|
Father Deane turned 80 on 12th June 2006. To the Chinese, 80th birthday is a major milestone in ones life and an event for celebration with family members and friends. This is no exception for Father Deane as he is virtually a Chinese Irish having spent more than forty years of his life in Hong Kong to serve the community there.
With the help of Ms. Theresa Lee, who arrived at the nursing home a week before Father’s birthday, a Holy Mass followed by a tea party was organized to celebrate the occasion. It was attended by a lot of nursing home patients, staff and visitors: Dr. Lawrence Wan and Mrs. Wan from Hong Kong, Father Deane Foundation Fund Directors, Mr. Alex Wong and Ms. Theresa Lee from Australia, Father’s sister Eileen Deane and niece Mary, Mr. Bosco Keown and Mrs. Chris Keown, as well as most of the nursing home’s management and operation staff. Father’s Carer, Mrs. Helen Barcoe was also there with him throughout the ceremony.
The Holy Mass was said by the nursing home’s Chaplain Father Derek O’Connell, concelebrated by Father Foster and Father Coffey. Eileen Deane did two readings and Theresa read the Prayers of the Faithful prepared by the SLOBA Sydney president, Dr. Ben Lau. Two Latin Hymns were chosen and played during the Mass, Ave Maria and Panis Angelieus sung by the famous Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli.
After the Mass, a small afternoon tea party was prepared by the nursing home with a big birthday party cake and some finger food. The birthday cake was decorated with candles and a pair of specially handcrafted “Longevity Peaches” (壽 桃). A set of white porcelain figurines “Longevity, Prosperity and Happiness” (福 祿 壽 三 星) was also displayed on the table. After singing “Happy birthday”, Lawrence, Alex and Theresa helped Father cut the cake. Father received a lot of presents from his old boys and friends: bouquets of flowers from SLOBA Hong Kong, Father’s old boys (including Dr. Andrew Au) and the nursing home; chocolates, shirts, T-shirts, a pair of Longevity peaches, the set of Longevity, Prosperity and Happiness figurine (福 祿 壽 三 星), CDs, DVDs, birthdays cards and email messages. The birthday cards and email messages were read to Father in his room before the birthday party.
Father was quite alert and awake during most part of the Mass and especially at the tea party. He was physically strong carrying a good colour on his face most of the time. Over the recent years, his Parkinson conditions had worsen a lot. Suffering from a lot of symptoms typical of a PD patient, he could not do things himself and could not speak clearly to express himself. Nevertheless he was fully aware of what was going on around him and enjoyed every moment of his birthday party, especially the visit of his old boys from abroad.
The committee members of the Father Deane Foundation Fund would like to thank all the generous donors to the Fund over the years to help make life more pleasant for Father Deane, and thanks to all those who took the time to write messages and send cards to him. May the spirit and teaching of St. Don Bosco continue to live on among us.
|
