Blessed Christmas!

It's the Christmas season, and what a wonderful time it's been indeed! Of the many highlights: Party@Marilyn's and STAC Retreat 2011 - The I in Christ. It's been an enjoyable and blessed Christmas, and we thank God for all He has done for us the past year.

Merry Christmas, dear STAC, and may God bless you abundantly this holiday season!

The I in ChrIst

The STAC bi-annual retreat is coming up in only a couple of weeks' time! Are you guys ready for The I in ChrIst? It's gonna be three days of self-reflection and self-discovery. And of course, fellowship and fun!

Venue: Choice Retreat House
Date: 19 to 21 December

Hope to see you all there! :)

Confirmation

Today is a very special day for six of our young members. To our dear confirmants--Vanessa, Priscillia, Belicia, Matthias, Yendall and Sean--God bless and have a wonderful Confirmation experience!

We'll be praying for you guys as you take this last step out of your catechesis phase and into the life of an adult Catholic. But remember, while Confirmation brings catechism to a close, it doesn't mark the end of your faith journey; it is only the beginning of God's great plan. Keep praying, keep serving and keep growing in Christ. Most importantly, may you discover your vocation in this great big world.

All the best, and enjoy this very special day! :)

God Bless!

To all students taking their GCE 'O' and 'A' Level papers, God bless and stay strong! Remember to always keep God first in your mind, and He will lead you wherever you need to go. Trust in Him and He will not leave you to fend for yourself! :)

And just a little piece of advice: now is definitely not the time to be mugging. Nothing's gonna get in that way. The day before your paper, just take two hours or so to do revision at a leisurely pace, then take a short break and do the same thing again. Make a list of all the things you might be unsure of, and just before the exam, go through that list again. Stay relaxed and you'll retain information better! :D

P.S. This was my personal revision technique for my Os. I didn't get a fantabulous single-digit score, but I still did pretty good :3 So hopefully this will work for you guys as well!

Bon Voyage!

Beatrice and Priscillia are headed overseas and won't be with us till November. We wish them both safe and fun-filled journeys, and will keep them in our prayers. Have great fun, you two, and do share your experiences with us when you get back! Bon voyage and God bless! :)

Nativity Feast Day 2011

A very belated and happy birthday to our Blessed Mother, and to the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Nativity has always been more than a church to its parishoners; it has been a home, a shelter, and a haven wherein memories are created and sealed. We continue to pray for the parish's growth in the years to come, and for the wellbeing of the parishoners who have given their hearts to this place of love and community.

STAC Farewell BBQ

A fun-filled BBQ at the Bongs' place marked the farewell of two beloved STAC members last Sunday evening. Though it was with heavy hearts that STAC said goodbye to Michael and Beatrice, the choir proved once again that even when faced with the toughest of situations, it is never a chore to spend quality time with one another.

Despite a few hiccups and hijinks, it was a night of good company and (surprisingly) good food. Heartfelt thanks to all those who came, and an even bigger thank you to those who brought food and drinks, and helped out with the fire and cooking. We hope you had loads of fun, because we sure did ;)

Michael & Beatrice: though your journey with us has come to a temporary pause, we wish you all the best in your future endeavours. Study hard, but don't forget to enjoy all that UK has to offer. Most importantly, always remember to stay close to God and He will bless and ensure your wellbeing. You will be missed! Bon voyage! :)

Farewell Party

Hello all. Michael & Beatrice See will be leaving for UK soon, and we will be throwing them a farewell party on the 4 September. It will be a BBQ. Below are the details:

Venue: Bongs' place
Date: 4 September 2011
Time: 5pm onwards (you may come earlier to help set up if you wish)

As we'll be catering to quite a few people, the Bongs are requesting some help in the food department. We'll be preparing the chicken wings and dessert, as well as the general neccessities like paper plates, cups, and utensils.

