Ranson's Heaven.....just another simple blog!

SWITCHED!!! ATTENTION!

2007-06-16T13:42:00.000+08:00

MY WEBLOG WILL NOW BE AT

http://steveranson.wordpress.com

PLEASE RE-LINK ME :)

Reasons why I'm Catholic

2007-05-23T21:38:00.000+08:00

This is shared by Dave Armstrong who gave 150 reasons. Below are just some of them and some of which, i feel like saying "how true!":

1. Best One-Sentence Summary: I am convinced that the Catholic Church conforms much more closely to all of the biblical data, offers the only coherent view of the history of Christianity (i.e., Christian, apostolic Tradition), and possesses the most profound and sublime Christian morality, spirituality, social ethic, and philosophy.

2. Catholicism isn't formally divided and sectarian (Jn 17:20-23; Rom 16:17; 1 Cor 1:10-13).

3. Catholic unity makes Christianity and Jesus more believable to the world (Jn 17:23).

4. Protestantism leans too much on mere traditions of men (every denomination stems from one Founder's vision. As soon as two or more of these contradict each other, error is necessarily present).

5. Catholicism retains apostolic succession, necessary to know what is true Christian apostolic Tradition. It was the criterion of Christian truth used by the early Christians.

6. Evangelicalism's "techniques" of evangelism are often contrived and manipulative, certainly not directly derived from the text of the Bible. Some even resemble brainwashing to a degree.

7. Catholicism retains the sense of the sacred, the sublime, the holy, and the beautiful in spirituality. The ideas of altar, and "sacred space" are preserved. Many Protestant churches are no more than "meeting halls" or "gymnasiums" or "barn"-type structures. Most Protestants' homes are more esthetically striking than their churches. Likewise, Protestants are often "addicted to mediocrity" in their appreciation of art, music, architecture, drama, the imagination, etc.

8. Most Protestants regard the Eucharist symbolically, which is contrary to universal Christian Tradition up to 1517, and the Bible (Mt 26:26-28; Jn 6:47-63; 1 Cor 10:14-22; 1 Cor 11:23-30), which hold to the Real Presence (another instance of the antipathy to matter).

9. Pentecostal or charismatic Protestantism places much too high an emphasis on spiritual experience, not balancing it properly with reason, the Bible, and Tradition (including the authority of the Church to pronounce on the validity of "private revelations").

10. Protestantism separates the Bible from the Church.

11. Protestantism pits the veneration of saints against the worship of God. Catholic theology doesn't permit worship of saints in the same fashion as that directed towards God. Saints are revered and honored, not adored, as only God the Creator can be.

12. Evangelicalism often emphasizes numerical growth rather than individual spiritual growth.

13. The phrases "word of God" or "word of the Lord" in Acts and the epistles almost always refer to oral preaching, not to the Bible itself. Much of the Bible was originally oral (e.g., Jesus' entire teaching- He wrote nothing -St. Peter's sermon at Pentecost, etc.).

14. The concepts of "Tradition," "gospel," "word of God," "doctrine," and "the Faith" are essentially synonymous, and all are predominantly oral. E.g., in the Thessalonian epistles alone St. Paul uses 3 of these interchangeably (2 Thess 2:15; 2 Thess 3:6; 1 Thess 2:9,13 (cf. Gal 1:9; Acts 8:14). If Tradition is a dirty word, then so is "gospel" and "word of God"!

15. St. Paul, in 1 Tim 3:15, puts the Church above Bible as the grounds for truth, as in Catholicism.

16. Sola Scriptura literally couldn't have been true, practically speaking, for most Christians throughout history, since the movable-type printing press only appeared in the mid-15th century. Preaching and oral Tradition, along with things like devotional practices, Christian holidays, church architecture and other sacred art, were the primary carriers of the gospel for 1400 years. For all these centuries, sola Scriptura would have been regarded as an absurd abstraction and impossibility.

17. Contrary to Protestant anti-Catholic myth, the Catholic Church has always revered the Bible, and hasn't suppressed it (it protested some Protestant translations, but Protestants have often done the same regarding Catholic versions). This is proven by the laborious care of monks in protecting and copying manuscripts, and the constant translations into vernacular tongues (as opposed to the falsehoods about only Latin Bibles), among other plentiful and indisputable historical evidences. The Bible is a Catholic book, and no matter how much Protestants study it and proclaim it as peculiarly their own, they must acknowledge their undeniable debt to the Catholic Church for having decided the Canon, and for preserving the Bible intact for 1400 years. How could the Catholic Church be "against the Bible," as anti-Catholics say, yet at the same time preserve and revere the Bible profoundly for so many years? The very thought is so absurd as to be self-refuting. If Catholicism is indeed as heinous as anti-Catholics would have us believe, Protestantism ought to put together its own Bible, instead of using the one delivered to them by the Catholic Church, as it obviously could not be trusted!

18. Protestantism pits faith against works (sola fide), which is a rejection of Christian Tradition and the explicit teaching of the Bible (Mt 25:31-46; Lk 18:18-25; Jn 6:27-29; Gal 5:6; Eph 2:8-10; Phil 2:12-13; Phil 3:10-14; 1 Thess 1:3; 2 Thess 1:11; Heb 5:9; Jas 1:21-27; Jas 2:14-16). These passages also indicate that salvation is a process, not an instantaneous event, as in Protestantism.

19. Protestantism rejects, on inadequate grounds, the intercession of the saints for us after death, and the correspondent invocation of the saints for their effectual prayers (Jas 5:16). Christian Tradition and the Bible, on the other hand, have upheld this practice: Dead saints are aware of earthly affairs (Mt 22:30 w/ Lk 15:10 and 1 Cor 15:29; Heb 12:1), appear on earth to interact with men (1 Sam 28:12-15; Mt 17:1-3, 27:50-53; Rev 11:3), and therefore can intercede for us, and likewise be petitioned for their prayers, just as are Christians on earth (2 Maccabees 15:14; Rev 5:8; 6:9-10).

20. Protestantism rejects the papacy, despite profound Christian Tradition, and the strong evidence in the Bible of Peter's preeminence and commission by Jesus as the Rock of His Church. No one denies he was some type of leader among the apostles. The papacy as we now know it is derived from this primacy: Mt 16:18-19; Lk 22:31-2; Jn 21:15-17 are the most direct "papal" passages. Peter's name appears first in all lists of apostles; even an angel implies he is their leader (Mk 16:7), and he is accepted by the world as such (Acts 2:37-8,41). He works the first miracle of the Church age (Acts 3:6-8), utters the first anathema (Acts 5:2-11), raises the dead (Acts 9:40), first receives the Gentiles (Acts 10:9-48), and his name is mentioned more often than all the other disciples put together (191 times). Much more similar evidence can be found.

Ten Reasons to Choose Life

2007-05-20T21:31:00.000+08:00

(Listed on the back of a t-shirt.)

1. Because at conception, your baby's curly hair, green eyes, 5'6"frame, and female gender have already been determined.

2. Because at 21 days, her heart is beating.

3. Because at 43 days, she has brain waves.

4. Because at 8 weeks, she has fingers and toes.

5. Because at 10 weeks, she can feel pain.

6. Because at 12 weeks, she can suck her thumb.

7. Because at 4 months, she can listen to Mozart.

8. Because at 5 months, she can dream.

9. Because at 7 months, she can recognize her mother's voice.

10. Because at 9 months, you've got a friend for life.

++Got the above from here, thought that it's quite interesting!~

Five like five

2007-05-15T01:03:00.000+08:00

Its like five days ago when 2007 just started. Today is the 15th of the fifth-month, Anno Domini MMVII. Well, i hope thats the correct Roman numeral! My Mid-Year exams are finally over. Coming up next is the GCE Ordinary Level Mother Tongue Paper. Things are getting fast isn't it? Real fast.

Catholic church aren't engage in illegitimate proselytism. That i agree. Look at the world around us. So many "vulnerable" people, getting influenced by some society using unacceptable tactics. I said some.

After days of mugging. This my dad say i'm doing last minute work. No i'm not doing last minute work. Am i? Can you ever imagine someone doing like 20 over school papers and still failing additional mathematics?

Im now left with ONE charcoal. Wanna get some higher grade Frankincense. Anyone can buy me a thurible?

I remembered some time ago. When we were making noise and the Principal walks past and scolded us for being inconsiderate. But true. Why tit for tat? Why compare. However logically it is unfair to us in someways. Comeon. Mrs Oh, if you are reading this, email me! :) .

Anyway back to the topic on amathematics. I realise in the past year(s), Junyuan secondary sets the toughest paper on earth. Weird. Why? Probably we have good teachers previously coming from good schools?

Its now the 2nd hour of the day and i am still not yawning. Body needs rest now. Thats for now.

"TO JESUS THRU MARY"

Happy Birthday Papa!

2007-04-15T19:10:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow, 16th April 2007, marks the 80th Birthday of Pope Benedict XVI. In the week, 19th of April is also the Second anniversary of his Papacy. According to "TIMES" magazine, he is expected in the coming weeks, to release document(s) regarding the approval of the Traditional Latin Mass, celebrated in the Tridentine rite. I'm getting real excited over this. But i am now thinking, how will the church be reshaped so as to make way for the Tridentine rite. Will the Archdiocese of Singapore celebrate the Tridentine rite?

Although i have never attended a Tradition Latin Mass, but based on the many videos; many images; many stories, i can say that it is REAL beautiful.
**THE IMAGES ABOVE ARE IMAGES OBTAINED FROM
http://latin-mass-society.org
http://thenewliturgicalmovement.blogspot.com/

Greatest Miracle

2007-04-09T23:44:00.000+08:00

What exactly is the Greatest Miracle on Earth.

The answer is the Blessed Sacrament / Holy Eucharist / Communion

This Miracle happens every single day in every corner of the world.

Memory of his death and resurrection is shown every day in the Holy Mass.

Mood: Happy

I always see Priest handling the CONSECRATED hosts roughly. Which i thought is a sacrilegious act.

Correct me if i am mistaken/wrong.

Never mind if it is before consecration. But after consecration.

It has become for us, the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. True, time is precious.

But again, it is sacrilegious.

Mood: Sad

It's easter !

2007-04-08T15:59:00.000+08:00

Many people do not know that Easter starts the day before around 8pm. Went to vigil mass. I reached there around 545, although it starts at 7.30!!! FR BOSCO SHAVED EVERY STRAND OF HAIR ON HIS HEAD! I guess no one could recognize him. We had the service of light first. Christ conquered darkness. By dying, he destroyed death, by rising, he restores life. Those in the RCIA like Amy, Ellison and Peter Robert were given both baptism and confirmation. I am still NOT confirmed. :( sad.

Anyway, before i went to Church yesterday, i went to TIMES bookstore and bought

FREAKONOMICS : A rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything
by
Steven D. Levitt
Stephen J. Dubner

The Lord is Risen!

Maundy Thursday

2007-04-06T09:59:00.000+08:00

Today is Holy Thursday/Maundy Thursday. This is the day where we commemorate the Lord's supper, the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood. On the night he was betrayed, he went down to wash the feet of his disciples. This is an act of humility and service. For he the lord and master can go down and wash the disciples feet, we must do it among ourselves. Love ! Thats the commandment. Maundy means Commandment. On this day we sing the Pange Lingua.

"Could you not watch one hour with me?" (MT. 26:40)
How beautiful it is to venerate the Body of Christ. Just how many of us are willing to spend at least ONE hour with him? Perpetual Adoration of the Holy Eucharist.

At the Last supper, Jesus tell his disciples to take the bread and eat it for it is MY BODY which will be given up for you and for all. He took wine and tell his disciples to drink the cup for that is HIS BLOOD.

Do this in Remembrance of me
( Luke 22:19 ).

BLESSED BE GOD
BLESSED BE HIS HOLY NAME
BLESSED BE JESUS CHRIST, TRUE GOD AND TRUE MAN
BLESSED BE THE NAME OF JESUS
BLESSED BE HIS MOST SACRED HEART
BLESSED BE HIS MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD
BLESSED BE JESUS IN THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR
BLESSED BE HOLY SPIRIT THE PARACLETE
BLESSED BE THE GREAT MOTHER OF GOD, MARY MOST HOLY
BLESSED BE HER HOLY AND IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
BLESSED BE HER GLORIOUS ASSUMPTION
BLESSED BE THE NAME OF MARY, VIRGIN AND MOTHER
BLESSED BE SAINT JOSEPH, HER MOST CHASTE SPOUSE
BLESSED BE GOD, IN HIS ANGELS AND IN HIS SAINTS.

Hossana~

2007-04-01T21:09:00.000+08:00

Today is Passion Sunday, a.k.a Palm Sunday. We celebrate his entry into Jerusalem. Time passes very very fast. It has been one liturgical year ever since Mdm Kavitha left us for Queensland, Australia. Kind of miss her Lessons.

Anyway yesterday, after Novena, i went to MPH bookstores to find some books. On Friday, Mdm Saleha recommended us some books. I brought one of her books home and started reading it. The title is below. Read half of it since Friday.

LORD OF THE FLIES - WILLIAM GOLDING

I went to MPH, to buy:

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD - HARPER LEE

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - MARK HADDON.

Expensive ! I've got a bad habit of buying books before i will read them. If i don't buy it, i don't feel the eagerness to read them. NVM. I don't know how to explain.

We cry out this day. HOSSANA IN THE HIGHEST. BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.

Sat the 31st

2007-03-31T20:31:00.000+08:00

Morning

Today i woke up early morning, as Ms Ross wants me to go talkcock with the Juniors. Well, they're fine i guess. But i think they're still not efficient. Those without consent forms, the NCOs didn't bother. Class having 2.4KM Run. I helped Mr. Jae to mark the rounds. A little dumb though. After the run, we had our discussion, at FP with Mr. Jae. Spent Dollar twelve at FP. She finally talked. I'm Happy.

