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Father Peter Zhai, director of Chinese Ministry for the archdiocese, and Father Dominic Savio Lee, parochial vicar at St. Matthew Parish, San Mateo, offer incense for ancestors at a shrine set up especially for the Chinese New Year Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral Feb. 9. The Veneration Prayer thanks God for “our holy ancestors of generations past, who established the culture and values passed down to us through the ages.” (Photo by Dennis Callahan/Catholic San Francisco)
February 14, 2019
Tom Burke
With rites special to their culture and rites close to every Catholic’s heart, the Chinese Catholic community of the Archdiocese of San Francisco welcomed the Lunar New Year Feb. 9 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. The New Year commenced Feb. 5.
Retired Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius Wang was principal celebrant of the day’s Mass that welcomed more than 500 worshippers to the cathedral. Bishop Wang, who was born and ordained in China, also presided over an Ancestors Veneration. Languages used for the day’s prayer and song included English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Concelebrants included Auxiliary Bishop Robert F. Christian, retired Auxiliary Bishop William Justice and retired Santa Rosa Bishop Daniel Walsh.
Divine Word Father Peter Zhai, director for Chinese ministry in the archdiocese, was homilist.
“It is that time of the year again, when we, as a family of God, gather together to celebrate Lunar New Year,” Father Zhai said in the day’s program. “At this special occasion, the richness of Chinese culture is expressed in its fullness with beautiful traditions and customs. Above all, recognizing that God is the source of everything including our cultural heritage, we, Chinese Catholics celebrate the New Year with much spiritual depth.” The celebration, he said, is “a time of family, the family we share in God” and “a time of faith, which is the assurance of eternal happiness from God.”
A New Year Banquet followed the Mass in the cathedral’s downstairs halls.
“It was a very joyful celebration with performances, such as Lion Dance, Prism Choir and Chinese Zither and many other entertainments,” Father Zhai told Catholic San Francisco.
The priest also offered “great gratitude to all who joined the Chinese Community to celebrate the New Year of Pig” and thanked supporters for their “continuous support to our Chinese communities and Chinese ministry.”
A Dance of Prayer is also a part of the Ancestor Rite expressing “gratitude to God for ancestors and marks the joy of the day,” said Father Zhai. (Photo by Dennis Callahan/Catholic San Francisco)
Bishop Ignatius Wang, born in Beijing and ordained in Hong Kong before his long service as priest and auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, leads the Ancestor Veneration Rite at Chinese New Year Mass Feb. 9 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. The veneration prayer asks God “to renew all creation” and in “following the tradition handed down to us, we reverently offer you incense, flowers, fruits and wine.” (Photo by Dennis Callahan/Catholic San Francisco)