A day 16 years ago 十六年前的那一天

27-11-1998, 差一个月就是16年前的那一天。

第二届全国天主教青年词曲创作交流会在槟城的大修院举行，主题为“心空的旋律”。

台湾著名音乐创作人/作曲家/歌星梁弘志，以及电视主持人、音乐人丁松青神父，受邀为交流会的导师及主讲人。

这是一项由八打灵芥子福音传播中心主办的活动，目的是推动/提升本地天主教青年对词曲创作技巧及知识。

我与太太也受邀参与。虽然我们是音乐门外汉，但也非常投入参加者的创作及歌曲。

那天是星期五的傍晚，在大修院的一间大厅里，参加者都忙着交流及练习歌曲。我与太太坐在后面，观赏着他们的活动。

有两位年青的修士把头伸了进来，好奇的向我们询问这是什么活动。他们是结束了当天傍晚的活动后，要回到宿舍去。

我向他们介绍这项活动的内容，同时也询问他们的名字。

一位告诉我他是 John wong， 来自山打根 ，来这里参加一项课程（课程名我已不记得）。（当时山打根还是属于亚庇教区）

我到过山打根，所以与他交谈了一下关于当地的一些话题。

另一位的名字为Julian，受英文教育。他来自芙蓉的圣母望见堂。

我开玩笑的对他说，当他晋铎神父后，有一天会被派到加影担任本堂神父一职，那可不是不可能的事。（他后来真的被调派到加影担任本堂主任神父，而且还是我以堂区牧民议会主席的职位欢迎他上任，与他共事两年左右）。

那是一个很简短的相遇。

今天，这两位修士都以在各自的教区，晋升为总主教。

大约六个月前，我到槟城大修院探访当时在那里任教的 Fr. Julian Leow （廖炳坚神父），问起他是否记得那天的活动，他说没有印象。

我没有机会与亚庇黄总主教见面交谈，但假如有那一天，我会问他同样的问题，看看他是否记得16年前那一个傍晚的活动。

梁弘志在10 年前，因癌症而蒙主恩召。不久前，台北举行了一项隆重的周年纪念会，悼念这位伟大的音乐人及耶稣的忠实门徒。他创作了许多脍炙人口的流行及歌颂赞美歌曲，流芳后世。

愿他的灵魂，依靠主的仁慈，得享安息。阿门。

( 一些照片  Facebook)

（谨靠回忆，以上内容、资料可能有差错。若有，谨至歉意，本人也会去作个脑部检查）

27-11-1998, one month short of 16 years ago.

The 2nd National Catholic Youths Song Writing and Composition workshop as held at the College General Penang with the theme " Frequency of Heart".

Famous Taiwanese song composer/writer/singer Liang Hong Zhi, TV host/public communication expert Jesuit Priest Fr. Jerry were invited to be the main workshop animators and speakers.

It was an event organised by the Mustard Seed Evangelize Center (Petaling Jaya), a lay organisation formed by the CDD order ( Congregatio Discipulorrum Domini)  with the main objectives of evanglisation through music, printed media and publishing for the Chinese-speaking community.

My wife and I were invited to the event although we did not know much about music.

Participants were young and aspiring musicians who were interested in song writing and music making.

It was a Friday evening, participants were busily practicing at a hall in the College General. My wife and I were seated at the back watching.

There came 2 young seminarians popping their heads into and checking out with us what was going on. They had just finished their evening sports activities and on their way home to their quarters.

I told them about the nature of the event and asked about their names at the same time.

One told me he is John Wong from Sandakan. He was here for a one-year course ( could not remember the programme he mentioned). Sandakan was then under Kota Kinabalu (KK) diocese.

I had been to Sandakan and shared some experiences with him.

The other one introduced himself as Julian from Seremban , a seminarian from Visitation Parish.

I joked that one day (after ordination) he might come to Kajang Holy Family to be my parish priest. ( He did come to Kajang as the Parish Priest in 2004. As the Chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council then, I had the honour to welcome him to the parish and served him for about 2 years)

It was a brief encounter lasted less than 10 minutes. 

Today, both young seminarians had been ordained as Archbishop in their respective Archdiocese.

A few months ago when visited him at the College General, I mentioned this event to then Fr. Julian, he told me that he has no memory of that particular evening.

I have not meet Archbishop John Wong since his ordination. If given the chance, I would ask him the same to find out if he remembered that particular event.

Liang Hong Zhi died of cancer 10 years ago in Taipei. A memorial service was held in Taipei recently to remember this great musician and faithful follower of Christ. He has written many popular songs, including praise and worship that widely circulated in Christian communities.

May his soul, through the Mercy of God, Rest In Peace. Amen.

( Some pictures in Facebook)

* Written solely from memory recollection, may contained factual inaccuracies. If so, my sincere apologies, and shall undergo voluntarily brain examination)