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S p o t l i g h t S p o t l i g h t S p o t l i g h t S p o t l i g h t

Rev. Rev. Rev. Rev. Anthony HutjesAnthony HutjesAnthony HutjesAnthony Hutjes

Parish PriestParish PriestParish PriestParish Priest

Rev. Suyono GerardusRev. Suyono GerardusRev. Suyono GerardusRev. Suyono Gerardus

Assistant PriestAssistant PriestAssistant PriestAssistant Priest

Rev. Johan WongsoRev. Johan WongsoRev. Johan WongsoRev. Johan Wongso

Assistant PriestAssistant PriestAssistant PriestAssistant Priest

B l e s s e d S a c r a me n t C h u r c h , 1 C o m m o n w e a l t h D r i v e , S ( 1 4 9 6 0 3 ) T e l : 6 4 7 4 0 5 8 2 , F a x : 6 4 7 2 6 5 4 5 E ma i l : s e c r e t a r i a t @ b s c . o r g . s g

WEBSITE: http://www.bsc.org.sg

Spotlight Email : gp1065@hotmail.com

Sept 2011

For where there are two or three gathered together in my

name, there am I in the midst of them.

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Binding Date : 29th

Sept 2011 Thursday

Articles for this Month’s Issue

Editor’s desk……………………. Pg 6

Annoucements…………………… Pg 7

A Journey of Faith..…………… Pg 8/9

National Day with

HouseBound………………… Pg 10/11

Meal From The Heart………… Pg 11

My Faithourite Ver 1.5………. Pg 12

Day of Prayer for Vocation….. Pg 13

A Divine Retreat……………… Pg13/14

Ego Vs True Self..……………. Pg15/16

Hearts to Hearts …………… Pg 16 to 18

Pay It Forward……………… Pg 18/19

Chinese Articles………………. Pg20 to 27

Kid’s Contest…………………. Pg 28

Spiritual Director Rev Anthony Hutjes

Chief Editor Gerard Pereira

Editor Conny Fernandez

Jacqueline Lee

Editors (Chinese) Louis Ling

Catherine Chia

Writers Thomas Ng

Patricia Ang

Andrew Juniper Lee

David Woon

Artists Anastania Tania

Karen Goh

Photographer Ian Carnegie

WEB Administrator David Woon

Production Joseph Low

Marian Yeo

Mary Ang

Rose Khoo

Katherine Tan

Elizabeth Lye

Maureen Leong

Susan Teo

Stellar Ko & Co

Margaret Ee & Jenny Lim

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Editor’s Desk

I would like to share some quotes from The Divine Mercy written by

Sister Faustina Kowalska as revealed by Jesus, himself.

On God’s Mysterious Ways Once when I saw how much my confessor was to suffer because of this work

[spreading the devotion to the Divine Mercy] which God was going to carry

out through him, fear seized me for the moment, and I said to the Lord,

"Jesus, this is Your affair, so why are You acting this way toward him? It

seems to me that You are making difficulties for him while at the same time

ordering him to act." Jesus said “ that by day and night My gaze is fixed upon

him, and I permit these adversities in order to increase his merit. I do not

reward for good results but for the patience and hardship undergone for My

sake” (86)

On Confession

Today the Lord said to me, Daughter, when you go to confession, to this

fountain of My mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart

always flows down upon your soul and ennobles it. Every time you go to

confession, immerse yourself in My mercy, with great trust, so that I may

pour the bounty of My grace upon your soul. When you approach the

confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only

hidden by the priest, but I myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul

meets the God of mercy. Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw

graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to

My generosity. The torrents of grace inundate humble souls. The proud

remain always in poverty and misery, because My grace turns away from

them to humble souls.

