Happenings in December 2008

The Lourdes Event that took place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 6 December 2008 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Apparition of Mary Immaculate at Lourdes in France.

Dear blessed Mother, we thank you for bringing Jesus into this world to save us. Thank you for your sacrifice, courage and obedience in order for God's plan to be fulfilled through you. Thank you for opening the path and leading us to your son, Jesus. Help us to be gentle and kind as you.




Apart from the penitential service, I enjoy December most as it is a time of rest from catechism class, feasting and singing nice and catchy songs which are only sung once or twice a year. This year, the Kristokos choir has been invited to carol for the families of our Special Needs catechism class.



We are blessed with a new nativity set and it has been placed in front of our main church entrance. It is hoped that the many families who gathered to snap pictures of the Holy Family, not only remember the celebration but also that these figurines will enliven the beautiful stories of the Epiphany and the 3 magi in their minds.

Making A Wish Come True

In August and September this year, our confirmation 2 teens had a first hand experience with the aged at St Teresa’s Home for 5 consecutive weeks as part of their Service Learning Project. Instead of the usual catechism lesson in the parish, about 70 youth were packed into 2 buses and spent at least 3 hours every week interacting and bringing Jesus to the aunties and uncles at the home. In the course of the 5 weeks, the teens overcame the communication barrier and made friends with the residents. They shared their life stories and brought much joy to these lonely old folks. The teens were also tasked to find out the Christmas wishes of each resident and were also challenged to request the residents to sing a song to them. Every week our teens also spent half an hour praying the rosary with the residents in the chapel situated at the home. The teens and the residents reluctantly say goodbye to each other at the end of the 5th week. It was a sad and emotional moment with lots of hugs, kisses and well wishes but most importantly of all was the promise to be back to make their wish come true for Christmas.



Back at Holy Family Church, the catechists, youth facilitators and teens reflected on the purpose of this Service Project and decided to do a fund raising weekend at our parish in order to have enough funds to throw a Christmas Party and buy the presents for the old folks. The teens had great fun gathering together to shop and wrap the gifts after their final term examination.



As promised on 22 November 08, the con 2 catechists, youth facilitators, parents and teens headed back to St Teresa’s Home. The Saturday and Sunday teens took turns to perform for the old folks.



Last but not least, the St Mary’s choir of Holy Family brought more hope, joy and love to the old folks through their Christmas carols.

Witnessing of a Catholic Praise and Worship - Archdiocesan Youth Rally 2008

About 1,800 youth from 25 parishes in Singapore were at the Toa Payoh Sports Hall to receive the power of the Holy Spirit and be witnesses to the ends of the earth ACT1V8 on 18 October 08.

AYD08 was a living testimony of what our catholic youth could do at parish and archdiocesan level. Brother Derrick and Shireen, our very young, witty and hilarious emcees kick started the whole event. In the opening address, Archbishop Nicholas Chia expressed his pleasure to be with the youth and said that “A shepherd must always be with his sheep”. Our guest speaker, Bishop Rolando Tria-Tirona of the Philippines, also reminded us to be generous in using the gifts God has given us now.

Undeniably, the music and singing of the worship team, Zion Joy touched many hearts present that night. Most importantly, our youth witnessed for themselves a true catholic praise and worship without the jumping and shouting on stage. These actions are often mistaken by youth as praise and worship. A member of the Zion Joy testified that they are not professional musicians but only long time friends who got together regularly after their confirmation to praise God through music.


Another group of youth called Walk on Water, the drama ministry from the Church of St Anthony also put up a spectacular skit at the rally. In the course of the music, rapping and the light hearted dialogue, the two opposing groups of youth in the drama depicted the vulnerability of our youth in their search of identity in the material world and how our willingness to open ourselves to the gifts of the Holy Spirit can bring about unity, peace and joy in the community.

After seeing so much, we also heard from our youth Brandon who shared about his rebellious teenage years and the car accident which made him realize the presence of God in his life as his protector and saviour.

AYD08 has opened my eyes to the potential of our youth in the Archdiocese of Singapore and a deeper understanding of the youth scene in my parish. It brought to mind the amount of influence that a youth minister can have on their youth. Thank God for blessing me, the catechists, youth facilitators and the 39 confirmands with this awe inspiring experience.

