HONG KONG (SE): The ongoing social unrest in Hong Kong, triggered by the now-withdrawn extradition bill, has affected the format of the annual Caritas Bazaar season, with the usual Sunday events at Victoria Park, Causeway Bay; Tuen Mun Cultural Square; Fa Hui Park, Boundary Street; Caritas Chan Chun Ha Field Studies Centre, Cheung Chau; Sha Tsui Road Playground, Tsuen Wan as well as the one at Yuen Wo Playground, Shatin; being cancelled in favour of a mini-bazaar format.
Father Joseph Yim Tak-lung, the chief executive of Caritas-Hong Kong, said that the prime reasons for the decision were personal safety and transportation arrangements affected by unforeseen circumstances.
The mini-bazaars were slated to be held at various parishes and Caritas social centres beginning on November 3 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Caine Road; Holy Cross parish, Sai Wan Ho; St. Margaret’s Church, Happy Valley; Caritas Chong Yuet Ming Secondary School, at Wah Fu Estate, Pokfulam; Caritas Kennedy Town Social Centre and the Caritas Ngau Tau Kok Social Centre.
These were followed on November 9 by a mini-bazaar at the Caritas Cheung Chau Social Centre, and on November 10 at the Caritas Ngau Tau Kok Social Centre; St. Mary’s parish, Hung Hom; and again at the Caritas Cheung Chau Social Centre.
On November 17, St Theresa’s parish, Prince Edward Road hosted a mini-bazaar, however, planned events at Ss. Cosmas and Damian parish and Shek Lei Catholic Secondary School, in Tsuen Wan; and the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, Tai Po; were either cancelled or postponed.
A mini-bazaar is scheduled for December 22 at St. Lawerence parish, Sham Shui Po.
Father Yim trusted that new format would be more diversified and attractive to parishioners and local residents. More importantly, he said that participation is a good way to show love and concern for the underprivileged in addition to fund raising.
He also appealed for the public to generously support the Charity Raffle Tickets and expressed the hope they would all be sold. He also expressed his heartfelt thanks to all stakeholders for their continuous support and looked forward to a good afundraising result.
For more information visit the Caritas 2019 Charity Bazaars webpage at https://www.caritas.org.hk/en/news/detail/32 or their Facebook page: @CaritasCharityBazaar
