The Diocese of Hong Kong launched its 80th anniversary celebrations on Jan. 18 with a public prayer gathering in Central, framing the milestone as a moment of blessing and hope for the city.
The event, titled “Love – a Spring of Hope,” was held at Chater Garden and opened a year-long commemoration of the diocese’s establishment in 1946, according to a report by Sunday Examiner.
Cardinal Stephen Chow of Hong Kong said the diocese had the “profound blessing to celebrate the 80th anniversary of its establishment as a diocese in 1946,” adding that the anniversary was being marked through prayer rather than ceremony.
He said it was the diocese’s “sincere desire to celebrate the anniversary with a prayerful and meaningful event, blessing Hong Kong.”
Referring to hope, Cardinal Chow said the door of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is always open for anyone “whose heart is wearied and overburdened.”
Among those present were Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect for the Section for First Evangelisation and New Particular Churches of the Dicastery for Evangelization, and John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
In his remarks, John Lee cited the diocese’s long-standing presence in the city and its recognized contribution to Hong Kong’s development. He called for continued partnership between the diocese, the government, and the wider community to help foster a harmonious and united society.
The prayer service underscored Hong Kong’s multicultural character, with a New Testament reading in Chinese and English and prayers of the faithful offered in Cantonese, English, Filipino, French, Putonghua, Korean, and Vietnamese.
Delivering the homily, Cardinal Tagle said blessing is “the face of God shining on his people,” adding that the blessing for Hong Kong is the face of God shining upon it.
“Unless we acquire the face of Jesus, we will not be a blessing to anyone. When you see the face of Jesus, look at him!” he said.
“Show your face; face to face. And hopefully the light of the face of Jesus will shine through your face,” he added. “Let that be the light of blessing for the whole of Hong Kong.”
