My most wonderful Christmas present received is really precious. 

Raymond was a Filipino student I once taught. He was good at playing the piano and sports. But his sports shoes were torn!

So I told him that I would give him a Christmas present only when he got over 90 marks in his English exam.

And he achieved my goal.

In Philippians 2:10 St. Paul states, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those that are in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue should profess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The parishioners of the Trinity Chapel in Discovery Bay once again publicly expressed the important truth that Jesus is the King of the Universe with a solemn Eucharistic procession immediately following a Mass on November 20. 

Everyone of us has “one-liners” or commonly called motto in life. My favourite one-liners are,  “This, too, will pass” “ God will provide” “In the end, it will all be okay.” 

My life cycle is so perfect, that what I experienced may be not all but a lot to tell. I can say “oh so colourful!” 

The Social Concern Committee with 40 members at the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Tai Po went on a visit St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged, run by the Little Sisters of the Poor in Sheung Shui October 30.

Father Paulo Ceruti, our energetic priest, joined the group and led the opening prayer in Chinese. Our emcees that afternoon were people who can speak and understand a bit of Cantonese.

A popular friend and mentor among the Philippine community in Hong Kong, Canossian Sister Vicky Ramos  celebrated her birthday in fine style at the Sacred Heart School in Caine Road on November 15.

Although the exact number of birthdays she has celebrated in her life remains a state secret, a highlight of the day for her was the presence of her sister and niece, both of whom travelled from Manila for the occasion.

Friendship is an art of sharing

it begins with a good and sweet smile

remembering each other's names for a while

making each other feel free and at ease

A spirit of new friendship is soon released

Friendship is an art of caring

The Apostleship of Prayer Centre III celebrated its 24th anniversary on October 23. It was a great day for us because our Mass was celebrated by Father Frederic Fornos, a delegate from Rome, and concelebrated by Father Anthonius Balubun Reynolds, the national director of the Apostleship of Prayer Hong Kong and Macau, as well as Father Rodolfo Jacobe, our director.

To be home during the Christmas season is the wish of every migrant worker. I say so because this was once my dilemma while I was working as domestic worker in a foreign land for many years. The longer I worked there, the more years I did not spend Christmas at home.

On Sunday, October 23, at around 1.00pm, a lone ship pulled away from the quarry side in front of Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Tai Po. Its cargo contained a motley crew of Sunday School and Youth Group students, teachers and parents, along with other notable personages of esteemed repute, including Sister Maria So Yin-ha and Father Paulo Ceruti, as well as numerous helpers of the generous sort.

Reaching my 39th birthday on October 15 was such a great blessing from above. People say that life begins at 40, therefore my life is yet to begin. 

It is quite alarming to think about an approaching of a birthday, not because of the number, but the thought that another chapter of life is being opened and the dare of an unknown tomorrow has to be faced.