RCIY IHM

My RCIY Journey

2011-12-03T16:00:00.002+08:00

For anyone who hasn't allowed Jesus into his/her heart, this is what it feels like: as of you've resisted the fact that your vision's gone blurry and you need glasses. But eventually you can't see a foot in front of you without knocking things over and bumping into dead ends, so you go to the optometrist. You walk out of that office with the new pair of glasses and the world instantly looks sharper, brighter and very much clearer. God's love touched me and many others very much throughout my journey with Him. Though this love will never be tangible, but it comforts and lifts me up every time, and I know God is faithful! My RCIY journey, was when my faith grew the most. It's still amazing how God calls us each by name to respond to His love. Truly this song speaks of His love "and He will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun and hold you in the palm of his hand" :)

Katie Emmanuelle

RCIY Sponsor Recruitment

2011-07-17T14:23:00.003+08:00

Hello!

We are looking for people to journey with non-catholic youths, to guide them and accompany them as they learn out their faith. We call these people sponsors.

A sponsor is a companion to the inquirer (someone who is interested in the Catholic faith) throughout the entire journey. Many inquirers come in unsure and seeking - the sponsor is there to reassure the inquirer and to be a friend to the inquirer. The sponsor will (try to) answer questions from the inquirer, share about his/her own struggles/faith stories to the inquirer, basically be the inquirer's personal connection to the parish.

Sponsors find their role to be one that enriches and deepens their own faith. It is a very rewarding experience. We are all sponsors here at the IHM RCIY.

FAQ:

1. I’m not very well versed in the bible and in the Catholic teachings… Can I still be a sponsor?

We have catechists, seniors, religious to guide you, there will also be training sessions conducted. You just need to have a basic understanding of our faith., so don't worry!

2. I don't feel I'm holy enough to talk to others about my faith.

No one is perfect, the youth need people who they can relate to. They need someone who can show them that despite our flaws and sinfulness, we still try our best to be good Christians.

3. What is the commitment level like?
it's every Sunday for the sessions.

Any other questions, just contact us! If you are interested, fill up the form below and we will get back to you soon!

Click here to go to the registration form!

A New Beginning.

2010-06-10T01:03:00.000+08:00

Hihihi!

It's a new beginning! :)

Photos!

2009-04-18T22:53:00.006+08:00

Here are photos that RCIA (our brother group) has taken in all the major events leading to baptism. Do find our own RCIY newly baptised inside! Enjoy...

Rite of Sending

Presentation of the Creed

Rite of the First Scrutiny

Rite of the Second Scrutiny

Rite of the Third Scrutiny

Palm Sunday /Presentation of the Lord's Prayer

Holy Saturday - Prayers (Office) and Rehearsal

Easter Vigil - In Church

Easter Vigil - Blessing of Fire, Liturgy and more

Easter Vigil - Sacrament of Baptism

Easter Vigil - Sacrament of Confirmation

Easter Vigil - Sacrament of First Holy Communion

Easter Vigil - Group Photographs of Neophytes

Finally it is done.

2009-04-12T23:21:00.002+08:00

Congrats to the newly Baptized! May God always shine radiantly in your lives!

Holy Week/ The Most Important Reason

2009-04-06T12:10:00.006+08:00

It's the start of the Holy Week!

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday then... Easter!
Our Elects will be baptised on saturday, do pray for them!
They are: Cooro, Denise, Glenn, Mechelle, Roy.

-

I found this story through a friend's blog, it's a story
about love, specifically self love. What are thoughts about it?

The Most Important Reason

Three days ago, I was swamped with work.

I had so many articles to write, so many meetings to plan, so many business concerns… But my wife said, “Please bring Francis to the Barbershop. He’ll be a ring bearer.” That’s the disadvantage of having a cute son. He gets to be ring bearer a lot.

So I put aside all my work in the afternoon and brought him to the Barber.

After the haircut, I was thinking that we were going back home so I could work. That was when 4-year old Francis said, “Daddy, I’m hungry.”

So we marched to Jollibee and he ate chicken and rice at 4 in the afternoon!

Again, as we were leaving, I was presuming I could now go back to work. But Francis tugged on my arm again and said, “Daddy, I’m still hungry.” My gosh. Where does this little guy put all that food?

Later on, I realized he was hungry not for food but for love. Specifically, hungry for Daddy’s love.

So we kept on walking, visiting other shops, until he saw a playground. His eyes grew large and said, “Daddy, can I play?”

I believe life is about moments. So I bought myself a cup of coffee, sat on a park bench, and enjoyed watching my 4-year old jump from one slide to another. We had the grandest time.

Why did I disrupt my whole afternoon for Francis?

Because I’m his father and he’s my son.

He’s more important than all my work.
He’s more important than all my ministries.
He’s more important than all the books I write and all the talks I give.

Friend, this is the ultimate reason why you need to like yourself.

Because you have a Father who loves you so much.

You’re more important than all the stars in the sky.
You’re more important than all the galaxies of this universe.
In the heart of God, nothing compares with you.

If He loves you this much, how can you not like yourself?

More from the article...

//dan

Lent.

2009-03-03T13:06:00.007+08:00

Hello all!

We are now in the season of Lent.

What is Lent? It's the period of time where we prepare ourselves for our Lord's Resurrection (Easter Sunday) through prayers, fasting and alms giving. It lasts approximately 40 days.

To find out more about Lent, you can check out this Everything you ever wanted to know about Lent but were afraid to ask link.

Anyway this is the period of time that Catholics will try to sacrifice something or deny themselves some form of pleasure. We do this not because we are crazy masochists, but because by denying ourselves something we enjoy, we discipline our wills so that we are not slaves to our pleasures. We also make an effort to go for the sacrament of reconciliation (i.e. confession) more often.

