Altar of Outdoor

BY Odilia Lee

Peace Families and Friends!

Thank you very much for all your birthday blessings 🙂  I thank God for my life and I thank God for all your love and care.  The past year was a turning point of my life.  I want to share my spiritual reflections with you on this special day.  I invite you to journey and experience God’s amazing work in my life…

In mid-Oct last year, just before my 33rd birthday, I bought a book called “The Road Home” by Fr. Vincent Traverns OP.  Fr. Vincent wrote stories about life, 365 of them with great wisdom.  The stories were short and they spoke to me.  I remembered after reading a few of them in the car, I told Terry my Hubby, “Wow, what a birthday gift from God!”  Fr. Vincent’s reflections help me to ponder two great life lessons: life is all about decisions, life is all about relationships.

***

Nov 2006 was a tough one.  Our third kid, Kwan-Yuet, was 7 days overdue. I was asked to have a fetal monitoring test.  At the hospital, my test went well, our OB gave us two options: to induce the baby on that day or to wait for a few more days.  I discussed it with Terry and he told me that we could wait. However, right after we stepped out from the hospital, Terry was angry.  I asked him what happened, he told me that he thought that baby would be induced that day.  Huh?  But that’s not what he told me 5 minutes ago?  He said that he knew I wanted the most natural way, but that was not what he planned.  At the very moment, I felt like I was abandoned by him, I was on my own, I felt tremendous loneliness.  That night, I cried the entire night. I knew I could only turn to the Lord and rely on Him.  So the next day, I went to St. Helen’s in Burnaby where it has 24 hour Eucharistic Adoration. I cried my heart out in front of our Lord.  With Fr. Vincent’s book with me, I flipped a page to seek some comfort.  I read a story on St. Catherine of Siena from “The Road Home”.  She explained how God’s love was beyond our understanding and feelings… How deep His love was, totally beyond our comprehension…  I looked at our Lord and I got His comfort.  My tears finally dried.  That night, my water-sac broke and as Terry needed to drop the girls off at my in-law’s place first, I was admitted to the hospital alone by myself.  Though alone, I was relax and calm and I didn’t feel loneliness as I knew my Lord was with me.  After a few hours of hard work, Kwan-Yuet was born and Terry showed intense joy and gratefulness.  Finally, after 48 hours of “separation”, our hearts join together again to celebrate and rejoice for the gift of life!  Thanks be to God!

***

Dec 2006 was a tougher one.  Physically strained, body was extremely weak, but what made things worse was the first time I encountered misunderstanding and miscommunications with my dad-in-law.  That happened on the very day of Kwan-Yuet’s first full month.  I was sad, scared and stressed.  My friends comforted me that I was extremely lucky, 6.5 years of marriage before I hit the first challenge of our relationships.  The whole Choy’s family was tensed up.  I prayed and I turned to Mother Mary for intercession as I sensed how frustrated Terry and his sister were.  I read a few little stories from “The Road Home” and I knew I needed to continue to love my dad-in-law with my whole heart regardless, because life was all about relationships.  I prayed all the sleepless nights with the Rosary and to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  9 days later, 1 day before the baptism of Kwan-Yuet, my dad-in-law initiated to hold a family meeting and shared his thoughts with us.  We sought to understand each other and I was amazed by how my dad-in-law stepped out his comfort zone and took the risk to share his inner thoughts.  I couldn’t thank the Holy Spirit enough for the inspiration and understanding.  The family meeting was a great gift to Kwan-Yuet’s baptism.  What a breakthrough among Choy’s family relationships!

***

Around April, I was reading a book called “Rome Sweet Home” by Dr. Scott Hahn.  It was a radical conversion story that deeply touched my heart and prompted me to ask myself if I could follow Jesus Christ without holding back.  Scott showed me how he wanted to love our Lord Jesus Christ that he gave up his career as a Presbyterian minister and followed God’s will.  As Scott journeyed to the Catholic Church through the Bible, his knowledge in the Bible made me read the Bible seriously again and dwell on it more. Verses by verses, the Bible started to come alive and led me to experience more in Medjugorje.

