A Choice Made

With two more months left, things are moving fast as the final year seminarians prepare themselves for their graduation and eventual insertion into the priestly ministry. They have their final Baccalaureate (Theology) exams to undergo and following that, the essential preparations for their diaconate and the priesthood.

NS and Seminary

I just came from finishing a movie with the rest of the Seminary community. We saw it during our dinner as it was the eve of Hari Raya holiday. This is our usual movie night during such occasions. The movie? Ah Boys To Men (pt 1).

One of the aspirants who attended our last weekend's vocation retreat had commented that life in the seminary to him is somewhat more difficult than life in the army today! If he had come in and join us in the seminary during my time as a seminarian his comments may not have been too far off the mark. However, today, much have changed and the environment has improved tremendously.

Because I Am Human...

... because I am human, I am weak,
because I am weak, therefore I pray.

The above verses came from our retreat master, Fr Michael Casey, OCSO, a Trappist monk from Tarrawara Abbey, Melbourne (Australia). At my last entry, I mentioned we were on our Clergy Annual Retreat from 15 - 19 July. The theme was on prayer that had various aspects of 'faces' to discern and reflect.

Overall, the retreat was a fruitful one because it helped me regained my composure on my own prayer life and the various possibilities of growth and deepening of my relationship with God.

It's 10 Now!

It was 10 years ago when I said yes to my life as a priest after the heart of Christ.

Looking back at all that have transpired so far and the journey that led me to where I am now, I can only remain utterly grateful for this vocation that continues to allow me to unfold my potential as God's instrument to give his presence in the world today.

Certainly, there have been many hits and misses and I continue to learn from my mistakes and mishaps, where I continue onwards to carry out my mission as a minister of God, especially as pastor and mediator. Life as priest in the present times has been very challenging and theer will be no end to what I can already feel, which many times can be between a rock and a hard place. It can always come down to a situation that one can just give up and walk away from it all.

Doulos

Jesus Discourses with His Disciples (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The gospel passage for today's Mass reading is so stark about how we humans are so attuned to seeking, and predictable even, positions of power when given the chance. The apostles James and John are perfect examples of this type of attitude.

Assuming that they follow Jesus in that manner, they deserve special positions of honor and prestige. We too have many opportunities and occasions that can get us seeking positions of honor and prestige just because we 'work for God'.

Jesus had to teach the brothers and the rest of his disciples that to follow him is to be a servant (doulos, Greek), and obviously, servants don't go looking for rewards or recognition. Service, if it is to be true, is selfless. It is concerned with others' needs, not our own.

Handing Over

Well, the announcement finally came about. This was what all in the archdiocese was waiting to hear.

As of 6 pm, Singapore time, on 18th May 2013, we have a new archbishop taking office in the person of His Grace Archbishop William Goh. It was almost 3 months ago that we witnessed his ordination and installation to the episcopate at the Singapore Expo.

Dealing With 'Accolades'...

As I write this, I would have pass over many other notable events, e.g. the Olympics, the National Day celebrations, and from the liturgical settings - two sacerdotal (priestly) ordinations and the celebration of the Assumption.

This weekend, which I find myself now is the one with the seminarians in recollection. We will end soon by 12.30 p.m. after the mid-day prayer. This time round, however, I am not the main person conducting, as per usual, but Deacon Sherman Kuek from the diocese of Melaka-Johor. He is a permament deacon serving as Director of the Pastoral Institute of that diocese. He specialises in catechetical matters and is a well-known speaker within the conference of Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei region. He shared with the seminarians his life changing conversion and provided the framework for his theme of the talk, namely, The Beauty of the Catholic Faith. He also blogs here.

This morning, he gave a homily that while short and succint, was very pointed enough to get the message across which all of us at Mass would not miss out on. The gospel reading that morning was about the scribes and Pharisees with the need to be looked up to, fawn over, wearing broader phylacteries and the warning of not following through with what they preach. Deacon Sherman mentioned about the manner how priests and religious or clergy in general, can also unconciously fall into this trap. An elderly and wise priest once told him that once you have preached, no matter how good the homily may be, when finish, just shut up and get lost!

I believe this is the wisest advice for any clergy to follow and keep to heart. It certainly will put one in place with humility, which is rather rare these days. It will help all of us to know that at the bottom of ut all, this is really about God and not about us (at all). This may also cater for the homily that is half baked - one does not need to be around to get the flak from our listeners...

Nine

Retreat6 (Photo credit: Annoysius)

On this feast day of Ss Peter and Paul, the two great apostles of the Gospel to the world, I am happy to announce that I have reached 9 years of serving in the priestly ministry as a Roman Catholic priest.

Compared to many other senior priests, I know nine years is rather a paltry amount as compared to 25 years or more. Still, I am just glad to have survived another year and to do this in the Seminary where I am currently posted.

I had a session with an aspirant yesterday evening and was encouraging him to be more clear and honest with his discernment to joining the Seminary and I mentioned that these days, the motivation for becoming a priest is very much different from the time of our father's or grandfather's time. Then, life was simpler and the decision to join the priesthood may be based on duty and responsibility or simply for a so-called 'better life'. Joining the seminary based on those motivations may have also been easier to base on those reasons as acceptable entry.

Today, however, is different. The ministry of the priesthood is fraught with many challenges that can overwhelm a priest if he is not well equipped to face up to the challenges and signs of the times. Hence, a more thorough screening and longer discernment period is conducted before any decision is made by the Seminary to accept the candidate.

As for myself, nine years in this ministry is more than enough to be informed of these challenges and the scars of the battle are the reminders that while I am only human, I am also facing a world that is increasingly, if not, already allergic to God, or the Christian faith is found difficult to hold on to, precisely because it is always counter cultural.

I don't know what will fare for myself over the years ahead, but I will continue to bear that cross which this blog speaks of too and finish that race to the end.