Greetings from Rome, where I arrived 2 days ago after a very emotional departure from my parish, St. Dominic and the Rosary, Miri and. Sarawak. My last update was in April. Since then I have:
1. Attended the wedding of my niece Francesca with Ed
2. Walked the Camino from Leon to Santiago de Compostela (300 km in 12 days)
3. Finished all things I still intended to do before handing over to my successor
– got my trusted helper Arsono into the Capuchin seminary in Indonesia
– blessing close to 900 homes with the help of Fr. Liam Durrant mhm and the Zonal committees
– renovations of lighting, hall etc.,
– my farewell gift to the parish – a mosaic of St. Dominic and the Rosary created by my nephew Frank Deiters,
– visit to my first parish in the interior
– farewell parties and dinners in Miri, Bintulu, Limbang, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching
It has been an amazing time during which I have been able to meditate upon the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John 14: 5-7 which I gave as a final talk to Bishop and the priests of Miri diocese.
A quote:
John 20 is Jesus’ reply to Peter’s three times denial
Note: Jesus never rebukes or scolds Peter for it
He only asks him the simple question: “Do you love me?”
The English doesn’t translate the Greek where it says:
“Peter, do you ‘agapan me’ ” (i.e. love me, willing to die for me”?
Peter answers “Yes Lord I do philein you (i.e. I love you with a selfish love)”
The third time, Jesus says “Peter, do you philein me?
To which Peter answers:
“Yes, Lord, I do philein you.
Whereupon Jesus says, “now that you have become wiser, the H. Spirit will gird you and lead you where you do not want to go,
namely laying down your life for me.”
Instead of writing down the various things, I rather send you a few selected pictures to give you an impression.
My first impression of Borneo in 1970
Farewell Dinner
Farewell Eucharist at the church of St. Dominic and the Rosary in Taman Tunku,
Final Departure on the 10th September 2018
Compiled by Ben Chang
