On November 3, 2014, the Faculty of Religious Studies (FRS) of the University of St. Joseph (USJ) celebrated its Faculty Day with a varied and colorful program organized by the Faculty’s Student Association. The Faculty Day is the day of the Faculty’s Patron, the missionary of missionaries St. Francis Xavier. At present, FRS has 50 students coming from different countries and cultures of Asia – Myanmar, Timor Leste, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia, Philippines and Macau -, plus one sister from Ethiopia as well. The Faculty of Religious Studies is headed by a new Dean, Prof. Arnold Monera, and a new Coordinator for the Department of Catholic Theology, Prof. Franz Gassner, SVD. Its roster of professors includes full, part-time and visiting professors.
The 2014 Faculty Day was indeed a historical event. The USJ’s Faculty of Religious Studies (until 2014 Faculty of Christian Studies) was established in the year 2007. In 2013, the Faculty Day started to be celebrated on December 3. This year the celebration took place at St. Lawrence Church and hall, Macau.
The program began at nine in the morning (9:00 am) with a welcoming song, the opening speech of the Dean and the introductory remarks of the President of the Students’ Association of the Faculty of Religious Studies, Bro. Paul Win Aung Myint. This introductory part of the program was followed by the concelebrated Eucharistic celebration at 9:30 AM. The Holy Mass was presided by Fr. Fausto Gomez, OP, and the homily was given by Fr. João Eleutério, both professors of the Faculty of Religious Studies. The melodious songs during the Mass were rendered by the students conducted by the Dean.
After the Eucharistic celebration, there was a short break with snacks. At 11 AM, the respected Jesuit Fr. Luis Sequeira gave an inspirational talk to the students and guests on the continuing relevance of St. Francis Xavier. Reflecting on the great Jesuit missionary, Fr. Sequeira underlined the fact that culture and history are part of our nature in the time of St. Francis Xavier and today. He asked himself: “Why was the saint – missionary in India, Japan China -, able to do so much? He did it because he was able to integrate, contemplation and creativity, knowledge and virtue.†He concluded: God had his plan for Francis of Xavier, and He has his plans for each one of us, too: “We are not here by chance or accident, but by God’s will.†Indeed, we all are called for a purpose, which is to spread the Gospel. Like St. Francis Xavier, we are to possess zeal, creativity and joy within the context of our own time and culture. Certainly, Fr. Sequeira gave students, professors and friends a wonderful inspirational talk.
After the inspirational talk, a simple and plentiful lunch followed. Then there was another short break to give a chance to all to see the beautiful cultural exhibits prepared by the students that highlighted the customs and culture of their respective country and ethnic group.
At 1:30 in the afternoon, the most awaited part of the program took place: the cultural presentation by students and professors. The two-hour variety show included students’ performances by country, some soloists’ numbers by professors, and different games. According to one of our dear professor, the multi-cultural presentations in songs and dances from different countries were superb, and the joy and smiles of the participants, something to behold.
Before closing our simple report, it is appropriate to point out the aims of the recently created FRS Students’ Association as presented by its first president. The purpose of the Student Association is to provide a warm place for the students and a venue to participate actively in the life of the Faculty, in particular the following: to organize the Faculty Convocation, the Faculty Day and some other related activities of the Faculty. By organizing these and other events, the students will come to know each other better, to promote a strong sense of belongingness, to work together and share their knowledge, talents and skills on their common journey of philosophical and theological studies. Moreover, the Students’ Association will represent the Faculty of Religious Studies in university affairs.
Finally, it is good to underline that he Faculty Day was a wonderful showcase of the students’ responsibility to cooperate with one another, to work together and thus show their unity, and above all, to witness their love of Christ. Perhaps, the best symbol of the Faculty Day was the smile of the students, of the professors and of the guests as well especially throughout the joyful cultural program. Indeed, how wonderful it is to live together as brothers and sisters in Christ! (FRS Students’ Association)
PREPARING FOR THE ORDER’S JUBILEE 800
On November 30, 2014, the Jubilee Promoter of the Province
suggests in a letter to the brothers two possible
activities that highligh the continuing
preparation for the Jubilee 800
JUB 800/2
November 30, 2014
Dear Brothers in St. Dominic:
Fraternal greetings to all and happy day of the inauguration of the Year of Consecrated Life! With my second email, I wish to continue our conversation on the Order’s Jubilee 800 and on possible future activities.