Speaking about confession. something struck me the other day when I went for my confession.

It occurred to me that whenever I was about to sin, I would deliberately ignore God and His promptings (which were Always there). I denied Him in my moment of weakness. Utterly ashamed I must say.

However if you feel this way, just remember someone else also denied God. 3 times in a row in fact. I'm talking about St Peter. Just remember that he didn't wallow in self pity for having done such a deed. He went on to become the first pope and one of the greatest saints of the Church.

So If we ever feel unforgivable for having denied and failed God, just remember St Peter. You just have to stand up, dust yourself off, go for reconciliation and repent.

Have a fruitful Lent!

*By the way, Lent is the old English word for spring. Spring... a time for renewal and fresh beginnings ....

//dan

Simplicity and Obedience.

2009-02-27T14:08:00.002+08:00

Simplicity is the secret to seeing things clearly.

A saint does not think clearly until a long time passes, but a saint ought to see clearly without any difficulty.

You cannot think through spiritual confusion to make things clear; to make things clear, you must obey.In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in spiritual matters you will only think yourself into further wandering thoughts and more confusion.

If there is something in your life upon which God has put His pressure, then obey Him in that matter. Bring all your "arguments and . . . every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" regarding the matter, and everything will become as clear as daylight to you ( 2 Corinthians 10:5 ). Your reasoning capacity will come later, but reasoning is not how we see. We see like children, and when we try to be wise we see nothing (see Matthew 11:25 ).

Even the very smallest thing that we allow in our lives that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit is completely sufficient to account for spiritual confusion, and spending all of our time thinking about it will still never make it clear.

Spiritual confusion can only be conquered through obedience. As soon as we obey, we have discernment. This is humiliating, because when we are confused we know that the reason lies in the state of our mind. But when our natural power of sight is devoted and submitted in obedience to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the very power by which we perceive God’s will, and our entire life is kept in simplicity.

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Valerie

Satan's Meeting

2009-02-23T20:22:00.002+08:00

As Jesus told us "Be always on guard, expecting the Lord", may we never lose sight of Him in our midst of busy-ness.

// Cooro

Wait.

2009-02-12T23:44:00.005+08:00

Hello, how is everyone?

We are coming to the end stages of the long journey, and we might just be a bit impatient to finish everything up quick.

Impatience... that's something many of us suffer from. We just want things to be done our own way and immediately. We are impatient with all sorts of things: impatient with the bus, impatient with our parents, impatient with God.

So many times have we prayed for something, or for some direction from God and yet there seems to be no answer...

Maybe this poem (sent to me by a dear friend) might help...

Oh and Happy Valentine's!

The Wait Poem
Russell Kelfer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate...
and the Master so gently said,"Wait."

"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!"
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I relate
hangs in the balance and you tell me to Wait?"
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign.
Or even a 'no,' to which I'll resign.
You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply.

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
as my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
and grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"
He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine...
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.
You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
you'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
when darkness and silence are all you can see.

You'd never experience the fullness of love
when the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.
The glow of My comfort late into the night,
the faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,
what it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
but oh, the loss if I lost what I'm doing in you.
So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
that the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still "WAIT".

// dan

Sacrifice.

2009-01-25T12:39:00.001+08:00

God's love for a fallen world is most clearly seen in the death of His Son. A video features the scenes from the movie "Most" reminds us of our Heavenly Father.

Cooro

Father and Son.

2009-01-22T23:45:00.003+08:00

A beautiful video about the love of a father for his disabled son.

Cooro

Five Loaves and Two Fishes.

2009-01-06T20:38:00.007+08:00

Recently I bought a CD, titled "Beautiful Seed" by Corrinne May. In case you are unaware, Corrinne May is a Singaporean singer/song-writer based in the US who is making critics all over the world sit up with her gentle, soulful voice.

She's also Catholic and unafraid to sing about her faith. This particular song, Five Loaves and Two Fishes, caught my attention. The lyrics tell a story and behind the story lies a message that no matter who you, how small your gift to God might be, God will use it to feed His people.

Enjoy.

EDIT:
I figured out the chords to this wonderful song as I couldn't find it anywhere, so you can offer up your five loaves and four fishes to God in the form of a song!

Five Loaves and Four Fishes
by Corrinne May

C G
A little boy of thirteen was on his way to school
Am F
He heard a crowd of people laughing and he went to take a look
C G
Thousands were listening to the stories of one man
Am F
He spoke with such wisdom, even the kids could understand

Dm C
The hours passed so quickly, the day turned to night
Fm G
Everyone was hungry but there was no food in sight

C G
The boy looked in his lunchbox at the little that he had
Am Fm
He wasn't sure what good it'd do, there were thousands to be fed

F
But he saw the twinkling eyes of Jesus
C
The kindness in His smile
F
And the boy cried out
C G
With the trust of a child

He said:
D G
"Take my five loaves and two fishes
D A Bm
Do with it as you will
A G A
I surrender
D G
Take my fears and my inhibitions
D A Bm
All my burdens, my ambitions
A G A D
You can use it all to feed them all"

C G
I often think about that boy when I'm feeling small
Am F
And I worry that the work I do means nothing at all
C G
But every single tear I cry is a diamond in His hands
Am F
And every door that slams in my face, I will offer up in prayer

F C
So I'll give you every breath that I have
F C
Oh Lord, you can work miracles
F C G
All that you need is my "Amen"

D G
So take my five loaves and two fishes
D A Bm
Do with it as you will
A G A
I surrender
D G
Take my fears and my inhibitions
D A Bm
All my burdens, my ambitions
A G A D
You can use it all I hope it's not too smalll"

F G D
I trust in you
F G A
I trust in you

D G
Take my five loaves and two fishes
D A Bm
Do with it as you will
A G A
I surrender
D G
Take my fears and my inhibitions
D A Bm
All my burdens, my ambitions
A G D A Bm
You can use it all
A D
No gift is too small.

