Blog of Fr. Peter Leung

ASIA/CHINA – New edition of the Roman Missal in Chinese with simplified characters, to better meet current pastoral demands

Shi Jia Zhuang (Agenzia Fides) – The editor Faith Press has published a new edition of the Roman Missal in simplified Chinese, with horizontal arrangement, in order to better meet the current needs of priests and faithful. According to the information published by the press, today the majority of the Chinese priests are young, having been formed in recent years, and find it difficult to use the traditional Chinese that is written vertically and will, therefore, find it much more useful for them to be able to use the Roman Missal in simplified Chinese, with horizontal arrangement. Furthermore, the document has been made with great care. It is well-bound with a reasonable price, and contains the additional Errata Corrige. The new edition of the Misal can be viewed on the Internet, along with other useful information on the subject. In addition, the Catholic publishing house encourages priests and faithful to offer their suggestions and look out for possible errors, for the printing of an improved second edition. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 4/2/2008; righe 13, parole 166)

Links:
The new Missal’s website
http://www.chinacatholic.org/XindeFB/jd.html

ASIA/CHINA – Approaching Easter: Hong Kong examining its catechumens in light of Spes Salvi; the testimony of an 102-year-old recent convert to Catholicism convinces her daughter-in-law to request Baptism

Rome (Agenzia Fides) – Chinese Catholics are painstakingly preparing for the celebration of a Holy Easter, above all, to offer a welcome of enthusiasm to the catechumens, who this Easter Vigil, will receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist. During these Lenten Sundays, the parishes have been taking part in the rite of Examinations in order to offer support to the catechumens in their journey towards the great Pascal Vigil. In Hong Kong, the catechumens are using the Encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi, to help them on their way, and the Catholics throughout the continent are helping them to receive this new life according to the Spirit.
According to Kong Ko Bao (the Chinese version of the diocesan bulletin), in Hong Kong, the parishes of Saint Francis, Saint Therese, and Saint Benedict all have catechumens. In these parishes, the proclamation of the Word of God and the Church’s prayer in light of Spe Salvi, during the examinations of the last 3 Sundays of Lent, help catechumens to be purified of their sins and to reaffirm their decision to follow Jesus. According to the diocesan records, an estimated 2,800 people will be baptized this Easter.
As well, on the continent they are intensifying preparations for the catechumens who will receive the Sacraments of Christian Initiation. One example is that of a 102-year-old grandmother named Xing Ji, from the town of Nan Tian (province of Zhao Xian), who was baptized on March 21, 2005, after completing a year of catechism classes. From that moment on, she always had a Rosary in her hand and prayer formed a part of her everyday life. Her testimony of a life lived in faith moved her daughter-in-law to begin studying catechism, as well. She is now a catechumen in her final preparatory stages and this Easter, like her mother-in-law, she will be baptized. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides; 3/3/2008; righe 24, parole 310)

ASIA/CHINA – Catholics in Mongolia restore communion, thanks to the Pope’s Letter to Chinese Catholics; over 1300 faithful attend the First Evangelization Congress

