Three of our Catholic deaf community were there to meet me, another wonderful surprise! One of them had a car and so I even got a ride to Bishop Ford Center, my old home. Then we went out to yam chah, a traditional Chinese lunch.

I unpacked some stuff and set up the computer, and then ran over to McDonald's for a quick supper on the way to a meeting to plan Holy Week. We had a very good liturgy planning team and we got through all of Holy Week in one meeting, a first for us. I think it was due to the extensive notes everyone had and all their previous experience over the years that enabled us to finish so quickly.

Then I met with Fr. Fernando Montano, my successor with the deaf community, and we talked about some of the situations he has encountered since taking over, and then we joined some of the liturgy meeting participants at McDonald's for a very late supper for them.

• I started going through some of the boxes I left here when I went to Cambodia two months ago, looking for some clothes and other things I need. Haven't found them yet. I also went through some of the mail that has piled up since February and made some changes in the itinerary for the trip to the US in May.
• It is so nice to be here where the temperature is relatively cool! It's warm enough that no jacket is needed outside but cool enough to sleep with a light blanket at night. It's like heaven after Cambodia!
• This afternoon I had a meeting at Caritas Magdalene School with the team of teachers planning a retreat for a group of students on Saturday. We have communicated by e-mail but this was the first time we could meet together. I was a little late for the meeting because I kept running into students on their way out of the building who wanted to stop and talk because we hadn't seen each other for two months.
• This evening I got a call from our central leadership team in New York. They want me to reconsider my declining of the nomination to be a candidate for the New York team when they are elected in May this year. Not enough people have accepted the nominations.

• During the early morning I did some work on the web, researching some ideas on reconciliation that can be used with the deaf students tomorrow. I found a lot that will also be useful for adults.
• One of the deaf young women came to visit in the late morning, and after talking a while, we went to eat lunch at a Chinese fast food place in Lok Fu.
• After that meal, I went to the pastoral centre for disabled people and checked with the staff there to see what has been going on since I left. I picked up 30 small candles to be used in tomorrow's retreat and also got a battery charger and batteries that had been delivered there for me after I left for Cambodia. These special batteries are for us in my new digital camera.
• This evening I attended the RCIA class at St. Patrick's Church. The topic was the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and was taught by Justina Chan and Amy Kwok. It was good to be back with the group again. Everywhere I go there are really happy reunions!
• We had 16 inches of rain fall in parts of Hong Kong today. The schools were closed because the black rainstorm warning had gone up early this morning. Our cook didn't come in because of that so I washed clothes tonight. I didn't bring that much with me so I have to keep ahead on the washing!

• I left at 0815 this morning and was already approaching the first stop on the MTR (our subway) when I realized I had forgotten to bring the candles and some nails that I needed for the reconciliation liturgy. I got off at the first stop and rode back to my starting point and then hurried home to pick up the forgotten items. By that time it was too late to take the MTR so I grabbed a taxi for the cross-harbor ride, an expensive consequence of my forgetfulness. I arrived about 15 minutes late at the deaf school, and all the students were already on the bus waiting patiently for me.
• We drove out to the Maryknoll house in Stanley and had a really good retreat. Because the schools were closed yesterday, the teachers on the retreat team had had a good opportunity to plan more for today, and they did a super good job. We had two sessions in the morning, and then after lunch I led a reconciliation liturgy. This retreat was one of the two reasons that I made this trip to Hong Kong.
• I had been taking pictures throughout the day with the digital camera, and since we had a digital projector hooked up to a laptop for part of our presentations, after everything was finished I plugged my camera into the projector and showed everyone the 90+ photos I had taken. Then we walked around the Maryknoll house grounds for half an hour before boarding the bus for Wanchai.
• This evening after supper I went over to Lok Fu and bought some cokes and an electrical adapter. I realized that I still have not found the black shoes that I left here in February, so I started going through more of the boxes piled up in our empty room.

