Jose Gabriel M. Apolo (Gabby) - Music Coordinator

Music can stir inner feelings of passion and of reverence. It certainly has a great influence on our feelings and how we think about things. Music can be powerful.

A lot of the times when we pray, we seek those ‘feelings,’ and we very much so through music, especially during praise and worship. We must guard ourselves from this, lest we just use it to entertain ourselves.

Music, used for praise and worship can deepen our relationship with God. It can help us pray when we are at a loss for words ourselves. It can lead us to a greater sense of hope. As St. Augustine says, “Singing is twice praying.”

So as Music Coordinator, you will almost always have to choose songs for praise and worship and for Mass.

As a past Music Coordinator mentioned, a good knowledge of Christian music would be very helpful both old and new, and traditional hymns. (To be honest, only by becoming a Music Coordinator my knowledge of Christian Music had expanded, especially for traditional hymns.)

Reflecting on my role as Music Coordinator, I think that the most crucial aspect of it is our relationship with God. The reason I say this is because, you will be leading a lot of praise and worships, and they really are prayers as a community. So as a leader, you are leading people into prayer. As a leader you must be the first one to be prayerful, to humble yourself and allow God to teach you how to pray; to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and directions.

If you feel that you haven’t had the best relationship with God, then now is the best time to develop that. Take on the challenge, I dare you. Let this role as a Music Coordinator stretch you, and let God come to you through it. And so as a consequence bless and enrich others through music because you humbled yourself and allowed God to come to you!

And now, the practical side of things:

Because as a Music Coordinator you will be choosing songs and be arranging practices together with your fellow musicians, it will help you very much and save you headache and spare you from panic by being organized.

So Planning is Key:

• Arrange and set a day before the event itself for practice and also a venue for it, i.e. Tuesday nights or Saturday mornings. It is preferable that you keep to one day and not shift days for practice.

• You do not have to lead all the Praise and Worships as you can ask people to lead as well. Now, when choosing people, I suggest that you book them more than a week ahead, and so on for the other weeks. Try to plan out a roster for the whole month for worship leaders.

• When choosing songs for worship, try to do it more than a week before the set day, and also as much as possible see if you can relate to the theme for the day, or however you feel how God wants you to pray or what message He might want to impart through you.

• Also because you will be taking care of COSDU’s music equipment, and at times the venue for Mass will be at different places, you will need help to get the equipment around.

If you do choose to accept the challenge and this anointing that God will be giving you by sparking a desire in you to serve as Music Coordinator and to be leading people in prayer, I encourage you to do so.

I also encourage you to add in your flare, the talents God has given you and to multiply them. Be creative!

Here’s a little sharing of my experience as a Music Coordinator before I end. Through this role, by God’s grace I have been stretched and have grown in my character.

I used to be afraid of singing in front of people; it used to be one of my biggest fears. I just felt shameful about it, shameful about my own voice. Through the years, little by little I started to overcome this fear, and becoming a Music Coordinator, I can say was the pivotal point. I can sing now anytime, and alone in front of people if I must.

Also through this role, God has exposed to me of my own pride. I won’t say that it is completely gone, like everyone I am still a work in progress.

And finally, if I can condense this role into a few words it would be, planning, and growing in your continuous relationship with God.

And with that, may God be praised.

Emily Cheah - Social Justice Coordinator

Social Justice. It sounds intimidating and larger than life. After some quiet reflection, I recall that my very first image of a Social Justice Coordinator is one of a very hyperactive character with a loud war cry and a charismatic presence. Think Mel Gibson in Braveheart. Xena, Warroir Princess. Robin Hood. You get the mental image.

When cast into this position a year ago, I was apprehensive. What can I do for Social Justice?

Over the course of the year, I have come to understand that Social Justice is beyond the pre-conceived stereotype I had. Rather, it was the complete opposite. In sharing my thoughts about what I have come to realise about Social Justice, I hope to inspire you to consider running for the position as a Social Justice Coordinator.

Social Justice isn’t always about being visible.

Melbournians love to campaign. There will, inevitably, be at least one occasion where your tram will be cancelled because there is a pro-life / pro-choice / industry action campaign running through the streets of the city.

While these groups are actively campaigning with high visibility, a lot of other social justice organisations and workers are almost invisible. Take for example the soup kitchens for the homeless in Fitzroy or the tutors who strive to enrich the educational experiences for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Do not forget the carers who assist in aged care homes.