New Year / Christmas Carolling

2009-01-01T02:45:00.003+08:00

Happy New Year! It's officially 2009! How was your 2008?

If it wasn't that great... well 2009 is a fresh start, a new beginning, a new step into the right direction.

If it was good, then well done! 2009 will bring more challenges to both your faith and life in general.

-

On the 27th of December, RCIY IHM embarked on a extremely ambitious plan to spread a little Christmas cheer around. With just 3 practice sessions and generally sounding not much better than chalk scrapping on a blackboard, we went forth to carol at Pelangi Home as well as Esther's (Ashlee's friend) house.

Personally for me, stepping into Pelangi Home was much less intimidating than the other time as I knew what to expect after the first time. Not that the residents threw tomatoes at us or did something similarly bad, but just that I knew that they might not respond to us despite our ardentest efforts to try and reach out to them.

Overall the caroling was paaassssaaabbble. (quite difficult to say that word) At least I saw some of them clapping their hands and cheering for us. We went to talk to some of them and I felt that I had less hesitation to walk towards them to try and communicate with them. Though some didn't really respond, there weren’t really awkward silences. Sometimes silence conveys more than words. After a nice and informative chat with Mr King, the person in charge, we left for Esther's house.

Getting there, we got into a bit of trouble as we left Greg at the bus terminal while we happily boarded the bus. Sorry man! Luckily he managed to catch up with us in time.

At Esther's place, we were greeted warmly by Esther and her husband and some very adorable kids. There were 3 of her kids plus 2 of their friends, so it felt like we were singing to a primary school class.

This time our caroling sounded much better, probably because we had ample practice at Pelangi home and also because we sound better in a smaller, enclosed space.

We ended off the day at Glen's house where we watched DVDs and munched KFC for dinner.

A splendid day spent with the RCIY people. Thanks all!

//dan

Blessed Christmas!

2008-12-25T02:03:00.001+08:00

From all of us in the RCIY team... Blessed Christmas everyone!

Today a savior has been born... Jesus Christ our Lord!

Peace, Joy and Hope to everyone!

Christmas is here!

2008-12-11T00:07:00.002+08:00

Heeeelllloooo everyoooonneee!! *echos Heeeelllloooo everyoooonneee!!*

It's been some time since there was a post. How is everyone doing? Good? It's Advent season! That means it's the 'coming to' period. Coming to Christmas!

How is your Advent preparation? Are you filled with hope, joy and peace in this period? What do you hope for this Christmas?

We shall be visiting Pelangi Home again on the 27th of this month, to bring some joy to them through the use of our voices. Do join us for our carolling practice on Sundays at 1pm.

We may not have the most wonderful voices but we shall sing out with joy and hope, the kind of joy and hope only a Christian would have in this Advent period as we wait for our Savior to be born.

Do join us!

Cell phone vs. Bible

2008-12-11T00:03:00.000+08:00

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat
our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several time a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?

.
.
.

Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities?

How do you know what is God's will?

2008-11-15T23:47:00.009+08:00

Yesterday I attended a talk at CSC about discerning God's will. Many times, especially when we are making major decisions in life, we want to know which decision is God's will and which is not. The session, done by Father William Goh, talks about discerning in a clear and systematic way.

Basically, there are 3 criteria for deciding whether the decision is willed by God.

1. The decision should not lead you to abandon your current responsibilities. For example, if you suddenly feel that God is calling you to do mission work in Africa, yet you have elderly parents to take care of here in Singapore... then most probably, that is not God's will. Usually the decision will enhance your present vocation/duties and not cause you to abandon it. There are exceptions of course, but then you have to see if it fulfills the other 2 criteria.

2. The decision you make will result you in being a state of peace, joy or consolation. This state is enduring and not momentary. So if you decide on a decision and it leaves you excited at first but very unsettled later, maybe you should re-evaluate. On the other hand, the decision might be a difficult one and you might experience fear and anxiety at first, but if after a while you find an inner peace and joy despite the fear, it might actually be the right decision.

3. The decision that you make, results in virtues such as humility, charity, obedience perseverance. This means that the decision you make will result in more humility, charity, obedience and perseverance either being exhibited by yourself or the people around you. The most important virtue is charity or love - all the other virtues pale before love. If the decision results in love, then it has a higher chance of being God's will.

The talk goes on more about presuppositions of discernment, about some basic principles of discernment, for example, discernment is best done in a group (personal discernment is less effective than group). Also discernment should include the counsel of holy people and legitimate authorities (like your parish priest ;-) ) The decision that you are about to make must also be in line with church teachings, bible teachings even before we consider the 3 criteria.

Overall the talk was very enriching, enlightening and very useful for daily decision making. It was held at the Catholic Spirituality Centre.

// Dan

Love Without Hope. But Love Anyway.

2008-11-02T22:23:00.009+08:00

Hi all,

We just had our visit to Blue Cross, Pelangi Village today. It's a home that houses male residents that have varying degrees of mental disability.

The visit was challenging, as it forced us to step out of our comfort zone to reach out to them, but ultimately the whole experience was both humbling and rewarding.

Anyway I want to share something that I shared after the visit, for the benefit of those who couldn't make it. After the activities with the residents, we retreated to a corner where we had some reflections. Brother Alphonsus read a passage from 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 (The famous chapter that you hear in a lot wedding masses, because it speaks about love ;-)) The last line of the chapter goes:

So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

This got me to think about love, hope and faith being seperate entities and how love was the greatest among these three. I was thinking about hope and love. Can we love without hope?

