The readings for this Sunday remind us that God sees the heart. He listens to those who are humble and cries out for justice. He does not turn away from the poor or the weak. Instead, He cares for those who trust Him. This Sunday shows us further the difference between pride and humility. Humility involves recognizing our true place in relation to God and others, avoiding arrogance, and admitting when we are wrong.
The East Asia Delegation of the Claretian Missionaries mourns the passing of Fr. Mario Vincenzo Bonfaini, CMF, on October 8, 2025, at 11:00 AM (Macau time). He was a most generous shepherd who spent a lot of his time in the confessional forgiving sins and savings souls for God, a man with deep love for China, a courageous missionary.
On Sunday 19 October 2025, the Church in Macau celebrates World Day of Migrants and Refugees spearheaded by the Pastoral Center of Filipino Migrants, the celebration was highlighted with a mass presided by the Bishop of Macau, Bishop Stephen Lee. Fr. Raymund Gaspar, the priest in charge of the Filipino migrants and a number of missionary priests concelebrated during the holy mass. The celebration was also a day set aside to raise awareness about the challenges faced by migrants in Macau and around the world, in order to promote solidarity and compassion toward them
Dear Father L
We live in a world where technology dominates almost every aspect of our daily lives. Phones, tablets, and laptops are not just tools anymore, they have become extensions of our very selves. They connect us with family and friends, guide us through work and school, and give us access to information at lightning speed. While these devices hold the potential for great good, they also carry the dangers of distraction, addiction, and even spiritual harm. There will always be the tendency for the devil to use these gadgets to urge us to do evil. Can we bring our cell phones and other communication gadgets to be blessed by our priest?
October 13th is significant for Catholics as it marks the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun, witnessed by thousands in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917, during the final apparition of Our Lady of Fatima.
In our parable for today, we have the witness of a widow who came to a dishonest judge and continuously begged him for a just judgment. Though the judge did not care about the woman, he eventually rendered a just decision for her because she was so persistent. It’s interesting that Jesus used the image of a “dishonest judge” to teach us about persistent prayers being answered. He does so because He wants us to understand that if even those who are dishonest respond to persistence, then so much more will the Just Judge of Heaven respond to persistence. Will God answer any prayer you pray if you offer that prayer day and night, day after day without fail? Does God eventually give into our requests as a parent might give into a child who keeps begging for something? Not exactly. One of the most important qualifiers mentioned in this parable is the word “just.” We read that the woman’s plea before the judge was, “render a just decision for me…” At the conclusion of the parable, Jesus gives this interpretation: “Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?” When we pray, we ought not pray for whatever we want. We ought not pray for our preference, selfish desires, or our own ideas. We must pray only for the justice of God. When we do so with unwavering perseverance, God will secure our rights and bring forth His justice.
Queen Jezebel, wife of King Ahab and a Phoenician worshiper of Baal, sent a messenger to Elijah, threatening his life. Elijah had confronted 450 prophets of Baal and executed them after God answered his prayer by sending fire from heaven to consume the offering he had prepared on the altar (1 K 18:37–40). Following this divine intervention, the Lord ended the drought by sending rain. Despite the powerful demonstration, when Elijah learned his life was in danger, he fled in fear into the wilderness. There, he pleaded with the Lord to take his life, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers” (1 K 19:4). He lay down under a solitary broom tree and slept. Then, an angel of the Lord touched him and said, “Arise and eat.” He found bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water. After eating and resting, the angel returned and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you” (1 K 19:5–7).
What is charity?Charity, or divine love in us, is the virtue among virtues and the theological virtue of love.
In an interview with the Fides news agency, Father Agustinus Purnama, a 70-year-old Indonesian priest and Superior General of the Missionaries of the Holy Family (MSF) in the province of Java, considers legitimate the expectations of young Indonesians, who are leading the current wave of rebellion spreading across different regions of the archipelago. They demand transparency, work, development, good politics, and a future. “The problem is that they are being exploited for other purposes”, concludes Father Purnama, who is nearing the end of his six-year term as Superior (2019-2025).
We read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC, no. 1813): The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity… They inform and give life to all the moral virtues.