6 years of Faith Journey

Last Saturday, 11 October 2008, was the Day of Recollection for the Cat 6 children whom I have journeyed with for the past 6 years. Their first day of catechism happened to be my first day as a catechist.

The day started with parents, catechists, youth facilitators and children gathering together for a hearty breakfast at the St Patrick’s school canteen. Most of the other activities were held at the air-conditioned La Salle Hall located on the 3rd floor. It was indeed elevating to see these pre-teens responding so positively to the ice breaker “Hunter, Earthquake, Fire” and the action songs.

Following the movie, MOST, everyone spent some quiet time writing on “Where is God in every year of our life”. The kids finished their timeline very quickly as they only had 12 points as compared to mine.

After lunch, the “chair, chair” (meaning older sister) took turns to inspire our pre-teens with their own testimonies of why they wanted to become youth facilitators after their confirmation. The catechists also shared on why they became catechists.

Alvin then helped us make the phone connection with our heavenly Father. It went ring, ring…Hello, Father…
The conversion between “Child to God” was first, followed by “Parent to God” and lastly the “Catechist to God”.

We thank God for this day and pray that our pre-teens had been inspired to take on their confirmation journey.

What Pope says...

Pope says Western efforts to marginalize religion would be disastrous
By John Thavis
Catholic News Service PARIS (CNS)

Pope Benedict XVI warned that Western cultural efforts to marginalize religion and believers would bring disaster for humanity and ultimately "play into the hands of fanaticism."

The pope made the remarks Sept. 12 in an address to academics at the College des Bernardins, a medieval landmark confiscated during the French Revolution and recently reacquired by the church for scholarly events.



The 81-year-old pontiff, looking energetic on the first leg of his four-day visit to France, was greeted with a standing ovation as he entered the vaulted hall of the 13th-century building.

Vatican officials said the pope had worked long and hard on this speech, which took up one of his favorite topics, the relationship between faith and reason.

After tracing the profound effects of medieval monastic life on Europe's culture, the pope said that what drove the monks in their prayer and scholarship -- "the search for God" -- is equally necessary today.

While God has become for many "the great unknown" and often is thought to be absent from people's lives, still the search for God and the desire to be found by him lives on, he said.

He warned that if modern culture tries to drive the question of God into the realm of the merely subjective and unscientific, that would be "the capitulation of reason, the renunciation of its highest possibilities, and hence a disaster for humanity, with very grave consequences."

"What gave Europe's culture its foundation -- the search for God and the readiness to listen to him -- remains today the basis of any genuine culture," he said.

A group of Muslim dignitaries was in the audience, and the pope greeted them. Unlike his talk in Regensburg, Germany, almost two years earlier, this speech did not explicitly touch upon Islam and the need for reason in religion, but it raised some issues related to Islam in a broad sense, including religious fundamentalism.

The pope said the monastic tradition in Europe had promoted a "culture of the word" and invited Christians to a conversation with the word of God.

He said Scripture in this tradition is a dynamic unity involving each new generation, a process of understanding that becomes a process of living.

"It excludes by its nature anything that today is known as fundamentalism. In effect, the word of God can never simply be equated with the letter of the text," he said.

Monasticism, the pope said, also was influenced deeply by the tension between freedom and obligation, which today risks degenerating into the poles of subjective arbitrariness and "fundamentalist fanaticism."

"It would be a disaster if today's European culture could only conceive freedom as absence of obligation, which would invariably play into the hands of fanaticism and arbitrariness," he said.

The pope said work as well as prayer formed the basis of monastic life. This "culture of work," which greatly influenced Europe and the rest of the world, saw labor as a special form of human resemblance to God the creator, he said.

The risk today, he added, is that man is losing this connection with God and assuming for himself the status of godlike creator.

The pope then turned to the question of missionary proclamation. For the Christian, he said, outward proclamation is not merely a propaganda effort, but is felt as an "inner necessity" to share the truth that God has revealed himself in the person of Christ.

This revelation distinguishes Christianity and underlines its connection to reason, since God now stands revealed and not simply imagined, he said.

"The novelty of Christian proclamation is that it can now say to all peoples: He has revealed himself. He personally. And now the way to him is open," the pope said.

In this way, he said, Christianity responds to the deepest longings of human thinking, assuring that "at the beginning of all things, there must not be irrationality, but creative reason -- not blind chance, but freedom."

