INAUGURATION IN MACAU: St. Paul's New Building

  

 St Paul’s School yesterday inaugurated its new “Bishop Domingos Lam Memorial Building”. The school’s principal, Alejandro Salcedo, declared: “A new school building does not just happen. It takes months of planning and organization, optimism and perseverance, and unfortunately, some frustration also.” He thanked the Education Department and the Macau Foundation for providing the MOP 56,796,000 and MOP
37,660,000 funding respectively.
“I must say that without your funding this project would not have seen the light.” The new building comprises
five floors, where classrooms for the youngest students of the kindergarten section as well as for the high school
pupils are located. These include laboratories, communitarian rooms, where the students can do homework
on their “tablet pcs”, and craft corners for the youngest.
St Paul’s School is a diocesan school run by the Dominican fathers, which according to the director, Mr Salcedo, provides “the beautiful experience of a Catholic education”. The director also explained that the school is committed to “modern teaching and learning for the twenty-first century” and will therefore certainly be aided by the new building’s facilities. “We are proud of our past but it is a must for us to detach ourselves from it and embark on a new educational dimension”, he stated, adding: “St Paul’s School is well known for the immersion of technology in our educational programs. However, for us to “tech” or not to “tech” education is not the question. The real question and the real aim for us is to harvest the power of technology to meet the challenges of the 21st century and make education relevant, responsive, and effective for anyone, anywhere, anytime.”
Mr Salcedo then revealed the reason behind the name of the building. “Bishop Domingos Lam was one of a kind. I was very close to him and if I had to describe him I would say that he was an ascetic, joyful, wise, actively involved with the physical and spiritual welfare of his people, and he was a dedicated and effective teacher. Bishop Lam was very fond of St Paul’s School. On many occasions he used to drop by or call just to see how we were doing.”
Chief Executive Chui Sai On attended the ceremony and after the inauguration, the Secretary for Social
Affairs and Culture, Mr Cheong U and the DSEJ director Ms Leong Lai, were given a tour of the new building.

 

the first religious profession

Herewith, please, find some of the pictures taken on November 25, 2012, during the first religious profession of Brothers Modesto, Nazaret, Naw San, Pablo and Glenn, at the Priory of St. Albert, Hong Kong. They made the profession in the presence of Fr. Jarvis H. Sy, Vicar of the Province. Present at the ceremony were some of the Brothers residing in Hong Kong and Macau. Because it took place during the Sunday Mass a number of Brothers could not be present due to their apostolic commitments. 

Ajuntamos algunas fotografías tomadas el 25 de noviembre durante la primera profesión de Fray Modesto, Fray Nazaret, Fray Pablo, Fray Francis, Fray Glenn, en el convento de San Alberto. Recibió la profesión Fr. Jarvis H. Sy, Vicario de Provincia, en presencia de un nutrido grupo de hermanos residentes en Hong Kong y Macao. Por ser domingo algunos frailes no pudieron asistir debido a sus compromisos pastorales.

 

 

Invitation to ordination

Invitation to ordination

 

Invitation for my Solemn Profession

 

 

The Solemn vows and renew profession.

     Brs. Philip Soreh and  John Bosco, who at present belong to our community in Rome, are going to pronounce there solemn vows on the 7th of Octobre.
     Br. Joaquim Li is going to renew his profession.
     Let us pray for them.

BAJO SU MIRADA MISERICORDIOSA

 

UNDER HER
MERCIFUL LOOK

      One of the best Dominican traditions that we keep is the signing of the Salve Regina at the end of our day. It contains a touching request: “¡Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte!” And she does turn her eyes toward us because community pleads cannot go unnoticed. What is what she sees? I just wonder; most probably no other thing than the reality of our persons and that of our praying communities. But certainly from a different perspective than ours: it is the vision of some maternal eyes that wink together with God´s merciful eyes. That is why her look, far from causing embarrassment, gives us comfort and encouragement.
      May these same feelings of comfort and encouragement, translated into attitudes of faith and hope, continue being present in our daily lives. Such is my wish and greeting to each one of the Brethren of the Province on the occasion of the annual festivity of Our Lady of the Rosary, our Patroness.
      I cannot find anything better to wish than this because it seems to me that all of us are in need of such maternal solicitude. Let each one later on perceive and live it in a unique, intimate and personal way. Each 7th of October seems to be the same (same liturgical celebration, same prayers, same homilies, same greetings and reasons for joy…), yet we ourselves are not the same every year; our pilgrimage through life changes us continually. The liturgical calendar is circular, while our life is not. May this consideration help us understand “the sacrament of the present moment!”
      To each and every one of the Brethren, whatever the season of life may currently be crossing, my encouraging words and sincere congratulations. May Our Lady of the Rosary continue keeping us under her merciful look, blessing us and leading our lives. Happy Feastday!

Javier González, O.P.
Hong Kong, 7 October 2012.

BAJO SU MIRADA MISERICORDIOSA

      Una de las mejores tradiciones dominicanas que conservamos es el canto comunitario de la Salve Regina al final del día. Contiene un ruego muy particular: “¡Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte!” Y Ella esos ojos vuelve, porque una petición comunitaria no puede pasar desapercibida. ¿Qué ve? No lo sé; seguramente no otra cosa que la realidad de nuestras personas y la de nuestra comunidad suplicante. Pero eso sí, ve la realidad de nuestras vidas no como la vemos nosotros sino como la ven unos ojos maternales que se miran en los ojos misericordiosos de Dios. Por eso es una mirada que no avergüenza, sino que, por el contrario, conforta y anima.
Pues bien, esos mismos sentimientos de consuelo y de ánimo, traducidos en actitudes de fe y de esperanza, han de estar presentes cada día en nuestras vidas. Ese es mi deseo y esa es mi felicitación a cada uno de los hermanos de la Provincia con motivo de la fiesta anual de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, nuestra Patrona.
      No encuentro otro deseo mejor porque me parece que todos estamos necesitados de ese cuidado maternal. Que cada cual después en particular lo perciba y viva de un modo íntimo, personal. Porque aunque cada siete de octubre todo parezca igual (misma celebración litúrgica, mismas oraciones, mismas homilías, mismas felicitaciones y motivos de alegría...), el hecho es que nosotros no somos los mismos; nuestra realidad individual es muy distinta cada año. Y es que el calendario litúrgico es rotativo pero nuestro devenir vital no lo es. ¡Que esto nos haga pensar un poco en “el sacramento del momento presente”!
      A todos y cada uno de los hermanos, sea cual sea la estación de la vida en que se encuentre, mi palabra de ánimo y sincera felicitación. Que la Virgen del Rosario mantenga su mirada misericordiosa sobre nosotros, siga bendiciéndonos y liderando nuestras vidas. ¡Feliz fiesta!

Javier González, O.P.
Hong Kong, 7 de octubre 2012.