检阅典礼 Acies

Archbishop Julian Leow 廖炳坚总主教

检阅典礼（拉丁文Acies）就好像军队的排阵，向圣母军的首领圣母玛利亚，表达对她的忠贞 、奉献及孝爱，也从她那里领受力量及祝福，面对新的一年的挑战和恶势力的斗争。

这个年度典礼，通常都在圣母领报庆节前或后最靠近的星期日举行。

吉隆坡区域团在三月二十二日（星期天），下午一点半至五点，假圣若望主教座堂举行了今年度的检阅典礼。超过1200名来自吉隆坡、八打灵、甲洞、巴生、芙蓉、加影、文丁及瓜拉雪兰莪地区的各语言组圣母军团员，出席了这个典礼。

在检阅典礼中，每个团员都会作个人的奉献。团员把一只手按在军旗上，口中念出奉献词：“我的母皇，我的母亲，我属于你，我所有的一切都属于你。
 
带领着这群圣母的军人宣读奉献词的是新上任吉隆坡廖炳坚总主教，这是他第一次以首牧身份出席了圣母军活动。

其他出席者包括区域团指导神师雷睿明神父、八打灵区团神父黄聪颖神父及其他支团指导神师。

检阅典礼最后以圣体降福作为结束。

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Tenom 丹南

Keningau

 7-3-2015

We left Kota kinabalu for Tenom early in the morning.

Tenom is an interior town 150 Kms away from Kota Kinabalu by road. It is famous for its coffee.

The first thing we did in Tenom was a visit to Yit Foh Coffee factory. We loved the coffee very much and it was our desire to visit its factory personally.

We met the boss of the company, a second generation of the Chong family who produced the first Tenom coffee.

He was friendly and brought out some special brewed coffee for us to sample.

On Sunday morning, we went to Tenom Market to have famous Yong Toufu, spring rolls for breakfast.

And it was a Sunday, local residents all around Tenom brought out their produces to sell at the open market place. It is called Tamu in local language.

Before we left for KK, we stopped by a famous restaurant for its steamed corn-fed chicken. However we were disappointed by the way it was being served . We were shocked to see the chicken covered with black oyster sauce ...

The waitress did not inform us of such serving. As a first timer, we just ate it as it was. We washed away the sauce with the soup provided, the meat was quite tender, but the taste was not much to talk about ... it was overrated.

It was the first time I saw freshly steamed chicken served in this way (covered with black oyster sauce). Is it a corn-fed chicken? or left over chicken? or conned chicken? No way to know when it was covered in black sauce.

I asked the waitress later of how many ways the chicken is served. She told me it is either with or without oyster sauce. She did not tell us when taking order and her choice for us was dubious. 

We were disappointed such an incident happened in a small town where we met so many honest, simple and friendly folks.

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7-3-2015 星期六

我们一早离开亚庇，前往丹南。

丹南是沙巴州的一个内陆小镇，离开亚庇大约150公里，需要大约三个小时的车程。前往丹南的公路还不错，但需要攀越好几个山，有时斜度达到19度。

丹南以咖啡出名，所以我们抵达后第一件事就是到益和咖啡厂参观。

我们饮用这个牌子的咖啡大约有六、七年了，非常喜欢它浓郁的味道。

参观期间，遇到了东主杨先生，他是第二代继承人。他的父亲是丹南咖啡创始人。他非常的友善，还特地泡制了咖啡请我们品尝。

隔天的星期天，我们到丹南巴刹（菜肉场）的楼上享用这里著名的酿豆腐及春卷早餐，果然名不虚传。

刚好星期天有露天市场（当地人叫Tamu），我们去逛了一趟，见到许多来自丹南附近的人民，把自己的土产、蔬菜、水果等，带到这里售卖。

在还没有离开之前，我们到一家著名的华人餐厅尝试当地著名的玉蜀黍白斩鸡。我们非常的失望。

我们是第一次到来，也不知的这道白斩鸡是如何上桌的，点菜的服务员也没告诉我们。见到了那盘黑漆漆（淋上耗油酱）的白斩鸡，就照吃了。我们把鸡肉在汤中浸洗，吃了肉的口感还可以，味道则一般，宣传有些夸耀了。

到底这是普通鸡？隔夜鸡？我们也不知道，也不知如何分别，就是一团黑。后来对朋友说起，被告知这可能是有点欺骗。黑酱汁把一切都盖过了。

我想没有其他地方这样端出你叫的新鲜“白斩鸡”吧！

后来我向另外一位服务员询问，被告知白斩鸡可以选择淋上或不淋上黑酱汁。点菜的服务员没有告诉我们，也没有征询我们的意思。

在这淳朴的小镇，我们遇到很多友善，老实的当地人，但这道白斩鸡确实是令我们对人与鸡失望。

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Tip of Borneo 婆罗洲最北端

5-3-2015

这是我第二次来古达，太太与女儿则是第一次。

古达是沙巴州东北端的一个鱼港小镇，离开首府亚庇大约180公里，两个半小时车程。

现在到古达的旅客，大部分都是因为要去参观被称为“婆罗洲之尖端”的景点。州政府于2004年在此建立了一个观景广场，树立了一支大旗杆悬挂国旗，及一个大铜制地图，标志着这里就是婆罗洲最北之处。