***

The pilgrimage to Medjugorje in May was the highlight of the year. Traveling long-haul with 3 young kids (4 yrs old Kwan-Nok, 2 yrs old Kwan-Yau and 5.5 months Kwan-Yuet) was not easy at all, though my parents were traveling with us.  There were many moments that I wanted to give up going… Problems with booking air tix, kids and I were physically ill… Miraculously, Terry stuck with the decision and arranged the whole pilgrimage.  Well, given the fact that he was the one who wasn’t keen to go to Medjugorje at the very first place.  The climax and the moment of God’s grace happened on the Cross Mountain.  For a normal adult, it took around 2.5 hours to hike up and down the mountain.  I got 3 young kids and a mom with a bad knee… When my dad told us on the 3rd morning of our pilgrimage that we would follow the pilgrims from Hong Kong (nearly 40 of them) to climb the Cross Mountain, I thought he must be joking.  I turned to Terry and asked if we should follow (before the trip, Terry told me that we would not climb the mountains).  Terry answered that we would follow them.  He told me that if we felt too tired, we could leave the group first and return.  I took his word and followed the big group to the Cross Mountain. I was carrying my 17lbs son with a Baby Bjorn carrier while Terry was holding 22lbs Kwan-Yau.  Fortunately, Kwan-Nok was willing to follow a big sister, whom she met the day before, with the leaders of the group.  My dad took care of my mom.  So, Kwan-Nok was by herself with the group leaders leading the group and we were at the end of the group.  We got three angels from the HK group.  It was a hot day, the 1st angel held an umbrella over me to block direct sunlight on my son.  The 2nd one helped Terry and my dad to carry our backpack.  The 3rd one was the big sister who took care of Kwan-Nok.

The Cross Mountain was the 14 Stations of the Cross.  After the 2nd station, I already felt tired so I asked Terry and my dad if they were okay.  Both replied okay.  But I doubted if I physically could handle that.  Then two Bible verses echoed in my heart “O man of little faith!” “Don’t be afraid, have faith!”  As I continued to sweat and hike up the Cross Mountain, I was short of breath and I was thinking when could I u-turn and leave.  I kept telling myself I would aim at one station at a time.  I was afraid that I would pass out and fall off the mountain.  With my son on me, I couldn’t afford a fall, so I tried my best to concentrate on each step.  At the 5th station, I asked Terry and my dad again.  I knew if either one of them said “not ok”, I would leave with them immediately.  However, both replied ok. Then I felt betrayed as no one wanted to u-turn and leave at all. I knew in my heart if no one wanted to return by the 7th station, I would not have a chance to leave.  So I wrestled with the Lord in my heart and asked all sorts of “Why” questions… “why were we there” “why my kids and Terry needed to suffer so much to make the Medjugorje pilgrimage”…

Finally we were at the 7th station, I didn’t even bother to ask Terry and my dad anymore, I knew their answer.  I finally accepted the fact that “there is no point of return”.  As soon as the thought came to my mind that I couldn’t u-turn and leave, I instantaneously felt my footsteps were lighter, Kwan-Yuet was lighter, my whole body was lighter and I felt a lot easier to walk.  That’s the moment of grace while the Bible came alive.  “Come to me,  all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” ~ Matthew 11:28-30

I literally felt how Jesus’ yoke was easy, but the requirement was I needed to be willing to pick up the cross in the first place.  I was such a dumb head! Then verses by verses, I finally had an understanding on why Jesus said tirelessly “Pick up the cross and follow me!”  My goodness, the cross indeed became lighter once I was willing to carry it!  And when I said I wanted to follow Jesus, there was indeed “no point of return” as His love was so great, attractive and compelling that there was nowhere I could turn to.

