Calling all CSS graduates!

In case you haven’t heard, we will be having our first mass gathering of CSS members graduating this year, and all CSS graduates who have graduated in the past years (those that we can find anyway…).

This will be a chance for us all to meet up against after not having seen one another for ages, to rekindle old friendships, and perhaps to make new ones. But most of all, to celebrate those bonds of friendship made in a Christ-centered environment that have been with us during those years in CSS together.

So do come on down and join us in this gathering! If you were a member of CSS in the last 10 years, you are sure to find someone that you know this coming Sunday!

Date: Sunday, May 20
Time: 6.30pm to 8+ (dinner included)
Venue: CANA – The Catholic Centre (55 Waterloo Street, 2nd level)
CANA is located two buildings away from Church of Sts. Peter and Paul

Note to drivers: You may park your cars at the bottom of the building, at Waterloo Centre nearby, or at Plaza by the Park.

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Results of meeting held on Feb 25, 2007

These are the results of meeting held at gathering on Feb 25, 2007 at Hannah’s place (which is really nice!)

13 Alumni members were present at the meeting/gathering:
Keenan Tan
Barry Chia
Lloyd Ah Qune
Lyndley Ah Qune
Jason Koh
Hsing Dee
Mel Dragon
Johann Wong
Aaron Soon
Gary Ee
Hannah Lee
Alan Lim
Daniel Tay

The three main aims of the Alumni were established:

1. To help Alumni members realize the importance of a healthy and ongoing prayer life that stems from having a healthy relationship with God. This is the source of all real ministry.

The calling of each Alumni member is to continue growing in their faith. This will help them to become better parents, better workers, which will benefit the whole diocese and country.

2. To bridge the gap between CSS and ministries. We hope that one day CSS and the ministries will be so close that CSS graduates that move straight to ministries, thus eliminating the need for the Alumni.

3. To lend support to ministries in need of manpower, as the experience gained from the three to four years spent in CSS is of great value to the parishes and the archdiocese.

Thus the three main roles of the Alumni was defined as:

1. To have a small group structure for the spiritual support of graduates, with the aim of helping them to have a constant and strong relationship with God;

2. To hold on to the network established between graduates during their time in CSS, and to act as a gateway for graduates to return to parish or diocesan ministry;

3. To provide manpower to assist parish/diocesan ministries on an ad hoc basis, which allows Alumni members to have a taste of the ministry and stay on if they are attracted to serving there.

Church of St. Mary of the Angels was suggested as a base of activities for the Alumni, as the parish is able to support the group, and Keenan can easily obtain rooms for us. It can also be a place where exhibitions showcasing various ministries can be held for CSS graduates. However, distance poses a problem.

It was recognised that the spiritual level of CSS members has room for improvement. Living Stones Campus Outreach is able to spiritually form the leaders in campus, but not people leaving the campus. That’s where the Alumni can play an important part.

Graduating CSS members will be added automatically to the CSS Alumni mailing list. They can opt out if they want.

It was decided that regular meetings should be held among Alumni members. Someone not involved in ministry should plan the event, which can take the form of faith formation or some sharing. This is followed by a meal (usually dinner), where chats, networking, and socialization can take place. The evening will be concluded with a call for volunteers to assist in some parish activity.

As the group grows in size, it can split to form smaller groups.

 

Plans for the future

The Alumni should not be restricted to CSS graduates but should, in future, expand to include graduates from other universities. However, this will come at a later phase, since at present, the Alumni only has close ties with CSS.

Something can be organized for married couples.

 

Important dates to note

On Friday, April 13, 2007, CSS will be celebrating their Exam Mass, which will also be a Graduation Mass. Alumni members will be present at this Mass.

- Lloyd will make announcement to invite the graduates to the Alumni’s first gathering for them (see next paragraph).

The first gathering for this coming batch of CSS graduates will be held on Sunday, May 20, 7.00-10.00pm at CANA – The Catholic Centre (55 Waterloo Street, 2nd level).

Allocation of responsibilities for May 20 gathering:

- Daniel will book the rooms and arrange the catering.

- Aaron and Keenan will prepare the programme for the evening. Mainly brainstorming, and finding out how graduates expect their faith to grow from now on.

- Hsing Dee, Lloyd, Barry, and Hannah will be facilitators for the evening’s programme.

- Hannah will check with Sharon De Rosa (current Church of St. Ignatius youth coordinator) what help is needed for facilitators for the parish’s confirmation camp.