Looking at the residents, I realize that perhaps hope is not something that is in abundance among them. (I think) Very few of them actually get better and go out to integrate with society. Those that actually do are the lucky ones, most of them are quite old and will probably spend the rest of their days in the home. Hope for them to recover is something quite difficult to conceive.

Looking specifically at our visit that day, we just merely spent a few hours with them to talk to them, sing for them and to play some simple games. These can't hardly have much of an impact to them or to their mental health, what can a few hours do that will help them get better? The hope for them to get better just because our brief visit is quite pointless.

Yet we can still love without hope. We can still do things for them out of love, show our care and concern for them, bring some joy in their lives. Love is still real, strong and concrete without the presence of hope for them to get better. Our loving actions still touch them in some way and brings comfort to them. We love not for the sake of hope but love for love's sake.

It's something like stories you hear about someone caring for his spouse, even though the spouse can no longer recognize the care giver due to sickness or old age. Or how the destitute and dying are taken care of even though they have no hope of recovery. Love is shown onto them even when hope has long since walked out the door.

It is difficult, but it can be done, and it must be done because we all have been loved first by God.

Love without hope. but love anyway.

Just my thoughts.

// Dan

Struggling with our own Inadequacy.

2008-11-01T11:18:00.007+08:00

A really beautiful reflection in the Catholic News:

Struggling with our own Inadequacy, by Father Ron Rolheiser

It is hard to measure up. In our lucid moments we admit this.
Rarely is there a day when we could not echo these words by Anna Blaman:

"I realized that it was simply impossible for a human being to be and remain good or pure.
If, for instance, I wanted to be attentive in one direction, it could only be at the cost of neglecting another. If I gave my heart to one thing, it left another in the cold.
No day and no hour go by without my being guilty of inadequacy.
We never do enough, and what we do is never well enough done, except being inadequate,
which we are good at because that is the way we are made.
This is true of me and of everyone else. Every day and every hour brings with it its weight of moral guilt, as regards my work and my relations with others.
I am constantly catching myself out in my human failings and, in spite of their being implied in my human imperfection, I am conscious of a sort of check.
And this means that my human shortcomings are also my human guilt.
It sounds strange that we should be guilty where we can do nothing about it.
But even where there is no set purpose, no deliberate intention, we have a conviction of our own shortcomings, and of consensual guilt, a guilt which shows itself all too clearly in the consequences of what we have done or left undone."

[+/-]Click here to read the rest of post...

Henri Nouwen occasionally expressed similar feelings: There is a nagging sense that there are unfinished tasks, unfulfilled promises, unrealized proposals.
There is always something else that we should have remembered, done, or said.
There are always people we did not speak to, write to, or visit.
Thus, although we are very busy, we also have a lingering feeling of never really fulfilling our obligations. A gnawing sense of being unfulfilled underlies our filled lives.

When we are in touch with ourselves, we can relate to these words, these expressions of inadequacy. At the end of the day, we cannot measure up and cannot not disappoint others and ourselves. Generally the fault is not that we are not sincere or that we do not put out the effort. The fault is that we are human. We have limited resources, get tired, experience feelings we cannot control, have only 24 hours in our day, have too many demands on us, have wounds and weaknesses that shackle us, and thus know exactly what St. Paul meant when he said: Woe, to me, wretch that I am, the good I want to do, I cannot do; and the evil I want to avoid, I end up doing!

That may sound negative, neurotic, and stoic, and it can be those things, but, appropriated properly, it can generate hope and renewed energy in our lives.
To be human is to be inadequate, by definition. Only God is adequate and the rest of us can safely say to ourselves: Fear not you are inadequate! But a God who made us this way surely gives us the slack, the forgiveness, and the grace we need to work with this. Personally, I take consolation from the gospel parable of the ten bridesmaids who, while waiting for the bridegroom, all fell asleep, wise and the foolish alike. Even the wise were too human and too weak to stay awake the whole time. Nobody does it perfectly and accepting this, our congenital inadequacy, can bring us to a healthy humility and perhaps even to a healthy humor about it.

But it should bring us to something more: prayer, especially the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is, among other things, a vigil of waiting. When Jesus instituted the Eucharist he told the disciples to keep celebrating it until he returned again. A biblical scholar, Gerhard Lofink, puts it this way: The early apostolic communities cannot be understood outside of the matrix of intense expectation. They were communities imminently awaiting Christ's return. They gathered in Eucharist, among other reasons, to foster and sustain this awareness, namely, that they were living in wait, waiting for Christ to return.

I try to celebrate Eucharist every day. I do this because I am a priest and part of the covenant a priest makes with the church at his ordination is to pray the priestly prayer of Jesus, the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours, regularly for the world. But I do it too, more personally, for another reason: The older I get, the less confident, in some ways, I am becoming. I don't always know whether I'm following Christ properly or even know exactly what it means to follow Christ, and so I stake my faith on an invitation that Jesus left us on the night before he died: To break bread and drink wine in his memory and to trust that this, if all else is uncertain, is what we should be doing while we wait for him to return.

~crystal

Pelangi Village trip.

2008-10-29T22:20:00.008+08:00

Hi all,

We shall be going to Pelangi Village on 2nd November (Sunday) to volunteer and bring some joy to the residents there. We shall head for the home ~~after our usual Sunday session, leaving IHM about 1230pm~~ at 1215pm after an early lunch at 1115. The whole thing will probably end by 6pm.