Being visible in social justice should not be the main priority. Contributing towards the cause is. So even if you are working quietly in the seemingly invisible areas of social justice, know that you are still creating change in someone else’s life.

Social Justice isn’t always about tackling the big causes.

When we focus on the bigger things in life, we often overlook the smaller things. Basic necessities for a human person such as food, shelter and clothing can be ignored amidst larger concerns such as global warming and stem cell research.

Start small. Dream big. If folding one paper crane can ensure that a child affected by the tsunami in Japan will be given a new set of clothes, why wouldn’t you do that?

Social Justice isn’t for everyone.

Like the different vocations which we are called to, some may not find the message for social justice appealing. While it is an essential part of the Church’s teachings to participate in its social teachings, many may find it confronting.

Be gentle. Start small (see point above).

Most importantly, do not be disheartened. Start the ball rolling and you will be surprised with how many people actually find the confidence in you to start their social justice journey.

Search for meaning in the things you do. Be brave and open your mind to the possibilities.

It is very tempting to stick your finger in every single pie. Be warned though, there is something called “burn out”. Pick a few causes that you can empathise with. Animal welfare, aged care, the environment, children in need, the homeless, etc.

It has to resonate within you. Be conscious that what may resonate with you may not resonate with others so always be open to all possibilities and have an open discussion with everyone.

Find meaning in what you do and that translates into genuine care and service to others.

Never give up.

Ironically, social justice organisations can be some of the hardest organisations to volunteer with and rightfully so. There are ethical standards to meet, a high level of commitment and sometimes, very specific skill sets are required.

Keep trying. Cold call. Make friends and keep offering your assistance. You will finally find a place and very often, they will be the ones that need the most help. God is smart. He knows what He is doing.

To sum it all up, it is an adventure that can take you to places you will never imagine and most importantly, it reminds us that we are human beings with dignity, with needs, wants and desires. The dignity of a human person should be respected regardless of circumstance. A Social Justice Coordinator need not espouse to change the world but rather, to encourage respect, love and care for the human person. A Social Justice Coordinator facilitates the understanding that we stand in solidarity with those who are marginalised by modern society.

Does this sound all too familiar? Hint, Jesus Christ was the first Social Justice campaigner.

To quote Gaudium et Spes (1965), “the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the people of our time, especially of those who are poor or afflicted, are the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the followers of Christ as well”.

Are you ready to be a disciple of Christ?

Omar Ortiz - Liturgy Coordinator

COSDU have given me so many joys: heaps of friends, lots of happy moments, opportunities to grow in faith and in my relationship with Jesus, etc. So very soon after joining the society, I began to feel a desire of doing something in gratitude, of giving back and contribute to our COSDU family in some way. And just then the AGM came around... I was worried mostly because of the time commitment, and doubting whether to run or not for the committee. But now I know that the nomination for Liturgy Coordinator was the perfect one for me. And here it is why.

The Liturgy Coordinator role is certainly among the easiest ones in the committee. In brief, the tasks are basically to organize all COSDU Masses (welcome, exam, graduation, AGM and monthly) during the semester. This involves booking churches, contacting celebrants, preparing slides and finding readers, altar servers and people to help with the collection and Offertory on the day. The Liturgy Coordinator works together with the Music Coordinator to arrange Hymns accordingly with the readings for every Mass, and with Fr. Thinh to discuss the line up of churches/celebrants for each semester. Beside Masses, the Liturgy Coordinator also organize the Washing of the Feet on Holy Thursday, and additional activities like altar server trainings, feast days, etc.

Since COSDU Masses happen roughly once a month, this gives great chance for the Liturgy Coordinator to assist committee members with their duties, help in other events and take up extra projects for the club. So if you are thinking of it but concerned about time dedication, this role is for you! It doesn’t require any particular skill or ability, and you will always have the support of your committee, our chaplains and your predecessor Liturgy Coordinator =)

Now, I also want to tell you about being a committee member in general. Even though there is plenty of work to do every week in the society, and therefore meetings, emails and administrative stuff are always around, the reward is so much bigger and worthy. You learn to work as a team, without any interest, unconditionally for the members. You experience the presence of God helping us to cope with the responsibilities and to do well in all our events. And also you have so much fun!! committee retreats are really very nice, and because you form such nice friendships within the committee every single meeting, session and event is a pleasure to work for and as fun as a day out with your mates!