- all other members will keep a lookout for other ad hoc projects that the Alumni members can help out in, and inform the group through the mailing list.

 

CSS Alumni blog

The Alumni blog is located at http://nuscssalumni.wordpress.com. This address has been added to every message that is sent to the mailing list. Please suggest improvements to the blog, and supply more information to fill it.

 

The Mauritian brothers enjoy a game of foosball

Eating CNY goodies before dinner

Gary helping himself to some Sixth Avenue nasi briyani and chicken

Getting ready to ‘lo hei’

“More money, less work!”

Results of meeting held on Dec 8, 2006

Good Day Everyone,

Photo taken at CSS Alumni meeting held at Lagnaa… bare foot dining on Dec 8, 2006.

Just some updates for the benefit of those who were unable to make it for the dinner on Dec 8, 2006 as well as to summarise what was discussed:

The discussions started off with how the Alumni should be started and the following ideas surfaced:

• Liaise with existing CSS members to form networks while they are still existent as a community i.e. as compared to a graduated batch who are loosely bonded;

• Get in contact with the graduating batch of CSS members;

• Social Gatherings on a more frequent basis to mirror that of matured alumni and neighbourhood groups;

• Having a fixed gathering place where people step in and out on a regular basis i.e. a contact point;

• Using a website to group people so as to create order out of chaos;

• Have ad hoc projects for people to discover if they are ready for commitment in ministries;

• “Classified Ads” style where graduates know that we are existent but not to the extent where we “hound” people into ministries;

• Should also cater for people who want to stay connected but who are not ready for ministry level commitments.

After some deliberations, the following proposals were adopted for a start:

• Social Factor: We will meet on a quarterly basis with different people organizing each time

The principle considerations for such gatherings are as follows:
i) For those who are already in ministries: To ride on the “personal touch” to enable people to link up with one another
ii) For those who are not in ministries (but who are in waiting for God’s calling), will still have an opportunity to link up with people whom they know
iii) To create an avenue for each graduating batch to stay connected (with the bonds they have already formed) with seniors who have graduated i.e. chain effect to connect people while the alumnus is still evolving and also to minimize interference with CSS activities
iv) There should be a spiritual element i.e.Mass, rosary, discussions, etc

- Structural Factor: We will need to create a website in parallel to create order out of “chaos”
The principle considerations for such a website are as follows:

1. To create a directory/grouping of people so that they can be easily contacted i.e.by graduating year/parish/ministry, etc;

2. There should be a channel to eventually propel graduates into Church/other ministries after they have met up.

Conclusion:
Social Factor: The next gathering will tentatively be held at Hannah’s place during the Chinese New Year Period. Mass will be at St Ig’s. Hannah to confirm. Note that the alumnus will grow with each graduating batch and this may happen as early as next June/July. Therefore, a longer term solution is needed. Maybe we can discuss this during the next gathering at Hannah’s place?

Structural Factor: We did not really discuss this due to time constraints. Rather than jumping into the coding of a website straightaway, I propose that we have more side meetings to deliberate on the architecture/design of the website for those who are interested? Please revert if you are interested…Hsing Dee, Daniel, Hannah, who else???

Cheers and God Bless,
Aaron

End Note:
Rome was not built in one day and the above framework may take 3-5 years to mature. Therefore, keep faith and trust that our Good Lord is leading us through His Holy Spirit.

Gathering on 8th Dec 2006

Dear all,

First of all, many apologies if the previous mails giving suggestions for outings caused some confusion. Think we were trying to fulfil different goals… But now the CONFIRMED gathering date is 8th Dec 2006, Friday @ 7 pm (I believe Dan has sent out some SMSes with regards to this). Venue still unconfirmed and open to suggestions. This gathering is intended to be an informal sort of session where we can hang out, chit chat a bit and try to get a feel of where we’re headed as an alumni.

So please do try to keep that date free and hope to see ya all there!! And do bring along any CSS alumni friends who are not on this mailing list

And please also pray for the alumni? The going’s a bit tough at the start ya…

Tata,
Edith

Providing the link

Dear seniors,

I am personally extremely excited for the alumni moving forward ~ however, i would like to highlight some of the concerns I have heard within CSS about the formation of alumni though. Mainly being how alumni could easily become a sort of “safe haven” for graduates who have not found a ministry to serve in (though from what I see, most of the active ones in this forum aren’t of that sort), which would run counter to a major mission of CSS itself.

