Washington DC: The Little Rome in America

After three days in Cuba, Pope Francis touched down at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC, in the United States of America, greeted by the president, dignitaries, bishops and children. This is the 10th papal visit to the country since 50 years ago. Each of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and now Francis, has paid a visit to the American capital once.

Washington is called the Little Rome because you can find many Catholic institutions in the city: from the national Catholic university founded by the American bishops and the pope, to countless houses of various religious orders, Catholic hospitals, seminaries, and impressive churches. Washington is the only city in the Americas which can boast of three resident archbishops: the Archbishop of Washington, the Archbishop Military Ordinary, and the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States. It is also home to the headquarters of USCCB, the official assembly of all bishops in the country.

Cuba → Washington DC → New York City → Philadelphia 

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The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or simply called the “Shrine” by locals, was built to commemorate the national patron saint. America’s first bishop, John Carroll, consecrated the newly created country to the Blessed Mother under the title of the Immaculate Conception in 1792, even though the dogma of the Immaculate Conception would only be proclaimed by Pius IX later in 1854. Construction of the shrine lasted for decades, from its groundbreaking in 1920, through its dedication in 1959, to its completion in 1961.

Located in the campus of the Catholic University of America, the shrine is the largest Catholic church north of Mexico, although shy of the size of the Washington National Cathedral and the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. With a mix of neo-Romanesque and neo-Byzantine in style, the superstructure is home to more than 70 chapels dedicated to different titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, located on the sides of the upper church and in the crypt. Beautiful mosaics are found everywhere, from the 15 mysteries of the Rosary in the apses of the crypt, to the 3 impressive domes in the upper church. Do not miss the exhibits of the stole used by Pope St. John XXIII to convoke Vatican II and the last papal tiara that Pope Blessed Paul VI gave away for the poor. The basilica is a must-see church for Catholics in North America.

Pope Francis will visit the basilica in the afternoon of 23 September 2015, and hold an outdoor mass, canonizing Junípero Serra.

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Although not as famous as the “Shrine”, the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America in the same city is often overlooked as a treasure. It is equally spectacular in terms of popular devotions but differs in theme. It is a miniature version of the Holy Land.

The church contains replicas of the holy sites in the Holy Land and elsewhere, including the Grotto of Annunciation, the Bethlehem Grotto, the Altar of the Magi, the Chapel of the Transfiguration, the Holy Sepulchre, the Catacombs, to name only a few. Those who have been to the Holy Land will relive their blessed moments, and those who have not will experience such. You can find even more replicas outdoors: the Grotto of Gethsemane, the Ascension Chapel, the Tomb of Mary, the Portiuncula, Lourdes Grotto and a cloister with Our Lord’s Prayer and Hail Prayer written in dozens of languages. Catholics who visit Washington DC should not miss the monastery.

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St. Matthew the Apostle was a tax collector before he followed Jesus. He is aptly considered as the patron saint of civil servants. The parish church in the heart of the American capital was established in 1840 and was dedicated to the apostle to serve the civil servants. Although the Archdiocese of Washington was only created in 1947, this church had gained the cathedral status in 1939. The state funeral of John F. Kennedy, the only Catholic American president, was held in the Cathedral of St. Matthew.

Pope Francis will be here on the morning of 23 September to pray and meet with the bishops.

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St. John Paul II National Shrine, opened in 2014 on the same day of the canonization of the Polish pope, was converted from the former John Paul II Cultural Center by the Knights of Columbus. It is a place of prayer as well as an exhibit of the legacy of the great pope. It has an impressive permanent exhibition hall showcasing the different time intervals of the life of John Paul II. Mass and confessions are held daily.

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For Roman Catholics, the Ukrainian National Shrine of the Holy Family in Washington, DC, gives a different taste through its architecture, liturgy and tradition. The Ukrainian Catholic Church is one of the 23 sui juris Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome, and the most populous in the world. The cornerstone of the shrine was blessed by John Paul II in 1979, and the upper church was completed in 1999. During the celebration of the World Meeting of Families and the 14th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the national shrine is a good place to pray for our families with the Holy Family as our model.

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Cuba → Washington DC → New York City → Philadelphia 

Photos: © 2015 Gabriel Chow
Also posted on: Salt + Light

The Heart of Cuba: El Cobre

Basilica National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, El Cobre

In his fifth apostolic journey outside of the European continent, Pope Francis will visit Cuba and the United States of America, marking his longest trip thus far. He will spend 3 days on the largest and westernmost island of the West Indies, followed by a 5-day visit to the American East. In a series of articles, I will introduce the places that will be visited by the Pope from the perspectives of a Catholic pilgrim. Today, let us travel to Cuba first.

