Conference marks Ricci anniversary

Over 100 people attended an international conference on 8 May to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), a remarkable Jesuit missionary who did much to build a bridge between the cultures of the West and the East. The conference was held in Gonzaga College, Dublin 6, and the chairperson for the event was RTE presenter Sean O’Rourke. In welcoming the attendants, Irish Jesuit Provincial John Dardis noted the importance of Ricci’s inspiration for later Jesuit missionaries. In the first address, Antoni Üçerler SJ expounded masterfully the historical context of Ricci’s work. Also addressing the conference were John Lee Hua SJ, on the Jesuits in China today, and Willi Müller SVD, on the present state of the Church in China. After lunch there was a demonstration of Chinese character painting and a DVD about Ricci’s life.