Novena

Today, i went for the 2PM Novena. Stepped out of home at 1245h, reason being to get a good seat. The joy that i felt, when looking at the Blessed Sacrament was awesome/unexplainable. I was seating the fifth pew from the Front. When they do the incensing, my burden felt lifted. The greatest miracle on earth is truly the SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS.

!!!!

2007-03-29T22:24:00.000+08:00

It was one fine Friday, where my class visits the Jamiyah Home for the Aged. There was this parent of a schoolmate named Sebastian. Actually supposed to talk to this old lady who was of a Peranakan origin, but turned out this parent actually talked to me about Faith. She was from the Bethesda church. In fact, she doesn't even know what denomination of Protestantism she was from.

Oh! yea something struck my mind: Roman Catholicism is not a denomination. It has all along been the Christianity we knew in the early times, until the PROTESTANT REFORMATION. She was saying things like why should Catholic pray to Mary. Well, when we talk to someone who is of heavenly status, we uses the term pray. But in actual fact, we ask Mother Mary and the Saints to PRAY for US. That is something which many misunderstood about our faith. Mary and saints are closer to God than we are. We, as HOMOSAPIENS, ask them to INTERCEDE for us.

She says this strongly: "Catholics don't read the bible". This is Nonsense. Bible may be one of the means in which we "interact" with God. But remember, the Catholic faith is not based on "SOLA SCRIPTURA" or " SOLA FIDE ". Protestants don't take tradition into an account. They don't know the importance of Oral Tradition from the Apostles. Bible.. True it comes from God. But it is written by MAN, inspired by GOD. FACT: Bible comes from the Catholic Church. Protestants even removes some epistles/books right?.

She said something about FALLEN ANGEL. Ya, i know for sure Satan is fallen angel. She's hinting me that Catholics are influenced by the fallen angel? Ha! Funny. Who broke away from the Church? The protestants. Fallen angel indeed! We must know that the bible also states that the Holy Ghost will guide the church. What church? of cause the Catholic Church since early.

I just don't understand. Protestant, since they are all Bible, bible and again Bible, then why so many denominations?

Anyway there is this hymn written by St. Thomas Aquinas. the PANGE LINGUA. It is so nice that i can't stop listening to it. Especially the part of Tantum Ergo.

Pange, lingua, gloriosi         Sing, my tongue, the Savior's glory,
Corporis mysterium,             of His flesh the mystery sing;
Sanguinisque pretiosi,          of the Blood, all price exceeding,
quem in mundi pretium           shed by our immortal King,
fructus ventris generosi        destined, for the world's redemption,
Rex effudit Gentium.            from a noble womb to spring.

Nobis datus, nobis natus        Of a pure and spotless Virgin
ex intacta Virgine,             born for us on earth below,
et in mundo conversatus,        He, as Man, with man conversing,
sparso verbi semine,            stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;
sui moras incolatus             then He closed in solemn order
miro clausit ordine.            wondrously His life of woe.

In supremae nocte coenae        On the night of that Last Supper,
recumbens cum fratribus         seated with His chosen band,
observata lege plene            He the Pascal victim eating,
cibis in legalibus,             first fulfills the Law's command;
cibum turbae duodenae           then as Food to His Apostles
se dat suis manibus.            gives Himself with His own hand.

Verbum caro, panem verum        Word-made-Flesh, the bread of nature
verbo carnem efficit:           by His word to Flesh He turns;
fitque sanguis Christi merum,   wine into His Blood He changes;
et si sensus deficit,           what though sense no change discerns?
ad firmandum cor sincerum       Only be the heart in earnest,
sola fides sufficit.            faith her lesson quickly learns.

Tantum ergo Sacramentum         Down in adoration falling,
veneremur cernui:               Lo! the sacred Host we hail;
et antiquum documentum          Lo! o'er ancient forms departing,
novo cedat ritui:               newer rites of grace prevail;
praestet fides supplementum     faith for all defects supplying,
sensuum defectui.               where the feeble senses fail.

Genitori, Genitoque             To the everlasting Father,
laus et jubilatio,              and the Son who reigns on high,
salus, honor, virtus quoque     with the Holy Ghost proceeding
sit et benedictio:              forth from Each eternally,
procedenti ab utroque           be salvation, honor, blessing,
compar sit laudatio.            might and endless majesty.

Amen. Alleluja.                 Amen. Alleluia.

Adapted from Wikipedia.

A Dream..

2007-03-12T17:47:00.000+08:00

Well, i was on my bed in the afternoon. Suddenly, i fell asleep. But it is weird cause sometimes it has no linkage. I dreamt that i saw a catholic priest, in my school. Then, all of a sudden the scene became at my house

This father tells me he is Fr. John-Paul Tan from St. Mary of the angel. When he step into my house, he said this house is dirty. There is a prayer session. Anyway there is also another woman which i forgot why she is there. Then, he opened a cupboard and pour holy water over it, and some kind of spirit flowed out.

Then he went into my room, den he saw a few pens without cover, den he say it must have a cover because it is like a person without eyes or ears. He started arranging furnitures. Then, there is this "fu", a Chinese calligraphy character which is upside down, he turned it back straight and say if it is opp, good luck will reverse. Then, i woke up. Feeling very very eerie. I don't even dare to go to the toilet. weird. I don't know how to explain it.

Aim

2007-03-09T22:38:00.000+08:00

Aim

Buy a Bangalow in Sentosa cove.
Own a Mercedes Benz
Be a renowned Psychologist
Recieve my sacrament of confirmation

Pictures

2007-02-24T22:41:00.000+08:00

Well. I have to Include this post because People ( more than 1) say my blog is VERBOSE; WORDY; LONG-WINDED. JkJk. Below are some random "memorable" Photos. **Click on it for a bigger view.

Don't You think i look like a zombie?

So rude!

Should She ?

History never gonna repeat

Why are there so many orbs!!

Tough

2007-02-24T15:56:00.001+08:00

This is a TOUGH year for me. There have been Test Test and more Test. I hope i can handle them. Sometimes i tell myself " Don't worry, its just a FEW more months" lol

Termly Assessments are filling up my time.

MT 'o' is coming real soon. In fact it is less that 100 DAYS. Aren't you scared? i am. That shows I'm normal

Sometimes i really wonder how did i passed my End Of Year Examinations 2006. I know HE and SHE is there to guide me through. To him thru her. The Rosary is Amazing. My faith has definitely grown deeper. Deo Gratias!

Next week im gonna have my Chemistry Biology and Geography Test.

--> **n**

Ash Wednesday

2007-02-23T18:44:00.001+08:00

Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.

Remember, man, that you are dust and unto dust you shall return.

Time passes real fast. Its Ash Wednesday once again 21/2/07. Ash Wednesday marks the first day of the LENTEN SEASON (LENT). A period of fasting, abstinence and repentance. Although it is not a day of 0bligation, most Roman Catholics still observe that day seriously. Extraordinary Ministers or Priest, marks the sign of the cross using ashes, burnt from last year's palm leaves.

It reminds us that we come from dust and unto dust we shall return. Be it cremation or burying-eventually we will still turn into dust. Ministers and priests when administering the ashes will always say phrases like,"Turn away from sin..." ,"repent and hear the good news". We are suppose to reflect on it. We must turn away from sin...

I confess to Almighty God
and to you my brothers and sisters
that i have sinned through my own fault
In my thoughts, in my words;
in what i have done, in what i have failed to do
And i ask Blessed Mary ever Virgin
All the Angels and Saints
And you my brothers and sisters
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

"DEO GRATIAS!"

Why Catholics Honor the Blessed Virgin Mary

2007-02-11T23:10:00.000+08:00

By Bishop Mark A. Pivarunas, CMRI

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
September 8

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

Among the various characteristics which prove the Catholic Church to be the one, true Church of Christ (the fours marks of the Church — one, holy, catholic, apostolic), there is also a particular characteristic which is manifestly based on Holy Scripture and which is unique to Catholicism — the honor and devotion of the Catholic Church to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ. There is not a single month in the year without several feasts in her honor. Consider the months of August and September, for example, in which there are seven feasts on the ecclesiastical calendar dedicated to her.

This honor and devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, is one of the many things rejected by Protestants. Protestants claim that the Catholic Church’s devotion to Mary is not based on Sacred Scripture, that it is an offense to Christ, that no one should pray to Mary because “there is only one Mediator with the Father,” that Mary did not always remain a virgin, etc. How important it is for Catholics to know Sacred Scripture and to respond to these attacks on the Mother of Jesus Christ, especially in these times, when there has been such a surge of non-Catholic sects who zealously proselytize their heretical teachings.

Let us begin our defense of the Catholic Church and its devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary by the consideration of the similarities between the Fall of Man and the Redemption of Man.

In the Book of Genesis, we read how our first parents, Adam and Eve, fell into original sin. Satan, in the form of a serpent, first tempted Eve. When Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, she then offered it to Adam, who also partook. Adam, as Head of the Human Race, brought about the Fall of Mankind; it was, however, through the cooperation of Eve.

When Adam and Eve had fallen, Almighty God not only punished them and their progeny for this original sin, but He also promised to send a Redeemer.

“And the Lord God said to the serpent... I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel” (Genesis 3:13-15).

Who is the “woman” in the text of Holy Scripture of whom Almighty God set enmities against Satan? Who is “her seed”? What is meant by the words “and she shall crush thy head”?

In the Old Testament, Adam brought about the Fall of Mankind with the cooperation of Eve. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ, the God-Man, brought about our Redemption with the cooperation of the Virgin Mary. Eve, our first parent, was tempted by a fallen angel to disobey the command of God, and she subsequently led Adam into sin. In the New Testament, another angel, the Angel Gabriel, announced the will of God to the Virgin Mary and she, unlike Eve, humbly submitted.

In the Gospel of St. Luke, we read:

“The Angel Gabriel was sent to a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the House of David; and the Virgin’s name was Mary” (Luke 1:27).

How did the Angel Gabriel then address her? The Gospel of St. Luke continues:

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women!”

“Fear not, Mary, for thou has found grace with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His Name, Jesus... The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy One which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

Who can deny the dignity of the Virgin Mary — chosen to be the Mother of Jesus Christ? The Angel Gabriel, who was sent by God Himself, honored and praised her.

Furthermore, when the Virgin Mary visited her cousin, St. Elizabeth

“was filled with the Holy Ghost, and she cried out with a loud voice and said: ‘Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?’”

Once again, honor and praise is rendered to the Virgin Mary by St. Elizabeth, “who was filled with the Holy Ghost”

Then during this same visitation, the Virgin Mary responded to her cousin’s praise of her by the prayer so full of humility and of praise to God:

“My soul doth magnify the Lord... because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done great things to me.”

As Catholics, members of the one, true Church of Christ, we honor the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ. We call her the Mother of God, because she indeed is the Mother of the one Divine Person, Jesus Christ, Who has both the nature of God and the nature of Man. By this title of “Mother of God,” we simply refer to the Virgin Mary as St. Elizabeth did when “filled with the Holy Ghost she cried out... Whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?”

Catholics do not, as Protestants falsely believe, worship the Blessed Virgin Mary. We honor her who was so intimately connected with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Yes, there is only one Mediator with the Father — Jesus Christ. Only the God-Man Jesus Christ could have redeemed mankind. Nevertheless, we pray to Mary that she may intercede for us with her Divine Son. How often we request the assistance of prayers from our fellow men — how much more powerful are the prayers and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary! In the Old Testament, we read how Moses prayed with arms outstretched and interceded with God to procure the victory of the Israelites over their enemies in a crucial battle. As long as he prayed, they were victorious. When he ceased his prayers, the Israelites began to lose. Because of this, it was necessary for two men to hold up Moses’ arms in prayer until the battle was won. Also, we read in the Old Testament how Josue prayed to God to have the day prolonged in order to win another crucial battle. If Moses and Josue could have such intercession before God, how much more powerful are the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

The Gospel of St. John relates two significant accounts which relate to Mary — the wedding feast of Cana and the Crucifixion. Of the first account we read:

“There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the Mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the marriage. And the wine failing, the Mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what is it to Me and to thee? My hour is not yet come.’ His Mother said to the waiters, ‘Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye’” (John 2:1-5).

Jesus Christ then proceeded to work His first public miracle at His Mother’s request. Everything related in the Gospels is inspired by God, and there is a reason for it. Does not this narrative of the wedding feast manifest the intercessory power of Mary with Jesus Christ, her Divine Son?

In the second account, also take from the Gospel of St. John, we read:

“There stood by the Cross of Jesus His Mother... When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing whom He loved, He saith to His Mother: ‘Woman, behold thy son...’” (John 19:25-27).

Just as Eve cooperated with Adam in the Fall of mankind, the Blessed Virgin Mary cooperated with Jesus Christ in our redemption. She “stood by the Cross of Jesus.” What anguish, what sorrow did the Mother of Jesus experience at the foot of the Cross as she witnessed the sufferings and death of her Divine Son!

In both accounts, Jesus addressed Mary by the term woman. In Hebrew the word used by Jesus was a term which would be addressed to a queen or a woman of high rank. It was a term of great respect.

But why did Jesus Christ address His Mother by the term woman at these two significant moments in His life — at His first public miracle, and at His Crucifixion on the Cross?

Our Divine Lord wanted to clearly indicate that His Mother was the Woman spoken of in the Book of Genesis:

“I will put enmities between thee (Satan) and the Woman, between thy seed and her seed, and she shall crush thy head.”

Lastly, Catholics firmly believe that Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, was “ever Virgin.” That Mary was a virgin before and after the miraculous birth of Jesus can be demonstrated from the passage of the Prophet Isaias:

“The Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and His Name shall be called Emmanuel.”

Note well that the virgin is the subject of the verbs conceive and bear.

As for after the birth of Jesus, Protestants reject that Mary remained a virgin by their false interpretation of Holy Scripture. To summarize briefly their arguments, they claim that in the Gospel of St. Matthew, we read:

“He (St. Joseph) knew her not till she brought forth her first-born son” (Matthew 1:25).

