Welcome to the China Bulletin - July 2016

WYD Preparations 

The delegations from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and China have been preparing themselves for the much awaited gathering of the Youth with Pope Francis in Poland in the last week of July 2016. Added to the excitement of the World Youth Day is the week-long gathering of the Claretian Youth in the third week of July in Lodz. The groups from Hong Kong and Taiwan are getting themselves into a frenzy, anxiously awaiting the d-day: date of departure! We leave on 16 July for Warsaw via Moscow. Coincidence, should I say - 16 July is the Foundation Day of the Congregation of the Claretians - a great day to begin "a great enterprise"!

Group from Taiwan with Fr. Bobin, after the send off Mass in Taiwan 

For the past couple of months, the group members were literally on their toes doing rounds of shopping for camping materials, first aid and medical kits, telephone and internet cards, preparing and printing of journal and liturgy materials, Tee-Shirts and above all, going through a spiritual formation. Indeed, the wait has been too long and we are eager to take off! 

Hong Kong delegation after a Taize prayer session 

The first four days in Poland will be days of pilgrimage for the group. We will visit major churches in Warsaw, the National Shrine of Black Madonna in Częstochowa, the birth place of St. Pope John Paul II in Vadovice, monastery of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Sr. Bogusława Wozniak, a Claretian Sister from Poland has generously accepted our request to accompany us during the days of pilgrimage. We will join the rest of the Claretian Youth on 20 July for the International Claretian Family gathering in Lodz. The Claretian community in Lodz will host us till 25 July when we move to Krakow for the World Youth Day. During the days in Krakow, our group will be accommodated in the Parafia Świętego Antoniego z Padwy (Rząska). 

Plates are empty and we are ready to go! 

The Claretian group from Hong Kong consist of 15 youth (13 from St. Benedict Parish, 1 each from Saikung and Epiphany Parishes) and is accompanied by Sr. Anitha Eddula and Fr. Jose Cherukara, CMF. There are more than 500 participants from different parishes and communities in Hong Kong, preparing for the mega event in Poland. The Diocese of Hong Kong will organise a send-off mass on 10 July for the WYD participants.

Fr. Ezakias to join the Epiphany Parish

It's now official! Fr. Ezakias Anthony Swamy, Superior of the Claretian Community in Hong Kong will join the Epiphany parish and this will bring all the three Claretians in Hong Kong to serve in the same parish. Epiphany church was raised as a parish in the diocese of Hong Kong on 1 November 2015 and the Claretian Missionaries were entrusted with the pastoral care of the parish. 

Fr. Ezakias will continue to serve in the Rosary Church until the first week of August before he leaves for his home vacations in India. He will take up the new office in Epiphany parish in the Month of October.  Welcome Boss! 

Our latest arrivals from the Publisher's desk

The new translation of the Old Testament into Chinese by the Pastoral Bible Foundation is under way. Many books of the Old Testament are already completed. The Book of Psalms with commentaries and lectio divina for every Psalm is already available on sale in Hong Kong and Macau. The Book will be officially launched during the Hong Kong International Book Fair in the second half of July. 

The Chinese Daily Gospel 2017  is also available for the launch during the HK Book fair. 

Claretian Friends' Gathering in Hong Kong

Over the past couple of months, we have been talking about the establishment of a charity organization under the aegis of the Claretian Missionaries, called The Candle Light. 

The Candle Light team with the Missionaries 

The members of the Charity are associates and collaborators of the Missionaries in Hong Kong and Macau. on 20 June, they have organised a fund-raising gathering for the Claretian Friends in Hong Kong. It was first of its kind - conceived, planned and executed - by the Candle Light. 

Friends from St. Benedict Church, Shatin 

The participants spent time in prayer, sharing, singing and of course, sharing of the food! Many of our friends from Ngau Tau Kok and Shatin attended the gathering. 

Friends from Ngau Tau Kok 

From China to the world, Missionaries without borders !

Biblical formation is a project that takes our time and dedication. We learn a lot with the (original Italian) commentaries of Fernando Armellini. We translate his commentaries into Chinese (both traditional and Simplified), English and Spanish and publish them online through our weekly blogs. Of late, we find more collaborators in the project - especially from India.  His commentaries are now translated into some of the Indian languages, such as Malayalam :

Yes, yes! ... 'The fault lies with the Tower of babel !!! The Claretian also have a biblical portal to accompany the biblical formation at different levels: http://www.biblecmf.com/

Jesuits and their successful engagement with China

The Jesuits who came to China in the 17th century knew it do very well. They came to learn and make friends with the Chinese. Only then they were invited to share their faith. Matteo Ricci , Adam Schall von Bell and Giuseppe Castiglione - linguists, philosophers, astronomers and a painter - key people who left a legacy in education, science and art in China. These missionaries have a message of exceptional importance today: 

A set of three videos tell their stories. Chinese television has aired them and have been seen by millions of Chinese.

NLP and communication

"Neuro Linguistic Programming"

The Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a communication strategy for personal development and psycho-therapy. Its creators claim that there is a connection between ( "neuro") neurological processes, language ( "linguistic") and behavioral patterns learned through experience ( "programming"), claiming that these can be changed to achieve specific goals in life.

It is a practical skill that ensures compliance with the objectives we really want by setting goals for each situation, mental preparations to perceive the changes that occur and our flexibility to act differently than usual to get the desired results.

Cecilia, a parishioner of Mui Wo parsih and a corporate trainer in NLP by profession, has given us a couple of very interesting and practical sessions both in English and in Chinese in our parish in Hong Kong.