Do try and join us as it is excellent chance for us to show our Christian love for those that are not as fortunate as us. It will be a wonderful and enriching experience I can assure you.

See you all!

Do you wish to honour the body of Christ? Do not ignore him when he is naked. Do not pay him homage in the temple clad in silk, only then to neglect him outside where he is cold and ill-clad. He who said: "This is my body" is the same who said: "You saw me hungry and you gave me no food", and "Whatever you did to the least of my brothers you did also to me"...

- St John Chrysostom

Be Not Afraid.

2008-10-22T10:05:00.004+08:00

It is the midweek Wednesday, how fares your week so far?

It is also the exam period for those taking their O levels. All the best to Emmanuel and Marcus, our prayers are with you. Also to Glenn who is earning his right to be a citizen of this country. To our sponors who will be having their exams soon.

Are you worried or troubled about your work, examinations or problems that appear out of nowhere in your life? Jesus reassures us that we will not be alone and there is no need for fear...

The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name--he will teach you everything and remind you of all that (I) told you.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

- John 14: 26-27

// dan

Abraham/Sacrifice

2008-10-10T00:35:00.018+08:00

The video below is a very nice video about sacrifice, specifically Abraham's (intended) sacrifice of his son.

[+/-]Click here if you don'd know the Abraham story.

Basically God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son as a test of Abraham's faith. Just before he was about to do it, God stopped him and asked him to sacrifice a ram caught in the bushes nearby instead. This shows Abraham's steadfast obedience and faith in God.

The text can be found in the link below (read verse 1 - 13):
Genesis 22

dan

The Choice

2008-10-07T13:07:00.001+08:00

by Max Lucado

It's quiet. It's early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.

In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose. And so I choose.

I choose love . . .

No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy . . .

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical . . . the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace . . .

I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience . . .

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness . . .

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness . . .

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness . . .

Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I choose gentleness . . .

Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice, may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control . . .

I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

- val

The Holy Alphabet

2008-10-06T18:09:00.001+08:00

read this today and i LIKE it! sharing :)

Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of "Camp Complaining"
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To "thank" is a blessing
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We'll run the race with gratitude
eXalting God most high
Yes, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Zion waits in glory....where none are ever sad!

- love from the pseudo english teacher

Do small things with great love

2008-10-06T10:19:00.004+08:00

Hello everyone,

I found this post on the nus catholic students society blog and found it worth sharing. Remember the session on divine justice and judgement done by Jerome and Jacob? Here's something to think about. "Whatever you did to the least of my brothers, you did unto me"

Thank You Jesus

I remember some few Sundays back, there was a visiting priest that gave a homily about this girl, who was blind. She was carrying some items that was to be sold, when two men rushed passed her. Both of them were rushing to catch their flight, which was already asking for them to report at the gate. And while they were rushing, man 1 knocked her down and her items spilled over the floor. He simply passed her by and did not give her a second look. Man 2 saw what was happening, and while he wanted to just pass her by, he could not. He called out after the first man, and said "I'll catch you there after the next flight". He stooped down, helped the blind girl up, and picked up the items she had dropped. When she was ready, he turned to leave. But as he was walking away, she called out to him "Mister, mister, are you Jesus?". When he was too stunned to respond, she called out to him again, asking, "Mister, mister, are you Jesus?"

I suddenly remembered this while I was on the train back from Toa Payoh to Yew Tee where I live. I got into the train with this old lady, but because the seats were full, she stood at the sides where the glass panel was. Whereas I was standing with my brother in front of the seats, holding the handles and in anticipation for someone to leave their seats. Stops after stops, I couldn't help but notice that the old lady kept turning around to spot for a seat. Finally, just before Ang Mo Kio, someone stood up in front of me. I hurriedly turned to see whether the old lady was alighting since I was thinking of 'chope-ing' the seat for her. If she wasn't, I would ask her to the seat. But I couldn't tell. She was standing amidst the crowd getting off at AMK. So I just sat first, afraid that some other unfriendly person would sit and not give up their seat for her. When she turned around to, again, look for available seats, I caught her eye and immediately stood up. I told her that the seat was for her, and she refused to take it, until somehow or another, she decided to sit down. As she made herself comfortable on the seat, she said, "Thank you Jesus". I thought I heard wrongly and returned to reply "you're welcome" when I heard her say, again, "Thank you Jesus". She was a Christian too, as I later found out. And she just kept thanking Jesus while talking to me. Till now, I have no idea whether she was speaking to me or to Jesus. But that struck me quite hard and hence, reminded me of the homily.

Just a simple act of offering the seat to another. It was one of those simple things that Clarissa was talking about in her sharing. So imagine how many people we can be 'Jesus' to, if we, like what Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, "do small things with great love".

Have a blessed week my friends.

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Emergency Phone Numbers

2008-10-03T15:42:00.001+08:00

When in sorrow, call John 14.
When men fail you, call Psalm 27.
If you want to be fruitful, call John 15.
When you have sinned, call Psalm 51.
When you worry, call Matthew 6:19-34.
When you are in danger, call Psalm 91.
When God seems far away, call Psalm 139.
When your faith needs stirring, call Hebrews 11.
When you are lonely and fearful, call Psalm 23.
When you grow bitter and critical, call 1 Cor. 13.
For Paul's secret to happiness, call Col.3:12-17.
For idea of Christianity, call 11 Cor. 5:15-19.
When you feel down and out, call Romans 8:31.
When you want peace and rest, call Matt.11:25-30.
When the world seems bigger than God, call Psalm 90.
When you leave home for labor or travel, call Psalm 121.
Your prayers growth narrow and selfish, call Psalm 67.
For a great invention/opportunity, call Isaiah 55.
When you want courage for a task, call Joshua 1.
How to get along with fellow men, call Romans 12.
When you think of investments/returns, call Mark 10.
If you are depressed, call Psalm 27.
If your pocketbook is empty, call Psalm 37.
If you're losing confidence in people, call 1 Cor. 13.
If people seem unkind, call John 15.
If discouraged about your work, call Psalm 126.
If you find the world growing small and yourself great, call Psalm 19.

