Welcome to the Macau-China Bulletin, November 2011

Claretian Mission Day
October marks the Universal Mission Day and the Feast Day of St. Claret, our Founder. And also the 75 anniversary of the Claretian Martyrs during the Spanish Civil War.

The Claretian Community of Macau with Fr. Pedro Chung, VG, [3rd from left] Macau

In the words of Claretian Bishop Pedro Casaldaliga: "A Church which forgets its martyrs, has no right to survive."
Our martyrs of 1936, were young people who gave up their lives to be faithful to Jesus and his Church. Their memory helps us carry the message of the Gospel in these regions of the World.

One of these martyrs, Rafael Briega, 24, studied Chinese and wrote in Chinese to the missionaries in China in 1936. He wrote:Chinese writings of the Martyrs of Barbastro

"I cannot go to China as I would have liked, but I am willing to offer my blood for the China mission, and when I get to heaven I will never forget to pray for this mission."

Another Claretian martyr, Flavian Martinez, 24, wrote to his family:
"Maybe one day you hear that Flavian is in China ... then he has forgiven his 'enemies' and that he gave his life for Christ. If this happens, it is to be my greatest joy. "

Also published in Chinese and distributed to all the people who accompanied us was a booklet of 36 pages entitled (in Chinese) "Barbastro Mártyres"

The celebration in memory of the martyrs included a pilgrimage for Macau to the very border of China, to demonstrate our commitment and missionary availability especially for the mission in China. Following are a few stills from the pilgrimage:

Pilgrims at the Border Gate

Parish Ministries

On Sunday October 30, a Catholic group of the parish of San Lorenzo, organized by our Fr. Jojo, spent the whole day to visit a lepers Colony in China served by a priest and several nuns. Just 60 kilometers from the border with Macau is the home for the lepers. It was a 'mission trip' to spent some time with these patients. They were 92 pilgrims of all ages.

The midday meal was prepared by the same patients

The Gospels in Chinese

The Cover of the Four Gospels

We have announced the preparation of this book of 792 pages: The Four Gospels, with Lectio Divina and commentaries. An entirely new translation of the Gospels to modern Chinese. It is the first step in translating the entire Bible project in which we work. Finally we get the first books printed and distribution can now begin.

Our partner and friend from Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Macau, China ... all part of our mission and in all these places we have excellent friends and collaborators.

What an example: Our friend Jessica.

Business woman, mother, missionary ...
Her office is her BMW through the streets of Hong Kong to serve her customers of ergonomic furniture. She joined our mission and has become our representative in Hong Kong - promoting all our publications.
She says: "Poor BMW"
Jessica with our books in Hong Kong ...

But Jessica is a missionary in contrast to the hectic life of Hong Kong. She finds time to join to pay visits to the lepers' homes

She tells us after her last visit a few days ago:

Dear All,

Isn't it beautiful?

She says this is her favourite picture!

I learned a lot from this place, and now I understand why Father said this is heaven.

From there, you learn how to view something with your heart and not your eyes, so if you see something beautiful then it is good, because you have a beautiful heart. If not, it's you have the problem.

Everyone has angel and devil inside, so make friend with his/her angel ...., so her angel will grow bigger and bigger la because with your love ga ma...

Not to hate and not to judge, because everyone is different but still the beloved one of God ga ma, right!!!

Ha! Ha ! x 1000000000000

Let's have a peaceful weekend!

God Bless!!

Fr. Jojo attends the Young Claretians Meet in Indonesia

Fr. Jojo participated in the Quinquennium programme for the Asian Claretians -[ASCLA] East held in Indonesia in the fourth week of September. He was impressed with the growth of the Congregation and the diversity of the Mission in this region. Jojo speaks:



"Well one of the things that touched me is the growth of our congregation in Indonesia. We have lot of vocations and our missionaries are really doing well. And the Young Claretians Meet helped us to understand and appreciate different cultures and different circumstances. Well here are some pictures from Indonesia" .

Indonesia is located between Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia comprises about 17,508 islands, where more than 237 million people, making Indonesia the fourth most populous country. In addition, Indonesia is the country with more Muslims in the world. Although the country is largely endowed with natural resources, poverty is a defining feature of contemporary Indonesia to. The Claretians come to Indonesia recently as 25 years. Today Indonesia is one of the countries with more priestly and religious vocations to our Congregation. The seminarians are over 100 and now have 29 priests.

Priestly ordinations in various dioceses at the end of missionary month

Several Catholic communities wanted to end the missionary month of October with priestly ordinations, which represent the Church's vitality and continuity of the mission. In fact "the conclusion of the missionary month is a new departure for the mission of evangelization, as the end of the life of a deacon is the beginning of priestly life, which requires full awareness and missionary commitment in our context", this is what the Bishops who presided at the ordinations said with more or less the same words.

Province of Shan Dong in China

Over one thousand faithful attended the solemn priestly ordination of the diocese of Yan Zhou, in the Shan Dong province, presided by the Bishop Ordinary on October 26. About thirty priests concelebrated and about the same number of religious women welcomed the new priest, according to which "priesthood is a new beginning of the mission to be a good worker in the vineyard of the Lord by imitating the example of Christ".

