Commemorating Lent and Easter as One CJC Community

Despite the challenges this year, the Catholic Junior College (CJC) community burned ever bright, commemorating the holy seasons of Lent and Easter in a myriad of ways. This was done through the Lenten and Easter Project spearheaded by the Catholic Activities Wing of the 46th Student Council. The theme this year was ‘Ashes to Glory’. Ashes remind us that we are dust and to dust we will return, symbolic of our dependence on God and our need to trust in him. Glory represents the honour we give to God as he has died for our sins to save us, as well as His glorious resurrection on Easter. This theme was intended to guide the college into a deeper reflection on Jesus’s suffering, death, and resurrection - the great mystery of faith that demonstrates God’s love for humanity.

Lent
The season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday Mass celebrated by Father Gregory Tan, SJ, our college chaplain. Attendees were invited to pen down their Lenten resolutions which were then collected and displayed as part of the annual Lenten Booth in the school foyer. The Booth also featured explanations of the significance of Lent and key spiritual practices surrounding it.

To stir the faith of the college community, Lent-themed reflections were written and delivered on a weekly basis during morning assemblies. This was kick-started by a reflection at the start of Lent by Fr Gregory, and the momentum was sustained by students from the CA Wing, Genesis (a cell group and music ministry) and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.

The climax of the Lenten Project was the Holy Thursday evening held on 1 April. In a historic first for CJC - facilitated by the extraordinary circumstances this year - Holy Thursday Mass was celebrated on campus. Leading up to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the CA Wing put together a programme for their peers that called them to a place of introspection and deeper recognition of God’s grace in their lives. More than 100 students from a variety of faith traditions attended, and many expressed how they felt moved by the activities, which included faith sharings, group reflections, and the making and offering up of crosses bearing their burdens to God.

Matthias Fernandez from 1T18 shared, “It was a great opportunity for me to reconnect with God, especially since I’ve been so distant from my faith and have not attended a live Mass for more than a year. I brought a non-Catholic friend along and he too enjoyed the event and found it fruitful.”

Rachel Yeo from 1T28 echoed these sentiments. She said, “The highlight for me today was Mass, especially since I haven’t attended Holy Thursday Mass since 2019 and wasn’t able to book a slot in my parish tonight. I am really thankful for the opportunity to attend Mass in school, and the hymns that were played brought back many good memories of singing for Mass with my church choir. I’ve realised that I cannot take these experiences for granted, and would like to affirm my seniors for planning this meaningful time with Jesus.”

Judith Tan from 2T03, one of the event planners and Vice-President of the CA Wing, also saw Christ in the event. She shared, “As I was kneeling down and praying during the adoration segment, I was reminded of why I am a Catholic. Not just because I was born one, but that I have chosen to be and grown into my faith, and that God has created this path for me to journey closer to Him.”

Easter

This year, the CA Wing is also leading the inaugural Easter celebrations for the college with the theme “Ashes to Glory”. “Ashes” remind us that we are dust and to dust we will return, and also symbolise our dependence on God and our need to trust in Him. “Glory” represents the honour due to God for dying to save us from our sins, as well as His glorious Resurrection at Easter. The theme helps us to celebrate and share the joy of Easter in the community and reflect on how sacrificial love and service can be life-giving to ourselves and others. The Project began on Easter Monday, April 5, with a reflection from Fr.Gregory, and will include a variety of community activities.

To share the joy of Easter with others as part of our Christian mission, we hosted an Easter Basket donation to reach out to the beneficiaries at Canossaville Children and Community Services to remind students about their mission to spread the love and joy of the Lord to others, especially during this time of Easter. The entire school population rallied together to donate items such as necessities and food items.

To educate the college on the significance of Easter and its traditions, we also had an Easter booth, containing colourful infographics featuring Scriptural reflections about Easter as well as information on the traditional and liturgical practices of the season. In “My Easter Story”, students and teachers shared about how their personal experience of sacrificial love was immensely life-giving and moving. They then invited the college community to follow the ways of Jesus by adopting a lifestyle of self-sacrifice for the betterment of others. We hope that this little effort will draw all staff and students together as one family in God in truth and in love.

On a celebratory note, we will also be launching a number of initiatives on social media through our official Instagram page @cj.veritas, like our egg-citing virtual Easter Egg Hunt. All are welcome to follow the page and view the enriching activities and reflections that are captured there.