This year’s Lunar New Year celebrations in the Diocese were a joyful and meaningful occasion, as local Catholics gathered across Western Sydney and Blue Mountains communities to celebrate the richness of culture, heritage and faith.
The Diocese of Parramatta is one of the most multicultural communities in Australia, with generations of people speaking a variety of Asian languages. There are around 4,000 Chinese-speaking Catholics, 3,000 Korean speakers, 1,600 Vietnamese speakers, and 4,000 speaking other Asian languages in the Diocese.
To mark 2025 Lunar New Year, the Chinese community celebrated a dinner banquet at Tingha Place, Parramatta Leagues Club on 31 January, followed by a Mass and lunch celebrations at St Monica’s Catholic Church in North Parramatta on 2 February, home of the Chinese chaplaincy in the Diocese. In North Parramatta, Chinese ancestry ranks the third most common behind English and Australian; and is shared by 1,334 people. (ABS Quickstats, 2021)
The dinner banquet included speeches by Fr Ephraim Lam, Chinese chaplain for the Diocese and parish priest at St Monica’s North Parramatta. It also featured performances by local Chinese youth.
“It was a wonderful night,” Fr Ephraim said.
Performers at the Chinese New Year dinner banquet at Tingha Place, Parramatta. Image supplied.
Fr Ephraim Lam and Vicar General Fr Fernando Montano posed for a pic with the night’s performers. Image supplied.
Even the audience got involved, giving red envelopes to the lions as they moved through the restaurant, as a request for good fortune.
Traditional lion dancing performances. Image supplied.
On Sunday 2 February, the community gathered again to celebrate the Mass for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord at St Monica’s Church. Vicar General Fr Fernando Montano celebrated the Mass with Fr Ephraim Lam, speaking both Cantonese and English.
Fr Fernando and Fr Ephraim celebrate Mass for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord at St Monica’s. Image supplied.
In his homily, Fr Fernando said, “We must be the beacon of God’s office to Christ. Also, we must realise that we too will be a sign that will be opposed by others, especially on issues on the sanctity of human life, human dignity, marriage and family.”
Fr Fernando Montano says a homily in Cantonese. Image supplied.
Following the Mass, there were boisterous lion dances, red envelopes and lucky money, ana delicious lunch to bring fortune to all.
Fr Fernando reflected on the Year of the Snake, its meaning in Chinese culture and in John 3:14-15, where it says, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
Lion dancing procession following Mass at St Monica’s. Image supplied.
Fr Fernando said Jesus was alluding to the story in Numbers 21:8-9 where we are told that “Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.”
“The snake represented death and suffering in Numbers 21. The bronze snake was thus a symbol or reminder of such death and suffering,” he said.
“By asking us to ‘look to’ this negative symbol of death and suffering with eyes of positive faith and hope in God, we are being nurtured to view the negative reality of death and suffering with a positive faith to God to usher in a life of wholeness.
“In Chinese culture, the snake has a lot to add to our faith,” he said.
“May the year of the snake be to us a year where we preach our faith in perfect balance of words and actions and may be a year where we are willing to renew ourselves always in the faith of Christ.”
Check out the gallery of photos of the Dinner Banquet and Mass celebrations on our Flickr page.