Bao Tou (Agenzia Fides) – Pope Benedict XVI’s Letter to the Bishops, priests, consecrated persons, and faithful of the Catholic Church in the People’s Republic of China is yielding fruits in the field of evangelization all across continental China. According to Faith of He Bei, thanks to the Pope’s Letter, the Catholics of Mongolia have been restored to communion with the Church following 20 years of misunderstandings and divisions. During the celebration of Chinese New Year, two priests of the Parish of Xiao Ba La Gai, in the diocese of Bao Tou, an important Mongolian city, organized the first local Evangelization Congress, from February 13-21.
Over 1,300 faithful from the area and from neighboring towns came together in a gesture of communion, in the midst of what has been a difficult and painful story for the local Catholics, with the great determination to continue on the path of restored communion, in the light of the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI. During the solemn Eucharistic Procession in the vigil of the Congress, over 2,000 faithful accompanied the Blessed Sacrament from the provisional chapel into the larger church.
In the past, the community had lived glorious historical moments in its evangelization, that dates back to the 1300-1400s, with innovative developments in the 19th century, thanks to the Scheut missionaries (CICM). Unfortunately, all was left destroyed in the cultural revolution. When the church could re-open its doors, what one priest did, as soon as he was released from prison, was celebrate Mass in an open field under the falling snow. Since then, in the last 20 years, the life of the community has been marked by conflicts, misunderstandings, and disputes. Thanks to the prayer, the grace of the Holy Spirit, and the indications made by the Pope in his Letter, the Catholics of different communities have now united, without rancor, accusations, or reproaching. During the First Evangelization Congress, there was a notable environment of love and communion. As one elderly leader of a local group said, “now the Church is united again. I can finally return to the Father’s House with my conscience clear and without rancor.” The entire community is now “eager to listen to the teachings of the apostles, in fraternal communion, in the breaking of the bread, and in prayer” (Acts 2:42). (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 29/2/2008; righe 30, parole 381)

VATICAN – Benedict XVI, in the audience with participants of the international congress of the Pontifical Academy for Life: “the firm and constant ethical condemnation of all forms of direct euthanasia, in keeping with the centuries-long teaching of the Church.”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “Close by the Incurable Sick Person and the Dying: Scientific and Ethical Aspects,” was the theme for the international Congress held by the Pontifical Academy for Life, for the occasion of their 14th General Assembly. Speaking to participants, in an audience on February 25, Pope Benedict XVI reminded them that every earthly life that ends, is a “new birth and a renewed existence, offered by the Risen One to those who do not voluntarily oppose themselves to His Love. Death concludes the experience of earthly life, but through death there opens for each of us, beyond time, the full and definitive life. … For the community of believers, this encounter between the dying person and the Source of Life and Love represents a gift that has a universal value, that enriches the communion of the faithful. This fact should be of interest to the entire community, not only to close family members, but also others who have known the dying person. No believer should die alone and abandoned.”

Not only the Christian community, “committed to the accompaniment and celebration, with its members, in the mystery of suffering, death, and the dawn of new life,” but also the entire society, through its health care and civil institutions, “is called to respect the life and dignity of the seriously ill and the dying.” The Pope pointed out the duty of health care institutions “to express the solidarity of love, and to safeguard and respect human life in every moment of its earthly development, especially when it is ill or in its terminal stages.” “In more concrete terms, this means ensuring that every person in need finds the necessary support through appropriate treatments and medical procedures – identified and administered using criteria of therapeutic proportionality – while bearing in mind the moral duty to administer (on the part of doctors) and to accept (on the part of patients) those means for preserving life which, in a particular situation, may be considered as ‘ordinary.’ In turn, those therapies with significant levels of risk or that may reasonably be judged to be ‘extraordinary’, recourse thereto may be considered as morally acceptable, but optional.

Furthermore, it will always be necessary to ensure that everyone has the treatment they require, and that families tried by the sickness of one of their members receive support, especially if the sickness is serious or prolonged.”

The Pope expressed his desire that in the work norms, there be a specific recognition of family rights “during the terminal illness of their loved one,” because “a supportive and humanitarian society cannot ignore the difficult situations of the families who, sometimes over the course of a long period of time, must carry the weight of at-home assistance for seriously ill…In a complex society, heavily influenced by the notions of productivity and economic demands, weak persons and poor families run the risk, in moments of economic difficulty and/or illness, of being overwhelmed.”

In the large cities, there is increasing number of elderly and people who live on their own, especially in moments of serious illness and as they near death. “In these circumstances, the pressures towards euthanasia increase, especially when a utilitarian view of people has become established. Once again, I would like to remind all of the firm and constant ethical condemnation of all forms of direct euthanasia, in keeping with the centuries-long teaching of the Church.”

