Around 1,100 Christians live in Gaza today. Like the Muslims, these Christians – whose historical roots go back two millennia – are isolated from the rest of the world, including holy sites in the West Bank.
Invited to dance with God
The wedding feast is the biblical image of the encounter of love between the Lord and Israel. In the parable, the bridegroom—the son—is Jesus, and the bride is the whole of humanity. The banquet is the happiness of the Messianic era. Whoever accepts the proposal of the gospel and enters the kingdom of God experiences the most authentic and deepest joy.
Vegetable fiber that saves lives
Over the years, CORR Jute Works has won national and international awards for the quality of its craftsmanship. Today, it employs thousands of artisans, mostly women from rural areas. As a result of CJW’s activities, there are over 200 artisan cooperatives in Bangladesh, spread across 30 provinces, involving a total of almost 6,000 people.
CHURCH FATHERS (1): We need someone to explain the Sacred Writings
O Clarim commences a new series titled ‘Church Fathers’ by Rev. José Mario O. Mandía. In this series, we shall explore that “living transmission of the word of God” so that, as Saint Paul says, “you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
“Eucharist is the spiritual food that sustains us and allows us to soar”
A priest, an artist and a bioethics expert with a degree in medicine. Born in Hong Kong, Father Joseph Tham balances faith, science and art in a personal journey that challenged him, in more than one perspective, to study and understand the fundamental questions that frame human existence.
GELMAC to relaunch Pioneers section
The Lusophone Scouts Group of Macau resumed its activities on October 8 in Taipa. The members of Macau’s Catholic Scouts movement joined the Eucharist at Our Lady of Carmel Church before engaging in group activities and fun games. The reopening of the Pioneers section is the major piece of news of the 2023/2024 Scouting Year.
Catholic Diocese of Macau celebrates World Day of Migrants and Refugees
A Mass celebrating the annual World Day of Migrants and Refugees was held on September 24 at Saint Paul School. The Eucharist, which was presided over by Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-Sang, brought together more than eight hundred migrant workers from places as far as East Timor and Myanmar, showcasing the universality and vibrancy of the Church.
THE CONTINUING RELEVANCE OF THE ROSARY
The month of October each year is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. The Rosary is the classical form of devotion to Mary. It has been described as an excellent prayer by Leo XIII, a compendium of the entire Gospel by Pius XII, and a beautiful garden of flowers by St. John XXIII. Inviting us to pray the Rosary, Pope Francis tells us that “The Rosary is a simple and effective prayer.”
Do Not Pretend to be the Masters of the Lord’s Vineyard
God intervenes to make evil serve the good, making it yield a masterpiece of salvation. In the parable in this Sunday’s Gospel reading, the end result of the intervention of the master is the delivery of the vineyard to other workers who will make it produce fruits. This is his gesture of love and salvation. Today, every Christian is a vine grower from whom the Lord expects delivery of the fruits.
“We cultivate students based on the faith of Christ”
Macau’s 26 Catholic schools and colleges are attracting more and more students, Mr. Stephan Chan Teng-fong tells O Clarim. The managing director of the Diocesan Catholic Education Commission claims there has been a sustained growth, over recent years, in the numbers of students enrolled in Catholic–oriented educational establishments. In an expansive interview, Mr. Chan – who is also an advisor at Colégio Diocesano de São José – talks about the values and mission of the local Catholic schools, as well as the challenges that they face.