In honor of the Pope's "Year of the Family," the Macau Diocese has launched a series of initiatives to strengthen marriage and family life for local Catholics in the former Portuguese colony.
Family workshops, a seminar on the history of the Church in Macau, a basketball competition between parents and their children, and the sale of facemasks to raise funds for various church projects are being organized, reports Fides news agency.
A family gathering was organized by the diocese in March to celebrate Pope Francis' famous apostolic exhortation on marriage and family life “Amoris Laetitia” (Joy of Love).
Macau's Bishop Stephen Lee said the local church will spend the year contemplating the life and role of St. Joseph in the Holy Family of Nazareth.
On March 19, 2021, the solemnity of St. Joseph, Pope Francis established the Year of the Family, the fifth anniversary of the publication of “Amoris Laetitia.”
Pope Francis explained that he hopes through the Year of the Family to help Catholics strengthen their faith and live God's joy more fully in their families.
In June 2022, the 10th World Meeting of Families will be held in Rome with Pope Francis attending.
From 1557 to 1999, Macau was under Portuguese rule and is known as the "Las Vegas of the East" for its vast gaming and gambling industry.
Macau's 452-year-old diocese has rarely seen Portuguese and Chinese Catholics mix, reflecting their separation in society due to linguistic and cultural differences.
Macau served as a gateway for foreign missionaries and traders entering mainland China for centuries.
Macau became the first Catholic diocese in the Far East when the Vatican created it in 1676, covering an area from Japan to Southeast Asia.
More than 100 dioceses have been carved out of the Macau Diocese since then.
On Macau Island, there are an estimated 700,000 people, including 30,000 Catholics scattered across nine parishes.
There are 32 education institutes and about 50 non-profit organizations within the Macau Diocese. - Anbu Selvam
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