SAINT PAUL SCHOOL 45TH ANNIVERSARY – Loyalty Recognition Awards Ceremony

SAINT PAUL SCHOOL 45TH ANNIVERSARY – Loyalty Recognition Awards Ceremony.
“The year 2016 is not just another year. January 25 is not just another day” statements which were conveyed in the introduction video presentation The year and the day marked a significant milestone in the history of Saint Paul School, the School community, and the lives of those who were and are privileged to be a part of this remarkable community.

January 25, 2016 sees the celebration of the School 45th Anniversary, but as the Principal, Fr. Alejandro Salcedo in his speech “…today’s celebration is not about Saint Paul School as such. It is about the loyalty, commitment and pride that you, teachers and staff have demonstrated in your service to our School and most important to our students, and we have come here to acknowledge you and applaud.”

 The day began with a thanksgiving mass in the school hall presided by the Most Reverend Bishop of Macau Stephen Lee and with the presence of Fr. Javier González – Provincial of Our Lady of the Rosary Province -, Fr. José Luis de Miguel – Prior of the community of Saint Dominic Priory of Macau -, Fr. Bonifacio G. Solís, Fr. Dionisio Cabezón, Fr. Fernando Muñoz and the three fathers working in the school Fr. Chan, Fr. Legido and Fr. Salcedo as concelebrants in this rich and emotive ceremony. The school hall full to its capacity with teachers and students was, thanks to Sister Camino, decorated for the occasion. The warm and the sincerity of the prayers were evident and apparent during the offertory when, besides the offering of the bread and wine, each one of the catholic teachers offered a candle, and each one of the catholic students a rose to Saint Paul Apostle, Patron of the School. The silence in the school hall, surrounded by a sense of personal prayer was so intense, that even the official photographer of the ceremony did not take any picture not to disturb the peace of the moment.

In his homily Bishop Lee emphasized the figure of Saint Paul Apostle and in perfect harmony connected the conversion of Saint Paul and the commitment and loyalty we all must have in our roles as teachers and students. He encouraged the teachers and students to offer their talents for the good and welfare of the Saint Paul School community and the Macau society as a whole.

The second part of the ceremony ‘Saint Paul School Teachers and Staff Loyalty Awards’ started with the welcoming of the guests at the main entrance of the School and the Fra Angelico exhibition Gallery, where, assisted by the students tea and coffee were offered as the guests were arriving. Back at the state-of-art School Hall, the teachers and staff being awarded were greeted and applauded by the over 800 students and teachers present in the hall, teachers and students following the ceremony from the classrooms, Principals and representatives from about 30 different schools, parents and main guests, among whom we can mentioned Bishop Lee as representative of the Diocese of Macau, Fr. Javier González as the representative of Our Lady of the Rosary Province, Ms. Vicky Leong representing the Director of the Ministry of Education, the Delegates from Rome Monsignors Ante Jozic and Andrea Francia, representatives from the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macau Special Administrative Region, the supervisor of Rosaryhill school, Fr. Vicente Sánchez and the two Principals, Fr. Emiliano Pérez, and other members of the diocese and the Macau Society.

       The ceremony began with a modern dance and we were led all through the ceremony by the two MCs, who although difficult to believe for their outstanding and highly professional performance, were a form 4 young lady and a school past student. The ceremony was exceptionally touching and moving as we all witnessed the 83 teachers and staff, out of the 293 personnel rendering their service at Saint Paul School, being awarded as Bishop Lee, Fr. Provincial and Ms. Vicky Leong presented the conferred certificates.

Saint Paul School presented their respects and heartfelt thanks to three retired teachers for their hard work and dedication during their years at Saint Paul. Not only emotion and warm feeling were seen when each of the teachers offered a rose to each of the retired teachers, but also tears were present in the eyes of some of the successors of those great three teachers as they shared with all of us how delighted they felt to be there on that special day and above all how proud they felt seeing their students following their steps and taking up their places in the teaching profession.

It was Fr. Athanasius Chan, the Director of the Pastoral Care of the School and the Deputy Principal who received the Apostolic Blessing from the hands of Monsignor Ante Jozic. On Behalf of His Holiness Pope Francis he extended His blessings and congratulations to the whole community of Saint Paul School

As Ms Vicky Leong, representative of the Director of the Education Bureau, said in her address to the audience, today is a special day for Saint Paul School because not only we celebrate 45 years of contribution to the Macau society but mainly because in the awards presented to the teachers and staff one can see the loyalty and faithfulness of these people towards the School and towards their careers.

The in-between performances ‘In your Hands’ sang by the President of the Old Students Association, and the ‘Saint Paul School Legacy Light Dance’ performed by Saint Paul School modern dance team compared to the highest standards as it is already a tradition at Saint Paul School. The song ‘You Raised Me Up’, interpreted by 5 students, was the best way to close the ceremony and once more thank not only the 83 teachers and staff who were awarded but to everybody who is giving their best and support the dreams and hopes of each student at Saint Paul school.

January 25, 2016, was not just another year, was not just another day. It was truly a special day of honoring the excellence that Saint Paul School has fostered. A.S.G.