At the end of his speech, the Holy Father expressed his desire that “the synergetic efforts of civil society and of the community of believers must ensure not only that everyone is able to live in a dignified and responsible way, but also that they can face moments of trial and of death in the finest condition of fraternity and solidarity, even where death comes in a poor family or a hospital bed…offering and being a witness to solidarity and charity towards every person that suffers, especially those approaching death. Society, for its part, must ensure due support to families who undertake to care in the home, sometimes for long periods, sick members who are afflicted with degenerative conditions, …or who need particularly costly assistance.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 26/2/2008; righe 52, parole 692)

Links:
Complete text of the Holy Father’s address, in Italian

http://www.evangelizatio.org/portale/adgentes/pontefici/pontefice.php?id=1038

[ Priests for Life Canada] Fr. Jim Whalen, National Director of Priests for Life Canada dies suddenly while conducting a Pro-Life Parish Mission.

Cumberland, Ontario, Canada, PRIESTS FOR LIFE CANADA: On Sunday, February 24, 2008, at aprox. 9:45 a.m., at the age of 68, Fr. Jim Whalen, National Director of Priests for Life Canada passed away suddenly while conducting a Pro-life Parish Mission at Most Holy Rosary Parish, Thorold, Ontario (Near Niagara Falls).

Fr. Jim, a priest of the Archdiocese of Ottawa ON, in addition to being pastor of St. Margaret-Mary Parish in Cumberland ON (near Ottawa ON), has been the founding National Director of Priests for Life Canada since the fall of 1996. Priests for Life Canada is an organization of Catholic lay people and clergy dedicated to supporting Canadian Catholic clergy and laity in the Sanctity of Life cause.

Surviving immediate family are his three sisters: Isabelle Patry, Montreal QC, Joanne Taylor, North Bay ON, and Patricia Whalen, North Bay ON.

Visitation at:

St. Margaret Mary Church

2565 Highway 174

Cumberland ON (just outside of Ottawa)

Thursday, February 28, 2008: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m and 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Map

Funeral Services at:

Divine Infant Church, Orleans ON

6658 Bilberry Drive

Orleans ON (suburban area of Ottawa)

Friday, February 29, 2008: 10:00 a.m.

Map

Interment to follow funeral Mass:

Hope Cemetery, Ottawa

4660 Bank Street, Gloucester (near Ottawa Airport)

Map

Funeral Services by:

Kelly Funeral Homes, Orleans ON

(613) 837-2370

For further information contact:

Priests for Life Canada: 1-888-300-2007

http://www.priestsforlifecanada.com/.

Let us pray for Fr. Jim Whalen.

