The Old Court building on Avenida da Praia Grande hosts, until March 17, the largest inter-religious event organized in Macau since the handover. With a particular focus on the cultural and religious heritage of the six religions that move the most followers in Macau, the exhibition “The Journey Over a Thousand Miles” brings together more than a hundred artefacts and sacred objects appurtenant to Buddhism, Catholicism, Taoism, Islam, the Baha’i faith and the Anglican communion.
The combined effort is the result of a long process of dialogue and deliberation that extended, well, for over a year. Benedict Keith Ip, curator of the exhibition, claims that the greatest challenge that he had to deal with was to ensure that religion was the essential focus of the event. The exhibition was inaugurated last Sunday and draws together 109 sacred artefacts, representing the culture and heritage of Macau’s six largest religions.
Month: February 2023
Former Sri Lankan president, govt officials ordered to compensate victims of 2019 Easter attacks for negligence
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling on January 13, 2023, former Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and four other senior officials were found negligent for failing to take necessary preventive measures to stop the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks that shook the nation. The court ordered them to pay compensation of 100 million rupees (US$273,000) to the families of the victims who filed the case. The verdict was well received by the Sri Lankan population, especially among the Catholic community who were the most targeted by the attacks. The country’s Catholic Church further says it suspects a larger conspiracy and demands that the names of the instigators and the unstated objectives of the sinister plan be revealed.
Lent: A time to earthquake-proof our life of faith
Natural disasters are often inevitable, but it is our culpable unpreparedness which makes things worse. The same can be said about our spiritual life. Temptations are like earthquakes. They shake the solidity of our beliefs and undermine our inner convictions. They widen the fault lines which crack the weakest areas of our soul. If we are unprepared, they can reduce our soul to rubble.
The Temptation of an Illusory Happiness
Jesus never bowed down before any idol. He was not seduced by political power, money, the use of weapons, friendship with the great of this world, and proposals of success and glory. He always listened only to the word of the Father. The ultimate goal of evil is to undermine the relationship with God by causing doubt in people’s minds that the Lord does not keep his promises.
Letter to Fr L – The Lenten fast, drawing us closer to God
Many Catholics have developed a disdain for the practice of fasting during Lent, neglecting to understand the deep spiritual fruits it offers. Father L. explains with great clarity why mortifying the flesh is essential in earning for us a place in heaven.
BITE-SIZE THEOLOGY (211): Is everyone called to live a chaste life?
Life is a gift. Existence is a gift. And so is sexuality. What do we do when we receive a gift? We thank the giver and treasure the gift and make it flourish.
How do we treasure the gift and make it flourish? Through chastity. Let us
discover the beauty of chastity as a means of treasuring and integrating sexuality in a positive and fruitful way. We explore the importance of self-mastery and the various means available to achieve it. Chastity is a call for everyone, regardless of their state in life.
USJ partners with global initiative to tackle world hunger using AI and multidisciplinary expertise
“To fight against hunger and food insecurity with the help of Artificial Intelligence”. This is the aim of a new academic consortium created through the initiative of the University of São Paulo, Brazil’s largest public university. The University of Saint Joseph has joined the project and it will foster the development of a new digital radio with a very particular mission: fight against global hunger.
LENT: CONVERSION, PENANCE AND PENANCES (# 1)
Lent is a time of conversion and penance, leading to a renewed life in Easter. The virtue of penance disposes us to repentance and deeper conversion. Interior penance inclines us to do external penances like prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These classical penances help us re-establish and fortify our relationships with God, ourselves, and others. Fasting is a means to put order and harmony in our lives, while almsgiving is a visible expression of mercy. Lent is a pilgrimage of faith, hope, and love, leading to happiness.
Earthquake in Syria and Turkey: Parish house offers shelter to quake-hit local families in Antakya
The parish house, a low-rise building, has withstood successive shocks. The city’s great mosques, or the Orthodox or Protestant churches, did not have the same luck. With its doors open, the parish house now welcomes the displaced families who live nearby.
We are God’s People, we belong to Him
Many young people today may have a misunderstanding of holiness, perhaps due to the portrayal of saints as individuals who perform miracles or never make mistakes, which can be difficult to connect with. Holiness, however, is primarily about belonging to God and living in a love-bound communion. It’s important to consider alternative paths to holiness that may be overlooked in our current context.