It is falsely argued on two points — “knew her not till” and “her first-born.” In Scriptural usage, until expresses what has occurred up to a certain point and leaves the future aside. Thus for example, God says in the book of Isaias, “I am till you grow old” (Is. 46:4). From this are we to infer that God would then cease to be? Of course not! Again in the Book of Psalms, God the Father said to His Divine Son: “Sit Thou at My Right Hand, until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool” (Ps. 109). Will the Messias, once His enemies are subdued, relinquish His place of honor? Of course not! So when St. Matthew records, “He knew her not till she brought forth her first-born Son,” his principal aim was to tell his readers that Christ’s birth was miraculous and that St. Joseph had not part in the conception of Mary’s Child. As for the term, “first-born,” this was a legal term and did not imply that Mary had other children. The child is called first-born from the fact of its opening the womb and not to contra-distinguish it from subsequent issue.

Protestants also make reference to various passages in the Gospels which refer to “the brethren of the Lord,” and from this, they infer that Mary had other children. Once again they falsely interpret the Scriptures. The Hebrew words ahh, which is the word for “the brethren,” is applicable not only to a brother in the strictest sense, but also to a nephew (see Genesis 14:16); a cousin (see Numbers 16:10); a husband (see Canticles 4:9; Esther 16:12); members of the same race (see Numbers 20:14); an ally (see Amos 1:9); and a friend (see Job 6:15). There are no Scriptural references which refer to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as having other children. Why did Jesus, when dying on the Cross, give the care of His Mother to His Apostle St. John? This would not have been necessary if there were brothers in the strict sense.

The constant tradition of the Church of Christ from the earliest ages of Christianity has always upheld this prerogative of Mary. This is amply proven by the writings of the early Popes, early Councils of the Church, and early Fathers and Doctors of the Church. In conclusion, let us, as members of Christ’s one, true Church, fulfill the prophecy made by the Blessed Virgin Mary during her visit to St. Elizabeth — “Behold henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”

In Christo Jesu et Maria Immaculata,
Most Rev. Mark A. Pivarunas, CMRI

My Priceless Point Of View

2007-01-27T23:29:00.000+08:00

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Do you know An indulgence of 100 days is granted for making the sign of the cross and saying the words. An indulgence of 300 days for making the sign of the cross, with holy water ? If you don't..NOW you do.

"Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus" .

Can this statement be applied in this Era's Context? well. During the Pre-Vatican II, It maybe be totally agreeable. But, in my personal opinion, to a certain extent. What if some people are born in an environment which is clueless about the Catholic Church ; who is born in a totally in the environment of other religion. Will they be born, with a guarantee that they will have no salvation?...

Pope Pelagius II (A.D. 578 - 590): "Consider the fact that whoever has not been in the peace and unity of the Church cannot have the Lord. ...Although given over to flames and fires, they burn, or, thrown to wild beasts, they lay down their lives, there will not be (for them) that crown of faith but the punishment of faithlessness. ...Such a one can be slain, he cannot be crowned. ...[If] slain outside the Church, he cannot attain the rewards of the Church." (Denzinger 246-247)

Pope Saint Gregory the Great (A.D. 590 - 604): "Now the holy Church universal proclaims that God cannot be truly worshipped saving within herself, asserting that all they that are without her shall never be saved." (Moralia)

Pope Innocent III (A.D. 1198 - 1216): "With our hearts we believe and with our lips we confess but one Church, not that of the heretics, but the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church, outside which we believe that no one is saved." (Denzinger 423)

Pope Leo XII (A.D. 1823 - 1829): "We profess that there is no salvation outside the Church. ...For the Church is the pillar and ground of the truth. With reference to those words Augustine says: `If any man be outside the Church he will be excluded from the number of sons, and will not have God for Father since he has not the Church for mother.'" (Encyclical, Ubi Primum)

Pope Gregory XVI (A.D. 1831 - 1846): "It is not possible to worship God truly except in Her; all who are outside Her will not be saved." (Encyclical, Summo Jugiter)

Pope Pius IX (A.D. 1846 - 1878): "It must be held by faith that outside the Apostolic Roman Church, no one can be saved; that this is the only ark of salvation; that he who shall not have entered therein will perish in the flood." (Denzinger 1647)

Pope Leo XIII (A.D. 1878 - 1903): "This is our last lesson to you; receive it, engrave it in your minds, all of you: by God's commandment salvation is to be found nowhere but in the Church." (Encyclical, Annum Ingressi Sumus)

"He scatters and gathers not who gathers not with the Church and with Jesus Christ, and all who fight not jointly with Him and with the Church are in very truth contending against God." (Encyclical, Sapientiae Christianae)

Pope Saint Pius X (A.D. 1903 - 1914): "It is our duty to recall to everyone great and small, as the Holy Pontiff Gregory did in ages past, the absolute necessity which is ours, to have recourse to this Church to effect our eternal salvation." (Encyclical, Jucunda Sane)

Pope Benedict XV (A.D. 1914 - 1922): "Such is the nature of the Catholic faith that it does not admit of more or less, but must be held as a whole, or as a whole rejected: This is the Catholic faith, which unless a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved." (Encyclical, Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum)

Pope Pius XI (A.D. 1922 - 1939): "The Catholic Church alone is keeping the true worship. This is the font of truth, this is the house of faith, this is the temple of God; if any man enter not here, or if any man go forth from it, he is a stranger to the hope of life and salvation....Furthermore, in this one Church of Christ, no man can be or remain who does not accept, recognize and obey the authority and supremacy of Peter and his legitimate successors." (Encyclical, Mortalium Animos)

Pope Pius XII (A.D. 1939 - 1958): "By divine mandate the interpreter and guardian of the Scriptures, and the depository of Sacred Tradition living within her, the Church alone is the entrance to salvation: She alone, by herself, and under the protection and guidance of the Holy Spirit, is the source of truth." (Allocution to the Gregorian, October 17, 1953)

Pope Innocent III and Lateran Council IV (A.D. 1215): "One indeed is the universal Church of the faithful outside which no one at all is saved..."

Pope Boniface VIII in his Papal Bull Unam Sanctam (A.D. 1302): "We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff."

Pope Eugene IV and the Council of Florence (A.D. 1438 - 1445): "[The most Holy Roman Church] firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that those not living within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life, but will depart `into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels' (Matt. 25:41), unless before the end of life the same have been added to the flock; and that the unity of the ecclesiastical body is so strong that only to those remaining in it are the sacraments of the Church of benefit for salvation, and do fastings, almsgiving, and other functions of piety and exercises of Christian service produce eternal reward, and that no one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has remained in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church."

It was not, until the vatican II , where they re-look, this Dogma.......

Should Charismatic Renewal exist in the catholic church.

Yes, But again, to a certain extent. Charismatic is a way of prayer ; a way of worship to God, thru the Holy Spirit. But i want to emphasize... ... too much of it is definitely not safe for the Roman Church. In no time, the church will fall if this continues, and we will end up like charismatic christians.

Why shouldn't we have the Tridentine Rite. ( Edited V. Due to mistakes of the silly me!)

Currently, It is allowed only by the permission of the Holy See or the Bishops if i am right. But heard that Pope Benedict is on the way to approve it? I PRAY FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE TRIDENTINE RITE. Sometimes i really see many still adores the Traditional Rite. But after all we, as catholics have to pledge obedience to the Pope. He is the Vicar of Christ. It is good to introduce dialogues, but not good to turn away from the Pope, who is the Supreme Head of the Catholic Church. The Priestly Society of St. Pius X have much been known to celebrate their masses in the Tridentine Rite. The society was founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. I read from somewhere that he did that to protect the Tradition of the church (correct me if i am wrong). Ha ha. I do not know much as i am not affiliated to the SSPX. The novena church have been in a week of prayer last week for Christian Unity. Hmmm. Let us pray that the Eastern Orthodox Church, the SSPX; which broke away from the Catholic Church, come back in unity. AHA! Then it would be truely one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

JESUS, MARY I LOVE YOU. SAVE SOULS.

KYRIE ELEISON
CHRISTE ELEISON
KYRIE ELEISON

DEO GRATIAS!

Hmmm...

2007-01-21T23:41:00.000+08:00

Have you ever thought, "Is my Dad really my Dad?", or,"Is my Mum really my Mum?".

Have you ever thought on your birthday," Are you sure today is my Birthday?". Well, when we were born, we are TOLD by our Mum and Dad.

Nobody know if they are telling the truth. It was YOU who chose to believe your "parents". Ha ha.

Well, if you say all these things are in the birth certificate... ... the information may be wrong in the first place.

Research have shown 90% of us lie most of the time. So whoever say, " I hate Liars". Don't believe them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Teacher - Mrs Ramos

2007-01-14T16:13:00.000+08:00

Do you know Mrs Suzanna Jeyanthi Ramos ? Well, she might have taught you. But do you know how famous she is? Ha ha! Let me tell you some facts about her

- She holds a Master Degree in Creativity Studies and Change Leadership
- She recieves the President's Medal for outstanding Graduate Student 2005
- She is also listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities 2005.
- Her master's thesis on cross-cultural perspectives on creativity has been nominated for
Outstanding Master's Thesis Award 2006.
- Trained in Genius Education Methodology (GEM), she became a leading GEM specialist in
Singapore. She is the co-founder of the Singapore International Affiliate, American Creativity
Association.
- She work as an educator for more than 20 years. (**i still don't know how old is she)

... and the best thing is that she teaches me! Well, this makes me stand in awe of her. During her lessons, she always manages the class well. "Research have shown.." ..thats her catchphrase. Whenever she talks about herself, everyone will be wondering" will i be like her" ? Haha!

Why the Rosary

2007-01-07T12:21:00.000+08:00

The Holy Rosary

The rosary probably began as a practice by the laity to imitate the monastic Divine Office (Breviary or Liturgy of the Hours), during the course of which the monks daily prayed the 150 Psalms. The laity, many of whom could not read, substituted 50, or even 150, Ave Marias (Hail Marys) for the Psalms. This prayer, at least the first half of it so directly biblically, seems to date from as early as the 2nd century, as ancient graffiti at Christian sites has suggested. Sometimes a cord with knots on it was used to keep an accurate count of the Aves.

The first clear historical reference to the rosary, however, is from the life of St. Dominic (died in 1221), the founder of the Order of Preachers or Dominicans. He preached a form of the rosary in France at the time that the Albigensian heresy was devastating the Faith there. Tradition has it that the Blessed Mother herself asked for the practice as an antidote for heresy and sin.

One of Dominic's future disciples, Alain de Roche, began to establish Rosary Confraternities to promote the praying of the rosary. The form of the rosary we have today is believed to date from his time. Over the centuries the saints and popes have highly recommended the rosary, the greatest prayer in the Church after the Mass and Liturgy of the Hours. Not surprisingly, it's most active promoters have been Dominicans.

Rosary means a crown of roses, a spiritual bouquet given to the Blessed Mother. It is sometimes called the Dominican Rosary, to distinguish it from other rosary-like prayers (e.g. the Franciscan Rosary of the Seven Joys or Franciscan Crown, the Servite Rosary of the Seven Sorrows). It is also, in a general sense, a form of chaplet or corona (crown), of which there are many varieties in the Church. Finally, in English it has been called "Our Lady's Psalter" or "the beads." This last derives from an Old English word for prayers (bede) and to request (biddan or bid).

The rosary has been called the preparation for contemplation and the prayer of saints. While the hands and lips are occupied with the prayers (it can and should be prayed silently when necessary so as not to disturb others), the mind meditates on the mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption represented by the decades. Meditation is the form of prayer by which the one who prays uses the mind and imagination to consider a truth and uses the will to love it and form resolutions to live it. In this way the heart, mind, and soul of the Christian is formed according to the Gospel examples of the Savior and His First Disciple, His Mother. In God's own time, when this purification of the heart, mind, and soul has advanced sufficiently the Lord may give the grace of contemplative prayer, that special divine insight into the truth which human effort cannot achieve on its own.

Why pray the Rosary today? Certainly, to grow in holiness and in one's prayer life. The following are a few others reasons why the rosary should be prayed often, even daily:

"Among all the devotions approved by the Church none has been so favored by so many miracles as the devotion of the Most Holy Rosary" (Pope Pius IX).
"Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world" (Our Lady of Fátima).
"There is no surer means of calling down God's blessings upon the family . . . than the daily recitation of the Rosary" (Pope Pius XII).
"We do not hesitate to affirm again publicly that we put great confidence in the Holy Rosary for the healing of evils of our times" (Pope Pius XII).
"No one can live continually in sin and continue to say the Rosary: either they will give up sin or they will give up the Rosary" (Bishop Hugh Doyle).
"The Rosary is a magnificent and universal prayer for the needs of the Church, the nations and the entire world" (Pope John XXIII).
"The Rosary is the compendium of the entire Gospel" (Pope Paul VI quoting Pope Pius XII).
"Meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary . . . can be an excellent preparation for the celebration of those same mysteries in the liturgical actions [i.e. the Mass] and can also become a continuing echo thereof" (Pope Paul VI).
"My impression is that the Rosary is of the greatest value not only according to the words of Our Lady at Fátima, but according to the effects of the Rosary one sees throughout history. My impression is that Our Lady wanted to give ordinary people, who might not know how to pray, this simple method of getting closer to God" (Sister Lucia, one of the seers of Fátima).
"How beautiful is the family that recites the Rosary every evening" (Pope John Paul II).
Pope John Paul II has called the Rosary his "favorite prayer," after the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours.
St. Louis de Montfort warns us against both the ignorant and scholars who regard the Rosary as something of little importance..."the Rosary is a priceless treasure inspired by God."