NOTE: EMERGENCY NUMBERS may be DAILED DIRECT. No operator assistance is necessary. ALL LINES ARE OPEN TO HEAVEN 24 HOURS A DAY!

Promises

2008-10-02T09:36:00.009+08:00

"For I know the plans I have for you,

Plans for good and not for disaster,

To give you a future and a hope."

- Jeremiah 29:11

Somewhere along the line we all become jaded of broken promises. A parent who promises to buy us a new mobile phone, take us on a holiday, show up at a performance we're involved in, or simply just be home for dinner. A friend that stands us up after we've bought the movie tickets, left the house, or worse, are already waiting at the meeting place. Early on in life, we learn to shield ourselves from the pain of such rejection by not putting too much hope in these promises, lest we all be let down.

I guess the presence of people who let us down, despite their best intentions, is what makes God's promises so precious. What He has promised, He will deliver. It's almost like Fedex.. guaranteed delivery... or a eternal warranty! Signed (by His life among us on earth), sealed (by His passion and death) and delivered (us! the unworthy! from the grave)! Parents may grow old and forget, friends might have changes of heart. But God doesn't grow old, and God is constant, unchanging and unwavering in His love for us. He doesn't promise us a good, cushy life, nor the perfect family, nor Prince Charming or Princess Aurora/Fiona (depending on your preferences...) who will sweep you off your feet... But He does promise us His undying love and a place in the eternal kingdom, if we trust in Him.

And we know that God will come through on His promises, to give us a future and a hope, even when we feel like there isn't any left, because He *is* the everlasting God, and He will stand firm even when the foundations of this earth and this life crumble and fade away.

Isn't that the greatest news ever? :)

- val

The Holy Mass

2008-10-01T15:37:00.006+08:00

Here are some words from an amazing saint - Padre Pio - on the proper way of attending Holy Mass:

In order to avoid irreverence and imperfections in the house of God, in church -- which the Divine Master calls the "house of prayer" -- I exhort you in the Lord to practice the following:

Enter the church in silence and with great respect, considering yourself unworthy to appear before the Lord's Majesty. Among other pious considerations, remember that our soul is the temple of God and, as such, we must keep it pure and spotless before God and his angels.

Let us blush for having given access to the devil and his snares many times (with his enticements to the world, his pomp, his calling to the flesh) by not being able to keep our hearts pure and our bodies chaste; for having allowed our enemies to insinuate themselves into our hearts, thus desecrating the temple of God which we became through holy Baptism.

Then take Holy Water and make the Sign of the Cross carefully and slowly. As soon as you are before God in the Blessed Sacrament, devoutly genuflect. Once you have found your place, kneel down and render the tribute of your presence and devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Confide all your needs to Him along with those of others. Speak to Him with filial abandonment, give free rein to your heart, and give Him complete freedom to work in you as He thinks best.

When assisting at Holy Mass and the sacred functions, be very composed when standing up, kneeling down, and sitting, and carry out every religious act with the greatest devotion. Be modest in your glances; don't turn your head here and there to see who enters and leaves. Don't laugh, out of reverence for this holy place and also out of respect for those who are near you. Try not to speak to anybody, except when charity or strict necessity requests this.

If you pray with others, say the words of the prayer distinctly, observe the pauses well, and never hurry.

In short, behave in such a way that all present are edified by it and, through you, are urged to glorify and love the heavenly Father.

On leaving the church, you should be recollected and calm. Firstly take your leave of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament; ask his forgiveness for the shortcomings committed in his Divine presence and do not leave him without asking for and having received his paternal blessing.

Once you are outside the church, be as every follower of the Nazarene should be. Above all, be extremely modest in everything, as this is the virtue which, more than any other, reveals the affections of the heart. Nothing represents an object more faithfully or clearly than a mirror. In the same way, nothing more widely represents the good or bad qualities of a soul than the greater or lesser regulation of the exterior, as when one appears more or less modest. You must be modest in speech, modest in laughter, modest in your bearing, modest in walking. All this must be practiced, not out of vanity in order to display one's self, nor out of hypocrisy in order to appear to be good to the eyes of others, but rather, for the internal virtue of modesty, which regulates the external workings of the body.

Therefore, be humble of heart, circumspect in words, prudent in your resolutions. Always be sparing in your speech, assiduous in good reading, attentive in your work, modest in your conversation. Don't be disgusting to anybody but be benevolent towards all and respectful towards your elders. May any sinister glance be far from you, may no daring word escape your lips, may you never carry out any immodest or somewhat free action; never a rather free action or a petulant tone of voice. In short let your whole exterior be a vivid image of the composure of your soul.

Always keep the modesty of the Divine Master before your eyes, as an example; this Master who, according to the words of the Apostle to the Corinthians, placing the modesty of Jesus Christ on an equal footing with meekness, which was his one particular virtue and almost his characteristic: "Now I Paul myself beseech you, by the mildness and modesty of Christ" [Douay-Rheims, 2 Corinthians 10:1], and according to such a perfect model reform all your external operations, which should be faithful reflections revealing the affections of your interior.

Never forget this Divine model. Try to see a certain lovable majesty in His Presence, a certain pleasant authority in his manner of speaking, a certain pleasant dignity in walking, in contemplating, speaking, conversing; a certain sweet serenity of face."