On Holy Communion

(1602) Once I desired very much to receive Holy Communion, but I had a

certain doubt, and I did not go. I suffered greatly because of this. It seemed to

me that my heart would burst from the pain. When I set about my work, my

heart full of bitterness, Jesus suddenly stood by me and said, My daughter, do

not omit Holy Communion unless you know well that your fall was serious;

apart from this, no doubt must stop you from uniting yourself with Me in the

mystery of My love. Your minor faults will disappear in My love like a piece

of straw thrown into a great furnace. Know that you grieve Me much when

you fail to receive Me in Holy Communion.(156) (Note : Taken from the

Internet :-

http://www.catholic-Forum.com/churches/cathteach/divinemercy1.htm

Love Gerard Pereira

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Twin Hearts Reading Room (Library) Saturday 4.00 – 5.50pm & 7.00 to 8.00pm

Sunday 8.30am to 1.00pm & 6.30pm to 7.00pm

Weekdays (Mon to Fri) 9.00am to 11.00am

All are Welcome

Announcements

Arts For ChristArts For ChristArts For ChristArts For Christ

A new organisation seeking youths (13 to 21yrs) and adults (22 to 45

yrs) who can dance, sing, act or draw to send in your particulars e.g:-

Name/Age/Address/Contact Number to:- gp1065@hotmail.com

Non-Catholics are also welcome.

Dear Parishioners,

We are currently collecting old photographs of Blessed Sacraments

Church and the activities that were held in the past years since its

foundation in 1963. If you have any photographs e.g Weddings, Holy

Communion, PRE, pictures of our priests, etc, kindly place these

photographs in an envelope and write down the followings on it.

For Gerard Pereira – Old Photographs. Include your name and

contact number and hand them to the church secretary.

Note : I will return all the photographs to you after scanning them.

Please note that I will not be held liable for any lost or damages on

these photographs. Thank you very much.

Old Photographs For BSC Golden Jubilee in 2013

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A Journey of Faith

I believe in Angels and my trust in them had led me to the Catholic faith.

Their God has become my God ; “whither thou goest, I will go; and

where thou lodgest, I will lodge : thy people shall be my people, and thy

God my God” (Ruth 1:16).

I have my workstation full of beautiful Angels in the form of

screensavers, wall-papers, pictures and figurines of various sizes. A

colleague once said to me “your place has a celestial air”.

My office has since shifted to our new premises. Three months before

our move, I prayed my rosary to the heavenly Father and our Lady for

special blessings for my future workstation and am happily favoured with

a small but cosy single-partition workstation. Thank you heavenly Father

and the Queen of Angels for your graces : “Behold, I send an Angel

before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place

which I have prepared.” (Exodus 23:20).

Prayer for the self and others makes a lot of difference and gives life a

smoother sail. I do sometimes fall and bruise myself in my Calvary walk

but as long as I hold on to God’s good hand, it yields precious pearls

always. Prayer gives me peace, meditation heals my heart and reading

the Word of God gives me happiness.

I like to ask God for help because God likes to be asked and He wants us

to be happy. He loves us always. The holy cross is God’s promise to

love us no matter what : “Father, forgive them; for they know not what

they do” (Luke 23:34) and our response is “Lord, have mercy”. We must

hold on to His cross always; that is to say, hold on to the passion of the

fire of His love in our heart always. It has purification grace and healing

power. Love covers a multitude of sins. “Remember that sometimes

monsters only need to be kissed to be turned into beautiful princes and

princesses.” (Madelene L’ Engle – Anytime Prayers).

The mercy cry of the Divine Mercy Novena prayer not only touches the

lives of others but also our immediate loved ones as well as our own

personal selves. I would, of course at times, fall into Monday’s soul;

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a sinner, and so forth. A kingdom intercessor of the Divine Mercy

Novena is to fulfill God’s will and intention. Faithfully “The Lord never

goes back on his mercy, never cancels any of his words” (Eccleslasticus

47:22)

I have brought my Angel ornaments with me to my new office and in

addition I have put up a picture of the Blessed Mother Mary carrying

infant Jesus with three Angels playing musical instruments to baby Jesus.

