Welcome to the China Bulletin - December 2017

A Blessed Season of Advent 

An Advent Reflection :Returning to Essentials

Hospitality is the practice that keeps the church from becoming a club, a members-only society. —Diana Butler Bass

Practical, practice-based Christianity has been avoided, denied, minimised, ignored, delayed, and sidelined for too many centuries, by too many Christians who were never told Christianity was anything more than a belonging or belief system. 

Now we know that there is no Methodist or Catholic way of loving. There is no Orthodox or Presbyterian way of living a simple and nonviolent life. There is no Lutheran or Evangelical way of showing mercy. There is no Baptist or Episcopalian way of visiting the imprisoned. If there is, we are invariably emphasising the accidentals, which distract us from the very “marrow of the Gospel,” as St. Francis called it. 

We have made this mistake for too long. We cannot keep avoiding what Jesus actually emphasised and mandated. In this most urgent time, “it is the very love of Christ that now urges us” (2 Corinthians 5:14).

Pastor Philip Gulley superbly summarises how we must rebuild spirituality from the bottom up in his book, "If the Church Were Christian". Here I take the liberty of using my own words to restate his message, which offers a rather excellent description of Emerging Christianity:

Jesus is a model for living more than an object of worship.

Affirming people’s potential is more important than reminding them of their brokenness.

The work of reconciliation should be valued over making judgments.

Gracious behaviour is more important than right belief.

Inviting questions is more valuable than supplying answers.

Encouraging the personal search is more important than group uniformity.

Meeting actual needs is more important than maintaining institutions.

Peacemaking is more important than power.

We should care more about love and less about sex.

Life in this world is more important than the afterlife (eternity is God’s work anyway).

If this makes sense to you, you are already inside of Emerging Christianity.

Gateway to Silence:

Rooted and growing in Love.

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Fr. Marquez helps in Mui Wo 

Fr. Jose Ruiz Marquez, a Claretian Missionary based in the Philippines was in Epiphany Parish, Mui Wo for over a month helping in the parish. While two of the priests from the parish were away on studies and vacation, Fr. Marquez made himself available to serve the English community. 

Epiphany parishioners had the opportunity to listen to a series of classes on liturgy and Bible as Fr. Marquez is a Professor of Theology and a priest with wide reading. During his Bible Study classes in Mui Wo and Pengchau, he challenged the enabled the parishioners to look beyond the traditional understanding of devotions and practices of faith, in order to make the scriptures more relevant and meaningful in our daily life. 

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Claretian Family reach out - Candle Light

In the past couple of years, the Claretian lay associates - "Candle Light"- from Hong Kong and Macau have been making huge strides in their reach-out programme for the needy: leprosy affected people in the Mainland China and for the educational aid for the children in Nepal. All this was possible with the help of generous assistance from our friends and well wishers. 

Candle Light volunteers participating in the Caritas Charity Sale in
St. Benedict Parish, Shatin

Over the past year, the Parishioners of Epiphany parish, Mui Wo have been sending used clothes, toys and house appliances to help the informal settlers in the Philippines. 

Fr. Lito CMF, the parish priest of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, UP Village, Metro Manila  distributing utensils and rice for the fire tragedy victims 

Recently there was a fire accident in one of the informal settlers area where in over 150 houses went up in flames. Many of them belonged to the Claretian Parish in Quezon City. 

Fr. Lito, CMF with the volunteers of the Claret Urban Poor Apostolate (CUPA)after distributing the basic necessities for the fire tragedy victim

Hearing the news of the fire tragedy, a group of our friends from Macau - "Grace Educare" - made some generous contributions to provide immediate relief for the affected families. Relief materials were distributed by Fr. Lito, the parish priest of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Quezon City.  

The generous help from numerous well wishers in
Macau and Hong Kong for the surgery and medical
help for the Children has gone a long way! 

We have been assisting a group of Sisters - Franciscan Daughters of St Elizabeth - in the Philippines in their medical mission programme for the children. The Sisters have come across a large number of children who are badly in need of medical help. This time too, a lot of our friends from Macau and Hong Kong have done generous contributions that we were able to raise more than a million pesos for the surgery and treatment of children. 

Waiting for the Vice President Ms. Leni Robredo at Saklay Centre 

Another project in the Philippines where generous contributions from Hong Kong and Macau is reaching is for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts. 

