[圖片說明] The Extraordinary Mission Month was celebrated by the Catholic Diocese of Macau on 19 October, Saturday, officiated by the Bishop of Macau Most Reverend Stephen Lee. (Photos by Ivan Leong and JMO Mandia)
– Maria Kwak*
Last Saturday, the followers of Catholic faith celebrated the Eucharist at the Ruins of St Paul. The celebration was in response to The Extraordinary Missionary Month, announced by Pope Francis two years ago. I have no doubt that it has been a great blessing for all those who witnessed the glory of celebrating a Mass at St Paul’s, a Catholic symbol of missionary work in the Far East.
It was built in the beginning of the 17th century and the church was also adorned by its contemporaries as well. In 1623, the Rev. Fr Alexandre de Rhodes, SJ (1591-1660), who was a Jesuit missionary in Vietnam wrote, “Such a beautiful church; I have seen nothing to equal it, even among all the beautiful churches of Italy; excepting St Peter’s in Rome. Its façade is admirable…”. Apart from being Catholic symbol, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Monument in 2005 and the façade was chosen as one of the seven wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World at the occasion of the Portugal Day in Lisbon, 2009. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire in 1835. Only the façade and its ruins remain as it is today. While the physical building may be gone and we may lament over what has been lost, what is more precious is that our faith and its Christian souls still remain as strong despite many hardships that the Diocese of Macau has faced over the centuries. The Eucharist at this occasion may have been a testimony to this statement.
My first visit to the very site was some twenty years ago in 1997. It was a hot summer day and I unwillingly walked up the stairs as a teenager, on my parents’ bidding. Without realizing it, it must have been my first pilgrimage experience. At that time, I did not understand the meaning of the façade and why the ruined church was so famous.
The next time I walked up the stairs was last year and it was voluntary. I had decided to visit again for a self-reflection, when I had lost many that I considered valuable. Not because of the monetary value of what has been lost but to seek a spiritual answer from God. I asked, “Why did you have to take away my stuff and what is it that you want to reveal?” As soon as I approached the church, I experienced some emotional turmoil. Well, God did not take away my life. And I am still standing in front of the façade of St Paul’s. I believe that the unforeseeable afflictions that we encounter in life are there to give us some lessons on life, as to where one must find an answer.
The ornament of the ship on the façade may be interpreted as a symbol of the Church. Just like the travellers by ship, we as believers find safety and reach salvation through the teachings of the Church. Shortly after this visit, I assigned myself a mission to find a vocation in spreading the Gospels. But how would it come about?
The first step was to register for a course at my present university. As a matter of fact, the tradition of the Catholic education in Macau was initiated by the Jesuit founders of the College of St Paul’s, which once stood next to the church. My goal was far from a religious missionary but to learn more about the World Heritage Sites of Macau. Until then, I could not dare to step into the Macau church history because it was not my area of expertise and obviously takes intensive learning. It was rather only a mere hope to put my efforts into such area. What inspired me everyday was the stories of the missionaries that I came across while researching. I could not ignore the calling. Such hope was dear to my heart. Such transition provided me with a clear purpose in life. I realised that previous personal endeavours in other areas were solely for my own good and pleasure. As the studies progressed, I noticed that the contributions of the missionaries to Macau society were largely forgotten. What made today’s Macau as a city is the result of the work of Jesuit priests during the 16th century who they were instrumental in protecting the inhabitants of Macau in times of warfare. Then, I decided to embark on a challenging mission to an unknown territory, inspired by all the missionaries who devoted their whole lives in service to others, to all mankind on this land. For the first time, I sensed the fulfilment from learning and writing through sharing the knowledge.
The Eucharist last Saturday at the St Paul’s was truly meaningful for me. The church is gone. But what gives meaning is a celebration of the Mass. Such tradition is what differentiates us from the Protestant church. The Society of Jesus was established in an effort at counter-reformation against the Protestants during the 16th century. The artisans had engraved the significance of the Mass on the façade. The long frieze between the first and second stories of the façade represents the altar, the most sacred place inside the church. The mystery of faith comes around the altar. Just above the statue of St Francis Borgia (the far left), the dove which represents the Holy Spirit stands right above the tabernacle.
During the homily, the Bishop asked all the attendants to say “Lord, I am a missionary”. My heart was deeply touched. I took it as a revelation from God that we have all gathered here for a mission.
The next day, I walked up the stairs of the St Paul’s. I was certain that everyone has a way to become a missionary. I noticed how it is peaceful to walk up those stairs. The steps were actually designed to allow us to take each step gradually. May we all trust that the Lord is patient and he does not expect us to take giant steps to become a missionary.
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