At the 10th station, the group leaders asked Kwan-Nok to lead the Hail Mary in Cantonese.  What?  Kwan-Nok?  She didn’t know how to recite the Hail Mary in Cantonese, she only knew the English one, she probably picked it up when we prayed the Joyful Mystery when we hiked up the Apparition Hill the day before and when we hiked up the Cross Mountain…  I was touched, I had tears in my eyes when I heard her voice.  That gave me strength to finish the last few stations when the path was getting steeper and more difficult to climb.  Kwan-Yuet started to cry too as he was hungry…

At the end, we were at the foot of the big white cross of the Cross Mountain.  I ran to the cross, touched it and tears poured out like a fall! Tremendous peace and comfort from our Lord Jesus Christ!

We spent an hour on Cross Mountain.  While others prayed, I was busy breastfeeding, changing the diaper, feeding my family with the sandwiches we brought…  Attending my kids’ needs became my prayer to my Lord!

Thanks to my whole family and the HK group who didn’t give up and enabled me to climb the Cross Mountain! There were many many other great experiences in Medjugorje.  Here were a few other messages that I started to reflect, ponder and live:

“Do not try to convert anyone after you go back home.  Words are superficial.  Words are empty.  Just stand there.  It’s all about the body.Stand there for Christ.””God’s grace is like living water flowing through a hardened heart.  Go toconfession and obtain God’s grace.””Have strong firm faith, pray for strong firm faith.””Flower cannot live without water, human heart cannot live without God’sgrace. Pray for strong firm faith.”

For myself, I only want to do God’s will alone, nothing more. I want to decide for God, make each and every single decision for God.  Alldaily decisions for God. Life is no longer about how capable I am, but how open I am to receive God’s grace to lead my life.

***

Since we came back from Medjugorje, all priorities in life have changed.  I lost 20 pounds three months after we came back from Medjugorje.  Why?  Because I walked up the Cross Mountain at least every few days, if not daily 🙂  With God’s grace, I now see the crosses in my life and I am willing to pick them up and carry them.  I am not running from my crosses anymore.  So, instead of waiting for Terry to take care of the house chores, I try to be the first one to wash the dishes, do the laundry, vacuum the house.  I listen to the needs of my kids a lot more closely: cook for them, play with them, rest with them, chat with them… Be with them physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Motherhood comes alive.  As a mom, I know not only the daily chores/tasks of a mom, but also the indescribable joys and sorrows of a mom.  Dads and Moms suffer a lot for the family.  Now when I need to learn patience with God, myself, Terry, my kids and others, I seek examples from our Mother Mary, our Mother Church, our Mother Earth…  I also know I want to love my moms back. I try to chat with my mom and mom-in-law more and let them know that I love them 🙂  I try to love my Mother Earth as well, so we become more environmentally friendly: we change from full-time disposable diapering to part-time cloth diapering, we cut back on junk food and stick with healthy basic food.  I try to look into the teachings of our Mother Church, understand them, defend them and live them.  I try to do what Mother Mary asks us to do, the five little stones against Satan: pray the Rosary daily, read the Bible daily, receive the Eucharist at least weekly (if not daily), fast twice a week, and go the confession monthly. When I just go back to the basics in life, life becomes very simple.  I believe life is meant to be simple 🙂

***

Three days before my birthday, my parents and their friends helped us to baby-sit our kids.  Terry brought me to fine dining.  We shared everything about our marriage, our family…  His gift to me was his awareness of my effort to cook better food, to listen to our kids better, and to understand better his original Choy’s family.  His acknowledgement and affirmation was like a pat on my shoulder 🙂  We have decided to spend the next 15 years on our own family ministry!  Thanks be to God!

On my 34th birthday, the birthday gift that Terry and my in-laws gave me was they took care of the kids for their swimming lesson, so that I could bring my parents out for dinner and share with them how grateful I was for the gift of life and the gift of faith.  As we walked out from the restaurant, I was able to kiss them, hug them and hold their hands like a little girl!

Thanks be to God!

