Newsletter of the District of Asia  January - February 2000 Chronicle of the District of Asia November 2 MANILA. The Priests, Dominicans, Bethanians and some young people visited the crypt of Christ the King seminary. SANTA BARBARA. The priest, the pre-seminarians and the faithful visited 13 cemeteries and a great number of graves were blessed. November 5 SINGAPORE. H.E. Bishop de Galarreta stopped over for 24 hours on his way to Australia. He was the first bishop to visit our new headquarters. In the evening he gave confirmations to 4 adults. November 6 SINGAPORE. The Bishop almost missed his flight to Australia due to a visa complication resolved speedily by the good St. Rita (excellent in airport problems…). MANILA. Two Redemptorists Fathers from England, Rev. Fr. Michael Mary, Superior General and Fr. Clement, arrived in the Philippines to preach a priestly retreat. November 7 MANILLA. At the 9:00 am Solemn High Mass, Fr. Michael Mary, as a true son of St. Alphonsus, gave one of these sermons that sticks with you for life, on the devotion to the 3 Hail Marys. When will we see a traditional Redemptorist foundation in this part of the world? While visiting the shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baclaran, Manila (a shrine which still gathers on every Wednesday over 10,000 devotees of Our Blessed Lady). They heard that many of the priests they had known had left to get married…. November 8-13 SANTA BARBARA. The-priestly retreat was given to the following retreatants: H.E. Bishop Lazo, Frs.Griego, Onoda, Soliman, and a diocesan priest. This was the first of many retreats that will be given in our new pre-seminary/noviciate/retreat house. The site is ideal for the Spiritual Exercises. November 14 SINGAPORE. The two Fathers from England met the district Superior in Singapore Changi Airport in the evening and together they flew to Bombay then to Trivandrum, in the Southern province of Kerala, for the second priestly retreat. November 15-20 INDIA. Second priestly Retreat by the Redemptorists fathers for 5 priests. November 17 SINGAPORE. Fr Vachon returned from his Canadian winter break. November 19 INDIA. Fr. George Maurel left Singapore for Bombay and Palayamkottai to begin his new Indian apostolate November 23-24 INDIA. While the two Redemptorists visited the shrine of St. Francis Xavier in Goa, the District Superior stayed in the South to discuss apostolic and administrative matters. November 25 INDIA. In Bombay, while Fr. Maurel was recovering from his Indian 'welcome' (only a gentle bug…) the Redemptorists Fathers flew East to Europe and Fr Couture flew West back to base in the early hours of the day (1.30am,2.30am… ) December 5 SANTA BARBARA, ILOILO. Legion of Mary function. More than 150 people attended including 64 active members and 32 auxiliaries (those who pray for the Legion), representing the 6 various praesidia of Iloilo. December 5-7 KUALA LUMPUR. The faithful followed with great devotion the first Saturday ceremonies of a series of five consecutive months. December 8 SINGAPORE, SANTA BARBARA, INDIA. Many of our priests renewed their membership, their oblation within the ranks of the Society of St. Pius X. May we all persevere unto the end… MANILLA. As it was raining heavily, the procession was canceled and the Holy Rosary was said instead by the whole congregation. After the Mass, the Knights of Our Lady received new postulants. December 10-13 MANILLA. Fr. Griego left for a mission in Baguio, North of Manila. Three members of the schola followed to sing the Mass and assist Fr. Griego. December 12 MANILA. The Cristeros of Manila had a prayer function in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, their patroness. December 16-20 SRI LANKA. Fr. Couture came for a visit and especially to notice the wonderful work of the Legion of the Mary in the local hospital. Truly a lovely sight: first, an afternoon visiting the sick of three different wards, then, after the evening Mass both priests returned with the Blessed Sacrament to give holy Communion to 25 patients who had been to confession earlier. What a wonderful way to expose the holiness and attractiveness of our Religion to the non-Catholics: the priest arrived wearing cope and humeral veil escorted by another priest and two acolytes in red cassocks, white surplices and holding their candles, and thus processed through the dark corridors. December 25 CHRISTMAS Thanks be to God, most mass centers throughout the District were able to have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass either on the day itself or on the next. December 26-31 MANILA. Men's retreat for 13 by Fathers Griego and Onoda. SANTA BARBARA. Men's retreat for 22 by Fathers Couture and Wailliez. December 26-28 BOHOL. Session of the Apostles of Mary by Father Soliman. December 28-January 3 BOHOL. Women's retreat for 13 by Fathers Soliman and Salvador. December 29 SINGAPORE. Fr Loschi came from Sri Lanka to help out with the end of the year ceremonies. December 31 In many of our centers, as it had been requested by Bishop Fellay, the old year ended in front of the Blessed Sacrament and with the singing of the Te Deum. January 3-11 SANTA BARBARA. 8 days Spiritual Exercises according to St. Ignatius to 24 Sisters, Bethanians and aspirants to the religious life. January 6 SINGAPORE. Fr. Loschi returned to his Cinghalese mission field. January 7 MANILLA. On the First Friday of the millennium, the new Sacred Heart Altar and retablo was blessed and the Sacred Heart was enthroned at Our Lady of Victories. January 8 IL OILO. Fr Soliman introduced the Apostles of Mary to 15 prospective members. January 13-16 THAILAND. Fr Couture spent some very fruitful days in this new battlefield, meeting Thai faithful and also a good number of Filipinos working in Thailand. January 16 MANILA. Feast of the Santo Niño. Outdoor procession with the 'miraculous' statue of the Infant Jesus. January 17 SANTA BARBARA. Gerald Fallarcuna finally got his Australian visa to enter Holy Cross Seminary after one year expectation. January 18 MANILA. One Bethanian, Segundina Narisma, left to prepare her vocation with the teaching Dominican Sisters of Brignoles in France. Meanwhile another girl is admitted in Bethany, to prepare herself with the other 12 thinking of a religious vocation. January 20 JAPAN. Fr Vachon joined Fr Onoda in the Japanese-Korean circuit and added a "little" detour visiting struggling traditional catholic families in US Airforce base in Misawa, near the very Northern tip of Japan's main island. January 23 MANILA. A video on the crisis in the Church was shown in the church basement following each Mass. The film showed clearly, point by point, the differences between the Old and the New Mass. A good number of faithful saw the film. January 26 MANILA. Bishop Lazo was confined to the hospital. January 27 MANILA. Fr Salvador enthroned the Sacred Heart in the house of a high-ranking military officer. Bishop was released from the hospital. January 28 MANILA. Fr. Egli and the Swiss young man spending a year at the priory went on a mission in Baguio, North of Manila.