Of course, the exact reverse could well be true too! The alumni (especially with so many parish-linked people I see now) could also easily help fulfill the mission of connecting parish-free CSS members with a parish ministry by serving as connectors. this point deserves special emphasis imho!

Aside from parish duties, the alumni also represents a force which, if well-built, will be one to be reckoned with. If CSS is a congregation of some of the brightest Catholics in Singapore, then CSS’ alumni would represent the most educated Catholics in Singapore – any statement issued from this organisation would surely be of some repute.

But before we go gaga with the potential influence of alumni, I urge you to keep CSS’ visions and missions (from over the years and decades), and also your juniors who are still in CSS, foremost in your minds as you march forward to create a stable organisation. I guess there’s no real hurry; although dragging it might prove fatal to the momentum garnered so far (from what I know, this isn’t the first attempt at alumni yea?) perhaps it may be beneficial to seek the advice of some really senior alumni. I’m not sure if this would help, but we found some typewriter-typed minutes of the 42nd Exco (pictured here); perhaps a starting point for locating these long-lost alumni?

okay that turned out to be rather long… =P btw, my name is Gregory, in case some may not know me. I’m currently in yr3s1 arts, soci major, and serving as pub sec in the 58th Exco. I absolutely won’t mind being the link between the incipient alumni and CSS proper – hope I’m an acceptable candidate!

yours in Christ,
greg

Paving the way forward?

Good Day my friends,

Please pardon my absence as I was really caught up with my working trip (USA) activities/commitment. I must say that the website was a very good job by my standards :..). Will there be any discussions coming up anytime soon? Or is it purely net-based?

I would like to proposed for more regular meetings, probably after mass so that we may pave the way forward on a regular basis? Yes, this will need commitment and I am trying really hard to make time for this because I hope that it (Alumni) can really serve its true purpose. I will be leaving S’pore in May 07 and will only be back in Oct 08. That leaves me with only 6 months.

I believe that if we continue putting in our commitment (which) we already have, we may be able to get something moving by the first quarter of next year (Let’s project this as our internal dateline?). Any takers for Saturday mass at OLPS next week? If not all are present, we can always update the rest on the net :..) I am not sure what has already been discussed since our 1st meeting, but we can include the following Agenda as a starter:

1.Review of the website and how it may be an instrumental tool
2.Defining the next step forward in linking up with CSS, Church ministries and the Archdiocese
3.Defining activities needed for building cohesion

This is in line with our vision statement from the first meeting
Comments please.

Cheers and God Bless,
Aaron

Help needed – Psalm 91

Psalm 91 is a new ministry started in Church of St. Mary of the Angels about three months  ago. The aim of the ministry is to help youths experience God and grow in their faith through musical forms of worship such as P&W and Taize.

The youths in ministry are enthusiastic and willing to give commitment. But someone is needed to help mold the young minds, to help channel their energies such that it is not wasted and to help them grow even more.

This is because I am not able to understand the musical part in its entirety and also I can’t give my complete attention to them because I have other ministries to worry about also. So I wish someone to help guide them also, a mentor advisor person.

What is the commitment like? Once a week meeting/sessions, this is the regular practice/session which Psalm 91 has. Co-ordinate Psalm 91 with the St. Mary’s Youth Office (basically with me).

If anyone is interested or knows someone who might be interested, just drop me a mail, k?

Thanks! God Bless!!

Love,
Keenan

Catechist

Nicholas Netto is a catechist at the St. Anne’s Church. Here is his sharing of how he came to be in this ministry, and his experiences as a catechist.

 

If you asked me in Year One if I would ever consider serving as a catechist in parish, I would probably have said ‘No’. It was only after speaking to my social work friend during a lecture where she shared with me her experiences as a catechist in the Church of St. Francis of Assisi that I began to harbour thoughts of doing the same.

The opportunity presented itself when my then parish priest Father Richards Ambrose made an announcement for more catechists to help out in our expanding young community in St. Anne’s Church. And that was how I started off, directly after my Year One examinations.

I started off serving as an assistant catechist in a CPL2 (Confirmation Process Level 2) class or what other parishes might call Secondary Two. The main catechist was a really nice guy who allowed me to sit in for a few sessions before trying to involve me in parts of the lessons.

As fate would have it, his work commitments soon prevented him from coming every week and I slowly began taking the class alone. I must say that I really put in my heart and soul into those lessons, filling them with activities and knowledge, so that the teens wouldn’t sleep during the lessons and would learn something.