I have also put up a portrait of our Lady of Confidence. It is a simple but

beautiful picture of our Lady holding sweetest child Jesus. What I like

most about this portrait is that the child Jesus points a finger toward the

Mother, the source of graces and confidence. Every morning when I step

into my office I would pray to our Lady of Confidence which goes like

this :My Mother, my Confidence; “May the Light of thy faith dispel the

darkness of my mind, may thy profound humility take the place of my

pride” (St. Louis De Montfort). “Kindness and faithful love pursue me

every day of my life” (Psalm 23:6). With thanks and in full faith; Amen

In addition, I have also put up a picture of the Infant Jesus of Prague, a

devotion I have adored daily since my RCIA days. I have also allotted a

space which I call my little vineyard. This is where I jot down Bible

verses on post-its and stick them up. I like to reflect on them throughout

the day for they give me the sensitivity of a little heaven on earth. The

quotations in this article are the graces which I have received from my

little vineyard.

It continues to this day that whoever comes to my Marian desk for the

first time would confidently say to me “you are a Catholic” and to that I

would joyfully chirp “Yes, yes!”. I am confident that anyone who drops

by would take with him or her, a touch of our Lady’s grace and although

he or she might not be aware of it at that moment, it will take root and

blossom when the time is right.

Wishing the Queen of Angels, my Mother my Confidence, our Lady of

the Rosary A Very Happy Birthday! “Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, rejoice a

thousand times!” (St. Louis De Montfort). May the grace of our Lady of

Grace be with you all.

TRICIA LO

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BSC Celebrates National Day with Our Dear

Housebound Parishioners

Once again on National Day, Tue 9th August 2011, we all came together to celebrate National Day with our Housebound Parishioners. The good Lord blessed us with a glorious sunny morning.

By around 10.50 am, all the 36 housebound parishioners, many in wheel chairs, had arrived for the Mass. Then promptly at 11 am our five SSCC priests proceeded solemnly into the church. The Housebound must have been very to see all them celebrating this special Mass.

The Mass began with Fr. Suyono going around the church sprinkling everyone with holy water. During the Mass, all the priests laid their hands, first on the housebound, and then eventually on everyone who came forward. You could see that the parishioners cherished this moment. The choir, which comprised of the Alpha Music Ministry, the Santa Maria Choir and the St Francis Music Ministry, brought an air of solemnity into the ceremony with their inspired singing.

In his sermon, Fr. Suyono spoke of a parishioner who was dying of cancer. He told Fr. Suyono that he had come to cherish his faith, especially the support of those around him. He was grateful to be a Catholic. This sermon was a sort of wake-up call for many of us to reflect on – do we truly appreciate and cherish our faith? Do we also do our part to support others in their faith?

The Mass also saw our pastoral team renew their commitment to serve those home bound. Before the Mass ended, Fr. Anthony addressed all of us. He said that he was so very happy to see all of them present. They were very much cherished and appreciated. He also reminded all of us that we must be a compassionate people. He told them they were very useful members of our church because they are a powerhouse of prayer.

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They could always pray for the church, especially the priests. It certainly did make the housebound feel important.

After Mass, they were treated to a buffet lunch in the hall with

entertainment from Faith Music Centre and the Chinese group, who performed two dances. The lunch ended with each housebound parishioners being presented with a goodie bag together and an “ang pow”. Here are some of the comments received: Cheryl, “Attending this Mass added much meaning to National Day.” Margarita “The smiles on the faces of our Guests showed their appreciation. It is all about the Joy & Love of Our Lord.” Alvin “Our non-Christian FMC members were impressed with the friendliness of BSC parishioners and felt comfortable.” Christabelle “It is a great eye-opener for me. There are so many housebound who cannot attend Mass as often as I can and receive Jesus. I should appreciate my health and truly be grateful for being able to attend Mass regularly.” We would like to thank everyone who helped in one way or other, to make this event a meaningful and inspiring experience for all our dear guests. Praise and Thanks be to God!!! The Alpha Team

MEALS FROM THE HEART

The church will be providing free lunch to the poor and needy from

Mondays to Saturdays. If you know of anyone who may need this

service, please register them with the church office or call Richard at

96707411 to register.

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myFAITHFAITHFAITHFAITHourite (version 1.5) 101010101010101010101

from digital to spiritual - using technology for faith +++++++++++++++++++++++

The past few months had been one long roller-

coaster ride for me in my workplace and I was

not sure how I could survive...

