MIC mission news, 1 janvier 1981, Novembre - Décembre

IVIISSIOiM IMEWS Series 8, No.6, November-December 1981 Taiwan A REUNION IN SHANGAI by Sr.Mary Hsu (Pei Fang) M.I.C.Three months ago, I learned I will have a chance to visit my grandparents.From that time on, I who am usually a calm and quiet person became quite an extrovert.I was filled with the joy of anticipation; I am now overwhelmed with thanksgiving.Since I was born in Taiwan, this trip to Shanghai was my first trip to the iand of my ancestors.In my heart, I had mixed feelings.On the one hand, I felt that mainland China was really my homeland; on the other hand, I felt like a stranger in my China.I had a feeling of ‘belonging’ and a feeling of ‘non belonging’ difficult to put in words.As soon as I saw my grandparents, I knelt in front of them to express my respect.This moment was filled with deep emotion and our tears said more than our words.My grandparents admitted to me that, as my mother is the eldest daughter among their nine children, she has always occupied a special place in their heart.They lavished this same love on me.I allowed myself to be loved and opened my heart to the tenderness of the Lord expressed through them.Both my grandparents are quite well for their age.They can walk easily, without the help of a cane.For me, meeting my grandparents was truly unique.It is a precious grace which I will never forget.I met them not only in my own name but in the name of all the members of my family.Who would have belived that after 33 years of separation, my eighty-six and eighty-eight years old grandparents would meet a representative of their own beloved family! Upon meeting them, I was very well aware that this first encounter could also be the last.Within my ten days in Shanghai, I developed a strong attachment to my grandparents.Together we realized that most probably they will not have the opportunity to see my own parents again.Their consolation is in believing that one day we will all meet in Heaven.As I listened to them, my heart ached but at the same time I was filled with admiration for their strong faith.My grandfather is a very religious man.Everyday, he goes to Zekaweh Cathedral for Mass.One morning, I accompanied him to this Church.While there, I became more keenly aware of God’s Presence which transcends all rituals and all external religious demonstrations.I believe that God sees my grandfather’s faith and hears the prayer of his heart.During my stay with my grandparents, I also had the occasion to be with my uncles, aunts and cousins.The evenings were always too short! My family in Shanghai gave me the best they could.I was touched by their generosity, their simplicity and theirkindness.I was deeply impressed by their strong family ties and their respect towards the elderly.Traditional Chinese values are very much alive.I praise the Lord forthis and for all my memorable experiences! For YOU, dear Readers, we wish many good things at Christmas, and most especially these: time to pause and, for a little while, recapture the magic of your childhood Christmases.someone to care and share with you Christ’s birthday.the supreme joy of making happy someone who is less fortunate.and, best of all, the deep heart-wonder of finding anew the stable and the star! MISSIONARY SISTERS OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Box 157, Laval Branch, P.Q.Laval, P.Q., Canada H7N 4Z4 1982 Year of the Elderly JANUARY SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1213141516 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 23i 25 26 27 28 29 30 APRIL SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 121314151617 18 192021 2223 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 FEBRUARY MARCH SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14151617181920 21 2223 24252627 28 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14151617181920 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 MAY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 91011 12131415 16 17 1819 20 21 22 m 1 23i 25 26 27 28 29 JUNE SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 12 13141516171819 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 my words are empty, but my thoughts are full of you listen to my thoughts and know how much I care Sr.Louise Denis, M.i.C.and a friend in Malawi, Africa :‘r * I ¦ .¦ % * JULY SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 121314151617 18 192021 2223 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 OCTOBER SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1213141516 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 AUGUST SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 91011 121314 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NOVEMBER SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14151617181920 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 SEPTEMBER SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 12131415161718 19 20 21 22 2324 25 26 27 28 29 30 DECEMBER SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 12131415161718 19 20 21 2223 2425 26 27 28 29 30 31 YOU, a Missionary?Yes! Collaborate with us in our mission works around the world.Help us spread the MIC Mission News.IMPRIMERIE NOTRE-DAME INC 17561 Koriyama, Japan New Missionary Perspectives by Sr.Agathe Bolduc, M.I.C.Sr.Agathe Bolduc, MIC, and some members of the university discussion group.In Japan, as elsewhere in the mission field, feminine apostolate assumes new dimensions.Japanese youth are full of curiosity with regard to religion, and they turn more and more to missionary Sisters to get answers to their questions.The students of Nihon-dai University in Koriyama are no exception.Those attending the faculty of architecture wished to organize a meeting with the girls of Kaiseizan College.Mr.Murohashi, under whose direction the meeting was to be held, came to me with a request.Would I, as a M.I.C.Sister, come to speak at the meeting?I gladly accepted.As the Christmas season was near I was left the choice of the theme to be taken, I decided to give an idea of the true meaning of Christmas.In Japan, this festival has been commercialized to the extreme.All the large shopping centres, restaurants and stadiums are flooded with the melody of Christmas carols until December 24.Afterwards, nothing more is sung or said or done.Christmas itself is just another ordinary working day except for the Christians.The scheduled meeting opened with a series of questions on my part.