austraLasia 824
China Province Salesian publishes study
of Mateo Ricci's Chinese Catechesis
TAINAN (Taiwan): 6th April
'04 -- 'The True Meaning of the Lord of Heaven', the Jesuit Mateo
Ricci's catechism for the Chinese people in the 16th Century, is the subject of
an important new study by Salesian Fr. Michele Ferrero, who completed his
Doctorate in Theology last year at Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei,
on issues for moral theology contained in Ricci's work. Ferrero's
study examines the Chinese text of the famous catechism to show how the meeting
between Confucianism and Catholic theory of virtue can offer valuable food for
thought also to moral theology today.
Mateo Ricci arrived in China in 1583 and worked
there for 27 years, becoming the Court Mathematician in Peking. He won
over a recluse and suspicious Emperor by fixing a ringing clock (itself a Jesuit
gift to the emperor) that his own scientists could not fix, and by correctly
predicting the time and duration of a solar eclipse which his own astronomers
failed to predict accurately. Curiously, the Jesuits were teaching the
Chinese the heliocentric theory, unaware that Galileo's trial had taken place -
communication lag was around five years at that time and place! While it
is especially for mathematics, cartography and astronomy that Ricci is
remembered by the Chinese, it is for his ability to be so truly Christian and
authentically Chinese that today's Church especially honours him. By
working out a synthesis of the human and moral values in Chinese culture, and of
the integral gospel message, his method anticipated the pastoral approach of the
Church today. It is this aspect that Fr. Ferrero highlights in his
study.
Interested conferes could contact Fr. Ferrero
directly by email (micheleferrero@hotmail.com ) if they wished to follow up on the publlished item. It is
largely in English with parts of it in Chinese.
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