149th Death Anniversary of Father Founder

Claret Feast 2019 in Hong Kong

Launching of ＜喜樂之源——四福音及注釋＞Four Gospels and Commentaries in Chinese in the Extra Ordinary Mission Month 

The Feast of St. Claret was celebrated on 24 October in the Claretian House in Shatin with a group of close friends and associates of Claretians. Fathers from Macau and Hong Kong communities hosted the event which began with a Mass at 6.30 pm followed by dinner. 

At the end of the Mass, Fr. Rossa introduced the reprint of 
＜喜樂之源——四福音及注釋＞, published for the purpose of the Missionary Month and distributed copies of them to all the participants, reminding their responsibility to share the Gospel of Jesus. 

Antony Claret was born in the year 1807 in a small town called Sallent in Spain. His parents were God-fearing Catholics and grew up in faith. His Father was textile manufacturer and he wanted young Antony to take care of the family’s business. 

Antony was given special training in textile industry. As any other youth of his time, he nurtured ambitions to become a successful business man. But during his training period in the city of Barcelona, some special events made him to change is attention from becoming a business man to do business for God. Once he was saved from being drowned in the sea and he believed that it was Blessed Mother who helped him to get back to the shore. He had a special love and devotion to Blessed Mother. So, in his later years, he added the name of Mary to his own name – so he is known as Antony Mary Claret. He decided to dedicate his life for the gospel and so left his studies in textile industry midway.

 

He joined the seminary to become a priest.  After becoming a priest, he realised that most of the priests were remaining in their parishes and involving in numerous activities, but there were not enough priests to preach the Word of God. Therefore, he together with five other priests began a community of preachers on 16 July 1849. He named this community as the “Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” In 2019, we have completed the 170th year of the founding of the Congregation.

Father Claret later became an Archbishop and and served in the far off mission diocese of Cuba. Archbisop Claret was a powerful preacher, confessor and social reformer and miracle worker.

He wrote 100s of books and booklets and distributed 
among the people to read, for two reasons: First, he said, “if people do not have good books to read, they would turn to bad ones.” Second, he said, “I cannot go every place to bring the good news of Christ but my literature can reach all the places that I cannot go.” 

Today, for example, we cannot personally be present in China for 
example.  But We are distributing/selling over 120000 copies of the Daily Gospel in China every year. Our Chinese New Testament and other books are reaching numerous dioceses in the mainland.

So today Claretians 
are involved in the Ministry through Media and the Claret group of Publications have 12 publishing houses around the world, including the one in Macau. Fr. Rossa coordinates the works of all these publishing houses of the Congregation around the world.
 
Archbishop Claret died on 24 October 1870. Next year this day,
will be 150th death anniversary of our Father Founder. Archbishop
Claret was canonised in 1950 by Pope Pius XII.

After the death of the Founder, the members of the community adopted name of the Founder as the alternative name for the community and started to be called as Claretians. Thus we are known in two names: Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Claretians.

Today over 3000  Claretian missionaries – priests and brothers - are involved in the ministry of spreading the message of the Gospel in 67 countries around the world. As we all know, 3000 is not a significant number, unless with the selfless contributions of 1000s of mission partners who work with us in every little work we take up.

We are profoundly grateful to each one of you for being part of our mission in Hong Kong, Macau and China. Without your support and accompaniment, we wouldn’t be what we are today. We thank the Lord for making us his instruments in spreading his message. 

We also pray for all the missionaries and all those who are associated with us in the ministry. Through the intercession of St. Claret our Founder, may all of us who are gathered here this evening receive all the necessary graces to seek God’s will in our lives. 

AEYG 2019 + CF - Timor Leste

Timor Leste hosts Claretian youth assembly

Fr. Jose leads the delegates from Hong Kong and Macau 

Young people from Asian countries served by Claretian Missionaries have gathered in Timor-Leste with the theme for a week-long assembly to renew their commitment as Christ’s witnesses. The Asia East Youth Gathering (AEYG) took place from August 5 to 11 in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste,  with the theme ‘The solidarity of Christ impels us: go, sell, share and follow.’

The gathering is held every two years and is the third such event since the first was held in the Philippines in 2015. 125 young delegates from China, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Indonesia and Timor-Leste participated in the event.

Bishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva of Dili welcomed the youths on August 6, telling them to overcome the challenges of globalization and a society where young millennials are accused of “having no empathy and being selfish.” "Solidarity with Christ means that Christians must share and give their lives to others in need of help," he said. He hoped that Timor-Leste youths can learn from the gathering so they can transform communities where they live.

Claretian Father Emanuel Talok, the event coordinator said that “We are here united as Asians … to establish the true character of Catholic youths, as the bearers of the Christian message and witnesses to the joy of the Gospel." The theme of Solidarity follows up Pope Francis’ message during World Youth Day

2019 in Panama, in which he invited young people to be in solidarity with current realities and to become icons of hope, he said.