VATICAN – Holy Father’s Message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations: “this missionary dimension is associated in a special and intimate way with the priestly vocation”
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “Vocations at the Service of the Church on Mission,” is the theme that has been chosen by the Holy Father Benedict XVI for the next World Day of Prayer for Vocations, to be celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Easter, April 13, 2008. In his Message on the occasion, the Pope firstly recalled Jesus’ command entrusted to the Apostles: “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19), assuring them: “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28: 20). The Pope continues, “The Church is missionary in herself and in each one of her members. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, every Christian is called to bear witness and to announce the Gospel, but this missionary dimension is associated in a special and intimate way with the priestly vocation. In the covenant with Israel, God entrusted to certain men, called by him and sent to the people in his name, a mission as prophets and priests.”
Jesus Christ, through whom the promises made to our fathers were fulfilled, “already in his public life, while preaching in Galilee, chose some disciples to be his close collaborators in the messianic ministry.” In what is called the “ ‘missionary discourse,’ we may take note of those aspects which distinguish the missionary activity of a Christian community, eager to remain faithful to the example and teaching of Jesus. To respond to the Lord’s call means facing in prudence and simplicity every danger and even persecutions… Having become one with their Master, the disciples are no longer alone as they announce the Kingdom of heaven; Jesus himself is acting in them… Precisely because they have been sent by the Lord, the Twelve are called “Apostles”, destined to walk the roads of the world announcing the Gospel as witnesses to the death and resurrection of Christ… The Book of the Acts of the Apostles also assigns a very important role in this task of evangelization to other disciples whose missionary vocation arises from providential, sometimes painful, circumstances such as expulsion from their own lands for being followers of Jesus (cf. 8,1-4). The Holy Spirit transforms this trial into an occasion of grace, using it so that the name of the Lord can be preached to other peoples, stretching in this way the horizons of the Christian community.”
The Holy Father then speaks of the figure of Paul of Tarsus: “The story of Paul, the greatest missionary of all times, brings out in many ways the link between vocation and mission. Accused by his opponents of not being authorized for the apostolate, he makes repeated appeals precisely to the call which he received directly from the Lord…what ‘impels’ the Apostles (cf. 2 Cor 5: 14) is always ‘the love of Christ.’ Innumerable missionaries, throughout the centuries, as faithful servants of the Church, docile to the action of the Holy Spirit, have followed in the footsteps of the first disciples… In fact, the love of Christ must be communicated to the brothers by example and words, with all one’s life.”
And the Holy Father continues: “Among those totally dedicated to the service of the Gospel, are priests, called to preach the word of God, administer the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation, committed to helping the lowly, the sick, the suffering, the poor, and those who experience hardship in areas of the world where there are, at times, many who still have not had a real encounter with Jesus Christ. Missionaries announce for the first time to these people Christ’s redemptive love.”
The number of Baptized increases each year, “thanks to the pastoral work of these priests, who are wholly consecrated to the salvation of their brothers and sisters. In this context, a special word of thanks must be expressed to the ‘fidei donum’ priests who work faithfully and generously at building up the community by proclaiming the word of God and breaking the Bread of Life, devoting all their energy to serving the mission of the Church.” Pope Benedict XVI invited the faithful to give thanks to God, “for all the priests who have suffered even to the sacrifice of their lives in order to serve Christ,” recalling the fact that “through His priests, Jesus becomes present among the men of today, even in the most remote corners of the earth.”
The Message also highlighted, “the main role in the evangelization of the world,” crowned with the hosts of religious brothers and sisters: “With their continual and community prayer, contemplatives intercede without ceasing for all humanity. Religious of the active life, with their many charitable activities, bring to all a living witness of the love and mercy of God.” Thus, the Pope also recommends that Christian communities never fail “to provide both children and adults with constant education in the faith. It is necessary to keep alive in the faithful a committed sense of missionary responsibility and active solidarity with the peoples of the world.”
The vocations to the priestly ministry and to the consecrated life, “can only flourish in a spiritual soil that is well cultivated. Christian communities that live the missionary dimension of the mystery of the Church in a profound way will never be inward looking…The Church prays everyday to the Holy Spirit for the gift of vocations. Gathered around the Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles, as in the beginning, the ecclesial community learns from her how to implore the Lord for a flowering of new apostles, alive with the faith and love that are necessary for the mission.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 25/2/2008; righe 69, parole 944)

日期：三月三十日 (復活第二主日)
時間：下午二時
地點：聖母領報堂 (荃景圍)
程序：(一) 明供聖體
(二) 公唸玫瑰經 (中、英語)
(三) 聖體遊行 (環繞教堂外圍一周)
(四) 公唸慈悲串經 (中、英語)
(五) 彌撒 (中、英語)

歡迎帶同親友參加。

ASIA/CHINA – Pastoral Letter from the Bishop of Shang Hai on the anniversary of evangelization: “for 400 years, it has been a diocese of the laity”