Article contributed by Paul Domingo Molina

The Refiner of Silver

Once a woman was puzzled and wondered what the Bible verse 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' meant about the character and nature of God. She offered to find out the process of refining silver and called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire.

If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you and, no matter whatever you are going through now, you will be a better person in the end!

Scripture reference: Malachi 3:3
article contributed by Jeremy Tan

TOO BUSY? NO TIME?

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons.
In his opening address he said,
'We can't keep Christians from going to church.'
'We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth.'
'We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their saviour.'

'Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken.'
'So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ..'
'This is what I want you to do,' said the devil:
'Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!'

'How shall we do this?' his demons shouted.
'Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds,' he answered.
'Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow.'



'Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles.'
'Keep them from spending time with their children.'
'As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!'

'Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice.'
'Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive.' To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly.'
'This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ.'



'Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers.'
'Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day.'
'Invade their driving moments with billboards.'
'Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes..'

'Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. '
'Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night.'
'Give them headaches too! '
'If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere.'
'That will fragment their families quickly!'

'Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas.'
'Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection and power over sin and death.'
'Even in their recreation, let them be excessive.'
'Have them return from their recreation exhausted.'
'Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead.'
'Keep them busy, busy, busy!'



'And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences. '
'Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus.'
'Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause.'

'It will work!'
'It will work!'
It was quite a plan!

The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there.
Having little time for their God or their families.
Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.

I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes?
You be the judge!!!!!

Does 'BUSY' mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?

A Christian

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change. " The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town?" "Yes" he replied.

"Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. “I'll see you at church on Sunday." When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.

"Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is an example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself "Christian."

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Dear Papa in Heaven, I wanna tell you...

I Love you,
Not only for what you are,
But for what I am
When I am with you.

I love you,
Not only for what
You have made of yourself,
But for what
You are making of me.

I love you
For the part of me
That you bring out.

I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can't help
Dimly seeing there,

And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else has looked
Quite far enough to find.

I love you
For helping me make
Of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern
But a temple;
Out of the works of my every day
Not a reproach
But a song...

Amen
- Author unknown

Retreat from Insanity

“We are not ourselves when nature, being oppressed, commands the mind to suffer with the body.” King Lear (King Lear at II, iv)

It is not the law of nature to father or mother, as the case may be, 70 hot-blooded teens and all of the same age. Even Ramses II who was reputed to father a hundred children had decades to increase his brood and probably adopted many of them. Yet Christian catechists are asked to do the impossible and to top it all, without the pre-creation pleasure. Enough to drive anyone insane.

I speak not for others but for me, confirmation catechesis demands blood. In His divine mercy, however, my mortal body carries the burden only for 40 months. Coincidence with scriptural overtones aside, I strive to make the journey, especially the annual retreats, mean something to me personally – to be stronger, sagacious and slower.

Strength to affirm or negate requests and take the consequences, strength to teach and learn, strength to give thanks when all you want is to drop and sleep.

Wisdom to know not to panic when well-laid plans seem reeling out of control, wisdom to know that He is already working a miracle out of my mistakes, wisdom to know that He is the master and I am His, albeit a little shamelessly bossy and pushy, servant.

Slowing down to pray, slowing down to see that my spiritual needs can be so similar with my teens, slowing down to listen to people and edify.

It was insanely tough seeking a balance for their retreat – on the one hand an engagement with their senses and on the other an engagement with their spirit. Everything came into play – food (not necessarily sinfully sumptuous), games (not necessarily sweatily physical), sessions (not necessarily painfully didactic) and personal moments with friends and our God (not necessarily holily molly – at least it rhymes). For all these I thank these friends:

To Liesl and Merle who had worked ungrudgingly in the background providing for our sustenance and rest, and to Josephine and Mark who had accepted the barely skeletal session plans with alacrity and delivering them so engagingly, and to Raymond who liaised with our very talented externals to bring us music. To the YFs who had sportingly done so much of the legwork and cheerfully (except for momentary shocked looks) executed last-minute instructions (can’t help it at times). To Fr Ignatius who shut an eye to our mischief and cheekiness.

