International Cultural Carn
ival 2024 was celebrated on April 20 at the Green Campus of the University of St. Joseph. It was opened to the public for the very first time. Student brothers participated at respective countries’ food 
booths and dance.
In the afternoon of April 13 2024, student brothers attended an online class conducted for the newly ordained deacons, priests and student brothers of the Province. The speaker was a well-known scholar, author and professor from Angelicum, Rome, Fr. Paul Murray, OP. His topic was ” Dominican Spirituality.” It was a fruitful and worthwhile learning class.
Every year, around January 28, the Dominican Family in Macau gather together to celebrate the feast of our brother St Thomas Aquinas. The program normally consists of a lecture, Mass and a lunch together. It is organized by our Centre of Studies, and the venue has normally been St Paul’s School. This year 2024 the celebration took place on the 27 of January, Saturday. The guest lecturer was our Chinese Dominican brother Martin Bai Ziqiang, who graciously accepted our invitation. The chosen topic for the lecture was on St Thomas’s concept of integral education from a metaphysical point of view. It was a very appropriate theme for the audience whose majority were brothers and sisters in formation. Perhaps for this reason its contents were easily understood by all, as shown in the lively exchange of questions and answers during the open forum that followed the lecture. It was a fortunate coincidence that this year we had with us our Provincial Regent of Studies, Fr Mario Jabares, who willingly took an active role in the program: he introduced the lecture and the speaker, coordinated the open forum and closed the academic part of it. He also presided over the Mass and gave an inspiring homily related to the relevance that the figure of St Thomas Aquinas has in the Church today. A lunch crowned this activity, putting a joyful tone to the occasion and giving us the opportunity to share the joy of being together as a family. As Dominicans, we are proud to have St Thomas as our brother and we are grateful to God for having giving him as a gift to the Order and to the Church.
Rev Fr. David Goodill, O.P. (Photo Credit- Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies, USJ FB)
The community attended a theology public lecture presented by Rev Fr. David Goodill, O.P., a visiting professor at the University of St. Joseph, on the evening of November 24th. The topic is “Making Hope Real,” which is a reflection on the Christian concept of Hope. The lecture examined how St. Thomas’ understanding of hope is informed by his understanding of the cardinal virtues.
The talk was integrated with the Vespers of the memorial of Saint Andrew Dng-Lc, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs. The magnificent 16th-century St. Dominic Church was filled with the chanting of psalms conducted by the friars.
Students and teachers from the faculty of philosophy and religious studies, including the dean of the faculty, Fr. Cyril Law, as well as sisters from several congregations and other interested parties, were there.
Following the talk, group photos were taken. Indeed, it was an evening rich with intellectual and spiritual nourishments.
Group photo after lecture (Photo Credit- Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies, USJ FB)
On the 28th of January, the feast day of our brother St Thomas Aquinas, St Dominic’s Priory organised a talk in his honour. The speaker this year was our own brother fr James Dominic Rooney, OP who is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Hong Kong Baptist University. His talk was entitled “Not a Hope in Hell”. In the talk he gave a brief discussion on the relationship between Grace and Free Will as well as the possibility of Hell.
The Dominican Family in Macau was in attendance as well as some guests from the University of Saint Joseph, particularly the Rector, Rev. Stephen Morgan, and the Dean of the Faculty of Religious Studies and Philosophy, Fr Franz Gassner. After the talk, there was celebration of Holy Mass for the Feast of St Thomas Aquinas and lunch followed.
The talk itself was quite enlightening and definitely caused some questions or thoughts to rise up in our minds. The gathering of the Dominican Family was a lively one since it is like a big family gathering wherein we gathered together and experienced each other’s company.
It was a moment of great joy for the whole community that our beloved brother Prior Provincial
visited our Priory. Since his election as Prior Provincial, it was his very first time to have a canonical visit to us because entering Macau requires following strict regulations. Thanks to God
we were able to meet our brother in person. Taking his presence as a blessing, 11 of the student
friars received the Ministries of Lector and Acolyte in order to proclaim the word of God during
liturgical celebrations and to carry out the service at the altar as altar servers or as Eucharistic Ministers.
Here is the list of the brothers and let us share with you some of the pictures taken during the Holy Mass.
1. FR. CESAR LINO DE SOUSA XIMENES
2. FR. AGOSTINHO MENDOCA
3. FR. ANDRE PEREIRA
4. FR. JOSEPH GABRIEL HYODO SHUNSUKE
5. FR. INNOCENT HAN ZAW HTUN
6. FR. JOAO BAPTISTA PEREIRA
7. FR. GASPAR DE JESUS
8. FR. FRANCISCO ZIN KO LIN
9. FR. AGOSTINHO MAIA DOS SANTOS
10. FR. NATALINO DA COSTA
11. FR. JOSEPH HUNG NAING LING
