Meet The Team

Fr. Kelly Kam, S.D.B.

I am Fr. Kelly Kam. I came to Australia in 1970 from Hong Kong. I was ordained as a Salesian priest in Sydney 1985.

Currently, I am working as a School Chaplain in Salesian College, Sunbury, Victoria, as well as a Spiritual Director for the Catholic Chinese Community, Melbourne. I am looking forward to joining with a group of young people to Taize in France and to the World Youth Day in Madrid. I am very much open to the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us on this special spiritual pilgrimage. Let us bear this year's theme: "Planted and built upon in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith" to our hearts as we journey with our mysterious and gracious God. God bless.

Fr Kelly

Sr Mary Joseph Sze, S.P.C

My name is Sister Mary Joseph Sze. I am a Sister of St. Paul de Chartres. I have been a Pastoral Associate of the Catholic Parish of Mentone-Parkdale for 12 years. I am also an Assistant Chaplain in the Catholic Chinese Community of Melbourne.

It is a privilege to participate in WYD Madrid'11. I am really looking forward to this pilgrimage in August, together with a wonderful group of young adults like you from all over Australia!

We shall have lots of time for prayer, reflection, sharing of thoughts, feelings, dreams and aspirations...as well as plenty of fun and play! Are you looking forward to it too?

Let us start praying for each another from now on. Let us ask the Father to send us His Spirit to prepare our heart, soul and mind to receive Jesus into our life and to transform us to be more like Him as we get closer to our journeying towards Madrid day by day.

Bye now! See you in August!

Sr Mary Joseph

Sr Teresa Lau, S.P.C

I am Sr Teresa Lau of the Sisters of St Paul de Chartres in Brisbane. I am one of the 5 sisters who will be joining you to the WYD in Madrid this year. I am really excited about this.

As we all know this Sunday,1 May 2011 Pope Benedict XIV will benadify the Founder of the WYD, Pope John Paul II in Rome. Let us thank God for the special gift – Blessed John Paul II and may he protect all the youth of the world, leading them to the love of God.

I was excited when our Mother General commissioned me to organize an activity in the WYD in Madrid 2011 as we did in Sydney 2008. Vocation Expo has already been one of the popular activities during the WYD in the past. During this time the youth will meet many different groups of religious and priestly congregations, learn about their stories, their histories,the works they do, the areas they serve in the Church and may even be inspired to pursue to follow the call of Christ and dedicate themselves to the services of the Church.

The Sisters of St Paul de Chartres has its root in France in 1696. The Congregation has grown with the Church through time of trials, difficulties and joy and blessings throughout the last 310 years. Today the sisters make their presence in 34 countries in the 5 continents serving the people in education, health care, pastoral care and social care.

In Australia the Sisters are in Brisbane, Melbourne and New South Wales (Moss Vale and Lane Cove) serving the local churches, Chinese Catholic Community and Vietnamese Community.

You are all welcome to visit our Vocation Booth in Madrid. You may get some surprise when you visit us. See you there in Madrid.

Sr Teresa

Sr Damian Lai, S.P.C

In April 1984, as I was concluding a four-month spiritual program with an eight-day retreat. in our quiet convent in Rome, I was surprised to hear from the neighborhood thundering cheers of a huge crowd that persisted from evening to late at night. I learned later that the huge noise was from the youths who had come from different dioceses to meet the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II in Rome. Had I known that the event was the initial stage of what would soon be augmented into the World Youth Day, I would surely have gone out to join the crowd instead of complaining about the noise!

Since then, I had learned a bit more about the World Youth Day. Apart from praying for the success of WYD, I tried to encourage and support my graduating and my past students who sought sponsorship for participation in WYD. Never had I dreamt of my own participation in it!

In 2007, I returned to Sydney to resume the pastoral ministry of accompanying the faith journey of CASS (Catholic Asian Students Society). God was so good to me! He gave me a second chance. I couldn't and wouldn't miss joining WYD. Moreover, I was privileged to be invited to be involved in the faith formation by delivering talks on Lectio Divina and Reconciliation. During the months of preparation and also during the events of WYD, I was deeply touched by the synergy of the youths and their parents as well as parishioners in making WYD an occasion of bonding closer to Christ, to His visible head on earth and His Bride, the universal Church on earth.

The experience of WYD 2008 Sydney has reminded me to strengthen my faith, hope and love not only in God but also in people. The youths are not only the future of the Church but they are an important part of the Church. They have taught me to allow God to lead me where I dared not tread. Hence I promptly gave an affirmative answer with thanks when my Superior assigned me to be with the young Asians from Australia in their pilgrimage to WYD Madrid 2011. May the Lord be praised forever.

