When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing FEBRUARY 9, 2020 among you except Jesus Christ, and him TERHAD crucified. And I came to you in weakness PP 8460/11/2012(030939) ISSN: 1394-3294 and in fear and in much trembling. Vol. 27 No. 05 THE CATHOLIC WEEKLY 1 Cor. 2:1-3 INSIDE Education in Para Uskup mission schools Malaysia ‘Unusual kindness’ P14 brings hope to the lancar Caritas breaks down walls and poor and weak Malaysia prejudicese P18-20 Young Adult, get P16 BM8 P5 involved in your parish P21-22 For Religious, God’s love is worth more than any earthly goods ATICAN: When one is to- empty hands,” the things one did not achieve, tally in love with the Lord, the lack of recognition and the struggles one has had. then poverty, chastity and A temptation that every Christian, including V religious, experiences is that of seeing life in a obedience are not sacrifices, but ve- hicles of freedom, Pope Francis told “worldly way” rather than focusing on God’s grace at work. When that happens, the Pope consecrated men and women. said, people go off “in search of something to Celebrating the World Day for Consecrated substitute for it: a bit of fame, a consoling af- Life, Pope Francis urged women and men fection, finally getting to do what I want.” religious to be people of hope, and he asked Focus on God’s enduring love is the only all Catholics to pray for the hundreds of thou- antidote, the Pope said. “If consecrated life sands of women and men who continue to remains steadfast in love for the Lord, it per- consecrate their lives totally to serving God ceives beauty. It sees that poverty is not some and their brothers and sisters. colossal effort but, rather, a higher freedom Led by candle-bearing men and women that God gives to us and others as real wealth. from a variety of religious orders, Pope Fran- It sees that chastity is not austere sterility, but cis processed into a darkened St Peter’s Basil- the way to love without possessing. It sees that ica Feb 1 for a vigil celebration of Candlemas obedience is not a discipline, but is victory — the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord — over our own chaos, in the way of Jesus.” and the Vatican celebration of the World Day Simeon was able to recognise the Messiah for Consecrated Life. Pope Francis uses holy water as he celebrates a Mass marking the World Day for Consecrated Life because he had been looking for him, the Pope And, on the feast day itself, Feb 2, he spoke in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Feb 1, 2020. (CNS photo/Stefano Dal Pozzolo, pool) said. He never lost hope. about how every member of the Church has a the Messiah. for yourselves.” “Looking around, it is easy to lose hope: role to play in sharing the good news of salva- Simeon says that he can die in peace be- “You fell in love with Jesus, you saw eve- things that don’t work, the decline in voca- tion in Christ. cause he had seen “the grace that was worth rything in him and, enraptured by his gaze, tions,” the Pope said, but a life devoid of hope In his homily at the Mass with religious the more than life,” the Pope said. you left the rest behind. Religious life is this is a worldly one, not one focused on Jesus and evening before, Pope Francis focused on the Religious men and women and consecrated vision,” he said. trust in God’s love and fidelity. figures of Simeon and Anna, who were present virgins also “caught sight of the treasure worth A key to perseverance and joy in religious “We become blind if we do not look to the in the Temple when Mary and Joseph brought more than any worldly good,” Pope Francis life is to be always aware of the presence of Lord every day, if we do not adore him,” the the baby Jesus. Simeon and Anna, who dedi- said. “And so, you left behind precious things God’s grace, the Pope told the religious. “The Pope told the religious. “Adore the Lord.” — cated their lives to prayer, recognised Jesus as such as possessions, such as making a family tempter, the devil, focuses on our ‘poverty,’ our By Cindy Wooden, CNS Vatican donates masks to China to combat coronavirus VATICAN CITY: The Vatican has donated Chinese Fr Vincenzo Han Duo, vice rector of 26, Pope Francis expressed condolences to the thousands of protective masks to several Chi- Rome’s Pontifical Urbanian College, said the victims of the virus and his support for efforts to nese provinces affected by the outbreak of the donation was made possible with the help of fight its spread. deadly coronavirus. