MISSIONARIES FROM MACAU TO THE WORLD | Saint Lazarus Island (65)

The arrival of the Dutch to Southeast Asia and East Asia forced the Portuguese and Spaniards, until then mutually hostile, to occasional collaborations, as they now had a powerful and determined rival willing to literally take the bread out of their mouths, or rather saying, and in this case, taking the spices out of the bags when they were already well stored. 

A holy king in music

Dedicating Masses to important figures of the Catholic world was not only a way to honor them, but also a way to implore their intercession in liturgical prayer (at least in the case of those honored for clear Christian virtues), was to recognize through the harmony of music that so many brothers and sisters have preceded us on the journey of faith and, show us the way through their example. (Image: The organ in the ‘Rutland Psalter’ from ca. 1260. British Library MS add. 62925)

Times have changed

The Papal Encyclicals have changed a lot in recent centuries. They usually occupied one page; today they have a hundred or more pages. Previously, they often addressed specific international issues; today they deal mostly with our relationship with God or with the demands of Christian life. Fundamentally, the language of the Encyclicals have changed radically!

Going for the gold

our life on earth is a sports arena and we need to train ourselves well in order to win over our competitors. But our competitors are not people around us – it’s our ego and the devil – because the devil is always waiting to catch us unawares. “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8).

“Apostle of Christ among Africans”

Pope St John Paul II, in his homily on the day of the canonization of Daniel Comboni, on 5 October 2003, said, “We need evangelizers with the enthusiasm and apostolic outreach of Bishop Daniel Comboni, an apostle of Christ among the Africans. He relied on the resources of his rich personality and solid spirituality to make Christ known and welcomed in Africa, a continent he loved deeply.”