OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL CHURCH

The Place Where We Grew Up

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In a blink of an eye, I have already been with everyone at No. 1 Star Street for almost a year. Thank God for His care, and everyone's acceptance. We have worked together to build this "family of God". At present, we have stabilized a schedule of eight Sunday Masses, as well as extended the opening hours of the Church from 7am to 10pm daily.

The spiritual formation activities for the elderly, the middle-aged and the youth have also been developed. During this period, there are two signs in our Parish that best remind us: (1) The inscription of the "The Home of the faithful" donated by a laity, is to remind us to continue to build our "Home". "No one is without a family in this world: the Church is a home and family for everyone, especially those who 'work hard and bear the burden’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1658) (2) On the completion of the redevelopment of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in 2001, Cardinal John Wu gave our Church an inscription: "Youzi" (Song of the Wanderer) by Meng Jiao. Cardinal Wu blessed us to receive the care of our Holy Mother. At the same time he also asked us to follow our Holy Mother to take care of those people in the Wanchai area.

This is what we all have to work towards; this is reflected in the seminar such as "land justice" that we have organized. I would like to share with you in accordance with the above signs, to develop our body and mind, to wholeheartedly carry out God's will, to build this family, and to care for others, as our patroness the Holy Mother Mary has cared for us.

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Finally, on behalf of everyone, I would like to thank Sr. Victoria Victorino, PDDM for accompanying us in our journey in the last eight months. Like our Mother Mary, she has taken care of everyone, especially to grow and develop our English speaking community. Sr. Victoria, please remember us when you are in Rome and do come back to visit us when you have the opportunity; we will continue to pray for you too! Sr. Regina Lito, PDDM and Deacon Anthony Sin, we welcome you to come to us, and walk this journey with us!

星街一號聖母聖衣堂中英文部

1922年第二座聖方濟各堂拆卸後，灣仔教友團體輾轉在聖方濟各醫院地下的聖方濟各堂，舉行彌撒，並舉行活動。繼而人數漸漸增加，遂謀建新堂。幾經艱難，終於，座落星街一號的「煉靈堂」在1950年7月16日落成祝聖，教友便有了新的家。

煉靈堂後改名聖母聖衣堂；而1950年的建築物到了1997年左右亦要功成身退。2001年聖母聖衣堂有了新穎美麗又充滿意義的新聖堂。事實上，物換星移，灣仔居民和環境已與1950年代大大不同。時至今日2018年，我們聖堂的教友比例，可謂華洋各半，不相上下，而主日彌撒華語四台而英語也四台。這可能是我們聖堂位置方便，容易滙集四方人士，況且鄰近商業及金融區，故此，上班族以及專業人員也以我們聖堂為閙市綠洲。

其實，聖母聖衣堂中英文團體都有不同的背景和需要。例如：華人教友，以香港為家，擁有香港文化；英文團體的教友大部分以香港為暫居地，目的是謀生，遇有假期，便回祖家，他們擁有世界各地文化。故此，為適應中英文團體的不同需要，我們堂區的運作和服務，亦要適當地改變，分為中文部和英文部，彼此自主，但又成為一體，如同一個身體的右左手。這是自然而然的發展。故此，我期望穩定了主日彌撒的時間，讓大家可以舒適地在聖堂內參加彌撒之後，便要展開華洋教友各自的培育和福傳行動。這可以是廿一世紀當今聖母聖衣堂的前瞻。讓我們大家在天主前懇切祈禱，尋求他的引導吧！

星街一號，得來不易
 

我加入了聖母聖衣堂大家庭已經差不多八個月了。非常感恩，眼見教友們群策群力，建樹團體，由清潔、接待，到禮儀中的各項職務；從教授要理，到照顧長者、青少年、兒童，事事周到，如同接待基督，服事家人。在這裡我籲請珍惜、惜重，當知得來不易，因為沒有事情是理所當然的，一切全靠天主的愛和大家的合作推動。我們要彼此多謝！

從復活節至今，大家為疏通11時45分英文彌撒的人流，四處奔走，尋找可以舉行多一台英文彌撒的地方。我心中浮現耶穌的話：「我無家可歸，你們有否收留過我。」

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感謝天主，幾經折騰，終於在5月20日後，我們可以在聖方濟各小學聖堂，舉行11時英文家庭彌撒了。但是，也希望大家明白，其中運作，是非常繁重的。每主日要安排搬運禮儀用品：聖爵聖盤、餅酒、洗手用品、聖體布、聖血布、經本、單張、祭衣等到小學聖堂，彌撒後又立即搬回聖母聖衣堂；還有開關門窗、冷氣、音響及燈光；又從看門到事後清潔聖堂、主日學用過的四個班房、大廳，五個廁所，都不是易事，且各樣物品都要事前準備，事後清理。又要安排適合這台家庭彌撒口味的神父主禮，並要照顧各項禮儀職務：輔祭、讀經、送聖體、歌詠、接待等等。各位，這不是一天的事情，而是每個主日的運作，況且在星街一號還有七台主日彌撒要運作。

在這段安排期間，我非常感到當爸爸的艱難，故此，我希望大家珍惜我們所有的一切，尤其我們弟兄姊妹間的情誼。

既知得來不易，就要珍而重之。我想起在1922年聖方濟各堂拆卸後，我們教友團體聚集於當時的聖方濟各醫院聖堂舉行彌撒，後來幾經艱苦籌建了煉靈堂（1950年），又1997年左右拆卸煉靈堂（聖母聖衣堂），重建為今日的星街一號，過程艱辛，也幸得當時修女允借聖堂舉行主日彌撒……感謝天主，及當時的神長和教友。

今日星街一號，雖地方淺窄，仍不失五臟俱全。希望大家盡量發揮天時、地利、人和之便，回應時代徵兆，向今日的人民，廣傳福音。懇請聖母代禱，天主照顧，大家團結合作和包容。