Funeral Mass of Rev Fr Paul Tong

[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] this one [Music] [Music] good morning dear brothers and sisters in christ and welcome to this eucharistic celebration for the funeral mass for reverend father paul tong mass will begin shortly but we ask you not to take any photographs during the mass there will be an official photographer so please remember not to take any photographs during the mass itself thank you [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] let us rise the entrance antiphon eternal rest grant unto them o lord and let perpetual light shine upon them uh the entrance and defend eaten the rest unto them the lord and let perpetuite shine upon them in the name of the father and of the son of the holy spirit amen peace be with you and with your spirit now with the blessing of the paul may christ who claim father bolton in baptism now unfold him in his love and bring him to eternal life amen now we have the placing of the bible in life for the paul tong cherish the gospel of christ may christ now greet him with these words of eternal life come blessed of my father and on the symbol of the cross in baptism for the paul tong received the sign of the cross may he now share in christ's victory over sin and death let us pray oh god almighty father our faith professors that your son died and rose again mercifully granted through this mystery your servant for the bolton who has fallen asleep in christ may rejoice to rise again through him who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the holy spirit god for ever and ever amen a reading from the book of wisdom the virtuous man though he died before his time will find rest length of days is not what makes age honorable nor number of years the true measure of life understanding this is men's grace hair untarnished life this is ripe old age he has sought to please god so god has loved him as he was living among sinners he was taken up he has been carried off so that evil may not walk his understanding or treachery seduce his soul for the fascination of evil throws good things into the shade and the whirlwind of desire corrupts a simple heart coming to perfection in so short a while he achieved long life his soul being pleasing to the lord he has taken him quickly from the wickedness around him yet people look on uncomprehending it does not enter their heads that grace and mercy await the chosen of the lord and protection his holy ones the word of the lord thanks be to god the lord is my shepherd there is nothing i shall want the lord is my shepherd there is nothing i shall want the lord is my shepherd there is nothing i shall want fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose near restful waters he leads me to revive my drooping spirit the lord is my shepherd there's nothing i shall want he guides me along the right path he is true to his name if i should walk in the valley of darkness nor evil would i fear you are there with your crook and your stuff with these you give me comfort the lord is my shepherd there is nothing i shall want you have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my force my head you have anointed with oil my cup is overflowing the lord is my shepherd there is nothing i shall want surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life in the lord's own house shall i dwell for ever and ever the lord is my shepherd there is nothing i shall want [Music] foreign me let us rise for the gospel acclamation glory and praise to you lord jesus christ i am the resurrection and the life says the lord whoever believes in me will never die glory and praise to you lord jesus christ the lord be with you and with your spirit a reading from the holy gospel according to john glory to you o lord on arriving at bethany jesus found that lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already bethany is only about two miles from jerusalem and many jews had come to martha and mary to sympathize with them over their brother when martha heard that jesus had come she went to meet him mary remained sitting in the house martha said to jesus if you had been here my brother would not have died but i know that even now whatever you ask of god he will grant you your brother said jesus to her will rise again martha said i know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day jesus said i am the resurrection and the life if anyone believes in me even though he dies he will live and whoever lives and believes in me will never die do you believe this yes lord she said i believe that you are the christ the son of god the one who was to come into this world the gospel of the lord praise to you lord jesus christ please remain standing on the after the bishop has venerated the book of the gospels my dear reverend fathers my dear brothers and sisters in christ [Music] this morning we are gathered here with great sadness to be farewell to a beloved brother for the paul tong and yet in our sadness we have great rejoicing in our heart because this holy priest this good man has lived 94 years of his life spending 64 years in prison ministry my dear brothers and sisters a man who has lived such a long life in dedication for the service of god and his people we should rejoice for we read in the first reading he has sought to please god so god has loved him as he was living among sinners he has been taken out so we rejoice for father bolton because he has been taken into heaven to be with our lord to receive his eternal rewards and most of all to enjoy his love my dear brothers and sisters the life of father paul tong reminds us as in today's first reading what it means to live to a right old age very often people in the world they think that if we have a long life it means that it is a blessed life and yet the first reading makes it clear the virtuous man though he died before his time will find rest length of days is not what makes age honorable not the number of years the true measure of life understanding this is man's grey hairs untouched life this is ripe old aged the bolton not only lived a long life but his life was unpunished he was faithful to god faithful to his ministry and what is the secret of the whole life of father bolton whenever i meet i meet him whenever i spoke to him what impressed me most is his deep faith in god he speaks with passion with conviction of his faith in god that is why for the bolton the secret of his entire life and it should be for ours as well is how much faith we have in god for the paul tong was blessed because at the young age of 10 years old his entire family was converted the faith brought by the paternal grandfather and he entered the seminary at the age of 14. i can imagine how his parents and grandparents must have been so devout in their faith to inspire this young man to join the samurai the age of 14. he was eventually ordained enrolled and he came to singapore at the age of 31. 