Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Extraordinary Priest 杰出的神父


This morning, Pauline and I went to Little Sister of the Poor Nursing Home in Kuala Lumpur to visit our former parish priest, Rev. Fr. Henriot (MEP). He is 84 and in good health. He has celebrated his 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination in Kajang June last year. He still live an active life, besides celebrating daily masses, he also help out our nearby parishes from time to time when he is needed. He goes monthly to the Carmalite Monastry in Seremban, which is about 50 km away, to here confession.

We congratulated him on his recent conferment by the French Government one of the highest decorations of France, De Chevalier de Legion d'Honneur.( Knight in the French National Order of the Legion of Honour)

He was sent to China immediately after his ordination in France in 1947 at the age of 23. He learned Cantonese when he was serving the parish in Naning, Guangxi Province. When Communist took control of China in 1949, he suffered and later expelled. In 1954, he was transferred to then Malaya, and served the local church until today. He was a kind, simple and hard working priest. He has a strong devotion to Mother Mary and dedicated spiritual director of the Legion of Mary.

He often said that the Legionaries in China taught him how to pray! He is a humble priest, a courageous missionary.

今早,我和太太到教会的养老院探访我们的前任堂区神师,巴黎外方传教修会会士,夏理和神父。他今年八十四岁,但还很健康。他在去年,于加影圣堂庆祝了他晋铎(做神父)六十周年。目前他仍然很活跃,除了每日弥撒之外,他还到别的堂区协助祭献弥撒,每个月还到五十公里外的苦修院,为修女办和好圣事。

我们恭贺他最近获得法国政府封赐的法国最高荣誉勋章,以奖励他毕生奉献为不同种族,国籍的人,显出关爱与服务。

1947年,他在法国晋铎后,马上就被调派到中国服务。当他在广西南宁堂区服务时,他学习了说广西话。1949年,共产党接管了中国,他受到苛刻对待,并在较后时,被驱逐出境。他的修会在1954年,派他到当时的马来亚服务至今。他是个非常善良,简朴及勤劳的神父,备受各地教友的爱戴。他非常恭敬圣母,也是非常尽职的圣母军神师。

他常常说,是中国的圣母军教导他如何祈祷 ! 他是一名谦卑的神父,勇敢的传教士。

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