 Every year at this time, on the “Good Shepherd´s Sunday†(fourth Sunday of Easter), the Church celebrates the “Day of the Consecrated Lifeâ€, when women and men religious, renew their promises (sometimes of long ago…) and ask the Lord to help them be faithful to Him and to their fellow men and women until the very end of their lives. They also beg the “Good Shepherd†to increase their diminishing numbers, so that they can reach farther and deeper in their task of  the construction of his Kingdom.
 In Macau, this ceremony is usually marked by great solemnity, for not only it offers the Religious the opportunity to gather together in communion, but also the joy of honoring those of their “mature†members who are celebrating this year their Silver Jubilee, or the Golden Anniversary of their profession, or ordination. All this, within the frame and the joy of a Solemn Mass, presided by the Bishop himself, with the assistance of numerous faithful Catholics, animated and led in the chant by a very professional outstanding choir.
 
  This year, the Dominican Family of Macau, all of us present for the occasion, had an extra motive for joy: to the surprise of many, for he still looks very young and full of enthusiasm, fr Fausto Gómez, OP, was among those Golden Jubilarians (the only man among six women!), so ostensibly thanked and acclaimed by the assembly present at the Eucharist. He will soon celebrate the 50 years of his Ordination to the Priesthood. Those of us who know him closely, can attest that those have been 50 very laborious and fruitful years of fidelity to the Lord and of happy and unceasing dedication to teaching and preaching his Word, and of  service to His children.
Congratulations, Brother Fausto, and “ad multos annosâ€!
Dominican Community. Macau.