Shang Hai (Agenzia Fides) – Respond to the Pope’s Letter by making a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of the Virgin of She Shan on May 24, day on which all are invited to pray for the Church on China; strengthen evangelization; intensify spiritual life…These are the main points indicated by Bishop Jin Lu ian, Bishop of the diocese of Shang Hai, in his Pastoral Letter on the anniversary of 400 years of evangelization in the diocese. Bishop Jin divides his letter in two parts, speaking in the first part of the missionary history and the history of evangelization in the diocese, and in the second, of the concrete means of evangelization in our time. According to the Bishop, the formation of the faithful and spiritual life are fundamental for the diocese of Shang Hai, a diocese that has been evangelized and has progressed thanks to an effort and commitment from the laity. “The diocese of Shang Hai has been a diocese of the laity for 400 years.” He also encourages the faithful to “take up arms” with the Rosary, following the indications from the Pope in his Letter of June 30, 2007. “The Pope asks for prayers for all Catholics worldwide, through the intercession of the Virgin of She Shan. We are very proud of this, as Catholics of Shang Hai. We thank the Pope, we feel united to him. We are together at the feet of the Virgin of She Shan, and we should do more and more to imitate the Virgin and not disappoint the Pope.” (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 22/2/2008; righe 17, parole 257)

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Season of Lent for every Christian should mark a turning point, accentuating that change in thought and life which becomes daily in those who truly wish to follow Jesus. In the Gospel the word “daily” is heard many times, for example speaking of the demands of discipleship, the Lord says: “every day” it is necessary to take up the cross and follow Him (cfr. Lk 9, 23). “ Every day ” is synonymous with “totality,” donation, which, because it is “daily”, renews itself and never breaks up, never weakens. Just as running water flows continually and is always fresh and clear, so too the spiritual life: to maintain its vivacity it draws continually from the grace which flows from Jesus. In this sense we clearly understand the necessity to “pray without ceasing”.
A great temptation on the path of conversion is to stop, to “stagnate”: we remain as we are, we do not to renew ourselves, and in doing so deceiving ourselves and others with a “Christianity” consisting of habits and “goals reached”. The journey of Lent invites us to remove these illusions, the word of Jesus resounds louder than ever: “repent and believe in the Gospel”. To be authentic conversion should never stop; the true Christian experiences the dynamics of conversion, like walking behind Jesus, on a path which never stops because it is at the spiritual level, if we stop, we go backwards! “ ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” (Lk 9, 62).
So as not to interrupt our conversion, our journey of ‘becoming’ Christians, the only possibility is daily conversion: denying ourselves, our ambitions every day, with the dynamic power of love. Selfishness has its own dynamics, which is also daily and drives us to satisfy ‘ego’. Only the disciple who gives himself entirely to the Lord, day after day, becomes increasingly similar to his Master and lives in joy, light and love.
If a Christian says he has no joy, light or love then he must make a profound examination of conscience to discern areas where the power of selfishness prevails over the dynamics of conversion.
It is not God who is sparing with himself, or who hesitates to give Himself to us, it is man, as St Teresa of Avila says so well: “ If we attain to the perfect possession of this true love of God, it brings all blessings with it. But so niggardly and so slow are we in giving ourselves wholly to God that we do not prepare ourselves as we should to receive that precious thing which it is His Majesty’s will that we should enjoy only at a great price.” (Life, chapter 11, paragraph 1).
Dying to self costs, but it obtains the greatest result: it allows Jesus to live in us. In fact there can be no dynamics of conversion, without daily “renouncing self” precisely to live for Jesus. The Word of God says clearly that only those who lose themselves, who give themselves entirely to God, truly find Him and enjoy Him here on earth: “ If, however, from there you start searching once more for Yahweh your God, and if you search for him honestly and sincerely, you will find him.” (Deut 4, 29). The Lenten journey is therefore a path of self-giving and trusting in God which culminates at Easter with new birth in Jesus. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, describes this dynamics with the following illuminating words: “ Jesus’ invitation to take up one’s cross and follow him may at first sight seem harsh and contrary to what we hope for, mortifying our desire for personal fulfilment. At a closer look, however, we discover that it is not like this: the witness of the saints shows that in the Cross of Christ, in the love that is given, in renouncing the possession of oneself, one finds that deep serenity which is the source of generous dedication to our brethren, especially to the poor and the needy, and this also gives us joy. The Lenten journey of conversion on which we are setting out today together with the entire Church thus becomes a favourable opportunity, “the acceptable time” (II Cor 6: 2) for renewing our filial abandonment in the hands of God and for putting into practice what Jesus continues to repeat to us: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mk 8: 34) and this is how one ventures forth on the path of love and true happiness. (…)let us ask Our Lady, Mother of God and of the Church, to accompany us on our way through Lent, so that it may be a journey of true conversion. May we let ourselves be led by her, and inwardly renewed we will arrive at the celebration of the great mystery of Christ’s Pasch, the supreme revelation of God’s merciful love.” (Benedict XVI, General Audience 6 February 2008). (Agenzia Fides 20/2/2008; righe 54, parole 792)