**Totally adapted from http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/rosary/

Its a New Year

2007-01-07T11:21:00.000+08:00

Turned 15 on the 29th Dec. It seems to be very late huh? Well, 2007, is the year which i will be taking the Cambridge ordinary level examinations. Its going to be early this year as there will be only a single intake for Junior College students. Sad. Being panicky is normal now. It is a good sign, ha ha. There is no room for slacking and sleeping in class anymore. Well, most teacher is my current class is the same except Mrs C. Quek and Mdm S. Saleha.. As for Mdm Saleha, her first lesson had already gain favor from us. Its an entertaining lesson. F said she is better that Mr. Jason Ong. But i guess different teachers have different ways of teaching us. So we should not judge who is better and who is not. Ms Neo had taken 1 year leave. Well its going to be a challenging year ahead.

Remember, most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known
that any one who fled to your protection,
implored your help or sought your intercession,
was left unaided.

Inspired with this confidence,
I fly unto you,
O Virgin of virgins my Mother;
to you I come,
before you I stand,
sinful and sorrowful;

O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions,
but in your mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.

It's Christmas!

2006-12-25T21:49:00.000+08:00

It's Christmas once again. This day, marks the day when Christ Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. Fr. Bosco was right. If this day never exist, there won't be Santa Clause, presents, Parties. It started with the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Christians and non-Christians alike, celebrates Christmas. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us. We must really put christ into the center of our lives. Jesus himself is a gift to us on Christmas. Below is the Christmas Message of Pope Benedict XVI:

URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE
OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI

SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD

"Salvator noster natus est in mundo" (Roman Missal)

"Our Saviour is born to the world!" During the night, in our Churches, we again heard this message that, notwithstanding the passage of the centuries, remains ever new. It is the heavenly message that tells us to fear not, for "a great joy" has come "to all the people" (Lk 1:10). It is a message of hope, for it tells us that, on that night over two thousand years ago, there "was born in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord" (Lk 2:11). The Angel of Christmas announced it then to the shepherds out on the hills of Bethlehem; today the Angel repeats it to us, to all who dwell in our world: "The Saviour is born; he is born for you! Come, come, let us adore him!".

But does a "Saviour" still have any value and meaning for the men and women of the third millennium ? Is a "Saviour" still needed by a humanity which has reached the moon and Mars and is prepared to conquer the universe; for a humanity which knows no limits in its pursuit of nature’s secrets and which has succeeded even in deciphering the marvellous codes of the human genome? Is a Saviour needed by a humanity which has invented interactive communication, which navigates in the virtual ocean of the internet and, thanks to the most advanced modern communications technologies, has now made the Earth, our great common home, a global village? This humanity of the twenty-first century appears as a sure and self-sufficient master of its own destiny, the avid proponent of uncontested triumphs.

So it would seem, yet this is not the case. People continue to die of hunger and thirst, disease and poverty, in this age of plenty and of unbridled consumerism. Some people remain enslaved, exploited and stripped of their dignity; others are victims of racial and religious hatred, hampered by intolerance and discrimination, and by political interference and physical or moral coercion with regard to the free profession of their faith. Others see their own bodies and those of their dear ones, particularly their children, maimed by weaponry, by terrorism and by all sorts of violence, at a time when everyone invokes and acclaims progress, solidarity and peace for all. And what of those who, bereft of hope, are forced to leave their homes and countries in order to find humane living conditions elsewhere? How can we help those who are misled by facile prophets of happiness, those who struggle with relationships and are incapable of accepting responsibility for their present and future, those who are trapped in the tunnel of loneliness and who often end up enslaved to alcohol or drugs? What are we to think of those who choose death in the belief that they are celebrating life?

How can we not hear, from the very depths of this humanity, at once joyful and anguished, a heart-rending cry for help? It is Christmas: today "the true light that enlightens every man" (Jn 1:9) came into the world. "The word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 1:14), proclaims the Evangelist John. Today, this very day, Christ comes once more "unto his own", and to those who receive him he gives "the power to become children of God"; in a word, he offers them the opportunity to see God’s glory and to share the joy of that Love which became incarnate for us in Bethlehem. Today "our Saviour is born to the world", for he knows that even today we need him. Despite humanity’s many advances, man has always been the same: a freedom poised between good and evil, between life and death. It is there, in the very depths of his being, in what the Bible calls his "heart", that man always needs to be "saved". And, in this post-modern age, perhaps he needs a Saviour all the more, since the society in which he lives has become more complex and the threats to his personal and moral integrity have become more insidious. Who can defend him, if not the One who loves him to the point of sacrificing on the Cross his only-begotten Son as the Saviour of the world?

"Salvator noster": Christ is also the Saviour of men and women today. Who will make this message of hope resound, in a credible way, in every corner of the earth? Who will work to ensure the recognition, protection and promotion of the integral good of the human person as the condition for peace, respecting each man and every woman and their proper dignity? Who will help us to realize that with good will, reasonableness and moderation it is possible to avoid aggravating conflicts and instead to find fair solutions? With deep apprehension I think, on this festive day, of the Middle East, marked by so many grave crises and conflicts, and I express my hope that the way will be opened to a just and lasting peace, with respect for the inalienable rights of the peoples living there. I place in the hands of the divine Child of Bethlehem the indications of a resumption of dialogue between the Israelis and Palestinians, which we have witnessed in recent days, and the hope of further encouraging developments. I am confident that, after so many victims, destruction and uncertainty, a democratic Lebanon, open to others and in dialogue with different cultures and religions, will survive and progress. I appeal to all those who hold in their hands the fate of Iraq, that there will be an end to the brutal violence that has brought so much bloodshed to the country, and that every one of its inhabitants will be safe to lead a normal life. I pray to God that in Sri Lanka the parties in conflict will heed the desire of the people for a future of brotherhood and solidarity; that in Darfur and throughout Africa there will be an end to fratricidal conflicts, that the open wounds in that continent will quickly heal and that the steps being made towards reconciliation, democracy and development will be consolidated. May the Divine Child, the Prince of Peace, grant an end to the outbreaks of tension that make uncertain the future of other parts of the world, in Europe and in Latin America.

"Salvator noster": this is our hope; this is the message that the Church proclaims once again this Christmas day. With the Incarnation, as the Second Vatican Council stated, the Son of God has in some way united himself with each man and women (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 22). The birth of the Head is also the birth of the body, as Pope Saint Leo the Great noted. In Bethlehem the Christian people was born, Christ’s mystical body, in which each member is closely joined to the others in total solidarity. Our Saviour is born for all. We must proclaim this not only in words, but by our entire life, giving the world a witness of united, open communities where fraternity and forgiveness reign, along with acceptance and mutual service, truth, justice and love.

A community saved by Christ. This is the true nature of the Church, which draws her nourishment from his Word and his Eucharistic Body. Only by rediscovering the gift she has received can the Church bear witness to Christ the Saviour before all people. She does this with passionate enthusiasm, with full respect for all cultural and religious traditions; she does so joyfully, knowing that the One she proclaims takes away nothing that is authentically human, but instead brings it to fulfilment. In truth, Christ comes to destroy only evil, only sin; everything else, all the rest, he elevates and perfects. Christ does not save us from our humanity, but through it; he does not save us from the world, but came into the world, so that through him the world might be saved (cf. Jn 3:17).

Dear brothers and sisters, wherever you may be, may this message of joy and hope reach your ears: God became man in Jesus Christ, he was born of the Virgin Mary and today he is reborn in the Church. He brings to all the love of the Father in heaven. He is the Saviour of the world! Do not be afraid, open your hearts to him and receive him, so that his Kingdom of love and peace may become the common legacy of each man and woman. Happy Christmas!

© Copyright 2006 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Code of Canon Law - Penance,Fast,Abstinence

2006-12-18T21:46:00.000+08:00

I guess most Christians doesn't read the code of canon laws. Below is the law on Penance, Fast and Abstinence

Under Book IV'Functions of the church>>Part III'Sacred Place and time>>Title II'Sacred Times>>Chapter II'Days of Penance:

CHAPTER II.

Days of Penance

Can. 1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons.

Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Can. 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.

Can. 1253 The conference of bishops can determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence as well as substitute other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, in whole or in part, for abstinence and fast.

The Holy Eucharist

2006-12-09T21:35:00.000+08:00

The Holy Eucharist, also known as, Holy Communion, Host. Many still do not believe in Transubstantiation, which is the changing of the unconsecrated host and wine into the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This occurs during Mass, when the priest consecrates the bread and wine saying the words "This is my body...This is my blood". The priest at mass is acting in persona Christi . The Eucharist have always been the center of the Christian life, Catholics to be specific. It is because of the Love of Jesus that allows us to consume it. It also serves the purpose of maintaining the 'one holy catholic and apostolic church' as recited in the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, and maintaining the Apostolicity of the Eucharist.

This aspect of the universal charity of the Eucharistic Sacrifice is based on the words of the Saviour himself. In instituting it, he did not merely say: “This is my body”, “this is my blood”, but went on to add: “which is given for you”, “which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:19-20). Jesus did not simply state that what he was giving them to eat and drink was his body and his blood; he also expressed its sacrificial meaning and made sacramentally present his sacrifice which would soon be offered on the Cross for the salvation of all. “The Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the Cross is perpetuated and the sacred banquet of communion with the Lord's body and blood”.

**Read more of this in the Encyclical of Pope John Paul II 'ECCLESIA DE EUCHARISTIA'

The Immaculate Conception

2006-12-08T23:06:00.000+08:00

Today the Church Celebrates the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. However this was not a day of obligation in the Archdiocese of Singapore. "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." St. Luke 1:28. How true are the words. God chooses her out of the whole human race to be born without sin. Immaculate Conception- Pure since birth.

She is indeed the Mother of God. She is omnipotent by grace. We honor her because she is the Mother of Jesus, true God and true Man. We also honor her because she is not stained with sin. She did not commit sin at all, not even the smallest mistake. Isn’t that honorable? She was a virgin before and after the birth of Jesus. This make us stand in awe of her.

John 19:26-27
26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"
27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her into his own household.

Jesus Christ wants us to honor his mother. Honoring and praising Mary is worshiping Jesus, the son of God. Many thinks that we Catholics pray to her. In actual fact, we do not pray to her. We ask her to pray for us, like all the other saints. She is definitely closer to the Holy Trinity than we do.

To Jesus Thru Mary!!

†Advent†

2006-12-03T23:38:00.000+08:00

Today marks the first Sunday of Advent. Advent means the 'coming' of the messiah or savior. Advent consist of 4 weeks. This week is the week of HOPE. During Advent, one should always attempt to go through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or simply, Confession. So as we prepare for the coming of the lord, we recall our sins and ask his mercy. So how are we going to prepare for Christmas during this Advent? Its definitely not about presents. I guess since the movie,"The Nativity Story", is releasing soon, we should all go and watch that movie and realize the true meaning of Christmas. This is a period of giving, a period where we move closer to God. We should be acting like Mother Theresa of Calcutta. She sees every person as Jesus Christ himself. Advent represents Expectation, Purification, or Penance. Kyrie Eleison

Vietnam-HoChiMinh/Saigon

2006-12-01T23:38:00.000+08:00

28th November 2006, well, took a taxi to Changi Airport T2, went to the check-in counters. But! Guess what? Economy Class was full. Luckily we had firmed seats. So, we were upgraded to Business Class, First Class cabin. The seat was spacious. The moment we entered the cabin. They start serving you. Unlike the Economy Class. Watched movies but due to the short flight to Vietnam, the movie have to stop halfway.

Got down the plane, went for immigration. After Immigration we took a taxi to the hotel. Cost about ₫73000 VND. Went to Ben Thanh Market, the night market...I don't know whether to call the place clean or unclean. Theres this woman when talking to her, i saw ants crawling in and out of her hair. *puke*. Vietnam is Famous for the 'Pho', Beef Noodles. Not bad food. We had tours to Mekong River. The different Islands, they have unicorn island, phoenix island, Dragon island. Quite Fun though.

Went to the CAO DAI temple. Some religion in vietnam. This religion is unique, it had mixture of Roman Catholicism, Taoism, Buddhism. Went to Cu Chi Tunnels too! It shows the events of vietnam war, how the locals build small tunnels to hide from the Americans. Bought many shirts. Bought a vienamese hat. LOL..ok..i guess thats my trip. Short but quite fun

Christ the King

2006-11-26T23:27:00.000+08:00

Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. I went for the 6pm mass today. It was celebrated by Fr. Johnson Fernandez and the Homily was by Fr. John Bosco Franklin Pereira. The sound system in the church was not very good today. So some parts of Fr. Bosco's homily was unclear but still understandable. The homily started off with a story:

There was once a king. This King was in love with a girl, but this girl was a peasant. The King knew it was impossible for him to marry her. At that time, they could only marry people of royalties. Their status gap was too wide. There was only one way out. That is to renounce his kingship so that when he lowered himself to be a peasant, both of them could marry. End of Story.

Well, the above is just a summarised story. It was written by a well known theologian. Then, Fr. Bosco Continued:

The king in the story is Jesus Christ Himself, and the girl in the story is the entire people of God. We, as children of God are called to be Priest, Prophet and King. WE are called to join christ with a Priestly role, a prophetic role and Share his Kingship. We are being called to continue this story of christ, which is occuring now...

Well, if i am not mistaken, when christ lowered himself to be one of us, that term is called Kenosis. It is in one of my post.

In yesterday's novena. Father tells us, for christmas, it is not about wrapping presents, christmas trees etc. Christmas is NOT Christmas if we don't put christ in the centre of our lives. YEAH! SO THIS CHRISTMAS ..NO PRESENTS!

~Joke of The Day~

2006-11-25T23:24:00.000+08:00

Praise the Lord~!

