By Tom Tracy - Florida Catholic

Photography: TOM TRACY | FC

FORT LAUDERDALE | For many of the Chinese Americans gathered here recently it was a homecoming of sorts. For others, it was a chance to hear the relatively short but important history of South Florida’s Chinese Catholic community.

Miami Archbishop Emeritus John C. Favalora joined Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Ignatius Wang of San Francisco Aug. 14 for a Mass, luncheon and cultural celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the Chinese Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Miami.

St. Jerome Parish in Fort Lauderdale hosted the events, with some of the original members of the community on hand along with several of its founding leadership, which includes Archbishop Favalora in his capacity as shepherd of the archdiocese at that time.

Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski was traveling at the time of the anniversary and unable to attend the gathering.

“I am very happy that (Archbishop Wenski) was busy so that I can be here because I was the one that founded this apostolate in the archdiocese,” Archbishop Favalora said. “However, I must give (Archbishop Wenski) credit because at that time he was in charge of all the various cultural groups and he was the one who brought to my attention the fact that we had Chinese people who needed Mass in their own language, so (Archbishop Wenski) is really the one who founded it,” Archbishop Favalora said.

Noting with humor that his Chinese language skills were “a bit rusty,” Archbishop Favalora invited Bishop Wang to celebrate the Mass.

Bishop Wang told The Florida Catholic he was familiar with the Chinese community here due to his travels through South Florida over the years, on his way to visiting Chinese communities in the West Indies and Jamaica.

In his homily, Bishop Wang noted the Chinese community has always placed a high value on family and on the sanctity and traditions of Christian marriage. He asked the community to help each other to strengthen their culture and traditions.

From Hong Kong and mainland

Some two decades after its establishment, there are about 100 Chinese Catholic families in the apostolate's wider region. Members say they come both from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. They mostly live in areas like Kendall and greater Fort Lauderdale.

Currently, two locations in South Florida serve the Chinese community: St Jerome Parish and St. Thomas University in Miami. Aside from English, the main Chinese dialects spoken in South Florida are Cantonese, Mandarin, Hakka, Toisan and Fuijan, according to Deacon Alex Lam, a leader in the community.

The mission of the Chinese Apostolate, Deacon Lam said, is to enrich the spiritual life of parishioners, unite and expand the congregation, promote the spiritual growth of youths, and evangelize and support the Chinese in the Archdiocese of Miami and beyond.

“Twenty years passed by very, very quickly. The first 10 years we really struggled but after that it became easier and then we opened up to the Fort Lauderdale area and it now includes Chinese populations living all the way to the northernmost areas of Broward County,” he said.

Also on hand was Msgr. Joseph Chiang, a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J., who has been active in Chinese Catholic communities throughout the U.S. and Canada. He noted that the Chinese population in Florida is relatively modest in numbers compared to other urban communities.

“Twenty years ago I started (visiting here) but I could not come here too often because I covered all of Canada and the U.S.,” Msgr. Chiang said, adding that the Chinese diaspora grew further after the U.K. handed over custody of Hong Kong to China. “It’s been a lot of work.”

‘God has been watching over us’

Bernadette Chik, current president of the archdiocesan Chinese Apostolate, formally represented the community in making closing observations after the Mass.

She noted that the most important thing about birthdays and anniversaries is not the size of the party, the number of gifts received or the food but rather giving thanks.

“Without a doubt the most important meaning of the celebration is to thank our heavenly Father,” Chik said. “In the past 20 years, God has been watching over us every step of the way. We are blessed to have many priests, present or absent, in this country or abroad, who have come to help us, guide us and encourage us.”

She thanked Archbishop Wenski and Msgr. Chiang for their role in establishing the community apostolate, likely a first in the state of Florida at that time. Chik also acknowledged the presence of Father Paul Pang, a past director of the worldwide Overseas Chinese Apostolate, who traveled from Taiwan to be on hand for the celebration.

“We are also very blessed to be able celebrate Masses at St. Jerome — without St. Jerome as our home base we wouldn’t be able to have Chinese Masses and a great variety of activities that enable our community to continue our journey of faith,” Chik said. “Thank you Father Curtis Kiddy (pastor of St. Jerome).”

Chik concluded by thanking Msgr. Franklyn Casale, president of St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, for letting the Chinese community utilize the Chapel of St. Anthony on campus every first Sunday of the month.

“The university has been generously supporting us and opening their facilities for us to have Masses, retreats, and activities,” she said.