In celebration of the Lunar New Year, more than 400 members of the St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church parish in Flushing hosted a special afternoon of prayer, remembrance and cultural activities to ring in the Year of the Rabbit on Sunday, Jan. 22.
Auxiliary Bishop James Massa of the Diocese of Brooklyn led a bilingual Mass in English and Chinese to begin the parish celebration of the Chinese New Year. At the conclusion of the Mass, there was an Ancestors Veneration Ritual.
The ceremony is a Chinese New Year’s tradition where people give thanks to their ancestors and pay tribute to their family’s past. The rituals include nine bows to God, the offering of fruits, flowers, and incense and the exchange of New Year greetings among the faithful.
A Lunar New Year party and celebration followed the Mass in the parish hall. The event featured cultural music and dancing, including the Fan Dance and the Umbrella Dance, as well as food and raffles.
Father Vincentius Do is the Pastor of St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Flushing. Father Do also serves as the Chinese Apostolate for the Diocese of Brooklyn.
