Macau church promotes Christian values among youth

Feb 12, 2025

MACAU: A Catholic center in Macau has drawn inspiration from the life of Saint Lawrence to engage youth and promote Christian values among them at a local parish.

An unnamed official from Maria Center said the choice of a live-action role-playing game based on the life of Saint Lawrence (who died in 258) was not random.

“Each participant is assigned a specific character within a basic context, who then has to make different decisions according to their character's traits throughout the game,” the source said.

“It is an interactive challenge with no fixed answers and whose consequences depend on the participants' decisions. This feature opens up room for reflection and debate among young people,” the source explained.

The official added that such interactive games were powerful tools for involving young people and people of all ages in “discussions about faith and morality."

Father Cyril Law, the parish priest at Saint Lawrence Church, invited the Maria Center team to organize religious activities to attract more people, particularly young people.

According to Maria Center, the sessions held at the church are the first in a series they plan to develop so that youth can learn more about the Catholic Church, its saints, and “how the church relates to society.”

The officials from Maria Center said they chose Saint Lawrence as an example because of the “very deep meaning” his life and martyrdom had for “those who believe in God.

Saint Lawrence is among the most venerated martyrs among Catholics. He is celebrated for his Christian valor and according to Encyclopedia Britannica, he is the patron saint of the poor and cooks.

Lawrence was among the seven deacons of the Roman church serving Pope Sixtus II, who were both executed during the persecution under the Roman emperor Valerian.

Lawrence is believed to have given away the church’s treasures to the poor and the sick before his arrest.

The participants were given a guided tour of Saint Lawrence Church after the role-playing sessions.

The tour aimed to help the participants learn more about the parish's parish's history, Catholic doctrine, liturgy, and some of the Church's rituals.--ucanews.com