Since its discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the island of Cuba has been ruled by the Catholic monarchs of Spain, and briefly by France, England and the USA, until the country gained independence in 1902. Baracoa, the first colony, became a bishopric in 1517, but the seat was transferred to Santiago when the capital was moved there in 1522. The capital again moved to Havana in 1552, and the second Cuban diocese was established in the new capital in 1787. Today, there are a total of 11 dioceses in Cuba organized into 3 ecclesiastical provinces (Havana, Santiago and Camagüey), with a total of 6.8 million Catholics out of 11.2 million people, served by 283 parishes, 16 bishops, 196 secular priests and 169 religious priests, 84 deacons, 35 religious brothers and 624 religious sisters.

Cuba → Washington DC → New York City → Philadelphia

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Cathedral of Havana

Pope Francis will be visiting two cathedrals in Cuba: the cathedrals of Havana and Santiago. The Baroque-style Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the capital was built between 1748 to 1777 with coral rocks, flanked by two asymmetrical bell towers. The interior is neoclassical in style, with black and white marble floor, supported by massive stone pillars. Columbus’ remains once rested under an altar in the cathedral. The cathedral was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. On 20 September 2015, Pope Francis will lead Vespers in this church.

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Cathedral of Santiago

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, the seat of the Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, was first built in 1526 but destroyed by fire merely a year later. The second cathedral was completed in 1555, but it lived only to suffer continuously from pirate sacking, fire, earthquakes and hurricanes. A third cathedral opened in 1690 until its destruction by an earthquake in 1766. Finally, the fourth and present cathedral was constructed from 1810 to 1818, and became the first minor basilica of the nation in 1882. When I visited the cathedral in 2013, it was in bad need of repair. Some reparations were made in 2014, in time for the Pope’s visit on 22 September 2015.

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Other than the cathedrals, the Bishop of Rome will also visit an important Marian shrine in El Cobre, the highlight of the Cuban trip. Our Lady of Charity (Nuestra Señora de la Caridad, or affectively called la Mambisa) has a history dating back to 1612. Two Indian brothers and an African child slave set out in a bay in Western Cuba to collect salt for the workers in the village presently named El Cobre. A storm appeared and was about to overturn the canoe. With a Marian medallion the 10-year-old slave was wearing, they prayed in fear and devotion for the protection of the Virgin. The skies became clear in an instant, and they saw a statue floating on the sea. On closer look, it was a statue of Our Lady on a small wooden plank, holding the child Jesus, with the inscription “I am the Virgin of Charity” in Spanish. The statue was completely dry to their surprise.

A simple chapel was immediately built in Barajagua to house the statue. On several occasions, the image disappeared for hours, leading to people’s speculation that it was to meant to be placed in a different spot. The statue was later transferred to the top of a small hill in El Cobre where a church was built. The Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, rebuilt in 1927, houses the statue till this day.

The statue made of baked clay measures 40 centimetres tall. The Blessed Virgin, standing on a brilliant moon with angels on a silver cloud, holds the baby Jesus who holds a golden globe on his left hand while raising his right hand to bless.

Basilica of Our Lady of Charity, El Cobre

Pope Benedict XV declared Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre as the patroness of Cuba on 10 May 1916. The statue was canonically crowned on 20 December 1936. The national shrine was raised to the dignity of minor basilica on 22 December 1977. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI visited the shrine during their apostolic journey to Cuba in 1998 and 2012 respectively. The latter pope even granted a golden rose to the basilica, a privilege of which only a few shrines around the world can boast, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the statue. Pope Francis will be in the basilica on the evening of 21 September 2015 for prayer, and on the next day for Mass.

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As the Pope is embarking on his visit to Cuba, let us pray for the reinvigoration of the faith of the Cuban people and Our Lady of El Cobre’s protection on the nation.


Photos: Gabriel Chow
Also posted on Salt + Light: English, Chinese

Curé d’Ars, Curer of Hearts

Basilica of St. Sixtus, Ars-sur-Formans, France

Today is the bicentenary of the priestly ordination of the Curé of Ars. God always supplies the Church with saints in each century, but a few of these shine so brightly that everyone can recognize them even during their lifetime. St. John Vianney is such a saint, who easily became my favourite after I had read much about him. When I had the change to visit Ars ten years ago, I was brought to tears on entering the Basilica of St. Sixtus and praying before his incorrupt body.

Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney was ordained in the Major Seminary of Grenoble on Sunday, 13 August 1815, a feat that was nearly miraculous. Without proper education (only a year of school at the age of nine), he failed seminary examinations so badly that earned him the title of “the most unlearned and the most devout seminarian in Lyon”. None of this mattered as the vicar general allowed his ordination at the age of 29 in light of his reputation of goodness and holiness.

