Today the different Maryknoll “charisms,” the lay missioners, the sisters, and the brothers and priests met in separate sessions, mostly to prepare for their large upcoming meetings later this year. Then in the evening another good number of Maryknollers headed back to Bangkok.
The Maryknoll Lay Missioners met in a small TV room off the main dining room.
At the liturgy, Steve Chinnavaso listened as Kylene Fremling read the first scripture reading.
Charlie Dittmeier was the presider for this last mass of our time together in 2020 and preached using an image of Darth Vader.
At the end of the liturgy, the group formally said goodbye to our members who will not be with us next year. Maria Montello spoke about James Havey’s time with us.
Then Charlie Dittmeier led the farewell for Russ Brine. Russ and Charlie worked together at the Deaf Development Programme.
Another of the many flowers that grace the spacious grounds of the Salesian Retreat Center.
In the afternoon, it was back to work for the Maryknoll Sisters and for the Maryknoll Lay Missioners. Here Marj Humphrey, the MKLM Director of Mission, lays out some ideas about the next two years for the lay missioners.
Then at 5:00 PM two taxis headed for Bangkok. One took Kevin Conroy, Hang Tran, and Charlie Dittmeier to the Bangkok Christian Guest House. This is some of the street food available right outside the BCGH gate.
Later I walked to the night market on Silom Road to this stall where I have bought all of my shirts in the last five or six years.
