The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1958-03-21
Unforgetable Macao:
Tiny Peninsula Near China
Once Sheltered A Saint
BY Erik Won Kuehnelt- Leddihn

To get a fuller grasp OF the Church at Inc Gates
of China one ought to visit Macao which IS only a
three hour trip by boat from Hong Kong. Macao is
a tiny peninsula of the Chinese mainland, a Portu-
'guese colony since the 10th century and famous In
history as the starting point of the Catholic missions
to China and Japan.
1t is an unforgettable experience to visit this
speck ON the map, this splinter of freedom and Christ
ianity right at the doorstep Of Red China "a;
cause the city has gobbled up practically every avail
able piece of land and if the Peking government
should decide one day to invade this remnant of
coloniallsm, " it could do so without serious resistance.
The Portuguese troops probably would fight to the
last mantle Portuguese volunteers of Hong Kong
in 1945 battled with the utmost courage and devotion
thus eliciting the admiration of the British-but they
would be heavily o~utnumbered and without hope of
getting aid or r-einforcements.
Macao is a marvellous city because here you find
only 1900 genuine Portuguese, about 5000 persons of
mixed blood with the most enthusiastic feelings for
Portugal (which few have ever seem and almost 200,-
600 Chinese. Yet, if you wander through the streets
you can hardly believe that you are not in Portugal.
The architecture, even the way the (racially)
Chinese policemen walk Or direct traffic, the whole
atmosphere of this city are Portuguese. Here one ex-
periences the tremendous leaven of Western, Christ
ian civilization. The Notifications, the uniforms, the
church bells, the monaSteries and converts which
literally jam the city remind one constantly of Eur
ope's Mediterranean and Catholic civilization.
Speaking Of 'Pidgin' mixture of Spanish and
Portuguese | had a talk with a colored soldier. He had
come straight from Lourenco Marques, a stones
throw from the Union Of South Africa where one
would not dream OF armlng or drlHng a negro.
Yet, here was this man from POrtugalS African
Empire, watching with steel helmet and automatic
rifle the approaches to Macao-We could see the Red
Star on the Chinese cuStonl-houSe opposite the mar
rows-and he looked and felt like a proud pillar OF
a Catholic country.
The Church in Macao has been asleep for almost
two centuries but now a freSher wind is blowing.
The Catholic faith of Portugal always had a certain
~softneSS and liberality, not that harsh mllltancy which
characterizes the Church in Spain. And after Portu-
gal became a republic in 1910 the anti-Church forces
gained momentum.
Seven years later the miracle happened in Fa-
TINA, a decade later Salazar became the virtual head
of the country. Only then the prospects OF the Church
slowly started to brighten but it took an even longer
time until the Church-hating element was eliminated
from the administration of such remote colonies as
Macao-or Timor.
In Portugal affairs were always handled gently,
slowly, with little fanatcism or zeal. There always
had een-and still are Buddhist temples in Macao,
peacefully wedged in between a host of Churches they
attract a few old pagan men and women. portugai
is not Spain (even though it too has a Catholic dlcta-
%torship'0 and the Protestants here are treated just
as literally as in France, Austria, or Belgium.
Evangelical houses of worship are no rarity In
Macao. Portugal has been called a "Paplst Fascist
tyranny and no diplomatic relations exist between
Lisbon and Picking, but a Communist Hospital,
stands right in the heart of the city and there is con-
slant coming and going between Macao and the Red
Republic.
Only now has the Church become more active
in this gracious subtropic city. A brand new modern
istic wing has been added to the Seminary and many
missionaries, speaking fluent Chinese, have come
from the mainland from which they had been ex-
PEELED.
Besides Hong Kong and Formosa, Singapore and
Saigon, Macao is scheduled to become a Catholic out
post, a spiritual center radiating the faith into cap
tive China. There can be little doubt that this city,
which had sheltered st. Francis Xavier, Will now
faithfully carry out its mission.