Sharing: 2017 Pilgrimage to Macau

Several volunteers of Holy Family Church and I organized a pilgrimage to Macau to celebrate 100^th Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima on October 13-14, 2017. It was planned as a youth gathering but then many parishioners were interested to go, several of them for the first time go to Macau.   

More than 110 parishioners including Fr. Lu, several volunteers and I left Holy Family Church on Oct 13 morning after the special Mass for the Our Lady of Fatima.  The Church was full during the Mass.    Mr. Liu was the MC for the youth bus and Ms. Deng was the MC for the middle age bus.  Fr. Lu led the singing together. 

We had lunch at Zhuhai and the walked to the Gongbei Port of Entry.  We stayed in a hotel near Our Lady of Fatima Church and a hotel near Cathedral except for two parishioners and I stayed in our convent.  

            We walked to St. Francis Xavier Church.  The pastor Fr. Dedi, SCJ from Indonesia asked a parishioner to give an introduction to the Church after prayer together.  

We walked to Our Lady of Fatima Church before supper at a nearby restaurant and then walked back to the Church to attend the Mass.  There was a long procession after Mass.  

Fr. Lu celebrated Mass at Cathedral for us followed by going to Ruin of St. Paul in a small group.  We went back to the hall in the Cathedral for lunch, prepared by several volunteers.

We walked to Bishop Hill.  Sr. Emma, OCSO gave an introduction about OCSO in Macau after finishing the prayer.  Several parishioners wrote their prayer intention and several parishioners went to buy homemade cookies, religious articles, and T-shirt.

We walked to St. Lorenz’s Church to pray together for a while and then walked to Cathedral.  They went to Cotai Checkpoint by bus and then went to Shenzhen.  I stayed overnight in Macau but then left earlier by the last ferry to Hong Kong due to typhoon signal no. 8.

Here is the link of the pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/11848830@N02/albums/72157687469145020

Hong Kong, October 18, 2017

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

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

Article: Opening a Window to a Silent World

http://www.maryknollsisters.org/catholic-mission/index.php/articles/16-opening-a-window-to-a-silent-world

Sharing: First Winter Break

Joanna and I went to Macau by bus from our school on Jan 21. Sr. Annie picked us up at the border including giving the Macau bus card and accompanied us to the hotel for Joanna. As it’s my second time to Macau and first time for Joanna, so it’s like a blind leading another blind when we were on our way to A-Ma Temple Coloane. Finally, we realized that there are two A-Ma Temple that’s why we got two opinions regarding the bus. My sisters invited her to have a Portugese fish as she wished but she finally chose a wonton noodle.

Sr. Arlene and I visited Trappistine Sisters at Penha Hill. They are coming from Trappistine Sisters Gedono http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuCH8S7dFcU.

After attending Sunday mass at Our Lady of Fatima, Sr. Annie and I joined the calligraphy class, went around a park nearby and visited an elderly woman.

Upon arriving Hong Kong, I applied for renewal of my passport. It finished in 3 working days. Then, I applied for Hong Kong working visa extension. I got two years. Thank s be to God.

I attended funeral mass at St. Stephen Catholic Church and memorial mass for Sr. Dorothy Rubner, MM, and also go to the wake at Funeral Parlour twice in black suit as it’s a customs for the Chinese to go to wake and funeral in non-red cloth. Here is the link about Chinese Funeral http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2004-03/03/content_46092.htm.

Sr. Joanna gave a complimentary ticket to watch the play “The Empress of China” at Hong Kong Repertory Theatre http://artblog.hk/hong-kong-repertory-theatre-the-empress-of-china/. I attended an English charismatic praise and worship the Feast http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=135367566515065&id=100001254675235&aid=33868#!/profile.php?id=100001638765283 at Tung Chung.

After mass at St. Theresa’s Church on the night before Lunar New Year, Ai Lusia-Christ-Sylvia-Nico-William invited for supper. I also attended a gathering with several Indonesians and had lunch with my extended family in Hong Kong several days later. My last Lunar New Year celebration was with Maryknoll Sisters, Fathers and Brothers. Here is the link about Chinese New Year http://education2.uvic.ca/Faculty/mroth/438/china/chinese_new_year.html.

