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)

Four brothers make solemn profession

On 28 June 2015, Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, four of our student brothers made their Solemn Profession at the Chapel of St. Dominic’s Priory in Macau.

The moving and touching ceremony took place within the Eucharistic Celebration which was presided over by Fr. Javier Gonzalez, OP, Prior Provincial of Our Lady of the Rosary Province. The Holy Mass was concelebrated by fifteen Dominican priests from our St. Dominic’s Priory and from various countries of Asia. Our brother priests from Asian countries are currently participating in the Common Study Program organized by the Asia/Pacific Region of the Dominican order that is being currently held in Hong Kong. The liturgical celebration was indeed very joyful, colorful and inspiring.

In his short homily, Fray Javier commenting on the proclaimed Word of God underlined the great importance of faith and generosity. The daughter of Jairus was brought to life by Jesus counting on Jairus’ faith. On the way to the house of Jairus, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years was healed by Jesus because of her faith, which Jesus “felt” when she “touched” His clothes (see Mk 5:21-43). The preacher questioned incisively: “We who are chosen by the Lord and who touch Him many times, how come we seem not to experience much change in our life? Why?” Perhaps, we are like the crowd pressing around Jesus and even touching Him but, maybe, without or with little faith.

With faith in Jesus who has called them, the four lucky brothers come to make their Solemn Profession, that is, “usque ad mortem,” or until death in the Dominican Order. With humble faith and hopeful trust they consecrate their life to God: to do His will by following Jesus by the path of St. Dominic de Guzman; by imitating Jesus who has shown us all His unconditional obedience to the Father, and His infinite love for humanity.

Our four Dominican brothers, Mariano Kai, Paul Aung Myint Win, Mikele Gei, and Lawrence The Reh pronounced their vows to God, promised to be obedient until death kneeling before our bother Javier, who represented Fray Bruno Cadoré, OP, the Master of the Order. As the four brothers prostrated on the ground, as a sign of obedience to God through Jesus in the Spirit, the choir sung solemnly: “Here the eternal Spirit of God tells us a new world’s begun.”

The liturgical celebration was wonderfully animated by our Dominican sisters from Taipa. The chapel was totally filled up to the point that many were standing both inside and outside the lovely Chapel. Beside the regular Sunday Mass participants, there were the Dominican brothers who are attending the Common Study Program of the Asia-Pacific Region, some distinguished professors from the Catholic University of Saint Joseph, Macau and friends of the Dominican community of Macau.

After the wonderful Eucharist and the touching rites of the Solemn Profession of the four brothers, all the people attending were invited to share with the Dominican family in a fraternal agape at the Hall of the Priory.

As we leave the Chapel, the meaningful lyrics of the song “Hear I Am Standing Right Beside You” keep ringing in our hearts:

Here I am standing right beside you.

Here I am; do not be afraid.

Here I am, waiting like a lover.

I am here; I am here.

Bro. Paul Aung Myint Win OP

St. Dominic’s Priory, Macau