“How good, how delightful it is
to live as brothers and sisters
all together†(Ps 133:1).
On November 29, 2013, Pope Francis declared the year 2015 as the Church’s year dedicated to consecrated life. The Year of Consecrated Life opens in Rome on November 30, 2014, the First Sunday of Advent. In Macau, the Year begins the evening of November 29 with a Prayer-Vigil in the Cathedral.
The liturgical Prayer-Vigil will be presided by the Bishop of Macau, D. Joseph Lai, DD. It will start at seven-thirty in the evening (7:30 pm) with the Solemn First Vespers of the First Sunday of Advent, and include a Liturgy of the Word with two biblical readings followed by two short reflections and a meditative pause. Then Mary’s Song, the magnificat will be sung and a special Prayer of the Faithful shall be recited. The Hymn of the Year of Consecrated Life will crown the joyful inauguration of the Year of Consecrated Life in Macau. The different parts of the Vigil will be conducted alternately in Cantonese and English.
All religious women and men – over two hundred (200) – are cordially invited to attend and participate. The religious event is also open to lay faithful. A simple agape will follow the liturgical celebration.
The three objectives of the celebration of the Year of Consecrated Life are the following: first, to provide help to religious women and men at a time of crises in the Church and in the world; second, to “evangelize†the vocation, and third, to commemorate two key anniversaries related to the Second Vatican Council, namely, the 50th anniversary of the closing of Vatican II, and the 50th anniversary of publication of the conciliar Decree on the renewal of consecrated life Perfectae Caritatis.
Pope Francis announced that 2015 would be the Year of Consecrated Life, on September 29, 2013 at the end of an important meeting he had with the Union of Superiors General in Rome. In the unique conversation the Holy Father had with the 120 Superiors of male institutes the Pope said: “I am also a religious.†Your testimony is “a testimony of prophecy,†which coincides “with holiness.†The Pope continued: The religious men and women are called to live “religious brotherhood and sisterhood,†“to awaken the world,†to re-evaluate “the inculturation of their charism,†to practice “intercultural dialogue,†and to give importance to “the educational mission of schools and universities.†Moreover, Pope Francis underlined, a few times through the conversation, witnessing: “What I expect of you is to give witness,†with a witnessing which entails “generosity, detachment, sacrifice, self-forgetfulness in order to care for others.†Do not forget the poor, the Pope asked the Superiors General: “Some real time of contact with the poor is necessary.†Pope Francis closed the three-hour-conversation with the religious superiors with these words: “Thank you for what you do and for your spirit of faith and your service. Thank you for your witness and also for the humiliations through which you have had to pass.â€
The Year of Consecrated Life is a golden opportunity for all the religious men and women of different Orders, Congregations and Institutes to gratefully remember their past, be sorry for the “apostolic failures†in their respective congregation’s past and present, and joyfully hope in a promising future by being authentic witnesses of Christ in the present, that is, by “living the present passionately†– as people seduced by Christ.
The Year of Consecrated Life will close all over the world on February 2, 2016 with the celebration of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which is also the yearly day of Consecrated Life. Through 2015, consecrated women and men will hold different activities – retreats, pilgrimages, lectures, prayers, exhibits, etc. – for a fruitful celebration and continuing renewal of consecrated life in the Church.
The program of activities of the Year of Consecrated Life in Macau is organized by the Associations of Religious Men and of Religious Women. Besides the opening, both Associations of consecrated persons will prepare and carry out through 2015 other appropriate programs, including some lectures on consecrated life, and especial celebrations around Christmas and Easter.
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
the messenger announcing peace, of
the messenger of good news, who
proclaims salvation†(Is 52:7).