Welcome to Our China - Macau Blog, August 2009

Claretians in China
Salute the New Gen. Government

Fr. Abella is Re-elected:

The news of the re-election of Fr. Josep Maria Abella, CMF as the Superior General was received here with great jubilation, especially as it is a matter of pride for all in the East Asian Delegation. The Missionaries gratefully acknowledge the tremendous support that Fr. Abella rendered to the China Mission during his first term as the Superior General. We wish him and all his Council Members God’s abundant blessings!

Domingo Grillia from Argentina (Prefect of Economy);
Mathew Vattamattam from India (Prefect of Formation);
Gonzalo Fernandez from Spain (Prefect of Spirituality).

Augustin Monroy from Colombia (Prefect of Apostolate);
Emmanuel Edeh from Nigeria - Counsellor;
Paul Smyth from United Kingdom – Councellor

Congratulations & God's Blessings!

Giving and Receiving

When the poor evangelize us!

One Sunday in August a group of friends organized a trip to a little corner in the Province of Guangdong (China). Ninety minutes away from the city of Zhuhai (border with Macau) is Jiangmen. There we met with about 100 elderly people, all suffering from leprosy and a small group of “angels” who take care of them. We witness testimonies of faith, hope and love! Most of the residents have been abandoned by their family – but are now forming the Family of God!

Welcome Fr. Ezakias!

Fr. Ezakias joins the China Mission

Macau Community with Fr. Ezakias

The Claretian Mission in China received a fillip with the arrival of Fr. Ezakias Anthony Swamy, CMF from the Province of Bangalore to join the team for the China Mission. Fr. Ezakias reached Hong Kong on 19 August. After spending a few days in Hong Kong and in Macau he is scheduled to begin his Chinese classes from 8 September. We wish him the very best in his language studies.

Fr. Ezakias in Hong Kong

Fr. Jose in Hong Kong for his studies

Fr. Jose Cherukara, CMF begins his Cantonese lessons at the New Asia – Yale-in-China – Chinese Language Centre, in Chinese University of Hong Kong from 3 September. He had a five-day intensive course on Cantonese language, organized by the Diocese of Macau at St Joseph’s Seminary.

Fr. Jojo is Incardinated to the East Asian Delegation

Also Appointed as the Assistant at St. Lawrence Church

The Claretian Community at Macau is ecstatic at the incardination of one of its pioneers, Fr. Jojo Ancheril, CMF to the East Asian Delegation. Fr. Jojo reached Macau in March 2007. Equipped with a Diploma in Cantonese Language form the Chinese University of Hong Kong, he now speaks fluent Cantonese. The Bishop of Macau has appointed him as Assistant at St Lawrence Parish on 25 August and he will take charge on 1 September 2009. We wish Fr. Jojo the Heaven’s choicest blessings and the very best in his Mission in the East Asian Delegation and in his Ministry at St. Lawrence Parish.

Bibles for Chengdu in Sichuan Province

You may remember the terrible earthquake that China suffered in 2008. The maps will help you to locate the area that was devastated by the earthquake. Take a look:

In happier times… when the church building was intact…

Elegant Architecture

And well attended services ...

But this is what remained after that nightmarish moment

The undying spirit of the faithful keeps them going …

What remains intact now is the Church:
the Catholic Youth of Chengdu!

We have recently sent 400 copies of the Chinese Pastoral Bible to the Chengdu Catholic Youth Fellowship and to the Cathedral Parish of Chengdu Catholic Diocese.

Wish to know more about the Church in China?

To all the esteemed readers of Macau Bulletin: If you wish to read something more about the Church in China, click the following links to read some good articles from Anthony E. Clark, Ph.D., assistant professor of Asian history at the University of Alabama. He did his doctoral studies at the University of Oregon, where he studied Chinese history, philosophy, and religion. His more recent research has centered on East/West religious dialogue. He has also been researching the history of Catholic martyrs in China and has recently finished writing a book on that subject.

Our New Titles:

The New Titles From Claretian Publications, Macau:

---------------------------------------------------------

Bible Diary and Daily Gospel 2010

The hard work put in by Fr. Alberto Rossa, CMF and his team
at the Claretian Publications, Macau
has some inspiring success stories to cherish.
While our commitment to the China Mission resulted
in the publication of the Chinese Daily Gospel
both in traditional and simplified characters,
the publication of the New Testament in Creyol language
has received great applauds from the Diocese of Haiti.
Fr. Alberto gives a short description of the new titles
and also of some the projects that the Publication is currently working on:

---------------------------------------------------------

Diario Bíblico 2010

www.diariobiblico.wordpress.com

This is another collaborative effort between Claretians
from Latin America and the Claretian Publications Macau.
This year we have printed 80,000 copies
and all of them have already arrived at their port
of destination in 25 countries around the world.

---------------------------------------------------------

Chinese Daily Gospel
in traditional and simplified characters

A project that started 25 years ago in the Philippines
with the first ever publication of “Bible Diary”
has seen millions of copies throughout the years
and published in 12 languages.
It is the second year that we publish it in Chinese:
in simplified characters for Mainland China
and in traditional or old characters
for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.
An unexplored frontier of evangelization in China!

---------------------------------------------------------

Creyol New Testament

The Claretian team in Haiti has been involved in the translation
of the New Testament into Creyol for the last years.
We are pleased to launch the New Testament in Creyol:
a collaborative effort between Haiti
and Claretian Publications Macau.

---------------------------------------------------------

OFW Prayerbook

One of our missionaries prepared some time
ago a “modern devotionary” for Filipino migrants.
There are approximately 9 million Filipino
This small book helps them to connect life
and faith in today’s challenging world,
especially under the difficult circumstances under
which most of them have to work.
This is already a reprint.

Our Visitors

Fr. Agustin Roberts

Trappist Fr. Augustin Roberts
at the Claretian Publications, Macau

The Claretian community of Macau was honored with the visit of Fr. Agustin Roberts who was the Abbot of the Trappist Monastery in Azul, Argentina for many years and now the Master of Novices. Fr. Augustine was on a visit to Macau to accompany the new foundation of the Trappestine Monastery, with the four Sisters who came from Indonesia to start a new Trappestine community of sisters in Macau. He was highly appreciative of the initiatives of the Claretians towards the Mission in China. We spent some precious moments with him and then visited the historical façade of St. Paul’s Church which was once the starting point of all the missionary activities in the East Asia.

-----------------------------------------------------

Fr. Anthony Egiguren, OFM

Fr. Antonio with Alberto

A distinguished professor of Asian Religions and a good friend of the Claretians. He spent one day with us in Macau.

-----------------------------------------------------

Fr. Michael Saso

Fr. Michael Saso, another “associate” member of our China Mission, stopped a couple of days in Macau on his way to Osaka, Japan where he is directing a retreat for our Claretian missionaries. Fr. Michael has spent almost 50 years in Asia, especially in China and Japan.

Magic is in our Genes!

Look at this... Awesome, eh?

Of Course, not Magician Jojo, whom you may know!