01/09/2026
On Sunday, 30 August 2026 (the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time), Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and its English-Speaking Community hosted a farewell party for two deeply cherished religious sisters leaving Hong Kong for their next missions:
👉🏼 Sister Weronika Klebba, SSpS (who has been re-assigned back to her home country in Poland)
👉🏼 Sister Liying Bian, PDDM (heading to the Philippines for further formation)
📖 LIVING THE WORD OF GOD 📖
In the Sunday Gospel (Matthew 16:21-27), Jesus calls His disciples to take up their cross, deny themselves, and follow Him. In the Second Reading (Romans 12:1-2), Saint Paul urges us to offer our lives as a "living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God."
Sister Weronika and Sister Liying have beautifully embodied these readings during their time with us. By leaving their homes and our parish to go where the Lord calls next, they show us true discipleship. Like the Prophet Jeremiah in our First Reading, God’s word burns like a fire in their hearts, and they must follow it.
✨ HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CELEBRATION ✨
🔹 Mass Appreciations: Our Parish Priest, Father Thomas Law, thanked the sisters for their selfless service at the end of the 3 Sunday English Masses.
🔹 Opening & Blessings: The farewell party kicked off with warm opening prayers & statements by Father Law, followed by a beautiful community blessing from Father Josekutty.
🔹 Community Generosity: Thanks to kind donations from various groups within our community, the afternoon was filled with wonderful food, vibrant decorations, and meaningful gifts. Honoring Chinese tradition, the sisters were presented with laisees (red packets) from the community collections and from the parish.🧧
🔹 A Sweet Surprise: To beat the summer heat, our parish surprised everyone with ice-cream cones after lunch — the perfect treat for a hot summer day! 🍦
🔹 Gifts of Remembrance: Each sister received a "Hong Kong" mug with a pack of tea and coffee. We hope that with every warm sip, they will remember their loving spiritual family here in Wanchai! 🇭🇰☕🍵
🔹 Joyful Memories: The hall was full of laughter, networking, and a rush of parishioners eager to take photos with the sisters. Most importantly, it was a time of deep prayer for their future journeys.
It was a beautiful afternoon of photos, hugs, and intense prayer. We had a lovely time, and we hope the sisters felt our immense love and gratitude!
⛪ A FINAL FAREWELL BLESSING
As both sisters step into this next chapter of their vocational journeys, we send them off with our prayers and this scriptural blessing:
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26)
Thank you, Sister Weronika and Sister Liying! May God bless your new missions. You will always have a home in Hong Kong! 🇭🇰❤️