An elderly lady was well-known for her faith and for her boldness in talking about it. She would stand on her front porch and shout "PRAISE THE LORD!"
Next door to her lived an atheist who would get so angry at her proclamations he would shout, "There ain`t no Lord!!"a
Hard times set in on the elderly lady, and she prayed for GOD to send her some assistance. She stood on her porch and shouted "PRAISE THE LORD. GOD I NEED FOOD!! I AM HAVING A HARD TIME. PLEASE LORD, SEND ME SOME GROCERIES!!"
The next morning the lady went out on her porch and noted a large bag of groceries and shouted, "PRAISE THE LORD."
The neighbor jumped from behind a bush and said, "Aha! I told you there was no Lord. I bought those groceries, God didn`t."
The lady started jumping up and down and clapping her hands and said, "PRAISE THE LORD. He not only sent me groceries, but He made the devil pay for them. PRAISE THE LORD!"

Pope's visit to Turkey

2006-11-24T20:30:00.000+08:00

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to visit to Turkey. He is one that does not shy away from the controversy. During his speech on sept. 12 2006 at his former Regensburg University, He quoted from the 14th century Byzantine emperor. This Emperor criticized the Muslim for spreading faith by sword and also criticized the Prophet Muhammad. When Pope Benedict quoted this, i guess everyone wasn't sure if he knows what he is talking about. Well, we know that his original intention wasn't to criticize the Muslim. During Pope John Paul II' Papacy, he was the first pontiff to visit a mosque in Damascus, Syria.

Pope Benedict's visit to a largely Muslim will either help to heal the rift between the two major faiths of add fuel to the fire of religious intolerance. The news report that an escaped killer is on the loose to assassinate the Pontiff when he arrive in turkey, yet Pope Benedict XVI wasn't at all afraid. The Pope even stated that,"Love is stronger than Danger""I am in the Hands of God". So i guess everyone here should start praying a rosary for the the pope as his visit to turkey is approaching.

The Hail Mary of a Protestant (A true story)

2006-11-23T13:02:00.001+08:00

The Hail Mary of a Protestant
(A true story)

A little six-year-old Protestant boy had often heard his Catholic companions reciting the prayer "Hail Mary." He liked it so much that he copied it, memorized it and would recite it every day. "Look, Mommy, what a beautiful prayer," he said to his mother one day.

"Never again say it," answered the mother. "It is a superstitious prayer of Catholics who adore idols and think Mary a goddess. After all, she is a woman like any other. Come on, take this Bible and read it. It contains everything that we are bound to do and have to do." From that day on the little boy discontinued his daily "Hail Mary" and gave himself more time to reading the Bible instead.

One day, while reading the Gospel, he came across the passage about the Annunciation of the Angel to Our Lady. Full of joy, the little boy ran to his mother and said: "Mommy, I have found the 'Hail Mary' in the Bible which says: 'Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women.' Why do you call it a superstitious prayer?"

On another occasion he found that beautiful Salutation of St. Elizabeth to the Virgin Mary and the wonderful canticle MAGNIFICAT in which Mary foretold that "the generations would call her blessed."

He said no more about it to his mother but started to recite the "Hail Mary" every day as before. He felt pleasure in addressing those charming words to the Mother of Jesus, our Savior.

When he was fourteen, he one day heard a discussion on Our Lady among the members of his family. Every one said that Mary was a common woman like any other woman. The boy, after listening to their erroneous reasoning could not bear it any longer, and full of indignation, he interrupted them, saying:

"Mary is not like any other children of Adam, stained with sin. No! The Angel called her FULL OF GRACE AND BLESSED AMONGST WOMEN. Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ and consequently Mother of God. There is no higher dignity to which a creature can be raised. The Gospel says that the generations will proclaim her blessed and you are trying to despise her and look down on her. Your spirit is not the spirit of the Gospel or of the Bible which you proclaim to be the foundation of the Christian religion."

So deep was the impression which the boy's talk had made that his mother many times cried out sorrowfully: "Oh my God! I fear that this son of mine will one day join the Catholic religion, the religion of Popes!" And indeed, not very long afterwards, having made a serious study of both Protestantism and Catholicism, the boy found the latter to be the only true religion and embraced it and became one of its most ardent apostles.

Some time after his conversion, he met his married sister who rebuked him and said indignantly: "You little know how much I love my children. Should any one of them desire to become a Catholic, I would sooner pierce his heart with a dagger than allow him to embrace the religion of the Popes!"

Her anger and temper were as furious as those of St. Paul before his conversion. However, she would change her ways, just as St. Paul did on his way to Damascus. It so happened that one of her sons fell dangerously ill and the doctors gave up hope of recovery. Her brother then approached her and spoke to her affectionately, saying:

"My dear sister, you naturally wish to have your child cured. Very well, then, do what I ask you to do. Follow me, let us pray one 'Hail Mary' and promise God that, if your son recovers his health, you would seriously study the Catholic doctrine, and should you come to the conclusion that Catholicism is the only true religion, you would embrace it no matter what the sacrifices may be."

His sister was somewhat reluctant at the beginning, but as she wished for her son's recovery, she accepted her brother's proposal and recited the "Hail Mary" together with him. The next day her son was completely cured. The mother fulfilled her promise and she studied the Catholic doctrine. After long preparation she received Baptism together with her whole family, thanking her brother for being an apostle to her.

The story was related during a sermon given by the Rev. Fr. Tuckwell. "Brethren," he went on and said, "the boy who became a Catholic and converted his sister to Catholicism dedicated his whole life to the service of God. He is the priest who is speaking to you now! What I am I owe to Our Lady. You, too, my dear brethren, be entirely dedicated also to Our Lady and never let a day pass without saying the beautiful prayer, 'Hail Mary', and your Rosary. Ask her to enlighten the minds of Protestants who are separated from the true Church of Christ founded on the Rock (Peter) and 'against whom the gates of hell shall never prevail.'"

2006-11-17T17:10:00.000+08:00

Why am I Catholic?

It won't take long looking at this video!

Halloween, All Saints, All Souls

2006-11-03T23:50:00.000+08:00

31st October. Guess what? Its All Hallows' eve, aka Halloween. Well this day is so called All Hallows' eve because it is the day before All saints' Day! I am not quite sure if there is catholic tradition behind all hallows' eve. haha. Ok! All saints' day. Hmm. Its definitely a day of celebration. Its also a day of obligation. That morning i stayed at home to study. Afternoon also same. Till about 3 plus?. I made my way to ANG mo KIo..den took 72 to Aunty Maria's house. Cause i was too bored at home. So i went there early. IN the evening, we had dinner. LauTio indeed have a serious face and maybe abit naggy. But i know one thing for sure. He is better than my dad?. Right? Please give your views. Haha. I know my sister sure read one.haha. ok Den we went to St Anne's Church. Had some prayers and rosary before mass. I think we were the only ones in the columbarium during ALL SAINTS DAY. hahaha went back at night taking 72.

ALL SOULS DAY- 2NOV. Well. Morning .. STUDY! ...Afternoon STUDY! Den afterwhich, i go holy trinity. Guess wad?. i went for two consecutive masses. 6.30 and 8pm. You wanna know why? Ok..simple..im bored and hope i can get insights by two priest having two homilies..haha..enuff ler..tired..going to sleep..bye..

The Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano, Italy

2006-09-14T20:13:00.000+08:00

The Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano, Italy

In the city of Lanciano, Italy, around the year 700 of Our Lord there was a priest of the order of St. Basil who, though learned in the sciences of the world, was ignorant in ways of God, and was not strong in his faith. He was plagued by a doubt as to whether the consecrated Host was truly the Body of Christ, and the consecrated wine truly His Blood. He had difficulty believing in the mystery of transubstantiation (the miraculous changing of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ).

One morning, as he was celebrating Mass, he had already said the most holy words of consecration ("This is My Body..., This is my Blood..."), as Jesus had taught it to his Apostles, his doubts and errors weighed upon him more heavily than ever. By a most singular and marvelous grace, he saw the Bread changed into Flesh and the wine into Blood.
Frightened and confused by such a great and stupendous Miracle, he stood quite a while as if in a divine ecstasy; but eventually, his fear gave way to the spiritual happiness that filled his soul, and he turned his joyful yet tearful face to those around him, exclaiming "...Behold the Flesh and the blood of our Most Beloved Christ."
At those words, the bystanders ran to the altar and began, with tears, to cry for mercy. The faithful, who, having become witnesses themselves, spread the news throughout the entire city.

Today twelve centuries after the miraculous occurrence it remains intact, a sustained miracle! Upon a superficial examination, the Host of Flesh, which is still in one piece and has retained the dimensions of the original "Large Host", has a fibrous appearance and a brown color, which becomes light-reddish if one places a light in the back of the Ostensorium.
The blood, contained in the chalice, has an earthly color, inclined toward the yellow of ocher, and consists of five coagulated globules. Each of the parts is uneven in shape and size, and when weighed together, the total weight is equal to that of each piece.
The actual spot of the miracle is located beneath the present day tabernacle of the Church of St. Francis. The Miracle Itself is preserved in the second tabernacle, which is found in the high altar. The Host, now changed to Flesh, is contained in a silver Monstrance. The wine, now changed to Blood, is contained in a crystal chalice.

Official Position of the Catholic Church

Local Church and Vatican official have authenticated the Eucharistic miracle on many occasions since the middle ages. In 1672, Pope Clement X declared the altar of the Eucharistic Miracle a privileged altar on all Mondays of the year. In 1887, the Archbishop of Lanciano obtained from Pope Leo XIII a plenary indulgence in perpetuity to those who visit the Church of the Miracle during the eight days preceding the annual feast day, which falls on the last Sunday in October.

Scientific Studies

A rigorous scientific analysis was performed in 1970-71 by Professor Dr. Odorardo, University Professor in anatomy and pathological histology and in chemistry and clinical microscopy, Head Physician of the United Hospitals of Arezzo. Prof. Linoli was assisted by Prof. Dr. Ruggero Bertelli, a Professor Emeritus of anatomy at the University of Siena.
The research done on the fragments of the Blood and the Flesh yielded the following results:

The Blood of the Eucharistic Miracle is real blood and the Flesh is real flesh.
The Flesh consists of the muscular tissue of the myocardium (heart wall).
The Blood and the Flesh belong to the human species.
The blood type is identical in the Blood and in the Flesh, type AB.
The proteins in the blood are in the same proportions as those found in normal fresh blood.
There is no trace whatsoever of any materials or agents used for preservation of flesh or blood.

Science, when called to testify, has confirmed what we have believed in Faith and what the Catholic Church has taught for the last 2,000 years; echoing the words of Christ, "My Flesh is real food; my Blood real drink. Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood dwells continually in Me and I dwell in him."-John 6:56-57

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

2006-09-09T11:00:00.000+08:00

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

December 9, 1531 (Saturday). Early in the morning, Juan Diego, a Christian convert, is on his way to attend Mass two and a half miles away at Tlatelolco, once an Aztec center and the place where the final battle of the Spanish conquest had taken place just 10 years earlier. Suddenly, Juan hears beautiful music and a woman’s voice calling him to the top of Tepeyac Hill which he is just passing. At the top of the hill he sees a radiantly beautiful woman, who reveals that she is the Virgin Mary and instructs him to go to the bishop and tell him that a temple should be built in her honor at the bottom of the hill. Juan Diego goes immediately to Tlatelolco to the palace of Bishop Juan de Zumárraga, a Franciscan friar. The bishop receives him kindly but, for the moment, is reluctant to believe Juan Diego’s story. And so a discouraged Juan Diego goes back to the top of Tepeyac Hill and admits his failure to the Virgin. The Lady directs him to go back to the bishop and repeat the request.

The incredulous Bishop demanded that he be provided with some proof of the unlikely encounter. Confused and fearful, Juan Diego avoided Tepeyac for several days, but on December 12, while rushing to find a priest to attend a seriously ill uncle, he took a short cut across the hill. The Virgin once again appeared and Juan Diego told her of the Bishop's request. The Virgin instructed him to pick roses from the usually sere and desolate hill and deliver them to Zumarraga as the sign. Juan Diego gathered up the miraculous blossoms in his mantle and hurried off to complete his mission.
Once again before the Bishop St. Juan Diego opened his tilma and several other witnesses, the roses fell to the floor and at the same time, the image of Our Lady appeared on the tilma. The Bishop fell to his knees, begging forgiveness for he had not believed. He took the tilma into his private chapel and placed it beside the Blessed Sacrament where he gave thanks and praise to the Lord for having been the recipient of such a wondrous gift. Within two weeks, the first humble house or temple was erected on Tepeyac Hill. Here, the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe would remain. Word of the apparitions spread and people flocked to see the image of Our Lady.

An incredible list of miracles, cures and interventions are attributed to Her. Yearly, an estimated 10 million visit her Basilica, making her Mexico City home the most popular Marian shrine in the world, and the most visited Catholic church in the world next to the Vatican.
Altogether 24 popes have officially honored Our Lady of Guadalupe. His Holiness John Paul II visited her Sanctuary four times: on his first apostolic trip outside Rome as Pope in 1979, and again in 1990, 1999 and 2002.
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on December 12th. In 1999, Pope John Paul II, in his homily from the Solemn Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, during his third visit to the sanctuary, declared the date of December the 12th as a Liturgical Holy Day for the whole continent.
During the same visit Pope John Paul II entrusted the cause of life to her loving protection, and placed under her motherly care the innocent lives of children, especially those who are in danger of not being born.

Medicine Medicine and More!

2006-08-26T10:42:00.000+08:00

Last Tuesday, i went to see the doctor cause my eyes got stye. It was at Green Cross Medical Centre. I waited for the doctor for like 2 hrs? While waiting i still got time go eat chicken rice. Finally, my turn! I went in with my sister. Doctor tell me i got stye then tell me dunnoe wad put hot towel. He precribed some medicine for my eye and for my skin. ALL together, my medicine cost SIXTY EIGHT DOLLA. One day take 12 antibiotics, 2 anti-itch pill, 2 painkiller. Scary sia!.
ok, well, the doctor tell me . No CCA or PE until 31st December. Ok la. Sounds reasonable. But i expect it to be longer. Haha. He gave me one day leave from school. Haha. Medicine got side effect de lor. Either you feel lik vomiting or you have diarrhea. Oh well. That doctor say if about 5 days, still haven ok, come back to him. He will cut it for me. I ask him why cannot cut now on the spot he say, he say see how it goes first lor.

