SAINT FAUSTINUS AND SAINT JOVITA – Patrons of Brescia
Faustinus and Jovita were brothers, nobly born, and were zealous professors of the Christian religion, which they preached without fear in their city of Brescia in Lombardy, during the persecution of Adrian. Their remarkable zeal excited the fury of the heathens against them, and procured them a glorious death for their faith.
Ricci Institute promotes charity concert – A rare musical confluence at St Joseph’s Church
Marco Carvalho
Pipa soloist Yang Jing and Hong Kong’s organist Ernesto Mauricio Corpus will give a new meaning to the idea of musical confluence between East and West, when they perform, next Friday, on the premises of St Joseph’s Seminary and Church.
Macau’s finest example of baroque architecture will host the concert “Genuine Friendship – A Mountain Mirrored in a Lake,” organized by the Macau Ricci Institute and Casa Ricci Social Service. The performance, scheduled for 7pm on the 22nd of February, aims to raise donations for both institutions. The money will be used both to support Casa Ricci Social Service and to promote the reconstruction of the Ricci Institute library, ravaged by typhoon Hato two years ago. Father Jaroslaw Duraj told O Clarim: “There’s an important charitable dimension to this concert that is being promoted by the Institute and Casa Ricci. The donations we might receive will be used to rebuild the Ricci Institute library, which was lost two years ago during typhoon Hato, and also to finance the Casa Ricci Social Service activities. This organization serves the disadvantaged and poor both in Macau and in China,” recalled the vice-director of Macau’s Ricci Institute.
AROUND THE USE OF CHURCHES – Marco Tosatti – Giorgio Spallone
By now it has become a fashion. For Christmas throughout Italy churches and cathedrals have become places where people eat and drink. The spearhead of this use – certainly singular, for many improper, for some almost blasphemous – of the places dedicated institutionally to the worship of God and prayer is the Community of Sant’Egidio which for years has been doing this kind of ceremony, in Rome and elsewhere. I must say that such an operation, carried out by an institution – the Catholic Church – directly and indirectly responsible for an extremely vast and differentiated real estate – knows a great deal of demagogy. I cannot believe that the bishops and the parish priests cannot find other places that are not churches to offer Christmas lunches. With empty or half-empty seminaries and convents in the Church, do we need to finish with tagliatelle, lambrusco and panettone? But come on … Certainly it is not something that could happen in the world of Orthodox Christianity, or Judaism, or even I believe in Islam. On this theme, Stilum Curiae is pleased to host a reflection by Giorgio Spallone.
Great Figures of the Missionary Work – Bengal and the Kingdom of the Dragon (39)
Joaquim Magalhães de Castro
Given the specificity of our visit, and after a breakfast of delicious and nutritious red rice, the option for this morning can only be the National Library, founded in 1967 with the aim of “preserving and promoting the rich cultural and religious heritage of Bhutan.” Moreover, in front of this traditional four-storey building that looks more like the temple of the central tower of a dzong, there awaits us Yonten Dargye, director of the research center. The travel agent had previously been careful to contact him, requesting his services. Truth be told: before we get into adventures and speculations, better to learn as much as we can about local history. Professor Dargye begins by telling us that the cost of constructing the building has been “fully borne by the Royal Government of Bhutan without any outside help” and is proud of the documents which are in its custody, mostly religious and referring to the Gelupka sect and to the local animism cult “bon.” He regrets, however, and rightly so, that the library does not possess any image of Shabdrung, for which we are so anxious.
CATHOLIC CHURCH CELEBRATES ON 11 FEBRUARY THE APPARITIONS OF OUR LADY IN LOURDES – Grotto is Window to Heaven
Replica of the grotto of Lourdes next to the church in Penha Hill
Miguel Augusto (*)
Last Monday, February 11, the Catholic community around the world woke up with messages of the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes and the desire to share the anniversary. In Macau, it could not be different, and the day was filled with Mary Most Holy. In addition to the meetings and moments of prayer – given that a large part of the local community is immigrant – exchanges of electronic messages with illustrations and prayers, travelled the world, to greet friends and family, in a sharing of love and union with the Blessed Mother.
NEWS BRIEFS
PORTLAND, OREGON
LOVE GOD? LET YOUR MUSIC AIM HIGH, ARCHBISHOP SAMPLE SAYS
(CNA/EWTN News) Sacred music has a special role in the Catholic liturgy, and Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland in Oregon has written a pastoral letter reflecting on how Catholics can help provide the best music for Mass. “We should always aim high to offer God the best and the most beautiful music of which we are capable,” Archbishop Sample said. Mass requires an “art of celebrating” in which perhaps nothing is more important than the place of sacred music.
Citing a sermon of St. Augustine, he said, “the new man sings a new song. Singing is an expression of joy and, if we consider the matter, an expression of love.” The archbishop’s pastoral letter, “Sing to the Lord a New Song”, was dated Jan. 25, the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Sample voiced hope the letter will be well received in the archdiocese and help advance “an authentic renewal of the Sacred Liturgy according to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council and the mind of the Church.”
Sacred music has a twofold purpose: “the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful.” This has serious implications for its place in divine worship. Sample’s pastoral letter traces teachings about sacred music from various popes and councils of the Church.
FRANCIS IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA A singular journey
Vatican News
Carlos Frota
- For many years I feel that there are moments I must revisit time and again. “This is exceptional! This is unique!” – I hear myself saying, witnessing those special moments.
The Papal visit to Abu Dhabi was – is – one of these moments.
In every step of the program I experienced history in the making. Something humankind should have done many decades, if not centuries ago. A necessary meeting largely overdue.
FIVE-HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD DEVOTION CELEBRATED IN SAINT LAWRENCE’S CHURCH – Damanese community pays homage to the Virgin of Candelaria
Armindo Vaz
Marco Carvalho
The memory of a long forgotten battle, held more than four hundred years ago in far away India, was evoked in Saint Lawrence’s Church in the first weekend of the month, but hymns, prayers and the tender melody of a violin were heard instead of the guns of a bygone era.
Macau’s small Damanese community came once again together on February 2nd to celebrate the feast of the Virgin of Candelaria (known locally as “Nossa Senhora das Candeias”), the patroness of their hometown. Located 170 kilometers south of Mumbai, Daman was under Portuguese administration until the end of 1961, when it was incorporated in the Republic of India following a successful military intervention.
Celebrating the first day of the Year of the Pig at Cathedral
To celebrate the first day of the Year of the Pig last Tuesday, February 5, the Catholic Diocese of Macau offered Masses in honor of Our Lady of China, praying for a prosperous year ahead. Bishop Stephen Lee celebrated Mass at the Cathedral, asking all the faithful to meditate on the encounter of God and men through the life of Our Lady, and her relationship with Jesus. After Mass, firecrackers were lit and the traditional lion dance was performed at the entrance of the Cathedral, marking the start of the New Year.
PASTORAL CARE FOR MIGRANTS 2ND FUN DAY – Joy that unites
Ross Belle Balatbat
The Pastoral Care for Migrants, led by the SOLT Fathers, organized the second yearly thanksgiving involving all those who volunteer in the ministry, the parishioners and the different members of the the various Filipino religious and civic organizations in Macau. This year it was held on the 7th of February which was dubbed “Fun Day.” Fr Alejandre “Andy” Vergara, Apostolic House Servant of the SOLT missionaries in Macau, said that it is a “Fun Day” but he pointed out that it meant sharing the grace of joy that God has bestowed on each individual, so that each participant will truly feel the presence of the Lord through the attendees who are one in gratitude for the past activities organized by the Pastoral Center.