We would really appreciate it if some of you guys can volunteer to bring more food, so we can feed everyone. Here's a list of things you could bring:

• Drinks (bottled, packet)


• Sausages (frozen, for BBQ-ing)


• Crab-sticks


• Fried rice/noodles (if you want a staple)


• Snacks (chips, marshmallows etc)


• Any foodstuff you might want to bring

Do let me know if you're coming or not and whether you are bringing anything; this way I'll know how much food needs to be prepared.

Enjoy the rest of the week, and God bless! :)

Bogoroditse Devo Translation

Here's the translation for Bogoroditse Devo:

German: Bogoroditse Devo, raduysia
English: Rejoice, virgin, God-bearer

German: Blagodatnaya Mariye, Ghospod s'Toboyu
English: Mary, full of grace, the Lord be with you

German: Blagoslovenna Ti v'zhenah
English: Blessed are you amongst women

German: i Blagosloven Plod chreva Tvoyego
English: and blessed is the Fruit of your Womb

German: yako Spasa rodila yesi dush nashih
English: for you have borne the Savior of our souls

German...not so fun. :/

Gaude Maria Translation

This took me a while to find/decipher, but here's the translation for Gaude Maria:

Latin: Gaude Maria Virgo!
English: Rejoice, Virgin Mary!

Latin: quae Gabrielis Archangelis dictis credidisti
English: who believed the words of Archangel Gabriel

Latin: dum virgo Deum et hominem genuisti
English: while still a virgin, bore God and man

Latin: et post partum virgo inviolata permansisti
English: and after the birth remained virgin inviolate

Latin is fun~

Picnic @ Changi Beach

On the last week of the June holidays, a bunch of us went to Changi Beach for a fun-filled picnic! It was a great day of relaxing, frisbee, eating and fellowship. Here's to more outings and bonding sessions in the near future!

Random Thoughts: Retreats

I just want to post a collection/summary of thoughts that I got through the different sharings done by Selene, Jason, Berenice, Priscillia and myself. There will also be some points made from different people, both in and out of the choir. For the sake of their privacy, I will not credit individual points to the people who made them. So without further adieu, here we go:

1. Forgive, Forgive, Forgive
Long before we fall onto our knees to seek forgivness for our transgressions, God has already forgiven us. But forgiveness is not a one-way street. We have to be ready to forgive others and ourselves in order to receive the grace of God's forgiveness and healing. Reconciliation (confession) is one good example of seeking God to find forgiveness of self. It is only by acknowledging and voicing out our sins that we make them tangible to ourselves and to God, hence allowing His grace to free us from the weight of our sinfulness (healing).

2. Do Not Resist
We can easily say we believe in God, but how many of us actually trust in Him? To have faith is to be able to 'leave it in the hands of the Lord' and expect nothing except His love. To have expectations is to resist the way God wants to act in and through you, and our God is a gentle God. He does not force Himself on those who resist Him, for that would be a crime against our free will.

3. Hurting People Hurt People
Always remember that if you find yourself hurting others, you have probably been hurt before, or are still hurting. Seek God's healing when you find yourself being mean or spiteful to others, and always ask for forgivness. Similarly, be ready to forgive when someone hurts you, for that person is probably hurting too.

4. Doubt Your Doubts Before You Doubt Your Beliefs
Another quote by Fr. William Goh. God works in many mysterious and wonderful ways, around, through and in us. Don't doubt His power, for to do so would be to resist. If you ever find yourself doubting God's existence or presence, ask yourself why you are doubting before you throw your beliefs away.

5. The Intensity of God
Our God is an intense and passionate God. Often, when He works through us, we can feel it. But most of the time we deny it. He often moves us to cry, to laugh, to give praise and to sing. Don't resist Him when you feel Him moving in you. That warm fuzzy feeling, that burning sense of hope, that tightness in your heart, that Bible phrase which strikes you: those are all ways God speaks to us. Listen to His intensity.

