CO_Mar17_WEB

DIOCESAN NEWS
Wing and a prayer for Year of the Rooster
By Jordan Grantham
CHINESE NEW YEAR started with
a bang on 29 January this year at St
Monica’s Parish, North Parramatta,
where the Chinese Chaplaincy has found its
spiritual home.
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv was the
principal celebrant for the Sunday Mass,
which was concelebrated by Fr Fernando
Montano MG, Parish Priest and Chaplain
to the Chinese Catholic community, and
Fr Gonzalo Garcia Duran, a Mexican priest
visiting from Toowoomba.
In his homily, Bishop Vincent sent
a message of hope and renewal for the
year ahead: “In Chinese culture, as in
Vietnamese too, the Lunar New Year
or Spring Festival is probably the most
culturally important festival in the
calendar,” Bishop Vincent said.
“These traditions that give identity
and meaning to us need to be valued
and safeguarded.
“Like the rooster that brings in the promise
of a new dawn, may we also be people who
bring light and hope to others.”
A spectacular Lion Dance welcomed
Bishop Vincent to the special celebration
at the conclusion of Mass. The Lion Dance
is performed at auspicious occasions to
symbolise good wishes, joy and especially
fortune in the year ahead.
Congregants were eager to receive
packets of ‘lucky money’ and a blessing as
they exited the church, which is another
symbol of blessings and good wishes.
Bishop Vincent awoke the lion by painting
red dye on to its eyes, which youth from
the Chinese chaplaincy animated and
accompanied with percussion music.
Excited parishioners then ‘fed’ their
envelopes of ‘lucky money’ to the lion,
to bring them ‘good luck’ in the New
Lunar Year.
Fr Fernando donned a traditional
Chinese coat and demonstrated his
linguistic flair in the parish hall afterwards.
Hundreds of people enjoyed a well-laid
Chinese luncheon.
Amusing games, competitions and a
traditional Chinese instrumental ensemble
entertained the gathered community.
Fr Fernando was surprised with a
birthday cake to celebrate his birthday on 1
February. Everyone sang Happy Birthday in
Cantonese, then Fr Gonzalo Garcia Duran
sang in Spanish.
This was only the beginning of festivities.
A grand banquet was held at the Phoenix
Restaurant Parramatta in the evening.
The Lion Dance was repeated with
everyone wanting to make a donation by
‘feeding the lion’.
Louise O’Donnell, Principal of St Monica’s
Primary School, joined in the festivities.
Bishop Vincent Long joined Fr Fernando Montano and the Chinese Catholic community for their Lunar New Year
festivities. Photos: Jordan Grantham.
Seminarians from the Diocese of
Parramatta’s Holy Spirit Seminary filled a
table and shared in the raucous fun of the
night. They befriended and made a good
impression on the young adults of the
Chinese Chaplaincy.
Bishop Vincent, Sr Anna and
Sr Pauline participated fully in the
games of the night, including the
‘Dumpling of Fortune’, which involves the
passing of a dumpling along thick straws
held in the mouth.
Youth MCs Bruce Lau and Cheryl Wong
entertained the crowd with traditional
Cantonese jokes, much to the delight of the
community’s elders.
Albert Yuen is the Chairman of the
Chinese Chaplaincy Pastoral Council
and together with the whole community
put much effort into the organisation of
the celebrations.
“We are glad that our community is under
the rules of the Church,” he said. “We are
mostly Cantonese speaking and originally
from Hong Kong.”
To view photos from the day, visit:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/
parracatholic/albums/
26 CatholicOutlook MARCH 2017 www.catholicoutlook.org