“A Matter of Great Importance”

2. “A Matter of Great Importance” Leaning from Matteo Ricci for the Mission to the Chinese in the Third Millennium Cebu - September 11, 2010 By Gianni Criveller

3. Memorial Antoine Thomas (1695): This is about the conversion of a whole new world, so enormous and populated, that its emperor can claim more people under his authority than the all the faithful of the Roman Church together on the entire planet. There are more: even the salvation of the neighboring nations depends upon the conversion of the Tartar-Chinese Empire. (…)

4. Since the beginning of the Church of Christ, there was never a matter of greater importance. To promote such a grave matter we have spared no efforts, and have we approached, suppliantly, the common father of the universal Church: may he kindly concede what he can concede for the expansion of the Chinese church.

5. Thomas first request:Chinese clergy Thomas argues that the Church of China needs Chinese priests and bishops to convert China and save the Church in time of persecution.

6. Second petition of Thomas Liturgy in Chinese language. Thomas goes back to the practice of the first millennium, when Mass was celebrated in various national languages, for the sake of the evangelization. This rule, notices Thomas, applies to China even more stringently and urgently.

7. Historical thorny issues in China Mission Liturgy in Chinese; Chinese liturgy Inculturation Promotion of Chinese clergy Chinese Rites Controversy

8. A foreign religion? Was Christianity to look like a foreign religion or a Chinese religion? Since the beginning, and for many years to come, it appears as a foreign, western religion (see the books of Aleni)

9. Learning from Matteo Ricci The missionary must be foreign: the faith is a gift from above, from outside, and unexpected. The pastors and the cultural expressions of the faith must be local.

10. Portrait by Yu Wenhui游文辉 Manuel Pereira (1610)

11. Learning from Matteo Ricci Inculturation: first with Buddhism, then with Confucianism. Promotion of Chinese to the priesthood Use of Chinese classical terms to name God: Shangti 上帝 Sovereign from Above, Tian 天 Heaven , Da Fumu大父母Great Father Mother, Wanwu Zhenyuan 萬物真源 True Origin of All Things .

12. Zhaoqing: Ricci lived near the Xianhua Temple (the temple of Fairy Flower 仙花寺)

13. Science as way of evangelization Faith and science are in reciprocal relationship and not in contradiction. The concept of Tianxue 天學, Heavenly Studies. Ricci’s formation at Roman College. Galileo and the language of mathematics. Ricci’s World Map (description of the Creation) This is much important in contemporary China, were formal education is still imbued of atheist scientism.

14. The map of 1602 (later reproduction)

15. Culture as way of evangelization How easy it will be to propagate our holy Christian religion through books. They reach everywhere without impediment and talk to more people. I do everything possible so that all our fathers diligently study the Chinese books and strive to learn to write in Chinese. Because, indeed in China one can do more with books than with speech. Knowing our own things but not knowing theirs, does not help much, and You, Father, will clearly see how important this point is.

16. The Light of Reason By carefully examining all these books, we shall find very few matters against the light of reason and very many conformable to it. … And we can very much hope in the divine mercy that many of their ancestors have been saved by observing the natural law with the help that God shall grant for his goodness.

17. In China today The phenomena of Christianity Fever and Cultural Christians in contemporary China academic institutions. The role of the internet and media, so popular among young people.

18. Matteo and Paul Matteo, like Paul, did not baptize everyone he happened to meet. He created small but strong communities in main cities, on the direction of Beijing (Like Paul toward Rome). These communities were centers of witness for the society.

20. The way of Friendship Alessandro Valignano “modo soave” sweet way. The only serious alternative to the method of tabula rasa and oppression. 1595 “On Friendship” the first book of Ricci in Chinese 交友論 Jiaoyou lun. This is reallya sort of manifesto for Ricci’s mission

21. On Friendship 1595

22. Ricci’s martyr for friendship Confucian value Late Ming China especially valued friendship Humanistic value Evangelical value The is no greater love than offer one’s life for friends: Matteo died of fatigue in receiving guests in May 1610, during Imperial examinations.

23. What friends can do… Matteo learned almost everything from his Chinese friends and collaborators. All major decisions were made on their suggestions. Books were written together. Friendship was not only a values, but missionary experience.

24. Matteo’s Friends Paolo Xu Guangqi 徐光啟 Leone Li Zhizao 李之藻 Qu Taisu 瞿太素 Feng Yingjing馮應京 “May God count as baptism and grant him the salvation of his soul the good he did to us, the great desire he showed to participate in the propagation of our Holy Faith and actually to follow it”.

27. Matteo Ricci and Paul Xu Guangqi 徐光啟Athanasius Kircher’s China Illustrata (Amsterdam, 1667).

28. Post modern China Postmodernity is the age when people do not believe in ideologies and doctrines; when traditional social, religious, political and psychological structures had collapsed and been refuted. But people do look for space of acceptance; of aggregation; where they can experience belonging.

29. The Christian groups fast developing in China offer participation and emotional support. We might need to offer space and experience of friendship, make people feel accepted for what they are.

30. The Gospel of Friendship Friendship is often present in the teaching of Benedict XVI Being friends of Jesus: personal experience and credibility matter. Offer the experience of friendship to other. This was the style, the method, the experience and the life of Matteo Ricci, and is still very meaningful for us today.

31. The end Thank you for your attention Your questions, please

32. The dialogue of Jesus and Matteo Then I threw myself at his feet, and weeping bitterly, I said: “So, Lord, since you know this, why you did not help me until now?” He answered: “You will go in that city -and it seems that he showed me Beijing- and I will help you there. Ricci to Costa, Nanchang 28 October 1595, in Ricci, Lettere, 290.