You don’t have to be a priest to be a pope?!?! 🤯
Your fun fact of the day, you’re welcome! 🫡

In this inaugural episode of To Be Honest, we talk about the origin and role of the pope, why we should care about the papacy, the struggles of following the Church's teachings and if we really need a Church that isn’t perfect.

Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/IKfdNSAPtpU

The church is meant to be a place where believers love one another as Christ loves us, a place of acceptance and unity. Yet, it is often within this community that many of us experience relational struggles and hurts.

We call the Church holy not because we overlook the sins of Catholics over the past two thousand years, but because the Holy Spirit continues to enable forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation despite the deepest wounds — the wounds we receive in the house of our friends (Zechariah 13:6).

My friend, if you have been hurt by the Church, know that you are a valuable part of it. You are seen, you are loved, and you matter.

Have you been wounded during your journey in the Catholic Church? What causes someone to leave our Church – or stay? How can Faith help heal our hurts? Join us for our next Heart-to-Heart Conversations with Cardinal William Goh. Limited seats are available, indicate your interest by July 17 at https://go.catholic.sg/hth-4

For more, visit www.catholic.sg/heart-to-heart

Gary first encountered the concept of God in a Catholic school, despite coming from a family that did not follow the faith. Initially seeking the comfort of the chapel’s air conditioning, he soon found himself joining a Bible-sharing group, praying the rosary, and even playing the organ for Mass. This journey eventually led him to be baptised.

Yet, as life's trials unfolded, Gary faced moments of doubt and despair. A diagnosis of congenital hernia shook him to his core, prompting questions about God's plan for his life. Anger and a sense of abandonment led Gary to distance himself from the Church.

But God, in His infinite mercy, never abandoned him. Even in his darkest hour, He provided for him in ways that he had not expected.

📖 Read more

Do you know of someone who is seeking a reconnection to the faith? Landings Singapore’s new run begins on 26 August 2024, visit https://landings.org.sg/whats-happening/ to find out more!

Where does God want us, as a Church, to be in the next 10 years?

The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council (APC) has published a Schema, which is a draft document on the possible pastoral priorities of our diocese for the next 10 years.

We invite all Catholics to read it, have conversations on the Schema within your community and share any feedback you might have.

View the Schema: https://www.catholic.sg/apc-schema/
Learn more about the work of the APC: https://www.catholic.sg/apc/

Do keep a look out for your Parish Conversations on the Schema!

Jesus is a mad lover because he 𝘪𝘴 the perfect lover.

And he will be a lover forever, a lover of both you and me. He died and rose on account of his maddeningly perfect love for us, a love that has no compare, no equal.

Such is why the wounds of Jesus adorn his sacred body not only before the resurrection but for all time. In his wounds, Jesus proves beyond doubt that he is a mad lover. They are not simply the scars of our salvation; they are coveted trophies of his madness.

And he desires that you and I come to know him specifically as this sort of lover.

Jesus is a lover, and He will be a lover forever — a lover of both you and me.

📖 Read more

Discover the heart of Pope Francis through his writings!

Did you know that there are different types of papal writings that serve different purposes? In “A Joyful Journey with Pope Francis”, we will be diving into 3 types of papal writings: Apostolic Exhortations, Papal Encyclicals and Apostolic Letters. Understanding these documents reveals his apostolic vision and direction for us.

As we prepare for the upcoming papal visit, let’s deepen our spiritual journey by engaging with his teachings. Gather your friends, families, and communities to embark on a meaningful journey with our group resource!

Download now at bit.ly/AJoyfulJourneyWithPopeFrancis

Loving the Church isn’t a walk in the park, neither is it free from hurt or scandal. From suffering the judgements of those claiming to love Jesus, to witnessing the mistreatment that others have had to endure by those within the Church whom we expect the most out of – it can be difficult for us to reconcile our broken Church with the holiness that God has revealed about His Body.

You might wonder – “How can I trust the Church? How do I believe in a God who lets such evil happen in His Church? How am I to exist in a Church that lets scandal happen?”

Join us for our next Heart-to-Heart Conversations with Cardinal William Goh where we explore the topic of 𝙃𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. Limited seats are available, indicate your interest by July 17 at https://go.catholic.sg/hth-4 For more, visit www.catholic.sg/heart-to-heart

📖 Read more

Why do we need a Church that causes us more hurt and confusion when we already have a direct relationship with God? What is the Church’s role in our personal faith life?

Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/IKfdNSAPtpU

CBN Career Counselling
Weekly on Thursday

RCIA @Church of Divine Mercy - Registration
Until 20 Jul

Cantonese RCIA @Church of Sts Peter & Paul - Registration
Until 28 Jul

RCIA @Church of St Ignatius - Registration
Until 8 Sep

RCIA @Church of the Holy Cross - Registration
Until 8 Sep

Friday Growth - Holy Spirit: Gifts & Fruits
19 Jul

Chill out with the Friars: A Franciscan (OFM) Vocation Evening
21 Jul

4th Saturday Mass with Healing Prayer Service
27 Jul

Acts of the Apostles by Fr Ambrose Vaz
Starts 29 Jul

1 Samuel by Fr Ambrose Vaz
Starts 30 Jul

Sequela Christi 2024 - Pilgrimage to Spain, France and Portugal
Registration till 31 Jul

Theology of the Body Course
Starts 2 Aug

Teochew Retreat 2024
3 Aug

The Book of Psalms by Fr. Ferdinand Purnomo, OCD.
7 Aug

Cantonese Retreat 2024
9 Aug

Inner Healing Retreat #4
15-18 Aug

Franciscan Young Adults Laudate Night
16 Aug

Developing a Discerning Heart
Starts 17 Aug

Psychospiritual Counselling Symposium 2024
17 Aug

BRAVE: Being Fully Alive
17 Aug

The Holy Race - Bahasa Indonesia
17 Aug

[FCC] Learning to Listen and Facilitate
17 & 24 Aug

Vocation and Desire - A Jesuit reading of John of the Cross
21 Aug

Navigating Your Finances God's Way
Starts 22 Aug

Beyond K-drama: Faith and Personal Worldviews
23-25 Aug

An invitation to rekindle your faith
26 Aug

Liturgy as Service - A Jesuit response to Pope Francis' apostolic letter Desiderio Desideravi
28 Aug

Beach retreat: Rest, Relish & Recharge
29 Aug - 1 Sep

Catholic Foundation Dinner
18 Sep

The Art of Choosing
28-29 Sep

Marriage Preparation Course
29 Sep

Never Alone: Praying the Single Life
19-20 Oct

CHANCERY NOTICE EXTRACT (CHN/CN/2024/022)

Update on appointments to the following:

1. Assistant Parish Priest of Church of St Ignatius
2. Spiritual Director for the Young Christian Students’ Movement (YCS)
3. Spiritual Director for Institute for World Evangelisation - ICPE Mission Singapore
4. Spiritual Director for Archdiocesan Information Technology Council (AITC)
5. Spiritual Director for Archdiocesan Commission for Tamil-Speaking (ACTS)
6. Archdiocesan Information Technology Office (AITO)

ERRATUM
With reference to CHN/CN/2023/006: Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Movement has been given the recognition in the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, instead of the Archdiocese of Singapore.

Refer to the Chancery Notice for complete details.

📹 Watch the full video here