June, June...

VatCupola59 (Photo credit: Annoysius)

This certainly is a fine situation here...

It has been almost a month since I have put up anything on this blog and the interval between one entry and the next has been erratic. I thought by my coming into the seminary and away from all the distractions that can be found in the parish, I could get some consistent writing done. But, so far that hasn't been the case. In fact, I have been compelled, more, to put aside this blog and procrastinate in doing up any entries here. Terrible...

I have let some important weeks past by, liturgical moments that carry significant impact in our lives, that it would be remiss of me not to just say a few short words that hopefully may capture their power and effect in our lives as Catholic Christians:

Pentecost

It is the Spirit! How sure are you that you are walking in and with the Spirit? Galatians 5 offer the template for all Christians to follow. When the Queen of England is in Buckingham Palace, the palace flies up their flags for all to see and know that she is around. What flags of the Spirit that we fly to show that we are in the Spirit if not that of love, peace, joy, ....

Trinity

The most difficult homily to do as the subject matter is just to transcendent for life that is more grounded on earth and reality. Yet, we already move into this mystery when we make the sign of the cross at every Mass, a sign that proclaims, God the Father loves the world so much that He sends His only Son all the way down to us, so that we may be gathered in the Holy Spirit.

Corpus Christi

Much ink have been poured to speak of this mystery of Christ that its profoundness cannot still be captured or appreciated well in a lifetime. A more profound passage that will help us reflect even deeper is from Jeremiah 31: 31ff. Every time we are at Mass and receive communion, we are fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy! Remember that passage well - Jer 31: 31.

Meanwhile, our Seminary's semester break is here! Since that means no classes and any other activities, I am looking forward to do the following:

a. an entry for my blog of at least once a week.
b. the use of one or both of my telescope to view the night sky more often, unless bad weather or clouds abound.
c. more occasions in the day to use the telescope to view the Sun with a solar filter.

Those above, of course, are on top of my other basic spiritual exercises/activities that has to go on regardless of weather or the GSS.

Related articles

• Benedict XVI's Sermon for Corpus Christi: Jesus in our midst is the "beating Heart" of the home, city, country, territory

  ---

• A Big Month, The Solemnities of June

  ---

I Am Writing With A Bowel Problem...

I've got bowel problem!

My tummy was rather uncomfortable and tight the past two days that I feel as though my intestines are all knotted up inside! :-P

No, that's not the reason why I haven't been blogging the past weeks either. Work and other distractions kept me busy that I couldn't find the opportunity to put in some decent entries concerning the goings-on in Katong Church.

Meanwhile, the entry about the 'communion miracle' has been taken a life of its own as its news worthiness seem to have spread like wildfire over the emails and Internet among the Catholics in, around and outside of the Katong area. A flurry of emails have been circulating giving note to this particular story which seem to excite and further promote the understanding of the Eucharist. How this will eventually play out remains to be seen. For now, it is comforting to note that God is with us... ;-)

I made a trip to the Science Center last week with some friends and visited the Observatory. Pity that night the cloud over over Jurong was rather heavy so much of the excitement and fun were taken out form the star-gazing that night. But we did gain some insights concerning the topic on solar and lunar eclipse. There was a session on that earlier at their lecture hall conducted by the president of TASOS (The Astronomical Society of Singapore). If you are interested, you can drop by their website and have a look for current activities to participate. :-) The observatory's Pentax 16"telescope can be seen here and is, currently, the largest in the SEA region.

I am now within the time frame where it is the period of preparation for the baptism as the date to Easter gets closer. The catechumens are being interviewed around this two weeks (with my bowel problems and all! ), recollection to prepare and reminding them to get a good godparent. So far, these bunch are very keen and committed to their coming baptism. We have two candidates who will be received into the church.

Finally, I know that there people who are really looking for any job that can help them stay alive or to cover expenses but this one from mrbrown.com seems to take prize! So, if you really are that desperate, you may want to check it out! ;-)

Communion - Don't Play, Play, ok!...

I have to visit Serene Nursing Home in a short while to attend to an elderly gentleman there for his confession. Probably give him communion also. I have gone down to that place a few times already since I was posted to this parish and it is nestled within the Joo Chiat vicinity and near a Chinese temple. I usually walk there as it is more convenient and allows me to exercise my legs a little. In today's current weather we are having now, it may be a breezy and cooling journey there. :-)

Not so for one of our Communion Minister to the Sick who had to endure a frightening and strange incident on her way to give communion to one our of homebound parishioner around the Marine Terrace neighbourhood the Thursday past. She bumped into two loanshark brutes who were about to harass this elderly person's at home, whose son probably had some unsavoury connection with these louts. They came from behind our CM making accusations and shouting at her who was about to knock on the door but stopped herself from doing so. As she turned around, suddenly the louts covered their eyes, as though they were blinded by something extremely bright, and turned around and ran away like the devil was on their tails. Our CM was bemused and a little shock by the whole affair. What caused those goons to flee and so suddenly too?

She was carrying hosts for her rounds of giving communion to 8 parishioners. The hosts were in the pyx which was in a pouch that hung around her neck. As she turned around the pouch was in full view of the goons. Till today, our CM has no explanation for what happened that day. All we can say is, Praise the Lord!