ASIA/HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s men and women religious thank the Lord for the gift received

Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) – “Religious life is a light of the Church” was how the Church in Hong Kong wanted to celebrate an event in honour of all those who have dedicated their live to the Lord. According to Kong Ko Bao (the Chinese version of the diocesan bulletin), the men and women religious of Hong Kong are proud to have responded to their vocation to the consecrated life. In the recent celebration of the Day for Consecrated Life in Hong Kong, over 500 men and women members of religious orders came together to give thanks to the Lord for the gift they have received and reflected on their vocation, in an effort, as well, to encourage young people today to be courageous in responding to the Lord’s call. According to the latest edition of the Hong Kong Catholic Church Directory 2008, with statistics from August 31, 2007, in Hong Kong there are: 18 male religious institutes and 27 female, with a total of 223 religious priests and brothers (57 Chinese y 166 foreigners) and 502 religious sisters (347 Chinese y 155 foreigners), 68 deacons (33 Chinese y 35 foreigners), y 12 seminarians. In addition, there are 68 diocesan priests, 248,939 faithful from the area and 104,000 Catholic immigrants, mostly Filipino workers, who offer their services in 53 parishes and chapels. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 20/2/2008; righe 16, parole 221)

ASIA/TAIWAN – Regional Bishops’ Conference of Taiwan makes an invitation to participate in celebrations for 150th anniversary of the Lourdes apparitions

Tai Pei (Agenzia Fides) – The Liturgical Commission of the Regional Bishops’ Conference of Taiwan invited the faithful to actively participate in the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the Lourdes apparitions, in order to gain the indulgence declared by His Holiness Benedict XVI. According to the Christian Life Weekly, a weekly bulletin of the Archdiocese of Tai Pei, the official letter of the Commission says: “all faithful who follow the indications of the Decree of the Apostolic Penitenciary (the Chinese translation by Bishop Wang Yu Rong) may obtain the indeulgence on the occassion of the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the Massabielle Grotto, in Lourdes…” The notification also encourages the Catholics to pray for all people, offering sacrifices for the souls in purgatory. Lastly, it calls for an active participation on behalf of everyone – priests, religious, and laity-in offering their prayers to the Immaculate Mother of God. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 15/2/2008; righe 12, parole 153)

ASIA/CHINA – Mass for Chinese New Year in the Cathedral of Jing Xia attended by non-Christians as well
He Bei (Agenzia Fides) – Many non-Catholics participated in the solemn Eucharistic Celebration in honour of the Chinese New Year that was celebrated in Jing Xia’s Cathedral. They also received the blessing of Bishop Feng Xin Mao and exchanged cordial greetings for the New Year with the Pastor and Catholics present. According to Faith from He Bei, on the first day of the Chinese New Year, the Catholics welcomed many non-Christians to the Cathedral and those invited, in turn, felt that “the Catholics are good people and Catholicism is welcoming and friendly.” The Holy Mass began at 2 pm. Concelebrating with Bishop Feng, were the priests from around the Cathedral’s vicinity, while the other priests travelled to the rural areas in order to offer the Sacraments and send greetings for the New Year on behalf of the Church, to those Catholics who live in the countryside. The celebration was also attended by religious, Catholic laity, and non-Catholics, who seemed to be almost more enthusiastic about the event than the Catholic faithful themselves. Bishop Feng dedicated a portion of his homily to them, encouraging them to draw closer to the Christian faith in order to get to know it better, while recommending that the Catholic faithful open their doors and their hearts to all. The non-Catholics also knelt down in prayer, together with the Catholics, before the sacred images of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph. Following the liturgy, there was a large banquet for all those present, as a sign of Christian love. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 14/2/2008 – righe: 17, parole: 254)

