HONG KONG (SE): Maryknoll Father Vincent Corbelli who served the Church in Hong Kong for over 50 years will return to the United States for retirement in June. The English-speaking Community of St. Jude’s Church, North Point, for whom Father Corbelli has been the spiritual advisor for 15 years, accorded him a farewell party on April 11. Father Corbelli has been serving in Hong Kong since 1964.
Father Corbelli was born to a Catholic family on 30 January 1934 in Rochester, New York, the United States. He joined the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers on 24 June 1951 and underwent a nine-year formation programme. He was ordained a priest on 11 June 1960. He was assigned to Hong Kong in 1964.
The English-speaking Community of St. Jude’s Church expressed its gratitude to the long-serving priest with songs from over 10 Filipino groups. A video presentation depicting his 15 years of service with the group was screened on the occasion. Father Corbelli, who was assigned as assistant parish priest in 2006, won the love and respect of the community members.
Under his guidance, different communities such as the Sunday Mass Welcome Group, the Health Awareness Team and the Library Team were set up to serve the Church more effectively.
Among them, the Mission Team sells 150 copies of the Sunday Examiner per week. Some copies are distributed to Filipinos around the parks and streets as a way to evangelise. The Editorial Team ensures regular contributions to the Sunday Examiner from time to time, updating our readers on the happenings in the parish
As a guest of the party, Sister Mary Cordero osf, then encouraged members to remember the teachings of Father Corbelli and continue to live out their faith and said that they can still continue to read his homilies via the Facebook page, Tools for Evangelisation, on which Father Corbelli’s homilies from recent years are posted. Sister Cordero is one of the volunteers helping with the promotion of the page.
A message to express gratitude to Father Corbelli was read out by Jeanette Alcordo. On behalf of the community members, Alcordo thanked him for his selfless love, which has touched many lives.
After studying Cantonese for a year after his arrival in Hong Kong, he taught at the Maryknoll Fathers’ School in Kowloon Tsai and later worked at the Kwun Tong Pastoral Centre.
He also held the position of regional superior in Hong Kong from 1978 to 1982.
Father Corbelli was instrumental in setting up St. Jerome parish, Tin Shui Wai. In 1993, while he was still the parish priest of Rosary Church, Yuen Long, he began to celebrate Mass at Pui Shing Catholic Secondary School, Tin Shui Wai, and set up St. Jerome Mass Centre to cater to the needs of the increasing population of the public housing estates in the district. He became the first parish priest of St. Jerome after it was erected in 1995.
Besides North Point and Tin Shui Wai, Father Corbelli also had assignments at the Holy Redeemer parish, Tuen Mun, in 1984 ,and Ss. Peter and Paul parish, Yuen Long, in 2003. The 86-year-old priest said it is time for him to spend time with his family. He will live with his younger sister in New York after he retires.
The Sunday Examiner would like to express our sincere gratitude to Father Corbelli for his support and wish him a happy retirement!
