Chinese New Year officially began this year on February 1, 2022. Today’s Eucharistic celebration gives our community a means of offering worship to God in thanksgiving for all the blessings we have received in the past year. In addition, Chinese New Year gives us the opportunity to make a solemn tribute to our deceased parents, grandparents and ancestors. By observing this annual ceremony, we set a reminder to our community, especially our youth, of our cultural values – that it is very important for us to respect our elders, both living and deceased.
Many people do not understand the Chinese tradition of paying tribute to our ancestors; even those of Chinese descent but have been heavily influenced by the ignorance and prejudice of others have criticized the ceremony as “ancestor worship.” They say that because of the bowing, the incense and the offering of tributes, that it is a pagan ceremony. But these same critics make no effort to try to understand that bowing is the traditional way of showing respect, and that the ceremony is based on how the Chinese culture expresses love and respect for one’s forebears.
Origin of the Practice of Veneration of Ancestors in Chinese Parishes in the Catholic Church
The ceremony for the “veneration of ancestors” by Chinese Catholics was officially authorized by Pope Pius XII thru his decree Plane Compertum Est on December 8, 1939. It was not until 1971 that Paul Pin Cardinal Yu officially advocated the Chinese New Year’s “veneration of ancestors” ceremony. It was expanded in 1972 and received enthusiastic responses by Chinese people from all walks of life in many places.
According to Cardinal Yu, “Reverence to Heaven and Veneration of Ancestors” are both rooted in the traditional Chinese culture. “Reverence to Heaven” means giving worship to God; “Veneration of Ancestors” means keeping alive the memory of our ancestors. I especially promote this practice in order to help us enrich our cultural education and heighten our moral standards. It is also one of the ideals that Christians should seek and pursue.
The year-end contribution statements for calendar year 2021 are now available. If you have not yet received your contribution statement, please send us an email at info@hnojatl.org. Thank you for all your support!
Attention Parish Council members: The Parish Council will have its monthly meeting for February next Sunday after Mass.
Prayer List：Zheng Zhiming 、Wang Dacheng 、Carolyn Johnson 、Wang Shuangsan 、Pan Bo Hao 、Long Guorui 、Zhang Qiang 、Xu Taicheng 、Qiu Laihao。