ASIA/CHINA – Formation course for religious women in the diocese of Hai Men: from community life to evangelisation
Hai Men (Agenzia Fides) – Community life, evangelisation, the liturgy, missions, personal formation, and the work of religious life: these are the main themes of the Course in religious formation being sponsored by the sisters of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, in the diocese of Hai Men, in the province of Juang Su. According to Sr. Song Yu Ping, Superior General of the Order, “the course has served for allowing us to study, share, exchange personal impressions, and to take up the work of evangelisation with renewed trust and enthusiasm, towards a new mission. We were 14 religious: some of us do pastoral work in parishes and others were from other diocesan congregations like Han Dan (“Consolation of the Holy Spirit”) and Ning Bo (“Virgen of Purgatory”). We came together to gain strength for evangelisation and reinforcement in the faith. We have also been able to work more closely with the priests, with the goal of improving our collaboration efforts in pastoral work, in promotion of the mission of our diocese, Hai Men.” (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 13/2/2008; righe 13, parole 173)

ASIA/CHINA – Youth of Tai Yuan respond to the Pope’s call: “Let us live the Pauline Year with an active evangelisation.”
Tai Yuan (Agenzia Fides) – “We respond to the Pope’s call to evangelise for the Pauline Year and we commit ourselves to living the Pauline Year in active evangelisation.” This has been the response to the Holy Father Benedict XVI, from hundreds of young people on the diocese of Tai Yuan, in the province of Shan Xi, who participated in the Evangelisation Encounter this past February 2. According to Faith of He Bei, dozens of young people from all different parishes of the diocese participated in the encounter sponsored by a group “Jia Bo” (meaning “good communication”), a new ecclesial group that began August 28, 2007.
In addition to prayer, sharing the Word of God, the Mass, and adoration, the young people shared their experiences from their own parishes, communities, or surroundings where they live, as well as, the universities, factories, or companies where they study and work. Some said that, “we have been able to find Jesus more deeply in prayer and in adoration, through the friends that we have met in this dialogue. We have also offered ourselves to Jesus in the Eucharist, as the Pope has taught us. This has confirmed us in our decision to always follow Jesus.” “Our motto is ‘Feed the soul with the Eucharist, praise the Lord with prayer.’ Our slogan is taken from the words of Fr. Vincent Lebbe: ‘authentic love for others, complete humility, constant joy.’ This will accompany us on our path of Lent and in the Pauline Year.” (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 12/2/2008 – righe 18, parole 248)

在四旬期內的每星期五將舉行拜苦路，因此默主哥耶的祈禱聚會將改在以下日期:

(1) 星期三, 二月十三日 晚上七時半
(2) 星期三, 三月十二日 晚上七時半

請通知以上訊息給默主哥耶的朋友。

Since there will be the Way of the Cross on every Friday during Lent, the Medjugorje Prayer Meeting will be changed to the following days:

(1) February 13th Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
(2) March 12th Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Please spread this news to friends of Medjugorje.

Coadjutor Named for Hong Kong
Bishop Hoping to Promote Unity in China

HONG KONG, JAN. 30, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI today named the auxiliary bishop of Hong Kong to be the diocese’s coadjutor.Bishop John Tong Hon, 68, is thus set to succeed Cardinal Joseph Zen, 76, when he retires. The usual retirement age for bishops is 75. Both prelates were appointed to Hong Kong in 1996.

Bishop Tong, an expert on the Catholic Church in China, said in a statement today that he would try to promote “unity among the different groups of the Catholic Church in China and constructive dialogue among the concerned parties.”

The bishop said Hong Kong “has been playing an indispensable role of being a bridge Church to China.”