• We had our Palm Sunday liturgy (I'll never get used to calling it Passion Sunday as the liturgists recommend--nor really understand why they want to change it) at the youth centre run by the Canossian Sisters at their headquarters over on Hong Kong Island. It turned out to be a really good location, with a large courtyard where we could have the blessing of the palm and a procession, and then their large conference room which we used for a chapel. We had a surprisingly large crowd in attendance. Usually when we move our masses around--especially when we go to a new place for the first time--the numbers drop off dramatically, but I think many of the group were excited by the idea of our getting together again after two months, just like "old times."
• We still had the usual problems caused by lack of practice, but the procession and all went off surprisingly well given the new place, etc. After mass I was asked to give a brief account of my new life in Cambodia. They were really interested in hearing the details of daily life there. I also had a chance to check with several people about some on-going difficult situations they face.
• About twenty of us went to lunch together after mass, and they decided on Pizza Hut much to my surprise. They like pizza but they LOVE dim sum, the traditional Chinese steamed dumplings that are such a tradition on Saturday and Sunday. We took a bus down to Admiralty to a food court in one of HK's major shopping centers. I was questioning the wisdom of going to Admiralty because 40,000 Filipinas stake out that area for R&R on Sunday, their day off for most of them, and the food court was jammed. But I really appreciated the Pizza Hut choice when I found one of the young women serving the food was deaf, and she told us there were ten deaf people working in the kitchen-side of their operation. One of them turned out to be one of my former pupils, one of my favorites who had gone to the Manila World Youth Day with us even though she isn't a Christian.
• The four of us at our table ordered a set meal for four and it was pizza with Chinese characteristics. The actual pizza was pretty normal--nothing really unusual on it this time, but Chinese people in HK tend to pay more attention to the side dishes than to the pizza itself. In this case the side dishes were a spaghetti plate with seafood--mostly squid--on top; a plate of chicken wings; and bowls of clam-and-corn soup. Definitely not the combination you would find in a US Pizza Hut.

• Boy, the mosquitoes in my room are terrible. I have to use the mosquito net at night for sleeping, but that's the easy part. They really attack when I'm sitting here at the computer at night.
• I went to Caritas Magdalene School to eat lunch with the students today but ended up eating before the students with a couple of the administration. Then I spent the rest of the lunch period with the students. I had brought my laptop with all the photos in it from the retreat on Saturday, so I set that for "slideshow" and let the photos run so the kids could see their school mates at the retreat. That was probably the last time I'll see the school or the students on this trip.
• Then I went looking for the telephone company to see about closing down my telephone account after I leave next week. The Hong Kong telephone company has changed its name about five or six times since I have been here. The only thing it changes more often is the location of its neighborhood offices. No office every stays in one place for more than one or two years. I find it very frustrating not ever being able to locate one to talk to someone in person. Of course the phone company says that I should call them to find the new location of the nearest office to wherever I am. The heck I will! I went to one of their major corporate centers today, where there used to be customer services, but now that has all gone except for the corporate offices upstairs. A man there said I should just call the company on the phone to close the account!
• Then I went over to Apliu Street in Sham Shui Po to get some computer parts and a clock radio (that I couldn't find in Cambodia or Thailand). I hit the jackpot, and got everything I wanted and for a really good price. I'm especially pleased with the $11 radio, but I was also happy to run across some bicycle lights that reminded me that I needed to get some lights for my bike in Phnom Penh and I picked up a couple of those, too.
• I got an e-mail from The Deaf Catholic, the publication of the International Catholic Deaf Association, asking me to write a three-page article for the next issue. They're running behind schedule, though, and want to know if I can send it to them next Monday! I outlined it in rough form while on the subway this afternoon.
• The Via Vai Travel agency got back to me with what will probably be the final form of my itinerary for going to the US in May. After the Maryknoll assembly, I'll be speaking in five churches in three states on the way back to Cambodia.

• I brought very little with me from Cambodia because the things that are there I need, and I didn't want to bring stuff to Hong Kong only to take it back to Cambodia a second time. My old room at Bishop Ford Center is now a mess again, though, because I have been going through boxes of things I left behind to choose the items I want to take back with me this time, and to find things I need while I'm here. Today I packed up a box of books to send to Phnom Penh with Fr. Bill Grimm who is going there tomorrow for Holy Week and Easter. I gave him about 23 pounds of books! Hope that isn't too much!
• After a sandwich I took the box of books over to Hong Kong to Fenwick Pier where another Maryknoll priest, Ron Saucci works, and he will take the box to Bill tonight.
• Then I hurried to our pastoral centre for the disabled to meet with some people for a counseling session.
• After that I went back to Hong Kong Island to Causeway Bay to the Delta Airlines office to see about arranging a ticket using my frequent flyer miles. Delta has dropped most of Asia from its route map so now I can't acquire any more miles with them but still have a lot of frequent flyer miles to get rid of.

