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”.
In the Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome, one can find a series of mosaic portraits of the popes from Saint Peter all the way to Pope Francis. The project began with Pope Leo the Great (440-461) but a fire destroyed the Basilica in 1823. Only 40 portraits were saved. In 1847, Pope Pius IX (1846-76) revived the project which, of course, is ongoing.
The Christian hopes in the “here-after” and in the “here-now.” Christian eschatology is undividedly transcendent and immanent, anticipation of the future in the present and anticipating present of the future. The integral salvation of the human person begins now. In hope we expect our salvation at the end of time – eschatological salvation – and we work in time to attain it. Hence, integrates the eschatological and temporal (historical and social liberation).
The liturgy of the first Sunday of Lent leads us to the desert. Immediately after being baptized and receiving the anointing at the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit brings Jesus to the desert to be tempted by Satan. It is worth noting the role of the Holy Spirit, the “True and Original Love,” the inner force that impels Jesus (2 Cor 5:14ff). He enters the desert “full of the Holy Spirit”. The fruit of Love is obedience, and the fruit of obedience is self-transcendence or the gift of self. This reflects the dynamics of the mystery of Love within the Blessed Trinity. We were Created in God’s image and likeness; Jesus was sent to restore our true identity.
The seventh edition of the ‘Asian Mission’ initiative, which this year had as its motto “prepared for the mission; prepared for peace” was comemorated last February. This Catholic event brought together 50 participants, including eight young people from Japan, five from South Korea (more specifically from the diocese of Daejon), and the rest from the Philippine parishes of Nampicuan, San Fabian and Malasiqui, with 30 of these young people being part of the group ‘Servants Missionary Youth’.
On Saturday, 22nd February, Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-sang presided over the inauguration of an exhibition that takes a deeper look at the pastoral work that has been carried out by Saint Joseph the Worker Church in Iao Hon neighborhood, over the last 25 years. With this initiative, Macau’s youngest parish aims to make itself know to believers, both inside and outside of the Special Administrative Region.
The Church’s scriptures for Ash Wednesday seem to present to us a perplexing contradiction. Consider that the Old Testament prophet Joel insists that the Lord’s people present their faith publicly: “Blow a trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly; Gather the people, notify the congregation. ” Further, the Apostle Paul testifies that we are “ambassadors for Christ”—that is, public representatives to the culture concerning the identity of the Lord. Contrast both these texts with the words of the Lord Jesus in the Gospel, which seem to indicate that public presentations of the faith are unseemly and what is required for authenticity in our expressions of religious devotion is that they remain private and unseen.
As Pope Francis reminds us, “A pilgrimage is not just a journey in search of a place; it is also a journey of the heart.”
The Jubilee Year is a time of extraordinary grace in the Catholic Church, offering an invitation to renewal, forgiveness, and spiritual growth. Declared by the pope, this special year includes the opening of the Holy Doors in Rome and other pilgrimage sites, symbolizing the path to God’s mercy. Pilgrimages undertaken during this sacred time are profound acts of faith and devotion, helping us step away from the ordinary and journey toward God in both body and spirit.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus presents to his disciples three teachings on how to be true evangelizers. This counsel can also be seen as three essential steps in being leaders and educators after the model of the gospel.
Let me point out two more instances of Peter’s primacy over the other apostles. Chapter 12 of the Acts of the Apostles tells us how Herod, after executing John’s brother James, arrested Peter (verses 1-3), “but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church” (v 5). Peter was released by an angel, and when he visited those who were praying for him, he gave them instructions to tell the other disciples that he had been freed (cf Acts 12:17).