Province of Hebei where The Diocese of Heng Shui is located

The Diocese of Heng Shui (originally Jing Xian) lived the ordination of two new priests with joy on October 28, the feast of SS. Apostles Simon and Jude. Mgr. Pietro Feng, Diocesan Bishop, concelebrated the ceremony presided by about sixty priests. About thirty nuns of the Congregation of Our Lady of Good Counsel, forty representatives of the Major Seminary, and Minor diocesan, along with 700 followers, enthusiastically welcomed the new priests, that are local vocations. Mgr. Feng encouraged them to be "the Lord’s instrument and to fulfill all the duties of a priest". Finally, the new priests shared their vocational experience thanking their parents and all those who supported them in their spiritual journey

- Courtesy: Agenzia Fides

Claretian Mission Expands in Macau and Hong Kong

Claretian Missionaries formally begin their missionary activity in the Diocese of Hong Kong with the Agreement signed between Bishop Johng Tong Hon, the Bishop of Hong Kong and Fr. Marcelli Fonts, Major Superior of the East Asian Delegation of the Congregation.

Fr. Simon Lee, the Parish Priest with Fr. Jose Cherukara at the Church of St Benedict

Fr. Jose Cherukara, on completion of two years of Chinese language studies, is appointed Assistant Parish Priest of St. Benedict Parish, Shatin Wai in Hong Kong. In addition to the assignment in the Parish, he is also a member of the Diocesan Commission for Youth and of the Catholic Board of Communications in the Diocese. Fr. Jose begins his ministry in the Parish on 1 November.

Fr. Peter Chao

The Claretian Community of Macau - Hong Kong is expanding both in Ministry and in Personnel. Now we have two more new members - Frs. Peter Chao and Piotr. Hearty welcome to both and wish them a fruitful and satisfying time in their respective ministries in this part of the world.

The "Claret Publishing Group" is born

At the International Book Fair in Frankfurt, the Claretian Publishing Houses had their periodic encounter of Editors, convoked by The General Prefect of the Apostolate, Fr. Miguel Ángel Velasco, who was present for the meeting. The meeting took place two days before the fair from the 7 – 11th of October at the Claretiner Seminar (Frankfurt).

The birth of the “Claret Publishing Group” will, without a doubt, provide a greater force and identity to the Claretian publishing imprint, and at the same time will be a stimulus to continue advancing in collaboration and in the creation of common projects at the service of the Congregation, the Church, and in evangelization.

The group of Claretian Editors before the monument to Johann Gutenberg in Mainz.

Though the publishing activity in the Congregation is very rich and varied (books, magazines, pamphlets, bulletins, web pages…), the meetings for the encounters have been exclusively for the publishing houses that print books. In spite of various publishers who were excused, the participating group was rich and geographically diverse. Among the publishers present was Claretian Publications Macau, represented by Fr. Alberto Rossa. At the end of the encounter the Claretian editors participated, as usual, in the International Book Fair in Frankfurt.

- Courtesy: http://www.claret.org

Priests bring message of hope to TV

Two priests nominated to appear on the television program “Hong Kong Loving Hearts Campaign 2011” say they hope their participation will help spread Church values. ‘Hong Kong Loving Hearts Campaign’, sponsored by ATV acknowledges people doing good things in their communities. Ten recipients are selected from over 220 applicants.

Fr Alfred Deignan and Fr Franco Mella
The program presents a series of documentaries highlighting the humanitarian works of nominated individuals and aimed at encouraging viewers to embrace positive social values. Irish Fr Alfred Deignan, an educator, and Italian Fr Franco Mella, a veteran activist for grassroots human rights groups, both of whom have served in Hong Kong for decades, are among 26 candidates nominated this year for the show produced by Asia Television.

“Sometimes what we preach from the Gospel is very abstract, whereas with the TV program showing actual footage of what we do, it can guide people to think,” said Fr Mella. “We need to explain, discuss and analyze social justice issues to let people understand the values held by Jesus.”

Cardinal fasts over court ruling

Cardinal Zen of Hong Kong observed a 72 hours abstinence from food after an appeals court rejected a diocesan objection to new regulations governing the appointment of teachers and the management of educational administrators in the third week of October.

The cardinal’s fast stems from an amended education ordinance in 2004 that requires all government-aided schools to form an incorporated management committee to replace the current management board. After six years of litigation brought by the diocese seeking an exemption, the Court of Final Appeal last week rejected the case.

Supporters visit the fasting Cardinal Zen

Cardinal Zen has said the new ordinance contradicts the Basic Law, which guarantees religious organizations’ right to run schools according to practices in place prior to the handover of Hong Kong by the UK in 1997. The issue in question, the Cardinal said, was more about the right to govern schools. “The content of religious and moral education is far more important than some concrete religious activities,” he said.

Cardinal Zen said today that the Church would not easily give up its right to run schools but might be forced to do so if it can no longer manage education according to its vision and mission.

A Hong Kong way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Aviation

Aviation activities in Hong Kong began with some balloon flights in the 19th Century.

In 1911, a pioneer aviator from Belgium, Charles Van den Born, arrived in Hong Kong with three Henry Farman biplanes. He flew from the beach in Sha Tin on 18 March 1911. This became the first powered flight ever in Hong Kong.

Year 2011 marks the centenary of powered flight in Hong Kong. The aviation industry is jointly organising a series of events to commemorate this important milestone.