Two days after my birthday, I attended the daily Mass to give thanks to our good Lord.  But it became another birthday gift from God.  He again surprised me… The readings (Romans 6:19-23 / Lk 12:49-53), the homily on Romans 6:22 “But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit that you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life”, and on the hymn “Amazing Grace” and its composer (who used to be a slave trader), the hymns (The Love Song, On Eagle’s Wings, Shine Jesus Shine).  He just delighted me.  When I sang the Offering Hymn “O

Lord, my love is only a shadow of Your Love for me…”  My tears started to run.  After I received the Eucharist, my tears continued to run as Jesus my Lord entered completely to my body, mind and soul.  I couldn’t describe the intimacy…

Now I decide to live my life completely out of love and out of gratitude to God.  I decide to obey and do His Will.  The commitment and the decision will last until my death: love God loves, will God wills, dream God dreams!

As I take The Road Home, I decide to work on my own home first and focus on small things at home.  Yes, I am so “ah ma” or so “c9” (translation: mother) now.  Though life is still very chaotic and driving me crazy with three little dinosaurs and two big ones (yeah, my impatience and my own weaknesses are driving myself crazy) at home, there is still peace and lots of fun!

LIFE IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!

Families and friends, please pray for me.  I need God’s wisdom to prioritize each day now, especially as I return to work in November.

Okay, thanks God for finding time for me to finish this piece of sharing.

Families and friends, please take care.  You are all in my prayers!

BTW, if you are visiting Vancouver, please give me a shout and I will cook you a good homemade meal!  Yeah, you won’t believe it, it’s easier to prepare a meal at home instead of bringing three kids out 😛

With Peace and Gratitude,

Odi

From the beginning, weeks before our pilgrimage began, Fr. Joseph Fu had insisted that he be admitted into the room during an apparition of Our Lady to any one of the Medjugorje visionaries. Of course, nobody in Toronto could guarantee anything. But he must have prayed fervently because his wish was fulfilled most unexpectedly, and benefited others besides himself.

Our pilgrims arrived in Medjugorje on the night of July 31st, 2008. Next morning, the orientation briefing was held behind St. James’ Church. This was unusual because the traditional meeting place would have been either near the statue of Mother Mary in front of the church, or at the benches by the 25 confessionals. Our guide decided it was too hot under the sun, and took us to the back where trees provided some cool shade.

Halfway through the talk, Miki Musa, the translator for visionary Mirjana, walked by towards the yellow hall. He got to the yellow hall and knocked on the glass door several times. No one opened it for him. While he paced back and forth, a thought occurred in my mind to approach him about letting our two priests be present at the apparition to Mirjana that was to take place the next morning, August 2^nd.

He gave me a very warm three-cheek European welcome. It was a sign of gratitude. He was happy to see me because, back in May, for his university degree, he had asked me to fill in a questionnaire for his thesis. I had done it promptly on the same day. He said that because of my participation he got an “A.”

So I asked immediately, “Miki, in our group there are two priests; would you allow them into the apparition hall tomorrow?” He replied, “For priests, it is no problem; but no others.”

Next morning, the early risers ate breakfast at 5:30 and left for Cenacolo at 6. At 7:40, eight were still in the dining room. Just then, a fateful prompting came to heart – why don’t all eight go to meet Miki, and see if he would let everyone in. Worst comes to worst, six would stay outside anyway while the two priests go in.

Fortunately, it was relatively easy to flag down two cruising taxis. When we got to Cenacolo, Miki was nowhere in sight. The guard enquired which group we belonged to, and I answered, “Miki’s.” He called Miki on the mobile phone. As he started to describe our group, I was prompted to shout out to him, “It’s Andrew’s group.” Miki immediately told the guard to let us in!

If Miki had been at the door, he would have seen that the ‘group’ was not just two priests. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to Our Lady.

Thanks be to God also that Fr. Anthony was picked to lead one decade of the Rosary in his native Kenyan language. Thanks be to God that the happiest person in the hall that day was Fr. Joseph Fu. He was beaming with such a satisfied smile. His prayer was heard, his faith was rewarded, his dream had come true.

