Easter 2018 Message
Easter 2018 Message 

As we approach the celebration of Easter, we experience again the joy and peace of the Risen Lord. The three women find the tomb empty but in faith know that Jesus continues to live. Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of Jesus and Salome are excited as they run to tell the other disciples that the Lord truly has risen and lives. The darkness of the crucifixion is diminished by the Lord Jesus, the Light who shatters all darkness. The Easter joy and peace, the enduring presence of the Risen Lord, echo throughout Holy Mother Church and inspire us to become the light, ambassadors of the good news for our families, in our places of work and communities.
 
It is no secret that we are living in a time where there is great polarization in our country and in fact too often animosity toward those who are different. So often immigrants are made to feel they are not welcome and people who are somehow considered different not worthy of respect. The values that are essential for our families and communities are undermined by these negative attitudes and behaviors. Often these have a sad influence on the people of the Asian and Pacific Islands.
 
Our Holy Father Pope Francis often reminds us that the good news of Easter is a joy ever new, a joy that is shared. We who experience new life in the Risen Lord are mandated to be the ambassadors of the good news, the evangelizers. We don't have to embrace or enhance the darkness of the world or be tarnished by the darkness. We have been graced by the Lord Jesus, the Light.
 
In his Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, our Holy Father reminds us that "goodness always tends to spread. Every authentic experience of truth and goodness seeks by its very nature to grow within us, and any person who has experienced a profound liberation becomes more sensitive to the needs of others. As it expands, goodness takes root and develops. If we wish to lead a dignified and fulfilling life, we have to reach out to others and seek their good." (EV #9)
 
As ambassadors of the Good News, as evangelizers, we have to make sure that this goodness has taken root in our own hearts. Only then can we foster environments of inclusion and respect, not only for those of the Asian and Pacific Islands, but also for those who are different from us. We have to reach out to make sure everyone experiences our warm hospitality and feels welcome in our communities. We are one family as Church, the Body of Christ, sisters and brothers equal in value, created in the image and likeness of God. That is truly the Good News of Easter, the joy and peace of the Resurrection.
 
We are truly blessed to be called to proclaim and to be witnesses to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Happy Easter and may the peace of the Risen Lord be with you!

Bishop Oscar A. Solis, D.D.
Bishop of Salt Lake City
Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs
Native Hawaiians and Liturgical Inculturation 

 

Native Hawaiians and Liturgical Inculturation - Read how Native Hawaiians incorporate cultural elements in their Lenten and Easter celebrations by reading the item by Fr. Alapaki Kim, Jr., Pastor at Saint Rita Catholic Church and Subcommittee Adviser for Native Hawaiian Ministry. 


Christians Observe Lent in Pakistan    

Christians Observe Lent in Pakistan - Find out how Christians living in Pakistan observe the Lenten season and prepare for Easter by reading the article by Fr. Tariq Isaac, Parochial Vicar, St. William Church, and Subcommittee Adviser for Pakistani Ministry.




Lenten Season in Fiji Islands     

 

Discover how Fijians celebrate the Lenten season and prepare for Easter Sunday, writes Samuel Deo, a lay leader and Subcommittee Adviser for Fijian Ministry. 

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Lenten Journey of the Vietnamese Apostle 

Lenten Journey of the Vietnamese Apostolate - Read Chinh Dinh's article about how the Vietnamese Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia prepares for Holy Week (Tuần Thánh) during the Lenten season (Mùa Chay).



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May 24th is the Day of Prayer for the Church in China 

May 24th is the Day of Prayer for the Church in China. Read a short piece explaining how the day of prayer came to be, by Carolyn Ng of Our Lady of China Pastoral Mission, and Subcommittee Adviser for Chinese Ministry.


Resources 

Rooted in Tradition: The Chamorro Catholics in the United States (Product Code 7-572) - A new edition to the small book series about a people indigenous to the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific, the Chamorros have a strong Catholic heritage, which they brought with them to the United States.







Resettling in Place: A Vietnamese American Catholic Experience  (Product Code 7-480) - This small book is a snapshot description about a community who rebuilt their faith life by sustaining family values, culture, and Catholic devotional practices.








Harmony in Faith: Korean American Catholics (Product Code 7-479) - This small book on Korean American Catholics connects each believer to their roots in Korea, weaving through thick layers of their history of faith.

 

Upcoming Events 

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month - a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States.  





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The
16th Annual Asian and Pacific Island Catholics Marian Pilgrimage will be held on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.

 






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The National Conference of Burmese-American Catholics' (NCBAC) 9th Annual Gathering will be held on August 31 - September 2, 2018 at the W.K. Kellogg Auditorium in Battle Creek, MI. To donate, please check the NCBAC website and check back for more information.

 




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