endroog

The first day of CNY was rather boring. Early morning at 10.00am went to church for Mass (mandarin speaking mass). Yesterday someone asked me why on earth we Catholics gotta go to church on the first day of CNY. Gee, what Catholics got to do with Chinese New Year?

Well, we’re Chinese afterall and it’s just a New Year celebration. Thats all. Just the religion is different from the other traditional chinese. We pray to Lord Jesus Christ and they pray to Lord Buddha. All the normal day-to-day lifestyle is the same though we’re not that superstitious.

Ok. What we do in church on this auspicious day? Its just like another Mass, just on top of that celebration is more “chinese” such as the decorations (red lanterns, lion heads, etc), pray to our chinese ancestors with all the red candles, incense and things you’d normally see in a Buddisht/Taoist temple. We still practice our Chinese tradition…giving angpau (red packet), giving mandarin oranges and stuffs like that. They even had lion dance at the church this morning. And the priests (there were 3 of them; Indian machas who speak fluent mandarin) gave away angpau and mandarin oranges. Very chineeese. Chiina. The Indian priest can speak better mandarin than me but it is normal nowadays.

I just want to change the perception many of you had with Chinese Christians. Often people in the office will tell me, if you take leave for Christmas, then you can’t take leave for CNY or else who will do the work. Non-Christians have to make way for the Christians to take leave in December for christmas. I was like, what the fuck?! I’m a Chinese Christian. I celebrate both Christmas and CNY. So I deserve to take leave for both occasions. Right ?! Arhh… well, they just asked. They didn’t really restrict me from taking leaves for both occasions. Haha.

So, this post is to serve your knowledge on what we Chinese Catholics do on the first day of Chinese New Year. Anyway, we’re living in Malaysia.

Oh, by the way, I’m taking this opportunity to wish three of my friends HAPPY BIRDDAY !

• 18th Feb – Mun Choon
• 19th Feb – YY
• 22nd Feb – Lex