Here is Our Lady’s message from the apparition:

“Dear children, in my coming to you here among you, the greatness of God is reflected and the way with God to eternal joy is opening. Do not feel weak, alone or abandoned. Along with faith, prayer and love, climb to the hill of salvation. May the Mass, the most exalted and most powerful act of your prayer, be the centre of your spiritual life. Believe and love, my children. Those whom my Son chose and called will help you in this as well. To you and to them especially, I give my motherly blessing. Thank you.”

自默主哥耶朝聖返自加拿大多倫多之第二天清晨五點半, 我便在歐世樂及余慰慈夫婦家趕寫一篇”信不信由你”短文, 當作本人參加這次朝聖之簡報. 可是歐世樂夫婦看完該短文後仍向我仍向我作一要求, 說是, 那是一篇簡報而非您對這一次朝聖之”個人感想”. 我們很希望也能分享一些有關您個人之朝聖感想短文. 因為他們倆看到我居然在下機第二天一大清早以一小時之時間便可”交卷”, 所以他們才向我作此要求.

好吧, 今將本人參與這一次朝聖默主哥耶之”個人”感想, 我之所以聲明是”個人”, 因我知道在這次參加團友中, 定仍有比我”更深及更好”之感受與看法而言. 現簡述如下:

一. 組織方面

任何一個朝聖團之成功與失敗, 乃基於其週密之籌備與計劃而定. 這一次之朝聖團之籌備與組織是一個無可否認好組織, 我不願說乃是最完美之一, 因其中仍需有改善之處. 據我所知今年乃是第三年由默主歌耶中心領導朝聖活動.

二. 接待方面

因本朝聖團乃係由我信仰團體”自願組織之數位熱心夫婦們籌辦, 因此不能與專業旅遊團作比較. 以整個行程來說, 是一十分滿意之接待與服務. 唯一遺憾的是在回程中抵維也納城過夜時, 在該機場內卻因連絡失調, 以致大家在機場內多待了一小時之時間. 否則我們有更好之時刻去參觀維也納世界音樂名都之夜景. 那一夜遊逛維也納音樂名都的當給每一位兄弟姐妹留下了非常難忘之好記憶.

三. 導遊方面

這次中心所聘請之導遊小組, 確是”第一流人選” Ivana Vasilj (Sister of Jelena Vasilj)小姐, 由於她曾在美國攻讀且獲有學位及神學課程之女士, 她能說一口非常標準及流利之英語, 使得我們在全程中均能非常容易去聆聽並接受她之介紹, 講解甚至還帶領我們在旅遊巴士上共唸玫瑰經, 甚至還主動教我們一起學習唸本地Medjugorje之玫瑰經文. 她還特別給我們影印一份本地語言之經文以讓全體可共念之. 每當我們於途中聽到當地教堂鐘聲時, 她還提醒要誦念”三鐘經”. 這是我們在國內少有之祈禱習俗. 幸好我們之尹雅白神父他會帶領我們共念”三鐘經”. 所以大家均非常感謝尹神父之領導. 同時在整個朝聖巴士上旅程中, 我們均以中英文公念玫瑰經, 由兩位神父, 導遊小姐及團友們輪流領念, 而在每端未還加唱中英文之”萬福, 萬福, 瑪利亞”之聖歌, 使得我們之旅巴也成為一朝聖所似的, 委實令人感動!

四. 祈禱方面

自一九八一年六月廿四日聖母在默主哥耶Porbordo顯現給六位神視兒童後, 默主哥耶立刻便成為全球性另一個新祈禱中心. 今年已有廿七年之歷史. 據當地史証及估計目前來朝聖之人數已超過二千多萬人之眾. 而祈禱乃是聖母顯現所要求之五項神功中首要之一. 因此下面所介紹, 乃是幾個祈禱之重要場所:

