Marco Carvalho
On Saturday, 22nd February, Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-sang presided over the inauguration of an exhibition that takes a deeper look at the pastoral work that has been carried out by Saint Joseph the Worker Church in Iao Hon neighborhood, over the last 25 years. With this initiative, Macau’s youngest parish aims to make itself know to believers, both inside and outside of the Special Administrative Region.
An exhibition celebrating the 25th anniversary of Saint Joseph the Worker Church and showcasing some of the most defining moments in the history of Macau’s newest Catholic temple has been unveiled last Saturday by Bishop Stephen Lee. The commemorative event – a revised and expanded version of an exhibition that was first displayed at the Iao Hon Park, last year – can be visited at the Parish Hall until this coming Sunday, the 2nd of March.
When the exhibition was first held, in late October and early November, the aim of the parish of Saint Joseph the Worker was to familiarize the residents of Macau’s northern neighborhoods with the pastoral activities nurtured by the Catholic Church in the area. The purpose now is, somehow, different, Father Rafael Vigolo told “O Clarim”. The parish wants to make itself known to local Catholics that usually pray in other churches: “The motto of the exhibition is “Come and See” and our wish is that other people in our Diocese – Catholics and non-Catholics alike – can get to know our Church a little bit better. The general perception is that Saint Joseph the Worker Church is, somehow, hidden away in Macau and that is isn’t always easy to find. So, we want people to come to Iao Hon and get to know our Church”, the Comboni missionary explained. “This time, we made an effort to include other sort of content that we were not able to showcase in the first exhibition. The first exhibition was an open-air event, held at the Iao Hon Park. Now, its being held inside the Church, in the Parish Hall. Visitors can acquaint themselves with the 25-year history of our parish and how it gradually developed, by the grace of God”, the parish priest of Saint Joseph the Workers adds.
To ensure that the exhibition achieves its objectives, the parish has not only strengthened the content of the exhibition, but also the nature of the artifacts on display. As well as photographs, the exhibition also shows sacred objects, such as the first cross placed in the Church. Until this coming Sunday, the parish will offer guided tours by appointment with the aim to attract local schools and other groups of visitors: “Apart from photographs and documents, we are currently displaying the first organ used in our parish and the first cross placed in the Church. Besides, the exhibition also boasts a larger number of photographs, so that visitors can get a more comprehensive idea about the way the parish has developed over the last quarter of a century”, Father Rafael Vigolo explains.
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