

* We also learnt to pray the prayer that Jesus taught us and the Hail Mary. See the links below to what the prayer means:

The Prayer Jesus Taught Us

The Hail Mary and the Rosary

Glory Be
Glory Be To The Father,
And To The Son, And To The Holy Spirit,
As It Was In The Beginning,
It Is Now And Ever Shall Be,
World Without End. Amen.