PHOTO – Matias Kin
– José Miguel Encarnação, Jasmin Yiu
On October 13, the parish of Our Lady of Fatima commemorated the 101st anniversary of the last apparition of our Lady to the shepherds with Mass and procession, attracting hundreds of faithful from various generations. The celebration was also an anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the parish church on October 14. The church was built in 1929 and rebuilt in 1967.
During the procession, a group of parishioners led the prayer of the Rosary from the church while the processional platform traveled two blocks. Authorities had previously authorized the installation of loudspeakers on the lamp posts surrounding the church to broadcast the Rosary. Meanwhile, agents of the Public Security Police Corps ensured that the procession of Our Lady of Fatima took place in an orderly manner.
Attending the procession were volunteers with banners announcing the procession, children dressed in white, students of the School of Our Lady of Fatima and Diocesan College of St Joseph, the Legion of Mary, ladies of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Fatima, scouts, priests and faithful, who, because of their number obliged a few dozens to leave the sidewalk and walk along the road.
In statements to CLARIM, Father José Angel Hernandez began by expressing what was in his soul: “I am grateful. Our parish celebrates fifty years, almost as many as I, who am 53. In fact, these fifty years have to do with the creation of the parish, because the community began to gather here in 1929, that is, 89 years ago. A person in his fifties is already mature. It is the moment to face life in a deeper way. It is when we thank God for his gifts. I myself see grandchildren of the faithful who have been with us since I arrived in Macau. It’s nice to see the past and be able to look into the future.”
He added that “As missionaries we serve where we are most needed. Being in the poorest part of the city is a blessing. ‘The kingdom of God belongs to the poor’ (Lk. 6:20). We encourage people to volunteer for cleaning and construction work – a very expensive business in Macau – because we often do not have enough money for repair or remodeling works. We do not ask for subsidies from the Government and the Diocese. We do it ourselves. When the faithful have time, after work, they come to help in the parish. We help each other. There are also those who are well-off and share their fruits with the parish and the faithful.”
He also mentioned the many Catholics of Zhuhai who cross the border to attend Mass. “We are blessed to be near Zhuhai, where there are no churches, because its residents do not enjoy the privilege of freedom. There are many Catholics who make an effort to be present at the most important festivities of the parish and the liturgical calendar,” he said, adding that “another important fact is the multiculturality of the parish. Like any church we receive all nationalities. We have Vietnamese, Indonesian, Filipino faithful ….”
The next day, October 14, Fr Pedro Chung officiated the Mass where six people received confirmation. In his homily, Fr Chung mentioned that the design of the church “includes the sense of nature, which symbolizes the presence of God that brings silence and peace.” He mentioned that the long staircase (it has 33 steps) represents the way towards Calvary and the ‘Heavenly Jerusalem’.
After Mass, Fr Chung led all the priests attending to the garden for the opening ceremony of the parish museum that displays photos, liturgical items and icons that have been used in the past 50 years.
The parish of Our Lady of Fatima has also scheduled some activities for the next few days. Already this Sunday, October 21, a guest will give a talk dedicated to prayer; on the 31st day of the month, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for adoration from 8 AM to midnight; on 28 October there will be a concert for the 50th anniversary of the parish, between 5 pm and 7 pm; and, finally, a pilgrimage will be held to the south of Taiwan on 2 November.
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