For many delegates this was a first time to participate in a youth gathering. For Andrew Yousung Seo from South Korea, AEYG provided an unforgettable encounter. “While searching for my vocation, I happened to know about the AEYG from my parish sister. She recommended me to participate in the event and also other people around me encouraged me to do it. It was the first time for me to participate in a global event, and this made me feel afraid and anxious. However, Everyone took care of and encouraged one another, and it gave me an unforgettable experience. I’ve never had before such a moment that I felt childlike, joyful and comfortable like this. I’m really grateful to God, and all the people who made this possible.” 

Veronique Crystal Rivera, one of the delegates from Hong Kong was pleasntly surprised to find the delegates from other regions very friedly, open and highly talented. “I got to spend time with a lot of  friends from different countries and bond over weird common things that I wouldn’t expect others to have in common! The people in Timor Leste were so optimistically open, friendly and very talented. They sang lots of songs I really couldn’t understand, but were great and did a lot of traditional dancing. Getting to see and experience how different people have their ways of living and entertainments were very experiential,” she said.

The next edition of AEYG 2021 will be held in Ormoc City, Philippines.

Pilgrimage to Rome

Jose had accompanied a group of pilgrims from Hong Kong to Italy in the second week of June. It has a been an occasion of grace as he is on his Jubilee Year of Religious Profession this year. Jose had made his first vows as a Claretian Missionary on 31 May 1994 at Claret Bhavan, Bangalore in India.

The group had 42 members. The first three days were spent in Vatican, with attending the Pope's general audience on June 11. During the same time, a delegation of six religious leaders from Hong Kong, led by Cardinal John Tong was also present in Vatican.

The group paid a visit to the Catacombs, major Basilicas, Salesian General Curia and the room where St. John Bosco breathed his last, the Colosseum, the Vatican Museum etc. before traveling to La Verna and Assisi. Other major destinations of the pilgrimage were:

the Basilica of Our Lady of Loretto (The Basilica della Santa Casa),
 https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/did-angels-really-carry-the-holy-house-of-mary-to-loreto-italy-25088

Our Lady of Pompey,

the relics of St. Padre Pio (San Giovani Rotondo),
 https://www.conventosantuariopadrepio.it/en/home/

The tomb of St. Nicholas,
 https://www.stnicholascenter.org/who-is-st-nicholas/saint-in-bari

Monte Cassino of St. Benedict,

Eucharistic Miracle Church of Lanciano
http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/lanciano.html

ASCLA EAST Bible Conference in Hong Kong

Stanley, Hong Kong. In the afternoon of Monday, May 13, 2019, the ASCLA East Bible Seminar organized by the General Bible Commission for ASCLA East started with the enthronement of the bible led by Fr. Alejandro Gobrin, CMF of the Philippine Province. Persons in-charge of bible apostolates and of the biblical animation of pastoral ministries from ASCLA East (Independent Delegations of East Asia, Korea, Indonesia-Timor Leste, and the Province of the Philippines), lay and CMFF, are currently gathered together at the Diocesan Retreat House in Stanley, Hong Kong SAR for the said seminar with the theme: “Biblical inspiration of our life and ministries as listeners and servants of the Word”.

General Consultor and Head of the General Bible Commission, Fr. Henry Omonisaye, CMF is animating the group. Several sessions are lined up to be discussed until the 18th of May: Claret and the Bible / Bible and Transformation / Bible Ministry in the Congregation (Fr. Henry Omonisaye, CMF); Bible Ministry in Asia / Biblically Inspired Pastoral Ministry (Fr. Alejandro Gobrin, CMF); Bible Ministry and the Media (Fr. Louie Guades III, CMF); Bible Ministry and Publication Ministry (Fr. Alberto Rossa, CMF); and last but not the least, Biblical Apostolate in Youth and Vocations Ministry (Br. Carlos Verga, CMF).

The ASCLA West Bible Seminar which was originally scheduled on the 28th of April to May 2 was rescheduled to October 2018 due to the bombings that happened in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

At the end of the five-days seminar, the participants selected a core group for the biblical apostolate in Asia East conference of the Claretians which will be coordinated by Fr. Alberto Rossa. The Seminar has proposed a resolution for the final approval major superiors of the various organisms in the Conference. The following is the draft of the proposals:

The sharing, discussions and lectures during the assembly enlightened us to identify the
strengths, challenges and the transformations needed in the Biblical Apostolate of the
Conference in general and that of the different organisms. The discussions have been
guided by the 8 directives of the XXV General Chapter, (MS 42-45). The assembly recognized
the need for goals and structures proper to the Conference in order to animate and
empower the Biblical Apostolate. The members of the seminar resolve to collaborate in the
biblical animation of their life and ministries in the following areas.