6. God is Perfection
God is perfect, and in all that we do, we strive to be like Him. For it is human nature to desire perfection, subconsciously or otherwise. But be conscious: we are striving to be like God, and for that to happen we need His help, not the help of this material world. Why search elsewhere for perfection when the epitome of it is just a prayer away?

7. God Changes Us, Not the World
Whatever retreat, camp or spiritual talk we attend, we must remember that God does not change the world around us. Life doesn't revolve around a single human being. No. It is US who are changed. The world around us remains the same, but it is our perspective of it that has been made right. Because in God's eyes, all He created is good. So do not let your spiritual uplifting be snuffed out by reality--trust in the Lord always, and remind the devil at all times who your Daddy is.

8. Procrastinate!
We are so good at procrastinating. "Oh I'll do this tomorrow." "Oh I'll get to it next week." Why not use procrastination to our advantage? Tell yourself, when dealing with sin, that you will sin tomorrow, and reserve today for God. Wanna smoke? Do it tomorrow! Pray today and tell yourself you'll take a prayer break the next day! Use the devil's tool against him, and smile innocently when he throws his hands up in exasperation. =)

9. Make Decisions Worthy of God's Praise
Often in life we have to make decisions, and it is this exercise of free will that we usually feel the most distant from God. We don't know whether or not our plans coincide with God's, and if they don't, are they doomed to fail? Always ask yourself if you'll be able to praise God for making a certain choice, and if you can't, then it's very likely the wrong one. More importantly, trust that God will provide, no matter what the outcome might be.

10. We Are a Family
At the end of the day, we are one body in Christ. We are a community and a family, and this very fact will be our biggest advantage in life. To be in communion with Christ is to be united with each other in love, and when we act out of love, truly God is with us. There is no force on this world that can tear apart God's love, and if we exercise this love in our daily lives, then we are indestructible. Always love, no matter how hard it gets, no matter who tries to stop you. Always love, always lean, and always support one another, come what may.

Praise the Lord for mighty are His works!

Random Thoughts: Waiting

I really liked the sermon last Sunday, so I've decided to do a short write-up on it. This will be the start of my Random Thoughts posts. If anyone has any random musings they wish to post up here, do drop me an email ;)

So the day before, which was a Saturday, my family and I were making a trip to Malaysia to visit some relatives. To our frustration, we got stuck at the immigration custom for a solid 4 hours. The waiting nearly killed us and brought out the worst in us. All in all, it was a terrible experience.

As Fr. Thomas Curran pointed out, most of us dislike waiting, basically because it renders us helpless. When we find ourselves having to wait, it's usually because we have done all we could and no longer have control over the situation. We wait because there's nothing else we can do; we are powerless to affect the outcome any further.

When we put God into the equation, waiting becomes a test of faith. Our attitudes towards waiting show in the way we pray. One would think that God, in all His power, would hear your request if you asked Him just once. Yet very often we pray repeatedly, asking again and again for the same thing, detailing when, how and what we want of God.

There's nothing wrong with asking God for things. In fact, it's a healthy form of prayer. But, as we have figured out in Lent, God is not a fairygod mother. He is not some magician who answers to our every whim. He is love, nothing more, and nothing less. Love functions in a way that logic cannot, and God knows us in a way that nobody else does. He understands our wants, but He also sees our needs, which we often overlook, and provides. All He asks of us is a bit of patience, and a bit of faith.

The worst thing about waiting is thinking. When there's nothing else we can do, and our prayers have been said, often we start to worry. We start contemplating the outcome, and we start building up expectations. We formulate the perfect fantasy setting where everything comes out perfectly, and wonder how terrible life would be if things did not play out that way. As we do this, we start leaving God out of the equation. Why? Because we no longer allow God to answer our prayers His way and in His own time. We start to have preconceptions on how our prayers should be answered, how our problems should be fixed, and ultimately, how God should act.