Source: http://totustuusfamily.blogspot.com/2008/09/spectular-saint-on-behavior-at-mass.html

~crystal

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Trees that Wood

2008-09-29T14:25:00.004+08:00

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."

Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."

Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

When things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

- val

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Updates.

2008-09-29T10:08:00.007+08:00

Hi everyone, yes... it's the beginning of the week, the dreaded Monday. But let us not begin the week in apprehension but to begin it with a 'reset' mentality. Reset what?

All the troubles, worries, doubt, fears, anxieties, unresolved issues of the past week.

Monday is the first day of the new week, a new beginning, a new start. A time where we can right whatever went wrong in the previous week, another chance at the crosses we failed to carry in the previous week.

How will you approach your crosses in this brand new week?

-
The photos from the camp And from the saturday night outing at Glen's place are in the Photos page (if you didn't know that) Click on the links at the bottom left corner.

-
We shall be helping out at one of the homes in Pelangi Village on 2nd November (Sunday), it will be in the afternoon. More details later...

// Daniel

Salutations!

2008-09-27T10:32:00.001+08:00

Welcome to the new and revamped RCIY IHM website!

We hope that you will find this a cosy place to hang around... and that you can contribute towards building up this cyber home too!

If you would like to post something on the blog, be it faith stories, struggles in your life, learning experiences in the RCIY journey, or anything that you want to share with the rest of us... please send it to us so that we can post it up!

In this site, you can browse the information, look at the photos from past events, write something in the friends box, write a prayer request... and more!

We hope you have a great time!

tip: You can hide some of the sidebar stuff (if it's too cluttered) with the [hide] button.

2008-09-27T10:14:00.001+08:00

~crystal

God always sends rainbows

2008-09-24T16:25:00.004+08:00

Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
there will always be sunshine,
after the rain ....

Perhaps you may stumble,
perhaps even fall,
But God's always ready,
To answer your call ...

He knows every heartache,
sees every tear,
A word from His lips,
can calm every fear ...

Your sorrows may linger,
throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish,
in dawn's early light ...

The Savior is waiting,
somewhere above,
To give you His grace,
and send you His love ..

Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
"God always sends rainbows ......
after the rain ... "

~crystal~

God is closer to the sinner

2008-09-24T10:48:00.000+08:00

ok i know i am like on a roll like that.. but here is something more bite size, can chew for the whole day type. :)

One of the disconcerting -- and delightful —teachings of the Master was: "God is closer to sinners than to saints."

This is how he explained it: "God in heaven holds each person by a string. When you sin, you cut the string. Then God ties it up again, making a knot and thereby bringing you a little closer to him. Again and again your sins cut the string and with each further knot God keeps drawing you closer and closer."

by: Anthony de Mello, SJ, One Minute Wisdom

val

i guess you'll have to take it on faith.

2008-09-24T10:34:00.007+08:00

the full text of what we shared during one of the sessions. how do we know God exists?

"Let me explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ." The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

"You're a Christian, aren't you, son?

"Yes sir," the student says.

"So you believe in God?"

"Absolutely."

"Is God good?"

"Sure! God's good."

"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"

"Yes."

"Are you good or evil?"

"The Bible says I'm evil."

The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment.

"Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?"

"Yes sir, I would."

"So you're good...!"

"I wouldn't say that."

"But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't."

The student does not answer, so the professor continues.

"He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?"

The student remains silent.

"No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

"Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?"

"Er...yes," the student says.

"Is Satan good?"

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No."

"Then where does Satan come from?"

The student falters. "From...God..."

"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?"

"Yes, sir."

"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?"

"Yes."

"So who created evil?"

Again, the student has no answer.

"Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness. All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?"

The student squirms on his feet. "Yes."

"So who created them?"

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question.

"Who created them?"

There is still no answer

Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized.

"Tell me," he continues onto another student. "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?"

The student's voice betrays him and cracks. "Yes, professor. I do."

The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?"

"No sir. I've never seen Him."

"Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?"

"No, sir. I have not."

"Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter."

"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."

"Yet you still believe in him?"

"Yes."

"According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?"

"Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith."

"Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith."

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own.

"Professor, is there such thing as heat?"

"Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat."

"And is there such a thing as cold?"

"Yes, son, there's cold too."

"No sir, there isn't."

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain.

"You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than -458 degrees. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it."

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

"What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?"

"Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it isn't darkness?"

"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light.. but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?"

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester.

"So what point are you making, young man?"

"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with and so your conclusion must also be flawed."

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can you explain how?"

"You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it."

"Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?"

"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do."

"Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going.

A very good semester indeed.

"Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?"

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.

"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean."

The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter. "Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?"

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess you'll have to take them on faith."

love, val

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God, our silversmith

2008-09-23T16:38:00.003+08:00

A story about how God shapes us...

Some time ago, a few ladies met to study the bible. While reading the 3rd chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the 3rd verse, "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifer of silver." One lady decided to visit a silversmith and report to the others on what he said about the subject.

She went according and without telling him the reason for her visit, begged the silversmith to tell her about the process of refining silver.

After he had fully described it to her, she asked, "Sir, must you sit and watch constantly while the work of refining is going on?"

"Oh yes ma'am," replied the silversmith, "I must sit and watch the furnace constantly, for, if the time neccessary for refining is exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

The lady at once saw the beauty and comfort of the expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." God sees it neccessary to put His children into the furnace; but His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure.

Before she left, the lady asked one final question, "How do you know when the process is complete?"

"That's quite simple," replied the silversmith. "When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finished."

- Valerie

Contact

2000-01-02T00:00:00.113+08:00

We really hope to hear from you! Do contact us!

