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Weaving a Dream
HR
My great grandfather dreamt of a better life and left China, away from the people he loved, away from the place he called home. To a distant land he went in search of that dream and that distant land was the Philippines. Like most immigrants, he came here with nothing but with only his family. He suffered, struggled and pursued that dream so that my grandfather and the generations to come can dream of better dreams. Those dreams were transplanted here and it has taken its roots in the Filipino culture that embraced the Catholic faith. Now, I and countless other Chinese Filipinos are the product of that dream and we are also weaving a dream. A dream that the book Weaving A Dream dreams will one day come into fruition.
The book written by Ari C. Dy , S.J. chronicles some of the practices and traditions of Chinese culture and of the struggles of Catholic missionaries in evangelization of China. The insights and experiences of Brother Ari Dy and Fr. Johnny Go give us a glimpse of the emerging new generation of Chinese Filipino and that of the older generation. It talks about the assimilation of the Chinese and Filipino culture and the acceptance of Catholic faith.
At first glance, you would think this book is only for religious people and for some ethnic Chinese groups. But after reading the book, I believe this book entitled Weaving A Dream is a must read for Chinese immigrants, Chinese-Filipinos, missionaries intending to go not only to China but also other countries and most especially Filipinos. Why Filipinos? Because both culture intersect in history and both have migratory people working and living overseas. Just like the Chinese, some Filipinos have migrated to other countries and have stayed there for good. In time, their children will also experience what Chinese Filipinos are experiencing right now. Their dreams and our dreams are one. And also for the Filipinos to further understand the richness of Chinese culture and bridge the gap towards a better understanding of two cultures that can benefit from both exchanges.
Though the book does not cover an in depth discussion of all topics concerning Chinese Filipino customs and traditions, it however tackles the more important aspects of Chinese rites and their acceptability into the Catholic faith. It clears and explains some misconceptions and gray areas concerning Chinese rites, beliefs and customs but at the same time proposes some meaningful changes in the context of the Catholic faith.
As I was reading it, I was deeply touched by the moving story of Ari Dy's Am-ma (grandma in Hokkien) and also that of Fr. Go story of his father and mother. In a sense I had undergone some of their experiences that I can relate to. For me, it is like being caught in the middle of two cultures and at the same time there is a clashing of values between my faith and that of Chinese values for worldly success. It is often this clashing of beliefs that conflicts between my parents and me arise. To teenagers and adolescent who are at odds with their parents, you will definitely appreciate this book.
The teaching experience of Ari reminds me of my high school days and of his harrowing experience of being a Chinese teacher. I felt remorse over what I did for I am guilty of being an accomplice with my classmates in making life harder for the Chinese teachers, even though I studied well my Chinese subjects and did good in it. Perhaps it is because of this reason that there is less Chinese Filipinos teaching Chinese language nowadays. I wish high school students with Chinese subjects will read this book and realize the importance of learning Chinese before it is too late. And to parents and school administrators, this book is also for you. For in my experience, and as narrated by the author, most of my generation and of the new generation do not value anymore the learning of Chinese language and something has to be done. This is a grim reminder to parents that they share the same responsibility of education at home and not only in school. Language cannot be taught only in school, it should also be practiced at home.
This book is a gem for us all Christians. The Chinese rites controversy showed us that the best approach of evangelization or the acceptance of our faith by non-Christians is through the Love of Christ, which transcends all races, customs and traditions. The Early Church also had this problem between the Jews and the Gentiles when they had a dispute regarding their customs. While we view other culture practices as superstition, in the same way they too think that our practices are superstition. Yet these differences should not be an obstacle in our common search for the Truth. The reflections of the book show us that the inculturation and evangelization of our Christian faith is made possible thru understanding, consultation, and dialogue, and not distrust or by antagonistic attitude. In time, by God's will those dream will be a reality.
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