End of School Year 2013-2014 – The Faculty of Christian Studies of the University of Saint Joseph closed its second semester on June 27, 2014. St. Paul School for its part will end the year by the end of July, 2014. Our Priory began its relaxed summer schedule on June 30, 2014.
Summer Time – For the brothers, summer time, July-August, is the space to do something other than pursuing their theological studies. For most of the simply professed brothers, these months are time for pastoral exposure, or for visiting their respective family, or for attending some specific courses. The brothers therefore will be spending their summer time in different places and doing various activities: four will be in Thailand and other four in Myanmar for exposure; three will attend a Dominican formation course for the Asia/Pacific Region in Indonesia, and four others will be on vacation with their respective family; the remaining five will stay in Macau or in Hong Kong attending different formation programs. For their part, of the eight priests of the Priory, some will go on vacation with their respective family, some will stay in Macau, and one will go to Manila for medical check-up.
Of the twenty students of theology, three are finishing their theological studies and their written theses, and will soon be assigned to other communities in Asia. Four newly simply professed brothers will join our community by the middle of July.
The 2014-2015 academic year of the University of Saint Joseph will start on September 8, 2014. By then, all our students – this time twenty one – will be home and ready to start their classes at the Faculty of Religious Studies of the University.
To one and all: Relaxed, enjoyable and fruitful summertime. See you all at our Priory – healthy, enthusiastic and hopeful -, “when summer is goneâ€! (FGB)
Last Friday May 16, 2014 The Dominican administered Escola Sao Paolo blessed and inaugurated the Fra Angelico Exhibition Hall on the first floor of the REception Hall of the School. The Bishop of Macau led the guests and well wishers who congregated at the Foyer to commence the ceremony. Among the guests were delegates from the Education and Youth Department, School Principals of the Diocesan Schools, Fr, Provincial, Fr. Christopher Chor, Supervisor of Rosaryhill School, Fr. Peter Stillwell REctor of the University of Sao Jose Macau, faculty members, friars of the Priory and friends of the School.
The main aim of the hall is to nurture a space for the teachers, staff and students of the school as well as the city of Macau to express their artistic sentiments. The gallery hall is open every way and is open to the public.
The 2014 Saint Thomas Lecture invitation had just come out from the press…
Since 28 January, the liturgical feast of the Angelic Doctor always falls on the week of the CNY, the brothers at Chapter had decided that the celebration and the traditional Academic function be moved to another date. Following the tradition of PUST Rome, it was decided to take the old date of his feast day…his death day which is on 7 March.
As in the previous years, the Academic Act will be held at the All Purpose Hall of the Escola Sao Paolo on Rampa dos Cavaleiros. The invited Guest Speaker is Fr. Felicisimo Martinez Diez, Professor of the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca and guest lecturer of Universidade de Sao Jose Macao. The topic of the lecture is :
TRUTH, MEANING AND FAITH: HOW TO APPROACH THESE QUESTIONS?
After the Academic Act, the Solemn Mass will be officiated by the local Ordinary of Macau, Msgr. Jose Lai.
Reception will follow at the School Auditorium adjacent to the School Chapel.
 Â
    A week long basic catechism seminar was held during the time break of Chinese Lunar New Year at St. Dominic’s Priory, Macau. The lectures started on February 3 and ended on February 7, 2014. The special lecturer was Ms Helene Reichl, a consecrated lay person, who works for the Kingdom in Taiwan; she originally comes from Germany. Twenty two simply professed brothers, including two from St. Albert Convent in Hong Kong, participated in the interesting and fruitful week-long course.
     The major aim of the program was to enhance the knowledge of the Dominican brothers on the the catechism, an essential subject matter for our future apostolate as Dominican priests.
     The two-hour daily sessions started at ten in the morning and ended at noon. The daily lecture opened with a song. The lectures were mostly based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). Some themes were underlined and presented by the lecturer, in particular liturgical ministries, the liturgy of the Mass and its celebration according to the standards of Vatican II.
     Ms. Helene, a renowned speaker on the subject, mixed wonderfully the doctrinal content of the lectures with her own varied experiences during her missionary work in Taiwan. She also shared with us the questions raised to her by non-Catholics. According to her, it is crucial for those who are preparing to carry out the mission of Christ, to acquire a deep knowledge of the following points: the celebration of the Mass, the liturgy of the Hours, the general instruction of the Roman Missal, the importance of the Creed, the detailed instruction of the liturgy of the Mass as well as the different liturgical ministries. Every lecture was followed by a lively open forum.
     The Dominican community is very grateful to Ms Helene Reichl for giving us her time and sharing her wisdom and life. By the way, Ms. Helene is the founder of the Epiphany Covenant Community of consecrated lay women. She had been ministering in Taiwan for over fifty years.
Thanks to the Holy Spirit, the course ended up successfully and meaningfully.
Bro. Mikele Gei, O.P
St. Paul’s School celebrated its feast, the solemnity of the Conversion of Saint Paul, which this year was held on January 24, Friday. The multi-faceted commemoration consisted of the celebration of the Eucharist, presentation of a cultural program, and a family banquet.
The celebration of the holy Mass was presided by the Bishop of Macau, the Most Rev. Jose Lai, DD, and concelebrated by nine Dominican priests from the communities of Macau and Hong Kong and two other priests close to the Dominicans. Held at the main auditorium of the school, it was attended by about nine hundred students, and academic and administrative staff.
The short and entertaining cultural program of songs and dances was opened by Fr. Alejandro Salcedo, OP, Director of the Escola Sao Paulo, who expressed the deep gratitude of the school to all the teaching staff and students, his Dominican brothers, and the benefactors and friends of the school.
The banquet at a well-known restaurant and convention center was a family affair with good food, and spontaneous and excellent singing by some teachers and alumni, including our brother Fr. Athanasius, OP, Director of the school’s Campus Ministry and of the radio station “Saint Paul.â€
Escola Sao Paulo or Saint Paul’s School is a Catholic school of the Diocese of Macau run by our Dominican brothers. It is a leading school among the thirty four Catholic schools of Macau. About two hundred and eighty (full or part time) teachers impart lessons to and walk with over three thousand students of kinder, primary and secondary schools as they pursue their studies at St. Paul’s.
 
A member of our Province defended his thesis for his Master in Religious Education on December 5, 2013 at St. Joseph Seminary in Macau before a tribunal of three professors from the Faculty of Christian Studies of the University of Saint Joseph.
Fr. Joseph Cheng Xiuguo, OP, defended his masteral thesis entitled Towards a Canonically Configured Episcopal Conference of the Catholic Church in the People’s Republic of China. The Tribunal of Examiners was composed of the following professors: Arnold Monera, Chairman; Joao Eleuterio, Chief Examiner, and Javier Gonzalez, OP, Supervisor. After his successful presentation and defense, Fr. Joseph received the grade of Magna Cum Laude.
Fr. Joseph is a member of the Convent of St. Albert, Rosaryhill, Hong Kong. Some of his Dominican brothers in Macau attended his defense.
Fr. Joseph, you did a great work: Congratulations!