Dominicans in Macau open Jubilee 800

DOMINICANS IN MACAU OPEN JUBILEE 800

The Dominican Family throughout the world opened the Jubilee 800 of their Order, the Order of Preachers (OP), on November 7, 2015, which is the Feast-day of All the Dominican Saints. Dominic’s Family is composed of four branches: nuns, brothers, sisters, and lay and priestly fraternities. All celebrated the Opening Rite of the Jubilee 800 either within the Holy Eucharist or with the Morning or Evening Prayer.
The Dominican Family in Macau opened the Jubilee’s year-long celebration at the Chapel of St. Dominic’s Priory with the Evening Prayer. The Macau Family is composed at present of fifty three brothers and sisters belonging, the brothers to Our Lady of the Rosary Province, and the sisters to the Congregation of Dominican Missionaries of the Rosary. The Dominicans were accompanied by five candidates of a new Dominican branch soon to be formally organized – a Lay Fraternity -, and by some friends of the Dominicans in Macau. With their simple and solemn opening, the Macau Dominicans joined, in prayer and hope, the whole Dominican Family throughout the world.

The Opening Rite began with the singing of the first stanza of the song of the Year of Consecrated Life (2015): “Wake up the world – with dawning joy.” It followed with the reading of the Message of the Master of the Order of Preachers, fray Bruno Cadoré. The Message was read by fray Edmond Eh Kim Chew. In his message, fray Bruno greeted joyfully all the members of the Dominican Family from Santa Sabina (Rome) where “Dominic’s preaching was rooted.” “Preaching the Gospel of peace is to preach life given in abundance by the crucified Messiah.”
Another significant number of the opening of the Jubilee was the Ritual of the Light. The presiding brother, fray Fausto Gomez, offered to God the large Jubilee Candle and asked him to guide us with the light of the Gospel and the fire of Dominic. Then he lighted the Dominican Candle near the door of the chapel and carried it in procession to the left side of the altar while the remaining stanzas of “Wake up the world” were sung by all: “Let us wake up the world with uplifting words of hope.”
Thereafter, the two Psalms (89 and 98) and the Canticle (Col 1:12-20) of Vespers were recited. The Gospel proclamation (Mt 10:5-16) followed: “And as you go proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The homilist commented: “This is the chapter from Mathew’s Gospel we apply to our Father and Founder Dominic, who continues sending us today to preach the Gospel everywhere as itinerant preachers. Indeed, as the motto of the Jubilee cries out: “Sent to preach.”
The presider of the opening ceremonies continued: “Throughout the world, the different branches of the Dominican Family will carry out many and different activities through the Jubilee Year. The external activities are directed to internal renewal. The eight hundred years Jubilee is, above all, “a dynamic process of renewal” – of communal and personal renewal. No real renewal is possible, however, without internal personal renewal and change. Every Dominican, each one of us will change – that is be converted – if he or she really wants: God always helps but He does not force.” He added: “Someone has suggested to all religious that the easiest and most available method for continuing renewal and conversion is active attention to our liturgical calendar: to the daily recitation of the Divine Office, the daily celebration of the Eucharist, the especial celebration of the seasons (particularly Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter), the commemoration of our saints, and devotion to Mary and to her Rosary. Thus, our daily prayer, personal and communitarian, marks the rhythm of every day and helps each one of us do what we ought to do – our evangelizing mission – in our educational, theological, and pastoral apostolate.”
After the Homily, the moving ceremony of lighting the little individual candle took place: six members (three postulants of the sisters and three professed brothers) lighted their candles from the Dominican Candle; they in turn lighted the little candle every Dominican was holding. With all the candle-lights burning, the lovely Hymn of the Jubilee was sung by all. It sounded so youthful, joyful and alive! Indeed, the Jubilee is a glorious time to laudare, benedicere et praedicare: “Laudare, we praise our Lord with our saints / Benedicere, we lift our voice in song / Praedicare, we proclaim Your Word to the world.” (By the way, the text inscribed on the Dominican Candle is the text of the treasured O Lumen Ecclesiae, which all Dominicans sing or recite every day after Evening or Night Prayer)
The General Intercessions asking God’s graces were closely linked to Dominican preaching. All responded: “Breathe on us once more with the Spirit of the Risen Christ.” The whole congregation then praised and thanked the good Lord for the countless blessings received from his generosity through eight centuries: “Holy God we praise thy name.” The Jubilee Prayer was sung (in Latin) by the brothers and sisters: “We ask you to pour again into us the Spirit of the Risen Christ that we may faithfully and joyfully proclaim the Gospel of peace.”
After the Final Blessing, the congregation sung the Marian song Dominicans sing every evening after the O Lumen Ecclesiae: the Salve Regina to Our Lady and Mother Mary, especial protector of the Dominican Order since the time of St. Dominic.

The Jubilee 800 celebration is a fourteen and a half months pilgrimage of renewal. The Macau Dominicans were kindly asked: “Let us put the mobile of our heart on the Jubilee Mode.” With the Opening Rite, the brothers and sisters of the Dominican Family in Macau – like all the Dominicans world-wide – have just taken the first step of the Jubilee journey, a journey that is taking them back to their origins, forward to a hopeful future by their passionate, creative and faithful commitment to preach the Gospel with apostolic zeal in the present. The words of the brother presiding the ritual of opening still echo in the hearts of the Macau Dominicans: “May the Dominican Candle illumine our Jubilee and fire up the hearts of all those who are sent – all of us -, in the words of Pope Honorius III (who confirmed the Order), to proclaim the Word of God, to preach “everywhere the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
With Mary’s motherly protection, and with the sure help of our Father Dominic and the other Dominican saints, the Dominicans continue the journey: the unique Jubilee 800 Journey!
(Fr. Jarvis Sy directed the Opening Rite with the help of the Dominican sisters and brothers. Fr. Jose Luis de Miguel and Sr. Begoña Abad assisted him earlier in planning it according to the directives from the Jubilee 800 Central Committee of the Order. To each and all: God bless, and many thanks)