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 mission is burdensome and requires everyone’s commitment. The Catholic Diocese of Macau launched late last month the Diocesan Year of Vocations with the aim of creating a favourable environment for the awakening of priestly and religious vocations. To encourage the involvement of young people in the life of the Church – Brazilian missionaries Daniel Oliveira and Rafael Vigolo claim – is essential to attract new labourers to the vineyard of the Lord.
Bishop Stephen Lee has exhorted the faithful to pray for the shepherds and for more vocations, especially for the Catholic Diocese of Macau.
A more open, more inclusive and more dialoguing Church. Chancellor of the Diocese of Macau Father Cyril Law brought forward recently the conclusions of the diocesan phase of the 2021-2023 Synod of Bishops. Among the many recommendations collected by the teams that gauged the pulse of Macau’s Catholic communities, one rises above all else: the perception that a Church that listens is a Church more aware of its limitations. Dialogue and improved communication are seen as critical by local Catholics.
The Catholic Diocese of Macau postponed its summer program to August due to the current Covid-19 outbreak, but the Diocesan Youth Commission does not exclude the possibility of canceling the initiative. Macau’s participation in next year’s World Youth Day is also shrouded in doubt.
The Catholic Church worldwide will celebrate next Sunday as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. In Macau, the annual celebration will be commemorated with a solemn Mass at Saint Lazarus’ Church and with a tribute to a dozen jubilarian priests and nuns.
Long-term spiritual retreats are increasingly sought after by local Catholics, leading the Macau Diocesan Retreat House to welcome three to five retreatants every month, in order to support those who intend to deepen their faith through silence and solitude.
Special collection for the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.