Newsletter of the District of Asia

 July- August 2000

Chronicle of the District of Asia

July 7 

India. The St Pius X Boys hostel is going very well, surprisingly well, comfortingly well. The boys are well enough disciplined, they receive three lessons per week in catechism, and on Saturdays or Sundays, music, too as Fr. Blute is refurbishing an old piano in his recreation times… quite interesting, and well within his capabilities.  The boys enjoy their game of cricket under the youthful eye of Fr. Edwin.

July 10

Manila. A professor in one of our French schools came for a few weeks to discover the Philippines.  However, as the weather was very bad, Fr. Onoda laid hand on him to give an intensive French course to our Bethanians!

July 16

Vietnam. Mission #2 began.  Fr. Couture flew to Saigon to renew contacts with our Vietnamese faithful.

Sri Lanka.  After the morning sung Mass, the celebrant imposed the scapular of Our Lady of Month Carmel to nearly all of our faithful.

July 17

Santa Barbara. Fr. Wailliez left for a 6-week journey across Asia and Europe

July 20

Vietnam. Mission #2:  Fr Wailliez arrived in Hanoi a few minutes before Fr Couture to pursue the work together in the famous Tonkin.  These few days allowed them to visit some of the shrines of the Martyrs.

July 25

Vietnam. Mission #2: Fr. Couture left Tonkin for the Philippines.

July 28

Singapore. Fr. Davodeau, relieved form his school teaching assignment for the summer, came to Asia to give a most welcomed hand.

July 30

Singapore. Second wedding of the year.

July 30

Vietnam. Mission #2: Fr Wailliez left Tonkin for Europe.

July 31

Vietnam. Mission #2 Fr. Davodeau left to take the relay in Northern Vietnam for another 10 days.

August 2

Singapore.  Fr. Maurel, from Sri Lanka, came for a visit.

Santa Barbara. A French man came for a short visit.

August 3

Sri Lanka.  Nirmalee, the brave and only flag-bearer for the priory, went to Singapore to join the Asian pilgrimage.

August 4

India.  Three ladies from Bombay managed to get all their papers to join us in Rome and thus to represent India. 

Rome.  60 Asian pilgrims met in Fiumicino Airport to represent the continent at the SSPX international pilgrimage.  These pilgrims, with 10 others who arrived a day later were: from Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, India and also Thailand.

August 10

Vietnam. Mission #2  Fr Davodeau left for the Philippines.

August 11

Santa Barbara. A professor of the Western Visayas School of Science and Technology, formerly in the Trade School, in the district of Lapaz, made a visit to the pre-seminary.

August 12

Manila. Fr. Davodeau officiated at the main altar.

August 15

Manila. No procession due to torrential rain.

August 18

Japan. Due to the Rome pilgrimage, the masses had to be cancelled.

Kuala Lumpur.  Mr. Jean Pierre Le Roy just arriving from France, came to present the Order of the Knights of Our Lady.  The Order of the Knights of Our Lady was started in 1947 in France and has for goal to work for the establishment of the Social Reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Its traditional branch was revived in 1989 and has now spread through the world.  It was started in the Philippines in 1998.

August 19

Singapore.  The Singaporeans Pilgrims returned from Rome, beaming with joy.

August 20

Santa Barbara. Fr. Davodeau inspected the premises of the pre-seminary.

Manila.  The Rome Pilgrims returned one day after the Singaporeans from this historical pilgrimage.

August 21

Singapore. Fr. Davodeau returned from his missionary journeys to Vietnam and the Philippines  He met at the airport Fr. Dominique Bourmaud SSPX, professor at Holy Cross Seminary, on a four day stop-over at the District headquarters.

August 22

Singapore. Community outing at the highest summit in the Republic of Singapore: 164 meters!

August 23

Singapore.  A veteran in the Singapore Mission, Fr. Gerard Hogan, graced us with his visit on his way to Australia, coming from Rome.  In Rome, he was the beneficiary of a powerful, quasi-miraculous intervention of St Anthony, as he recovered his stolen suitcase that contained a lot of medication.

August 24

Singapore.  Fr. Bourmaud left us to go back to his assignment in Goulburn, Australia.

Korea. Fr. Vachon went on a mission to Korea to replace Fr Onoda who remained in Europe after the pilgrimage.

August 29

Santa Barbara.  The first knights of Our Lady arrived from Manila for the Provincial Congress.

August 31

Manila.   Fr. Couture stopped for a brief 24 hours on his way to the Provincial Chapter of the Knights of our Lady in Santa Barbara.

Sri Lanka.  The prior left for some rest in his home country.

Singapore.  Fr. Davodeau took his leave from his month of hard work in the Asian district to go back to his assignment as teacher in a French school.  He will now illustrate his classes with many colorful stories and photos from far away countries…

September 1

Santa Barbara.  Fr. Wailliez, Fr. Couture arrived in Iloilo for the Congress. They also met there Mr. Le Roy who had just arrived the day before.  Almost all the Filipino members of the Knights of Our Lady arrived for their Provincial Chapter. 

September 2

Santa Barbara.   A busy day in two parts: –1) In the morning:  at 6.10 am,  the 25 Knights of Our Lady, from Manila and Bohol together with  Fr. Couture , Fr. Wailliez and also the Master of the Knight of Our Lady J. P. le Roy and the pre-seminarians left for the chapel in Iloilo.  7:00 AM sung mass celebrated by Fr. Couture followed by a light meal.  9: 25 AM start of the Jubilee Pilgrimage which consisted of a 6 km procession from the town of Pavia to the centenial church of the town of Sta Barbara.  With Our Lady’s grace we were permitted to enter the Jublee church with the permission of the parish priest (an important act as this priest is the editor of a local publication which, last year, had a series of articles against the Society of St Pius X).  Fr. Couture and Fr. Wailliez lead the faithful in the singing of the Credo and other prayer to gain the indulgences of the Jubilee.  Aproximately 150 faithful joined this pilgrimage which ended up at the pre-seminary with lunch..  2) In the afternoon, the first Provincial Chapter of the Knights of Our Lady began with two priests, the Master from France and 25 delegates from the various chapters of the Philippines.  The Provincial Chapter lasted three days.

September 5

Thailand. The district superior spent a few days in this ‘Land of the Smile’ renewing contacts made earlier to bring back Catholic Tradition in this country where Buddhism is still very strong.  Fr. Couture was able to offer the Holy Mass in a parish not too far from Bangkok and to give catechism twice to a group of parishioners.

Santa Barbara. Fr. Couture, Mr. Le Roy and all the knights left the pre-seminary to go back to their occupation more convinced than ever of the necessity to restore all things in Christ the King.

September 7

Singapore. The Master of the Knights of Our Lady, Mr. J.P. Le Roy came to give an intense doctrinal session to the future squires.

September 12

Singapore. Reception of three squires in the Order of the Knights of Our Lady.  The spouse of one of the squires was also received as a member.

One of Fr. Couture’s former altar boy from Ireland visited the priory.

September 14

Santa Barbara. The classes resumed for the formation of the future brothers.


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