The Rector of the University of Saint Joseph, Macau, lectured at the USJ Speakers’ Hall on January 10, 2013 on Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation before an audience of students and professors, priests, religious and lay faithful. Most of the student brothers and professors of our Priory were present.
           The lecture on Divine Revelation by Fr. Peter Stilwell, USJ Rector and Professor, was one of the series offered by the School of Christian Studies of said university. The Series of Lectures on Vatican II began on October 12, 2012, just one day after the official opening of the Year of Faith declared by Pope Benedict XVI to commemorate in particular the 50th Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council (1962-2012). The speakers of the series on Vatican II are members of the teaching staff of the School of Christian Studies.
           The main lectures of the theology series are the four discussing the four Constitutions of Vatican II. Around each conciliar constitution five lectures are organized; a few other lectures will tackled other documents of Vatican II. The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium was presented by Fr. Joao Eleuterio on November 22, 2012; the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei verbum, by Fr. Peter Stilwell; the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium will be considered on February 7, 2013, and the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes on April 11, 2013.
All the lectures of the series on Vatican II – 28 in all – are being held at the USJ Speakers Hall, on Thursdays, at 6:45-8:00 PM. The lectures of October-December centered on An Introduction to Christianity by professor Arnold Monera, and on The History of Christianity by Fr. Joao Eleuterio, the dean of the School of Christian Studies. The remaining lectures of January, 2013 will focus on the Mystery of Christ.
The Second Vatican Council is a powerful appeal to rediscover each day the beauty of our faith, to know it deeply so as to enter into a more intense relationship with the Lord, and to live out our Christian vocation to the very end.
The conciliar documents have lost none of their timeliness; indeed their teachings are particularly relevant to the new situation of the Church and the current globalized society (Benedict XVI)
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The USJ Rector, Fr. Peter Stilwell discussed the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine revelation Dei Verbum Fifty Years After. He centered his clear and profound reflection on the first two chapters of the Constitution, namely, on Revelation itself and on the Transmission of Revelation, respectively. The speaker developed forms of divine revelation (“re-veilingâ€) in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, to close with God’s revelation in his Son and our Savior and Brother Jesus Christ, the Word of God. God the Father, through Christ and in the Spirit continues revealing himself in his creation and in a particular way in the simple and humble people, followers of Christ way. In this context, too much rationalization of God – of a secular God – and an overly academic theology may be obstacles to unveil or re-veil God, the God of Jesus Christ shown by the power of the Spirit.
           The Year of Faith that began on October 11, 2012, and will end on November 24, 2013 is a unique opportunity for Christians to renew their faith, “to rediscover the content of the faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed†(Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei,2012,no. 9).