Many challenging problems still await me till the

end of the year but God sent me an angel to tell

me that He is with me and with Him, nothing is

impossible.

This angel is Nick Vujicic (pronounced 'vooy-

cheech') - a man soaring on wings above

challenges way beyond mine: living a life of joy,

peace and meaning without limbs... yes, no hands, no arms, no feet, no

legs...

If Nick can do it, I have no reason why I can't! His secret: his invincible

Christian faith. Be inspired now at http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/

"...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will

soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will

walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble

in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and

my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30)

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

(Philippians 4:13)

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DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATION

All are invited to pray for more vocations for the universal Church:

Date: 10 Sep 2011 (Saturday)

Venue: Church of St Bernadette

Programme: 4.30-5.30pm: Holy Hour

6-7pm: Sunset Mass celebrated by

Archbishop Nicholas Chia

A Divine Retreat (by Veronica Chin-Kheng) John 6: 44: "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me

draws him to Me."

With that in mind, our team of eight embarked on a journey to the Divine

Retreat Centre (DRC) in Kerala, India on 16 June 2011. We arranged our

schedule so that we would arrive two days before the Retreat. We wanted

to tour the respective homes aided by DRC, do some sightseeing and

shopping.

Before the retreat, we visited the Home for the Mentally-Challenged, the

Marie Santhi Bhavan Old Age Home for Ladies, the Orphanage and the

Vincent Aids Home. Bearing gifts, from funds donated by our families

and circle of friends, we distributed stationeries, biscuits, candies,

lollipops, etc.

The many residents were just so thrilled to have us in their midst,

clasping their hands and giving us toothy grins. The children were so

excited playing with their bottles of soap bubbles. We channelled the rest

of the funds directly to Fr. Augustine Vallooran, as monetary donation to

the care and upkeep of the various Homes.

The quiet yet simple cheerfulness that greeted us those two days of R&R

(rest & relax), stirred many feelings in me. Could I, a city girl, also

discover such simplicity and get connected to my faith here?

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Despite my initial reservations, we all coped rather well. Like sponges,

we readily absorbed the new-found knowledge that came our way. The

entire week was filled with Masses, praise and worship, preaching,

decade-rosaries at every intervals and rest in between breaks. I benefitted

much from the nightly Silent Adoration, something which I previously

found exceptionally difficult previously. We just need to keep silent -

open our eyes, ears, hearts and minds to let Him come in. It is truly

gratifying to know that when you take that one small step to God, He

makes ten giant leaps towards you. The Lord is good. His love is eternal

and his faithfulness lasts forever. He knows us better than we do

ourselves.

I also learned the value of praise during this retreat. Psalm 103: 1: "Praise

the Lord, my soul! All my being, praise His holy name!" Praises are

willing sacrifices. God looks at us and sees our praises and thanks. We

beautify ourselves with the many cosmetics to enhance our external

appearances. But God sees within and He revels in our praises. So don't

worry, praise always looks good on us!

Words alone cannot describe the many beautiful things that took place, ie.

the presence of God and our Blessed Mother, the anointing of the Holy

Spirit, the many healings, etc. One only has to attend the Retreat to

experience the full extent and impact of the same. John 4: 46: "None of

you will ever believe unless you see miracles and wonders." One has to

be open to receive all the graces from our loving Father. What was to

have been just a six day retreat, left each of us returning as a changed

person. Each bearing God's grace, a humbled heart and spirit-charged

new being.

My family has now bonded through daily family prayers. God will not

allow us or our families to be defeated. He knew our concerns and He

addressed them. He set our minds at ease, using our families, relatives

and trusted friends back home to spend time, supervise and care for our

three children (ages 13, 11 and 7 years respectively). They were all

instrumental in us focusing well in our Retreat. Thank you all, our love

and God's blessings on you and your family.

We thank You, Lord for the gift of reconciliation, all Your blessings, for

enriching us and for the beautiful and humbling experience at the Divine

Retreat Centre in Kerala, India.