3E3 UNITED!

2006-08-02T20:11:00.000+08:00

3E3 STUDENTS ARE FOREVER UNITED AND HELPING ONE ANOTHER!
Farah and NDiY, Dunch worry, justice will be done!

This is my stand.
They are my wonderful classmates
They are innocent.
They are loved by me and the class.
They are cherished.
They are part of E3 Gang.
They will not be facing these cowards alone.
They are never alone because this family stands with them.

Understanding the "Da Vinci Code"

2006-07-10T20:50:00.000+08:00

**Have you read the book ? or watch the movie?**

Some fiction and mistakes in the book!

^^Dan brown calls it the DA VINCI CODE. Leonardo Da Vinci is known as Leonardo. He had the da Vinci behind is because his hometown was called VINCI. Leonardo da Vinci is suppose to be " Leonardo of Vinci. So its quite ridiculous to call the book "da Vinci code".

1. Is tt mary magdalene who sits at the right of Jesus at the Last supper painting as stated in the book?

The person who was on the right of jesus was St. John. In olden times, Young men had rosy cheeks and long hair and always mistaken for a women.

2. In the book, Robert Langdon was described as a Harvard university professor of symbology, so whats symbology?

Unfortunately, the fact is, there is no field of study in Harvard with symbology.

3. Langdon says the MONA LISA is really religious, being an anagram of the pagan god Amon and his consort Isis.

This is brown's failure to even check the encyclopedia before make false claims. Leonardo never called the painting the "Mona Lisa". He called it the " La Gioconda". The title mona lisa comes from Giorgio Vasari's biography of Leonardo da Vinci, published thirty one yrs after his death.

** Brown make use of real life items and characters and create a new story abt them to attract readers.

Please ask me if you have doubts on anything on the da vinci code.

Miracle Menu!

2006-05-14T10:24:00.000+08:00

May the Thirteenth

2006-05-14T10:10:00.000+08:00

In the morning, i went to my grandmother's place. Before that, my sister and me went to hougang mall ntuc buy some food went to pet lovers' centre get some treats for FRIDAY! He is a DOG! haha. so went to her house. Fridae was soooo naughty. I now den know he knows how to shake HAND AR! Ate my lunch there too. NO RICE. CUT DOWN ON CARBO!

Aww.. so erm after about 2 plus PM, we went back taking 72 to Church of the Holy Trinity. My Sister was a sponsor for the RCIA. Supposingly i was to wait for her till 5plus. But she said i could join in..so i went in to sit! The priest introduced them. Father Johnson Fernandez came out saying he was 35 going 36. Everybody laughed. My sister then tell me, Fathers when they entre priesthood, they muz count their years from there. So i understood. After dat is the Refreshments. SPRINGROLL. i ate 3. so nice lor. chat here chat there. After when we was about to go back, the R.C.I.A Co-ordinator came talking to us. She told me i could help in the coordinating of the RCIA programmes every saturdae. I was so happy. AND U NOE WHAT! She told me she see me having the potential of a CATHOLIC PRIEST! well, i ever thought of that! She told me to be prepared to stay in the seminary for 7 YEARS! She would pray for me. Thank her so much manz.

After that my sister and me went to watch a movie in Tampines Mall. POSEIDON! Movie quite thrilling and alot blood scenes. Out come was so expected. Very thriilling indeed!. Well after the movie it was 8, we walked home. Thats the end of the dAy! GloriaInExcelsisDeo!

My Baptism Cert

2006-05-08T23:39:00.000+08:00

Finally scanned in my baptism certificate!

Holy Week

2006-04-16T08:59:00.000+08:00

It started of with Maundy Thursday. Well, that night i didnt go out. Some went church visiting. Its the night of the passover. Jesus borrowed a room, to have his last supper with his disciples.

Then came, Good Friday. This day we celebrate the Lord's Passion. I attended the 12.30 mass. Well, there was no opening hymn for the mass. After that was a few readings from the book of Isaiah and the Letter to the Hebrews.

Following up was the Veneration of the Cross. Father Johnson brought in the Crucifix, " Behold the wood of the cross..on which hung the saviour of the world. " Gospel reading was according to Saint John. The father told us that because of safety precautions due to the HFMD, we were not allowed to kiss the crucifix, but to either genuflect or bow deeply. After the Mass, it was raining heavily. Everyone was stuck inside the Parish. My sister told me that every year during Good Friday, at around ± 3pm, it will definitely rain.

Just yesterday, was Easter Vigil. The mass was at 7.30. The parish was dimly lited. It started of with the Catechumens and the candidates going down to the carpark for the dunnoe wad fire thingy. Then the Father Johnson, Father Bosco, Father Bruno, Father Timothy came in to celebrate the mass. They walked in with the Paschal Candle. The mass commences with the service of light. It was so beautiful in the hall. As usual there were readings, not 2, but many, and about 3 responsorial Psalms. Haha, then came the highlight of the mass. BAPTISM. The candidates and the catechumens recieved their Baptism. Father timothy blessed the water by saying/singing, a long long long long long prayer. The baptism started, one by one, they went into the pool. The congregation was so active. Everyone was clapping and cheering loudly for them as they were dead and after that, resurrected with a new soul. Following up was the Renewal of baptism. Once again, we lited up our candles. After everything, Father Johnson thanked everyone who made the mass on the holy week, possible. Suddenly, Father John Bosco came up to the mic saying, " Wahhh Father Johnson remembered to thank everyone, but he had forgotten to thank himself!".

Today is Easter Sunday. Later going to church to celebrate. I hope the celebrant was F. Bosco. haha. alright. Stop here now.

090406 Passion Sunday

2006-04-10T00:15:00.000+08:00

Today, the church celebrates Passion ( palm ) Sunday.This day, the people proclaimed him the king. They welcomed him with palms and exclaiming "Hossana!" It marks the start of the holy week. Easter Sunday is next week.

Woke up at bout 10 in the morning, ate lunch, and leave the house for the Parish at 12pm. The church was very crowded. i went to the desk to take 4palms. Went up and sit near the choir again. The passion reading was very long. We had to stand for 10 mins like that. Very tiring indeed.

After mass, took a bus down to PRIME supermarket to meet Samantha, Meiyi and Deli. We went to buy our stuff for INE project. We also went to buy cards for Mrs Kavitha who will be left us just now at 8.30pm.

After that, Samatha all these people have to go back home. So i slowly made my way to Tanah Merah MRT station to wait for the rest who are going to the airport to send mrs Kavitha off. Reached the airport at 7 bahz. People from 3e3 who went are: Samantha, Ranson, Mei Yi, DeLi, YongKeong, Ron, Delaila, Tiffany, Suhui and of cause Sharfirin!!!!. LoLx. Alot people was there sia. Its lik as if we are sending off a movie star. HaHa. Mrs Mohan and Mrs Haniff was there. Took many many pictures.

HahA. YEAHHH!! now pass 12am liaoz....so todae is HOLY MONDAY!. May almighty god bless this week as we prepare for easter!

++HApPiNeSs++

2006-04-07T11:52:00.000+08:00

" Write an essay based on HAPPINESS "

Happiness is what everyone of us yearns to get. Isn't it?

She was raised up in a wealthy family. She need not fret over what to eat or what to wear. Catherine was often see having a frowning face. Nobody knew why. There was something missing from her life. But she did not know what it was.

During Catherine's secondary school life she met a guy, Sebastian. From that onwards, they went out together, fearing being found out by their parents. Their relationship lasted until one day. Catherine and her family was having their dinner. Her father then suddenly told her that she is going to marry a guy, a son of a wealthy family. Catherine's father expected her to be happy. She was not. She cried and ran back into her room. Her father was shocked. He was not very happy aboout that.

The next day, her father went asking her what actually was going on. Catherine honestly told him about Sebastian. Her father learned that Sebastian was a poor guy and not someone from a wealthy family. Her father told her she have to marry someone of the same family status. That was a family tradition. She scolded her father for not giving her happiness. Her father had no choice but to let Catherine marry Sebastian. Catherine, for the first time experienced true happiness from then on.

SJAB-GG-NPCC Combined Annual Camp 2006

2006-03-20T19:45:00.000+08:00

SJAB-GG-NPCC Combined camp? SJAB-GG only combine with NPCC for that campfire night.

Well i was the Group Instructor for the group BONKERS! Hahah. okok. On the First day of Camp, SJAB and GirlGuides actually went for DragonBoating. It was Fun indeed. Our destination for our dragonboating was at Kallang that part. Well some seniors/officers lik Sharon and LiYu didnt get to dragonboat as they didnt pay for it. TIC says so. Ridiculous right?

This guy called Jason, was the boss of the "SAVA". He briefed us on the dragon boating. as all of us were first-timers. I went with the EFFY group. We went off being the first to move off. I am the timer. Shout till no voice lor. Haha. We had some kinda "Race" between different boats. I guess my boat didnt win. Haha. We played the "ROCK-A-BY" alot of times. Its so fun. I was so wet after the whole thing.

Dragonboating allows each and everyone to build up teamwork. Which i thought was a very good activity though.

We didn't stayed overnight for the first night. We went home. Came back in the next morning. The 2nd day is the day we went for hiking. Our hiking is in PULAU UBIN. In my life Hiking is always at P.UBIN. Boring ARH. At First supposingly, our group, BONKERS, is the leading group. But because of one high tide, we cant move. Make us become the 2nd or 3rd group instead. lolx.

The night of the second day is the Campfire Night. SJAB-GG-NPCC sang many many CAMPfire Songs. Haha. Everygroup must have its own campfire performance. My group did a stationary Dance to the tune of "Dragostea Din Tei" LOLx. I had night sENtry duty that night. Slept for about 1 hour plus. At first, i tried to act hero, dun sleep. But when i lie down on tt Netball court, straight away deep sleep 1 hr. LOLx.

The next day we had the Games. The telematch. Well, Many things on BALLOONS. DOTZ. blow until throat so dry lor. After games, we were about to go home. We had our final PHOTO TAKING session, by ZHONGMIN. lol. Thats about it!

Question: Should we have another combine Camp ???
Answer: YES!
Explanation: It help foster friendships, Build up relationships among peers and many many more!

_:TEARS:_(Narrative Essay)

2006-03-07T11:48:00.001+08:00

It started two years ago. Back then, Jessica was in her secondary four life. She was to take her 'o' level examinations that year. She did not care about it. She went out every single day. Leaving home in the day and returning back late at night.

Her parents were too tired to control her. Jessica took the examinations too lightly. Far too lighty. She did not think of the outcome that will happen to her. Many of the counsellors had counselled her before, but, to no avail. She just wouldn't listen. A stubborn girl, she is.

Finally, the days of her 'o' level examinations arrived. For that whole week, she merely revised through some notes. She told her friends,"The most, i fail and retake". After each particular paper that she sat for, she started worrying. She did not complete much of the questions. She, herself, knew that now it was too late to be scared or worried about anything.

The 'o' level papers finally came to an end. Many of Jessica's friend went out to have a celebration. Jessica could only stay at home, thinking of the outcome. She prayed real hard every single day, till the day of the release of the 'o' level results, in February the following year.

The day that everyone had been waiting for finally came. On the way to school, Jessica contined praying. People around her all joked and laughed. These increased the fear in Jessica. After the short principal's speech, the teachers started handing out the results.

Jessica recieved hers'. She did not make it tears started welling in her eyes. The surrounding went silence. The sky turned dark. That was the moment where she truly regretted not studying hard enough for her 'o' levels. She blamed God for not answering to her prayers. She realised what she had done to herself. She cried for a total of 7 day, non-stop. She truly regretted ... ...

ACS(I) 5th Life Sciences Symposium

2006-03-03T22:52:00.000+08:00

It started off when i got released during Mr. Jae's english lesson. Then we went to have our lunch in the canteen, before we moved off to meet Mr Kenneth Tan. He was supposed to book the london Cab. But it turned out that we booked 2 comfort Taxi to our destination, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), 121 Dover Road. Monica and me shared a cab, Yongkeong, Ron and Mr Kenneth shared another. We reached there first.

When we reached there, Mr Kenneth reported to the registration counter, before moving into the auditorium. Sat in the auditorium for about 30Minutes before the whole ceremony started. The Principal of ACS(I), Mr Ong, went up to give a speech. The Guest of Honour, Professor Edison Liu, Director of Genome Institute of Singapore, also went up to give a speech.

Professor Liu is born is HK, educated in the US. He went to many many university. He gave a presentation on, " EVOLUTION ". It includes, Homo Ergaster, Homo Heidelbergensis, Homo Erectus and of cause Homo Sapiens, commonly known as HUMAN. After the speech of Prof Liu, is the prize presentation. Mr kenneth and Yong Keong went up to take out certificates.

After this Prize Presentation, the usher, who was assigned to us, brought us down to the "canteen" to have a drink of something. We decided to start off our tour of the Life science symposium earlier.

We went to our first station," Crime Scene Investigation ". The students explained how they uses different method of identifying suspects. Fingerprint matching, blood samples. We learnt about twins, Fraternal Twins(Non-identical) and Paternal Twins(Identical). Learnt DNA. They have this machine called the PCR ( Polymerase Chain Reaction ) to duplicate DNAs for sampling. This machine seperate the Double-helix structure to get two seperate strands. Then they used on strand as a template and duplicate millions of them.

Microbes Alive. Learnt about Bacteria and how it works. The medicinal value all these. Bacteria produces Anti-Biotics. But Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria. Superbugs, are bugs which are resistance to antibiotics.

