THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH EDUCATION

One of our greatest strength for understanding and handing on our faith is the Catechism. It is the heart of our Catholic Church. Our weekly Catechism classes for children started last Sunday, 7 January 2018 with registration and briefing. Both the Tamil and English session students gathered at Dewan Monsignor Thomas after the Sunday Eucharist, for a silent Adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

Last year, I would say that almost 80% of our parish children participated in Catechism classes as well as the weekend camps and other activities. The Catechetical ministry also started catechism classes for three special needs children, with the assistance of the Eagle’s Wing ministry. Each Catechism teacher plays an important role, diligently using the brief time they have each week, to educate our children in their moral and faith life.

Puspa Rakini has been appointed the new Catechetical Coordinator for 2018, replacing Michelle Wong, who has completed her three-year term (2014-2017). Michelle has been a wonderful coordinator - hard working and passionate in her duty, and we are certain that Puspa will continue the good work with just as much commitment, enthusiasm and dedication.

We have also appointed a few new catechism teachers this year, and we understand that they are actively practicing their faith and are in good standing with the Catholic Church. We remember to pray for all these catechism teachers - that they may have the passion for guiding our young ones in their faith, and sharing the love of Christ with them. If any of you are interested in joining our Catechetical Team, please contact Puspa, and we will train and guide you accordingly.

The Catechism programme in Tamil and English is conducted for an hour and a half every Sunday. Our Catechetical ministry’s goal is to teach our children about God, to educate them about the love of Christ, to prepare them for Sacraments and to shape them to live a life worthy of Christ. This programme is a lifelong faith formation for our children, which will promote their growth in faith and their participation in Church life.

Parents have the first responsibility for faith education and need to be good examples when living out their lives. They need to raise their children as faithful practicing Catholics, and be responsible for their children’s moral and religious education. In turn, this will prepare them for the Sacraments of Initiation – Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation. Parents must assist their children in prayer as well as their participation in Church life. They are a guide to the discernment of their children’s vocation in life and as we nourish and develop their faith, they then grow more lively within our families and society.

How many parents will say that the first priority for our children is catechism and second is secular education? Parents, I encourage you to make a daily commitment to God by practicing the gift of faith and making every effort an example for our children, “Train the young in the way they should go; even when old, they will not swerve from it,” (Proverbs 22:6). So parents, you are the first influence on your children, so be a great role model for them. God bless you!

LET US JOURNEY WITH THE LORD IN 2018

As we are in this New Year, I would like to wish you once again compliments of the season and Happy New Year. Our children are back to their schools and colleges. Most of us have started our daily routine after a long holiday season. At your work places, you may be updating one another on what has taken place during the holiday season. The life momentum has slowly picked up in our lives as we move forward with our daily routine.

The season of Christmas will come to an end on Monday, 8 January 2018 with the celebration of the Feast of Baptism of the Lord. Unlike the past years, the Christmas season ends a week earlier, after which we will be entering into the Ordinary Time. It will go on for six weeks till we start the Lenten season on Ash Wednesday, 14 February 2018.

Many countries started the Christmas decorations even before the month of November, and it is amazing to see these decorations all over the place. Every year, I admire how beautifully hotels, malls and sometimes even streets, are decorated. As for our parish, we have decorated our church compound and parish office quite well with Christmas lights, displayed nativity sets and Christmas trees. All these will be taken off early next week. In fact, many of the shopping malls have removed them immediately after Christmas and they slowly put up Chinese New Year decorations.

 

Last year our parish was so blessed and united, as we completed all our work and events successfully. This year we will be celebrating 110 years since the establishment of our Church. It is so exciting to see Jesus move in our parish. Ever since I came to St. Joseph’s Church, I have seen great spiritual growth in many of you. On my part, I too can proudly say that I have grown in maturity of my priesthood. All of us have in one way or another shown our spiritual progress. God has been very gracious to us all this while and we hope He will continue to empower us and guide us in our faith journey, so that we may faithful in His calling to be His disciples of hope.

