40 Years in Macau
On March 19, 2009, the Daughters of St Paul in Macau celebrated their 40th anniversary of foundation in Macau …
30 Years in Hong Kong
On a warm and lovely September afternoon in 1978 three Daughters of St Paul arrived in Hong Kong …
Centenary Celebration 1915 -2015
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St Paul Media Centre: Unit 340 Pioneer Centre, 750 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong (Prince Edward MTR Exit B2) Tel: 9127 9624 Opening Hours: Monday 12-6pm; Tuesday-Sunday 12-7pm
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Our foundress
Venerable Thecla Merlo
night of 31 December 1900 and felt obliged “to do something for God and for the people of the new century.”
Our founder Blessed James Alberione
Fr James Alberione encountered the Lord in the
Eucharistic adoration on the
At the beginning of the 20th century, many bad books appeared which harmed the faith and religious spirit of the Catholics. Father James Alberione also noticed that few people came to church. How will he help them to remain faithful to God and to their Christian life?
At first he thought of organizing lay men and women to counteract the evil influence of bad books. After thinking over the merits of lay associations with their transient duration, Father Alberione understood through the Holy Spirit that only consecrated people with commitments and enduring love for God and for people, will be able to carry out this mission of bringing the Good News of the Gospel to all people and to every place.
So in 1914, Father James Alberione began the first of his ten institutes which he called the Pauline Family. The Society of St Paul for priests and brothers was founded to evangelise with the new media of communication, starting with the printing press. The next year, 1915, he founded the Daughters of St Paul for religious women with the same mission.
DAUGHTERS OF ST PAUL – 100 YEARS OLD
The Daughters of St Paul started their mission by publishing and printing the parish newspaper in the town of Susa, north Italy. Later, they launched magazines for the family, called FAMIGLIA CRISTIANA (Christian Family) and for women called COSI’ (meaning Like This). Today the family magazine is found in all the Pauline countries in the local language. In Italy, it has a circulation of more than one million each week. The management has now been transferred to the Society of St Paul.
The Daughters of St Paul came to Hong Kong and set up their community in October 1978. From the beginning they brought the Good News of the Gospel through their own St Paul Publications to the schools, churches, offices and factories. They met with very good responses especially in the 300 Catholic schools where the children loved books about Jesus and other religious topics. In the parishes also the Catholics welcomed this opportunity to learn more about their faith for their spiritual growth. Nobody had ever visited them or brought the Gospel to them before. The late Cardinal John Wu told the sisters expressly to continue their mission to the families and churches. Currently, the sisters manage a Media Centre in Pioneer Centre,Mongkok, visit some schools and all the parishes, and also participate in the annual Hong Kong Book Fair.
In 2008 at the encouragement of then Bishop John Tong, the sisters established the ASSOCIATION OF PAULINE COOPERATORS, one of the ten institutes of the Pauline Family. The members flank the sisters in their mission to bring the Gospel to all. The Pauline Cooperators are very dedicated and fervent and faithful in their spiritual life and mission. They hold a monthly meeting which includes an hour of Adoration and spiritual and biblical imput.
The Centenary celebration worldwide will begin on 5th February 2015 and end on 5th February 2016. In Hong Kong, the sisters will celebrate the Opening ceremony at the 6 pm Mass on Saturday 7th February 2015 at the St Alfred’s Church in Shatin. The highlight of the Centenary will be the Eucharistic Celebration with Cardinal John Tong at the St Benedict’s Church on 21st June 2015, followed by a grand Refreshment and Encounter. During the Centenary year, there will be other activities and celebrations. Please watch out for them!
Fr James Alberione & Sr Thecla Merlo
When Fr James Alberione started this women’s section, he found 21 year old Theresa Merlo to be the most suitable guide for the new group. She was intelligent and capable but with poor health. However, her faith, total trust and enthusiasm for the new initiative made the young group grow strongly. After seven years, this first group of nine women made their perpetual religious vows, and Theresa Merlo became their first Superior General, a post she held until her death in 1964. Her name was changed into Thecla, in honour of St Paul’s woman collaborator. Sr Thecla Merlo became the Co-Foundress of the Daughters of St Paul because she received the charism (special spiritual gifts) from the Founder and faithfully but wisely transmitted it to the sisters. Today, Sr Thecla Merlo is on the first step to sainthood.
Today there are about 2,400 sisters worldwide in 50 countries. Most people recognize the Daughters of St Paul by their St Paul Media Centres where they can access a wonderful range of books, magazines, audio-visual productions, the latest electronic gadgets containing religious contents to help people revive their faith, strengthen it and enhance their Christian lives. The St Paul Media Centre is more than a place to acquire some spiritual and cultural enrichment. There, as the Founder, Blessed James Alberione said, people come into contact with Jesus Christ, Truth, Way and Life, through the consecrated persons who witness God’s love and care for them.
Famiglia Cristiana (Christian Family)
Media Centre in Pioneer Centre
