Local News

                                                                     Updates on the development of meditation groups in Hong Kong , Taiwan and China.   ( Report for the JMS-2 by Liz King )   Oct. 4 , 2007   

        Fr. Laurence’s second visit to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in August of this year resulted in the flowering of the seeds he planted in November, 2004.

A most inspiring report written by Liz King     Sept. 2, 2007

FEEDING THE HUNGRY IN CHINA, HK AND TAIWAN-

Fr. Laurence visited China, Hong Kong and Taiwan over a two-week period in August. His activities were as diversified as the landscape of the country. He gave several retreats to Chinese sisters, with the themes, “Prayer: meeting the challenges of our times,” and “Christian Meditation: healing and revitalizing our hearts.” The sisters, who lived very simply and sparsely, were well prepared for contemplation, since 30 minutes are set aside each morning for lectio. They absorbed Fr. Laurence’s talks like a sponge. Although we came to teach, their “zeal, energy of faith,” simplicity, innocence and generous love taught us much, much more. The meditation groups they promised to form in the convent and clinics will be the first in China.

In Shanghai, Fr. Laurence also met with a newly-ordained priest and several seminarians who traveled by air and train to meet with us. They all met Fr. Laurence during his first visit to China in 2004 and have been meditating on their own. After our Shanghai meeting, they were strengthened in their resolve to continue the discipline and will form their own groups.

After his retreats, Albert and Liz King accompanied Fr. Laurence for a 2-day visit to Huang San (Yellow Mountain)—China’s paradise, where the mountain peaks, veiled in passing mists, were breathlessly beautiful and timeless…no wonder many Chinese landscape painters were so inspired.

In Hong Kong, Fr. Laurence gave two talks over a weekend. Through the hard work of our Hong Kong Coordinators, Lina Lee and Anthony Ng, the response was overwhelming, drawing record crowds. (SEE Lina Lee’s article Meditation Community Grows in Hong Kong in another section of the NEWS.) An 8^th meditation group will be formed at St. Margaret Mary Parish, where Fr. Laurence gave his August 18^th talk. Fr. Gabriel, the pastor, was so deeply inspired by Fr. Laurence’s talk that he encouraged the formation of a meditation group in his parish. It was also at St. Margaret’s that Bishop John Tong was officially inducted as a patron of WCCM.

Our last stop was Taipei where I had misgivings and doubts about organizing a lecture meeting because I could not be present personally to make the arrangements. It took me months to find the venue and a coordinator for Fr. Laurence’s talk on “Contemplative prayer—experiencing God in our hearts,” It was another miracle of grace and hope that Fr. Edgar Butong, SVD, director of the One World Community Services Center, volunteered to be the coordinator and offered his center as the venue. After that, the Holy Spirit took matters into his own hands. The Borboas, Francisco and Ana, world-renowned artists and muralists, came forward and created, not one, but two masterpieces for the occasion. One was a poster and  the other was the backdrop for the lecture hall. Then Radio Veritas, the official Catholic radio, even volunteered to tape the talk.

Over 150 showed up on that humid Tuesday night. The thunder and pouring rain stopped just in time to attract many first-time meditators: Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, priests, sisters and others. Of this number, 94 were anxious to learn more about our Prayer of the Heart, while 25 came from one parish: Don Bosco, which is about 1-1/2 hours away by subway.

The next day, I personally contacted 80 of the participants and also went to visit Fr. Gary Carbon, pastor of Don Bosco. It was more than serendipity that Fr. Carbon, then a seminarian in the early 90’s in Manila, met Fr. Laurence. After that encounter, he meditated steadfastly for four years, not missing a single day. Later, however, he was distracted by “new missions…new culture, new lifestyle and adjustments.” He writes in his journal, “I feel that the coming of Fr. Freeman last week was a blessing and a reminder for me to come back to this practice. I was even teary-eyed during that evening since I remembered that I had, in some way…lost touch with silence and solitude...but still, the yearning for it is still there, it never left me…”

Fr. Carbon will be organizing two meditation groups in his parish: a Chinese and an English-speaking one very soon. And the third one officially gathered at the One World Community Services Chapel on August 29. Ana Borboa and Anne Ho are the facilitators.

Although I could not prolong my stay in Taipei this time, despite the urgent pleas of Ana and the others, I promised to visit them next year with the hope of watering the seedlings…In the meantime, the need for more books and materials in Chinese is ever so great, and we are accelerating our efforts to get more Chinese translations. WCCM (HK) is creating a new Chinese website which will be a big boon to the Chinese meditators. Deo Gratias.

