mass – The Catholic News

Engaging Catholics to further deepen the faith

About one third of Catholics attend Mass every weekend. Photo: VITA Images

Audrey Lee

In the United States, for every person joining the Catholic Church, six persons are actually leaving.

This is the startling reality of the state of the Catholic faith in the US and it was revealed at a recent annual spring meeting in June involving the Bishops there.

This and other sobering statistics were shared by Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles and Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

World Communications Day – Let God’s glory shine through your personal life …

The congregation at the World Communications Day Mass. Photo: VITA Images

Audrey Lee

Live a life such that you can showcase God’s love. And, in doing so you can all be witnesses of His glory through your own personal lives. So, as Catholics we must enlighten, not condemn, save lives and not bring others down, heal and not cause more division and hurt, said Archbishop William Goh.

And the platforms to reach the wider audience is to ride on the power of the new and old media, However, to be communicators of the Good News, we need to first listen to the Lord and His Gospel.

The Archbishop was addressing some 1,000 people who attended the World Communications Day Mass at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd on June 2. Present among the congregation were staff, volunteers and collaborators in various communications roles from the different parishes and church organisations.

Chancery Notice – May 2

Obituary Mr Anthony Yeo Pway Soo, father of Fr Timothy Yeo, passed away on 2 May 2019. He was 93. Mr Yeo’s wake will be held at Block 717, Woodlands Drive 70, Singapore 730717. Night prayers will be held at 7.00 PM (Mandarin) and at 8.00 PM (English). Funeral Mass Date: 6 May 2019 (Mon) [...]

Mass Practices: Holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer at Mass

Should we or should we not? Fr Ignatius Yeo explains

One posture the faithful can adopt during the Lord’s prayer is to simply put their hands together.

Firstly let us take note of the extract published in the Archdiocese’s webpage (catholic.sg):

“Gesture at the Lord’s Prayer: Liturgical laws have consistently not allowed the holding of hands during the Lord’s Prayer nor the raising of hands in the orans position by the laity. (Senate Minutes, April 2018).

The Church through the Congregation for Divine Worship has consistently taught that “holding hands during the Our Father has become common place, but it is an illicit addition to the Liturgy. Holding hands is a sign of intimacy and not reconciliation, and as such disrupts the flow of the Sacramental signs in the Mass which leads to the Sacramental sign of intimacy with Christ and our neighbour, Holy Communion.”₁

The flow of the Sacramentals used during the Mass, like the sign of the cross, the beating of our breast at the I Confess and the Kyrie. A sign of our openness to the word of God particularly at the Gospel when we stand in reverence (Nehemiah 8) and we sign the cross on our forehead, lips and heart.

WYD Panama: Inspiring and life-changing

Three pilgrims from Novena Church share their unique experiences

Three pilgrims who recently returned from WYD in Panama shared their experiences. From left: Ms Shalena Louis, Redemptorist Father Francis Vijayan and Ms Sharon Leong.

Jared Ng

Since their return from World Youth Day (WYD) Panama in late January, three pilgrims from the Novena Church contingent are still coming to terms with the surreal and inspiring faith experiences they had.

One of them, Ms Sharon Leong, said she “gained such a wide perspective of the universality of the Church ... seeing pilgrims from all around the world praising God was just inspiring.”

The 36-year-old Youth Minister from the Redemptorist Mission Team shared one particular experience of when she came across the adoration tent among the thousands of other tents occupied by pilgrims.

Inside, “with soft Spanish music playing, people from different countries, in their own languages were having their own moment with Christ. It felt like He was there, preaching to the masses,” she said.

Dance, colour at Child Jesus devotion

Dancers taking part in the Sinulog celebration.Margaret Alforque-UyIt was a sea of colour and festivity as some 2,800 mainly Filipino devotees congregated at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour to honour the Child Jesus.The Festivity of the Señor Santo Niño, held on Jan 27, included a special Mass followed by a special ritual [...]

Bringing out the best in each young person

Archbishop William Goh with the newly commissioned principals (from left): Ms Pauline Fun, Mdm Rachel Ang, Ms Ow Yang Jing Yi, Mrs Karen Tan, Mdm Rebecca Ng, Ms Loh Sing Huay and Mr Martin Tan. Photo: VITA ImagesPatricia AngCatholic educators should be proud of themselves if they are able to transform the lives of students, [...]

New year, new leadership for Caritas

Leaders representing Caritas Singapore and its 27-member organisations after the annual Mass.Recognising that the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, the Caritas Singapore family gathers annually to celebrate Mass to give thanks for the past year as well as to begin a new year with blessings and faith.And this year on [...]

Work for justice, legal fraternity members urged

Participants of the Red Mass included (from left): Prof Tan Cheng Han (Caritas), Ms Peggy Yee (Catholic Lawyers Guild), Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Solicitor-General Kwek Mean Luck and Ms Janet Ang (Caritas Board of Trustees).Vanessa TokCatholic members of the legal fraternity were urged to use their skills for the good of society and to work [...]

Saint Stephen: Sacrifice and Martyrdom

Apostolic Nuncio celebrates Mass on feast day of St StephenArchbishop Marek Zalewski posing with parishioners of the Church of St Stephen.The martyrdom of Saint Stephen has its parallels with Christmas. Jesus and St Stephen both offered themselves for the mission of saving the world.Archbishop Marek Zalewski, Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, made this point during the [...]