God be praised.

shared by Francis Ow

Come Holy Spirit

God our creator and redeemer
We are privileged to be called your children
Give us the courage to be open to Your Spirit
And be led to follow your ways

Send forth your Spirit, O Lord
Fill our minds, our hearts and our whole being with your Spirit
And let your Spirit be praised for all the good deeds

Send forth your Spirit, O Lord
May your Spirit give us the light to embrace the truth of God
And give us the strength to allow our lives to be directed by the Spirit

Send forth your Spirit, O Lord
May your Spirit of love move within us
And lead us to be true witnesses of Your love and compassion

Send forth your Spirit, O Lord
Fill us with the Spirit of True freedom that comes from
doing God’s will
And lead us to be obedient to your teachings

Send forth your Spirit, O Lord
Fill us with the Spirit of humility and service
And inspire us with Your example

Bless us Lord with the life of your Spirit and renew us
Keep us from stumbling and fall
Protect us and give us your healing grace

A prayer for our confirmands

Only a bagger?

Not really.

This week, Scoop Shop is featuring someone,

who's willing to make a big difference in small ways...

Picture from www.sodahead.com

Being catechists, we sometimes fall into the mundanity of

going in and out of classes,

doing similar things each week.

Whether we know it or not, we affect the young ones we teach,

through what we say, what we teach, our body language

and who we are -

Friend/Fellow child of God/Soldier for Christ/Faith sharer.

We only have 90 mins each Sat/Sun with the young, impressionable ones,

working out to 360 mins a month- barely 1 full day!

How can we "scoop the ice-cream" differently?

How can we "serve our customers" in a different way?

Nope, we don't have to part any seas, or calm any storms

to cause heads to turn and hearts to stir.

Simple deeds can go a long way...=)

Here's a story to share. Be inspired!

Don't just watch. SEE what you can do too!

Are we only catechists?

Enjoy! =)

http://www.stservicemovie.com/

The Waffle Cone.

Picture from http://www.haywardsicecream-nh.com/

This week, the ice-cream analysts would like to introduce a new concept to all you scoopers out there! ;)

We were all taught by our momsies and daddies to always remember to say "Thank you" to someone who has been kind to us, or have done us a favour.

God, our daddy in heaven, has never failed to give us gifts every single day of our lives, whether we know it or not. ;P

Let's use our little Scoop Shop to make Him an ice-cream creation to say, a big "Thank you". Let's FILL our Waffle cones with ice-cream and toppings today and everyday! ;D

How?

Get creative! Think out of the cone. =)

picture from www.pdicone.com

Smiling @ a stranger who needs one =

Rainbow sprinklers and M & Ms

Giving your favourite stall's uncle/auntie an affirmation =

1 Scoop of Cookies and Cream

Finishing all the food on your plate =

Freshly cut strawberries/kiwi/bananas

Picture from art.gnome.org

Helping others finish theirs ;P =

Whipped cream, maraschino cherries and chocolate rice

Make PEACE, not war =

3 Scoops of your favourite ice-cream!!

Saying "Its going to be a great day! =) As opposed to "Why do I have to wake up..." =(

= Chocolate sauce and almond nibs

Picture from www.damnilikeit.com

Make your own list and have fun saying thanks! =)
God bless you loads!
Love,
love

Good! It is good!

Hey there!

Have you ever wondered why certain things happen to you? Why you? Usually, we don’t have the wisdom to understand the reason behind it at that point in time. We may get all sad and dejected, or even frustrated and confused.

But our good Lord will always reveal the reason, in his own time, whenever He deems appropriate. Wait…and you’ll see. =)

Sit back, relax and get comfortable...

Illustrations provided by Elena Kucharik
elisangels.net

I have a story to tell. =)
Once upon a time, there lived a tribal king who loved to hunt.
Whenever he went on his hunting trips, he would bring along his able tribesman, who was very good at navigating the forests for game.

One day, while the tribesman was loading the rifle, he accidentally pulled the trigger,

and he shot at the tribal king’s last finger.

Upon seeing what he had done, the tribesman said, “Good, it is good!”

Furious and in pain, the tribal king threw the tribesman into prison,

banishing him from his future hunting trips.

But the tribesman said again, “Good, it is good!”
The tribal king could not understand why he said that, and ignored him.

