Interesting: Veneration of Dead Relatives

I wish to capture Mr Lionel De Souza's letter to the ST Forum printed on 15 Aug 2008:

I am Roman Catholic and write from this Christian perspective. I am sure that we are conversant with the Bible's fourth Commandment: "Honour your father and your mother."

The Liturgy Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore felt it necessary to consider Chinese customary rites, because of the many queries Catholic priests have received on this matter. It is well known in Singapore's Catholic community that many "old" Catholics, as well as new converts, whose family members are mostly non-Catholics, are still confused about what they can do or should not do on the occasion of Chinese funerals and on the commemoration of ancestors.

That is why the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore clarified that the veneration of ancestors refers to rituals performed to express honour or respect for the dead by the family members; and that in such rituals, filial piety is, and always has been, at least to some extent, the motivating factor.

In 1964, seven Chinese bishops in Taiwan met officially with a Vatican representative. They resolved the following regarding the practice of venerating one's ancestors:

a) Burning of joss papers for the dead is forbidden because of its superstitious nature.
b) Offering of fruit or other food in front of the ancestor tablet or at the grave is no longer forbidden;
c) In rememberance of the dead, the setting up of a tablet (bearing his name without the addition of superstitious inscriptions) by family members is no longer forbidden;
d) It is allowed to bow or prostrate oneself in front of the ancestor tablet, photograph or coffin.

These instructions combine Catholic tradition with ancestor veneration and were issued by a conference of Chinese bishops in Taipei, 10 years later.

They are practised by Chinese Catholics in Singapore. Lionel De Souza