I hope you let God’s will lead you in your meditation about the next committee and the future of COSDU. See you at the AGM!

Kimberley Ngu - Sessions Coordinator

The role of the sessions coordinator is a vital one. It is the role that keeps COSDU moving throughout the semester when there are no ‘special’ events. It is the role that is directly responsible for the weekly spiritual feeding of the people in this community. This may sound very daunting and it actually was for me.

As always, it is just getting over that first hurdle. It is getting over that fear of taking responsibility and diving into the deep waiting for God to catch you. That’s what I did. And it was worth it.

For some reason the role appealed when I first ran for sessions coordinator. Of course, I was quite nervous about taking it on but there was that nagging feeling that I had to do it and that God will hold my hand as I take on this tall task and He did.

The role is simple. Just decide what goes on every Friday. You will have the lovely assistance of the chaplains, Fr Thinh and Sr Delma to help with the decision-making on the sessions you organise. Most of all, I’m sure God will not leave you in the deep end. The sky is the limit when it comes to the kind of sessions you can organise. It can be the normal talk or be a games night or prayer night or… ANYTHING!

So really, there isn’t much to the role at all. It is a fulfilling one, one whereby you can directly see the effects of what you have worked for with very tangible results. Ultimately, those don’t matter and what matters is the kind of heart you carry out this calling and it is this that shows.

Don’t worry about whether you are capable of this position because you will have heaps of support – from your committee, your chaplains and most of all, your God. This in my opinion can get you past any mountain!

Clio Lin - Treasurer

Treasurer sounds like the typical commerce student? No anyone can do it because it only involves plus and minus.

1+1=?

Is your answer 2? If it is, well done! You have the skill that is needed of a treasurer. Here are the 8 things I did throughout my term.

8 ‘So Simple’ things to do as a Treasurer:

• Attend Trainings

Just sit down and listen to a very informative lesson on everything you need to know as a treasurer. I guarantee you will not be spilling your guts out trying to understand and it takes so little of your time. Also there is no numbers involve!

• Prepare an excel spreadsheet to keep track of COSDU’s money

Fret not if you don’t know your debits and credits. You will only need to create 2 columns: cash in and cash out. That’s it!

• Familiarise yourself with the UMSU office and the people

UMSU office is so conveniently located at the union house and just outside the office you have whatever you need (forms, information sheets etc.) all lined up nicely in a shelf.

• Apply for grants and wait for the money to flow in

Grant application is pretty much dummy proof. Fill that up, submit it to the office and you will be notified once it has been approved. Submit the receipts (proof of purchase) and you get your grant. Direct credit into the bank account so no need to personally go down to pick up the cheque or cash.

• Collect membership funds

This is done only once a semester. No stress at all!

• Keep track of petty cash and bank account

Make sure your cash on hand is always kept safe and that you know how much is in your bank.

• Collect monthly bank statements from our mailbox

Guess what? Mailbox is also located at the Union house on the same level as the UMSU office.

• At the end of your term, do up a treasurer’s report

This is basically the excel file you have created at the beginning of your term and the bank statements that you have been collecting. All you have to do is to submit to UMSU. Simple!

I implore you to take on this role and be God’s treasurer!

COSDU isn’t all work, it means so much more to me. I really thank God for guiding me to COSDU and back to his embrace. Till this very day, I am still very surprised that I actually walked to the COSDU booth on O-week and signed up. That was the light leading me back. I am very glad I followed and through this journey in COSDU, I have learnt to treasure so much. Treasure my friends, my family, my life and most importantly God. He has taught me the meaning of endurance and patience through this ministry. Now I understand the importance of God’s presence in my life and I know through it all he will always be there for me.

It has been an awesome year with the COSDU committee, I will always remember the retreats we had and the abundance of food God has nourished us with. Even though COSDU is small in size, I believe that it has touched so many people within. I know it has touched me in many ways and that; it is a place I look forward to every Friday.

Indeed it is a family away from home.

God Bless

Triton Wui - Vice President

The prospect of being a vice-president of COSDU may seem alluring but one should never put that into the priority of your choice. I decided to take up the role of Vice-president as I felt the urge to help God like how he aided me during my first few days here in Melbourne. Being guided by COSDU, especially Father Thinh to become a new Catholic, inspired me to make this decision. There’s no greater joy than to spread the word of God to the students of Melbourne University and other universities.

