Macau’s Largest-Ever Inter-Religious Exhibition: ‘Our aim is to show that religion is living among ourselves’

The Old Court building on Avenida da Praia Grande hosts, until March 17, the largest inter-religious event organized in Macau since the handover. With a particular focus on the cultural and religious heritage of the six religions that move the most followers in Macau, the exhibition “The Journey Over a Thousand Miles” brings together more than a hundred artefacts and sacred objects appurtenant to Buddhism, Catholicism, Taoism, Islam, the Baha’i faith and the Anglican communion.
The combined effort is the result of a long process of dialogue and deliberation that extended, well, for over a year. Benedict Keith Ip, curator of the exhibition, claims that the greatest challenge that he had to deal with was to ensure that religion was the essential focus of the event. The exhibition was inaugurated last Sunday and draws together 109 sacred artefacts, representing the culture and heritage of Macau’s six largest religions.

USJ partners with global initiative to tackle world hunger using AI and multidisciplinary expertise

“To fight against hunger and food insecurity with the help of Artificial Intelligence”. This is the aim of a new academic consortium created through the initiative of the University of São Paulo, Brazil’s largest public university. The University of Saint Joseph has joined the project and it will foster the development of a new digital radio with a very particular mission: fight against global hunger.

Extra space for a pastoral approach to culture

The facilities of the Macau Catholic Culture Association are currently undergoing a major expansion to accommodate an increasing number of cultural events. The ongoing development will rehabilitate and expand the premises’ existing capacities, by adding an extra floor. From May onwards, the second floor of the Association’s headquarters will be used as extended exhibition space, O Clarim was told.

Caritas Macau launches fundraising effort for earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria

Caritas Macau has launched a fundraising campaign to collect donations for the victims of the earthquake that devastated eastern Turkey and northern Syria last week. The Catholic aid agency opened bank accounts in five local banking institutions and will place donation boxes across the city. The initiative, Paul Pun told O Clarim, will run until May.

Angel of Hope: Mexican Priest Brings Comfort and Solace to Dying Patients During Macau’s Worst COVID-19 Outbreak

From mid-December to mid-January, Father José Ángel Hernández had his hands full. Chaplain at the Conde de São Januário public hospital, the Mexican priest divided his time between Macau’s two largest health facilities. His mission? To offer spiritual comfort to those that were readying themselves to embark on their last journey. Despite being surrounded with people that were sick, he managed to evade catching COVID-19.

40 Young Catholics to Represent Macau at World Youth Day: Preparation Includes Leadership Workshops, Spiritual Retreat

Forty Catholics and catechumens aged 18-35 years old will represent Macau at the 37th edition of the World Youth Day. The Diocesan Delegation will travel to Portugal in late July and remain in the country for two weeks. The pilgrimage will include time in Fatima and an opportunity to be with thousands of other young Catholics and Pope Francis. The Diocesan Youth Commission will offer several leadership and formation workshops over the next few months to help the participants prepare for this life-changing experience.

‘In Macau, the Church enhances the coexistence between East and West’

While the Catholic Church reinforces and integrates the particularities of Macau’s uniqueness as a multicultural space through religious practices, the Portuguese authorities in Lisbon need to pay attention to the Portuguese people who have already left Macau in recent years and others who say they will soon do so, claiming to some extent the “orphanhood” they feel in relation to the expected support from official institutions in Portugal.

Hundreds of Filipino devotees throng St Augustine’s Church to celebrate feast of Santo Niño

The Filipino community in Macau prayed and danced once again in praise of Señor Santo Niño. The Sinulog celebrations and the devotion to the Holy Child of Cebu brought together more than five hundred devotees at Saint Augustine’s Church on January 15. Father Felipe Bacalso, SJ, who arrived in Macau in later October, presided over the ceremonies.

“I’m just another humble servant”

Paul Pun Chi Meng was earlier this month awarded the Medal of Merit in Philanthropy by the Government of Macau, an award that the Secretary-General of Caritas dedicated to Father Luís Ruíz and Mother Maria Góis, the pioneers of modern social work in Macau. Paul Pun spoke to O Clarim about the challenges Caritas has faced over the last few weeks, but claims the difficulties are already part of the past.