What we should do is ask God for the best possible outcome, whatever that might be. God will definitely answer our prayers; it's just a matter of when and how. We should do well to remember that it is a blessing to wait, because by waiting, we are atesting to our faith--and we are atesting to God's awesome love.

Rosary Home Visit: Michael

A trip to Michael's home marked the end of the month of May, as well as the Rosary Home Visits. And what an ending it was! Thank you Michael and your family for your hospitality, for the food, your awesome balcony and your willingness to let us destroy your house. It was quality time well-spent, indeed!

And much thanks to the other three households for inviting us over for prayer and fellowship. God's presence in our lives has been made more apparent this month through your generosity and hospitality. =)

Roasry Home Visit: Nicholas

Our third Rosary Home Visit was to a much newer member's place at Florida. We had an awesome time at Nicholas' place, and even got to celebrate Unc Sam's and Suzette's birthdays! There was a generous spread, some Wii games to keep us entertained and, of course, a meaningful session of community prayer through the Holy Rosary. Good food, good fun and good company make our time together seem to pass much quicker, but thank you nonetheless to Nicholas and his wonderfully obliging family!

Photo courtesy of Brian

Rosary Home Visit: Beatrice See

Our second Rosary Home Visit brought us to the home of Beatrice See. Our golden-haired choir member greeted us with much hospitality, wonderful food, and a healthy dose of Lego Rock Band! In addition, 2 of our new Immersion kids, Priscillia and Sean, joined us for a night of prayer and fellowship. We all had a great time.

Many thanks to Beatrice and her parents, especially her lovely mother, for inviting us into their home. Thank you and God bless! =)

Photo courtsey of Brian.

Rosary Home Visit: Anthia & Zachus

Last Saturday, STAC embarked on their first Rosary Home Visit. We found ourselves in the hospitality of Anthia and Zachus, as well as their more-than-gracious parents. Thank you for inviting us into your home to pray and share a wonderful meal together! The food was great, and the company was even better. Cheers!

Photograph courtesy of Brian.

Rosary Home Visit

Hi all. We will be having our firstever Rosary Home Visit at Anthia's & Zachus' place this coming Saturday (7/4). Below are all the necessary details:

Meeting Venue: Bus-stop outside Nativity
Meeting Time: 6.50pm sharp
Stuff to Bring: Rosary + FOOD!

As this event will be a mini-potluck as well as a gathering for STAC, it will be awesome if you guys can bring some F&B. For a list of stuff you might wanna consider bringing, please see below:

• Bottled drinks



• Potato chips



• Finger foods (nuggets, finger sandwiches, cocktail sausages etc)



• Sandwiches



• Simple dishes (shepherd's pie, fried rice etc)
  


• Dessert (cookies, brownies, cake, waffles, fruits etc)

Please confirm with me your attendance as well as what food you're gonna bring by this Friday! If you don't, I will assume you won't be joining us, so don't be surprised when you don't see anyone at the bus-stop (especially if you're late!). =P

Happy Easter!

Jesus Christ is Risen Today! Happy Easter everyone!

Celebrations galore as STAC held its firstever Easter gift-exchange after mass today, proving that the spirit of giving is not only alive on an over-commercialised Christmas, but during the most important day on our Christian calendar as well!

But the partying didn't stop there! The choir headed over to BBBs' place for a free flow of waffles! Thank you so much for your kind hospitality and great food, BBBs. We all had a wonderful time!

So happy Easter to all Christians and non-Christians alike. Rejoice, for today death has been conquered by our Lord and Saviour. =)

Lenten Session VI

I really loved the last session's community reading, so I've decided to post it up here and do a short conclusion after. Here goes:

"How is it that the people who hail Jesus with branches and song as he enters Jerusalem also revile and taunt him a few days later?