Sr Damian

Sr Helen, S.P.C

My name is Sister Helen. I was born in France. When I became a sister in an international religious order, Saint Paul of Chartres, I spent 20 years in Catholic schools until I was assigned to Ukraine. After this first missionary experience, I have now the great opportunity to widen my outlook by living in a multicultural environment in Australia to perfect my English in order to serve in my religious family.

Life with Christ is really surprising and challenging, but it's amazing, isn't it?

Sr Helen

Sr Joanna, S.P.C

My name is Sr. Joanna, one of the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres who will be going to Madrid for World Youth Day in August.

I came from Korea and I have lived in Australia for 14 months.

I am a Sister and a student. I am currently studying English in St. Paul's International College in Moss Vale.

Sr Joanna

Carlos Leung

Greetings. Peace be with you. Indeed, may you and your loved ones be overflowing with the Peace and Joy that comes from Jesus Christ. What a privilege it is for me, to have the opportunity to be part of this Pan Australia CCC World Youth Day ministry.

It has been a vision, a dream. And it is so amazing how God prepares you for His work. All the previous challenges and obstacles, failures and call for perseverance is so worth it looking back now. And we are only at the beginning.

My ministry began when I was 14. One day, I just decided that I would like to serve in music ministry and help play the organ at the English congregation in Brisbane that my family attends every Sunday. Week after week, I'd be there to play. I even stopped sitting piano exams and the only thing that kept my music up was playing music at mass for 12 years. My musical ability developed; my singing developed; my love for music developed; and my desire to serve in ministry and to Love those that God loves developed. When I see young people at church, I see potential - sometimes, my heart would be moved.

I met Father Yan and the Friends of Jesus Passover group 8 years ago, and travelled with them to over 40 cities around the world visiting Chinese Catholic communities. I found my calling - to return to the Chinese Catholic community and serve in youth ministry. A little idea began to develop - to meet and create a link between the CCC youths of Australia. This vision took years of prayer, and years of God's training and development. And now it's a reality and an opportunity to take a step forward - to travel to World Youth Day as one Pan Australia CCC WYD team.

How exciting is this opportunity. How exciting are its potential. We invite you to embark and explore this amazing journey with us !!!!!! Come and See See See.

Carlos

Jacinta Li

Greetings from Melbourne!

Over 10 years ago, I arrived in Melbourne as nothing more than a Sunday-church-goer. It was through the Catholic Chinese Community of Melbourne, that allowed me to experience the wonderful support of community.

Through the years, participating and serving within the church has strengthened my faith and relationship with Him. Having been involved in leading youth group in the past and the WYD team to Sydney in 2008, I have discovered increasing passion and energy in working with young people. We are the hope future!

And here is a little about myself... My typical day often involves juggling between drawing buildings with a mouse, daydreaming about my next holiday, coming up with new inspirations for the church (often too many!), and happily slaving away in the kitchen in my occasional spare time. Breakfast is definately one meal I wouldn't miss.

Journeying with Pan Australia CCC WYD Team will be an exciting experience, Through God's inspiration, this has indeed transformed from a dream to a reality. Looking forward to meeting you all very soon and to sharing on this special pilgrimage. WYD Madrid 2011 here we come!

Jacinta

Adrian Leung

First of all, it is a great privilege to be called by Jesus to be part of the Pan Australia Chinese Catholic Community World Youth Day team. I simply can't thank Him enough for giving me this awesome opportunity to meet and journey with a bunch of passionate people, young and older, in preparing for Madrid 2011, and the actual pilgrimage itself.

To be honest, I was a little bit skeptical when Carlos and Jacinta had this Pan Australia idea brewing in their heads. I have been actively involved in the Catholic Chinese Community of Melbourne since high school, being part of Altar Service, Youth Group, the Community Executive Committee and numerous big and small projects, to know what an enormous task this is for a group of part-timers. This seemed a wonderful idea, journeying towards Jesus together and building Christian friendships, but lacked the resources to make it a reality (well, I am an accountant by trade!). Amazingly, after many prayers, discussions and meetings, with full support from communities around Australia and, most importantly, through God's grace, this wonderful idea is indeed becoming a reality! I guess after all, Jesus did say "if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

We are well aware that the journey towards Madrid will not be easy and I personally find that following Jesus is never easy. A pilgrimage is not without personal challenge and cost, but the Lord is never outdone in generosity. Hence, let us take the plunge, carry our cross and embark on this sweet and sour journey towards Jesus (with a soccer ball).

I look forward to meeting you all.

In Christ,

Adrian