After recovering from his injured finger, the tribal king went on his hunting trip.
This time, he went alone.

picture from www.bluebison.net

Because he was unfamiliar with the territory, he treaded on forbidden grounds and was captured by another tribe. This tribe was a carnivorous tribe…so you can kinda guess what’s going to happen from here…; P

The tribes people started preparing a cauldron of broth, ready to cook their
new found “food”. (Yikes!)

Picture from http://www.flowrdup.co.uk/

While they were inspecting the tribal king, they found that he was short of a finger!

Now, these tribes people had a superstition…they cannot eat any human being who’s not complete. Disgusted and disappointed, they released the tribal king.

Upon his release, the tribal king ran back home gleefully to look for his tribesman locked up in prison.
“Good, it is good! Now, I finally realize why you said that!

My life was spared because of the accident!”

The tribal king released him at once, and apologized profusely for locking him up.
The tribesman told him, “No, no, don’t have to apologise! Good, it is good that I was locked up! Cos if I went on the hunting trip with you…guess who would be eaten instead?”

So, scoopers, sometimes the bad may not be that bad, especially when you realise why it happened in the first place.

Hope this will put a smile on your face this Monday morning.

Wake up with a positive mind, and tell yourself, Good! It is good!

Illustrations provided by Elena Kucharik
elisangels.net

Gentle reminders!

27 April: Parish Assembly 2008 - Many Parts. One Body. One Church.

What time? : 2-6pm.
Where ? : Singapore Swimming Club - The Grand Ballroom Level 2

=

03 May- Catechists Briefing for our annual recruitment drive!

What time huh? : 2 pm.
Where ah? : RCIA Room
Must I come?: You say leh? Ah-boh den!
10/11 May- Recruitment in Classes (targeted @ parents..heh heh heh... ;P)
17/18 May- Catechist Recruitment Drive! ;D
=

God Bless!

Love,

love

You've been shortlisted!

Dearest Scoopers,

Happy Easter!

Hope yours is filled with many new beginnings!

Thank you for sending in your resumes.

After careful consideration and much pondering,

you've been selected for an interview with God.

Some of you may have gone thru it before,
you may take this opportunity to renew your contracts. =)

Going for it again may give rise to new perspectives,

or serve as a gentle reminder.

For the newbies, enjoy the conversation and good luck!

Click on the link!

http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/

Picture courtesy of http://graceofgod.files.wordpress.com/

Love,

HR
The Scoop Shoop

NEW FLAVOUR for this Easter!

Our Con 3 Catechist Mark Ortega and his lovely wife have a brand new addition to their family!

We invite the lil' one who was born on 12 April @ 8.30pm into our scoop shop!

Welcome Little Benjamin!!

Some extra toppings for you to enjoy!

Nowadays, young people especially, want to see.

You speak of love, you speak of prayer.

They want to know how YOU live and how YOU pray,

and what compassion means to you. That is how they judge.

How YOU really live the life of a co-worker,

a carrier of God's love.

-Mother Teresa.

picture from www.wf-f.org/WFFResource/Mother%20Teresa-1.jpg

Take-aways!

Just to give you guys a heads-up, please emboss and mark these days on your memories!

03 May- Catechists Briefing for our annual recruitment drive!

What time huh? : 2 pm.

Where ah? : RCIA Room

Must I come?: You say leh? Ah-boh den!

10/11 May- Recruitment in Classes (targeted @ parents..heh heh heh... ;P)

17/18 May- Catechist Recruitment Drive! ;D

Just wanna say thank you catechists for being an inspiration to so many little ones out there!

There may be times when we feel tired, or that we can't carry on any longer...

We may be so tempted to throw in the towel, because we lose sight of the focus.

May this song encourage you once again...remember that He is the King,

even during times of floods!

Be still, know that He is God and He will show you the way, because you trust. =)

www.searchingthescriptures.net

STILL

Hide me now, under your wings

Cover me, within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar

I will soar with you above the storm

Father you are king over the flood

I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul, in Christ alone

Know his power In quietness and trust

Love,

Love.

As I have done for you - using yourself as an example

I, your Lord and Master,
now become your servant.
I who made the moon and stars,
will kneel to wash your feet.
This is my commandment
to love as I have loved you.
Kneel to wash each other’s feet
as I have done for you.

I applaud Dan Schutte for the appropriateness of the words and the beautiful music accompaniment which had touched the hearts of many at the Holy Thursday Mass.

