I decided to do a personal retreat for my 2020 annual retreat: meditation at least 6 hours/day (divided in several sessions) by paying attention to my breath and say “grateful” , less meat, and no internet (I still turned on my cellphone for the breviary, readings of the Masses and alarm). Maryknoll Society generously gave us, Maryknoll Sisters in China region, 7 days retreat at St. Paul House of Prayer http://www.srspc.org.hk/en/retreat_house.php.
It was inspired by the quotation of Pascaline Coff, OSB in “Many Mansions” that “Mindful now of our own rich tradition of meditation and contemplative prayer and eager to learn what is “true and holy” in other religions, the time is right for us to learn from one another, from whatever culture and religion, all that is helpful in moving toward a simpler life, a deeper life, and a more authentic life in which the inner experience of God is primary and energizing and centering!” and “Vipassana retreat” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmdc6Xm7LK0
Sr. Michelle drop Sr. Joseph Lourdes and I to the retreat house on Jul 1. It’s a subsidiary of Sisters of St. Paul De Chartre. Sr. Stella drove us (including two of her sisters and sometimes several retreatants) to Mother of God Church for Cantonese daily Masses. I joined their community morning and evening Cantonese prayers, and also adoration. I continue to pray for my daily prayer intentions:
1. For the people who ask my prayers
2. For the people whom I promise to pray
3. For the intention of prayer groups: St. Thomas the Apostles Chicago, Mother of God New York, St. Aloysius Gonsaga Mojoagung, Mustard seeds Hong Kong.
4. For the intention of Maryknoll family
5. For the intention of SEP and KEP family
6. For the intention of Cana family
7. For the intention of Walk to Emmaus family
8. For healing and peace on earth especially from the coronavirus and violence
9. For the intention of Holy Family Church around the world
10. For the intention of Indonesian Catholic Community around the world
11. For the intention at our MKS Center bulletin board
12. Blessings for Church in China
13. Blessings for my qq, wechat, facebook, whatsapp friends and blogger readers
14. Blessings for my prayer ministers, sponsors and donors
15. Blessings for all birthday celebrants, wedding anniversaries, vows anniversaries, and priesthood anniversaries
16. For repose of all the souls who died this date especially from sudden death and consolation for all their family members.
There are several individuals and groups at the retreat house both Catholics and the other denomination. Sometimes I eat in the same room with the sisters (in front of the sign “God is Love”), sometimes I eat in the same room with the groups; delicious Chinese meals: soup, meat, fish, vegetables are always available for lunch and supper except no meat on Friday. Glad to reconnect with Joseph and his wife, one of the couple that I met during Cana Week in 2018 (https://anastasialindawatimm.blogspot.com/2018/07/sharing-2018-cana-week.html). Sr. Stella led three retreatans and I to walk around one hour to Beas River and grateful for the ride back to the retreat house kindness of a stranger. Sr. Stella reminded us to wear mask during the walk.
Even though my monkey mind is still dominating my meditation time, it’s quiet, peaceful, light, energizing and joyful. The quotation from Luk 12: 27-28 came to my mind "Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O people of little faith!"
I asked several banana leaves to Sr. Stella to be given to several Indonesian migrant women for wrapping Indonesian dishes and snacks.
Hong Kong, Jul 10, 2020
Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.
Let’s control our shopping urges to support less waste living for a better world.
P.S. The beautiful floral arrangement in the chapel was done by Sr. Rita.
It's a good retreat house in NT, almost no noise from the highway. I've been there 2 or 3 times.
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