FroG Dissection. Interesting! The presenter at the station showed us the dissect from and tell us the process of dissecting from. First take a needle and poke it up the neck, then mess the brain up, insert the needle into the spinal cord and BREAK IT! DEAD. However, the interesting thing is the heart is still pumping. The heart of the frog is an organ by itself, so it works its own way. The frog that was dissected was a female as the liver is much much more larger than the male's. And the eggs could be seen. The eyelid of the frog is transparent, so as to protect them from underwater.

The space worm. Newton's first law. Newton's law of gravity. Showed us the making of a MIGHTY BEAN. And it is so easy to make one lor. If we buy one mighty bean outside, it cost us 6 DOLLAR. Cheat money sia.

BioMedical equipments. I tried on their BP set, very precise. And their Muscle Stimulation test. I have normal muscles. haha. that Muscle stimulation machine send electricity to the muscle and they calculated the reaction time. I am normal. There was this guy there, who showed us Magic in Science. Unique!

Terrarium! Another interesting things. It maked used of a air tight container. First put in Sand, then u put the plant inside and then you add some water, and then u closed it tight. The plant will photosynthesize, water vapour and oxygen and carbondioxide, is given out all the time and then the water vapour condenses on the container, the plant can make use of the water again. It goes like a cycle.

Hybridization. Crosspolination and SelfPollination. Interesting too! Too many things to sae abt the Symposium! IT ROCKS TOTALLY!
*_^

FLIGHT

2006-03-03T09:55:00.000+08:00

"Welcome aboard Flight SQ 860, arriving in Hong Kong."

Well, this was the announcements made by the pilot during my flight to Hong Kong. In the airport before walking into the plane, often we have to check for flight info, the depature time, the gate number, etc.

Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 006. I hope everyone remember this incident which happened a few years back. SIA really suffers great loss, they have to compensate each passenger ±1,000,000.

Flight SQ 117. Well, that is an hijack incident, it happened during 1991. In fact, before i was born. Although i am not around in the world when it happened, definitely i read some articles about it.

In my life, i've only been aboard on Singapore Airlines. My father works in SATs, so often i got free ticket.

Recently, there are new Budget airline company, which offers cheap flights to passengers. I think this is very unfair to those better known airlines.

F.L.I.G.H.T -- -- -- Free Lunch? I Go Home Tomorrow

++SONG++

2006-02-16T11:36:00.000+08:00

Oh gosh. Another tough topic. Well, here it goes.

Song. Thinking of the word song, i will think of those catholic mass songs. Hmm. These songs are peaceful, meaningful and well, i love it.

Songs can be of many many different type of category. Jazz, Rock, R&B, Pop, Hip Hop, Latin. Too much to be named. Different type of songs have its own unique way of it being created/sung/performed.

Songs may serve a purpose of relieving stress. You might have probably heard from elsewhere that musics actually relieves stress. Well, that is true. I have done that before!

I myself prefers old song and love songs. Some latest/modern songs, is definitely not pleasant to my ears. Old songs have its originality. Love songs have its sentimental feeling and sentimental value.

Some lyrics of that particular song are really very meaningful, if you take time to analyse the lyrics.

Some people have passion for singing, that they are really crazy about singing. I have friends who are that crazy.

The government have created opportunities for people to showcase their talents. For instance , we have Singapore Idol.

Some of the songs in which i like are songs sang by aerosmith, Cliff Richard, Nat King Cole, Bread, Gloria Estefan etc.

S.O.N.G. Let me think of a patriotic acronym for it " Singapore Oh! No Good! " This sounds bad. " SINGAPOREANS OH! NEVER GIVEUP " Haha

Songs can appear in different languages. Latin, Malay, English, Spanish, Portoguese, and maybe in your own created language? Why not, nothing is impossible.

You can listen to songs through radios, the internet, and probably some in which are played with an musical instrument.

Well, i guess everyone's first song that he or she listens to when he/she is born, is ABC!

Deus Caritas Est

2006-02-13T21:08:00.000+08:00

"Deus Caritas Est", which means," God Is Love" is the Theme laid down by Pope Benedict XVI. It reflected an emerging focus of his first year of Papacy.

God is good, God cannot be shut out of personal and social life, and God reaches out to humanity through Jesus Christ.

Hmm. Pope Benedict seems fierce right? So everyone was expecting some stern rules in his Papacy. But he is actually a very philosophical guy. Well, May god bless him in bringing glory to the world.

Well last sundae. There was this Priest, Father JoHN bOScO, just transferred from Nativity to HolyTrinity. Well, i learnt three words from him.

PERSERVERENCE
HUMILITY
PRAYER

Perseverence..persevere in no matter what you do.
Humiluty.. Accepts humiliation...
Prayer.. Pray to God and believe in him.

This are my principles for the time being LOL

~ God bLesses EverYoNe ~

KENOSIS

2006-02-09T00:36:00.000+08:00

What exactly is kenosis? Kenosis is actually the self-emptying of god, himself. He lowered himself to us. God is not about power, but service. He is not god of prosperity, but about poverty and service. Once a priest was asked this by a man," why must i love god, when god doesnt solve all my problems." The priest replied,"Are you married?" "Yea" answered the man. The priest then said," Does your wife solve all your problems? If no, why do u love her and is married to her at the first place?" Definitely God is not about power. Take this example for instance:" When the devil tempted God to use his power, Jesus is saying NO to the temptation of Power. And therefore, The Devil Leaves him because Jesus leaves the temptation.

Christ discarded his divinity, the moment he took humanity. Since then everything on earth is blessed. Nothing in the world is not blessed. If some things were blessed, and others are not. SEPERATION WOULD OCCUR. Example: If there is this temple, and this temple is blessed. Then, only someone with religious authority can enter. But because everything on earth was blessed, We can move ourself closer to god. Blessings is there for us to open our hearts to god, and not for us to seperate things which are not blessed and things which are blessed.

A letter from St. Paul to the Corinthians ; 1 cor 9

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

For the weak, i make myself weak, to save all mankind.

First Day of the CNY

2006-01-30T09:32:00.000+08:00

WoKe up in the morning around 8a.m den me and my sister realise it is too late to go to the mass at the church of the risen christ. So, we went to HolyTrinity instead. We took a taxi dere, thinking that we are later for the eng mass. When we reach there, again we realise that the mass is actually 9.30am and not 9am ..so we waited lor...okok. Around 9.20 we went in to sit in the front row. Mass started at 9.30am. Father Bruno was funny..haha. Mass ended at 10.30.

Then my sis and i walk to the bus interchange, and took bus 72 and bus 119 to my Maternal grandparents place. My parents and brothers are already there. Once we reached there... recieved ang pao from my grandmother and auntie irene ..lolz...then some relative came ...den also giv angpao....so little money sehz..hahaz...Den for lunch my sister cooked cereal prawns...haha..den got roasted chicken, roasted duck...and wadsoever...

After lunch...at about 3pm, my family went over to my paternal grandparents place. Den recieved angpaos again....den we took out a pack of cards , went over to the kitchen table, and stated playing. My brother was the banker...den me...den I LOST MONEY ...around 10 dollar bahz....BASKET! ..lolz....okok...den play all the way till abt 7pm

Den we went to junction 8 golden village...at first most wanted watch "fearless" but realised is NC16!!! So nvm lor...i go watch "Memoirs of a Geisha" This show is superb manx...when i sae superb...i meant superb! It is damn nice! My given ratings " 8/10"

This show is about a young little girl named chiyo, being sold away by their parents to a geisha. Geisha is some sort of artistic and skillful, talented women but also some sort of High class prostitute. They are meant to please men. So chiyo tried escaping many times to run away with her sister, satsu, but failed.

She is made use of by Hatsumomo, who was a geisha of the house she was sold to. Hatsumomo made her scapegoat many times..and she was punished/tortured. Because of breaking many house rules, she was reduced to be a slave.

She once met this man, the chairman of the Osaka electric factory, This man cheered her up and bought a dessert. From that day, she yearned much to be a Geisha. The man gave him money, which was enough to buy a years supply of rice. After the man left, Chiyo went all the way to the temple, and throw all the money into the wishing well. She wished to be a Geisha one day and to meet that kind man.

Finally a women, Mameha, bought chiyo over and groomed her into a geisha. She learned how to be a geisha. It is a culture for a geisha to sleep with one man before she becomes a FULL geisha. And chiyo, also known as Nitta Sayuri, became a legendary geisha with her beauty. At last she was together with the chairman.

"Memoirs of a geisha" is a rather complicated story. But overall a good movie.

Malaysian in Space

2006-01-28T23:33:00.000+08:00

Jokes

Malaysian in Space

Dr. Mahathir was about to send the first Malaysian rocket into space.

3 potential astronauts were called for an interview - one Indian, one Malay and one Chinese.

Dr. M interviews the Indian first: "So, Muthu, this is a dangerous mission... how much do you think you should be paid for it?"

Muthu thinks to himself and says, "1 million ringgit."
"Why so much?" asks Dr. M.
"Nowadays toddy wery expensive, Datuk..." replies Muthu.
"I see," said Dr. M. "Thank you... please ask the Malay guy to come here."

So the Malay walks up, and is asked the same question.
"Uh... 2 million boleh lah," replies the Malay applicant.
"2 million? That's a lot of money! Even the aneh before you only asked for one million!"
"You see, Datuk," explained Mat. "I have 4 wives and 15 children...so, 20 of us in the family, we need a lot of money to support ourselves..."
"I see," said Dr. M. "Okay, can you ask the Chinese guy to come up here now?"

The Chinese guy comes in and Dr. M asks, "Ah Chong, this is a dangerous mission... how much do you think you should be paid?"
Ah Chong thinks for a while, and suddenly says, "3 million."
Mahathir is shocked. "WHAT?!?! 3 million? Why so much?!"
Ah Chong beckons Dr. M to come closer, and whispers, "One million you keep, one million I keep, and then one more million to send the aneh into space."

CNY's EVE

2006-01-28T23:00:00.000+08:00

This morning...woke up at 9plus bahz...den have to do spring cleaning....clean clean clean....tiring siaz.....clean until 1p.m den sleep all the way till 5.30pm. woke up....den continue clean clean....but clean so much...also wont be 100% clean de lar...so...i think is just wasting energy lor..hahaz....den bathe again....prepare for tt reunion dinner...which is held outside Blk 829's coffeeshop

Cuz my mother dunnoe how to prepare reunion dinner..so go outside eat lor....Paternal side and Maternal side all come and eat together...2tables....cost about $476 bahz....BUT THE FOOD QUALITY AND SERVICE SUX!...FOOD LIKE SHIT LOR.....never am i gonna eat there again!

Den finish liaoz...everybody went home...den...my mummy daddy and me..den go seven eleven buy doggie foodie lor ...den someone call my name....guess who...yeah...its S ...hahaz....at first i tot see wrongly...hahaz..den..later..confirm ler...is she..hahaz....den walk back home....the route home is so ULU...no people de...den reach home...walk TV...use comp...till now lor...okok..stop here

<>

Ah soh's Jokes

2006-01-28T00:53:00.000+08:00

Jokes For The Day

Ah Soh wants to buy a TV set. She goes to a shop.

Ah Soh : "Do you have color TV ?"

Salesgirl : "Yes !"

Ah Soh : "Give me a green one, please "

**************

Ah Soh is filling up an application form for a job.

She supplied the information for the columns on Name, Age, Address etc.

Then she comes to column on "Salary Expected"

She is not sure of the question.

After much thought, she writes " Yes "

**************

Ah Soh goes to a store and sees a shiny object.

Ah Soh : "What is that shiny object ?"

Salesgirl : "That is a thermos flask."

Ah Soh : "What does it do ?"

Salesgirl : "It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold"

Ah Soh : "I'll buy it"

The next day, Ah Soh goes to work with her thermo flask

Boss : "What is that shiny object ?"

Ah Soh : "It's a thermos flask."

Boss : "What does it do?"

Ah Soh : "It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold"

Boss : "What do you have in it! ?"

Ah Soh : "Two cups of coffee and a coke"

**************

After taking photocopies of documents, Ah Soh always compares
it with the original for spelling mistakes.

**************

Ah Soh always smiles during lightning storms because she thinks her picture is being taken.

**************

"Gracious"

2006-01-27T09:58:00.000+08:00

Wooots...Gracious goodness, goodness gracious. Why do i have to write on topic. Such a difficult title. okok. Here it goes... ...

Gracious would mean to be kind, gentle, courteous, compassionate, charming, beautiful. If you are someone whose personality is all of the above. You are G.R.A.C.I.O.U.S ! Well, for me, i have not really met anyone in my life who is very very gracious.

You might have often heard of the phrase, " God is Gracious". In this particlar phrase it actually would meant that " the Almighty one" is merciful, forgiving, regardless of religion or race.

Gracious would also mean to have a pure heart. Gracious heart. Sensitive in recognising others' needs and putting them above ours; understanding; being considerate; instinctive kindness or deliberate effort to make another person feel better; inspire and increase the confident and self-esteem of another person; to lessen another's suffering; compassionate; to unselfishly bring joy and happiness to others who needed them; to generously and tactfully share with others what you know; above all, strongly understanding of the feelings of others.

Gracious is often described on dancers. "Dancing so graciously" heard before? This would mean the dancer dances elegantly, beautifully. Are you the gracious one?

Gracious would also meant being Kind and courteous. Giving up your seats to pregnant ladies, young kids on buses, trains. Helping the blind man crossing the road? Yeah!

Gracious means being understanding. Understanding as in, putting oneself into another person's shoe and understand what and how they are feeling.

Gentleness is also Graciousness. Gentleness would be used to described people who are soft-spoken, and not very arrogant.

Generosity? Yes! Its also Gracious. Generosity, would meant to be generous which means to donate money? Yes, its part of the word gracious. No matter how much you donate is still the heart that counts.

GRACIOUS!

