A fortnight ago, I wrote a post about the coolest blog to add YIMCatholic to their blog roll. The blog is written by TingTing Tse, whose photograph you see here. Her blog is written in Chinese, though search me if it is in Cantonese or Mandarin. After I posted about her blog, which appeared to be coming out of Emmaus in the Holy Land, she wrote me a note.
Dear Frank,
Thanks for your kind words and friendship in Christ. And thanks for your kindness of mentioning me in your blog- you gave me the same warm feelings and smiles!
In fact, I just left Israel a few weeks ago. I'm a Postulant in the Catholic Community of the Beatitudes. Our community's mission in the Holy Land is to take care of the site of Emmaus-Nicopolis. Therefore I had the chance, and indeed the honour, of living in the Holy Land for one year.
Right now I'm staying in France, to complete my Religious Formation. This journey is my "exile," as I am really, really, really in love with the Holy Land! The recent posts in my blog are all bubbling over with the Love of Jerusalem!
Thanks for the great work of writing your blog. Indeed, it is a very important tool to spread God's Words! I pray for your ministry, and I feel blessed to "meet" you in this "small big internet world!"
And I am especially grateful to you for introducing me to Dom Lou Tseng-Tsiang. I did not know of him yet! For sure I will spend the time to get to know this new friend. I'm quite sure he's already praying for me!
I come from Hong Kong and lived there all my life (well, we belonged to Britain until 1997 —that explains my English.) The persecuted Church in mainland China geographically is very near to us but we Christians from Hong Kong actually know very little about Catholics in mainland China, and we bear too little of the Cross with our Brothers and Sisters there.
My Mother got baptised in her teens (many schools in Hong Kong are founded by missionaries: Salesians, Canossians, for example). She married my Dad, who was a Buddist. Mixed-marriages are very typical for Hong Kong Christians, even to this day). She brought me to be baptised when I was 3. This was because, after 3 years of age, I would have needed to attend Catechism Class before baptism. She didn't want to "miss the chance", a typically "realistic" calculation of Hong Kong people (smile). But indeed I give thanks to God every day for this. If not, I don't know where I would fall religiously now.
My conversion was in 2005 at World Youth Day. During the overnight vigil, Pope Benedict XVI raised the Blessed Sacrament, and 1 million of us were kneeling down. It was the first time in my life that I realised what it means by the phrase "we are one body."
My parish in Hong Kong is taken care of by some missionaries from Argentina, the IVE Priests and Sisters. They are full of fire and loyal love for the Catholic Church. Therefore I received very good formation with other youths in the years after.
In 2006, somehow, I felt "called" to join a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. That was my second, and real, conversion to prayer and it changed many bad habits in my life. Also, I began to seek my Vocation. Well little by little, very slowly, I began following God's call step by step. I was constantly falling and forgiven and renewing and moving on, while struggling along this path.
And then I joined the Community of the Beatitudes, and I was sent to Israel for the first year of experiencing their spirituality. Now, I have arrived in France to complete my formation, and if God is willing, I want to be a consecrated Sister.
I have written long enough for now, just an ordinary love story in our Father's infinite Mercy.
I'd love to write and share an article for your blog. On August 8th, I'm departing for World Youth Day, and then I will go to Rome for a week long pilgrimage (it will be the first time in my life going to Rome, and I'm so excited!). I'll need to write for you around 1 month after, ok?
I'll keep you, your family and readers in my prayers during my coming pilgrimage.
Love in Christ,
TingTing
I look forward to your guest post TingTing! We'll keep the prayers flowing for you through your travels and witnessing for Christ and the Church. And prayers for all of the youths who will be traveling to Madrid for this years celebration of World Youth Day as well. Truly, it is a font for vocations.
Thanks be to God.