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Ego vs True Self By Patricia Ang

Being someone who lives life to the fullest, I enjoy maximising my time

and packing my day with lots of activities. I get restless when I have nothing

to do. That would be an indication of a waste of time on my end. Yet for the

past few months, I have come to a greater understanding of myself. After

attending two retreats in church, and encountering experiences with people

through my work, I realised that it was time to slow down and have some

quiet moments daily.

My true self loves to give and share. Being sincere and authentic is what

I believe in. I try to live it out in my daily life. I love to contribute and inspire

whenever I can. I am usually working behind the scenes and providing

support whenever I can. Yet the ego self of me is retaliating. It is telling me

that those who are in the limelight or who are good presenters have an edge

over one who works humbly and gets taken for granted.

Recently I was working on a website on a volunteer basis for a

children’s organisation. My fellow team mate does the coordination while I

take charge of the editorial aspects. At a meeting, when we presented a

progress update, we were informed that they were considering adding another

team mate to the team for a balance of views. I acted nonchalant, yet deep

inside me I was upset. It was an indication that what we were doing was not

up to standard. All the hard work that we put in was taken for granted,

especially since at the recent meeting, we had received positive feedback on

our work.

I always believe in inner beauty, truly loving from the heart. Yet sad to

say, it’s always first impression that counts. Once that impression is formed, it

is difficult to remove the perception. The ego part of me will constantly

remind me that I cannot be compared to a beauty queen. I recalled an incident

when a friend was comparing me to attributes of someone we both knew and I

took deep offense as I felt unfair comparisons were being made.

When I was young, growing up was a challenge coming from a single

parent family. My widowed mum and I were just living within our means. I

recalled there were clothes and dresses I would love to buy, but I just kept

quiet, as we couldn’t afford. I knew what hardship was and I am thankful for

the graces that I have been blessed with. Hence we just lived within our

means – a simple and contented life. This has been part of my upbringing.

The true self accepts myself for who I am. The ego self is very sensitive

to the remarks made by the people around me. At this point of my life, there

are many questions that I ask myself, lessons to be learnt, challenges to face.

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I am digesting these feedback and putting them in practice. I also realised for

me if I can’t feel what one is saying, it just becomes words. These words have

no impact to the heart which needs to feel and experience.

I have encountered several occasions with a friend who gives good advice, but

in bits and pieces. I truly appreciate his presence and his sharing. Being one

who is into information and details, I get frustrated when I can’t see the

outcome. It’s that feeling of being left hanging in the air and not progressing.

Yet somehow, divine forces know what I am going through, my information

will appear either through the website or books to tell me more about the

process.

The ego part of me likes to be in control and to be right. Hence I tend to be on

defensive when I sense people picking on me. I will usually confront people

and seek evidence when I am being questioned. I will usually provide evidence

to show that I am right. Someone once asked me if it matters who is right, if it

is at the expense of the relationship/friendship. I find it difficult to manage that,

yet nowadays I pray for the wisdom to converse with others and with the good

intentions.

For the past two months, I give myself daily quiet moments to reflect of the

day before I sleep. What a tranquil feeling being able to hear the inner voice.

Being still and just being in the present has been amazing. The ability to let go

and to forgive self and the people who hurt you. Instead I learnt to pray for

them and wish them well.

I am at this point of the journey where I am still seeking directions. There are

still lots of missing puzzles in my life which need to be pieced. No doubt there

are feelings of fear, doubt, envy, pride that surface, yet there are also feelings

of peace, joy, happiness, love and humility. Learning to be a better person and

aspire to inspire. Lord, bless me abundantly so that I can be a blessing to

others.

Hearts2Hearts By Patricia Ang

On 5th July 2011, around 50 parishioners along with invited guests

from SSCC Congregation, Indonesia gathered at Damien Hall for

Hearts2Heart gathering. Invited guests include Bros. Asran and

Frans, Fathers. Ade, Ferry and Sam and also Sister Ratna.

