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 โ 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 Lรบcia 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. Macauโs participation in next yearโs 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.
A grand total of twelve facilities managed by Caritas are being operated on a strict โclosed circuitโ preventive management regime. The measure, which affects 1,700 workers and patients, aims to prevent the potential spread of Covid-19 among vulnerable groups. The transition to the closed-loop management plan required sacrifices, both financial and human. Caritas secretary-general Paul Pun claims, nevertheless, that the confinement of nursing homes is a necessary evil.
Eleven extraordinary ministers of Communion โ eight who serve the Catholic community in the parish of Our Lady of Carmel and three others in the Cathedral parish โ recently received their respective certificates issued by the Catholic Diocese of Macau. The certificates were handed over in a brief ceremony that was presided over by Father Eduardo Aguero and Father Daniel Ribeiro. O Clarim spoke with three of the ministers about the meaning of the mission that was assigned to them by the Church.
The team in charge of the pastoral care of the Portuguese-speaking Catholic community at the Cathedral parish intends to celebrate the Feast of the First Holy Communion as soon as the local churches reopen. The ceremony, nevertheless, might be delayed until September, father Daniel Ribeiro told โO Clarimโ. The First Communion Feast, that should have taken place on June 19th, was postponed for pandemic-related reasons.