Going through every word in the song “As I have done for you” and watching the re-enactment of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples by our priests on Holy Thursday Mass is a valuable lesson and reminder of the love and humility of our Lord and Saviour.

Yet, another difficult lesson awaits me on Good Friday. Only You, Jesus, who is sinless, can sacrifice yourself for our sins. Only You, Lord, can surrender Yourself totally and obey the Father to the point of death.

Lord, I realized how small I am as compared to You. I adore and give You thanks for all that You have done for me.

Article by Linda Heng

Photos by Alf

The image of God through a 5 year old blind girl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSOaLH8vxYw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmaHBFhXEPs

You were born to be loved

And you are receiving that love

through your life

The love from God that started

since the beginning of your birth

That becomes connected with us

meeting each other

A Walk in Soul Garden

Hello dear ones!

May this short but reflective and insightful piece of work,

rekindle flames of love

depths of compassion

and child-like kindness

in YOU.

The beautiful work of art, is another piece by Lyn Snow, entitled "Reflection".
See how its almost like a mirror image when you draw a line in the middle of the picture?
May we also mirror God's image and love to those we meet on our way.

Enjoy yet another scoopee... =)

May this LENT be a different one.

God guide you.

Be loving, Compassionate and Kind

In our busy lives, we let life carry us away on a never-ending road filled with the responsibilities of a day filled with the responsibilities of a day-to-day existence.

We often forget that there is more along the way than just bills to pay,
phone calls to return, and errands to run.

There are people in our lives who need to be hugged,

who need to be loved.

There are people in our lives who need their accomplishments

noticed and praised.

We need to remember how fragile hearts can be,

how quickly a soul can grow weary, how fast a spirit can break.

We forget that a heart is like a garden that needs to be tended and nourished

with what only another heart can give.

Love and appreciation, devotion and honesty.

-Tracia Gloudemans

Being true to your heart... =)

Dear Scoopers!

A Valentine's Day Special!

Our Very Own Scoop Shop is offering a "Rose-flavoured" ice-cream today, with a story from a great story-teller, Max Lucado. =)

A gentle reminder that we should be true to our hearts as

LOVE transcends all.

Jesus loves us, no matter how we may look...Let's love our kids/teens as He did too, and not turn away from them because they are not what we expected them to be...

we may be in for a suprise. =)

Enjoy!

The People with the Roses

John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose. His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name, Miss Hollis Maynell.

With time and effort, he located her address. She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was budding.
Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like.

When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting--7:00 p.m. at the Grand Central in New York. "You'll recognize me," she wrote, "by the red rose I'll be wearing on my lapel." So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he'd never seen.

I'll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened...

A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blond hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were as blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. I started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small provocative smile turned her lips, "Going my way, sailor?" she murmured.

Almost uncontrollably I made one more step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell.
She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was quickly walking away. I felt as though I was split in two. So keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and upheld mine.

And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful.

I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment. "I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me. May I take you to dinner?"
The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. "I don't know what this is about, son," she answered, "but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!"

-Max Lucado, Stories from the Heart (Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Books, 1996)

-Watercoloured Rose from www.lynsnow.com

Embracing LENT

Dear Scoopers,

Hmm, ice-cream may be considered an indulgence to some during this period of lent...but @ The Scoop Shop, we aim to share the goodness of what the cream can offer!

Here's some almond nibs and cookie crunch for you to chew on, and share with others.

May this Lent be a different one for you this year. =)

Living Simply During Lent

I once was visiting a beautiful home, finely furnished with exquisite furniture, lovely artwork and impeccable décor. However, the heavy draperies around the windows blocked most of the natural light in the rooms, and left an atmosphere of heaviness and, quite frankly, suffocation. Although the home was beautiful I couldn't wait to leave and enjoy the freshness and plainness of the light and air outside.

I can't help but think, as we enter into this season of Lent, about the "heaviness," the complications of everyday life, that have the potential to snuff out the fresh light and air of Christ in our lives.

What am I talking about? I'm talking about living simply. Obviously Lent is a time for penance, reflection, renewal. It's a time for introspection and consideration of things eternal. What I'm proposing this Lent is paring down life, getting rid of the 'heavy draperies' so that things eternal can shine into our daily thoughts and lives.