Sr. Agnes and I went to Noah’s Ark http://www.noahsark.com.hk/eng/index.php and made our Chinese New Year card from a paper cut sticker. Sr. Louise and I went to Happy Valley cemetery and Stanley. I also went to Wong Tai Sin Temple.

My sisters and I had a FUTURING workshop for three days to explore how our past has shaped our present and informs our future.

I visited my sisters in Yuen Long and Ho Man Tin, Lo Wu correctional institution, Monty and Vincent. Fr. John, Rita-Sugi-Celina-Ira-Julian, Sharon-Hubert, and ai Suen-ai Yen invited for meal.

I gave a reflection on “Doa” (=Prayer) http://anastasialindawatimm.blogspot.com/2011/02/renungan-doa_2874.html at Indonesian Prayer Group. My prayer ministry is still going on, either over the phone or face to face.

I went back to Guangzhou to register the second semester on Feb 16-17. Fei gave her friend registration’s number so I could finish it in one day.

Next week Feb 28, 2010 will be my one year in China region. I can easily go to Hong Kong. I have part time ministry with the Indonesians. I started my Mandarin study in Guangzhou. I am experiencing “give and you shall receive” more than I imagine (cf. Ef 3: 20: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us). And, I am ready to start my second semester of Mandarin study.

Thank you very much for your hospitality, love, support, gifts, red envelopes and especially your prayers. May God continue to bless your missionary journey.

There is nothing more astonishing than life, just as it is, nothing more miraculous than growth and change, just as revealed to us. And as happens so often when we stop to regard God’s work, there is nothing to do but wonder and thank God.

(Mother Mary Joseph, 1936).