64 years ago one year after i was born that is how long for the paul tong has served in singapore truly my dear brothers and sisters if you read in today's gospel the confession of faith when jesus asked martha i'm the resurrection of life do you believe this the same words of martyr would be the same words of father i believe that you are the christ the son of god the one who also come into this world truly my dear brothers and sisters it is this faith of father paul tong that led him to give up his entire life not just to serve god but to serve god so faithfully it is difficult to find a priest who lived until such an old age until the last days of his life so passionate for the gospel working untirelessly for the people of god whenever i visited him he had so much thing to share about what god was doing in his life too and what he has done to help the people of god this man so filled with faith and loved for the gospel my dear brothers and sisters father bolton let me make it clear he was anything but ambitious he was not working for his glory he was not concerned about himself it was not about what he has done but what the lord has done for the people and through him that is why for father bolton he lived a very simple life everything else that he had was given for the ministry not for himself for the proclamation of the gospel he's a true blue missionary priest the last of the chinese missionary priests from china besides the young ones here from cdd and that is why we are so grateful because of him the apostolate of mandarin speaking grew together with his conference a man who was so zealous he who helped various portfolios as a young priest he was in charge of the ycs mandarin speaking we all know how much he has done for the chinese apostolate in singapore how he started the marriage encounter for mandarin speaking he was the chief editor of heising power for many years he was the one truly moving motivating our mandarin speaking parishioners my dear brothers and sisters when we listen to him speaking we know that this man is really a man of god he speaks from his heart he speaks from his deep faith but my dear brothers and sisters what i admire him most it's not just his zeal for the gospel as i have said it was not about himself it was the kind of virtuous life a priest that i look up to i highly regard he's a great inspiration even to me as a bishop as his priest as well he was always unassuming i came to know him much better when i was in the board of consultants and this man is truly humble and i like to emphasize it is his humility that really impressed me humility sinned in his attitude towards life to his people a man full of gratitude whenever i visited him he is he was always grateful grateful not just to me grateful for my to my predecessors and he kept telling me all the time he is so blessed to have served under four bishops and he was trusted by all the bishops why simply because he was a man of god a man full of gratitude for whatever received a man who has only kind words for people he is so grateful to father stephen and father michael rushed to you all whenever he spoke to me it's about the gratitude a truly humble person is always grateful for whatever he has received and truly my dear brothers and sisters this humility of father bolton is truly admirable that's why he remains a humble person this humility is seen in the way he accepts the will of god and he told me the secret is to do god's will it is not about doing his will he's always asking what the lord wants him to do and yet he was always obedient to his superiors with the bishops he told me of the struggles at times he had but he said obedience is the way to find the will of god and that is why this man he can be forceful in his views but always humble always courteous never imposing his views on others he spoke with charity with love that is why father paul tong is greatly respected by our priest because he he's a man who does not hurt people with his words a man with kind thoughts for everyone i hardly in fact i never heard him speaking you of others and of his fellow priests my dear brothers and sisters this father paul tong is not just edifying for you as laypeople you know when people ask me can you show me some good holy priest we don't have to look far he is one of them someone we can point to and said truly a priest of god a man of god a holy man a man who has given his entire life simply for the glory of god for the service of his people faithfully joyfully without reserving anything for himself he's a great mentor for this priest and truly we want to thank god for such a great gift to the archdiocese i am sure he has touched many of your lives i am sure the chinese-speaking bearishness you all are greatly indebted to him you your parents your children your grandchildren so today my dear brothers and sisters we truly want to rejoice because simple tells us death face of victory therefore is your sting let us thank god for giving us a victory to our lord jesus christ father paul tong has won victory over sin over death eternal rest run to him o lord and let the battery lie shine upon him let us have the genuine intercessions brothers and sisters jesus christ is risen from the dead and sits at the right hand of the father where intercedes for his church confident that god hears the voices of those who trust in the lord jesus we join our prayers to his and let our response this morning be hear our prayer hear our prayer in baptism for the paul tong received the light of christ scatter the darkness now and lead him over the waters of death lord in your mercy father paul tong was nourished at the table of the savior welcome him into the halls of the heavenly banquet lord in your mercy yeah i pray many friends and members of our families have gone