Mission: Unity Missio Unitatis

Gillian’s journey towards the Catholic faith was a meandering but illuminating one — a prime example of 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘪 𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴. She once considered herself a freethinker and received a liberal education, during which she subscribed to postmodernist beliefs, such as the belief that “Religion is the opium of the people”. Having experienced the great injustices in life, her desolation propelled her journey in search of truth. 
She was first introduced to Christianity by her Protestant peers in university, who encouraged her to love scriptures and live a truthful life centred on Christ. As her faith deepened, she made it her goal to understand Christianity in full and this eventually led her to the Catholic faith. Listen to the episode as she shares extensively on how she arrives at the Catholic faith and eventually got baptised on Easter 2022.

What was the Early Church like? How did the Early Christians practise their faith? Who are the Early Church Fathers and how did they help safeguard true Christian beliefs? Have you thought about how the Church instituted by Jesus Christ carried on in the generations after the Apostles have passed away? Which Church today has teachings which are closest to the Early Church?
Peace be to you! Missiounitatis is back with season 2 of our podcast interviews. In this episode, we spoke with Darren, who illuminates a lesser known time period of Church history - the Early Church. Darren is a convert from a ‘freethinker’ to a self professed Presbyterian to a Catholic and studied history in university. 
Today is the Feast of the great Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelic Doctor and one of the Church’s greatest theologians in history. It is with honour that we seek his humble intercession to make Christ known and loved through the beauty of the Catholic Christian faith. It is also Darren’s chosen confirmation name; so let us pray for Darren to grow in knowledge and love for the Lord.
We hope that this episode provides some food for thought for your own faith development as it did for ours. We will keep you in our prayers, and please also keep us and this apostolate in your prayers!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, it is now and ever shall be, world without end. +
(0:00 - 5:15)
Our introductory prayer, Veni Sancte Spiritus and introduction to Darren; how he came into the faith, and how he was looking for a church that ‘taught what Christ taught’. Special mention to G.K. Chesterton, who wrote about perspectives through the Catholic lens which is reasonable and sound.
(5:16 - 9:56)
Darren shares about the practices of the Early Church, and the beginnings of the Holy Mass. “The first thing the Crusaders did with the Papal representative after they took back Jerusalem, the Holy Land, was to celebrate Mass”. Is the Mass biblical?
(9:57 – 12:40)
Church history did not end after the New Testament was written. For historians, writings beyond the book of the Apocalypse are a gold mine to revealing what the early Church used to practice. For example, the Didache (non-canonical) wrote about early Christian practice.
(12:41 – 20:44)
Not all early Christians followed the set of norms of the Christian community, their different beliefs led them to heresy. Several factors that led to heresies were differences in how they viewed Christ - overemphasis on the old Law (Judaizers/Ebionites); or on the other contrary, influences of pagan mystery cults (Gnostics), or disbelief of the incarnation (Docetists).
(20:45 – 28:06) 
Early Christians were challenged in understanding the mystery of Jesus (was He subordinate to God or was He God himself?). Introduction to Valentinus, a Gnostic heretic and his opponent, Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, bishop. How did the Early Church address this? Through the authority of the bishop whose teachings had been handed down from the Apostles.
(28:07 – 32:32)
Final thoughts from Darren about how learning about the history of the Church helps him to live in faith today.

N.B: Heretics & The Everlasting Man are the two books that Darren would recommend for those interested in the writings of GK Chesterton.

References:
“Reading the Early Church Fathers: from the Didache to Nicaea” by James L. Papandrea
“The Early Church” by Henry Chadwick
First Apology of St. Justin Martyr (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0126.htm)
The Didache (http://www.thedidache.com/)

Please enjoy our thirty minute interview with Gloriane who was confirmed into the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church in 2017. She talks about how she came to the faith through early Church Fathers’ writings and the book of Sirach, and shares advice for those who struggle with devotion to Mary.