Despite my efforts, somehow the teens weren’t interested and at the peak of my frustrations, I walked out of class. I still remember that day, the lesson I had meticulously planned but the lack of appreciation and attention given by my then teens just pushed me over the edge.

However, things somehow got better after that week and the teens were more receptive. When doubts about my ability in reaching out to them surfaced, God would give me those little signs to remind me how I was now a part of these teens’ lives.

My experience with another batch of teens last year was rather different. Compared to the previous batch in which I had several struggles, this batch was more loveable and some of the teens took to me quite quickly. Lessons were also more rewarding and somehow the response I got from the teens spurred me to put in more for subsequent sessions and I was able to make lessons both fun as well as spiritual.

The peak of my experience was during confirmation camp where I had to struggle with fatigue to execute all the sessions and activities. I still remember on the last day after the teens read the letters their parents wrote for them, emotions were high and I wept after comforting some of my teens, knowing that every effort, every little sacrifice that I had made for them was worth it.

Thus it is with my life as a catechist in St Anne’s Church. Life is not always a bed of roses; I’ve had my fair share of frustrations and downs. But with these downs and trials, God gifts us with other things as well, and with the teens I led last year, I gained new meaning in my life. There’s just something rewarding in working with teens – though you get drained, you get recharged as well.

This year is a struggle as well in terms of the teens that I have but I’m beginning to see some of them open up and that is reward in itself. I will persevere and let the God use me as His instrument. Although catechesis is my main responsibility, I also see myself as a friend to whom these teens can reach out to. And sometimes that’s all that matters – being there for them and hopefully in the process, showing them how God works through people.

Veritas

You might have noticed that the archdiocesan website (www.veritas.org.sg) is not as up to date as it should ideally be. This is mainly because it was started and managed by a group of Catholic volunteers, some of whom are no longer in Singapore and have therefore lost touch with who’s where and what’s going on here.

The website depends a lot on Catholics who volunteer information whenever they notice something is not right. You can play a part to help keep it updated by checking the details on the website against the reality in the diocese.

If you notice something is wrong, confirm the actual situation, and notify the Veritas team through the lowest section on the left sidebar, under the heading “Interact”. There you can:

• Submit comments and suggestions

• Submit events

• Submit announcements

• Submit web links

• Submit directory updates

ACMI

ACMI stands for: Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care for Migrants and Itinerant People. It works directly under the mandate of the Archbishop and aims to improve the conditions of migrants in Singapore, as well as to provide them the pastoral care that they need.

The current focus of ACMI lies in its training centre, which aims to offer courses for migrants for a token fee. Many migrants working in Singapore are unable to find work to feed their families back home. Rather than simply catering to their needs for food which is provided by ACMI’s soup kitchen, the commission also aims to equip the migrants with some skills which they can use to improve their opportunities for work, or to set up their own businesses back home.

The skills currently being taught are:

• Baking

• Caregiver

• Computer

• Cooking

• Dressmaking

• English Language

• Hairdressing

• Sewing

ACMI also hopes to offer courses in massage and aromatherapy, should there be enough committed volunteers to run the courses.

If you have your Sundays free, and know the basics of any of these, please volunteer your time for ACMI. You do not need to be an expert. For example, baking could be your hobby and it would be enough to teach a course, with some training given by ACMI.

If you do not specialize in any of these, or choose not to volunteer in these areas, ACMI is also on the lookout for:

• Befrienders – for hospital visits, para-counsellors, to drive clients to and fro embassies, MOM, the police, hospital/clinic, the airport, etc.

• administrators – to handle the paperwork of the centre)

• interpreters (Bahasa Indonesia, Mandarin, Thai, Tamil, Hindi, etc) – for casework

• soup kitchen – to help locate new construction sites, to deliver food packets

The ACMI Training Centre runs in two training centres (TC) on Sundays. Each semester is six months long: Jan – Jun, Jul – Dec. TC 1 runs on 1st and 3rd Sundays, while TC 2 runs on 2nd and 4th Sundays. Morning sessions are from 10.00am – 1.00pm, while afternoon sessions are from 1.00pm – 4.00pm.

For more enquiries, please visit the ACMI website at: www.migrants.org.sg. If you wish to be an ACMI volunteer, call 6280 5424 or 6283 9953 or download the Volunteer Application form and fax it to ACMI at 6284 8156 or email: migrants@singnet.com.sg