before us and await the kingdom grant them an everlasting home with your son lord in your mercy hear our prayer many people die by violence war and famine each day show your mercy to those who suffer sow unjustly these sins against your love and gather them to the eternal kingdom of peace lord in your mercy hear our prayer those who trusted in the lord now sleep in the lord give refreshment rest and peace to all whose faith is known to you alone lord in your mercy hear our prayer we pray for the mourners the family and friends of father paul tong seek comfort and consolation heal their pain and dispel the darkness and doubt that come from grief lord in your mercy hear our prayer we are assembled here in faith and confidence to pray for father paul tong strengthen our hope so that we may live in the expectation of your son's coming lord in your mercy hear our prayer lord god give us peace and healer of souls in the prayers of the redeemer jesus christ and the voices of your people whose life were purchased by the blood of the lamb forgive the sins of all who sleep in christ and grant him a place in the kingdom we ask this through christ our lord amen so blessed are you lord god of all creation for true goodness you receive the bread we offer you root of the earth and book of human hands it will become for rest the bread of life blessed be god forever blessed are you lord god of all creation for your goodness you receive the wine we offer you fruit of the vine and book of human hands it will become our spiritual dream blessed be god forever pray brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to god the almighty father may the lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name for our good and the good of all his holy church as we humbly present to you these sacrificial offerings o lord for the salvation your servant for the paul tong we beseech your mercy that he who did not doubt your son to be a loving savior may find him a merciful judge who lives and reigns forever and ever amen the lord be with you and with your spirit lift up your hearts we lift them up to the lord let us give thanks to the lord our god it is right and just it is through the right and just our duty and our salvation always and everywhere to give you thanks lord holy father almighty and eternal god through christ our lord in him the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned that those saddened by the certainty of dying might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come indeed for your faithful lord life is changed not ended and when this earthly dwelling turns to dust and eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven and so with angels and archangels with thrones and dominions before the hopes and powers of heaven we sing the hymn of your glory as without end we acclaim holy holy holy lord god of hosts heaven and earth are full of your glory hosanna in the highest blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord hosanna in the highest you indeed holy o lord the fount of all holiness make holy therefore these gifts we pray by sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfall so that they may become for us the body and blood of our lord jesus christ at the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion he took bread and giving thanks broke it and gave it to his disciples saying take this all of you and eat of it for this is my body we should be given out for you in a similar way when supper was centered he took the chalice and once more giving thanks he gave it to disciples saying take this all of you and drink from it but this is the chalice of my blood the blood of the new and eternal covenant we should be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins do this in memory of me the mystery of faith we proclaim your death o lord and profess your resurrection until you come again therefore as we celebrate the memory of his death and resurrection we offer you lord the bread of life in the chalice of salvation giving thanks that have helped us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of christ will be begetted into one by the holy spirit remember lord your church spread without the world bring her to the fullness of charity together with francis our pope me your unworthy servant and all the clergy remember your servant for the bolton whom we have called today from this world to yourself granted he who was united with your son in a death like his may also be one with him in his resurrection remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and all who have died in your mercy welcome them into the light of your face have mercy on the soul we pray that with the blessed virgin mary mother of god the blessed joseph her spouse with the blessed apostles and all the saints who have pleased you throughout the ages we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life and may praise and glorify you through your son jesus christ through him with him and in him o god almighty father in the unity of the holy spirit all glory and honor is yours forever and ever amen at the savior's command informed by divine teaching we dare to say our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil delivers lord we pray from every evil graciously grant peace in our days that by the help of your mercy we may be always free from sin and save more distress as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our savior jesus christ for the kingdom the power and the glory are yours now and forever lord jesus christ who said the apostles peace i lift you my peace i give to you look not on our sins but on the faith of your church and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will who live and reign for ever and ever amen peace of the lord be with you always and with your spirit we offer each other's assigned peace land of god you take away the sins of the world have mercy on us lamb of god you take away the sins of the world have mercy on us lamb of god you take away the sins of the world grant us peace behold the lamb of god behold him who takes you the sins of the world blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb lord i am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed let's go um okay so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] let us spray lord god whose son left us in the sacrament of his body food