Nearly 80 people, including eight priests, about fourteen Dominican brothers, and a good number of friends and alumni of the late Fr. Lionel Xavier, OP –  who passed away on October 19, 2011 – attended the Holy Mass in is honor and the liturgical ritual for the reposition of his ashes.  The celebration was held at the chapel of St. Dominic’s Priory, Macau.
The Eucharistic celebration began at 11:00 am, January 15, 2012. The concelebrated Mass was presided by Fr. Javier Gonzalez, OP, Prior Provincial of the Province of Our Lady of the Rosary. It was the Second Sunday in Ordinary time and the readings of the Liturgy of the Word were about vocation. In his homily, Fr. Provincial talked about the calling of the prophet Samuel, about John the Baptist who pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, and finally about how the first disciples were called. Before he ended his homily, Fr. Javier reflected on the life of Fr. Lionel who generously replied to God’s calling like Samuel and followed the path of Jesus: practicing what he believed, encouraging the youth, and promoting the religious vocation. He added: “We owe him so much.†Fr. Lionel faithfully offered his life in the Dominican Order, serving the Province in different ministries:  for many years he served in the Dominicans’ Rosaryhill School (Hong Kong) as an administrator, as its Director, also as Prior of St. Albert’s Priory. When the mission in Macau was reopened, he enthusiastically helped and served as a superior of the Dominican house and as a Master of the Dominican students, and he was in charge of the Department of Religion of the diocesan school of Saint Paul administered by Dominicans. After the homily, Fr. Alex, the Prior of St. Dominic’s, gave thanks to all present, in particular to the people who came from Hong Kong.
Right after the celebration of the Eucharist, the urn with the ashes of Fr. Lionel was blessed and then placed in a special niche located at the back (right side) of the chapel of St. Dominic’s Priory. Before the reposition of the remains of Fr. Lionel in the niche, all those attending people gave Fr. Lionel Xavier, OP, who was a member of our St. Dominic’s Priory when he passed away, their last sign of respect and homage in accordance with the Chinese tradition.  Finally, the small columbarium of ten niches, inaugurated with the ashes of Fr. Lionel, was closed. On the dark glass covering it we read LOVE NEVER DIES!
Paul Aung Myint Win, OP