Most of our communities started to pray the Jubilee Prayer on the Feast of All the Saints of the Order, November 7, 2014. On this day, the one-year preparation of the eighth centenary of the Order began officially in our Province. As you know, the Jubilee 800 shall start on November 7, 2015. The daily recitation of the Jubilee Prayer is putting us on the “Jubilee Mode,†the mode of personal and communitarian renewal. Hopefully, the common prayer will strengthen our determined resolve to begin earnestly the dynamic process of renewal: the renewal of the Order is aim of the Jubilee. We do not forget that the main protagonist of the renewal is each one of us. Let us pray for one another so that we all may be truly motivated to walk on the path of personal and communitarian renewal.
The Order is asking each Province, Vicariate and community to plan different activities. Our superiors with the help of brothers in charge of study, formation, mission, justice and peace, etc. will guide us to plan together specific activities. Among the activities recommended by the Order’s Jubilee Committee are “Special Liturgical Celebrations.†Our communities may wish to invite to the liturgical celebration other members of the Dominican Family – when possible. The first liturgical celebration recommended to all communities is on December 22, 2014, which commemorates the 798 Anniversary of the first Confirmation of the Order by Pope Honorius III.
Another significant activity that our communities could perhaps plan during Advent 2014: the common reading of Chapters II and III of the Acts of the General Chapter of Trogir (2013) on the Celebration of the Jubilee: II, nos. 40-49; III, nos. 50-62.
Let us recall that the theme of reflection of the Order for the year 2015 is the following: “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:31-32); “For freedom Christ set us free” (Gal 5:1) – Dominic: Government, Spirituality and Freedom.
(For resources and more information, kindly see the web page of the Order on the Jubilee 800)
Your brother,
Fray Fausto Gomez, OP
St. Dominic’s Priory, Macau
faustogomezb@yahoo.com
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On November 29, 2014 men and women religious of Macau inaugurated the Year of Consecrated Life with the Bishop of the Diocese. The brothers of St. Dominic’s Priory attended and participated actively in the liturgical celebration, which was followed by a simple fraternal agape for all the participants. (By the way, two of our brothers were members of the Ad Hoc Committee that prepared and executed the opening program: Fathers Jarvis and Fausto). Over two hundred consecrated persons and some lay faithful took part in the evening liturgical celebration held at the Cathedral of Macau and consisting of the solemn recitation and singing of the Vespers of the First Sunday of Advent and an added Liturgy of the Word with two biblical readings and two short reflections – one in Cantonese by a sister, and the other in English by a brother. We are printing the text of the brief reflection in English. (Editor)
We are women and men consecrated to God. We are here opening with our dear Bishop Joseph Lai the Year of Consecrated Life in the company of lay faithful, our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our Year of Consecrated Life is a marvelous opportunity for each one of us to be grateful for our vocation, sorry for our failures, faithful to our present and hopeful for the great future of consecrated life in the Church, in our Diocese of Macau.
Two biblical readings have been proclaimed to us: one from the prophet Isaiah (Is 66:10-14), and the other from the Gospel of St. Luke (Lk 14:25-33). The first speaks of joy and the second, of the cost of discipleship. In the context of our religious vocation, God tells us to be joyful disciples of Jesus.
This wonderful evening of prayer and song, Jesus has two questions for each one of us: “Do you remember radically that “I called you� “Do you love me� Our vocation is “a response to a call of love.†It is a passion of love for Jesus. Pope Francis is asking us to be passionate lovers of Jesus (cf. EG, 209, 266). All our Founders and Foundresses point charismatically to Jesus: Jesus Christ is the center of their lives – and ours, too. We must deny ourselves by putting Jesus at the center of our hearts: by decentering, decentralizing – “unselfing!
