On the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, January 28, 2012, the new Dominican Center of Institutional Studies of the Province of Our Lady of the Rosary was solemnly inaugurated at St. Dominic’s Priory, Macau. The new center is called St. Dominic Center of Studies.
The inauguration program began at ten in the morning with an Academic Act, the first 2012 Aquinas Lecture, and continued with the celebration of the Eucharist in honor of our brother St. Thomas Aquinas. The Academic Act started with the Opening Address of Fr. Javier Gonzalez, OP. Prior Provincial of Our Lady of the Rosary Province. It continued with the Reading of the Decree of Fr. Bruno Cadoré, OP, Master of the Dominican Order Establishing the Center of Institutional Studies by Fr. Alejandro Salcedo, OP, Prior, St. Dominic’s Priory, Macau.
The Inaugural Lecture entitled “Place of Study in the Dominican Order†was delivered by Fr. Fausto Gomez, OP, Regent of Studies of this Dominican Province, and professor of the University of Saint Joseph, Macau and the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. The Response was given by Professor Anna Chan, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs of the University of Saint Joseph. (By the way, the School of Christian Studies of the University of Saint Joseph collaborates closely with our Center in the theological formation of the Dominican students in Macau). The program ended with the joyful singing of the Te Deum.
The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas was presided by the Bishop of Macau, His Excellency the Most Rev. José Lai, DD. It was concelebrated by 18 priests: Dominicans from the communities of Hong Kong and Macau and other secular and religious priests working in the Diocese of Macau. After the proclamation of the Gospel, Fr. Jarvis Sy, OP, Master of Students, read the appointment of Fr. Jose Luis de Miguel, OP, as the new Moderator of Studies of Our Lady of the Rosary Province. Afterwards, Fr. Jose Luis made the Profession of Faith and the Oath of Fidelity – required by the normative of the Church. He then pronounced the Homily focused on his new responsibilities as Moderator of Studies. After Communion, Bishop José Lai spoke some words of gratitude, joy and encouragement. The Mass ended with the singing of “Joyful Friar.â€
About sixty persons attended the Academic Act and the sixty plus twenty more participated in the Holy Eucharist. About forty of them were Dominican priests and brothers from the two communities in Hong Kong and the one of Macau. Also present were about twenty sisters and aspirants of the Congregation of the Missionary Dominican Sisters of the Rosary in Macau. Some of the people who attend our Sunday Mass also attended the Mass in honor of St. Thomas.
After the celebration of the Mass, all the people were invited to a simple, varied and tasteful lunch.
As Fr. Javier said, it was indeed a day to remember, a historic day. (JLC)