HONG KONG (SE): Father Anthony Chang Sang-loy, founder of the Catholic Messengers of Green Consciousness, who celebrates the 50 anniversary of his priesthood this year, defines environmental protection as a way to safeguard a healthy relationship between nature, humanity and God.
The 79-year-old diocesan priest set up the group in 1989. In an interview with the Kung Kao Po, Father Chang said that he began to promote the recycling of discarded clothes in parishes as early as early 1970. However, he believes that more needs to be done to relieve the problem of pollution and to protect the environment. Love for God’s creation has to be lived out in different aspects.
He became a vegetarian in 1990s to reduce the risk of gout-arthritis. He opposes the meat production industry and believes that it brought about environmental destruction. In talks promoting green life and vegetarian diets, he often invites participants to experience the taste of raw food and the beauty of God’s creation.
In 2011, the group invited people to participate in a five-year plan to lead a green life by reducing waste after making a pledge. Since 2013, the programme has been co-organised with the Hong Kong Central Council of Catholic Laity. He also set up the Hong Kong Catholic Breastfeeding Association in 2011 to encourage the natural way of feeding infants, which can also improve the relationship between mothers and babies. In 2012, he set up the Catholic Sustainable Garden of Joy in Yuen Long to promote the love for nature through farming.
Father Chang was born in Jamaica to a Chinese father who was a medicine practitioner and a Jamaican mother. He is the third of five children. He was baptised soon after he was born, but his family only became active in parish life after returning to Hong Kong when he was six. His mother was baptised here.
His father passed away soon after the family settled down in Hong Kong. He recalls that life was difficult without his father and they depended on the financial support from the Church. From the age of eight, he nurtured the idea of becoming a priest.
While studying in La Salle College in Kowloon City, he walked from his home in Wong Tai Sin to St. Teresa’s Church, Prince Edward Road, to attend Mass every day before going to school. He found it necessary as the altar made him feel closer to God. He was also touched by how priests cared for the poor and thought it beautiful to be a priest.
He became a teacher at Raimondi College after he graduating from secondary school, but after five years, he began to think about his future. He decided to spend 10 days praying for the answer. He remembered that by the seventh day, the discernment to become a priest was very clear in his mind. So he resigned from his teaching job and joined the Holy Spirit Seminary in 1964.
After the initial formation for two years he was sent to Rome to receive further training. It was during the time of the Second Vatican Council and he had a chance to witness the sessions. It was an eye-opener for him as he saw different reforms in the Church, particularly concerning the role of priests.
“The Second Vatican Council was like a window opened letting in fresh air. We were reminded to reach out and strengthen our communications with others,” he said.
Father Chang was ordained a priest in 1970 at St. Lawrence’s Church, Sham Shui Po, and his various ministries were deeply affected by the Second Vatican Council. Besides parish services, he was dedicated to promoting Basic Christian Communities and encouraged people to care for those in need in society. He also set up a labour rights group in his parish.
In early 1970s, he established a movie recommendation group to introduce good movies which embodied Catholic values. In 1997, he set up the Centre for the Re-search of Faith Ltd. to encourage people to look into faith as well as the direction of the Church and promote ecological awareness.
He believes the various ministries in his decades of priesthood had only one focus, which was to appreciate, cherish and love all of God’s creation.