Moreover, our Holy Father is asking us – religious men and women -, to be passionate lovers of all peoples, our neighbors: The world is our parish, and the faithful of the Diocese of Macau are our proximate neighbors! Of the first Christians, the unbelievers said: “Look how they love each other.â€
Charity begins at home; fraternal love, too: it starts with our brothers or sisters in the community. Jesus called you and me: He called us to live together as brother and sisters. The Pope requests from us to be witnesses of fraternal love, to show to the world that “it is possible to live together as brothers and sisters in diversity.†The Holy Father says that we should treat brothers (and sisters) with “Eucharistic tenderness†(Conversation in Rome: November 29, 2013). Our dear Pope insists on our need of continuing prayer: the Eucharist, the Hours, adoration, contemplation, the Rosary, etc.
We are passionate lovers of all people, and primarily – Pope Francis adds – passionate lovers of the poor and vulnerable (EG 266, 268). Our witnessing demands loving others with Christ’s love, a love manifested in serving others unconditionally. This loving service is shown in witnessing: what the world expects from us, our Pope says, is authentic witnessing of a simple, humble, sober life style – the evangelical life style: “Let us live simply so that others might simply live.†The Pope is asking us to leave the comfort zone and walk on the periphery of life to see the excluded and marginalized. We are asked time and again to be close to the poor and needy: “Jesus wants us to touch human misery, to touch the suffering flesh of others†(EG 270).
Jesus urges us to carry our cross with love and also with joy The prophet Isaiah says, “Rejoice, Jerusalem! Rejoice all you who love her!†Pope Francis proclaims: “This is the beauty of religious consecration: it is joy, joy, joy†(To Seminarians and Novices, July 6, 2013). We are asked to show “the joy of evangelization.†Joy is a blessing of the Holy Spirit, an effect of charity or love, and a characteristic of hope, the virtue of the pilgrim. Theological hope helps us journey to a glorious future by doing what we ought to do every day, every moment – the only thing in our hands -; by doing everything, every moment with love. Indeed, “Life is a series of moments either lived or lost.â€
As we journey together as sisters and brothers through the Year of Consecrated Life, we pray for each other so that we all may possess what Pope Francis wants us to possess: “missionary enthusiasm,†“joy of evangelization,†“joy of mission,†and “joy of community.†The poet and mystic Rabindranath Tagore writes: I was sleeping and dreamed that life was joyful; / I woke up and saw that life was service; / I began to serve and saw that serving was joyâ€
May we experience through 2015, the joy of renewal by becoming more passionate lovers of our neighbor, in particular of our community brothers or sisters, and, above all, passionate lovers of Christ, who is our priority, our love, our life. May Our Lady, Mary Mother of Jesus and Our Mother bless us all. Amen
Fray Fausto Gomez, OP
Macau Cathedral
November 29, 2014
“How good, how delightful it is
to live as brothers and sisters
all together†(Ps 133:1).
On November 29, 2013, Pope Francis declared the year 2015 as the Church’s year dedicated to consecrated life. The Year of Consecrated Life opens in Rome on November 30, 2014, the First Sunday of Advent. In Macau, the Year begins the evening of November 29 with a Prayer-Vigil in the Cathedral.
The liturgical Prayer-Vigil will be presided by the Bishop of Macau, D. Joseph Lai, DD. It will start at seven-thirty in the evening (7:30 pm) with the Solemn First Vespers of the First Sunday of Advent, and include a Liturgy of the Word with two biblical readings followed by two short reflections and a meditative pause. Then Mary’s Song, the magnificat will be sung and a special Prayer of the Faithful shall be recited. The Hymn of the Year of Consecrated Life will crown the joyful inauguration of the Year of Consecrated Life in Macau. The different parts of the Vigil will be conducted alternately in Cantonese and English.
All religious women and men – over two hundred (200) – are cordially invited to attend and participate. The religious event is also open to lay faithful. A simple agape will follow the liturgical celebration.
The three objectives of the celebration of the Year of Consecrated Life are the following: first, to provide help to religious women and men at a time of crises in the Church and in the world; second, to “evangelize†the vocation, and third, to commemorate two key anniversaries related to the Second Vatican Council, namely, the 50th anniversary of the closing of Vatican II, and the 50th anniversary of publication of the conciliar Decree on the renewal of consecrated life Perfectae Caritatis.
