Q:
Baptismal Name - Must it be a Saint's name?
A:
Pre-Vatican II (the old position)
In the Handbook on Moral Theology (#761 of 1917 CIC), it states that the name given in Baptism should be a Christian Name. Accordingly, if the priest celebrant cannot induce the parents to give a Christian name, the celebrant should add the name of some saint to that suggested by the parents and enter both names in the baptismal register.
Present Position
The present 1983 Code (#855) legislates that parents, godparents and the priest are to see to it that the name given at baptism is not foreign to Christian sensibilities. So in effect, the present Code does not demand a saints’ name. Rather, it prohibits a name offensive to Christians. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults also provides a rite for the catechumen to receive a “Christian” name for baptism (RCIA, #202).
The taking of a new name can be viewed as symbolic of a new stage in life, Christian life. In scripture, we see individuals whose names were changed: Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Simon to Peter, and Saul to Paul. In taking the name of a Saint or a disciple who has led a life of exemplary fidelity to the Lord, the saint provides a model of charity and we are assured of his/her intercession for us.
Ref: http://www.catholicspi.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=164&sid=af88c60735a65b3f94937e1d0b099eed
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Q:
Where can I get a copy of my Baptism/Confirmation/Marriage Certificate?
A:
To maintain traceability, the Church maintains records of all certificates at the church of baptism. To obtain copies of such certificates you should contact that church in the first instance. All available contact details for Singapore churches are on the left hand side of all Veritas! pages under Parish Communities.
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Q:
i would like to know more about the catholic religion.
are there any classes or course that i can attend?
A:
The "join the Church" link helps provides information on RCIA.Click here for the at RCIA schedule and contact information.
RICA, RCIY and ALPHA courses are also published under the What's On Section of the CatholicNews paper and the Archdiocese Website
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Q:
Can a muslim convert to a catholic?
A:
In the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, the Freedom of Religion is enshrined and hence anyone is free to believe and follow any religion. That freedom would also imply the freedom to choose or change
a religion according to one's conscience.
The Catholic Church upholds the freedom of religion and respects the conscience of the individual in wanting to know more of the faith.
The Catholic Church would respect that free choice if after having been carefully catechised in the faith, he or she makes an informed choice to be baptised in the faith.
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Q:
What version of the bible is endorsed by the Catholic church? I seem to remember that the King James version was the protestant version. Please advise>
Thanks
A:
According to http://clawww.lmu.edu/faculty/fjust/Bible/English_Translations.htm
* "Catholic" translations: Douay-Rheims, JB/NJB, NAB
* "Ecumenical" translations (approved and used by both Catholics and Protestants): NEB/REB, RSV/NRSV
Singapore uses JB (Jerusalem Bible) for its readings.
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Q:
Is it possible just to have a blessing from Father for our wedding? A blessing without a Mass, just a normal blessing. Please advice. Thanks
A:
It depends on what you mean by "blessing". There is the Marriage Rite which is a formal rite and it does not need to include the portion of the Mass.
Normally, in a marriage where one party is not catholic, the Marriage Rite is performed without the Mass.
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Q:
If one receives the calling for Holy Order, how does one proceed? Is there a person I can contact to find out more? Interest is to be Diocesan priest in Singapore.
A:
The best way is to approach your parish priest who will put you in touch with the proper person. That would be the first line of enquiry.
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Q:
Is there an online catholic calendar?
A:
The closest thing we could find online are:
http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/inspiration.htm
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
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Q:
When we pray the rosary, how do we make our intercessions in it? do we say in the beginning or after each decade? What exactly is the proper way of saying the rosary???
A:
May we suggest that you consult this website:
http://www.rosary-center.org/
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Q:
I wish to find out about R.C.I.A. course for my sister who is staying in Pasir Ris.
Please let me know the commencement date and how long the course will be.
A:
RCIA course schedules are determined by individual parishes, and at this point in time, we do not receive always receive updates from them on when their classes will begin. As such, you are advised to contact a parish church which is near Paris Ris (eg. Church of the Holy Trinity in Tampines) and ask the staff or priests there directly.
In general, RCIA programs last about a year.
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Q:
where can i find out 'daily reflections' from?
thanks
god bless
A:
Daily reflections from the Jesuit Prayer Ministry and various other sources can be access from the navigation link "Daily Readings".
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Q:
My question is whether a priest is the only person who decides whether a person is to be baptised or not and only his decision is unquestionable. For example, even if the person is very sick and perhaps dying, but has not idea what the catholic faith is all about and wants to get baptised just to make sure he covered "all grounds" and has embraced all religions, that means is not baptised for the true reason or through faith...........can the priest refused him because through his experiences he knows that the person is actually not ready. Do we accept Father's decision and knows that his is the correct decision, and should not get upset with his decision. The reason why I am asking this question is that I want to clarify and give a good explanation to a newly baptised catholic who is very puzzled about the decision made. Of course the decision made by the Father is final and he alone is unanswerable to God alone.
