In L.A., to mark the Chinese New Year

The group’s performance will open a special afternoon Mass to commemorate the new year — the year of the monkey. Catholics, many of them Chinese Americans from throughout Southern California, will attend, as well as Cardinal Roger M. Mahony and Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius Wang of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, the first Asian American bishop.

“They usually don’t let a dragon in a church, so we’re very excited,” said Chang, an Arcadia resident who blends well in the polyglot San Gabriel Valley. In addition to English and a smattering of French, he speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and Fukienese, a language from one of China’s eastern coastal provinces.

Aside from the dragon dance, Chang’s two dozen performers will also pay homage to their ancestors with a lantern dance and a ribbon dance.

Three hundred years ago, the presence of such rituals divided some Catholic orders during the “Rites Controversy.” Observance of Chinese rituals was prohibited in churches because they were considered idolatry — the worship of false gods. It wasn’t until 1939 that the rule was reversed.

“We’re not worshiping our ancestors, we’re remembering them,” said Eileen Chan, 25.