Pope Francis announced that 2015 would be the Year of Consecrated Life, on September 29, 2013 at the end of an important meeting he had with the Union of Superiors General in Rome. In the unique conversation the Holy Father had with the 120 Superiors of male institutes the Pope said: “I am also a religious.†Your testimony is “a testimony of prophecy,†which coincides “with holiness.†The Pope continued: The religious men and women are called to live “religious brotherhood and sisterhood,†“to awaken the world,†to re-evaluate “the inculturation of their charism,†to practice “intercultural dialogue,†and to give importance to “the educational mission of schools and universities.†Moreover, Pope Francis underlined, a few times through the conversation, witnessing: “What I expect of you is to give witness,†with a witnessing which entails “generosity, detachment, sacrifice, self-forgetfulness in order to care for others.†Do not forget the poor, the Pope asked the Superiors General: “Some real time of contact with the poor is necessary.†Pope Francis closed the three-hour-conversation with the religious superiors with these words: “Thank you for what you do and for your spirit of faith and your service. Thank you for your witness and also for the humiliations through which you have had to pass.â€
The Year of Consecrated Life is a golden opportunity for all the religious men and women of different Orders, Congregations and Institutes to gratefully remember their past, be sorry for the “apostolic failures†in their respective congregation’s past and present, and joyfully hope in a promising future by being authentic witnesses of Christ in the present, that is, by “living the present passionately†– as people seduced by Christ.
The Year of Consecrated Life will close all over the world on February 2, 2016 with the celebration of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which is also the yearly day of Consecrated Life. Through 2015, consecrated women and men will hold different activities – retreats, pilgrimages, lectures, prayers, exhibits, etc. – for a fruitful celebration and continuing renewal of consecrated life in the Church.
The program of activities of the Year of Consecrated Life in Macau is organized by the Associations of Religious Men and of Religious Women. Besides the opening, both Associations of consecrated persons will prepare and carry out through 2015 other appropriate programs, including some lectures on consecrated life, and especial celebrations around Christmas and Easter.
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
the messenger announcing peace, of
the messenger of good news, who
proclaims salvation†(Is 52:7).
On November 2, 2014, the new Prior of St. Dominic’s Priory, Macau, started officially his three-year term of office. He was elected, approved and confirmed a few days earlier, on October 28.
Fr. José Luis de Miguel Fernández, OP, made the required Profession of Faith as the new Prior within the Mass of November 2, All Sous Day, which was presided by Fr. Javier González, OP, Prior Provincial, and concelebrated by the eight Dominican priests of St. Dominic’s. The Eucharistic celebration was animated by the songs of the twenty student-brothers and the faithful participating in the Eucharistic celebration.
After the reading of the official letter of the Prior Provincial approving and confirming the election of the new Prior, Fr. José Luis spoke of his gratitude and his hopes. He underlined the Dominican call to fraternity, freedom, solidarity, service and cooperation. Before the end of the Mass, Fr. Javier expressed the deep gratitude of the Province of Our Lady of the Rosary to the new Prior for accepting the office, and to the previous Prior, Fr. Alejandro Salcedo, OP, who ended his second term as St. Dominic’s Prior on October 19, 2014.
Born in Renedo de Valdetuéjar (Leon), Fr. José Luis was ordained a priest in Valladolid on June 30, 1963. He crowned his ecclesiastical studies with a Licentiate and a Doctorate in Oriental Ecclesiastical Sciences at the Oriental Institute in Rome in 1968. Thereafter, he was a professor of theological subjects in the Philippines, Chile and Spain. The new Prior was earlier Prior In San Juan, Metro Manila, and in Santiago de Chile. He has been widely  involved in formation and publications, particularly in the Philippines and in Chile, where he ministered for  25 years. At present he is a member of the Council of the Dominican Province, Assistant Master of Students at St. Dominic’s and visiting professor at St. Joseph University, Macau.
After the November 2 Sunday Eucharist, the concelebrants, the student-brothers and the faithful attending the Mass of All Souls Day shared together a simple meal offered by the Dominican community.
Fr. José Luis, fraternal congratulations!Â
Fr. Alex, many, many thanks!
We praise the Lord!
May the Holy Spirit accompany us all
to walk by the path of Dominic, our dear Father!