This episode is published on the last day of the Month of the Holy Rosary +

(0:00 - 1:36)
Introducing our friend Gloriane

(1:36 - 3:11)
A glimpse into Gloriane’s growing up years in a Protestant household, where a great love for God and Scriptures was instilled.

(3:11 - 6:03)
Gloriane shares about her first encounter with Catholics, which led to her questioning and finding out more about the Catholic faith, especially the role of Mary in the faith. This was the seed planted for her journey towards the Catholic faith.

(6:03 - 8:32)
Gloriane talks about the role of the Saints in the Catholic faith, where she first expounded on the Protestant’s point of view and then subsequently the truth about the concept of Saints.

(8:32 - 11:23)
Gloriane continues to talk about her various encounters with Catholics - from her Catholic schoolmates who were exasperated by her inquisitiveness to her biology teacher who inspired her.

(11:23 - 16:24)
Gloriane details how she decided to convert to the Catholic faith, which was propelled by her finding out the discrepancy in the Protestant vs. Catholic canon of Scriptures. She later discovered the Catholicity of the writings of the Early Church Fathers, which led her to want to find out more about the Catholic faith. After going through an apologetics document containing the answers to the questions she had, she was drawn more deeply into the faith.

(16:25 - 20:20)
Gloriane continues on how the apologetics document helped to reveal the validity of a devotion to Mary, something which scandalised her at first.

(20:20 - 22:06)
Gloriane’s devotion to Mary is framed by her praying the Rosary regularly after understanding the genesis of the Hail Marys. Her devotion is also characterised by her abandonment to the will of God and her active participation in the Legion of Mary.

(22:07 - 22:54)
How the Catholic faith enriched her spiritual life through the Eucharist.

(22:54 - 24:41)
Gloriane’s recommendation to those who struggle with devotion to Mary.

(24:41 - 28:42)
Gloriane talks about her discovery of Gregorian Chants and subsequent discovery of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. She explains how this form of the Mass helped her gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of worship.

(28:42 - 30:02)
Ending prayer - Memorare.

References:
Early Church Father Bible Commentaries on Holy Scripture: https://www.ccel.org/fathers
Catholic apologetics PDF (responses to common Protestant arguments such as Purgatory, Mother Mary, Papal Infallibility): http://stccc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Apologetics_-_Book_of_Armaments.pdf

In this episode, we are greatly honoured to interview Father Ferdinand, a priest from the Carmelite Order here in Singapore. He is a cradle Catholic who experienced a renewal of faith through the love of his parents’ sacrifice for him in his teenage years.

Here, he talks about his years growing up in Indonesia then furthering his studies in Australia; as well as his calling to join the Carmelites in Singapore with the help of great spiritual directors.

We hope that God would inspire our listeners, Catholic or non-Catholic, through his heartfelt sharing.

We chose to publish this episode on 16 July, because it is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel - a very special feast for the Carmelites. May we have a healthy increase in vocations to the Carmelite order or wherever God calls the young discerner.

(0:00 - 0:45) Introduction to our special guest of this episode, Fr. Ferdinand

(0:45 - 8:20)
A glimpse of life growing up as a young Catholic in Indonesia & his exposure to Catholic devotions through his family and the local community. Knowledge of the Bible and Catechism were memorised by rote learning.

(8:12 - 10:37)
Reversion to the faith through the realisation of his parent’s love for him in forking out big sums of money for his education in Australia. With his newfound faith, he joined the choir ministry and his relationship with God flourished.

(10:38 - 18:08)
An ‘ultimatum’ of choosing between the Catholic Mass vs the Protestant service launched him into a search for answers with the conclusion that the Catholic Church was the true Church founded by Christ. Mary and the Eucharist (Real Presence of Christ in the communion wafer) were two key things that he did not want to lose.

(18:08 - 21:56)
The influence of Mary in his life. His decision to adopt Mary as his Mother, praying to be a good child of God and asking Mary to help him. He shares the similarities of his parents’ love for him & his response to it,with the love of God and our response to Him.

