Sharing: Nov 2019 Puning O2O Gathering

Ms. Lin and Mr. Cai helped me to organized the first Puning O2O Gathering on Nov 10, 2019 at Shen Shi Yang Church Puning-Shantou. There were more than 30 members (mostly male) registered including from Shenzhen and nearby district. This gathering is a collaboration with the parish priest of Shen Shi Yang Church Fr. Lin, who set up a single Catholics group chatting several years ago but never arrange an offline gathering.  During his welcome speech, he said as he remember it’s the first  single gathering in Shantou diocese and grateful that I helped to arrange this gathering.  Several of his members are also members in my single group chatting prior to the gathering.

Three participants and I went to Puning on Nov 9, 2019 and prepared the logistics: booking the meals and cake, and also set up the place.

I led the gathering with the prayer for finding the soulmate followed by self introduction, and lunch at nearby local food restaurant.  I asked them to see the precious gift followed by watching  short clip of a Hong Kong Catholic movie star Zhang Wei Jian ( https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzIzMzE1OTE3OQ==&mid=2649450342&idx=4&sn=0eca848ff485bf461275623fbf3bc7f5&chksm=f0962802c7e1a114f7767d2c6c73cbce5ed74fa897b07f036863422debf92312ecde6f4c966c&mpshare=1&scene=1&srcid=0914gJKiU5bZ3AeMM57HLYyd&sharer_sharetime=1568447355474&sharer_shareid=83b8db563bcfec2c22c6fc36d3e3e4d2&pass_ticket=gqCQsyWpNMRFMLpIqya3kH%2B95mnaySHBA1m62uttTN%2BAFgUNMYJ6h00SjIKiQPJG#rd) and “ Look Up” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9QY&t=10s. There was birthday celebration for one of the members, small group sharing and report to big group.  

Four participants and I went to a nearby Church in Liusha after the gathering and then had dinner with several other participants under Fr. Lin account. 

Since there was one member didn’t agree to upload group picture to social media so no pictures are available for the group chatting.  The gathering activities pictures aren’t allowed to be uploaded to social media too.  We set up a new group chatting for all the participants of the gathering so the pictures are available in this group.

I attended evening Sunday Mass at Shen Shi Yang Church and then memorial Mass at Shi Men Catholic Cemetery the next morning.  There were 4 priests ((including Fr. Lin), one deacon, one seminarian and around 300 hundred Catholics for the Mass.  There are two big graves and many smaller grave.  According to the grave stove, it was in 1791.  The people believes that these people were killed because of their faith in their village and then buried in this place, which was a Plum (李子) farm so the local Catholics bought the place three years ago, the price is based on the number of the plum trees and graves, and renovated it and also arrange annual memorial mass on Nov 11.  I went back to Shenzhen after visiting a nearby Church in Kui Tan in the afternoon.   

Since the last O2O gathering in Shenzhen, there are several developments in my group chatting.  Till now, I set up 4 youth group chatting: for youth gathering (mostly single and doesn’t want to be in single group), for single looking for soulmate and learning from each other, for dating, and for married preparation program.  Total members for youth gathering group chatting is more than 60 members  and for single Catholics group chatting is 280 members in 2 groups.   I write an announcement for the group members to sit behind the choir if they attend Sunday Mass at Holy Family Church so they have more opportunity to interact with each other.   

Hong Kong, Nov 14, 2019

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

Let’s help each other to live less waste living for a better world.