Sharing: 2016 Trip to Washington DC and Philadelphia

Sr. Dora dropped me at Croton Harmon train station on Jan 8 as I would go to Grand Central Station.  I visited St. Patrick Cathedral http://www.saintpatrickscathedral.org/ and Rockefeller Center http://www.rockefellercenter.com/whats-happening/2015/12/2/2015-rockefeller-center-tree-lighting/ before going to the Washington DC by bus to visit the Indonesian community.

          During my stay at Washington DC, I visited Cathedral of St. Matthew of the Apostle http://www.stmatthewscathedral.org/ just in time for noon Mass, St. Patrick’s Church  http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Church https://seaslakeridge.wordpress.com/, Fransiscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America http://www.myfranciscan.org/, and Saint John Paul II National Shrine http://www.jp2shrine.org/en/index.html.

          I attended the Solemn Profession of Vows Anthony O.Carm and Nepomuk O.Carm at the Cript of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/c.osJRKVPBJnH/b.4719297/k.BF65/Home, Indonesian Mass at St. John the Baptist’s Church http://www.sjbcatholicchurch.com/, and the thanksgiving Mass for Ms. Elizabeth’s birthday.

          I also had a chance to meet Fr. John Chen and Fr. Michael Li at the Theological College http://www.theologicalcollege.org/ and Ms. Eliza, a parishioner of Holy Family Church Shenzhen, who is studying at Georgetown University.

           Mr. Soemitro-Mrs. Betty, Fr. Hari O.Carm, Mr. Irwan-Mrs. Karmi, Mrs. Linda and I went to Philadelphia on Jan 17.

         

    I attended the Indonesian Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas’ Church http://staquinas.com/, the prayer and celebration for seven months old baby Benjamin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javanese_culture#Tedhak_Sithen.

I had a chance to visit the Franklin Institute https://www.fi.edu/ and Shrine of the Miraculous Medal https://cammonline.org/

Here is the link of the pictures: https://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=f6cf258e73f509b3&sid=0EbuWrFm4ZM2bF

          I am grateful for the opportunity to visit the Indonesian Community both in Washington DC and Philadelphia, the Carmelites and the Chinese; for warm welcome, hospitality, all the treats and gifts.  May God continue to bless all of you!

Ossining-New York, Jan 26, 2016

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

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

Sharing: Urbanization: An Opportunity for the Catholic Church in China

Twenty three Chinese priests and sisters, who are studying in several universities in USA, a Jesuit seminarian and I attended the 2015 annual formation seminar “Urbanization: An Opportunity for the Catholic Church in China.” It was organized by Maryknoll China Seminary Teachers and Formation Project http://www.maryknollsociety.org/index.php/articles/2-articles/1036-chinese-priests-nuns-spend-years-in-us-to-prepare-for-leadership on Dec 27, 2015 till Jan 2, 2016. 

Fr. J. Loftus, CM opened his presentation with the prediction that 70% of China population will live in the city by 2025 and the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People Instruction “Erga migrantes caritas Christi”

(The love of Christ towards migrants).  He mentioned about the stake holders of urbanization and looked at urbanization from the point of view of community, spirituality, service/outreach and evangelization.  There were several sessions of small group sharing and the report to the big group about stake holders on Maryknoll Japan Mission in Seattle, image for urbanization ministry,  the role of the sending and receiving Church, suggestions for seminarian and sisters formation including our own urbanization experiences.  We also watched the documentary  about the fastest changing place on earth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es5fU3M_wrA.

We made dumplings on Dec 31 afternoon for the New Year Party including watching the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Drop.  There were several performances by the Chinese priests and sisters, including a skit on the urbanization, and also Maryknollers.  I taught the action song of “爱使我们想聚在一起” (=Love make us want to be together) and Sr. Qi led us to sing together.

I am grateful for this opportunity to learn together about urbanization in China.      

New York, January 2, 2016

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

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