• I like being able to ride a bicycle again now that I live in Phnom Penh, but one aspect of my old Hong Kong lifestyle that I dearly miss is hiking HK's wonderful hills, where it's possible to from sea level to 3000 feet altitude in traveling just a mile horizontally. Today I took a day off from the meetings and Holy Week planning and went hiking with one of the deaf group volunteers in the hills on Lantau Island. We took a ferry to Mui Wo and then a bus to Nong Ping, the site of the big Buddha statue, and then from there we started on the Lantau Trail heading east but went only as far as the first junction where we had the option of heading north down to the coastal road along a path I had never taken before it turned out to be a neat trail.
• 

  This is a picture looking north toward the Chinese islands (out of sight) just above Lantau Island. This trail is running from the big Buddha statue at Nong Ping down to the coast road that runs over the dam in the background that forms the Shek Pik Reservoir, one of the sources of HK's water. You might be able to see a small white blur beyond the dam. That's the Shek Pik Prison which is right below the dam. If the dam were ever breached, goodbye prison.

   

• The trek today also had its business side as I got filled in by Siu Wai Yan on all the activities of the Catholic deaf group--and some of the problems that have arisen--since I left in February. Basically I was pleased to hear that there are probably more successes than failures. I think the group is doing just fine without me and growing in new directions!
• I got back to the Tung Tau Tsuen neighborhood about 1830 and continued my previous day-off ritual of eating a #4 value meal at McDonald's before heading home to take a shower and watch the news.

• This morning I took the #103 bus across the harbor over to the cathedral for what is called the "chrism mass," the service in which the bishop blesses the holy oils used by all the parishes in a diocese. It is also a special celebration of priesthood and the unity between the bishops and priests, and during the ceremony all the clergy renew their commitment to working for the gospel. The local liturgy commission usually plans a very good ceremony. The only complaint I had this year was that the communion service used intinction--dipping the host into the chalice rather than drinking from cup. Even the bishops used intinction, a practice which is universally discouraged by liturgists.
• After the chrism mass, the priests pick up a set of the three holy oils to be used in their parishes for baptisms, confirmations, and anointing the sick, and then all gathered in the Caritas Restaurant for a lunch together.
• I left the lunch and headed for the travel agent and the Delta Airlines office to try and work out the final details for tickets to the US in May. Today was the last day I could pick up the tickets because tomorrow and Saturday are holidays and I leave for Phnom Penh on Monday. A change in my five-stop ticket with United resulted in my not being able to make some connections between Louisville and New York. Because the United ticket was issued yesterday, it cannot be changed without a $75 penalty per change. (I think it is disgusting that United Airlines resorts to that sort of money-grubbing nonsense!) But in the end, because I could not get my other ticket with Delta to dovetail with the United ticket, I had to make a change in the later and I'll have to pay $75 when I check in a month from now. But at least I can make all my commitments and still get home to visit my family.
• The gathering of the priests every year at the cathedral is an interesting experience. It always impresses me how many of the HK priests are not Chinese. Approximately half are foreigners--not a good ratio for a local church that should stand on its own. It also struck me today how old some of the faces are becoming since I first arrived here 12 Holy Thursdays ago. I had a chance to talk with a lot of the Maryknoll priests I hadn't seen during this visit, and also with several of the Guadalupe priests. They are an active and innovative group here. I like their style.
• Tonight at 6:00 PM I went to the pastoral centre for the disabled and helped set up for the Holy Thursday service and then we had a rehearsal. This year Winnie Au did much of the pre-ceremony arranging and preparation work, and she did a good job. We had a basically good service for about 40-45 people. Many of the group do not like to come at night to our center so we always lose some of our members for night-time services. This is a picture of some of our group putting up some red banners--the Chinese color for joyful celebration--before the ceremony.

• This morning I got a call from my friend Dan Onley in the US. We keep in touch almost daily by e-mail but when I'm in Hong Kong he gives me a call because his long-distance carrier gives low rates to here.
• Then I went to the Cheung Sha Wan Catholic cemetery where a friend and former volunteer with the deaf group is interred. He died a young man two years ago and some of the deaf group invited me to go with them for a prayer at the cemetery on this Good Friday.
• On the way home I stopped at Ap Liu Street, the street market for electronic parts and tools in Hong Kong, and bought another clock radio for Fr. McKeirnan who liked mine. I also got some phone and AC adapters, some ink jet printer paper for use back in Cambodia, and an extra printer ribbon.
• This evening we had our Good Friday service with the deaf group at 7:30 PM at the pastoral centre. Fr. Fernando Montano, my replacement was the presider for this service, and it was the first time in 12 years that I was able to participate in a Holy Week service from the people side of the altar.