Fr. Arnold with the Vice President of the Philippines,
Ms. Leni Robredo at Saklay 

With the now infamous 'war on drugs' by the Government forces and having over 13,000 people already gunned down in just over a year, the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines responds to the need for 'giving them another chance' and opened a centre for the addicts. Fr. Arnold Abelardo collaborates with the Police forces and the health department to spread the message of 'No to deaths, Yes to Life'. 

"Boodle Fight" at Saklay! 

The Saklay Centre for the drug dependants is located in the Province of over 100 kms north of Manila. On 28 November the third batch of drug dependents completed their recovery treatment programme and the Vice President of the Philippines, Ms. Leni Robredo herself was present on the occasion. According to Fr. Arnold, over 500 drug dependents have benefited from the Centre.     

The Volunteers and staff at Saklay

We missionaries are greatly indebted to all our friends and benefactors who joyfully responded to share in this ministry. We pray for the heaven's choicest blessings on all of you! 

If you wish to be part of this ministry to the needy, please contact us through email: 
josecheru@gmail.com 
or visit the Claretian Volunteer's facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/CANDLELIGHTCMF/posts/?ref=page_internal

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Pastoral Renewal and Leadership for Mission

The Participants in EAPI this time were from 21 Countries

I have been attending a renewal programme for the past four months in the East Asian pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Ateneo de Manila University. The programme was titled "Pastoral Renewal and Updating for Leadership and Mission". 

With Fr. Bruno,  who's visit to the Philippines was a pleasant surprise

Together with the 19 participants from the stream of Sabbatical Pilgrimage Experience, and 35 in the Pastoral Renewal stream, we were 54 participants, mostly priests and religious from 21 nationalities participated in the renewal programme which started in August 2017. 15 modules on varied themes spanning from Spirituality, Psychology, Pastoral leadership, Ecclesiology, Interfaith relations, etc. were conducted during a period of 18 weeks. The programme served as a platform for renewal of vocational commitment as it was well structured with opening and concluding retreats and an eight-day Ignatian retreat in the middle. 

Although the life in the Ateneo campus was pleasantly away from the harsher realities of life in the out, the time in EAPI was tailored for ample exposure to the struggles of the less fortunate. A visit to the informal settlers area in Navotas and my personal involvement with the mission projects of the Claretians and Franciscan Missionary Sisters in Manila was helpful in identifying my responsibilities. 

The generosity and commitment of the ordinary people is a huge lesson which no university or institute would teach and has often put me to shame! How little have I done! How much more am I called to be! 

Certification on completion of the Course in EAPI
by Fr. Peter Pujol, the Director of EAPI 

During our Missioning Mass on 30 November, Fr. Antonio SJ, the President of the Jesuit Asia Pacific Conference, wished all the participants "Couragio"! 
That's what I aspire for! But for the time, thanks to my Community in Hong Kong for sparing me for the past six months and thanks to EAPI for accommodating me for the past four months!  

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Claretian Day Celebration in Taiwan 

21st October 2017 marked a unique day in the life and mission of Claretian Missionaries in Taiwan. The Claretian Community in Taiwan ventured herself into dedicating the whole of this year (2017) for helping the recipients of our missionary service know more about the Claretian Congregation, its founder-St. Anthony Mary Claret, its various missions and missionary initiatives around the globe etc. 

Thus, beginning from the month of May until October, we dedicated each month for various themes and programs, such as, prayer of initiation, pilgrimage, Power-Point Presentation on the Congregation and her mission, Claretian movies, Marian Spirituality etc. 

As a culmination of the whole celebration, on 21st October 2017, we had a joined Claretian Mission Day Celebration at Keelung Assumption Church, with a distinct participation of nearly 150 of our well-wishes from all the missions and parishes we are rendering our services-such as, Keelung, Ruifang, Qidu, Wulai and Zhonghe Aboriginal Pastoral Centre. The final day celebration enormously made an impact on everyone to know mutually and particularly our missionary commitment in this region.
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2^nd International Choral Festival, Macau

The second edition of Cantata Macau will be plugged in on December-6, 2017. Eight choirs from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau, Mexico and Philippines, will flood the Cathedral and Saint Lawrence vaults with their distilled musical extravaganza for 4 days in a row. The highlight of the event is the Grand Concert on 8^th December at 7.30 pm in the Cineteatro, Macau.

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The Cantata Macau, the International Music Festival Macau started last year with an intention to offer an alternative signification to Macau, which is known to the world as a land of casinos. 

