From: Rene - 1
Date: 7/1/00
Time: 9:19:18 AM
I must have been 7 or 8 years old and for
some reason was again living with Lok Yee (6th Auntie). I have had weeks of
catechism and preparation for First Holy Communion and today was the Big Day.
In those days, the rule was that one has to
fast for 12 hours before receiving communion. It was about 2 in the afternoon
and I had taken a drink and the service was scheduled for 4 in the afternoon.
What do I do? Declare that I had broken the fast and therefore not take my First
Communion - disappoint everyone who were coming; invite wrath upon 6th Aunt who
is not a Catholic.
Come 4.00 pm, dressed in immaculate white, I
duly trooped up to the alter rails with the tens of other children and received
my communion.
What a day - First Communion - First Mortal
Sin. I was devastated, though I do not think any one has been wiser until today.
Years later - I was 12 or 13 and had recently
seen the film Trapeze and was trying to do the same in the garden from a tree
with neighbouring kids. As luck would have it, I fell and landed on my left
wrist and heard a crack. My wrist deformed and I was stunned - will it look like
that for the rest of my life. I wouldn't have it and therefore grit my teeth and
pushed it back into position with some success. The pain was too much and so I
told mother. Uncle Ewe Hung was visiting that day (Father was in England) and
look me to the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital where I was given an anaesthetic
and the fracture reduced. (During the anaesthetic I dreamt that Tai Kow Foo, who
had recently died was looking down on me encouragingly - that's is another
story). A few days later, Yee Yee and Lok Yee came and visit me and brought me
some Buddhist charm stuff which I had to burn and then swallow. What am I to do?
They have gone to all this trouble and yet as a Catholic I should not indulge in
such practices. I swallowed the stuff and the following Friday, with the rest of
the class went for confession. Confessed my dilemma and what I did. I received
absolution and was given 4 rosaries as penance. I was still saying my penance
long after everyone had left. Most unfair!
Aged 15 and was not particularly fervent in
my religious practice. It was a Saturday afternoon and I was messing about in
the garden, when Stephen turned up on his cycle. I was persuaded to go with him
to St John's Cathedral in Bukit Nanas, where over the past 6 weeks, the visiting
Redemptorist priests had been holding a Mission.
Since I was there I might as well do a
confession and receive communion. Took my place in the queue until my turn.
Knelt down dutifully and started, "Bless me father, my last confession was
two months ago." Like a thunderbolt, the voice behind the screen struck me.
"There has been a Mission for the past six weeks, where have you been, why
have you not been before?. This Mission is a gift of God - reject it at your
peril, Hell Fire is the consequence, etc." He stopped. I went through the
motion, was given absolution and penance. Disillusioned!