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| Professosr Hsia on right 右为夏太长教授 |
Professor Hsia from Chienkuo Technology University, has arraged to take us for a day tour to a few special places of interest. Professor Hsia is humble and pious man who has a special devotion to our Blessed Virgin Mother.
Firstly, he brought us for a tour of the university campus. It is a private university situated at the foothill of Bagua mountain range near Chang Hua. It is a medium size university with beautiful landscaping, especially many unique giant stones and beautiful gardens. We were greatly impressed.
After that we visited a retreat center run by the Jesuit - Manresa Center of Spirituality. I met Fr. Matthew Chu who had suffered greatly under the China Communist regime. He was jailed, tortured for more than 30 years with another priest, Fr. Matthew Koo whom I met a few years ago.(both priests are named Matthew)
Fr. Chu contacted Fr. Matthew Koo in the United States through Skype, and I was happy to have a briref conversation with him knowing that he is well and active.
We have great respect and admiration for these priests. Fr. Chu will be coming to Malaysia in May to visit a Shanghainese nun in Petaling Jaya.
We continued our journey after lunch to a holy shrine at Miaoli, about 90 km away from Changhua.
It was a replica of The House of Mary in Loreto, Italy. It was believed that the house in Nazareth which Virgin Mary was brought up, was transferred by 4 angels to Loreto in Italy before the expulsion of the Crusaders by the Muslims.
The Taichung diocese has declared it a pilgrimage shrine.
We spent almost 2 hours at the shrine, which was quiet and serene. Me and my wife have not been to the original House of Mary in Loreto, so this was quite a refreshing spiritual experience for us.
We returned to Taichung in the evening and gathered at Wei Qiang's house.
Wei Qiang's house is just a stone throw away from the famous Feng Jia night market right in front of Feng Chia University.
It was Saturday and big crowd was expected at the market. Wei Qiang gave us a quick briefing regarding safety and route of the market, with a specific meeting point in case any one got lost. A map was given to each one of us.
With great excitement and salivating for delicious street food of the Feng Jia night market, we could not wait a minute longer to march towards the night market. We were caught up by the first store selling "Cold chicken feet". It was very very delicious.
However, just less than a 100 meters into the market, we were bogged down by the crowd coming from front and back. Inching our way was just too difficult for us. To avoid suffocation, we retreated ..... cutting short our venture into the famous night market of Taiwan.
Instead, we had a jolly time at Wei Qiang's apartment with some delicious home-cooked snacks prepared by Li Fang.
(More pictures on Facebook)
(Feng Jia night market short video Youtube )
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| House of Mary圣母之家 |
我们在台中的一个星期里，去了好多教会及旅游景点，给我们留下美丽的回忆。
很荣幸的认识为人谦逊，崇敬天主，热爱圣母的夏太长教授。在还未到台中前，他已经与我约好要带我及太太到几个非常特别的地方参观。
过后，夏教授带领我们前往『静山灵修中心』。这是一所耶稣会管理的中心，提供避静设备及灵修课程；这里也是台湾耶稣会神父辞世之后，遗体长眠的地方。
在这里，我非常受祝福的遇见一位来自大陆，曾受共产党冤狱及折磨的朱立德神父。
2009年台北交流会后，我曾到阳明山主徒会会院小住几天。在那里，我遇见了一位在共产党接管中国后，受到他们折磨，酷刑及劳改的顾光中神父。共产党接管大陆时，顾神父还是一名修院的修士。他被共产党关押了整三十年，其中一条罪名就是因为他是一名圣母军！（他的故事曾刊载于《爱之光》）。
朱立德神父就是与顾神父同个时期，被共产党逮捕，折磨及监禁的难兄难弟。当时他也还是一位修生。
与朱神父简短的谈起他的往事，及我与顾神父的相遇，敬佩及尊重之情，油然而生。
只过了一会儿，朱神父马上上网与现居在美国的顾神父取得视屏联系。我好高兴的与顾神父寒暄了片刻，心中感觉到非常的欣慰，得知顾神父身体健康，还准备出国旅游呢！
我们也遇见了来过马来西亚多次的甘国栋神父。他将在今年的十一月，到来吉隆坡，带领一个“圣依纳爵神操”静默退省。
最后，夏教授把我们带到苗栗头屋乡的『圣母之家』朝圣地。
这是模仿意大利洛雷托的『圣母之家』原貌而复造的一个朝圣地。全世界仅有两座复制的『圣母之家』，一间是坐落在捷克的布拉格，另一间就是在台中了。这是台中教区批准的朝圣地点。
我没有去过意大利的洛雷托『圣母之家』，但苗栗的『圣母之家』令我及太太赞叹及感动。谢谢夏教授一整天的陪同，也让我们有机会踏足这朝圣地。
我们也从该朝圣地的修女得到证实，在玫瑰经後常诵念的『圣母德叙祷文』，就是源自意大利的洛雷托『圣母之家』圣地。（英文称为Litany
of Loreto 或者 Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary）
感谢教授的导游，我们有一天充实的心灵之旅。傍晚，告别了夏教授后，我们回到台中伟强的家集合。
伟强的家与著名的『逢甲夜市』近在咫尺，所以是我们先到的地方。
当晚刚好是星期六，预计将是人山人海，所以伟强及丽芳特别给我们一个“逛逢甲须知”简报，如安全防备，集合地点等，还包括了一份路线图。不过，毕竟是太多人了，我们之中还是有人迷路，需要“特派员”给予相助。
我们怀着兴奋的心情，犹如冲锋陷阵的大军，往逢甲夜市前进。
我们见到的第一摊档，就是“冷冻鸡爪”，已经垂延欲滴，按奈不住，大快朵颐了。
但是，我们的“向前冲”仗势，在进入夜市不到一百米，就遭到从后面涌来，及前面汹涌澎湃的人潮两面夹攻，我们已经有点招架不住，变的寸步难移。
环顾左右，我们觉察到人潮大部分都是年轻人，我们这样年纪的，很难见到。
我和太太及静芷，意识到此地不可多逗，马上决定撤退，免得遭受窒息之苦。
我们回到伟强的公寓，享受丽芳亲身烹制的小吃，不亦乐乎！
子云与太太及三位子女，怀着“血拼逢甲”的壮志，继续前进，勇气可嘉。后来他们一家五口也被人群分散，不过还满载而归，赢得此战役。
子云与太太及三位子女，怀着“血拼逢甲”的壮志，继续前进，勇气可嘉。后来他们一家五口也被人群分散，不过还满载而归，赢得此战役。
（更多照片Facebook）
(逢甲夜市短片Youtube)
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