Can you describe the works of ACCM?
The Macau Catholic Culture Association is a non-profit organization established in July 2018. The chairman is Bishop Stephen Lee, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Macau. Catholicism has been in Macau for over four hundred years and has always been an important meeting point of Chinese and Western cultures. It aims to promote this rich historical Catholic culture encompassing two thousand years of Catholic Church tradition and four hundred years of Catholic culture and tradition in Macau. It also supports the preservation of Catholic architecture and cultural relics which characterize the Catholic Church in Macau and its precious history. It also regularly edits and publishes materials that are beneficial to achieving its purpose, and organizes various types of Catholic cultural promotional activities with local and international Catholic organizations, so as to achieve friendly cultural exchanges with the community and other religious groups.
What are the reasons for the establishment of ACCM?
The missionary work of the Catholic Church in Macau has left a rich legacy in this beautiful city. The establishment of the Macau Catholic Culture Association aims to promote dialogue, to build a foundation of mutual understanding from a cultural perspective, continuing this mission of Sino-Western exchanges in the new era, and to contribute to the future of Macau’s society.
What is Catholic Culture?
Culture is a social and historical phenomenon, the product of human activity through many centuries, and a deposit of human society and history. With over two thousand years of history and tradition, the Catholic Church offers a rich diversity of cultural heritage with its devotions, liturgy, processions, and historical saints. Macau has many centuries of religious history and customs that are not only an important cultural heritage but they have contributed greatly to the local communities. This long-term collective experience gives the Catholic Church in Macau and its faithful certain distinctive characteristics.
What is the importance of the Catholic culture in Macau?
As a meeting point between China and the West, Macau has always had a unique charm in the Chinese-speaking territories and even in the world. If we have to define the Chinese and Western cultural traditions of Macau, it is actually the universal values brought by Catholic missionaries over the past four centuries, values that are derived from and inspired by Catholicism. This humanistic sentiment is inclusive, not exclusive. The architectural styles, local customs, values, Catholic processions and devotions are seen in various places in Macau. Their presence illustrates the integration of Catholicism with local culture, and the mission of the Catholic Church in respect of mutual communication. We have seen the establishment of social relief institutions relying on the spirit of the gospel, from the past Saint-Raphael Hospital to the various Catholic schools and social welfare institutions that are still in operation, which shows that charity does not distinguish between races, skin color, gender, language, religion, politics, different opinions, nationality or social origin.
What information or activities will ACCM launch in the future so that the public can learn more about Catholic culture?
In line with contemporary new media communication technology and innovative digital resources, such as our Facebook page and the newly launched official website (www.macaucca.org), we hope by opening the online resource platforms to integrate the historical characteristics of Macau’s Catholic culture into modern new media culture, thus promoting the popularization and sharing of Catholic cultural resources.
Through exploring these diverse cultural topics: “Catholic Cultural Heritage”, “Catholic Culture and Art”, “Catholic Culture and Science” and “Religious Cultural Exchange”, one is able to understand and treasure its valuable history and worth.
“Catholic Cultural Heritage” looks at the diverse cultural heritage that is closely connected to the Catholic Church and the local Church. Through this diverse cultural heritage, one is able to understand and treasure its valuable history and worth. Only by rooting ourselves in the past can we look forward to the future and do a good job of “inheriting”.
“Arts and Catholic Culture” looks at different artistic areas that are closely connected to the mission of the Catholic Church and cultures of the contemporary world. The areas of interests include Architecture, Design, Painting and Sculpture, Music, Literature, Poetry, Calligraphy, Theatre, Cinema, Television, Art History etc.
From the perspective of Catholic culture, Christianity, theology and philosophy, as well as the influence of cultural and social dynamics, “Science & Catholic Culture” aims to explore the true meanings which human science cannot prove and are beyond the reach of scientific research.
This “Religious Cultural Exchange” category is to encourage and promote the appreciation of the truth, goodness and beauty through various cultural exchanges in the fields of science, literature, art and history etc. Through cultural interaction, the Catholic Church can establish friendly cultural exchanges and communion with the other religious communities.
We will also be launching a new video production “Living in Faith” this December 2020. This “Living in Faith” short video series aims to reveal authentic Christian lives lived by local Macau faithful and through their witnessing and their experience of Christ in the local Catholic culture. So, we invite everyone to stay tuned!
The Macau Catholic Culture Association can be found in www.macaucca.org, Facebook (MacauCCA), Instagram (MacauCCA), and YouTube (MacauCCA).
For further information, please contact Ms Cheng or Ms Vong, (853) 2856 2247 or info@macaucca.org / admin@macaucca.org.
Jasmin Yiu with Joni Cheng
Follow