Paradoxically, the negative synonyms showered on this city do not suit the natives of Macau who generally, cherish their religious identity and enjoy what is holy. The Music Festival is an attempt to redeem this sublime past of Macau.
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Welcome to the China Bulletin Blog - November 2017

Golden Jubilee of Fr. Mario and Feast of St. Claret

Courtesy: O'Clarim

Fr. Francisco Carin, Msgr Javier Herrera Corona, Fr. Mario Bonfaini, Fr. Agustine Takenobu and Fr. Jojo Ancheril during the Golden Jubilee and Founder's day Celebrations in St. Lawrence Church, Macau on 5 October 

The Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians) celebrated Fr Mario Bonfaini’s Golden Jubilee of priestly ordination on October 5 at St Lawrence’s Parish, on the occasion of the Feast of St Anthony Mary Claret. Fr Mario presided the Mass, with Delegate of the Vatican Msgr Javier Herrera Corona and over 35 priests concelebrating.

Fr. Mario Bonfaini, CMF 

Former Superior General Fr Joseph Abella and the Delegation Superior Fr Francisco Carin gave the homily in English and Mandarin respectively. In his homily, Fr Abella reminded the faithful, using the teaching of St Claret as a missionary, about the meaning of joy. “Joy is something that deepens and multiplies when it is shared. God distributes generously His gifts in the church,” said Fr Abella.

Fr. Joseph Abella, former Superior General  

Msgr Javier Herrera Corona, (left) the Vatican representative to Hong Kong, exchanging peace with Fr. Mario

He further explained that these given gifts with charisms are given with two purposes: 1. To help each other to follow Christ more faithfully; 2. to help the Church to fulfil the mission that has been entrusted to her by Jesus with joy and with hope in any part of the world.

Fr. Mario Bonfaini, CMF with the concelebrants 
after the Jubilee Eucharistic Celebration 

Fr Abella explained the meaning and charism of being a missionary. “St Anthony Mary Claret is one of the persons who received these gifts from the love [of God]. His charism was to be a missionary, not only to bring the good news to the people, but to be with the people and responding to the real needs of the people. Like what Pope Francis said, we went “to reach out to the people.”

He added that 109 Claretian martyrs will be beatified on Oct 21st, at the Sagrada Familia (The Holy Family Basilica) in Barcelona. Among the martyrs, 50 were priests, 30 missionary brothers, and 29 students who were still in the formation process, one of them was only 16 years old. 

The Official icon for the martyrs:  Surrounded by a starry sky, the Virgin appears in a prayerful attitude, interceding for her children.

“Being beatified is not just an honor, but it is the Church that is telling us to look at them (the beatified), to know the way to be faithful to Christ and to be faithful to your missionary vocation as Christian,” said Fr Abella.

Fr Francisco Carin, Superior, East Asia Delegation  

In the Mandarin homily, Fr Francisco Carin said the Mass was celebrated with three ends in mind. First of all, it is the feast of St Anthony Mary Claret, the founder of the Congregation. Fr Carin said the feast was not to celebrate St Anthony Mary himself, “but to celebrate [the fact] that he had received graces and gifts from God. He did not keep these graces in his heart, but used them to serve the Church and all people.”

Fr. Mario flanked by Msgr Javier Herrera Corona and Bishop Stephen Lee of Macau during the felicitation gathering

The second end was the beatification of the martyrs, who did not turned their backs on Christ in the face of trial, giving up their lives because of their love towards Christ.

Fr. Mario with Bishop Stephen Lee

The third was the Golden Jubilee of Fr Mario. He stressed that the three ends of the celebration converged on one theme: to be a witness for Christ.

“To witness is not just the job of a saint, of martyrs and of a priest (Fr Mario), but it is [the responsibility] of every single Christian. At the moment of our baptism, we became disciples and ambassadors of Christ, we have the mission of being a bonfire,” said Fr Carin.

Children dancing to the tunes of a Bollywood song during the Agape Gathering after the Eucharistic celebration 

Fr Carin went on to say that we need to become ambassadors and witnesses of Christ, because we need to spread the Gospel, and to tell others what is the meaning of God’s love. “Spreading the Good News means we would like to establish a world according to God’s will. A world that lets everyone become a child of God, and understands the meaning of living under God’s love.”