Pastoral Bible School
1. Establish a Pastoral Bible School at the Conference level to deepen the biblical
formation of the members of the Congregation and Lay people.
2. Begin the first biblical course by 2020 for the Claretians and collaborators.
Formation
1. conduct bible study week, promote lectio divina, bible based conferences, retreats
and recollections at all levels of formation
2. nurture the word of God through ‘Bible Forge’ at Conference level for our
missionaries
3. intensify and multiply lay evangelizers with a biblical orientation through Bible
courses, retreats, conferences and recollections.
Youth Ministry
1. qualify youth gatherings (AEYG) with biblical dimension and animation
2. encourage growth of vocations and lay evangelizers with biblical-vocational-
hermeneutics in engaging with the youth
Apostolate
1. animate all our pastoral ministries through biblical encounters for parish priests, lay
organizations, educational institutions, JPIC, and others within the organisms

Publication and Social Media
1) appoint lay experts in media ministry
2) content production of biblical materials for different ministries
3) training of personnel for the apostolate beginning with the early stages of formation
who can handle both the business and ministerial part of it
4) Sharing of biblical resources with the entire Congregation
5) Facilitate publication of the bible where such help is required

Bible Translation
1) collaborate with the translation work in other organisms of the Congregation
2) assist in the formal training for translation to cater to the needs of the Conference
and even the whole Congregation
3) appoint a translation expert to the Biblical Animation Team of the Conference
Biblical Animation Team
In order to coordinate and animate the execution of the objectives we resolve to
constitute a Biblical Animation Team at the Conference level.
Dated: 17-05-2019
drafted by Jijo Kandamkulathy

Claretians to take care of Cheung Chau Parish

Since 2007 Claretian Missionaries have been present  in Hong Kong as three priests from India came to study Cantonese in the Chinese University. After the competition of their two years of language studies, the diocese assigned two of them to two different parishes as assistant pastors in 2011. Four years later, on 1 November 2015, Epiphany Parish in Lantau island was entrusted to the care of the Claretians. Fr. Jose Cherukara and Fr. Alberto Rossa resided in Mui Wo while caring for the Mass Centers in Tai O and Peng Chau.  Fr. Ezakias joined the parish a year later in 2016.

Fr. Jose with some of the parishioners of Fatima Parish in Cheung Chau 

In May 2019, Fr. Ezakias was appointed the parish priest in Mui Wo while Fr. Jose moved to Our Lady of Fatima Church, Cheung Chau. Fr. Ezakias and Fr. Rossa are joined by Fr. Piotr as the new assistant parish priest in Mui Wo.

Our Lady of Fatima Church is situated in a quiet and serene location near the waterfront of Chueng Chau Tung Wan. Cheung Chau is an offshore island about 10 knots southwest of Hong Kong. With a population of 30,000, it is considered the most densely populated island. Being centrally located amongst the neighboring islands, it enjoyed a strategic position thus attracting residents even 3,000 years ago.  Cheung Chau was already a vibrant rural center in the 17th century, with many shops serving the needs of the neighbouring fishing fleets.  There was a custom house during the Ching dynasty, guarded with garrison and soldiers.

Our Lady of Fatima Church has experienced a long history of development and is now an independent parish, more so, a famous destination for pilgrims of local worshippers.  Pilgrims each year include the third day of the Chinese New Year fpr Chiu Chow and Swatow Catholics, May for the glorious cross and Our Lady of Fatima parade, and October for the Feast Day of patron saint.

People come, notwithstanding inclement weather, to pay tribute to our Lady, to say rosary, to pray for true repentance and peace for the world with whole hearted sincerity and dedication.

Other Catholic Organizations in Cheung Chau

In the 1950’s, the Jesuits and the Salesians have established language centres in Cheung Chau for training of their priests and students.  The Jesuits have also set up their own primary seminary, while the Salesians have developed their institute of philosophy and the Don Bosco centre for the young people.  From 1960’s onwards, Caritas provided community work and youth services in Cheung Chau. 

In respect of education facilities, the Sacred Heart Primary School and Kindergarten was completed together with the chapel. The Caritas Vocational Training Institute was founded in 1973 to fulfill the mission of evangelization through education.  All these efforts by various Catholic organizations have taken root and flourished in the quiet and peaceful island of Cheung Chau. 

The social services provided expand rapidly throughout the years, while at the same time complementing each other in achieving their objectives to serve the community, alongside the spiritual leadership under the Church of Our Lady of Fatima.

Together and working hand in hand, we can see the growth of religious life and spiritual worship being enriched through dedicated social and education services, making Cheung Chau a unique area of Catholic blessing. 

Catechetical Congress – Anaheim

Fr. Rossa and Jose attended the Catechetical Congress in Anaheim, Los Angeles from March 21-24. We arrived in the Claretian Community at Dominguez on 13 and had a couple of days of acclimatizing to the new air and time zone.

