“What is a witness? Do
you think that priests here, and the committed youth leaders are witnessing? Why
do you say they are witnessing?” Redemptorist Fr Simon Pereira asked this of
Trina, a youth from the Church of St Ignatius at the first-ever West District
Youth Rally held on Dec 11. She said, “They are witnessing because they have
given up their lives for Christ, to live life like Christ did, to witness in
love.” Fr Simon then began to recount of an experience where he used to visit
a Catholic family whose children were “allergic” to priests, and when into
hiding in the kitchen while their parents chatted with him. Many years after
that, while giving a retreat to some nuns belonging to the Missionaries of
Charity in the Philippines, he recognised one of the women to be one of those
children that used to avoid him at the house. After some curious questioning,
she confessed that she was a ‘party animal’ then, going to parties every
weekend. One day after a party, in the wee hours of the morning, she realised
the existence of God after spending some hours in contemplative thought just
gazing at the night sky. Washing up at the break of dawn, she went for the
early-morning Mass in church. Telling Fr Simon that she ‘felt the Lord calling
me’, and today, she is now a full-fledged religious Sister.
Lamenting
that today’s computer-addicted youths have no social skills, Fr Simon noted
that nobody at the rally was actually welcomed publicly, or even asked for
one’s name, unlike many Protestant rallies. Nonetheless, Fr Simon sees many
committed Catholics in the university, in NUS, especially in the Legion of Mary.
“A spark has been lighted in the flame of their hearts, and that spark has
been is just growing and growing. For many of them, it has become a towering
inferno!” he exclaims.
“Have
you seen Jesus?” This question was asked of Fr Simon on the streets near the
Cathay building from a 14-year-old boy. Inspiring by the courage of this young
person, Fr Simon then challenged the Catholic youths gathered there in the
function hall of the Church of St Joseph (Bukit Timah) to do the same to people
they meet in public.
Turning
to the priests present at the rally, Fr Simon asked them what their biggest
disappointment that they have when working with youths. Archdiocesan youth
chaplain Fr Michael Sitaram said it was the priests themselves, a concern which
Fr Simon seconded, saying that it was sometimes ‘very hard to move’ due to
the hierarchy. Fr Stephen Yim from the Church of the Holy Cross said, “I think
the biggest disappointment is myself, because I cannot all the time be there for
the youths.”
Franciscan
Friar Clifford Augustine, who is also the youth chaplain for the West District,
said that he was disappointed with a lot of parents that he thought would be
supportive of the programs that the Church organises for the youths, but
actually are not. “I do feel that parents do not trust us enough to give us
their youths.” Finally, Fr Simon told the crowd gathered what his greatest
disappointment was. “My disappointment is that the Catholic youths in Catholic
schools have failed to be witnesses for the last 25 years… we have lost the
power to witness!” he exclaimed. “We have buildings… but we have not the
spirit because there is a lack of witnessing. And because people do not know
Jesus Christ!”
Fr
Simon then urged the youths to tell their parents this, “The top scholarships
from America, Australia, England are going to the Christians in Singapore, and
some Catholics. Do you know why? It is because of their commitment to their
parishes. The government in Singapore knows this. Do you know what they do? They
take our children and youths to be involved with social work… we’ve got it
in our churches and the parishes!” He continued, “We have a golden harvest
in the parishes! But if you don’t respond and take the leadership, you’re
going to be losers. And this is my fear: in 25 years from today our churches in
Singapore would be empty, and if it is full, it’ll be filled with old
people!” He recounts of youths who came back from America or London who gave
up their Catholic faith and mocked him for still working with the youth, but
these are the very same ones that approach the priests when in crisis. Ending
with a challenge to the youths to ‘dare to make a change’, he said, “At
the moment, I’m very, very disturbed at the apathy and the lack of response of
the Catholic youths in the school, and some teachers.”
The
rally, which started at 3pm, also saw TCS artiste Gregory Teo giving a personal
sharing. He too challenged the youths to verbally tell their parents that they
love them, even though that powerful statement may shock their parents. “We
are all victims of victims… do the thing you fear, and the death of fear is
certain.” He then went on to say, “I want all of you here to know one very
important thing: that you are very, very special, because God does not make
junk… and you need time to develop your talents, to discover what are the
gifts God has given to you.”
Highlights
of the rally include ‘Praise and Worship’ sessions led by the Hosanna! Music
Ministry and ‘Voices4’, a local Catholic musical group who recently released
a CD produced by the Singapore Pastoral Institute. Taize prayers, a
‘praying-over’ and healing session by the priests present and was also
conducted for the 100-odd youths gathered. A Saturday sunset Mass ended the
rally at 8:30 pm, with Frs Richard Ambrose, Stephen Yim, Clifford Augustine,
Nicholas Ho and Leslie Raj concelebrating. As a farewell anthem, local singer
John Klass led the congregation into singing the theme song for the rally,
entitled ‘If We Hold On Together’. A survey form was also given out to get
to know what the youths wanted from the church, whether it be on faith or moral
issues. Kevin Chua, 18, commented, “Even though there are not many youths that
turned up, it was more that what I expected. Let’s hope that the Church makes
a concerted effort to draw its youths back!”
The Catholic News (January 9, 2000)