The front-page coverage on the Jubilee Celebrations by O' Clarim, the newspaper of the Diocese of Macau 

Fr Carin concluded that every baptised Catholic has a story and has an anniversary of his/her vocation. “We can ask ourselves today, how much and how many years have I given to Christ, to serve the Church and His people? Can we celebrate our Golden Jubilee, like Fr Mario, in our vocation as a Christian?”

At the end of the Holy Mass, Fr. Mario thanked God for the graces that He had entrusted to him. He also thanked all brothers from different regions and con-celebrating priests, as well as all faithful who had attended and prayed for him in the mass.
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Pengchau Chapel Feast

Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel in Pengchau Island celebrated the Chapel feast day on 1 October, Sunday. Rev. Fr. Gabriel Altamirano, MG, the Dean of Hong Kong South and Outlying Islands Deanery, officiated the celebrations. 

Marian Procession during the Feast Day celebrations on 1 October 

Peng Chau - A brief history: 

In the autumn of 1958, Madam Chan On Don, a lady who worked as a maid, donated her only property located at 21, Wing Hing Street, in Peng Chau to the Diocese for evangelisation.  Bishop Bianchi and the General Secretary Rev. MENCARINI, Lido PIME accepted the offer and handed the premises over to Fatima Parish of Cheung Chau. 

The parish rector REV. NICOLA RUGGIERO, PIME refurbished the property, turning it into a church and commenced religious services for the locals.  On 15.8.1958 (feast day of ascension of holy mother), the first batch of 30 catechumens were baptized in the chapel.   By 1995, the chapel was placed under the care of Epiphany Parish of Mui Wo. Since 2015, the Claretian Missionaries take care of the parish. 

Our Lady, Queen of Peace is the patron saint of the Catholic Community of Peng Chau. Although no priest resides in the island, priests from Mui Wo comes to the Chapel three days of the week to celebrate the Eucharist and conduct Bible Classes. 

Every year, the first Sunday of October is observed as the feast day of the Peng Chau Chapel, bringing together the small Catholic community to proclaim their faith and to share the peace and joy of their faith. This year the first Sunday of October was on 1 October. Incidentally, 1 October is the most important day in the History of Modern China as it Celebrates the foundation of the Republic. 2017 is the 68th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Hence, it was also an occasion to pray for the Nation and pray for the Church in this land. 

Fr. Fr. Gabriel Altamirano and Fr. Ezakias Anthony Swamy lead the faithful in a Marian Procession through the streets of this small Island, praying the Rosary. The procession was followed by the solemn Eucharistic celebration. In his homily Fr. Gabriel deliberated on the gift of peace that the Lord offers to all his faithful and the role of Blessed Mother in bringing us to this peace of the Lord.  

A variety of cultural performances by the parishioners and the students of the Holy Family School provided a colourful finale to the celebrations. 

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East Asia Assembly of the Claretians 

From October 2 to 6 the Claretians from East Asia Delegation gathered in the the Choc Van Convention Center in Macau to hold their Assembly. 26 Claretians working in Japan, Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong and China met to share their life and mission. It was a time for coming together as one family under the same Spirit of our Founder, St. Anthony Mary Claret. 

It was a fruitful time for evaluation, discussion and sharing based on the present situation of our Delegation, especially in the light of the last XXV General Chapter and the letter of the General: Called to Radiate the Joy of the Gospel. All the participants were actively involved in all the sessions throughout these four days of get-together.

It was a great opportunity to reflect on and review as a community the various ministries of our Delegation in these regions. The sharing session on the Church in Mainland China by the Nuncio, Msgr. Ante Jozic helped us to better understand the possibilities and the challenges of the China Mission for the Congregation. 

Assembly Participants with the "Candle Light" team

Some of the friends and collaborators of Claretians in Macau and Hong Kong came to share their “Candlelight” ministry, a Charity group involved in the social welfare projects in China and Nepal.

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From the Editor's Desk:

The Claretian Publications, Macau had it's flagship title 每日聖言 2018 (Daily Gospel 2018) officially released on 5 October by Msgr Javier Herrera Corona, the Vatican Delegate in Hong Kong. 

Msgr Javier Herrera Corona releases the 每日聖言 2018 in Macau as Fr. Jijo Kandamkulathy, Director, Claretian Publications, Macau looks on 

Releasing the new title, Msgr Corona emphasised the significance of the daily reading and reflection of the Word of God in the life of every believer. He was addressing the gathering during the Feast of St. Claret and Jubilee of Fr. Mario in St. Lawrence Church, Macau. 