Kowloon Tong-Hong Kong, February 22, 2011

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

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

Sharing: Nine Days in Macau

As my sharing “Twelve Days in Ho Man Tin” ( http://anastasialindawatimm.blogspot.com/2010/05/sharing-twelve-days-in-ho-man-tin.html), I went to Macau ferry terminal by bus from our King’s Park convent on Apr 30, 2010. I inserted my Hong Kong Identity card and then placed my thumb nail to Hong Kong immigration machine without showing my pasport. Sr. Annie met me at Macau ferry terminal and then went to our Macau’s convent at Iao Hon by bus. Then, my sisters and I attended the opening of posthumous exhibition of works by Wu Cho-bun, who specialised in painting animals in particular tigers, at Macau Museum of Art (http://www.artmuseum.gov.mo/mamintro_e.asp).
We attended the Mass of the 11th Anniversary of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church (http://www.olamacauguide.com/stjosephchurch.html) on May 1 in English, Mandarin and Cantonese which was celebrated by Bishop José Lai Hung-Seng and more than 10 priests. There were more than 10 altar boys and girls. I was moved when 4 deaf persons prayed Our Father in sign language in front of the altar. The celebration continued with dinner, dances and games at parish hall.
Sr. Annie and I went to Fatima Elderly Center the next day as she would measure the blood pressure and body temperature of whoever is coming. Then we attended Cantonese Sunday mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church (http://www.olamacauguide.com/fatimachurch.html). We went to Three Lamps (=Sam Jan Dang) as we wanted to buy Indonesian ingredients for cooking. We bought the Indonesian ingredients at a Thailand store. I got the direction to the store from the Indonesians in the street. Umi and her friend, both Indonesian women, told me that we could buy Indonesian meal at her friend’s apartment nearby. Then Sr. Sue joined us to have “nasi pecel” (=Indonesian peanut sauce salad) and “soto ayam” (=chicken yellow soup) in their 2 bedrooms apartment. I prepared “nasi pecel”, “soto ayam” and “krupuk udang” (=shrimp cracker) for dinner.
I attended the Cantonese mass at St. Francis Xavier Church on May 3. Sr. Arlene, Sr. Sue and I went to OCSO Monastery in Penha Hill also known as Bishop Hill. There are three sisters of OCSO Gedono-Indonesia: Sr. Gabriela (I heard about her and her sister as both of them are in OCSO Gedono and from my home town Jombang), Sr. Paula and Sr. Caterina. I had spiritual direction with Sr. Caterina during my come and see in OCSO Gedono in 2006. They are in the process of getting the approval to build their monastery in Coloane Island.
I attended the Cantonese mass at St. Joseph Church the next day. Sr. Arlene and I went to Kun Iam Temple, and then went to Senado Square by bus and walked to St. Dominic Church, Treasure of Sacred Art Museum of St. Dominic Church, the Ruins of St. Paul’s and Mount Fortress. There are so many stores of barbequed meat and almond cookies which are the famous snacks of Macau along the way to the Ruins of St. Paul’s. We had lunch at a Macanese restaurant and then went to City of Dreams at Cotai by their free bus from Macau. We watched a 10-minutes visual show “Dragon’s Treasure” at a dome-shaped theatre “The Buble.” We crossed the street to see the gondola ride at the Venetian.
I went to St. Joseph School to attend the two English classes of Sr. Sue after attending the Cantonese mass at St. Francis Xavier Church on May 5. I introduced myself and had a short conversation with them. I went to A-Ma Festival alone to see the Chinese Opera in a specially constructed bamboo shed. As I can’t speak Cantonese, the organizer allowed me to sit in for 10 minutes without asking me to buy the ticket.
I attended the Cantonese mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church the next day then went to St. Theresa School to attend the three English classes of Sr. Sue. I also attended two English classes of Sr. Arlene and had conversation with them. One of the women at Fatima Elderly Center taught me in Cantonese how to play bingo in the afternoon. When Sr. Annie should make a phone call, I replaced her to pick up the number, showed it to them and one of the elderly women said the number loudly. As there was only one (cake) prize of the first batches left, “my teacher” place it in front of me but then I placed it back quietly as I placed the second batch of the prizes. At the end of the games, she gave one of her prizes and Sr. Annie’s to me as she knew that I didn’t get any prizes. I purposely didn’t pick up my prizes. I went to St. Joseph Church in the evening to attend the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) by Sr. Sue and Fr. Manuel, MCCJ but it was cancelled as there was only one participant.
After attending the Cantonese mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Sr. Annie, Sr. Helen, Fr. Jose, SVD and I had breakfast at Sr. Helen’s office on May 7. I helped Sr. Annie to measure the body temperature of the elderly at Fatima Elderly Center as she measured their blood pressure. One of the elderly women talked to me in Cantonese for a while even though I only could smile at her. I joined around 80 elderly of Fatima Elderly Center to visit Macao Science Museum and then we had a free lunch from a vegetarian restaurant. Sr. Annie and I went to an elderly home Asilo Santa Maria as she would cut their toe nails including fungus toe nails. Sr. Annie asked if I wanted to give a feet-massage by wearing gloves after she cut the toe nails. I did it. I went to English class of Sr. Sue at Pastoral Center but the staff didn’t allow me to sit in as they didn’t really understand what I said in English and Sr. Sue already started the class.
I attended the Cantonese mass at St. Joseph Church the next day. Sr. Annie cut the toe nails and gave a few minutes feet-massage to an elderly woman and then measured the blood pressure of several elderly in one of their home. After that, we went to Caritas rice distribution site as Sr. Annie would measure the blood pressure. I wrote their blood pressure in a piece of paper and gave it to them. There were around 65 persons from 10.30 – 1.00 p.m. We went to an elderly home Santa Madalena as Sr. Annie would cut their toe nails and I would give a few minutes feet-massage. I met Sr. Julita, FDCC from Flores Indonesia.
Every mother who attended the Cantonese mass at St. Joseph Church received a floral bracelet for the Mother’s day. A boy gave a dark pink one to me, as he didn’t know I am a sister, but one of the women say it’s ok so I exchanged it with the light pink one. I was moved when looking at the deaf people in the sign language during the mass. I couldn’t hold my tears when the choir sang a Cantonese dedication song for all the mothers who were asked to stand up and wear the bracelet.
I went with Srs. Anne, Arlene and Sue to Macau ferry terminal as we would have our Sunday retreat at Maryknoll Fathers Stanley-Hong Kong and then I would go home to Boundary Street Convent. I couldn’t hold my tears again when I answered to Sr. Sue about my Macau trip that I couldn’t hold my tears when I heard the dedication song for the mothers.
When I went out with my (western) sisters, sometimes people would talk to me while looked at me so I only could smile and of course my sisters would answer them.
Thank you very much for all of your warm welcome, hospitality, cards, gifts, and especially your prayers during my stay in Macau. May God continue to bless you in your missionary journey.

Kowloon Tong-Hong Kong, May 10, 2010


Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.
Let’s do simple things with simple love to make God’s love visible