Whether you are keen to join us, or have some questions to ask or simply want us to pray for you ... we will be more than glad to help you out.

If you wish to ask a faith question and remain anonymous at the same time, you may fill out the email as askRCIY@gmail.com and we will answer your question via the blog on the Home page. Do give us some time to reply, we got regular lives you know!

Fill out my Wufoo form!

About

2000-01-02T00:00:00.112+08:00

We are the Rite of Christian Initiation of Youths (RCIY) from the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM).

Quite a mouthful huh.

In other words, we are a group of youths within the church of IHM and our mission is to introduce God to other youths, like youself! We do this through a journey. A journey to discover life and to discover God: the RCIY journey.

The RCIY Journey

The RCIY journey can be compared with the one you made from toddler to teen, we start you off with the most basic and fundamental questions:

"Who am I?",
"What is my place here in this world?"
"Who is God?"
"Is there a God?"

As time passes you will learn more about yourself, about God, about the Catholic faith; You will find youself growing, the way you grew from a baby to teen.

The journey is made of weekly sessions that consists of a bunch of friends coming together to share about their faith stories and experiences. You will not be alone, of course. Dedicated catholic youths (known as "sponsors") will be your traveling companion through the entire journey. They are committed to be your friend and guide.

Our sessions are held on Sunday mornings in IHM (IHM is located in the Serangoon district).

The RCIY Team

We are a bunch of happy, friendly, sometimes cranky, but altogether fun-loving group of youths; We come from all sorts of backgrounds, shapes, sizes, levels of kookiness etc. We have one thing in common though... we have a burning desire to introduce God to everyone! (and to make many friends along the way)

Next... Go to the RCIY Team page to see our profiles.
Our Faith would show you what we believe in.

Our Faith

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Who am I?
Where do I come from?
What is my purpose in life?

Are you bothered about such questions? At some point in time of our lives, we may find ourselves asking, “Who am I?” “Am I alive by mere chance?”

You are not an accident. You are alive because God wanted to create you.

You were loved into being.

If there was no God, we would all be “accidents,” the result of a random dice roll by evolution. Life would have no real purpose, no destination to dream about. Everything would end with death. There would be no meaning … no significance.

But there is a God who made you for a reason, and because of this, your life has profound meaning.

God created you to love Him and to love others. He gave you dignity by shaping you after his own likeness.

God considers you to be of great value. He takes personal interest in knowing you completely.

He has a path planned specially for everyone of us, a path that will lead us to love and to Him.

However Man is unable to fully understand and return to God because of sin.

All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. - Romans 3:23

To bridge the gap between God and Man, God took the form of a man, Jesus. He came to be with us, to teach us and finally to suffer and die for us.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23

He was tortured and put to death by us, the people He loved so much.
However all was not lost, as within three days of his death, He rose up again, returning to heaven in glory.

With His sacrifice, God showed us how much He loved us. He also removed the sin that is blocking us from Him, opening the way towards Him again.

All He asks from us is to open our hearts to Him.

You have tried many other things in your search for happiness; why not try opening your heart to Jesus, right now?

Come to Me with your misery and your sins, with your troubles and needs, and with all your longing to be loved. Behold I stand at the door of your heart and knock. Will you open and let Me in?

Sponsor/Catechist Recruitment

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Hello!

If you're here, you're probably at least a biiiiiit interested in either being a sponsor or a catechist for the next RCIY journey (2009 - 2011).

So what roles do these two play?

A sponsor is a companion to the inquirer (someone who is interested in the Catholic faith) throughout the entire journey. Many inquirers come in unsure and seeking - the sponsor is there to reassure the inquirer and to be a friend to the inquirer. The sponsor will (try to) answer questions from the inquirer, share about his/her own struggles/faith stories to the inquirer, basically be the inquirer's personal connection to the parish.

A catechist's role is to show the inquirer what the Catholic faith is all about. He/She has the 'teacher' role. The catechist will be in charge of conducting the weekly sessions - to present the teachings of the Church to the inquirers.

FAQ:

Why don't I see any catechists in the RCIY Team page?
Previously, sponsors did the role of both catechist and sponsor, thus everyone is called a 'sponsor'.

I'm not very good in xxx or yyy... can I still be a sponsor/ catechist?
Sure, why not! Though we recognize that people have different skillsets and personalities that gravitate them towards certain roles, we won't pigeon hole you to a certain role. There will be ample training provided for both sponsor and catechist, so don't worry!

What is the commitment level like?
At the basic level, it's every Sunday for the sessions. Then we also have other activities like monthly meetings, training sessions once every few weeks and prayer meets once every few weeks.

Any other questions, just contact us! If you are interested, fill up the form below and we will get back to you soon!

Click here to go to the registration form!

Resources

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Truth, is sadly not a strong virtue of the internet. There is a lot of misinformation on the internet regarding the Catholic faith. These are spread by people who want to sow discord in the church and to promote their own biased, flawed ideas. Some even masquerade as "Catholic" websites to confuse everyone.

Fortunately there are some websites which do not fall under this category. They provide a wealth of information regarding the faith and the church. Some recommended ones are:

The New American Bible
This is the New American Bible (not to be confused with The New American Standard Bible, a protestant bible) which is fully online for your use daily.

The Complete Catholic Handbook
This is a very useful handbook for Catholics that tries to answer almost any question that a Catholic can ever think of with regards to faith. The answers are kept short and direct, making the whole handbook very readable.

Catholic Answers
This site focuses on core teachings of the church that may be difficult to understand or controversial to the outside world. It is goes more in depth into these topics as compared to the Catholic Handbook.

Catholic Online
This is more of a portal that deals with anything Catholic.