TAINAN, SEPT. 20, 2012 – The two Students Brothers spending summer holidays in Taiwan, Sebastian Lee and Peter Thoai, are heading back to Macao today. Their nearly-three-month-long trip was filled with a ten-week Chinese language course, then few days of self-exploring, and finished off with six days of annual retreat. This year is the first time ever since the establishment of the House of Studies in Macao the Brothers were, making use of their vacation, exposed to the real life in the missionary fields.
Arrived on the island that was once called Formosa at the end of June, the two Brothers were welcomed by the Vicar in Taiwan, Fr. Tomas Blazquez, and all the Brothers presently carrying out the Dominican missions there. They were provided a stay at the House of St. Joseph, also a Dominican church of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, in Tainan City, where they could both conveniently commute to school and discover the Taiwanese culture right from its cradle. Indeed, it is in this city, particularly at the Dominican parish, people emphasize Taiwanese over Mandarin language. Distinctive Taiwanese culture as well expresses through a wide variety of snack here, including those of the Japanese origin.
 The two Brothers from Monday to Friday attended the Mandarin course at Cheng Kung University’s Language Center. At times, especially at weekends, they had the opportunity to witness, experience and ponder certain real-life pastoral ministries performed by their priestly Brothers, from the church to the hospitals, from the classroom to the streets. Occasionally they were introduced to various lives and works of their Dominican Brothers and Sisters around the country too. All of the exposure like these would help the Brothers to foresee a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) of their future ministries on this pro-American Chinese nation, if any. The experience of the Taiwan trip might be over and above what the Brothers had expected. They completed it with a self-retreat when they could have contemplated the meaning of life, the religious vocation, the blessings of being a Dominican and the way to give it back. The new academic year is awaiting them in Macao today.
Peter Thoai, O.P.