                                                                                                Liz King

                                                                                                Coordinator of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan

Article from front page of " Kung Kao Po " ( Hong Kong Catholic Newspaper )     Aug. 26, 2007

( Click above picture for a larger image )

Many thanks indeed for K.C. Wong's  tremendous effort and wonderful help to produce such a wonderful coverage of Christian meditation on Kung Kao Po.  We do appreciate very much his ardent support and guidance.The feature article that takes a full front page of KKP on Father Laurence 's talks is  very impressive.  

Bishop John Tong  Hon  -      A new Patron of   WCCM   ( a note from Lina Lee , Aug  23 , 2007 ) 

 " I am not worthy to be your Patron. However, I appreciate very much the kindness of Father Laurence and Mrs. Elizabeth King. I hope that by accepting such an honour, I can be considered one of the learners in your group. When I entered this hall, I heard the first question which reminded me of Cardinal Carlo Martini, one of my favourite writers. In one of his books, entitled "The Journey of Prayer with Luke the Evangelist", he pointed out that the Buddhist tradition of breathing has its positive values. Such a method can help us open our hearts in prayer. It means that such a method can help us turn our hearts to a void or zero state so that we can be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. So I am supportive to the practice of Christian meditation. However, I am one of your learners only. I hope Christian meditation taught by Father Laurence can benefit more Christians in Hong Kong."

+ JOHN TONG, V.G.
Auxiliary Bishop
Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong

Meditation Community Grows in Hong Kong  ( A report by Lina Lee ,  Aug 21, 2007 )

Thanks so much to the Holy Spirit. Yesterday, Fr Laurence drew a crowd of over 350 including priests and sisters and a number of Dominican brothers, also laypersons mainly Catholics, Protestants from various churches and a few Buddhists. Everyone was overjoyed and many of them were first-time meditators. So many have told me that how this talk has enriched them and opened up new horizons for them to a deeper encounter with the Lord! Never have I seen an audience so deeply immersed, listening and opening up the ye?of their hearts, meditating so devotedly with Fr Laurence mostly loving and in a reverend manner. Our hearts are filled with joy and gratitude for the success of the talk after months of preparation, prayer and tremendous effort from so many. We are assured that one day Christian meditation will become the alk of the town?here in Hong Kong!

It is also a most unforgettable and rewarding experience for myself and for meditators at St Margaret Church as this is the very first time that they are able to meditate in our own parish. We pray that very soon we can start a group at St Margaret Church. Fr Pietro Paolo Dossi, a nice friend has once told me, aiting is an art? And indeed the Lord has His timetable. We must be patient and wait.

The theme of yesterday talk is ystery of Meditation? Fr Laurence points out to us that so often we are too busy solving problems and forget the deeper dimensions ?the heart, the point of meeting between the human mysteries and mysteries of God.

Each one of us is so much inspired to hear Fr Laurence speaking profoundly on the mystery, how can we ever imagine that human can have such power to be able o encounter the mystery of existence?and in essence, the Lord Himself. Fr Laurence is so wise to alert us that our lives ave to be lived? and not just observed. How can human be fully alive? Yes, if we follow the discipline of the Heart, this is the answer.

Fr Laurence knows our weaknesses and that we are too fond of solving problems and forget the deeper dimensions ?the heart, the point of meeting between the human mysteries and mysteries of God. In order to live our human lives to the full, we have to learn to give up the role of just a roblem-solver? and instead through meditation, we can enter into the mystery and experience the kind of peace promised by Jesus, the peace that the world cannot give.

Fr Laurence further enlightened us by stressing the point that Christ Himself is our peace and that the Prayer of the Heart is the very anchor, solid foundation within us. Yes, we must learn this beautiful method of responding to our most loving God! Thanks so much to Fr Laurence for once again reminding us that we have to practise the mystery of simplicity as most often we are wrapped up in complexity and fail to realize that God is a simple mystery. Fr Laurence thinks that simplicity. Once we remain simple, we are able to be at peace with ourselves, to love ourselves, then we can also be at peace with ourselves, and with one another. He points out a way of wholeness and peace.

How miraculously is the way that our hearts of stone can be transformed through the Holy Spirit by way of mediation! Never have we realized that as alerted by Fr Laurence, an infinite life of creation is in-dwelling in our hearts, that Jesus lives in our heart every moment of our lives. Our life is the real mystery, a gift that we are going to share with others as Christ has sacrificed Himself to the point of death!

We are so firmly assured that the mystery of life is touching us through meditation and we are to practise this discipline of love always for ourselves, and also for the glory of God! Maranatha

 Promotional Videos for Father Laurence Open Talks

Two short videos were produced by Charles Ma to promote the two open talks by Father Laurence Aug 18 and Aug 19.                                Click here to view.