Hearts2Hearts is a prayer project conceived by Fr. Remi for our

SSCC seminarians in Indonesia, in relation with the English-

speaking friends, especially in Blessed Sacrament Church

Singapore. It is a “prayer project” with a simple request for readers to

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Singapore. It is a “prayer project” with a simple request for

readers to pray for more priests, represented by the SS.CC.

brothers studying in Yogyakarta. Hearts2Hearts is also is a

monthly booklet where the SSCC members, specifically the

seminarians, but also priests, brothers and sisters, share reflections

on the daily gospel scripture readings based on their personal

experiences.

The evening started with a welcome address and a prayer by Fr.

Anthony. Everyone present was given the book ‘The Spirituality

Of Our Congregation Of The Sacred Hearts’ written by Fr.

Anthony. The book presents a basic outline of the congregational

SS.CC. Spirituality. It is also for the lay person who has the desire

to seek greater spiritual depth.

It was time for dinner which was a buffet spread. Lots of

fellowship and laughter was evident during dinner. After the meal

there was a prayer service. Then the First letter of Peter 2: 18-24

was read by Sister Ratna followed by silent reflection. Psalm 18

was the responsorial psalm.

There was also an introduction of our special guests from

Indonesia who came especially for this occasion, who then shared

on their respective faith journeys.

To conclude the evening, there was entertainment from Fr Remi

and guests; Fr. Ade and Fr. Sam. The three of them had entered

seminary at the same time. They sang, performed and danced for

us. It was a delight to see them performing the song, Fr Remi and

Fr Sam singing and Fr Ade playing the guitar.

“I am impressed with the hospitality. I look forward to my next

visit to Singapore,” concluded Sr. Sis Ratna. Fr. Remi and the

service team of Hearts2Hearts thanked all who were present for

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FDYC - Paying It Forward

A project was undertaken by four of the Ministry's students, Michelle Dapito, Delia Low, Bryan Foo and John Joseph Tallas on 23 July, 2011 to give a talk/ presentation to P5 and P6 students in our

parish. The four Ministry students were chosen based on two main criteria; their good time management and good academic grades.

Their mission was to give back to their fellow brothers and sisters

service team of Hearts2Hearts thanked all who were present for

their kind contributions and support in one way or another in

making the H2H evening successful and meaningful for them

and guests from Indonesia.

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in our parish. The audience was from P5 and P6 who would be taking their PSLE exams sooner or later. Some of them required help in their organisation of time whilst others needed to find a way to adapt with their other activities besides school. Whatever the reasons, it was the objective of the four speakers to help and inspire them in coping, not only academically, but in balancing their daily lives.

Remembering that part of the Ministry's goals included deeds of kindness, the members of the Ministry were aware that it was their opportunity to exercise this in the Parish. The turnout was good with an unexpected attendance of parents from the audience. The program began with an opening prayer and praise and worship. Each speaker then took turns in a slide presentation, which they worked on for more than a month in preparation for the day. The speakers shared their individual "formula for success" in striking a balance in school, family and church. Each one was different and hopefully, was useful to the audience. The importance of prayers during studies, revisions and exams, was highlighted by the speakers. The audience was attentive and was seen taking notes from the presentations. All in all, with the participation and support of all the other members of the Ministry, in the preparation of the venue, ushering and welcoming guests with door gifts (chocolates) and, of course, singing by the choir, the objective was met and the event was a great success. The members of the Ministry shared their God-given gifts with others and by doing so, once again, did Fr Damien's Youth Choir proud! They were being true to our Ministry's patron Saint, Fr Damien of Molokai, who was selfless and generous at heart. The members, at their tender age, are making a great start to a living the Catholic life of sharing with love. Isn't that what being a Christian all about? Whole-hearted charity and generosity in sharing whatever gifts God has given us, packaged with love and passing it on- Paying It Forward. Jerry Cordeiro

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Congratulation to our winners for last month’s

Issue: They are Julian Lee Yong & R Casey

Bertina (NO letter Needed). Please collect

your prizes at the church office.To win

exciting prizes, please submit your entry to

the church office by the 15th of this month.

(For children 12 years and below. Not for

the Spotlight team and their family

members)

Name: ______________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Contact No. __________________________________________________

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