Sharing: 2015 Pilgrimage to Shanghai, Taiyuan and Qingdao

 Mrs. Eliza and I went to Sheshan Basilica (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheshan_Basilica), Shanghai on Sep 10, 2015.  It’s located inside the Sheshan Forest Park.  Around half of the Basilica is closed from the visitors but one of the volunteers graciously led us to the Our Lady of Sheshan statue (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Mother_of_Sheshan), which is placed on the left hand side of the altar.  Another volunteer led us another Church in the lower part of the hill as I want to give a way booklets to the Sister and the Seminary compound. 

          Our next stop was St. Ignatius Cathedral Shanghai (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Ignatius_Cathedral,_Shanghai).  Unfortunately the Cathedral was under renovation so we went to the Chapel at the Diocesan Centre.  

      We also went to Waitan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bund) and enjoyed the Xiao Long Bao (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao).

          Fr. Duan was our host during our stay in Taiyuan.  We went to the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrow, Dong Er Gou (http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/resources/shrines/China/China-OL-Sorrows.html); the Church in the Liu He Village, which is the biggest Catholic Village in China (95% Catholics with total around 7,000 parishioners); the Church in Gu Cheng Yi Village (which was the hometown of two of Martyr Saints of China) to meet Fr. Meng, whom I met in Hong Kong; the family of Fr. Liu; the Church in Feng Xi Village to meet another Fr. Duan, whom I met in Hong Kong, Br. Xing’s family, the Church and the ex-convent of Beata Maria Assunta Pallota, FMM (https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Assunta_Pallotta) in Dong Er Gou Village; traditional house of one of the parishioners,  which was built in Yaodong type (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaodong), and a grape farm.  We arrived just in time for the Sunday Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace (http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/resources/shrines/China/China-OL-Grace.html) in Taiyuan dialect.  One of the pilgrimages walked without shoes for the 3-5 km station of the cross from the bottom hill to the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace and it’s a common practice in the old days even though the road was made of small stones.  Half of the pilgrims sit on the floor as the pews are not enough for the Sunday Mass. There are around 800 parishioners in one of the village Churches but only around 100 parishioners are still in the village, mostly elderly, because the rest of parishioners moved out to the city.  There are only half of the parishioners are still in the other village Church.  It’s rather a common reality for the Churches in the villages in China as the impact of urbanization.  There are several Churches along the way.    

 We went to St. Michael Cathedral Qingdao (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Michael%27s_Cathedral,_Qingdao), which is one of the Window of Qingdao, on Sep 14.  The entrance fee is RMB 10.00 with several exception e.g. elderly.  When we said that we are Catholics, we got exception too.  Fr. Feng and two sisters were at the entrance counter when we left.   There were around 20 couples had their pre-wedding pictures in front of the Cathedral.  We also went to Small Qingdao, Television Tower, Zhong Shan Park, Huang island, Zhan Bridge and enjoyed the seafood including the Star Sea.

 Here is the link of the pictures: https://www.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0EbuWrFm4ZM2Wx&emid=shareprintviewer&linkid=link.

          I am grateful to Mrs. Eliza for her invitation for this pilgrimage to see the beauty, devotion and dynamic of several Churches in the northern part of China.

Hong Kong, September 21, 2015

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

Let’s do simple things with simple love to make God’s love visible

Sharing: Home Visit 2015

It’s the last day of my first part of renewal.  It’s so fast!  I uploaded several articles in my blog during my home visit: http://anastasialindawatimm.blogspot.com/2015/08/opini-pilih-komunitas-yang-tepat.html,

http://anastasialindawatimm.blogspot.co.id/2015/08/sharing-pilgrimage-to-central-java.html,

http://anastasialindawatimm.blogspot.co.id/2015/09/sharing-trip-to-west-java.html.  Here is the last sharing.

During my home visit, I visited my beloved father’s cemetery, “Maha Vihara Majapahit” Trowulan (http://www.mahavihara-mojopahit.or.id/), “Yayasan Kasih Bangsa” Surabaya (http://yayasankasihbangsa.blogspot.hk/), Rehabilitation Center for Women in Malang (http://anastasialindawatimm.blogspot.hk/2015/08/sharing-visiting-prison-in-malang.html), Christ the King’s Church Surabaya (http://krsby.blogspot.hk/), School of Theology and Philosophy STFT “Widya Sasana” Malang (http://www.stftws.org/), my former primary school SDK “Untung Suropati” Sidoarjo and my ex-office.

