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Speech at Eighteen Year Anniversary Mass
for The Establishment of San Jose Chinese Catholic Community
Joseph Ku
11/25/01 Every time when I see a stream of kids fold their little arms and come forward to receive blessing during communion, these little angels always remind me of our children and community 18 years ago. Around that time, we had that many little angles too. I don㦙 know how many of them have been staying with us throughout these years. For those kids did stay, they have all already grown up and become the pillars of our community. Vow! 18 years passed by so quickly. Our St. Clare Church had a major renovation in 1993. At that time, I had helped compile our St. Clare rich history with different ethnic groups, and edit a booklet in commemorating the renovation event for the St. Clare. During the whole project, I had opportunity to interview a few leaders in other ethnic groups at St. Clare, such as Irish community, Italian Federation, Portuguese and Latino communities. I began to realize that they all have had vibrant histories in this very place once upon a time. However, somehow and somewhere along the line, they lost their second generations in their communities and those ethnic groups gradually disappeared. I thought that was an inevitable trend for all the Catholic immigrants. However, later in these years, I was surprised to observe that more and more young adults coming back to our community after they graduate from college. They don't just come back, they also began to involve in many ministries in our community. Water Mark Youth Group is such an admirable youth group in our Diocese, currently is lead by these college graduates, which they called themselves as WaterMark Young Adult Group. They have vibrant spirituality in Catholic faith, they have creativity and they have youthful enthusiasm. I am so proud of them. They are our future. I sincerely hope that, as an older generation, we will continue to be active, be able to foster a good spiritual environment, and provide guidance to these young people, so that we could collectively carry on God's grand plan for each one of us as well as our community. <回總年份目錄
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