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner. “I wish to be close to and pray for the peo- The Vatican press office confirmed a report The masks were paid for by the Vatican and ple who are sick because of the virus that has that appeared in the Chinese newspaper The Chinese Christian communities in Italy, while spread through China,” he said. “May the Lord Global Times, which said that since Jan 27, the airline companies, including China Southern welcome the dead into his peace, comfort Vatican has sent between 600,000 and 700,000 Airlines, provided free shipment, the report said. families and sustain the great commitment by protective masks to China. “I hope the supplies can reach where they are the Chinese community that has already been “The masks are destined for the provinces of needed as soon as possible, so that people who put in place to combat the epidemic.” — By Hubei, Zhejiang and Fujian, It is a joint initiative are suffering the disease can feel the concern Junno Arocho Esteves, CNS of the Office of Papal Charities and the Chinese Catholics celebrate Mass at Hong Kong’s from the Holy See. The whole world is standing Turn to Pages 3 & 4 for the Pastoral Church in Italy, in collaboration with the Vatican Catholic Cathedral with protective masks together to fight the virus,” said Fr Han. Responses from the various Arch/Dioceses on pharmacy.” Feb 2, 2020. (CNS Photo/Francis Wong) During his Sunday Angelus address on Jan Novel Coronavirus 2019 2 FORUM / REFLECTION HERALD February 9, 2020 Move towards a more progressive taxation system t Francis of Assisi was well known for as the private hospitals and international or his “preferential option for the poor”, Sunday Observer private schools of today. Seight centuries before our time. Today, with lower taxes for the rich and When Francis heard a voice telling him By low wages for the majority, the economy repair to the church as it was “falling into is lethargic. ruins”, he took it literally, thinking that the Anil Netto Wealth is even taken out of the coun- Lord meant him to physically repair ruined try through illicit financial outflows. The [email protected] churches. wealthy are also able to hire tax consult- Now, Francis’ father was one of the ants to avoid taxes using legal means. wealthiest cloth merchants in the region, the most vulnerable in society. ing that period, it is still much higher than They can also squirrel away their wealth and so Francis took some of his cloth and Unfortunately, a recent report by the the effective rate of 36.4 per cent they were – or money launder their ill-gotten gains – sold it to raise money for a church that was UK charity, Oxfam, makes for grim read- paying in 2014 (Jordan Weissmann, 2017, via tax havens, undetected by enforcement in disrepair. The priest rightfully refused to ing: “The world’s 2,153 billionaires have slate.com). agencies. accept the money. more wealth than the 4.6 billion people And there are many more wealthier peo- Instead of paying more taxes, companies By now Francis was dressed in rags, who make up 60 per cent of the planet’s ple today who are paying lower effective prefer “corporate social responsibility” having grown disillusioned with wealth population.” tax rates. schemes while billionaires revel in philan- and the “good life”. When his father found And the inequality is getting worse. Let’s look closer at Malaysia. Forty thropy. The problem with these is that they him, he received a thrashing for bringing This worsening disparity in wealth is years ago, in the Supply Bill 1980, it was often don’t reach as many people as money “shame” to the family, and Francis was also helped by governments under-taxing stated that the new top marginal income tax paid through taxes will (provided corrup- then dragged before the bishop. Before a super wealthy companies and individuals, rate would be 55 per cent for those earn- tion can be reduced). shocked crowd, Francis returned whatever including the billionaires. ing more than M$75,000. Compare that to As Dutch journalist and historian Rutger he had taken from his father including his As a result of insufficient tax income, what we have now. The top marginal tax Bregman said: “Just stop talking about phi- own clothes, and then renounced his fam- many governments don’t have enough rate is just 30 per cent and that too, only for lanthropy and start talking about taxes. … ily inheritance. money to finance essential services such as those earning more than RM2m per year.