The Church celebrates the solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord this Thursday. In some places however, such as Macau, this date is not a holiday, hence the celebration is moved to the following Sunday. This dogma of the Catholic faith teaches that, forty days after His Resurrection, the physical manifestation of Jesus on Earth ends: He ascends to heaven and seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.
The election, a week ago, of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost to the Chair of Saint Peter opened the door to a new era in the history of the Catholic Church. In Macau, the Catholic community welcomes Pope Leo XIV with hope and optimism. The first Augustinian pope and the second from the Americas, the new pontiff is seen as the right choice to guide the Church through adversity and renew humanity’s trust in God’s love.
Nazareno Lanciotti, an Italian Transalpine missionary who for three decades dedicated himself to proclaiming the Gospel in the forests and poorest regions of Brazil, and especially to protecting young people from the most diverse forms of slavery imposed on them by prostitution traffickers and other human traffickers, will be proclaimed blessed.
The Lusophone Scouts Group of Macau (GELMac) organized an Investiture ceremony last Sunday, formally welcoming almost a dozen new members. The ceremonial, which took place in the Casa Ricci facilities, in Cheoc Van, marks the moment when a Scout publicly commits to the Scout Promise and Law. Next Saturday, the group will join a spiritual retreat in Ká-Hó.
After stepping out to the main balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica as Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost identified himself not by nationality, but as being “a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian”. That sense of identity, Father Javier González claims, is more than symbolic and unquestionably influences the pope’s spiritual and theological outlook. The former Prior Provincial of the Dominican Province of Our Lady of the Rosary is confident that Pope Leo XIV will continue the legacy of his predecessor, albeit with a much more moderate style. The Spanish missionary – who as a Dominican follows the Rule of Saint Augustine – believes Pope Leo will strive to safeguard the Church’s prophetic value and her loyalty to the Gospel of Christ. Fidelity to the Gospel, Father González says, is the only limit the Holy Father will face.
Some days ago, I was meditating on my journey of life. Four important words came up: forgiveness, the cross, compassion and prayer. It convinced me that these four words are excellent vitamins of another kind for the journey of this life. I decided to share my reflection with my dear readers.
As we all know well, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost Martinez was elected Pope on May 8, 2025 in the fourth vote of the Conclave of Cardinals meeting at the Sistine Chapel (the Vatican). He chose as his name Leo XIV, right after Leo XIII, the pope that initiated powerfully and creatively the so-called Social Doctrine of the Church, which is necessary part of the teaching and practicing our Christian faith. When Cardinal Prevost Martinez (with Spanish and French/Italian roots) was elected the 267 Successor of St. Peter, he was the Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops and the President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
ST EVARISTUS (96/99 – 108)
The Liber Pontificalis notes that Evaristus was, “by nationality a Greek of Antioch, son of a Jew named Judah, from the city of Bethlehem.” Memmo Caporilli, in his chart of The Roman Pontiffs says that Evaristus was the founder of the first seven diaconates in Rome which were entrusted to senior priests. These were given the task of keeping a watch over the doctrinal correctness of the bishop’s preaching! This group of seven priests is believed to be the origin of the present College of Cardinals. How careful were the pastors of the early Church to make sure that they were teaching the doctrine of Christ and not their own!
A renewed understanding of hope – human as well as Christian – has helped me through the years to become increasingly aware of the unique significance of this day, of today. From the perspective of faith, of spiritual-moral life, what is the meaning of “today”?
I recently had my holiday in the US and I spent it with my relatives there. On a Sunday, I joined them to fulfill my Sunday obligation, and we went to a small and modest church. The mass was entirely in Latin and the liturgy was entirely different. The entire mass has brough me to sleep and I felt I went to see a sad stage show than to Sunday mass. I respectfully told my relatives that I have to attend the real mass. They were horrified to hear my words, and they were claiming that they are now Traditional Roman Catholics and that they prepare the Tridentine or Latin Mass for their Sunday mass. I have observed how my relatives became so devoted to the church and closer to God now than before. Does this mean that Tridentine mass is more effective and valuable than the ordinary mass, or more reverent than the other? Could you explain to me the difference?