从这一瞭望，南中国海及苏录海的景色美丽，沿岸悬崖美丽遭风、雨侵袭的岩石，非常的吸引人，值得一游。

参观了婆罗洲之尖端之后，我们到驱车半个小时后，抵达古达，并在此住宿一晚。

古达是个小鱼港，有着数排老店，傍晚六时过后，就全部停止营业了。

我在此认识的一位圣母军团员陈燊辉兄弟，已在两年前逝世，而这在此服务的叶为聪神父，也调派到另一个堂区服务，只有两位圣母污染原罪方济格修会的罗思云及黄秀慈修女在此。

隔天早上，我们到圣伯铎教堂旁的修院拜会了两位修女后，及回去亚庇了。

回到亚庇已经是傍晚四时左右，我们约了一位朋友喝茶，过后前往已故燊辉兄弟的太太思蓉姐妹。她对逝世了一年半的老伴思念之情，仍然深切。

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5-3-2015

It is my second trip to Kudat and first for my wife and daughter.

Tourists to Kudat are mainly to visit The Tip of Borneo, the northernmost of Borneo Island.

The tip has been developed into a tourist attraction. It was situated at a cliff with a square overlooking the South China Sea and Sulu Sea, marking the northernmost point of the island.

It featured a high flag pole with Malaysian flag flying, and a bronze globe with map of the Borneo Island, marking the point of the tip.

The view from there is breath-taking and fantastic.

Besides the view, the colourful rock formation is also an attraction.

We put up a night in Kudat, which is about 25 kms away.

Kudat is a small fishing port with few rows of shop houses. The town is quiet after 6:00 pm. 

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Kajang Heritage exhibition 加影遗产展览

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Land below the wind (3) 风下之乡

Raymond is an old friend I must meet whenever in KK.

My trip to KK was kept in low profile by not informing many other friends so that to have more time
visiting places with my two children.

The last night in KK was to have dinner with Raymond and family - wife Rosemary and daughter Rachel.

Raymond has managed to shed off about 30 kgs since the last time we met a year ago, by taking supplements and regular exercise.

He looks great! （See pictures Facebook）

This morning (Wednesday), we had breakfast with another "must meet" friends, Cynthia and husband Michael. 

Cynthia "warned" us she would break my head if we did not have breakfast with them on the last day.

After breakfast, Cynthia and Michael brought us to visit Fr. Tung whom I had not meet for more than 20 years.

He is almost 80 but still enjoying reasonably good health. He broke his right tight bone in a fall six months ago and has since recovered but walking with a slight limp.

After the visit, we headed to airport and boarded 12:30pm flight for home, thus concluded our fruitful holidays in the Land Below The Wind.

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Raymond (雷蒙杨阜皇） 是我必到亚庇时，必定要联络的朋友。

我这趟到亚庇，保持低调，是因为我要有更多的时间陪同两个孩子游玩。

在亚庇的最后一晚，约定了Raymond，太太Rosemary及女儿Rachel 共进晚餐。

将近一年没见的Raymond，他成功的 减掉了大约三十公斤，现在看来非常的健康。（参看照片Facebook）

今早（星期三），我们与另一位到亚庇“必须联络”的朋友，Cynthia （龙桃娇）与丈夫 Michael。

Cynthia “警告”我，假如今早不与他们夫妇吃早餐，她会很生气，将会打破我的头！

我们共享了一顿美味的鱼麵，欢乐的交谈了一段时间。过后，他们带领我们去探访董前智神父。

董神父高龄近80，健康状况还不错，只是六个月前，跌倒而摔断了右大腿骨。目前已经康复的相对好，扶着手杖可以步行，只是还有一点跛拐。

他这样的年纪，还可以做些农作，把宿舍前后的土地上，种植蔬菜及果树呢！

这是我将近二十年后，再次的见到董神父。

过后，我们乘搭中午12:30 的班级，飞回西马，结束了这段收获丰富的风下之乡的假期。

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Land below the wind (2) 风下之乡

Mary and grand-daughter Rachel Ling

With god-daughter Cecilia and 2 children 乾女儿诗诗、两位可爱的小女儿

It is the sixth day of our trip in the Land Below the Wind. 

After Kudat and Tenom (story later), we are back to KK (Kota Kinabalu) for 3 more days before we head home.