聖雅各伯堂

此堂區成立於一八九二年, 但真正建成是在一八九七年. 初因設計不妥而建在軟土上而後發現下沉及破裂. 故在一九六九年一月十九日重建落成并被祝聖為正式堂區教堂. 今已成為朝聖及祈禱之中心及焦點處. 在此聖堂每天有多台各種語言聖祭, 公念玫瑰經, 明供聖體, 拜苦路, 聽告解, 及治癒神恩之禮儀等熱心敬禮. 教堂側面還設有廿五個告解亭以及數十處戶外之告解神父座位. 因此本屆參與之多倫多華人教友幾乎每一位均辦了一次非常誠心之”修和聖事” – 告解神功. 而聽告解之時間幾乎是”全天侯”. 尤其在下午聖祭前開始, 真可以”人山人海”一言來形容告解之眾.

據江蒙席神父口述, 有一天因早到教堂, 眼看如此多人排長龍等待辦修和聖事, 於是他俟走進廿五個告解亭中之一聽告解. 外面標明為講”英文者”. 然不知怎的, 沒到十分鐘, 而外面有人傳說, 此神父也會說意大利話, 這一下子, 說意大利話的教友便擠進排隊, 結果江蒙席便坐在告解亭內達兩個半鐘頭, 直到晚上十點一刻我們要上專車囬家時才能罷休. 害得我們華人教友找江蒙席聽告解卻找不到而惋惜.

在教堂入口處廣場右側, 豎立一座白色之和平之后聖母像. 而教堂的西南面也豎立了一個由雕刻家Ajdo Ajdic 所雕耶穌復活銅像. 這個銅像之右踝居然每天都有液體流出, 而許多信徒們還用手帕往上摸擦拿囬當作紀念云.

聖母顯現山 Pedbrdo – The Apparition Hill

這是所有來此朝聖者定會去朝拜的地方. 因在此處聖母首次顯現給六位神視者之所在地. 朝聖者不分晝夜均爬山至該處公念玫瑰經. 沿山徑還設有十五端玫瑰經雕像以供瞻仰及祈禱用. 由於此山並不太高, 所以朝聖者大部分都會去朝拜並祈禱.

十字架山 – Krizevac

  這是所有朝聖者最嚮往去之處. 但由於它位於山上之最高處, 且沿途並未有道路而均是石頭且相當光滑, 所以時常會有人在爬上山時曾滑倒過. 直到一九八八年由一意大利名雕刻家 Prof. Carmelo Pugjolo 鑄了十四處苦路銅像供朝聖者謨拜並祈禱用. 據爬山去之教友經驗, 上下山之全程時間至少有半天以上云.

聆聽及覲見神視者

在這次朝聖期中我們非常有幸能親自聆聽並親見到兩位神視主要人物. 一是方濟各會Fr. Jozo 及 Ivanka Ivankovic. 前者已被派到新一堂區任本堂神父. 傳說他是默主歌耶聖母顯現過程之首要見證人. 因此目前他在堂區內新建一座可容納近千人之大廳, 以便他每次接見朝聖者並傳達聖母之訊息. 這次我們全體出席. 他親自蒞場與大眾介紹聖母訊息, 且有一位Nancy女士為他作英語翻譯. 僅在其講台上也坐有幾十位各國籍之聖職人員. 本團之尹雅白神父及江綏蒙席二人均坐在最前排位子. 當Fr. Jozo講完話後, 便向每一位在台上之聖職人員一一握手並在其前額上劃一十字號. 當其向江綏蒙席額上劃十字號時, 江蒙席向Fr. Jozo說: “請你轉告天上母親, 應多為我們中國大陸教會祈禱. 因他們仍在共產黨執政及迫害中.” 接著江蒙席也代為旁坐之尹雅白神父介紹說:”他也是中國香港藉神父.　Fr. Jozo也在他額上劃一十字號. 繼著他親自給我們在台上每一位神父分發一串玫瑰念珠留作紀念. 同時在台下也派十餘服務員向參加聽眾各發一串玫瑰念珠. 據說共發有千串玫瑰念珠云. 不但場面偉大且也非常動人也. 僅在場外就有數十輛之旅遊車在等候朝聖者回家. 而在停車場內也設有一座小食品及飲料咨以便來客可購買食品及飲料.

