Marco Carvalho
The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, in Ká-Hó village, will once again a place of worship and pastoral activities. Built in 1966, the small, tent-shaped church on the northeastern tip of Coloane Island was entrusted by the Catholics Diocese of Macau to the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Dehonian missionaries were tasked to transform Ká-Hó into a “spiritual hospital, a place always open to mend people’s souls”.
Shaped like a tent, with a long, slanting roof, reminiscent of hands folded together in prayer, the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows is a shrine like no other in Macau and, probably, in Asia. Built in the late 1960’s to serve the spiritual needs of the leprosy patients staying at the neighboring leper colony, the simple, but graceful church hosted in February 15th a spiritual retreat which was also a soft opening of the mission.
Coordinated by Father Daniel Ribeiro, the assembly drew together more than seventy congregants and set in motion a plan, drawn by the Catholic Diocese of Macau, to revive the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows. The shrine was entrusted by the local prelacy to the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who wants to rekindle Ká-Hó with its historical mission. The date of the spiritual retreat – which combined prayer, biblical formation, reflections and moments of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament – was not chosen at random and reflects the spiritual vocation that the Dehonian missionaries want to associate with the former Ká-Hó leprosarium: “The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is observed on September 15th, but Catholics usually evoke the Mother of Sorrows every month, on the 15th. So, the day was, in a certain sense, already dedicated to the Virgin Mother, but it took on a completely new meaning, because it was celebrated in Ká-Hó’s church, which is consecrated to Our Lady of Sorrows”, the Brazilian priest explains. “Local Catholics nurtured a great desire to pray in Ká-Hó, because of the spiritual significance of that area. Why is that church consecrated to Our Lady of Sorrows? Because Our Lady of Sorrows is seen as the protector of all those who are suffering, who are afflicted by pain and other concerns. Ka-Hó has always been a place where people were taken care of. In the past it was dedicated to the treatment of leprosy and now it will be placed at the service of those whose thirst for God is unquenched”, father Daniel Ribeiro explained.
The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows is being prepared so that it can hold once again regular liturgical and pastoral activities. The graceful shrine will soon host Mass on weekends. Furthermore, a priest will be scheduled to stay in Ká-Hó to hear confessions and provide spiritual support to those in need: “The church is undergoing minor improvements so that it can host Mass every weekend. A Mass will be celebrated on Fridays at 5 pm, in Chinese. Then, we will have an anticipated Mass on Saturday at 4pm in Portuguese and in Chinese, every other weekend. On Sundays, Mass will be celebrated at 11am, in English”, the Dehonian missionary told “O Clarim”. “The Sacristy is being reorganized; the Missal and liturgical objects being replaced. The aim of the Diocese is to prepare the church, so that it can offer once again religious activities. Every morning, during the week, there will be a priest in Ká-Hó from half past nine to noon. This priest will be available to hear confessions until 11 am and then, from 11am to 12pm, he will lead a moment of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. On Sunday, this moment of Adoration will take place in the afternoon,’ the Brazilian priest added.
The Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus aims to devote one day every month to spirituality and self-reflections. The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, Father Daniel Ribeiro claims, offers local Catholics a precious opportunity to create a deeper connection with God: “Ka-Hó has always been a well-loves and respected place, but little by little we want to promote this sort of activities and attract more people. By promoting the revival of the Church, we are offering Catholics in Macau an opportunity to enjoy and take advantage of a space of silence and spirituality. Our wish is for Ka-Hó to become a spiritual hospital, a place always open to mend people’s souls, whatever their needs may be”, the parish vicar of the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady concludes.
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