I attended Sunday Masses at St. Aloysius Gonzaga’s Church-Mojoagung, St. Yoseph's Church-Mojokerto (https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paroki_Santo_Yoseph_Mojokerto), St. Cornelius-Madiun (http://parokicorneliusmadiun.org/) including the farewell and welcome Mass of their pastor led by Bishop of Surabaya Diocese Mgr. Vincentius, the ordination of five priests at Cathedral Surabaya, Immaculate of Mary Church Tulungagung, St. Vincentius a Paulo-Malang (http://keuskupan-malang.org/sejarah-paroki-langsep/) besides the prayer meeting of St. Alloysius Gonzaga’S Church-Mojoagung.   I also attended wake and funeral two of our relatives besides celebrating my mother’s and my sister’s birthday.

I helped at the reception desk for the celebration of “Botho” at the worship place of Budhism, Taoism and Confucianism “TITD Bo Hway Bio” Mojoagung. 

Here is the link of the pictures: share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0EbuWrFm4ZM2VO

It’s really a time to relax and reconnect with families, relatives and friends and now I am ready to fly back to Hong Kong with grateful heart to continue my mission.  Thank you very much for all your warm welcome, hospitality, gifts, meals, sharing stories, and the opportunity to pray together.  May God continue to bless all of you!

Jombang, September 7, 2015

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

Let’s do simple things with simple love to make God’s love visible

Sharing: Trip to West Java

During my trip to Jakarta, I attended a sacrament of matrimony at St. Bartholomew’s Church, a grand wedding party at “Taman Mini Indonesia Indah”  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taman_Mini_Indonesia_Indah), the English Sunday Mass at St. John Don Bosco’s Church (http://www.st-yohanesbosco.org/), the evening Mass at Cathedral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakarta_Cathedral), the Novena of Our Lady of Fatima at RGS Convent (http://santo-katolik.blogspot.com/2014/09/gua-maria-fatima-jatinegara-barat.html?en#axzz3jn5vp5rf).  the great Novena of St. Antony of Padua at Sacred Heart Church.  There are 7 great Novenas of St. Anthony of Padua in 3 different Churches in Jakarta (http://santoantonius.blogspot.com/2014/06/novena-besar-st-antonius-padua-paroki.html).  There are list of intentions in 2 pages A4 paper and the parishioners can put their intentions on the counting machines.  The intentions will be read during the prayer of the faithful.  It’s a very big crowd.  I also attended the Mandarin Sunday Mass at Trinity Chapel (http://www.hidupkatolik.com/2013/03/01/gereja-mandarin-di-jakarta).  One of the parishioners said that he was from Meizhou-China and when I said that I am a Maryknoll Sister, he said that Meizhou was served by Maryknollers in the old days.  Small world!

I had a chance to visit Our Lady of Fatima’s Church (https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gereja_Santa_Maria_de_Fatima_Jakarta), Publisher and Bookstore OBOR, the office of “Sahabat Insan” (http://perkumpulansahabatinsan.blogspot.com/), St. Paul’s School  (https://www.facebook.com/santopaulus), the Huang Clan Jakarta Office (http://visitbagan.blogspot.com/2011/12/alamat-perhimpunan-marga-huang-di.html), “Yayasan Buddha Tzu Chi Indonesia” (http://www.tzuchi.or.id/). 

Mrs. Eliza invited me to  go to Collumbarium of St. Laurentius’ Church-Bandung (http://parokilaurentiusbdg.org/), beautiful Begonia Park-Lembang (http://www.kebunbegonia.com/index.html), OCD Monastery-Lembang (http://karmellembang.tumblr.com/post/145295588/aturan-di-sekitar-karmel) and Domas’ Crater  of Mount Tangkuban Perahu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangkuban_Perahu) to boil the eggs.

I attended the morning Mass at Cathedral Bogor (http://bmvkatedralbogor.org/) including the Novena of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Francis Assisi’s Church (http://keuskupanbogor.org/mengenai-gereja/paroki-paroki/paroki-sukasari/).  I also had a chance to visit  FMM convent (http://reginapacis.info/web/index.php?q=sekolah/tentangfmm); “Wisma Keuskupan” (=Diocesan Center); Magister Management Agribusiness Bogor Agricultural University, which used  to be our Animal Husbandry  Campus; Social Communication Office of Beatae Virgin Mary Church Bogor.  I was a volunteer for the Parish Magazine in the early 1990’s. 

It’s a trip full of reunion with friends and relatives including with several alumnae of Catholic students in Guangzhou, alumnae of Catholic students of Bogor Agricultural University, friends at Bogor Agricultural University class 26.

Here is the link of the pictures: share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0EbuWrFm4ZM2Wg.  Thank you very much for all your warm welcome, hospitality, gifts, meals, sharing stories,  and the opportunity to pray together.  May God continue to bless all of you!

Madiun, September 4, 2015

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

Let’s do simple things with simple love to make God’s love visible