至於參加另一神視者, 即Ivanka Ivankovic乃是在一早上搭專車去其住處會見. 由於其住宅前院路小, 加之來聆聽者數以數百人之眾, 因此我們也只能在人群中站立而聆聽她之傳達天上母親之訊息. 她先給一兩位傳說有附魔者覆手祈禱. 後怕來者太多, 故只好停止行覆手禮而要求大家靜下祈禱. 當時全場鴉雀無聲而作靜默祈禱. 振著她用本國語言傳達訊息, 而旁邊有一位英譯女士代為翻譯. 全程約四十分鐘. 其主要之訊息乃是昔日天上母親所吩咐的, 要求我們每位要多念玫瑰經, 望彌撒, 朝拜匯體, 勤讀聖經及守齋等五大項目. 最後, 她要求全場朝聖者與她一齊靜默作近一刻鐘之默禱功夫. 而後她向各位說一聲謝謝並希望透過大家之朝聖, 歸化並熱心恭敬聖母, 使得世界早日獲迆和平, 幸福及快樂. 這時全場信友赧一熱烈之掌聲以表謝之.

參觀Cenaculum, 孤兒院及聖方濟各動物園

Cenaculum 乃是一所年青曾患毒癮及犯案累累之青年居院., 大部分均是男性. 他們自從來到此聖地後, 不用任何醫藥及醫生們之治療來糾正並自我改變其生活. 主要是他們以重新調整宗教信仰生活, 恭敬聖母, 祈禱, 並先力更新來重建其團結生活. 因此他們曾以每一個人之智慧及神力親蓋成一座Cenaculum (原文是拉丁)意即最後晚餐廳之意. 今稱為”解毒院 “. 內有他們之住所,小聖堂, 大廳, 客房, 娛樂室等. 當我們聽其現身說法向大家介紹如何開始改變其戒除毒害之生活歷史經過, 的確令人不可思議. 而這些來自世界各國之青年, 能在此聖地依宗教力量啟示, 悔改, 不靠人間之醫藥及科技幫助, 便得他們重新悔改作一新人, 並建設此青年樂園於山中, 除非上天之神恩, 是無法可以解釋了.

孤兒院訪問

這是一所由天主教修會所創辦之孤兒院. 它與我們一般孤兒院管理完全不同. 小孩子們住在一個像家庭式房子. 內有一位專職之修女來管理及照顧小孩子們之日常生活和教育. 一共只有七八位. 四個小女孩, 三個小男孩. 當尹雅白神父看到其中一位小女孩長像之美及可愛時, 尹神父對她說: “妳的長像就似Medjugorje 天上聖母所顯現之面容一樣之美.” 逗得全埸都為她而驚喜. 為了保持不受外界參觀或訪客之干擾, 所以不讓一般人去參觀或作旁訪問. 這一次乃是經江蒙席之特別要求, 透過導遊小姐之介紹與解釋才得允准去拜訪這些小孩子們. 江蒙席曾對小孩子們說: “你們記住, 你們不是”孤兒”, 因上有天父及聖母媽媽, 下有修女照顧你們日常生活之媽媽, 所以該是”有福氣”之孩子了. 接著說: “希望未來也許有一天你們中間也有一兩位想當神父修女才好. 也許將來還可到中國去傳教及開一所孤兒院呢!”逗得修女及孩子們發出一開心之歡笑!

至於聖方濟之動物園, 由於我們留下時間不多, 故也只好走馬看花似的觀察一下便算了. 唯一值得一懷念乃是我們曾用孤兒院之小聖堂舉行一台感恩祭. 聖堂雖小但卻非常別緻.

