My Writing
Writing is my gift and my passion. I first discovered this gift at the age of 25, when I wrote and published my first book. Since then, I have been exploring different ways of using this gift, and it has evolved into something truly wonderful.
Writing has become my hobby and my ministry. I use my blog Catholic Writings as a means to put down my thoughts as well as to minister to other Catholics. I do this by sharing with them what I learn about my faith. I respond to queries from Catholics all over the world, and in the process, my own faith grows.
I also write several reflections monthly for the Jesuit Prayer Website Ministry, and have written Lenten and Advent reflections for the Singapore Pastoral Institute. In 2005, I helped write several evangelization tracts for the Archdiocesan Commission for Missionary Activity.
Writing is my prayer. For over seven years, I wrote daily scriptural reflections and sent them out to others via email. This daily devotional which came to be called OXYGEN, sustained my spiritual growth and was for a long time my main form of prayer.
Writing is my job, because I work as a staff writer for Catholic News, the official newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore.
I write because I love to write, and because I find great joy in this process of transforming my thoughts into words that I can see. It is through this gift that I cooperate with God in His work of creation. I believe I have a calling to write books, and I hope to answer this calling.
Stella's friend whom you know as well :
Date: May 31, 2008 @ 1:01 pm
Hi Daniel, Stella introduced your blog to me as well as your website, thecatholicwriter.com yesterday. I told her I was going to read more of your stuff. I like exposing myself to different kinds of reading materials so I can better myself in my own writing.
Anyway, I just wanted to say how lovely it is to find another person who loves writing! I love especially when you wrote, “I write because I love to write, and because I find great joy in this process of transforming my thoughts into words that I can see.”
I’m very passionate about writing as well. In fact, passionate is an understatement. I truly thank God for bestowing upon me the gift of writing. More than that, I thank Him for sending a person very dear to me nine years ago when I was 12. She was a true inspiration who sparked my passion and my love for the English Language.
I love also how you believe that writing books is your calling. :)I like how you try to get your writing known through your blog, website, books and such. Writing books used to be a dream of mine. But I have since believed in something more important than to write. Well, more important to me at least. And that is to teach.
My desire, which I believe to also be my calling, is to help push the standard of our country’s English. Because, sadly, it seems to me that the language is on the path of degradation and disintegration. Its demise looms ahead. And it will come sooner, not later.
It is true that writing is a formidable medium in reaching out to more people. But what it greatly lacks is the personal touch. Too little people in our country actually read. I will place a safer bet on teaching than books.
Anyway, these are just my two cents worth of thoughts.
Continue to write and be an inspiration to others both in writing and Catholicism!!
Daniel :
Date: June 7, 2008 @ 2:25 am
Hi Stella’s friend whom I know as well,
I do more of my writing on my blog at http://catholicwriter.wordpress.com, while I use this website as an online portfolio and a place to gather all the (mostly) Catholic writing that I do.
It’s important to know why you want to boost the country’s standard of English, keeping in mind the purpose of language as a form of communication. Some people say that Singlish is atrocious and should be banned, but Singlish is the way that Singaporeans communicate with each other. It takes a Singaporean to really understand another Singaporean, and it’s well known that everywhere has some kind of ‘abuse’ of the proper language. It’s also important to note that the English language is still evolving.
I do not think that too few people in our country read. It’s a matter of what kind of books the people in our country read. Most of us don’t read for fun; we read for knowledge, for self-improvement, for business, etc. The bestsellers list in Singapore is almost always filled with business books or self-help books. What is needed is the rediscovery of reading as a window to the world and beyond.
Do continue to visit my blog and comment on my writing too!
Thanks and God bless,
Daniel