(21:56 - 25:52)
Having been asked about his vocation by the university chaplain and being unsure of it at that point; it was the start of his discernment into the priestly calling with his simple prayer “Your Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”.

(26:52 - 28:25)
An existential question while working at his secular job and questions of his vocation resurfaced. The Jesuits assisted him to discern his vocation of the religious order.

(28:25 - 35:16)
Discernment of the Carmelite order. How he was introduced to the Carmelite Rule and “Story of a Soul” by St Therese of Lisieux. He shares an important insight in discernment for all of us.

(35:16 - 37:03)
Outro and ending prayer - Prayer to our Blessed Virgin Mary Our Lady of Mount Carmel

This is our interview with Rebecca, who is a Catholic revert. She shares with us her years away from the Church searching for answers in different beliefs such as New Age Spiritualism.

(0:00 - 0:45)
Introducing Rebecca.

(0:45 - 02:10)
Rebecca shares the beginnings of this apostolate and why it is important during this time. She also shares why reason does not oppose faith.

(02:11 - 05:43)
Rebecca delves into her younger days where she shares her past struggles with the Catholic faith and her sins. Although her family consists mainly of practicing Catholics, she highlighted that faith is not naturally hereditary and coming from a good family does not always equate to being a good person.

(05:44 - 14:46)
Rebecca details her misguided search for truth, which resulted in subscribing to beliefs from Veganism, Buddhism, New Age Spiritualism and Scientism, with almost renunciation of her Catholic faith to adopt Buddhism as her religion. She also reflects on how she found out that they are not the answer, which propelled her journey back to the Catholic faith.
On her journey back, she attended Protestant services but was not attracted to Protestantism as it lacks the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and does not hold the fullness of Truth. The Catholic Church having the Body of Christ (the Eucharist) is the strongest factor to her reversion.
She also shares the interesting insight on how religion should be the centre of all knowledge learnt in university (referenced from Bishop Barron's Catholicism series)

(14:47 - 17:27)
Rebecca shares how Catholicism has helped her in her life: the Sacraments, and the many channels of graces. She also shares the benefits of knowing virtues and knowing your temperament and the consolation that there is the hope of eternal rest after death

(17:28 - 18:50)
Saints who inspire Rebecca - St. Louis Marie de Montfort, St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. Augustine of Hippo

(18:51 - 21:13)
Rebecca shares on how one can preserve one’s faith: staying true to devotion to Our Lady

(21:14 - 23:05)
Rebecca’s advice for lapsed Catholics

(23:05 - 25:16)
Rebecca’s thanksgiving and final reflections

(25:17 - 27:22)
Outro and ending prayer - Alma Redemptoris Mater

This is our interview with Agnes, who is a Catholic convert. She was born and raised in a Buddhist household. She journeyed into the Catholic faith during her young adult years and subsequently, most of her family members converted to the faith as well.

0:00 - 01:14
Introducing Agnes

01:15 - 02:46
Agnes briefly shares with us her previous religious outlooks

02:47 - 04:22
Agnes delves deeper into what propelled her to seriously search for a religion and was eventually led to Christianity

04:52 - 05:40
Agnes shares her early Catholic influences during her time at a Catholic convent school

05:41 - 07:40
Why not Protestantism?

07:50 - 09:25
Agnes’ take on why faith is important in guiding us in our lives and why a relationship with God is important

09:26 - 11:41
Agnes shares the challenges she faced while she was in the early years in the Catholic faith. She also conveyed the good news that most of her family members subsequently converted as well.

11:42 - 12:57
Examples of how the Catholic faith helped Agnes to understand how God’s love is unchanging and love people more deeply

12:58 - 14:45
The Saints who inspired and continue to inspire Agnes

14:46 - 15:11
Any words to share with people who are atheistic

15:12 - 17:31
Agnes’ thoughts on how children should be brought up in the faith.

17:32 - End
Outro and ending prayer - the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55)