For the next three years (2018-2020) our parish has set a vision to journey in faith towards New Evangelisation. It is an invitation to ALL parishioners to commit ourselves to share the Light of Christ and to build the bridges with every member of other social strata. We will be shining the Light and building bridges in three main clusters, namely the Youth Ministry of our parish, Inter-Religious Dialogue with the Ecumenical Churches and Other Religions as well as Outreach with the poor and marginalised. We shall put ourselves, our lives and future of our parish in order to be transformed according to God’s will. As we engage with EVERYONE, in full commitment of love, we shall become stewards of patience, kindness and gentleness.

We shall continue to pray that God will show us how to achieve our goals and that our parishioners will truly have the desire to grow in Christ Jesus. No matter the challenges that come along our way, we shall devote ourselves to be disciples of hope to Pray Together, to Celebrate Together, to Fellowship Together, Serve Together and Stay Together as we bring our parish mission and vision into reality. As we move forward, may the Lord bless us with His presence.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others,” (Philippians 2:3-4).

THE GIFT OF LOVE

The Christmas story is a fascinating story and it has so much heavenly information. This weekend we have a story of Magi, the Wise men came from the East visiting the Child Jesus. The wise men brought three gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense. Their gifts may not be practical, but they were costly and highly symbolic.

Gold was rare and expensive in the ancient world. It symbolised royalty or divinity. Frankincense, a resin harvested from trees, was used in incense for worship. Myrrh was harvested as a perfume for royal clothing or burials. 

The Magi knelt and prostrated in their worship of Jesus. These gestures indicate the great respect and reverence for a New-born King. When we kneel or bow, or when we put our hands together, all these gestures just seem to add something to our prayer and worship.

The true worship begins in the heart. True worship makes Jesus King of our lives. Christmas is almost over but keep Christ in your heart always and give Him the gift He truly desires – the gift of yourself. We need to give Him, the gift of our love. We need to love Jesus with all our heart.

NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNING

December has come to an end. All our Christmas decorations will be gradually removed and the Christmas spirit will slowly subside. The holiday season will end and we shall be back to work and our children will return to school. We shall say goodbye to the old year 2017 and the New Year is waiting to welcome us. How did the past year go?

As we step into the first week of the year 2018, I encourage you to take time reflecting on several questions and look ahead with anticipation. The New Year is a great time to take stock of the year we’re leaving behind and look forward to the year that is to come.

We have completed the Year 2017 successfully, with God’s grace. Firstly, we thank God for the goals achieved and for the events that went and worked well. These have made our year 2017 better than we first thought. Secondly, we express our gratitude to the people who have played a part in our success and acknowledge them. Thirdly, we appreciate being able to allow ourselves to continually learn, add value, strength and growth to our faith life. We were not stagnant in our growth, but we have become smarter, more informed and have further developed our abilities. Fourthly, as we conclude the year 2017, we realise that it was a tough year, as well as a spirit-filled year for us - making us true to ourselves.

As we leave 2017, now is the time to forget and forgive faults, failures and misfortunes of the past, and pray that all these experiences and insights lead us to more meaningful goal-settings for the year ahead. In 2018, we are going to face another challenging year at our schools, colleges, work places as well as at home. We need to prioritise our relationships within our families, church community and society at large. It is a year that we need to reflect and discern more, pray hard and get to know ourselves better as we build our relationships with one another and Triune God.

What will the New Year be? In this year of 2018, we should take on many roles and commitments in our schools, colleges, work places and family lives. How can we show up in each of these places as true students, spouses, friends and leaders? We must find ways to do better and we should make time to give more meaning to each task that we commit to, and be authentic and obedient as we set goals for how to achieve each commitment we undertake. 

Today is the day that we should think seriously about our goals, intentions and commitments for the year ahead. As we put all our thoughts and reflections in place, start writing our goals down and make them specific. Keeping our goals and our priorities set ahead, and remind ourselves that we need to back it up with a plan, strategy, commitment and action in order to see the fruits at the end. It is going to be a powerful year, with big goals and big changes within us as we look forward to a promising year which will bring peace, love, joy, good health, good life and prosperity. 

You would have received a multitude of New Year greetings and wishes. I just want to say, let’s have a fresh start and be happy this New Year. May all your dreams come to reality and all your effort produce great achievements. 

WISHING YOU A SUCCESSFUL AND GLORIOUS NEW YEAR! MAY 2018 BRING JOY, PEACE AND HAPPINESS TO YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!