The Filipino community in Macau prayed and danced once again in praise of Señor Santo Niño. The Sinulog celebrations and the devotion to the Holy Child of Cebu brought together more than five hundred devotees at Saint Augustine’s Church on January 15. Father Felipe Bacalso, SJ, who arrived in Macau in later October, presided over the ceremonies.
Paul Pun Chi Meng was earlier this month awarded the Medal of Merit in Philanthropy by the Government of Macau, an award that the Secretary-General of Caritas dedicated to Father Luís Ruíz and Mother Maria Góis, the pioneers of modern social work in Macau. Paul Pun spoke to O Clarim about the challenges Caritas has faced over the last few weeks, but claims the difficulties are already part of the past.
Food, traditional games and a stronger sense of community. The chaplaincy of the University of Saint Joseph wants to encourage a deeper connection between students and staff of Macau’s Catholic university and recently organized the first Filipino community gathering. The event brought together about twenty students, teachers and employees of the institution and it also gave an important contribution to bridge the community to the Chaplaincy.
Handed out in early December at the Vatican, the 2002 edition of the Ratzinger Prize was awarded to Joseph Halevi Weiler, an academic with a deep connection to Macau. Founder and co-director of the Academy of International Trade Law of the Institute of European Studies, the Jewish scholar was distinguished by the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation for his contribution to the harmonization of faith and legal reasoning in the contemporary world.
On January 22, the Chinese calendar will enter a new cycle and the Macau Cardinal Newman Center of Cultural and Performance Arts intends to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit with a series of activities and workshops, aimed at children and adults alike. Choi Chun Heng, one of Macau’s most renowned calligraphers, will join the celebrations for the third year in a row.
Pope Benedict’s XVI time as pope was short, but his impact was enormous and his legacy will probably continue to reverberate in the decades to come, Father José Mario Mandía believes. The former director of O Clarim recalls some of Joseph Ratzinger’s most important contributions to the Church, namely the Christ-centeredness of his theological vision and the first official Catholic catechism in more than 400 years. The Pope Emeritus’ profound words will continue to shape philosophy, theology and the life of the Church and the world.
The Catholic Diocese of Macau is preparing to send at least 50 youngsters to Portugal to take part in the 2023 edition of the World Youth Day. The easing of the pandemic-related restrictions decreed by the local authorities, earlier this month, eliminates the requirement of a mandatory quarantine in a designated hotel – one of the aspects that worried the Diocesan curia the most.
It’s not a one-of-a-kind initiative, but it’s always a good example of a commendable cooperation. The Claretian community of Macau and a Buddhist meditation centre based in Saint Lawrence parish joined forces and organized a food distribution drive in December. The action benefited around 100 non-resident workers that were temporarily laid off by their employers.
The Church in China held a special place in the heart of Pope Benedict. He visited the Diocese of Macau when he was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Bishop Stephen Lee asks the faithful to offer prayers in suffrage for the soul of our beloved Shepherd Pope Benedict.
On behalf of all the faithful of the Diocese of Macau, Bishop Stephen Lee expresses our gratefulness to our late Holy Father for his pastoral care and exemplary service to the Church.
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