<<<260106>>>

2006-01-26T23:09:00.000+08:00

Another boring day for me...i woke up late this morning, haha..overslept...den...carry those idiotics thick thick bookS to school...so heavy LOR...*toot*Reached school...den assemble...after assembly...den....go back class....Teacher haven come yet...at that time i was telling myself ..." Please...dun let Mrs tan come...dun let Mrs tan come" LOL....too bad..in the end she came...hahaz...den...physics lesson...slept for awhile..without the Ms Neo noticing..haha...den recess time....den....den...for eng..we go...library...go find some ideas for the fundraising project..LOL...den came the boring mother tongue lesson...den...for chemistry..er..we do worksheets lor...after finish sch den go eat lunch....during tt lunch time...went up the hall to see what is happening...got chinese dancers there...boring also..hahaz...den...go for biology lessons....den...end...den go home...den bathe....den eat...den sleep....den tuition...den...until now lor....

"Ray of Light"

2006-01-18T21:32:00.000+08:00

Well.. "Ray of Light" is a fund raising charity concert for humanitarian trip to cambodia, to give help and relief to the needies over at cambodia. This was organised by the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Zone 2. I was there at the concert last sunday, 15January2006.

Hmm. That concert was a so-so one. Of course we cant expect a fund-raising concert to be that grand right? Haha. MYWSD was there too. She was the backstage crew. She managed to "steal" some 2 dollars worth, commemorative booklet, for us.

There were quite a number of singers who came to sing, but i guess they are unknown to most of us. There is only one singer which i know, and he is marcus chin, at first i didnt know he can sing that well. He sang that "hao han song", damn powderful manx...unbelievable. okok enough about him.

By the way, the concert's chinese orchestra is a joint orchestra by the temasek secondary CO and the temasek polytechnic CO.

The last part was wierd. All the singers came out to sing the final piece. Then the bloody audience go shout encore. Alamak! Hear them sing one more time. After the concert, "we" went to meed D, den eat mac, den go home, ~ HOME SWEET HOME ~

Orange

2006-01-13T10:05:00.000+08:00

Well, the colour orange, do mean alot to me. It reminds me of a past relationship with my best friend. He loves orange. It is vibrant, cool and so sweet!

In fact, it is my favourite colour too! Although i love the colour orange, i have all along hated to eat oranges in my life. Looking at any object with the colour, orange, it will cheers me up somehow, it is just something unexplainable. It simply brighten up my day. Orange is the colour of the fruit, orange. Probably that is why the oranges get their name orange. I really hated orange. The taste is unpredictable, sour, sweet, bitter. Orange orange orange.

O.R.A.N.G.E . Acronym? Maybe. Operationally Ready And Never Get Exposed. Sounds more of serving the army.

Oh! before i forgot. Orange ribbon, is actually a symbol of the ukrainian orange revolution. Well, the colour in the orange revolution was adopted by the protesters.

After all, ORANGE IS GREAT!

>>>Start of the year thoughts>>>

2006-01-07T22:28:00.000+08:00

TiMe PasSeS real fast...i can still remember my first day of school when i am in 2e1...mdm fara scold us for not greeting her..well that was a bad start actually..lol...haha...okok..here i am right here in 3e3...well ...i sometimes find it really hard to cope...got new subjects...new teachers...new friends...wow...its nt gonna be easy tis time round...slacked in sec 2...i better not let history repeats itself..hahaz...okok...i've got to go to do my homeworking...haha..kk...

>>>>end of year thoughts>>>>

2005-10-30T22:29:00.000+08:00

dis year is pretty fast ....and 2e1 will remain in our minds forever..the moments we shared together is simply POWDERFUL! regardless whether it is happy moments sad moments.We went thru them all together ..created a poem :

2E1' 05

We are a bunch of funny pupils out there
to make teachers laugh till they roll.

Everyday is an interesting day for us
each day , full of ups and downs

Goodbye my dear friends, brothers and sisters
for our golden precious moments have passed.

I will always treasure your love for me
embracing me where courage ends.

Each of us must climb seperate mountains
to achieve what we can achieve.

And! From what i can see
WE still have a long way to go!

There are no words to mark my gratitude
Like shakespeare? Impossible!

And for the teachers i must say
they are the sculptors of our lives

Guilding us with their guilding light
WE must never forget them!

I shall end my words for now
and may whomever u believe in,
BLESS YOU!

WTF! LOST INTEREST IN BLOGGIN!

2005-09-14T09:36:00.000+08:00

SERIOUSLY....BLOGGIN IZZEN THAT FUN AS I THOUGH IT WOULD AT FIRST...HOWERVER I WILL STILL GO BLOGGIN .....BUT NOT THAT OFTEN AS EXAMS ARE AROUND THE CORNER.........OR MAYBE IN THE MIDDLE.....OR MAYBE ON TOP.....I DUNNOE...I ONLI NOE ITS 3 WEEKS FROM NOW......HAIXXXXXXXXXX......OKIE....NOW IN COMP LAB SO CANNOT USE LONG...HAHA...OKIE...GTG....BYEXXXXX

Da Food Expo.....and beyond

2005-05-28T13:08:00.000+08:00

Food Food Food....makes my mouth waters...haha....yesterdae...damn lot of people siaz.....food fair........then the SJAB first aiders....have to stand in senang-diri position....look at them eat...argh...no la.....except the most irritating thing is......got one store in front of us......speak to da public in so farni manner.....then keep shouting " or ni, orni "...at first i dunnoe then K tell me is yam paste or sumthing....haha.......people stare at us....then K and me will be there staring at them.....they alwaes look at us in an awkward manner...make us feel wierd.....the worst thing is........PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT WE ARE INFOMATION COUNTER!!!......they is ," excuse me where is the toilet?" " Excuse me...where is the ..........." Lucky ..one thime got the ZONE president come and save us........toking abt the zone president....ooooooooooooooooo he is a nice guy manx.......not as fierce as i thought......haha...stop here...byebyezx

Most of da results!

2005-05-18T18:29:00.000+08:00

hehex...got most of my results liao .....English--> 58.5/100 Chinese --> 51.7/100 Mathematics--> 80/100 Geography --> 77/100 Literature--> 68/100 Home Economics--> 57.5/100 Art -->64/100.....so now left the total for Science and History ....haix...so little 'As' ...poor thing...hahax....okok....lucky passed everything....history pass anot...i dunnoe yet!...

POOR !

2005-05-17T18:24:00.000+08:00

haha.....math actuallie is 81/100 but whu call mie honest...no la....go tell teacher shud be less one mark....then now become 80 liao...haix...then home economics.....57.5/100....chinese...so damn damn lucky.....pass by 1 mark....51.7......haha...then todae dat mdm fauziah sae...2e1 and 2e2 did badly for history.....how can it be....mdm Fara and Fauziah......classes...are completely different marks.....!!!...dun believe her.....so now have to wait for 2morrow to get the rest results........todae Mdm K....when she step in our class with a damn ugly face...so the class first impression was..Oh My God..!....did we do badly???....she sae....she felt disappointed....all those stuff larx.....then....sae got 15 failures....then u noe wad....alas!...she told us the klass only 4 failures...did she do it on purpose...hu noes!..haha.....history geog science.....english...left...wish me luck!

A bOrInG dAe........

2005-05-15T22:07:00.000+08:00

~NIL~

The Holy Spirit Fills the World........Pentecost!

2005-05-14T20:37:00.000+08:00

Today is da dae b4 the Pentecost......haha...morning after eatin my breakfast...went to PasirRis to get a new concession card..cuz i lost it....then when i reach there....found out that i actuallie needed my passport/BC....then took cab back...$4...then..go home take my passport...and set of to PasirRis transitlink centre....then waited for 15mins....then take my card...its ugly....k...then took MrT bk Tampines eat...then set of to Novena....opps we were 5mins late for mass....ok reach there....heard dat tmr got pentecost feast...which i dunnoe wads tat...muz be toooo long nv go church liao...busy with school .....however i rmberd a quote "obedience to god comes b4 obedience to man"....okok...then.....the holy spirit fills my heart...i listen to the thanksgiving and petition letter....and understand what Mother mary done for us.....from the tomb to the annunciation then to the ascension then to the pentecost then to the Glorious Assumption of Mother Mary.......she lets the Holy spirit go into her and go through her.....the disciples are also filled with the holy spirit during the pentecost...which is fifty daes after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus had returned to Heaven leaving those on Earth sad about his departure. Pentecost....Come Holy Ghost.....The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. ....okok.....after that....go home....then to tired...slept for one half hour?....kk...then watch badminton between Korea and China...haha....then till now lor...dats all !!....Let The Holy Spirit Fills This World........

The End Of Exams...comin' of Results....

2005-05-13T17:50:00.000+08:00

okok...Exams're over....it this suppose to be a joyful event or just a normal thingy???....Examination results will be out next week.....it will only bring a smile/laughter to someone who had good grades.....believe in what u believe and pray.....but this exam is one major one.....it determines......what class u would like to be streamed to next year......of u study hard, dun be scared....god will bless u....he, whom in heaven....will only help those who helps themselves........if u studied very hard....but fails....at lease you fail with pride .....lol......exams over.....wow.....but dun play too much too!....still got term 3 assesment.....got anot ah?......forget liao.......okok.....muz still study.....hai.x....this school sumthing wrg....not considerate to students and teachers one.....owaes provide them with xtra stress......mondae no school.....then tuesdae come back check paper....fear...fear....fear...................May God Bless U...

Thoughts on The 4th Dae of Exams

2005-05-12T14:43:00.000+08:00

hhhmmmm....let me think todae paper was HomeEcons and Science....talk about thy science first....can do.. ok....except for the structured question.....hafta choose 4 out of 5 questions .....difficult question....finally i gave up the 1st on which was on da molecule,atoms thingies.....that question was so damn complicated.....and difficult...2,3,4,5 was difficult too but i rather do those 4 than to do the 1st one......lol....todae morning was the onli dae of the week didnt burn any oil because too tired...slept at 12.30...cuz cant take it animore......whats there to study abt science.....to keep me awake for that particular half an hour....i ate twisties BBQ....my tongue was in flame...that was my tactic to keep myself awake......probably...i am not use to spiciness....haha....bought another twisties for tonight...do art....tonight realli must burn.....cuz do prepatory work.....ART....ookok....but be creative tonight..nid some songs now to boost my brain......okok..homeecons...i feel soooo lucky...i can't b so luckie..no la......cuz the things i learn some got comeout....this subject oso low expectation......pass can le!....go listen song liaoz......

History Chinese & Beyond...

2005-05-11T14:47:00.000+08:00

Argh!!!.....Finished taking my History & Chinese PaPer 2.....History.....i lyk that paper....so damn interesting.....writing alot for the essay....it seems to have a sense achievement....hahax...constant writing of this kind of essay ...will result in ugly handwritings and will become a doctor....* notSayingAboutMyself *....haha...lol....History almost no time sia...left that particular 1 min to write my name.....then teacher sae...alot of rubbish waste my time of completing....hahax kiddin'...but its TRUE!...then stop writing liaox...then time to go recess stay at class to discuss the *cheng yu(s)* with those chinese....of cuz not malay la....then kazemi oso study...see her study chinese...ask her ..." i tot u shld be studyin' ur japanese???" very insulting ritex?....but jux joking nia one la.....haha..then chinese paper...*tianxiehanzi*...kaox....that particular section...if i nv fail....the sky will start dropping their stars.....cuz it will NV happen......the stupid mupid dupid lupid cupid Comprehension....i took abt..hmm....20 mins....approximately to understand....Mr Teo KH ...lyks to set this kind of un-understandable paper....lol...cnnt blame him...he got go that Peking Uni b4 sia....very powderful!....then a kind teacher...lolx......chinese english both very professional.......okok.....after the papers.....now i am home...staring at the four walls again....studying the most un-understandable subject guess wad...***SCIENCE***.....HAHA..okok byebye...cnnt see then nvm

Thoughts After LIT & MATH PAPER

2005-05-10T15:12:00.000+08:00

oooooo.......SO DAMN DIFFICULT!....Both Lit and Math paper alone is already so so Tough.....summore the wurst is dat the Departments purposely put them together!!!.....Lit alot of things are those kinda personal response......so have to base on luck.....GOD BLE3Z ME! ;) .....MatHs.....haix....sad thing to say.....allll my efforts r wasted......i studies yesterdae from 9pm till tis mornin' ....3 AM......however.......THE THINGS I STUDIED DID NOT COME OUT.....Mrs Quek didn't do a revision on that....lol.......Wadava i noe.....GeoG try to Get A, Lit get B ?.....Math A......chinese B4??...haha low expectation.....okok...go and study le......TMR is.....HISTORY AND CHINESE P2....diex.......N.B ..There is no such word as MATHS onli got MATH!

After my Geog Paper....

2005-05-09T15:23:00.000+08:00

Came back home after a damn damn tired night .....Last night...burnin' midnight oil. Slept at 3 ...woke up at 6. Study...study and study. It was the coffee containing caffeine..a stimulant drug that keeps u awake....mentally..i'm awake...physically...No....lolx......Geog pAper Seems easy to me.......juz hoping to getA ....dont wish for the best...later regret will damn disappointed. The whole of chinese paper one....took me abt 1 hr????.......the rest of the time...i sleep...to makeover for the hours i wasted on studyin' laz nite......chinese paper...hmm...a pass can le.... tonite...probably have to stay up late again. Lit got so much to study. Maths....so so lar....formulae...most important....okok.....go and study le....

My First Posting.......

2005-05-07T18:28:00.000+08:00

Hihi......i was thinking that ...WOW 90% of my friends are blogging!.......why not let me join in the fun...lol.....haix..i am fancifully sitting down facing the computer skin with studying for mid-year exams which is abt 2 DAES FROM NOW!!!...g2g and study home econs le....okok....stope here for todae.

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Thoughts on The 4th Dae of Exams

History Chinese & Beyond...

Thoughts After LIT & MATH PAPER

After my Geog Paper....

My First Posting.......

Holy Week