A:
Any person can be the minister of baptism as long as water and the trinitarian fomula is used.
However, a priest has pastoral responsibilities to care for those under his charge. There are other priests that you might want to seek for further advise. Generally the parish priest would make a pastoral judgement as to whether the person is ready to receive the sacrament.
The priest would have to ascertain that the person being baptised has the intention of wanting to be baptised. That is the minimum prerequisite.
Baptism is to accept Jesus Christ as a personal God and saviour. In the absence of such an understanding, to receive baptism would be merely a superstitious action which would not conform or meet the requirements for acceptance of baptism.
Fr John-Paul
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Q:
I'm a foreigner working in Singapore & intend to marry here soon. All I want is a very simple ceremony, with the Priest to bless us and our witnesses. Do you service this type of wedding? If yes, what are your requirements and how much is the fee?
A:
The Church has some requirements with regard to marriages that couples have to meet before they can marry in the Church. We would advice that you speak to a priest from the parish in which you wish to be married. He would be in the best position to assist you and to answer your questions.
For details on parish contact information, you can consult our 'Parish Communities" link at the left-hand sidebar of our site.
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Q:
Is there any notes concerning the ever viginity of Mary? Also, on her immaculate conception.
A:
For notes to your questions, you may want to check out this webpage:
http://www.catholic.com/library/mary_saints.asp
A good book to read on matters of doctrine is Karl Keating's "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" published by Ignatius Press. It is available in Catholic bookstores.
Ther EWTN website also has a Q&A section where theologians will answer questions on matters of doctrine. The URL is
http://www.ewtn.com/vexperts/conference.htm
You may want to read the responses available as well as post your own questions there.
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Q:
There are 7 books missing from the protestant bible. What are they and why is that so? What is the historical reasons?
Thanks.
A:
For an exposition on the historical reasons for the 7 missing book, you might want to refer to an essay written by Catholic apologist James Akin, which can be found in the URL below:
http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/deuteros.htm
The history of the early Christian writers show that the 7 books were considered canonical, as explained in the essay listed below:
http://www.catholic.com/library/Old_Testament_Canon.asp
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Q:
i have been going to the novena for the last few years.
i am interested to learn more about how i can move forth by becoming a catholic, but i am still not ready to have people trying to "market" Christ to me. Is there anyway I can take a correspondence bible study course? I will let the relevant people know when I am ready, but in the meantime, is there anything else I can do?
A:
You can contact the Singapore Pastoral Institute for enquiries about Bible study courses. The contact information is as follows:
Catholic Archdiocesan Education Centre
2 Highland Road #02-02
Singapore 549102
Tel: 68583011
With regard to your concern about not being ready to have people hard-sell or market Christ to you, I hope that you will consider my following suggestion.
Since you have been attending novena services, may I suggest that you speak to a priest at Novena Church about either the Alpha program or the RCIA program, both of which I believe you have heard of. My view is that you should attend some sessions of either one of these to see if you are comfortable. If not, you can always stop your attendance.
When I was attending RCIA a few years back, the priest made it very clear to us that the Church respected our free choice very much and that we were free to withdraw from the program at any point in time if we discern that we are not ready for baptism. I believe the situation is the same today.
The other reason for my suggestion is that being around other people who are also journeying in search of God and the salvation of Christ can help us find our own way as well. It helps us not only have head-knowledge about the Christian faith but also lead us to ways to live out our faith, using the experiences of others as a guide.
We wish you the best in your journey of faith. Let us know if you have more questions.
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Q:
Can I know what is the meaning of the annointing of the sick, and when do we ask for this sacrement.
How do we get a priest to do it, if we are not close to any priest, or that we do not know of any priest that knows us very well.
A:
The anointing of the sick is the sacrament that expresses the healing and compassion of God. Any priest will do for you even if he does not know you personally. All you have to do is to request it.
It is the obligation of all priests to provide the sacraments to all the faithful and they would be more than happy to do it. Would be best to approach your parish priests as they would be able to further extend their pastoral to you.
Fr John-Paul
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Q:
Is there a link that provides a listing of scheduled masses for each of the local SG catholic churches?
A:
All scheduled Masses are listed in the Church Directory under Parish Communities.
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Q:
Which translation does the Archdiocese use for the readings in masses?
A:
The Jerusalem Bible version is used for readings.
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Q:
What are the days of obligation in the Archdiocese of Singapore?
A:
On top of Sundays, the days of obligation are:
1. Ascension (40th day after Easter Sunday)
2. Assumption (15 August)
3. All Saints (1 November)
4. Christmas (25 December).
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Q:
What are the churches that offer lunchtime masses?
A:
There are 3 churches offering lunchtime masses today.
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