Feastday

Sr. Francesca
renews her vows

Today is the feast of the Immaculate Conception; a very franciscan feast ... championed by Duns Scotus, our great 14th century theologian. The teaching was banned by the dominicans whose thomistic theology does not allow for such a miracle. With the apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes and the declaration that she is the Immaculate Conception, the franciscan theology was vindicated.

I presided the Mass at the MC convent. One of their junior sisters renewed her profession. Soon she'll go back to India for her internship before making her perpetual profession. I've been following her formation for 4 years now since she arrived in the Holy Land; she and 9 other juniors. Almost all have made their perpetual profession, only 2 left to go. 

I didn't get to rest on this feastday as I had planned. It was a big rush to complete errands and datelines even though both libraries were closed. One good thing happened ... Ah Ling from Mandarin restaurant prepared alot of food for me ... again. 60 dumplings which she made herself, and 20 Springrolls and 2 fried fish. I'll share it with some of our students.

M. Teresa statue

The gloomy weather finally broke into a short but heavy shower at 6pm. it was 11 degrees but it felt freezing. Tomorrow's forecast is for more rain. I have a doctor's appointment in the morning. I hope I won't catch a cold on my way there and back. It's a clinic about 2 and a half kms away. 

Infection rates have gone further up to 1800. The govt decided to impose a nightly curfew from tomorrow till Jan. 1st 2021 ... probably to curb jewish crowds during the 8 day feast of Hanukkah. Also it'll curb christian crowds gathering for Christmas. And it'll curb both groups from celebrating the New Year as well. Enough opposition from the public has forced the govt. to backtrack just a few hours after its declaration. This type of lack of political will and tough leadership has only prolonged the pandemic and a 3rd lockdown is almost inevitable.