They have an idea of what a messiah or a prophet or a king should be. They have decided beforehand what Jesus should do and be for them. It is not Jesus himself they are welcoming to Jerusalem that day, but rather Jesus as a means to bring about their plans and schemes. For them, messiah means power. They have no use for a messiah who is love. Love does not solve their problems in the way they expect power should. Yet perhaps some of them will later repent and rejoice because love himself has forgiven them from the cross as power never will or can.

Who is Jesus for you? Is he a fix-it man whom you accuse when things are not fixed to your satisfaction? Or are you open to welcome him as he chooses to come? Are you so busy looking for him to show his power that you never recognise how he is showing his love?

We are his welcomers, and we are his revilers. May repentance always bring us to welcome him again. And may each new welcoming be more and more enduring."

As Bernard said, God is always giving. He gives so much, and his blessings for us are in abundance. Yet, in spite of all we have received, we continue to ask for more, and God, in His magnificent love, keeps giving.

Must we wait till we lose our gifts before we realise how much we have been given? As Lent comes to a close, let us be more appreciative of the people and things around us. We are so, so blessed, and let's remember that the next time we attempt to blame God for our shortcomings.

Lenten Session V

After returning the blind man his sight, Jesus' journey towards Calvary continued. This time, however, he got a little sidetracked: a dear friend of his, Lazarus, had died.

The death of Lazarus, as Jesus said, gave him a chance to display God's power. Jesus proved himself greater than death by raising Lazarus from the dead, though he had already been entombed for a few days. Jesus wanted us to know that nothing on this world was more absolute than God, and since God is love, nothing is more powerful than love.

Most of us in this choir are young, and have not yet had to experience the death of someone dear to us. But when we do, or if we did, what would our response be? Would we blame God for taking away someone we loved? Would we mourn a loss, or should we be strong and realise that death is not the end?

Love persists even after one's death, and love ensures that a person does not simply disappear after they have passed from this world. Thanks to God's great love, our lives need not end--we can live on, both in heaven, and in the hearts of those who love us.

As seen on a gravestone in a commercial (or was it an MV?): "We loved him very much, but God loved him more."

Lent Session IV

As he continued his journey towards his death and ressurection, Jesus encountered a beggar whose physical blindness Jesus cured. The significance of this act of kindness was so great that it sparked a rather big controversy amongst the Pharisees and some of the Jews, for Jesus had healed on a Sabbath, an act which was akin to crime in those days.

This story of one of Jesus' many miracles raises two important points. The first comes from the actions of the Pharisees. Many a time we tend to blow things out of proportions. We tend to misread the intentions of others because their actions seem out of the current social norms. Sometimes, we even allow those standards to be our excuse for not doing the right thing; we allow ourselves to be suffocated by social norms, and fail to reach out to the lonely, fail to heal the sick or love the unloved. Jesus proved himself greater than the Sabbath and the laws which the Pharisees had twisted and contorted--we, too, have to be greater than the boundaries this physical world has constructed around us.

The second point stems from the blind man. He showed us a quality that we often overlook: steadfastness. He did not fear the Pharisees, who probably had the power to punish him for defying them. Instead, he allowed himself to revel in the Truth--that Jesus was the saviour of the world, the only Son of God. Jesus is always there, always healing and guiding us through the difficulties of our lives. Yet when he needs us most, where are we? When the Pharisees of our modern world condemn him, do we stand up for the Lord who has returned us our sight? Or do we shy away, afraid of what the blind might do to us?

The road to the cross was not easy for Jesus, yet he never backed away from those who needed his grace. Let us then walk in his footsteps, and allow our blindness to be washed away in his wondrous love.

Lenten Session III

Since last week's reading was rather long, I thought it would be good to do a little song analysis instead. The hymn we'll be analysing will be Fill My Cup, Lord. We'll go through the hymn two lines at a time.