Upon taking up the role, all of us were elated and enthusiastic to push COSDU to newer and greater heights. High expectations were place on our shoulders by ourselves and we were very determined to give our full commitment in our given roles. As we took over from the previous committee, I felt that I had to change the roles to balance my social life and my studies. It is important to know that you should be yourself and not satisfy the expectations of others in order to be a good leader. Although the perception of a vice-president is deeply carved in the minds of the members, it is important to remember that one serving as a vice-president serves out of a personal desire for God. Nonetheless, every obstacle makes you a stronger person rather than a weaker one. Despite a seemingly exhausting journey, I assure you that it is an utmost fruitful one that you have travelled with the other 9 members. And not forgetting God.

My role was to coordinate the whole committee so that they do not veer off track and to ensure that COSDU were to move in the right path. As a vice-president I’m tasked to send out reminders COSDU related events to the committees. Coordinating events such as Festive of Nations, O-week, committee retreats, Night market are the main line-up. Being in touch with the President is an important aspect. You would have to liaise with him/her thoroughly to ensure that he/she is able to cope with the workload. Although it sounds daunting, the experience is worth it. You’d make good friends along the way that you will
always cherish.

It is important to have a good time management as well as strong interpersonal relationship within the committee to maintain the good relationship is vital. There is no hierarchy in this committee as everyone is equal.

To the faithful one who have taken the time to read this, would consider the role as a vice-president, to lead COSDU and spread the word of God. Fun should never be limited in the next committee. Having fun together is an important aspect as it brings the committee together and makes the club successful in spreading the word. I hope you would embed this idea in the next batch.

Abigail Leong - Secretary

“I’m a Secretary.”

Generally, that’s how you would introduce yourself, if you are the Parliamentary Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Secretary-General for a non-profit organisation, or the secretary of your neighbourhood knitting club. So what makes being the secretary of COSDU unique?

Frankly, the position of Secretary was one that I never imagined running for. After all, past secretaries were known to be ruthlessly efficient and these were pretty big shoes to fill. At that time, I had only been in Melbourne for less than 3 months and was still preoccupied with memorising road names, understanding my lecturer’s Irish accent and remembering new names and faces. Thankfully, God had other plans, and here I am. Yes, there have been stressful and frustrating times, but these are amply balanced by some of the most valuable experiences I could ever hope to get. At the end of the day, it’s really all worth it.

If I summarise from the Constitution, the main responsibilities of the COSDU Secretary are to:

• Oversee all administrative responsibilities
  Basically, paperwork stuff. You take meeting minutes, maintain the Membership List and Constitution, make announcements at the end of each session.

• Send out Christmas cards at the end of each year
  (This might sound strange, but it is seriously one of the best ways you can learn about the hierarchical system of our Catholic faith, especially if you haven’t been paying much attention to such details in past Catechism classes.)

• Liaise with UMSU and MUOSS to ensure affiliation
  Includes filling up the relevant forms, attending training sessions conducted by UMSU and working with the President and Treasurer to obtain grants for COSDU.

• Ensure that COSDU adheres with the Clubs and Societies rules and regulations

Even though the above tasks might sound overbearing and intimidating, it all boils down to a matter of practice. Ideally, the secretary is someone who is meticulous and organised, to keep track of the membership matters and dates of events. It also helps if you are a great networker and multi-tasker. (Of course, it helps if Excel and Google Calendar become your best friends.) But I don’t have the above qualities, and I’m still learning as I go along. So don’t worry too much about being perfect – sometimes, God calls upon the weak for a reason, all you need to do is listen and follow Him.

That said, I believe integrity and trustworthiness are of the upmost importance if you are thinking of applying for this role. As Secretary, you would have almost unlimited access to a lot of personal details, but this does not mean you can use them to further your stalking abilities or sell them to telemarketing companies for extra petty cash. I cannot stress this enough – please do not misplace the trust members have in you.

An old school motto of mine: Via, Veritas, Vita – the Way, the Truth and the Life. Throughout this journey, I have learnt to deepen my faith in Christ and hopefully, become more Catholic in virtue and a better person overall. In response to my previous question, what makes the COSDU Secretary unique is the knowledge that you can always depend on God’s guidance and providence. He will always extend His gentle hand, often through prayer or the assistance of those around you.

Lastly, as all past secretaries were wont to do, I am obliged to share this little piece of well-known secret: Secretaries secretly rule the world!

God Bless and have a fulfilling discernment.