Sunday reading

Who in today’s world has not heard of Mother Teresa?

Who among us has not taken sides over her work, or her personality?

She was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, the youngest of three children to a very devout couple in Albania. At the age of 18, having completed her studies, she joined the Loreto sisters in Ireland, having chosen as her new name ‘Teresa’, after St Therese of Lisieux, the ever popular French Carmelite nun. Read more »

Approximately 25 Catholic lawyers attended the inaugural Red Mass held at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Johor Baharu on Saturday, May 16, 2015.

The Red Mass being held for the first time in the Malacca-Johor diocese was presided by His Lordship Bishop Paul Tan.

Con-celebrants included Msgr James Rajendran, Rev Fr. Valentine Gompok OFM Cap, Rev Fr. John Baptist Yeow and Rev Fr. Michael Teng. Read more »

The devotion to St Joseph, the husband of Mary, and the foster-father of Jesus, has grown in popularity in recent times.

His is one of the most common names for boys and girls.

Today Joseph is the patron of families and of the universal Church, and is invoked in preparation for a happy death.

On May 1, we also celebrate St Joseph the Worker, a significant feast for the modern world. Read more »

The foot-washing rite, called the Mandatum, was re-introduced into the liturgy by Pope Pius XII in 1955.

A circular letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship (CDW) explains its purpose: “The washing of the feet of chosen men which, according to tradition, is performed on this day, represents the service and charity of Christ who came ‘not to be served but to serve’ (Matt XX: 28).

This tradition should be maintained and its proper significance explained.” CDW, Paschales Solemnitatis (16 Jan 1988), n. 51. Read more »

The episode of the cleansing of the Temple is placed towards the end of Jesus’s public life in the Synoptic Gospels, and towards the beginning, in the Gospel of John.

The question of when it actually took place need not detain us here: what is important is to understand the meaning of what took place.

The story unfolds at two levels: the first is the corruption and commerce which greeted the devotee when he entered the Temple precincts. Read more »

Today’s Gospel introduces us to the vocation of the first disciples, Andrew, Peter and John, the Gospel writer.

These men came from Galilee but followed John the Baptist, and it is the Baptist who pointed out Jesus to them as the ‘Lamb of God’.

Let’s say a word about this title of Christ: ‘Lamb of God’. Read more »

Thousands of Catholic pilgrims descended on the Indian coastal state of Goa on Saturday to witness the once-a-decade exposition of the relics of a 16th century Spanish missionary.

Devotees from around the world formed a queue of more than one kilometre long to venerate the relics of St Francis Xavier, which are on display until January 4 in the former Portuguese colony. Read more »

Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Word of God introduces us today, in a special way, in the meaning of time, in understanding that time is not a foreign reality to God, simply because He willed to reveal Himself and to save us in history.

The meaning of time, temporality, is the atmosphere of God’s epiphany, that is, of the manifestation of God and of His concrete love.

In fact, time is God’s messenger, as Saint Peter Favre said. Read more »

The Basilica of St John Lateran is commonly considered “the mother of all churches”.

It was a palace belonging to the Emperor Constantine who gifted it to Pope St. Miltiades in 313.

Part of the palace became a church and it was dedicated to our Most Holy Saviour. The other part became the papal residence and continued as such for the next thousand years. Read more »

The Catholic Lawyers held their 20th Anniversary Dinner & Dance on Saturday, 11th October 2014, at 7.30 p.m. at the Ballroom Dewan Tunku in Kelab Golf Negara Subang (KGNS).

Just under 400 guests and members attended the function.

Also present at this event were guests of honour, Archbishop Julian Leow and Archbishop Emeritus Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam. Read more »