for the journey mercifully granted strengthened by it our brother for the bolton may come to the eternal table of christ who lives and reigns forever and ever amen be seated my dear brothers and sisters as we bid farewell to our beloved father paul tong we want to give thanks to the lord of life and love for shining his perpetual light on father paul tong and granting him everlasting peace and rest and we also want to give thanks to the many wonderful people for making this feral journey for father tong such a memorable one and firstly to the archbishop for celebrating the mass and for his love for father paul tong your gracie have shown us how to love the sinner members of our clergy and also for our community we thank you for that to the many brothers and sisters who came to show their respects to pay their final respects to father paul tong we thank you for showing us how much you love him and to the ministry members who organized the prayer services over the last four days and for keeping round-the-clock vigil with father tong with and also for the supporting staff we thank you for offering your services to the parish to father pontong and also for your gift of love to father paul also to the doctors and the nursing staff of scc hospice for caring for father pong tong and making his journey making his stay comfortable we are grateful for letting him for you to let him have a room for his medical needs to trina and to the hospice home hospice home care team for looking into the admin and to the logistic medical logistic needs of for the paul song we thank you for tirelessly looking into his medical needs and also to the dedicated brothers and sisters who brought home-cooked food for for the pom-pom weekend and week-out and providing nourishing meals for part of all time well to my to these brothers and sisters you are taste of the goodness and the sweetness of the lord for father paul tong and also a special thanks to father poulton's primary caregiver peter tan hunting we thank you for being with father pontong especially over these last two years we cannot thank you enough for your self-sacrifice of loving and caring for father paul tong especially especially in this time of need and finally to to father paul tong father you have shown us what you have shown us what love for god is in your faithfulness and holiness of life for you there is no finishing line because you have prayed for us while on earth and you will pray for us in heaven you are trolling you are truly a blessing from god for the perish and for the church as it is said in chinese truly father you are a blessing for all of us father paul but the paultron's family in china would also wish to express a lot of thanks and and now invite peter to deliver their message for us foreign [Music] oh m so just a few words to express my grateful thanks to all of you particularly my grateful thanks to father stephen and father makaraj they have given him the dlc tender loving care all these years very devotedly and very accommodating towards his needs and i'm very grateful to both fathers for taking good care of him my grateful thanks also to peter the primary caregiver who has stood by him all these years and for the paul tong is indeed blessed to have you to be his caregiver and to look after him you have been selfless and you have been self-sacrificing and i'm sure for the bolton has great impact on your own life and for the rest of you parishioners especially chinese speaking parishioners again grateful thanks to all of you for your support for him all these years for your love for him and for your encouragement and those of you who cared for him in your own ways so and then my deep condolence of course to the members of the family as well we want to assure them of our prayers and we also know that father bolton he will be praying for rest as well and so in all things we give glory to god for the life of someone that has inspired us and we pray that we continue the legacy that father paul tong has set for us the model of a man of god living a virtuous life in obedience to god's will and serving him humbly and faithfully amen let us stand before parting let us together beat our last peril to father bolton with respect and affection we entrust him to god's mercy with the hope of meeting again one day when the love of christ will try him over evil will try him over death itself we possible in silence to pray and recall what for the paul tong has been for us what we had in common experience together and what he is now for god we will now sprinkle his remains with holy water as a reminder of his baptism that he is truly the son of god the son of our heavenly father we hope and we believe that we will come back to life as a sign of faith i bless the mortal remains of father bolton name the father and the son and the holy spirit amen as a sign respect for father porton in this instance around for the paul tong's body and go up to god with our prayer so now with the song of pharaoh i know that my redeemer lives and on that final day of days his voice shall bid me rise again unending joy and ceasing praise this hope i cherish in my heart to stand on earth my flesh restored and not a stranger but a friend behold my savior and my lord into your hands father of mercy we commend for the bolton in the show and certain hope that together with all who have died in christ you will rise with him on the last day we give you thanks for the blessings we should be stole upon for the paul tong in this life they are signs to rest of your goodness and of our fellowship with the saints in christ merciful lord turn towards us and listen to our prayers open the gates of paradise to your servant and help us who remain to comfort one another with the assurance of faith and we all meet in christ and are with you and be father bolton forever amen in peace let us take for the bolton to his place of rest may saints and angels lead you on escorting you where christ has gone now he has called you come to him who sits above the seraphim come to the peace of abraham and to the supper of the lamb come to the glory of the blessed and to perpetual light and rest [Music] thank you thank you thank you you

Channel: Church of the Sacred Heart Singapore

Views: 6,063

Keywords:

Id: FG8vdRuIxto

Length: 72min 4sec (4324 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 02 2022