作者 伍棟梁神父 白羊譯 ~
我的朋友林麗卿修女是一位聰穎的女士。當她於1989年夏天，第一次和我談起要我去聖荷西華人天主教會為孩子們做英文彌撒的時候，我剛剛才做神父滿兩年，也才剛接下第二份工作。新神父們總是充滿了活力與熱情 –而且他們還未學會說”不”！
我們的第一台”兒童彌撒”是在1989年的十月一日舉行的。我在SJCCC中對年輕的孩子們的牧靈工作於焉開始，這也是我要深深感謝天主的一份牧靈經驗。
超過十二年半的時間，我在團體中為年輕朋友們舉行彌撒，帶領和好聖事，教初領聖體班的道理，並參加一些工作坊，這一切全是天主給我莫大的祝福。
特別是我剛升神父的那幾年，兒童彌撒及我的鐸職生涯都仍處嶄新的階段。我在華人團體中的牧靈工作，正是我鐸職陶成教育的再繼續﹕對年輕人宣講福音方面，我得到不可限量的知識，而這些知識對我本身而言將受益無窮。這些年來，我自不同年齡層的華人教友身上，所展現的非比尋常的信德與愛德中，得到許多寶貴的啟示，而我一直十分珍惜這些友誼。
我答應和中國人一同工作的原因之一是，我想為和我一樣的，既是中國人，又是天主教友的人們，貢獻一些心力。對他們，我覺得我有雙重的責任。
我在SJCCC年輕人的牧靈工作，對我個人而言，頗具意義，而這與信仰著實無關。你們中許多人都知道，我是早期中國移民先鋒的後代，他們是十九世紀自廣東省移民來此的一群。我的目標是盡可能將我對初期中國移民的奮鬥經驗薪傳給年輕的一代。是他們的篳路藍褸，犧牲奉獻，才使今日的華裔美人在現今的美國社會能夠享受較高的自由與接納。我們中國人常說﹕飲水思源。我認為使更多其他的華裔美人將這話付諸行動，對我是十分重要的﹕提醒華裔美人時時感懷我們的祖先為我們所做的一切，是我報答祖先為我所做的途徑之一。
這許多年來，我看著SJCCC最年輕的一群孩子們長大，不僅是只長個子，靈修方面亦日益茁壯。這一切得歸功於他們的父母，老師，團體，當然，是我們的主耶穌帶領著他們的成長。更令我感動的是他們的轉變，看著他們從一群被大人服侍的孩子，成長成一群青年男女，彼此扶持並進而服務他人。不論他們在彌撒中帶領音樂，或為窮人蓋房子，…他們為整個教區的年輕信友立一好榜樣。他們使我對我們教會的未來及聖荷西華人天主教團體充滿希望。
GOING DOWNSTAIRS WITH JESUS
Some Reflections on My Ministry among the Young People
~ Fr. Gregory Kimm ~
My friend Sister Julia Lin (林麗卿修女) is a smart woman. When she first spoke with me in the summer of 1989 about the idea of me celebrating an English mass for the children of the San Jose Chinese Catholic Community, I had been a priest for only a little over two years and I had just begun my second assignment. New priests are always full of energy and enthusiasm–and they have not yet learned to say no!
Our first “children’s mass” on October 1, 1989, marked the beginning of my ministry among the youngest members of the SJCCC, a ministry for which I am deeply grateful to God. For over twelve and a half years, it was my blessing to celebrate mass, lead reconciliation services, teach classes, and participate in workshops for the young people of the community. Especially in those early years, when both the children’s mass and my own priesthood were still new, my ministry among the Chinese was a continuation of my priestly education: I gained an incredible amount of knowledge about preaching the gospel to young people, knowledge that will always be useful to me. Throughout the years, I received inspiration from the tremendous faith and love of Chinese Catholics of all ages and I continue to value my friendship with many of them.
One of the reasons I agreed to work with the Chinese is that I wanted to do something good for people who, like me, were both Chinese and Catholic. To them I felt a double kinship. But my ministry among the young people of the SJCCC was also meaningful to me in a deeply personal way that really has nothing to do with religion. Many of you know that I am the descendant of pioneer Chinese immigrants, who came to this country from Guangdong Province in the nineteenth century. It was my goal to pass on to the younger generation some understanding of the difficult experiences of the early Chinese immigrants, whose hardships and sacrifices made it possible for Chinese Americans of today to enjoy a much higher degree of freedom and acceptance in American society. We Chinese have an expression: 飲水思源 (“When drinking water, consider the source”). It is important to me that I enable other Chinese Americans to put these words into action: reminding Chinese Americans of their history in this county is a way that I attempt to show gratitude for all that my ancestors did for me.
In my many years with the SJCCC’s youngest members, I watched them grow not only physically but also spiritually. Their parents, their teachers, their community, and, of course, the Lord Jesus made their spiritual growth possible. Particularly impressive to me was their transformation from being children served by adults to young men and women serving one another and others. Whether they are leading music at mass or constructing a building for the poor, they are examples to young Catholics throughout the diocese and they give me hope for the future of the Church and of the San Jose Chinese Catholic Community.