First, attain mastery over time.

The clock should not be our god.

It is true we need to watch the clock to make it to work, keep our dentist appointments,

and get to Mass on time.

Take time to get at eye level with your child and really listen. Make time for 'date night' with your mate. Do one thing at a time. Do not worry about work when you are home with your family or your home projects when you are at work. Think about the one thing you are currently doing and do it well. (Kreeft bluntly tells his readers to stop "octopussing" — trying to do eight things at once. I might add that some of us are likely even "jellyfishing.

" Did you know some jellyfish have hundreds of tentacles?)

Slow down and here's the biggie: pray... without watching a clock. God is the creator of time, reminds Kreeft. God can multiply time, but first we must offer our time to Him. And it is good to remember that God cannot be outdone in generosity. He will take our sacrifice and bless us a thousand fold. A good place to start this Lent is going to Confession and attending other Catholic devotions such as Eucharistic Adoration or Stations of the Cross.

Like the Nike commercial advocates, "Just do it."

Second, live more naturally.

Go to bed earlier and get up earlier, following nature's cycle of darkness and light. Kreeft says this aids in simplicity because the things people do in the morning are usually simple things — walking, praying, and tidying up. And the things people do in the evening or more complicating (or time-wasting) — busywork, attending parties, watching television. Spend more time outdoors (yes, even in the winter!) Breathe in the fresh air. And take walks frequently. Kreeft writes, "[When you walk] you will begin to recapture the natural rhythms of the body...It attunes us with the earth and air...It is a symbol of life, the road to eternity... And it gives us an opportunity to think."

Third, recognize that often less is more.

Don't just give up sweets this Lent. Take less food. Chew it slowly. Savor its flavor deliberately. Enjoy it more. We've all seen women who have overdone it in the jewelry and make-up departments. They have baubles and beads on every limb, and layers of gold or silver around their necks. Heavy eye shadow and lip color emphasizes their faces. Who can deny that this actually detracts from a woman's natural beauty? Contrast that image with simple cleanliness and light makeup, a plain cross necklace and a pair of simple earrings on a female. One young woman I knew in college gave up make-up for Lent. Less truly is often more.

Fourth, decrease expenses.

We don't need half of what we want anyway. Love of money is the root of all evil. See what you can do without.

Fifth, embrace silence.

Kreeft calls silence "the unknown power source...the great untapped resource." He says that silence is more, not less than noise. Cultivate inner silence by eliminating outer noise. Turn off the television. Skip the radio in the car. Listen more. Talk less. God speaks to us all the time, but often with the cacophonic sounds intruding into our lives we just don't hear Him.
Simplifying life truly is like pulling back or even taking down thick draperies in a stuffy, dark room. In removing the fabric that blocks luminosity we will find more light, more freshness, and quite likely more room for God.

Theresa Thomas, a freelance writer and columnist for Today’s Catholic resides in northern Indiana with her husband David and their nine children. She has been home schooling since 1994.

This article originally appeared in Today’s Catholic and is used by permission of the author.
Edited specially to make it more bite-sized...
http://www.catholic exchange. com/node/ 69585

On the side of me...

Hi Scoopers,

This song marked someone's turning point in life.
It reminded her of God's unfailing love, through the people He has sent her.
Those who stand by you through your toughest times are true blessings
that can only come from Him.

If you have met someone like that, maybe you'd like to remember
that someone and say a sweet "Thank you."

Sharing with you, one of this Earth's greatest blessings, Corrinne May...and her song
"On the Side of Me"

On The Side of Me
By Corrinne May

I'm not the easiest person to love
I'm often the one who lets things go unresolved

Yet you choose to be
on the side of me
on the side of me
Yet you choose to be on the side of me
on the side of me

I'm not too proud of some things
I've done in my life
The skeletons in my closet
Are too big for me to hide

Yet you choose to be
on the side of me
on the side of me
Blessed Charity
You're on the side of me
on the side of me

Everyone needs a friend to hold
when it's cold outside
and there's no place to go
Everyone needs a friend to hold
all alone I cried
there was no place to go
I remember when nobody cared
but you

I'm not the easiest person to love
But you, you've opened your heart to show me what I'm worth

'Cause you choose to be on the side of me
on the side of m
What a mystery
You're on the side of me
on the side of me