A pilgrimage to India

Fr. Jojo Ancheril had a chance to use his Cantonese as a “tourist guide” in India. This is his sharing:

It was a long cherished dream of some Hong Kong people to visit India. And some of the parishioners of Christ the Worker Parish (the parish where I stay for my language studies) approached me and asked my help to accompany them to India.

With the blessing of my superiors I accompanied 10 people aged between 48 to 83 yrs to India for three weeks last December. It was a challenging mission because many of them did not know English and I had to be a translator for them with my broken Cantonese. This pilgrimage helped the Chinese people to understand a different people, culture, customs, traditions, etc.

During the first week we had a retreat at Divine Retreat Centre at Muringoor. We then went to Bangalore where we visited many churches, orphanages, leprosaria, temples, etc. People from Hong Kong appreciated the unity and diversity in Indian cultures. It also helped them to understand the missionary dimension of our congregation.

It was a wonderful experience for us as well as the people of India. And had the joy of being a few days with my family and share many stories about China and about work there.

Then, back in Hong Kong, people who joined the pilgrimage shared their experience with the parishioners of Christ the Worker Parish. They shared about strong family prayer, the need to take care of the parents and elders, the need to have an extended family.

And I am very happy with the outcome of this pilgrimage and sincerely thank all the people who helped us in different ways to fulfill the long cherished dreams to visit India.

Meanwhile in Taiwan…

Two young Claretian missionaries from India arrived in Taiwan a few months ago. They are Fr. Joshy Chirayilparampil and Fr. Thomas Parackathottil. Both are studying Chinese in Taipei. Joshy shares:

When I finished theology I thought that at least for time being my studies were over, but it was not so when I came to Taiwan. We started our class on July 1st and it is still going on.
I found it very hard to learn Chinese at the beginning since our languages do not have tones as the Chinese language. I learnt to love this new language that opens for me a way to connect with new people and their customs.

My dream is to speak Chinese fluently and celebrate the mysteries of Christ in Chinese. I know my path is hard but still I hope the One who called me will give me the courage.

With the Filipinos in Macau

Our collaborators in Macau, Divine de Leon and Ian Dacayanan are helping the Diocesan Pastoral Center in Macau. Divine tells us about their work at the Center:

Sometime ago we shared here in our bulletin the opening and blessings of the new Pastoral Center for Filipino Migrants, just few meters away from our office/house. And last November we shared here news about the visit of some of our Bishops from the Philippines. The Bishops were curious and attentively listening to our sharing of the present situation of the Filipino Migrants. They inspired and challenged us: “Every Filipino Overseas Worker should be a true missionary” they told us.

Ian and I work at the Claretian office and recently we also started helping at the Pastoral Center. This work gives us a sense of fulfillment and belongingness to a group that serves our Filipino Migrants. We started by helping in the design and printing of the newsletter called Magkalakbay (co-journeyer / co-pilgrim). You can take a look at it:

MAGKALAKBAY - Nov.2008
MAGKALAKBAY - Dec 2008

The Pastoral Team, under the guidance of three Filipino priests, is divided into the commissions of Worship, Evangelization, and Social Services. Ian and I are now volunteers of the Commission on Social Services. We have our own group where we help in the formation of other volunteers.

Recently there was a seminar called CREM (Catholic Renewal Experience for Migrants). This is in response to the needs that the Pastoral Team saw after evaluating the past years problems in serving and reaching out the Filipino Migrants. There is a need for the Filipino workers and migrants to undergo a renewal and formation. The CREM is a product of biblico-historical reflection on the realities of migration; a monthly activity of the pastoral center.

Having to facilitate and emcee the whole day affair, I had to listen and do the recapitulations at the same time create an activity fitted to the needs at the present moment. This is really a challenge on my part, a longing to reach out and a learning experience to deepen my own personal journey.

Ian assisted on the technical aspects and helping in the preparation of the food and other activities. We are used to handle things like this. We both reminisce the time we had such activities in the Philippines.

Having been here in Macau for some time and being in the Pastoral Ministry and serving and growing with our co-journeyer give us inner joy. God really knows what we long for. Now the weekly formation of different groups has started. The first CREM was an inspiration. Filipino Migrants in Macau give us hope and joy. Maybe the challenge of the Bishops to all Filipino Migrants in different parts of the world can come true, with God’s grace.

A new member for our Macau Team:

From the beginning of this year, Tess Pardo, a veteran of Macau, is part of our lay Claretian community. Tess brings her knowledge, experience and apostolic zeal while helping us in our ministry.

News from the Pastoral Bible Foundation

Tamil Bible

We received news from Fr. Raphael, Superior Provincial of the Claretians in Chennay, India that after several years of work the first edition of the Tamil Pastoral Bible is ready for the press. We are pleased to be of help in this pastoral project and bring one more translation of this Pastoral Bible to the People of God (I guess that there are 13 languages with this one…).


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New Testament in Kreyol

Let me also share that at the same time our team is working with our missionaries in Haiti for the publication of the New Testament in Kreyol (forthcoming later on this year).

Here is the first page of the Gospel of John:

“La Biblia de Nuestro Pueblo” free download in internet

We are pleased to inform you that now you can download for your personal use the bestseller Spanish Pastoral Bible “La Biblia de Nuestro Pueblo”.

As we reach close to one million copies, Claretian Missionaries (China) and Ediciones Mensajero (Spain) are pleased to make this Bible available for free in internet.

http://www.mensajero.com/bibliapueblo/bibliapueblo.html

http://www.bible.claret.org/bibles/lbnp/index.html

And our good friend Fr. Domingo Pacheco, working with his team from Argentina also makes this Bible and other books and pastoral resources available for free download.
Kindly check: www.labibliaabierta.com.ar

Five million bibles… and our share

The Philippine bishops are launching a campaign to place

5 million copies of the bible for the poorest in the Philippines.

We are helping…
At this moment we are printing 50,000 copies
of the Christian Community Bible
as a specially subsidized edition
that will be available for only $2.40 per copy.

The book has 1800 pages on a very readable print size.
Here is the new cover:

Our visitors…

We were blessed this last month with several visitors.

It is already a tradition: Fr. José Cristo Rey García Paredes, CMF goes to Taiyuan on the month of December to teach at the Formation Center. This year he participated in the graduation of 60 religious sisters who underwent theological formation during 2 years. The picture taken of the group together with authorities, professors and graduating class was with the weather at15 degrees below zero (centigrade).

On the way back, Fr. José Cristo Rey stayed with us in our “Barbastro House” in Zhuhai. In the picture, with some of our friends.

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Salesian Fr. John Ledesma

Fr. John Ledesma, SDB spent a day with us between his numerous commitments in China and other parts of Asia. He has already earned an “honorary membership” to our community.

Whether in Beijing or Macau, Fr. John is a dear friend and collaborator, sharing our dreams and aspirations for China and helping us to carry them out.

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Author and lecturer Megan McKenna

Taking some time off from her busy schedule and before going to Japan for a series of talks, Megan came to Macau and Zhuhai to spend a few days with us.

She gave us her last 9 published books as a gift… just the latest from the 36 she has written. We hope that her time off from her ministry will give even more inspiration for her fantastic work around the world.

Christmas Mass

An intimate pre-Christmas celebration on December 23

at our apartment in Zhuhai.

a “heavy” ministry…

As publishers we have a “heavy” ministry…
carrying heavy books,
but nothing compared to what you will see in this video:

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