We are together with all of creation, exhorted to go forth “from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). According to Pope Francis, Lent is a time and season which embodies this sacramental sign of conversion. Lent is also a time for us to live more profoundly and truly, the Paschal [...]
My husband and I are currently attending a 5 month catholic program called School of Mission (SOM), organised by the ICPE Missionaries in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. Being in such an environment really challenged me to come back to who God really says he is, and what this means for me, therefore allowing my faith to be real and practical [...]
How often do you log in to your workplace devices in a day? Many of us have to lock our computers when we leave our workstations and type in passwords upon returning. We retype the password to our devices at least 6 to 8 times on a normal day! We type the same passwords over and over again. What [...]
St Michael’s “theatre” was full house last evening, this Saturday night! The film traces the rise of the band, Queen, through their iconic songs and reaching unparalleled success. But in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Father Terence explains from a spiritual point of view how we can draw parallels to [...]
In Biblical times and in desert areas, travellers would often travel across long distances by foot or by saddled animal. Their feet would become dusty and encrusted in dirt. People would place jars of water at the thresholds of their homes and the weary traveller would wash his or her feet with the water. The epitome of a hospitable [...]
We are all sinners, and we continue to sin even after Reconciliation. Many of us, including myself, always get a wake-up call when the season of Lent is approaching. We tell ourselves we will abstain from sin, we will fast, we will become better children of God. But why do we wait to want to do this only during [...]
It is difficult to plough on in the Lord’s vineyard by our own merit. Even more so in the season of Lent, which is a time of wondrous Grace if we knew how to tap on to God’s abundant love. Here are a couple of Scripture texts that may enable us to draw closer to God. Baruch 3: 1-2 [...]
This year, the season of Lent begins on the 6th of March, which is also the Feast of St. Colette. St. Colette or Nicolette as she is popularly called, was a reformer and founded 17 Fransciscan convents. She brought many back to the original rule of St. Francis, despite the abuse and persecution she faced. While she was blessed [...]
The Bishop’s Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei decided in 2007, that abstaining from meat will no longer be the only expression of this ancient tradition of abstinence. This is a change from the previous decision which required the abstaining from meat on all Fridays. The removal of the abstinence from meat does not mean the obligation to abstain on Fridays [...]
The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, written by Pope St. John Paul II in 1988, speaks of the vocation and mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the world. The introduction offers us a reflection on the Parable of the labourers in the vineyard in Matthew 20. The Lay members of Christ’s Faithful People may be [...]