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Newsletter of the District of Asia August 1997 Editorial Thank you. Yes, dear readers, thank you for your prayers and sacrifices. It is not possible to express to each one individually our gratitude, let it be expressed here globally. Grace, invisible by nature, silent prayers, hidden sacrifices, all of these in the mysterious communion of saints bear their visible fruits, soon or late, here or there, near or far. The work being done by our priests in this Far East could not be without the unceasing flood of such graces, prayers, sacrifices. At times, it is almost tangible that someone has obviously prayed or sacrificed himself. Events which have marked us these last weeks are the following: Hongkong, China. Fr. McMahon was able to say Mass last July 12-13 in this regained Chinese land. Exteriorly, two weeks after the hand-over, very little has changed. Time will certainly manifest, though, the changes in leaders, in new ideas and principles. So far, we can still enter with our soutane and have our holy Mass quite peacefully for the group of 25-30 domestic helpers. It makes me think of the apostolate among the slaves of imperial Rome of the first Century. Please God, soon we will be able to repeat Tertullian’s words: “We are but of yesterday and we have filled every place among you - cities, islands, fortresses, towns, market places, the very camp, tribes, companies, palaces, senate forum - we have left nothing to you but the temples of your gods.” (Apol. XXXVII) In the Philippines, we have begun offering the Holy Mass in the centre of the central group of islands, here, called the Visayas. Visits are now more regular to Cebu, where Magellan planted the first Cross, where the first Mass was said in 1521, and the nearby island of Bohol, a stronghold of Catholicism where one of our newly ordained deacons come from. An attempt to reorganized our Mass centers throughout our district according to their size is actually enabling us to concentrate more time with our pre-seminarians and to make new contacts throughout our 7,007 islands. Readers certainly have heard of Corregidor, where the American and Japanese tug-a-warred during World War II. Divine Providence brought us there recently to visit some of the 300 inhabitants maintaining the facilities for the government. Poor souls, almost totally abandoned spiritually! The Conciliar priests visit regularly every 2-3 months, in between he sends a lay man to take his place at the altar . . . By the time you read these lines, Bishop Lazo may already have brought the sacrament of Confirmation to some of them. After Corregidor, Bishop Lazo will continue his Confirmation tour in Mindanao, in General Santos City and Marbel. After which, he will be accompanied by some fortunate pilgrims all the way to Fatima, for the pilgrimage organized by the Society of Saint Pius X in honor of the 80th anniversary of Fatima. Thus, Bishop Lazo will join his Episcopal voice to the four bishop of the Society, and perhaps also Bishop Rangel of Campos, Brazil to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We recommend these important days, August 21-22, to your prayers as well as other great intentions for the various countries of the District. Our dear Father Thomas Blute has been newly appointed prior of the Indian Priory, swapping place with Father Mark Vernoy who will be most welcome here in Manila. Last June two of our young ladies left for Europe to test their vocations, one with the Society’s Oblate in Menzingen, Switzerland, the other with the Contemplative Dominicans in Avrillé, in Northwest France. Finally, we are about to send 2 or 3 of our pre-seminarians to Winona this September because of Visa restrictions in Australia. Pray for their perseverance to do God’s will in the pursuit of a state of life so much in opposition to this worldly world. This Newsletter presents to you a small dossier on the issue of the New Mass (Novus Ordo Missae - N.O.M.). It wishes to be a tool of conquest to enlighten confused minds on the evils of this corrupted rite.
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