After three years of apprenticeship at Ecully, he was appointed as pastor of the tiny village of Ars-sur-Formans, 30 km north of Lyon, with a population of merely 230. He arrived in Ars when the people were in a constant state of drunkeness, profanity and immorality after the Napoleanic era. At the doorstep of the church, he prayed, “My God, make the sheep entrusted to me come back to a good way of life. For all my life I am prepared to endure anything that pleases you.” His wish was indeed granted, for he would have to endure great sufferings and mortifications for the next 41 years in this village, serving his flock until his death.

The original room of St. John Vianney

Through home visits, genuine care for his flock and powerful witness of purity and holiness, he brought back all the people in the village into the church. His fame spread when people realized he could multiply food in an orphanage. He became known for his ability to read souls, discern spirits and even prophesize. Soon people from near and far flocked to this tiny church to confess to this living saint; he had to spend 12 to 16 hours every day just to hear confessions. His ability to cure people of physical illnesses did not lessen his workload. More importantly, countless people who came to see him were converted from their former lives. By 1855, 20,000 people came annually, to the extent that Lyons railway had to establish a special booking office to handle the waves of travellers.

Much can be read about this saint and many of his homilies are well preserved. Here is an episode of a really sad day in his life that I will share. At one time when his bishop came to visit him, the pastor rejoiced and welcomed him. This attitude totally changed when the bishop announced to the crowd that he was to name their pastor as an titular canon of the cathedral chapter, and invested him with a mozzetta, the vestment proper to the hononary office. He tried to shrug off the cape during the Mass, and never again wore it but sold it immediately for charitable purpose. He avoided all honour and preferred saving souls and self-mortification as reparation of sins.

Vianney's understanding of liturgy totally influenced me. While he lived and dressed very poorly, he spared nothing for the Sacrament of the Altar. He would make use of the most beautiful decorations inside the church, vested solemnly and employed the beautiful vessels whenever he celebrated liturgy. He understood the liturgy as an action and worship of Christ, unlike the anthropocentric view of liturgy in the present days where people wrongly placed the focus on the celebrant or themselves.

When he met his eternal reward on 4 August 1859, he left the Church with an example of zeal for souls, piety, sanctity, simplicity, obedience, and other virtues too numerous to enumerate. Pope Pius X beatified him in 1905; Pope Pius XI canonized him in 1925 and made him the patron saint of pastors in 1929. Pope John XXIII devoted his whole second encyclical Sacerdotii nostri promordia just to this saint. Pope Benedict XVI declared a Year for Priests during 2009-2010 in the memory of St. John Vianney and extended his patronage over all priests.

The Basilica of Ars, which was built as an extension of the Curé’s original church, has been celebrating a Jubilee Year for the bicententary since 2 February 2015 and having its Holy Door open, one of eight churches in the world with this distinctive privilege. Let us make a pilgrimage on foot or in our heart to the shrine, and pray that our Church has more priests like the Pastor of Ars, as his vicar general once said, “The Church wants not only learned priests but, even more, holy ones.”

Photos: ⓒ 2015 Gabriel Chow

Nagasaki: City of Martyrdom, Destruction and Hope

National Shrine of the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan, Nagasaki

Three days after the demise of Hiroshima, on 9 August 1947, a second atomic bomb devastated the port city of Nagasaki. The “Fat Man” bomb, with 6.4 kg of plutonium and supposedly 30% more destructive power than the Hiroshima counterpart, missed the original city centre target by 3 km and hit the Urakami valley area at 11:02 in the morning. Despite the shielding by the hills of the city from much of the bomb's power, 39% of the buildings in the city collapsed in the fire storm of wind of 1,005 km/h and 3,900°C. As many as 80,000 people perished over time due to the bomb, with many more severely injured with burns and radiation.

Urakami Cathedral

500 metres northeast from the atomic bomb hypocentre was the majestic Church of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, commonly known as the Urakami Church. Situated on the top of the Urakami hill, the church aided the B-29 bomber to identify Nagasaki and hasten its demise. The church took 50 years to build (1875-1925) but only an instant to be destroyed. It was the largest church in East Asia at the time of completion, but it also suffered the most horrific destruction. Two priests who were hearing confession and 20 penitents died under the rubble on that Thursday morning; outside the church, 8,500 out of Urakami's 12,000 parishioners met the same fate. Most Catholics in Nagasaki inhabited in this region.

Nagasaki is the birthplace and capital of Catholicism in Japan. St. Francis Xavier became the first missionary to set foot in the country in 1549. Missionary activities flourished in subsequent decades; the number of converts surpassed 300,000. Most of Nagasaki's inhabitants became Catholic. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the ruler of Japan, became suspicious of European activities in the country, and issued a ban on Catholicism in 1587, a precursor to decades of persecutions of the Church and a stream of martyrdom.