Last night our KK old friend Agnes and husband Paul Yap, together with daughter Jenny, hosted us to a scrumptious dinner at a Chinese restaurant.

This morning, my wife and I visited Mary Yap, mother of our god-daughter Cecilia at her eldest daughter's home.

She was quite surprised we can find the house in Taman Inanam Laut, Inanam at the outskirt of KK.

Thanks to Waze, the smartphone navigation Apps, we can easily find places far and near easily!

After that we called up David who is the owner of two stationary shops in Inanam.

David and wife Susie welcomed us warmly and brought us to a coffee shop for Ice Cold Coffee (only found in Inanam) and freshly baked breads and buns.

It was a very enjoyable tea time with local old-time favour!

Later, David drove us around and visited a Catholic Church where we met Fr. David Sham, a friendly and jovial priest.

Pleasantly surprised to meet Rose Koh, younger sister of Susie, a legionary whom I know for decades.

We bid farewell to David and Susie thanking them for a wonderful afternoon in Inanam.

In the evening, we had dinner with our God-daughter Cecilia, husband and two adorable children.

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今天是风下之乡的第六天。

自古达与丹南之后（故事後述），我们回到了亚庇，再逗留三天，然后就回家了。

昨晚，老朋友、圣母军军友惠琼姐妹与丈夫及女儿俐雯，宴请了我们吃了一顿丰富的晚餐。当晚他们的襯家David 夫妇也出席。

今天早上，我与太太去夏南南（Inanam）探访了来自山打根的 Mary 叶佩玉姐妹。她目前是住在长女的家里。

她非常惊讶的见到我们能够找着地址。

其实我们要拜精明手机的Waze ，一种导航应用程式（Apps)所赐。这个Apps 能够帮助我们很容易的找到要去的地址，不管远近。

过后，我们来到了夏南南的商业区，找到了在此经营两家文具与应用品商店的David 与 Susie 夫妇。

他们非常热情的欢迎我们。其实我只在昨晚宴会才认识他们，但因着他们的友善、风趣与好谈，让我们感觉非常的自在，所以“很厚脸”的今天就到访了！

除了参观他们的商店之外，他们带我们到一间咖啡店，品尝了“就此一家，别无他店”出名的夏南南冷冻咖啡及刚出炉的面包。

茶点过后，他们带我们参观了当地的天主教堂，也会见了大卫神父 (Fr. David Sham)。神父随和可亲，与我们谈了一阵。
 
过后，Susie 带我们去会见一位“神秘人物”，她的妹妹。原来我早已认识了这位圣母军军友十多年了，只不过不知道带我们来见她的Susie 就是她的姐姐！

充满感恩及感激之情，我们与这对热情的夫妇告别。非常感谢他们的热情接待，让我们有一个难忘、充实的下午。

傍晚，我们的乾女儿诗诗Cecilia 与丈夫，及两位可爱的女儿，请我们公用晚餐。

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The Land below the Wind (1) 风下之乡

After almost 5 years, we are back to Kota Kinabalu (KK) to visit friends and places.

My son used this visit to catch up with his former colleagues and friends, and my daughter Adeline went for diving. It is their time to relax away from their busy working lives back in Kuala Lumpur.

阔别大约五年后，我们再次踏足风下之下沙巴的亚庇，旅游及探望朋友。

我的儿子利用这个时间，与他的前同事及朋友们叙旧一番，而女儿在往小岛潜水。这是他们放下吉隆坡繁忙的工作生活，到来这里放松及充电。

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More new year celebrating 更多的新年庆祝

It is liturgical season of Lent for the Catholic Church, a period of 40 days of prayer, fast and penance -- for reflection on Jesus Christ's suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection.

However it coincides with the celebration of Chinese Lunar New Year. For most of the Chinese Catholics, me included, New Year celebrations was held as normal, but going to church for prayer and liturgy such as Ash Wednesday, Way of the Cross services whenever were able.

It is quite a challenging period for us, and I am more inclined towards temporal celebrations. 

Below are some pictures highlighting our celebrations:

1. Friends came visiting us 朋友到访

2. Visiting friends探访朋友

3. A long 10th day of New Year 很长的年初十 

4. Taichi New Year gathering太极班新年聚餐


这个时期，天主教会正进入礼仪四旬期。这是一段四十天的祈祷、守斋、禁食及做补赎日子，以反省耶稣基督的苦难与牺牲，祂的生命、死亡、埋葬及复活的事迹。

不过，这段时期也遇上了华人农历新年。对于大部分华人天主教徒来说（包括我），华人农历新年的庆祝照样进行，但会尽量配合去参加教会的礼仪，如圣灰礼仪、拜苦路等。

这是非常挑战的时期，至少在欢庆新年的十五天里面。而我个人看来，则是比较倾向世俗的庆祝。

大家可以从以上的脸书照片，一窥我的新年活动。