|
Dear Fr Foster
Thank you very much for your letter. I rang up two to three days ago and you were on holiday. This is why I write you now and shall ring you up next week to continue our conversation.
I can see that you are very concerned with Fr Deane and his health. I can appreciate that this deep level of concern and care must have come from the years of friendship and brotherhood between the two of you.
I have rung Peter Young and he said he would be coming with his wife. Anyway I'll let him tell you the rest of the good news. Anthony Liu said to me a couple of months ago that he might be coming to Dublin too. So it looks like you will have a number of Old Boys coming to your celebration which is going to be a good one. And this makes me more so wanting to join them. Unfortunately, my financial situation does not allow me to do that. Well, one of these days I'll eventually come to Dublin to visit you.
Since we last talked on the phone a few weeks ago, I have a few opportunities to talk to Tong Wong Yuk Kay, Alex Wong Tat Pui, Felix Chiu Chung Shun (all fellow form-5-ers in my year) and Bernard Yim whom you know well. We have had very detailed and long discussions about Fr Deane's coming to Sydney for his 40th Anniversary of priesthood. We have come to understand that it is inappropriate to get Fr Deane to stay in Sydney for long term. We have accepted that if and when he can come, it would only be short term like 2 to 3 months. I have come to believe that they are genuine in this belief. I have also come to appreciate the kind of bonding between them and Fr Deane as adults to adults. As a matter of fact, I am a bit envious of their bonding. I guess (from my training in counselling) that they had the chance to know Fr Deane better when they are adults. Their teacher-students relationship has transformed into a mature friend-friend relationship. I have come to understand why Fr Deane wants to be with them (presumably Fr Deane still can make conscious and intelligent decisions) for his 40th Anniversary of ordination and vice versa. As part of a caring professional like you, I am used to put myself in other's shoes and I can imagine the joy when they meet and the kind of company that they would enjoy.
I think the health risk of traveling for Fr Deane is definitely real. And I think the risk can be minimized by having a medical professional accompanying him on the plane. But of course, who can guarantee that nothing can go wrong? Like the ten wise maidens and the ten foolish ones, no one knows the hour when groom will come. No one knows when death will come. I certainly cannot guarantee that Fr Deane will not have any mishap. I suppose one can only take things one day at a time as they come. I guess it is best to have both good quantity and quality of life and if one has to make a choice between the two, for myself, I would choose quality rather than quantity. I wonder if this is the case for Fr Deane that he would choose to e with some people who know him and he knows well even though it means a possible reduction in his life span. I can visualize he comes to Australia for 2 to 3 months to reminisce with old friends and returns to Dublin a happier and more complacent person.
I think realistically, if and when Fr Deane can come, this would be his last trip ever. I hope you will reconsider our pledge.
Yours sincerely,
Ben
|