A booklet on the life and witnessing of the 109 Claretian Martyrs of Spain was also released on the same occasion

During the occasion he also released a booklet on the life and witnessing of the 109 Claretian martyrs of Spain. The Blessed Martyrs were beatified in a solemn Eucharistic celebration held in the Holy Family Cathedral, Barcelona on 21 October. 

每日聖言 2018

每日聖言 2018 is printed both in simplified characters for the readers in the Mainland, Singapore and Malaysia and in traditional characters for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. The copies are already available for grab in all the leading religious bookstalls of Macau and Hong Kong. 

Frankfurt Book Fair 

For the past 25 years the Claretians have participated in a stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the most important book fair in the world and a meeting point for publishing houses. This year's Book Fair, held from the 11th to the 15th of October, was participated by eight editorials of the fifteen-member Claretian Publishing group of our Congregation. 

In the photo from left to right are Fr. Denis Tamayo (Philippines), Fr. Alonso Sanchez (Argentina), Fr. Luis Erlin (Brazil), Fr. Alberto Rossa (Hong Kong), Fernando Prado (Madrid), Fr. Henry Omonisaye, Fr. Jijo Kandamkulathy (China), Fr. Manoj Kandathinkara (India), and Mr. Marcel·lí López, editor of Editorial Claret de Catalunya.

Fr. Rossa with the Officials of Amity Printing 

For Fr. Rossa and Fr. Jijo who represented Hong Kong, Macau and China, it was also a time for meeting up with some of the best business  and mission partners in the ministry: 

With Fr. Luis of Ave Maria Publications, Brazil 

Fr. Rossa with Mike Roberts of the Redemptorist Publications, UK 

Fr. Rossa and Fr. Jijo with the Amity officials  

Meeting with Bob Byrns of Paulist Press, our long time partner in ministry and Ms Kathy of Amity. We will soon publish the Paulist Press Biblical Commentary done by several bible scholars, after the NJBC! It's a result of 15 years of hard work.

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Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn festival is also called "the moon festival" as it is celebrated when the moon is believed to be the biggest and fullest

Mid-Autumn Festival is a harvest festival, celebrated in most East Asian countries, such as China and Vietnam. The festival takes places on month 8 day 15 of the Chinese calendar. In 2017 it was celebrated on October 4th.

Moon Cakes  

It is the second most important festival in China after Chinese New Year. To the Chinese, the festival means family reunion and peace. 

Family Reunion in China means a mass exodus of people from the cities to their hometown. As a result, Chinese travellers have made about 710 million trips to domestic destinations over the holiday break, a 10 per cent increase on last year’s total, according to the China Tourism Academy, a government think tank. 

The mass movement, second in scale only to the Lunar New Year exodus, is again putting the transport system under great pressure.

In many of China's neighboring nations Mid-Autumn is widely celebrated. Many interesting activities with unique local features are held. In Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, countries with many ethnic Chinese citizens, celebrations are more Chinese, such as lighting lanterns and dragon dances. 

Lantern Decorations in Hong Kong during the Mid-Autumn Festival 

In other countries, such as Japan and Vietnam, which have also been influenced deeply by Chinese culture, new celebrations have been derived from their unique cultures.

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Encounter with Claret: Fr. Rossa 

It will certainly be an inspiration for anyone to listen to a man of age and wisdom. But here, he speaks not of himself, rather about the amazing ways of God that that lead him guided him to what he is today. Are you interested in knowing more?! Scroll down to have a glimpse on the vocational journey of Fr. Alberto Rossa as he shares about it: 

Daring to take the plunge! 

It was the year 1951. My six-month-old brother had swallowed a small metal cross with 8 tips, a wick holder for the oil lamp used at night. The doctors had given up hope on him. They gave him back to my mother to die at home because there was no way a baby could excrete that metal without it cutting its intestines. My mother, feeling desolate, embarked on a journey back to the village. A woman approached her on the train when she saw her crying. My mother told her the terrible drama. The woman comforted her and gave her a picture with a relic as she said, “Pray to this saint with devotion and you will see that everything will be well.” My mother, a woman of deep faith, made a novena to this new saint. A few days later, my brother passed the metal without any problem. The doctors could not explain how it happened. My brother, Victor, is now 66 years old and lives in Argentina.