"Like the woman at the well, I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy"

The nameless woman at the well had an appetite. She had had five husbands and was living with another man when she first met Jesus. We could even assume she was rather attracted to Jesus, which prompted her to make conversation with him, a Jew. At heart, this woman with a bad reputation was simply lonely and looking for love in all the wrong places. Like this woman, often we find ourselves wanting things we do not need. We fill holes in our lives with material possessions in the hopes that they can make us happy. But material things are not permanent. Eventually, they lose their value, and cannot provide happiness. They do not satisfy.

"But then I heard my saviour speaking:
'Draw from my well that never shall run dry!'"

The words in this hymn are a little different from what Jesus said. Jesus said that 'whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst again'. Nonetheless, the point here is that Jesus speaks to us. He offers us this everlasting water, and he offers us himself. Why is this important? Because, at the end of the day, Jesus is always first. Had he not made the first move, had he not made the initial offer, we would be left wanting and forever thirsting, no matter how great our faith. This new life Jesus gives is not our birthright. We do not deserve it. Jesus offers it because that's how much God loves us.

"Fill my cup, Lord! I lift it up Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul!"

Now that Jesus has offered us the living water, we have one more important thing to do. We have to accept his invitation, and we have to want it with all our heart and soul. There is no point accepting a gift when it's going to be thrown aside. God's gifts cannot be wasted. We have to want it, to thirst for it. We have to lift up our cups and ask God to quench our thirst.

"Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!"

Now at last we arrive at the true focal point of this hymn, and of our very religion. What can really quench 'this thirsting of my soul' is the Bread of Heaven. We find God's greatest gift again and again each Sunday in Holy Communion, when the host becomes the true Body of Christ. If we partake of this feast and be witnesses of Christ and his Holy Spirit, we can find true happiness even in the face of adversity.

And that is the Spring of Living Water.

Lenten Session II

Last Sunday, we learned about Christ's magnificent transfiguration and the effects it had on the disciples who were there to witness it. Jesus was transformed into an image of splendour and beauty, and through this change, the disciples, too, were changed.

There is so much in our world and lives that requires that which the disciples experienced: change. Nations wage wars, sin is ever making its presence known, and somewhere in our lives, someone is lonely or sick or depressed. There is so much for us to do, so much for us to make right. But none of this is possible until we exact this change on one very important thing: ourselves.

Before we can set out to carry out God's work, we must first be transfigured as Christ was. This means our very attitude and outlook on life must be reshaped to fit God's will. In this life, intention is everything. Are we doing good deeds so others might notice, or are we doing them because it is the right thing to do, and we genuinely want others to be happy? Are we befriending others so they can be our latest 'pet project', or because they provide us with some sort of advantage?

Likewise with our Lenten penance; if we give up the world, but refuse to give our hearts to God, then our resolutions will be for naught.

So as we journey together in this season of Lent, let us take a step back and rethink our intentions. Only when our hearts are open and our intentions pure can we truly be transfigured and start changing the world and people around us for the better.

Lenten Session I

Before he began his ministry, Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness. The trials he faced, along with his 40 days of fasting, are synonymous with the season of Lent.

Jesus was not alone in the desert. The devil was also with him, desperate to tempt Jesus into breaking away from his Father's will. Much like himself, Jesus' temptations were far from ordinary. He was asked to turn stone into bread, to jump from a great height and be rescued by angels, and to worship Satan for all the possessions of the world.

As Berenice so aptly put it, Jesus' temptations represent very real trials in our lives. Often we go out of our way to obtain things we think are necessary for our happiness; but Jesus, who was aching with hunger (YOU try fasting 40 days), refused to be swayed despite having the power to turn stone, not just into bread, but into a grand feast for himself. Don't ask God for more than you need; instead, be grateful for what you have and seek the Kingdom first in all that you do.

The second trial represents our tendency to test God's love for us. When situations seem hopeless, or when we want something we cannot get, we pray. Which is fine and dandy, except that a lot of us make 'deals' when we pray. "God, if you give me this, I'll do this and that..." Is that truly necessary? God asks nothing more from you than your faith and trust in His will, however dire a situation may seem. He doesn't need to 'prove' his love for us; we should know how much He already loves us. Jesus rebuked the devil: "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." We should do well to remember those words.

