By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO Bernadette Lee, current president of the Chinese apostolate, and May Agon, past president, cut the cake celebrating the group's 14th anniversary in the archdiocese.
The Chinese Apostolate, which started out with less than 20 faithful at gatherings back in 1996, has grown to more than 50 registered families this year who celebrate weekly Masses at St. Jerome Church in Fort Lauderdale.
The apostolate also has gone from “importing” Chinese priests from Hong Kong and different states to having two permanent Chinese priests: Father Joseph Bai and Father Peter Lin, who are studying for their doctorate degrees at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens.
“We have come a long way and it has been a difficult but miraculous journey,” said Helena Chan, a member of the apostolate.
She recalled how, in the early days, Father Henry Mullin would place the sign of the cross in Chinese, written phonetically, alongside the Missal: “Yin fu, ji zi, ji sheng shen zhi ming. A meng.”
The first bilingual Chinese/English Mass was celebrated by Msgr. Joseph Jiang on Aug. 15, 1996 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in South Miami. Masses then continued at St. Louis in Pinecrest and St. Gregory in Plantation.
“As most of us flocked together in Broward County, we finally settled down in St. Jerome” in 2002 with the blessing of then Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Wenski, now archbishop of Miami, Chan said.
Today, the two Chinese priests conduct bi-annual retreats, monthly Bible study classes, weekly sacrament of reconciliation and other ministerial activities.
“Our evangelical work has been fruitful as we witnessed, this past Easter Vigil, six adults receiving the sacraments of baptism, holy Communion and confirmation,” Chan said. “On Easter Sunday, five children received the sacrament of baptism, two children received the sacrament of first penance and first holy Communion plus one teenager received the sacrament of confirmation while another teenager received all three.”
“For the first time in 13 years,” Chan added, “we had three Chinese priests celebrating Chinese Mass on Easter Sunday. We were even honored by the presence of Auxiliary Bishop John Noonan to administer the confirmation.”
Beginning this October, the apostolate is offering RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) classes in Chinese every first and third Sunday at 10 a.m. at St. Jerome, 2533 S.W. Ninth Ave., Fort Lauderdale. For information call 954-920-2644.
Members of the apostolate also are offering Chinese language classes every Sunday through Dec. 12 at St. Jerome. The class schedule is as follows: For children 6 years and older, beginners’ class is from 9:30-10:30 a.m.; intermediate class is from 10:30-11:30 a.m.; cost is $140 plus materials. For pre-school children, ages 3 to 5, classes are from 12-12:30 p.m., and cost is $70 plus materials.
Click here if you would like to read this article in Chinese.
For information, call 954-704-1597 or 305-302-7065. Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO Students in the religious education program offered by the Chinese apostolate at St. Jerome Parish pose for a picture during the 14th anniversary celebration. With them are Father Joseph Bai and Father Peter Lin, who minister to the group's spiritual needs.
