Parishioners were joyful to be able to commune with each other and the Lord in person once again. Even the measures to prevent another outbreak were not enough to put a damper on the happiness of being in church.

Parishioners were joyful to be able to commune with each other and the Lord in person once again. Even the measures to prevent another outbreak were not enough to put a damper on the happiness of being in church.
St Dominic Guzman is hailed as one of the prominent saints of the Catholic Church. Not only did he establish the Dominican Order, continuing the work of God with fiery zeal, he was also instrumental in the propagation of the Rosary of the Virgin Mary.
Since the government mandated the partial confinement of Macau’s population almost one month ago, Caritas has received around five hundred requests for immediate food assistance. Although non-resident workers facing hunger and food insecurity were responsible for most of the requests, the organization also lent a helping hand to local residents who lost their jobs during the Covid-19 downturn.
Starting from September, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) will enroll thirty students from the People’s Republic of China, adding to the four that were already integrated in the second semester last year. The students, who completed their academic path at the University in May, were left without a graduation ceremony due to the latest, long-lasting Covid-19 outbreak.
The Eucharistic Miracles of the World international exhibition will remain open to the public beyond July 31st, according to the Macau Catholic Culture Association. The exhibit, which is being held at the new facilities of the Diocesan Center, should have come to a close over the weekend, but the organizers decided to extend it due to the impact of the latest Covid-19 outbreak.
The Jesuit community in Macau commemorated the end of the Ignatian Year with the celebration of a Solemn Mass. The Eucharistic celebration took place on July 31st, the feast day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and was presided over, albeit virtually, by Father Stephen Tong, the provincial of the Chinese province of the Society of Jesus.
Nine years were time enough to put together a choir and write songs based on Holy Scriptures, and more importantly – to breathe new life into the catechesis of Our Lady of Carmel parish and help reawaken the Lusophone Catholic community of Taipa Island. Almost a decade after she first came to Macau, Sister Maria Lúcia Fonseca returned permanently to Portugal due to ongoing health issues. Before her farewell to Macau, O Clarim spoke with the Franciscan Missionary about the beauty of faith and the challenges she encountered in Macau.
The Macau Ricci Institute (MRI) will promote a new online session of its Contemplation and Leadership workshop on July 19th, at a time when the Special Administrative Region continues battling its worst Covid-19 outbreak. The initiative, Fr. Stephan Rothlin claims, can help the participants to cope more creatively with the consequences of the epidemic breakout.
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.
Covid-19, much like any other catastrophe, must be seen as an opportunity to grow closer to God. As Catholics, we must fully believe and accept this, continuing and enhancing our prayer life against all odds.