Parish Pastoral Council (PPC)

ExCo Members (left-to-right)

• Leonard Louis: Secretary
• Aloysius Lim: Focus on the elderly
  
• Joseph Kwok: Chairperson
• Tricia Kat: Vice Chairperson
  
• Father Venus Praveen: Assistant Parish Priest
  
• Father Damian DeWind: Parish Priest
  
• Father Peter Tan: Assistant Parish Priest
  
• Julian Lim: Focus on the family
  
• Jane Lee: Focus on the youth
  

PPC Chairman Message

Dear Friends,

On 16 Jul 2022, we held a Day of Recollection for our servant leaders (SLs); and from 19 to 27 May 2023, we followed up with a week-long guided prayer retreat with a Re-commitment prayer at all Masses on the weekend of 27 & 28 May.

This led to ExCo being prompted to envision CDM’s future. However, we were further prompted to invite ministry members and those in the NCCS to collaborate with us and so we conducted an Envisioning Workshop (EW) on 30 Sep 2023.

Our objective was to hear from them how they envision CDM fulfilling our Mission, Vision & Values.

In my opening address, I reminded the 31 attendees present at the EW that everyone needs to plan at various times in their life… and it is no different in a parish. Sometimes God speaks to us in dreams or we get a vision of where we want to go.

This is evident with Joseph in the Old Testament and Joseph in the New.
Both received dreams and when they acted on their dreams – the results brought life and salvation. So our dreams must not be idle daydreams – but steps taken with purpose.

And whatever we dream or envision has to be according to God’s plan; Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for not being able to read the signs of the times at his coming and his salvific role (Matthew 16).

And whether we are ready or not, Jesus will gently call us to make for deeper waters (Lk 5:4). And we need to remain excited!

However, change is uncertain, painful and takes courage. But as long as we remain attached to the vine our plans will bear fruit. (Jn 15:5)

And we need to discern constantly that our dreams or visions which are translated into plans are in line with God’s plan. Then we as a parish have to take ownership .. and be prepared to re-discern if the plan needs to be revised if circumstances change.

At the close of the EW, the dreams/visions, which I must stress are from the “ground up” provided the ExCo with a basis for short to medium term goals which we will discern. Next we will bring these goals to the PPC as well as to the parish-at-large.

We ask for your continued prayers, and hope for your support and participation in our efforts to make CDM an evangelising and missionary church, caring for others.

1 Oct 2023