Your Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Dean of the College of Cardinals and Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Your Eminences, Your Excellencies, Reverend Fathers, Distinguished guests, dear brothers and sisters. Before this Eucharistic celebration comes to a close, I wish, on behalf of the Diocese of Macau, to express my heartfelt gratitude to all our brothers and sisters and friends who have joined us for this important occasion. First of all, we give thanks to God for his loving care over these four hundred and fifty years. We also remember with gratitude the dedication of the generations of missionaries, pastors and faithful. With faith, perseverance and love, they sowed the seeds of the Gospel in this land. Through their pastoral ministry, educational missions, charitable works and care for the vulnerable, they shared to the life and growth of Macau.
Our thanksgiving today is also a tribute to their memory and their legacy. We are deeply grateful to Pope Leo XIV for personally sending us a letter of congratulations. The Holy Father encourages us to proclaim Christ, to serve every person, and to promote fraternity through charity. We wish to put his encouragement into practice through concrete actions in our daily lives.
Cardinal Tagle, thank you for coming to Macau to preside at today’s Eucharist and to share with us the joy of faith. I also ask you kindly to convey to the Holy Father the filial love, gratitude and prayers of all the faithful of the Diocese of Macau. We likewise thank the cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests from different countries and regions who have joined us in prayer, bearing witness to the communion of the Church. I also offer my sincere thanks to our distinguished guests, institutions, associations and benefactors. We are grateful to all sectors of society for their continued support, which enables the Church to work hand in hand with the wider community in serving the people and contributing to the good of Macau.
My special thanks go to the planning and organising teams, the parishes, religious communities and schools; to the liturgical ministers and the conductors, singers and musicians of the combined choir; and to all the staff and volunteers responsible for hospitality, venue decoration, sound, communications, security and logistics. Much of your work takes place behind the scenes, yet it has enabled us to participate in this Mass with peace of mind and in good order. Thank you for your patience, cooperation and dedication, and for all your hard work! I also thank all the faithful, teachers and students gathered here. Your prayers, singing and participation have enriched our thanksgiving today. In this family of faith, every person’s presence is cherished, and everyone’s contribution is needed.
Dear brothers and sisters, this four hundred and fiftieth anniversary is a time to look back on our history and a starting point for our journey into the future. Our motto, “We Build Future with an Eye to the Past; Witness to the Heritage, Mission in the World”, must be put into practice in our daily lives. Our Thanksgiving Mass is drawing to a close, but our mission continues. Let us take the peace we have received today back to our families, bring a spirit of communion into our parishes, and share Christ’s mercy with those in need, proclaiming the Gospel through concrete acts of charity.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of All Saints, accompany us on our journey. May the Lord continue to guide the Diocese of Macau and keep us faithful to the mission he has entrusted to us. May God bless each one of you and bless our beloved Macau. Thank you!