• This morning my wake call was from another North American friend, Betty Tsui who emigrated to Canada last year. It was her fiance who died and whose grave we visited at the cemetery yesterday. I had sent Betty some digital photos of the prayer service and she responded with a phone call and e-mail and faxes to all of us.
• I spent the day basically getting ready for the Easter Vigil service tonight, with time out to write a quick letter to my mother. I walked over to the post office to mail it because I can't find the stamps I had here before but the post office was closed today. It's hard to figure out when the post office is open or closed. Yesterday, Good Friday, was an official holiday but my old mailman friend came by the house right on schedule. But then today the post office was closed.
• This afternoon our old cook came by to wish us a Happy Easter. It was really good to see her again, and she also brought us some food she had prepared for this weekend, knowing that our new cook would not be working during these holidays.
• This evening I went to the pastoral centre at 5:00 PM to start the preparations for the Easter Vigil. We were to gather at 5:00 PM and eat a rice box supper together, and then get down to work and rehearsals. I tested my extra flash in different configurations, taking pictures of the group while they were eating, and finally got some settings that looked really good. But then when I set up the flash before the ceremony it wouldn't work at all, even with new batteries! Frustrating!

  The service went very well which was rewarding to me because the deaf people and volunteers had basically planned it without me, doing the major work before I arrived in HK. It was good to know they have learned well and also that they really don't need me! We baptized two members from our RCIA class and had quite a few old friends come for the special ceremonies. Afterwards we took lots of pictures, had lots of food to eat, and then just chatted till the centre manager started running us out about 11:00 PM so she could start putting things away. But then it started raining. Some people took off right away in the first light rain--the smart ones, it turned out--and the others of us stayed on thinking the rain would soon stop. It didn't and I finally took off walking in the rain, getting soaked before I got to the covered bus stop. At the other end I got even wetter, and now the amber rainstorm warning is up, meaning at least two inches of rain are expected in the next two hours.

• Right after I went to bed last night the black rain storm warning went up and it has rained heavily all day. Some parts of Hong Kong got more than six inches of rain today.
• This morning's wake-up call was not from the telephone but the doorbell. I got to bed about 2:00 AM last night after the Easter Vigil service and then at 6:45 AM the doorbell rang. It was one of the Filipina ladies from the shelter that shares the Bishop Ford compound, and she was bringing a big armful of Easter lilies and a luscious cream pie from the women at Martha's Hostel, as it's called. Why she wouldn't bring it at 8:00 or 9:00 AM is beyond me. I often try to figure out other people's viewpoints and see why they do things, and in this case all I could figure was that the Filipina maids always have to be the first ones up in the households where they work so they assume rising early is normal and also maybe they see Fr. McKeirnan up and around any time after 4:30 or 5:00 AM and just figured we were both up.
• The rest of the day I spent here at home, mainly working on an article for The Deaf Catholic, the publication of the International Catholic Deaf Association. They want to know about my experiences here in HK the past 12 years. I wrote the article faster than I had expected, but it's taking longer than I thought to sort out photographs to accompany the copy.
• As usual I've been setting my stuff out on the living room furniture prior to packing it up tonight when I finish the web site update and the e-mail about 11:00 PM. Departure for Cambodia is at 5:45 AM tomorrow.

• I finally got to bed about 1:00 AM this morning. It took a bit longer to pack than I thought, partly because I was being careful about the weight of the two check-in pieces. I wanted them to be a little bit over the 20 kilogram limit because I know the airlines will always allow you to have some excess. My total was finally 22 kgs.
• I got up at 5:00 AM and was walking out the door at 5:45 to go down the hill and get a taxi. That was no problem, and I was soon at the Kowloon Station of the Airport Express train. I usually take the bus to the airport, but I was leaving early in the morning and the buses don't start early enough and also today the Airport Express was free because of the Easter holidays. I checked in downtown, got my boarding pass, and then took the train to the airport and went straight on through immigration.
• I was hungry and was glad when Dragonair served breakfast on the plane, and then I slept the rest of the way after such a short night. In Phnom Penh, Pat Capuano and Bill Grimm were at the airport to meet me. We stopped at the University of Cambodia on the way into town so Pat could meet with someone he hopes will help him with a workers development program. Then we went to the Maryknoll center and picked up a package of books Bill had carried for me last week and took that and a wicker shelf to my house.
• Then we went to the Foreign Correspondents Club for lunch because they have an exhibit of photographs there now which have never been shown before. They show the takeover of Phnom Penh by the Khmer Rouge 30 years ago this week. Pretty graphic stuff!

The End