Following a month-long parade from Kyoto with their faces mutilated, 26 priests and laypeople were crucified in Nagasaki and pierced with spears on 5 February 1597. When the news reached Rome, Pope Clement VIII was in shock over the manner of their martyrdom. This group of martyrs, St. Paul Miki and companions, was promptly beatified in 1627 and canonized in 1862, is celebrated as a memorial in the General Roman Calendar on 6 February every year. Persecutions intensified in the 17th century, especially during the Great Martyrdom of Nagasaki in 1622. 205 martyrs of Japan were beatified in 1867. Lawrence Ruiz and 15 companions were beatified in 1981 and canonized in 1987. Petrus Kibe Kasui and 187 companions were beatified in 2008.

Oura Church, Nagasaki

As missionaries were driven out and churches were torn down, the Catholic Church was thought to have totally disappeared in Japan. In fact, the Catholics went underground, with a majority in the Nagasaki region. After 200 years, when Japan reopened its doors to missionaries, the Paris Foreign Missions Society sent Fr. Bernard Petitjean for missionary work in Japan. He built a church (locally known as the Oura Church) in the French region of Nagasaki in honour of the 26 martyrs and blessed it on 19 February 1865. On March 17, a group of local people requested to pray inside the church and asked him where the statue of the Virgin Mary was. The priest then came to the realization that these Kakure Kirishitans (hidden Christians) were descendants of the underground Catholics from 200 years ago, who passed the faith from one generation to the next. For this significant event, called the Shinto Hakken (discovery of followers), Pope Pius IX appointed Fr. Petitjean as the first Vicar Apostolic of Japan in the next year, and the Oura Church became the cathedral.

Urakami Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Nagasaki

As history unfolded, Bishop Petitjean too suffered persecution from the government. However, no one would have imagined that this non-stop persecution of Nagasaki would even be topped by its annihilation by a nuclear weapon. To our consolation, Christ always wins. The Urakami Church was eventually rebuilt in 1959 and received the honour of cathedral from the Oura Church in 1962. In a country where Catholics are only 0.43% of the population, the Nagasaki archdiocese unexpectedly boasts a 4.3% Catholic population. The Church truly grows from the blood of martyrs.

During this year we are not only somberly marking the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing, but also joyously celebrating the 150th anniversary of the discovery of followers in Japan. In the face of escalation of tensions between nations, rise of terror groups and incessant nuclear arms race, we must work for peace in the world. God never fails to surprise us.

Nagasaki National Peace Memorial for the Atomic Bomb Victims

Photos: ⓒ 2015 Gabriel Chow
Also posted on Salt + Light Blog

Atomic Bomb, 70th Anniversary

Ruin of Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall,
hypocentre of the first atomic bomb

At 08:15, 6 August 1945, Feast of the Transfiguration, the atomic bomb nicknamed the Little Boy was dropped by a B-29 bomber, and detonated at a height of 450 m over the city of Hiroshima to maximize its destructive effect. At that very instant, people's faces were not transfigured but transformed. History was rewritten, not so much about the war, but about humanity itself. Despite Japan's outrageous war crimes against other countries, it remains controversial as to whether the use of nuclear weapons was necessary when the war was close to the end; 140,000 civilians were killed, and Hiroshima obliterated. Japan announced its surrender 9 days later, on the Solemnity of the Assumption. World War II officially ended.

Cathedral of the Assumption, Hiroshima

Fr. Hugo Enomiya-Lassalle, a German Jesuit missionary in Japan, was serving in the Noborimachi church on that day. As one of the survivors of the atomic bomb, he felt called to build a cathedral as a prayer for peace, revealing his plan to Pope Pius XII in September 1946. He travelled around the world requesting assistance and eventually making his peace cathedral a reality. Construction began on 6 August 1950, the 5th anniversary of the bombing, and was completed exactly 4 years later with the rite of dedication. The designer, Tōgo Murano (村野藤吾), was moved by Fr. Lassalle's zeal and made it a labour of love.

The Apostolic Vicariate of Hiroshima, established in 1923, was raised to the dignity of diocese in 1959, when at the same time Nagasaki was promoted as a metropolitan see. Pope St. John XXIII wished to see that these two cities receive missionary priority as a remembrance to the tragic war and use of nuclear weapons. Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral as a pilgrim in 1981.

Today, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is better known as the World Peace Memorial Cathedral. Daily mass is offered in a chapel, and Sunday mass is offered in the cathedral at 09:30 in Japanese in the cathedral, with an English mass celebrated in the crypt at 14:00. Spanish, Portuguese and Vietnamese masses are regularly scheduled as well.

Photos: Ⓒ 2015 Gabriel Chow