“You probably knowthetrue meaning of Christmas”.Silence.“You know that it is a memorial of the birth of Christ made man for our salvation?” Silence and baffled looks again.Unperturbed, I went on, “Christ came to save us all from what?” Unresponsive faces take on a more animated look but still no answer comes.These students are all non-Christians.My explanation begins with examples taken from current events: the collective sins of nations as a whole, social injustice, discrimination, jealousies, private deliquencies, etc., which all recognized as only too true to life.There were laughs and much elbowing of neighbours.I went on to say that all of us, high or low, old oryoung, are in need of redemption.The first talk lasted for a hour, and the final reaction was positive beyond my wildest expectations.The next year, in July, I received another request from a second group belonging to the same faculty.Together, we discussed the subject they wanted to be treated - human relations, joys and difficulties -.My talk was chiefly based on Biblical inspiration.During the following days I gauged reactions which differed greatly.After the discussion period, I was approached by a group of students who thanked me for an interesting hour.“However,” someremarked, “it might be better the next time not to base your talk on the Bible.” This was a polite way of saying No to the Gospel message.In October, we had another meeting attended by 120 students.The theme adopted was - justice and injustice in modern society -.I set the ball rolling.“You, young people of today, are the pride and hope of the future.You dream of love and what a marvelous dream that is! But remember that without justice, love is an empty dream.You practise justice towards all.” I spoke for over an hour, inwardly praying the Holy Spirit to enlighten these young people.The three organizers of our meetings called again in December saying that the graduating students would like to meet me once again.They specified the theme they wanted me to share on -the basics of Christian faith -.My talk was titled “Pointers to young people for a happy and succesful life.” I found to my delighted surprise that my young friends had really come a long way.They had realized the miracle of God’s love woven through the fabric of their lives.All have since graduated and have gone, but I still feel a certain responsibility for their welfare.They are from now on forever wrapped in my prayer. Mission Briefs \\V\ V Sr.Diana Chaîné shares the Gift of her Day with relatives and friends.Saint Jean, Quebec For the past two years, Sr.Diana Chaîné has been making regular visits to the “Hundred Homes”, a large residence in Saint Jean.As member of two charismatic groups, she supports her associates in wanting to establish a centre of prayer which would accommodate both residents and outsiders who wish to find a place of recollection and worship.To these groups, Sister introduced special devotions in honour of Mary during May and of the Sacred Heart in June.Whenever she cannot make the visits, Sisters Marie Pigeon and Marie-Ange Provost are pleased to go in her place.Sr.Diana finds a way of being a missionary wherever she goes.Visiting her ailing mother (now past 93 years old and hospitalized) she manages to call on other patients, lavishing smiles and good cheer.Last August 29, Sister celebrated the Golden Jubilee of her religious profession.Her family, an exceptionally large one, (19 children of whom 3 are dead) remains closely united.Two of her sisters are members of religious communities.The others are all married and have children of their own.In the afternoon, interesting slides on the Philippines were shown to the guests.All the members of Sr.Diana’s family and her numerous friends enjoyed seeing the country and the people among whom their sister had worked for a long and happy time.MIC Bulletin # 2 Province Notre-Dame-des-Missions Philippines In her capacity as member of the Provincial Council, Sr.Jeanne d’Arc Allary visited our new mission in Mia-rayon.She shares with us her memorable expedition: “Sisters Adelaida Santiago, Eulalia Loreto, and I left Cagayan de Oro for Miarayon.After an hour’s ride, we came to a muddy road filled with potholes.The motor of the jeep was not in very good condition so we bounced our way along until we reached Masimag at noon.We next boarded a truck on its way to Miarayon to fetch potatoes.A few kilometres further down the road, the truck got stuck in the mud.It was about 1:00 a.m.when a heavy downpourcame and the driver decided tocatch upon his sleep for the rest of the night.There was nothing left for ustodo butto hikeunder intermittent showers.We finally made it to Miarayon at 5:35 a.m.My companions and I were caked all over with mud and dripping with water.Whatdid it matter that we were bone weary?We felt happy with the joy of a ‘mission ac- complished’ ! We took a refreshing bath, had supper (or was it breakfast?) Ours too was the joy of admiring the millions of stars shining in an azure blue sky.The people in Miarayon are friendly and helpful.Their children I found beautiful and apparently healthy.A group of women came in to welcome us.They stopped by only for a few minutes but soon returned laden with potatoes, garlic, coffee beans, etc.I enjoyed the two days I spent in Miarayon, living close to the people as our Sisters do.We left the village at 5:30 a.m.For the first few hours, the hike was enjoyable, and then the sun beat down unmercifully upon us.However, in just a little over four hours we covered up to sixteen kilometres, which meant the end of the hike for us.We took the jeep once again, had three flat tires on the way, and reached Cagayan de Oro at 5:30 p.m.Grateful thanks to my two MIC Sisters who generously agreed hiking back and forth so as to let me have a much coveted glimpse of Miarayon.” MIC Newsbriefs, #19 Province of St.Joseph All set for Miarayon: Sisters Jeanne d’Arc Allary, MIC and Adelaida Santiago, MIC, with Sr.Therese Gloutnez, MIC.MIC MISSION NEWS is a bimonthly published by the Miss.Sisters of the Imm.Cone.Box 157, Laval Branch P.0.Laval - Quebec, H7N 4Z4 Second Class Mail Registration No.0358 Return Postage Guaranteed ISSN 0315 — 9655