2019, a Wonderful Year!

Ms. Stephanie Chan of the Hong Kong Catholic Lay Missionary Association (HKCLMA) joined St. Aloysius to work as a volunteer in July, 2004, midway through the school’s first year. After eight years of dedicated service, she returned to Hong Kong to pursue Doctorate in Education for the Disadvantaged. Upon completion of her doctorate Ms. Chan returned to us in October, 2017. Welcome back! You help us at St Al’s be all we can be! She shares below:

It is great to have another opportunity to serve in the St Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School. This time my missionary work is the teaching of Christian Religion Education and Catechism. I am also involved in the Pastoral Programs and taking care of the Library 2 in the school.

Besides the work, I am also serving as a bridge to connect St Aloysius and the Hong Kong Catholic Lay Missionary Association together. It is great that there were 14 people from Hong Kong who visited the school in February 2019.

This tour was organized by the HKCLMA to explore its missionary work overseas, and they used the Chinese New Year holidays to pay a visit in Nairobi, Kenya. With the support from the school, a 2-day program was arranged for the visitors. They interacted with the Form One and Two students through having handicraft activities. They walked around Kibera slum with some graduates. With the Confirmation Class students, they went to visit the Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Family in town. There was also a section to have a sharing with the CLC development desk, school Chaplin, counselor, social worker and school nurse.

All visitors were impressed by the challenging life in the slums and the performance of students during their visits. They appreciated the work of the school since it empowers the youth with quality education. Though visitors have gone back to Hong Kong, we all hope that our connection will continue to grow. 

We are already preparing a group of 6 students will join the Taize Pilgrimage of Trust and Reconciliation in Cape Town, South Africa, which will occur later this year. I am arranging some workshops to prepare the group to join the Pilgrimage. Another member of the school staff and I will accompany them to fly to Cape Town in September. They are going to meet with Christians of various traditions from different countries and seek the wellsprings of faith through prayer, silence and Biblical reflection. When the six students return, they are expected to share their experiences with the others. We are looking forward to having an exciting and challenging trip!