Finally, the third temptation is one we've all faced: idol-worshipping. Wealth, power, fame. It is not just the obsession or the pursuit of it; how often have we treated a person better because they are richer, famous, or in a position of power and authority? God is the only being worthy of our worship, and Jesus reminds of this when he says, "You shall not have any other god except the Lord your God."

The way of Christ is not easy, but we know it is achievable because Jesus, who was as human as you and me, managed to do it. Isabel and Michael mentioned that perhaps Jesus had an unfair advantage; after all, he is the Son of God, and possessed the knowledge of what was to come. But very often, we, too, know the consequences of our actions. We can differentiate between right and wrong, so why do we still sin? It is our human inadequacies that prevent us from focusing on what is beyond the here and now, driving us to seek immediate gratification instead of long-term goals. This, I believe, is also a weakness that Jesus faced, and so brilliantly overcame.

So as Lent begins, let us all pray that the Spirit (which both we and Jesus have access to) will lead us on our road to salvation. Pax Vobiscum.

*Based on STAC Lenten Session I*

Easter Vigil Song List

Hi all. This is the song-list for Easter Vigil, provided by Leonard.

Ordinaries & Misc.:

• Exultet
• Service of light
• Gloria (ray repp)
• Kyrie elesion (same as Christmas)
• Alleluia (2 years ago)
• Litany of the Saints (by flowing waters)
• Our Father (normal one)
• I Saw Water
• Springs of Water
• Holy Holy (Christmas)
• Memorial Acclamation (Creation )
• Doxology (Great Amen)
• Lamb of God (St. David)

Offertery:

• To Be Your Bread
• Take My Life and Let It Be

Communion:

• Panis Angelicus
• At the Lamb’s High Feast
• I Know that My Redeemer Lives (soper)

Recessional:

• Ye Sons and Daughters
• Regina Caeli Laetare (chant)

Please prepare your scores! =)

Big Beatrice's 21st!

Happy belated birthday to the oldest member of the BBB Sisters, who turned 21 just yesterday (22nd Feb)! Thank you for inviting us to your party, and may you have a great 21st year of existence! =D

Schedule for 2011

Hello choir!

This is our schedule for the first half of the year, courtesy of Bernard! For more details, please refer to his email.

3 Feb - CNY 7.30am Mass (STAC)
9 Mar - Ash Wednesday (NOT a day of obligation, but good to go)
10 Mar - Intercessory Prayers @ 8.00pm. All choirs to attend.
11 Mar - Mass + Stations of the Cross I @ 7.30pm (STAC)
8 Apr - Mass + Stations of the Cross V @ 7.30pm (STAC)
22 Apr - Good Friday 3.00pm Service (STAC)
23 Apr - Easter Vigil Mass @ 10.00pm (SAC + HSC
13 May - Marian Mass + Procession
2 Jun - Ascension 6.30pm Mass (STAC)

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy 37th Anniversary

Happy Anniversary my dear STAC! Wow, we've really come a long way. Can you believe it's been 37 years since a bunch of like-minded young people came together to form this group? Though I've only been in this choir for 4 years, I would just like to say that I thank God for how far we've come. It really is amazing!

My fellow STAC-ians, let's never forget that we're more than just a choir. We're a family, and we will remain that way as long as we're of one heart, one purpose and one voice. So let us pray for unity and strength and God's continued blessings as we journey into 2011. Come what may, we will get through all obstacles and hardships together, and rejoice in the good times as a family! God and St Thomas Aquinas will always be looking out for us! =D

This blog, along with this post, is my personal present to all of you this anniversary. It will contain updates for various events, as well as hold links to uploaded scores, pictures and useful sites. So make good use of it!

I wish all of you the best for the year ahead. May God hold you in the palm of His hand! =)