Cardinal Chow in Manchester among Hong Kongers in the United Kingdom
The bishop visited a community that has grown nearly eightfold thanks to a wave of young families who arrived following the events of 2020. God is with them as they have “a fresh start.” The challenge now is to find a Cantonese-speaking pastor.
Milan (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Cardinal Stephen Chow, Bishop of Hong Kong, made a pastoral visit to Manchester, United Kingdom, on 14 July, to support and encourage the city's growing Chinese-speaking Catholic community. The visit, reports the Sunday Examiner, Hong Kong's Catholic weekly, brought together faithful from across Northwest England and other parts of the United Kingdom.
Its highlight was the Thanksgiving Mass Cardinal Stephen celebrated at St Patrick's Church in Collyhurst, concelebrated with Bishop John Arnold of the Diocese of Salford, who had visited Hong Kong in 2023 to explore forms of pastoral collaboration in the face of the growing number of migrants from Hong Kong. Other concelebrants included Father Philip Sumner, chaplain of the Chinese Catholic community of Greater Manchester.
Following the events of 2020 – when China launched a crackdown in the wake of large pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 – hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers, mostly young people, moved to Great Britain, availing themselves of the privileged channel guaranteed by the agreements that returned Hong Kong to China in 1997.
Cardinal Stephen met with representatives of groups from various regions, as well as the Hong Kong Catholic Migrants Pastoral Coordination Group, which was set up last year.
The prelate also heard confessions and met with members of Manchester's Chinese-speaking Catholic community, along with representatives of similar communities from Liverpool, Warrington, and Scotland.
The dinner that followed provided a venue for fellowship, mutual support, and strengthening bonds.
In his homily in Cantonese, Cardinal Stephen offered words of hope and encouragement, acknowledging the challenges and opportunities of a new beginning in a foreign land.
“Everyone here has a fresh start,” he said. God is with you as you seek a spirit of unity and togetherness – and that is the greatest blessing.”
He stressed that the Church's mission today is to bear witness to unity in diversity, as people from different origins come together to proclaim a shared faith.
The cardinal also spoke about the role of empathy in communication. “True dialogue does not mean agreement in everything,” he noted, “but cultivating a heart of empathy that leads to mutual understanding.”
He mentioned that he has sometimes been labelled pro-China or pro-Beijing because of certain meetings, but he believes that such misunderstandings can provide an opportunity for listening and building bridges.
“As Hong Kong people, we can be a bridge. We need to engage with empathy – not with mockery or hostility – and we also hope others will try to understand us,” the cardinal explained, reiterating that this involvement does not compromise core Christian values.
Regarding the Light Up Fund, a Church initiative with Hong Kong’s Correctional Services Department to accompany and support incarcerated youth, he said it exemplifies how communication and compassion can lead to healing and renewal, even in complex situations.
Speaking to the Sunday Examiner, Li Pui-wai McNicholls, coordinator of Manchester's Chinese Catholic community, expressed gratitude for his presence.
Over the past three years, the community has grown significantly: from just 35 people to more than 250 regularly attending Mass every second Sunday.
In November 2023, the cardinal sent Father Bruno Lepeu of the Paris Foreign Missions to England for six months to assess the pastoral needs of this diaspora community.
Father Sumner, now 73, expressed concern for the future. “I am hoping for a Cantonese-speaking priest from Hong Kong to join us and help support this growing community,” he said.
He spoke about his own ministerial journey, which began after the retirement of Father Zhang Jingxian, a Mandarin-speaking priest who served the community from 1991 to 1997.
Feeling it would be unfair to celebrate Mass only in English, Father Sumner decided to learn parts of the liturgy in Cantonese using romanised texts and audio guides.
“My Cantonese hasn’t improved much over the years,” he said humbly, “but the community has always been incredibly appreciative.”
Meanwhile, challenges remain. Many priests, including Father Sumner, try to celebrate part of the Mass in Cantonese but face difficulties hearing confessions or offering deeper spiritual guidance. The need for Cantonese-speaking priests in the United Kingdom is increasingly urgent.
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30/03/2024 14:51