“Following the guidelines of the recent letter of our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, to the Church in China, we will do our utmost to carry on our efforts,” he said. “It is my great expectation that the Chinese government will guarantee full religious freedom for Catholics on the mainland, so that they can make greater contributions to society, and in this way our motherland would also enhance its international status.”

This is the first episcopal appointment for Hong Kong since its handover to China in1997.

John Tong was born in Hong Kong in 1939, and received his priestly formation in Macau, Hong Kong and Rome. He was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI in 1966.

The Holy See’s communiqué on the appointment said there are some 344,000 Catholics in Hong Kong, served by 283 priests, eight permanent deacons and 811 religious.

The diocese will organize a Mass on Feb. 10 to invoke God’s blessing on Bishop Tong as coadjutor.

ZENIT, The world seen from Rome
News Agency

University Aims to Build Culture of Unity
Institute to Launch Master’s Program This Fall
LOPPIANO, Italy, JAN. 23, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The lay Focolare movement is looking to offer a unique contribution to the culture of unity — the Sophia University Institute, set to open this fall.
Beginning in the 2008-2009 academic year, the institute will offer a two-year master’s degree in the foundations and perspectives of a culture of unity. A doctoral degree in the same field is being planned.
Chiara Lubich, founder and president of the Focolare movement, conceived the idea of the university, which she began to promote with an international group of professors.
The institute, erected by pontifical decree on Dec. 7, 2007, will be located in the Focolare city of Loppiano, near Florence. Piero Coda, professor of systematic theology at Rome’s Pontifical Lateran University and president of the Italian Theological Association, is president of the institute.
Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, signed the decree. In a letter to Lubich accompanying the declaration, he underscored the novelty of the institute, “which grows from the roots of the spirituality of unity and from the rich experiences of the movement.”
He expressed his best wishes for “this important project, well-rooted in the academic tradition, but at the same time courageous and looking to the future.”In a Jan. 15 meeting with Focolare priests of the Mariapolis Center of Castel Gandolfo, the Pope’s secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, defined the institute as “a gift for the Church and for the society of our time,” pointing out its “objectives of communion,” above all the decidedly interdisciplinary character, the focus on the “formation of leaders” and the prospect of influence in the fields of “politics, economics, science and philosophy.”
A Focolare spokesperson, Carla Cotignoli, told ZENIT that “from the very beginning [Lubich] had the intuition that her charism would create a new teaching and now she sees this dream fulfilled. She has worked hard in the last year to promote this institute.”
Cotignoli explained that the institute will crystallize the link between “life and thought” and for this reason was born at Loppiano, a place where the members of the movement live and work in community. “[Loppiano] is a sketch for a new society and it was natural for the institute to begin there,” she said.
Confronting complexity
First-year master’s students will focus on theology, philosophy, the sciences of social living and logical-scientific rationality.
Second-year students will be able to choose among philosophical-theological and political-economic courses.
A Focolare press statement explained that the institute will be “an academic laboratory of formation, study and research with a strong relational structure in the light of the Gospel — an innovative occasion for human and cultural growth.”
The statement added that the institution will bring together “study and experience within a community of life and thought, in which the relationship between persons is founded on the basis of the relationship between disciplines.”
The studies, research and lectures will aim to establish ongoing dialogue between professors and students.
The course of studies, the communiqué added, “intends to confer a solid cultural competence, of a humanistic and anthropological character, valuing the knowledge already acquired in the various university disciplines and promoting their integration with new and specific competence of a interdisciplinary, intercultural and relational character.”
The objective of the institute is to form leaders and academics who are “prepared to confront the complexity of today’s world with intellectual ability and interdisciplinary, intercultural and relational competence.”

在聖母領報堂的2008年2月份的默主哥耶祈禱聚會將會改為第三個星期五舉行 (不是以往的第2個星期五)。
時間: 晚上7時半

The monthly Medjugorje Prayer Meeting in the Church of the Annunciation will be held on the 3rd Friday (instead the usual 2nd Friday) in the month of February 08.
Time: 7:30 p.m.

往默主哥耶祈禱目錄