Largely, the Associated Press has been very aggressive against the Catholic Church but a giant of this size has room for many exceptions, as this interview with Pope Francis showed. The conversation with the journalists ventured across many important topics.
Month: January 2023
Hundreds of Filipino devotees throng St Augustine’s Church to celebrate feast of Santo Niño
The Filipino community in Macau prayed and danced once again in praise of Señor Santo Niño. The Sinulog celebrations and the devotion to the Holy Child of Cebu brought together more than five hundred devotees at Saint Augustine’s Church on January 15. Father Felipe Bacalso, SJ, who arrived in Macau in later October, presided over the ceremonies.
Empty handed in front of God to be ready to receive His goodness
We might think that Jesus’ words are thoroughly unreasonable. But after looking at the history of the Church, and even human history in general, pope Benedict was convinced that the Sermon on the Mount “is the real high road of life; it is only on the way of love, whose paths are described in the Sermon on the Mount, that the richness of life and the greatness of man’s calling are opened up.”
Being Truly Poor in Spirit
This beatitude is not a message of resignation but of hope: no one will be in need when all become “poor in spirit,” when they put the gifts they have received from God in the service of others, as does God, “the Holy One” who, while possessing everything, is infinitely poor: he holds nothing back, gives everything, even his Son.
“I’m just another humble servant”
Paul Pun Chi Meng was earlier this month awarded the Medal of Merit in Philanthropy by the Government of Macau, an award that the Secretary-General of Caritas dedicated to Father Luís Ruíz and Mother Maria Góis, the pioneers of modern social work in Macau. Paul Pun spoke to O Clarim about the challenges Caritas has faced over the last few weeks, but claims the difficulties are already part of the past.
University of Saint Joseph hosts first-ever Filipino community gathering
Food, traditional games and a stronger sense of community. The chaplaincy of the University of Saint Joseph wants to encourage a deeper connection between students and staff of Macau’s Catholic university and recently organized the first Filipino community gathering. The event brought together about twenty students, teachers and employees of the institution and it also gave an important contribution to bridge the community to the Chaplaincy.
Escola Madalena de Canossa wins inaugural edition of Admirabile Signum Nativity Scene Contest
The inaugural edition of the Admirabile Signum Nativity Scene Contest, organized in December by the Macau Catholic Culture Association, was contested by 16 Catholic schools. Magdalene of Canossa School was awarded the jury’s prize and was crowned champion overall, while the Salesian Institute’s manger won the ‘Internet Popularity Award’ polling one third of the votes.
Myanmar’s military junta destroys 129-year-old historic church where first native bishop was baptized
Several soldiers had been stationed next to the church of Nossa Senhora da Assunção since January 14. When leaving the place, they smoked cigarettes and drank liquor, desacralizing the holy premises before setting fire to it.
Jewish scholar with connections to Macau wins Ratzinger Prize
Handed out in early December at the Vatican, the 2002 edition of the Ratzinger Prize was awarded to Joseph Halevi Weiler, an academic with a deep connection to Macau. Founder and co-director of the Academy of International Trade Law of the Institute of European Studies, the Jewish scholar was distinguished by the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation for his contribution to the harmonization of faith and legal reasoning in the contemporary world.
A Light to the Gentiles
The disciple of Christ does not fear the waves and courageously faces them, even when they are raging. He does not give up hope to save a sister or a brother, even when s/he is in a humanly desperate situation: a slave of drugs and alcohol, unbridled passion, irascible, aggressive and intractable character. In whatever situation he is, he will be saved by the disciple of Christ.