Sep 20 – Memorial for St. Andrew Kim Taegon and Companions, Korean Martyrs; Memorial for Sts. Laurent Imbert, Bishop Jacques Chastan, Priest (martyrs of College General, Penang, Malaysia) There are 103 martyrs in this group, consisting of priests, missionaries and lay people who died in the early days of the Church in Korea. Most were... Continue Reading →
19 September, Monday — Stewardship – Showing it
Sep 19 – Memorial for St. Januarius, Bishop and Martyr St. Januarius (d. 305) was arrested on account of his profession of the Christian religion during persecution of Christians. He was cast into the fiery furnace, through which he passed wholly unharmed. On the following day, along with a number of fellow martyrs, he was... Continue Reading →
18 September, Sunday — Stewardship – The big picture
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Amo 8:4-71 Tim 2:1-8Lk 16:1-13 “And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?” I have often struggled with this passage and often continue to do so. It almost appears like the Gospel is encouraging us to be dishonest... Continue Reading →
17 September, Saturday — The Richness Within
Sep 17 – Memorial for St. Robert Bellarmine, Bishop and Doctor St. Robert (1542-1621) wrote the most complete work of his day to defend Catholicism against Protestant attack. He also wrote a children’s catechism and a catechism for teachers. As cardinal-priest, he gave most of his money to the poor. At one point he used... Continue Reading →
16 September, Friday — The Church Ain’t No Lie
Sep 16 – Memorial for Sts. Cornelius, Pope and Martyr; and Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr St. Cornelius (d. 253) was elected after a year-and-a-half period, during which persecutions were so bad that papal ascension was a quick death sentence. He worked to maintain unity in a time of schism and apostasy. He called a synod... Continue Reading →
15 September, Thursday — A mother’s sorrow
Sep 15 – Memorial for Our Lady of Sorrows Different sorrows of Mary have been honoured in the Church’s history, but since the 14th century, these seven have come to be regarded as the seven ‘dolors’ (sorrows) of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 1. The Prophecy of Simeon2. The Flight into Egypt3. The Loss of the... Continue Reading →
14 September, Wednesday — A Father’s love
Sep 14 – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross The feast was celebrated in Rome before the end of the 7th century. Its purpose is to commemorate the recovering of that portion of the Holy Cross which was preserved at Jerusalem, and which had fallen into the hands of the Persians. Emperor Heraclius... Continue Reading →
13 September, Tuesday — Existence
Sep 13 – Memorial for St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor John’s (347-407) father died when he was young, and he was raised by a very pious mother. It was for his sermons that John earned the title ‘Chrysostom’ (golden-mouthed). They were always on point, they explained the scriptures with clarity, and they sometimes went... Continue Reading →
11 September, Sunday — The lost, the least, the last
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Exo 32:7-11,13-141 Tim 1:12-17Lk 15:1-32 I have found my lost sheep At the lift landing in front of the Adoration Room at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Singapore, hangs a painting. The scene is that of today’s Gospel on the Prodigal Son. Do spend a moment to look... Continue Reading →
10 September, Saturday — WYSIWYG
Saturday of Week 23 in Ordinary Time 1 Cor 10:14-22Lk 6:43-49 “For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.” If some of you find the header familiar, I can only say it reveals your vintage. In today’s fast-paced world where WhatsApp chats are becoming de rigeur, it is quite understandable if ‘phrases’... Continue Reading →