每天晚上有分享晚會:

每天晚上我們全體朝聖者均聚在旅館下面大會廳有一個半小時之當天見聞及接受神恩之分享交談. 這許是本屆最特別喜愛之時刻. 下面是分享中部分記述:

歸化神恩:

今年是聖保祿宗徒歸化及傳揚福音年, 如江蒙席親自指引而言. 我們中間有三位小兄弟, 原是尚未有信仰恩惠者, 居然在分享會議中, 公開宣佈並決定於回程說會開始研究教義並決定信教. 聞之全場報以熱烈及感恩之掌聲. 最高興乃是他之另一半愛人, 聽後滿臉流下喜淚.

治癒神恩:

旅程中我們曾到波斯尼亞城一座古蹟St. Blaise, 他是一位致命主教聖人. 此座聖堂乃是當地教會列為著名治癒喉嚨病症之名教堂. 因Bishop and Martyr of St. Blaise 係該堂之主保. 我們也非常榮幸得允在此聖堂舉行感恩聖祭. 此中文唱經彌撒由江蒙席主祭. 於奉獻禮時, 江蒙席邀請在座所有慶祝婚姻週年之特別祝福. 祭畢, 該堂之負責禮儀修女便端出一對交义之白色大腊燭要求江蒙席給在場諸信友們舉行一”祝福喉嚨儀式”. 這是此堂區傳統習俗. 由於此禮儀是用英語舉行, 所以不少外藉之觀眾信徒也前來接受江蒙席祝福. 沒想到居然在我們華人團體中於接受此交义大十字腊燭祝福後, 便立即感受喉嚨舒服多了. 後來大家於堂外一冰淇淋店各買雪糕, 大表慶賀. 使得大家又得到此一新經驗.

Patrick and Nancy Latta 之見訪:

任何到默主歌耶之朝聖者均會知道及前往此一對歸化夫婦之現場見證分享. 聽者無不被他們之歸化事蹟而感動. 他們倆從加拿大放棄一切家產而移民至默主歌耶為永久居民. 且在山上建築一座古色古香仿歐洲式堡壘. 據他們親口告訴江蒙席說: “任何來此參加避靜之聖職人員均可住進, 且吃住一切免費云.” 這次我們華人朝聖團友還特別到其堡壘舉辦一次中宴大會. 沒想到我們準備之餃子, 中菜等, 統統均被臨時來訪之各國外賓們享用去了. 用餐之朝聖朋友, 神父, 修女們共有四十餘人之眾. 而我們自己反而只吃了剩下之飯菜. 然而這也讓我們做了一次非常成功之”愛之外交” 之表現.
奇蹟異像: 尹雅白神父在分享中也言及他親眼見到太陽轉動之奇蹟云.

結論:

總而言之, 從以上各方面之分享, 介紹與分析中, 大家可以肯定地說: “這是一次非常成功及有靈性收穫之朝聖旅行. 而我們Paul Ma自己一個人爬上十字架山竟達六次之多, 真是可獲一爬山”冠軍”之獎了.

未了, 本人也代表全體朝聖者向我們的領隊James Shek, 禮儀組, 聖詠團, 及所有其他分擔此團隊成功之兄弟姐妹們, 尹雅白神父及本人願向諸位致一最高之祟敬與謝謝!

By Catherine

Thank you for sending the pictures on the internet. I enjoy looking at our memories in Medjugorje.

By the way, Dominic was calling me last week asking about my experience in Budapest. I forgot to tell him that we tried to go to Church everyday (as you told me). Unfortunately all the Masses were in the Hungarian language. I really feel, though, that God knew we wanted to attend Holy Mass and He guided us to find the churches.

It is strange, but when we arrived in Budapest, we were not too excited about the sight-seeing trip anymore, even though we like travelling. By the second day my husband Anthony said, “I would be glad if I could go back on tonight’s flight to Toronto.” My daughter Clarissa told us she would have liked to stay those extra three days longer in Medjugorje rather than going to Budapest. I think the Medjugorje spirit was very strong in us. Definitely we will come back there one day.

We try to make it to the daily Mass everyday & pray the Rosary together as a family.
That’s a little bit of our sharing, Christina. Thank you for guiding us on
the pilgrimage to Medjugorje.