Audience with Pope Francis, bringing
along his latest project: The New
Chinese Translation of
the New Testament

A few years later, a bashful missionary came to town and asked me if I wanted to go to the seminary. I was 11 years old.

He spoke with my parents and my mother related to him what had happened to my little brother. Yes, the newly canonized saint was Anthony Mary Claret and the missionary was a Claretian, a very timid newly ordained priest who was doing his first mission.

My life in the seminary was a happy experience. We went through many hardships, even hunger, but we were happy. The years went by and I finished my theological studies in Washington, D.C, in the United States and returned to Argentina to work with university students for 6 years. One day I received an invitation from Father General asking if I was willing to serve in the Philippines since I knew English.

I arrived in the Philippines in early 1978 with a 5-year agreement that later turned into 27 years. 

he reality of this country, socially very similar to our Latin American countries, launched me into a totally new ministry: sharing in the Philippines the experience of a new model of Church, inspired by Vatican II, vibrant at that time in Latin America.

I gradually learned the job of “publications” and it was there that I had a strong encounter with Father Claret. I remembered all the editorial work of Father Claret, with the poor means of the 19th century, especially the “Bible with little hands.” The obstacles were great, but as it was written in one of the first books I published, “If you know where you are going, the world will stop and let you pass.” It was not easy. When I asked the Provincial permission to dedicate myself to publications to bridge the Church of Latin American with the Philippines, he told me, “Remember that you are a parish priest and that is your first obligation; what you do with your free time is up to you. And second, never ask us for money because we do not have.” Thus was born Claretian Publications in the Philippines. 

In Amity Printing Co. with his pet project: The Christian Community Bible 

After a couple of years I was already full-time dedicated to publications. I have always been enlightened by the intuition of Father Claret: “Use all possible means for evangelization.” Publications was a new ministry for me in which I had no experience; I learned by doing! I remember that when we had published 160 titles we looked at Father Claret again, remembering that with the poor means of his time he had also come to publish a similar number of books and booklets. But we kept going and now we already have more than a thousand titles published. Then came the Bible: “servants of the Word,” another feature where Father Claret served as an inspiration and model. That “Bible with the little hands” inspired us to bring the Word of God to the ordinary people. We had published the Bible in 12 languages ​​and are currently completing a new translation into modern Chinese, with comments and a guide to Lectio Divina for each chapter of the Bible. In 2006 I left the Philippines for a new assignment and the work of publication there continued with the local Claretians. My new assignment brought me to Macao for a work focused also on publications, but directed especially to Mainland China. I asked myself many times: What would Father Claret do in this immense frontier? The definition of a missionary that Father Claret gave us in his autobiography inspired me—a great manifesto!

With his old friend, Cardinal Emeritus Gaudencio Rosales, on 20 February 2017 in Macau

Father Claret made use of the help of assistants to carry out his mission. Over the years, a group of highly selected people who felt the same passion for this ministry joined me. They are a group of lay people inspired by the Claretian charism and have dedicated their lives to this work and are consecrated for the mission. A saying from Confucius comes to mind: “Find the work you love and that will be the last day of your life in which you work.” These collaborators live for the mission. Also, over the years, some co-workers discovered their missionary vocation and today they are Claretian Missionaries. China was and is a unique experience. It is something unheard of for a foreigner to publish books in China, however, a voice in my ear reminded me: “Nothing daunts him….” What was done in the Philippines—to foster a new model of being Church through publications, we now do in China—with all the necessary permissions, of course. An experience beyond all expectations was the contact with a printing press in China, where for 20 years we have been printing our books, especially the Bibles that we send to different countries. In February 2017, there was an act of recognition in Macao for the work done and was attended by several leaders of Amity Press (a company with 600 employees and only 3% are Christians—it is the largest Bible printing company in the world). This is what Mr. Li, the former Director said:

Ready for a plunge into the unknown!
An Act of Faith! 

“If I have done something, it has been through the influence of Christians, people like you and others who contribute their energy, time and money for the missionary work. Although I am not yet a Christian, it gives me great joy to see the Bibles coming from the printing press because I know that people are waiting for them and they will bring peace to their hearts which is good for a harmonious society.” These days mark the 60th anniversary of that encounter with a young Claretian priest who asked me if I wanted to be a missionary. The evangelizing dream and the missionary zeal of Father Claret have accompanied me in all the stages of my life, and in God’s plans, even as my little brother was miraculously healed through the intercession of that newly canonized saint.

Fr. Alberto Rossa CMF