With Fr. Gerald Kumar at St. Gabriel Mission, California

Claretian Community is situated in a beautiful 'Oasis' of greenery int the middle of the dry oil fields of Dominguez. The hose is a place for the elderly and all of them were so heartily welcoming us.  Bro. Rene, John Raab, Frank, Milton, Ed, Bob Billet, Jim, the artist Alberto, Tom, John Hampsch, Al Vazquez, Rick Wozniak and the young Bonano - that makes the community.

Fr. Rossa with Fr. Steve Sherwood, the "rabbi"

Their hospitality was superb. We have no words to thank... and it made possible our participation at the Catechetical Congress that proved to be very helpful for our ministry. Their interest and empathy for our ministry touched our hearts. 

The congress as such was very fruitful, "better than what was expected", int the words of Rossa. He had the chance to renew the contacts with many of the old friends... publishers and clients.

Claret Seminary, Dominguez Ranches

We tried to get in touch with some Chinese community, but the results were not very positive! Had a chance to visit Gerald Kumar at the St. Gabriel Mission.

With Fr. Justin Liu Zhen Tian – Associate Pastor, 

St. Thomas Aquinas ParishMonterrey Park, CA

Gerry and Rossa at St. Gabriels

Before the Sunday Mass at

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Monterrey Park, CA

Fr. John Raab and Rossa at the Cathedral of Los Angeles

With John Allen of CRUX and Eric Li

At the Claretian Booth in the Exhibitors' hall in Anaheim

With Fr. Jan Stefanów, SVDGeneral Secretary of the Catholic Biblical Federation

Claretian House in Hong Kong

Inauguration of the Claretian House in Hong Kong 

“Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”  - 2 Sam 7:29

19 June 2018 would remain a day of thanksgiving for the Claretian Community in Hong Kong. It saw our dreams come true when Superior General, Fr. Mathew Vattamattam blessed its community house in Shatin, Hong Kong and celebrated Mass together with the members of the Claretian communities of Hong Kong and Macau and our friends and associates. 

The purpose of the House is to serve as the Community House of the Claretians in Hong Kong; we hope that more members will join the community in Hong Kong in the coming years.

While maintaining its identity and specific mission, the House integrates itself into the pastoral projects and mission of the parish of St. Benedict. It will be utilized in support of the mission of the Church and serve as the centre for the Congregation’s China Mission.

It will also be the Centre for the Claretian Youth Ministry and service to migrants.
The House is also the office of the Pastoral Bible Foundation and its ministry of the Word of God – Promotion of the Word of God through biblical literature and Bibles through media – print, online, audio and video. 

Fr Mathew Vattamattam, Superior General of the Claretians, presided over the Mass after blessing the Claretian Residence in Hong Kong 

The House will work as the centre for social projects of the Congregation in Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China. A lay-movement called Candle Light is a charity organisation established in 2016 under the aegis of the Claretians in Hong Kong and Macau and this group takes care of the social welfare projects in China and rest of Asia: Some of the major projects already being handled by this charity group are: 

- Help for the leprosy affected in China

- Sponsoring the educational needs of over 200 poor children in Nepal

- Assisting several projects of the Claretians and the Franciscan Sisters of St. Elizabeth in the Philippines. 

- 

A Fresh start !

Mission China 

Looking for a fresh start after a break for almost two years! Of course, this does not mean that the missionaries had a break for two years! A lot have happened since the end of 2017 and my previous entry in this page was in the beginning of 2018, wishing you New Year blessings. The reasons for the long break could be mere excuses, so wouldn't want to list them!

To have a recap of what had happened with the Missionaries here would be a way to keep you abreast with your beloved friends and their mission in this region.

January 2018 
1. Fr. Jose is appointed the Deputy Editor in Chief of Sunday Examiner, the Catholic Newspaper of the Diocese of Hong Kong

7. Epiphany Parish in Mui Wo celebrated the Solemnity of Epiphany with Cardinal John Tong officiating the liturgy and Celebrations. Fr. Jojo from Macau together with a group of pilgrims joined the celebrations

11.  Hiking expeditions with the youth group, covering 14kms.

28. Celebration of the Feast of Santonino - but in a much subdued fashion. The celebration was held in the Mui Wo chapel instead of having it in Bui O


February 

9- Fr. Rossa leaves for Bangalore for the Claretian Editors Meet. Jijo from Macau is representing Claretian Publications, Macau. The meeting is scheduled for a week from 10-17 February.
www.facebook.com/claretianmissionaries.macau/videos/1635202859879364/

14 Ash Wednesday
16 Chinese New Year

19-20 Hong Kong - Macau Youth Gathering in Macau

www.facebook.com/josecheru/videos/10156329143797189/

March