HONG KONG (SE): Celebrating the arrival of Christianity on Philippine shores 500 years ago, a thanksgiving Mass was celebrated by John Cardinal Tong Hon, the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Hong Kong, at St. Francis Church, Ma On Shan, on June 13 in gratitude for the hard work of the early missionaries. Cardinal Tong expressed gratitude to the Filipino migrant workers who have shared the faith in Hong Kong and brought joy to the Church.
Concelebrating the Mass with the cardinal were Monsignor Javier Herrera Corona and Monsignor Alvaro Lzurieta y Sea, from the Holy See Study Mission (Hong Kong); Father Jyothi Manohar, parish priest; Father Timothy Yan Ho-fung; assistant parish priest; Father Jay Flandez, chaplain to Filipinos; Father Mark Serna; Father Fabio Favata; Father Phongphan Wongarsa; Father Louland Escabusa; Father Louis Ha Ke-loon and Father Kishore Miriyala.
The event opened with a dance, performed by members of the English parish council, to the tune, We give our Yes, the official mission song of the anniversary. Father Carlo Magno Marcelo from the Archdiocese of Manila composed the song.
In his homily, Cardinal Tong congratulated Filipinos on the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in their beloved country and thanked overseas Filipino workers for their contributions to the Church in Hong Kong.
‘It is God’s great design that the Catholic faith brought by the missionaries to your country has been spreading over the past 500 years. With God’s blessing, you have also shared the Christian faith with the Chinese families in Hong Kong through your service and your loving presence’
Cardinal Tong
“It is God’s great design that the Catholic faith brought by the missionaries to your country has been spreading over the past 500 years. With God’s blessing, you have also shared the Christian faith with the Chinese families in Hong Kong through your service and your loving presence,” the cardinal said.
Cardinal Tong shared about the good relationship he had seen between a Filipino domestic worker and her Chinese employer in their family. The employer treated the worker as a sister and would seek her advice for family problems. “From their friendship, we can appreciate how much the faith of the Filipina influenced her employer,” he said.
The cardinal expressed his empathy for the overseas Filipino workers who have left their families and come to a distant country to earn a living and also noted that with the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, many have been compelled to postpone their home leave. “Your discreet and hardworking example has become a testimony of the Christian faith to many people, especially to those who have not yet embraced the faith,” he said.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Filipinos for the joy they bring to the parishes and communities in the diocese, as well as to the people in the city.
The choirs of both the Chinese- and English-speaking communities of the parish, dressed in traditional Filipino attire, served at the Mass, showcasing the unity of the two communities in the parish.
Father Manohar expressed his deep gratitude to the people who, throughout history, contributed to the Church in the Philippines. ‘‘Woe to me if I do not preach,’ said St. Paul. I would like to change this a little bit and say, woe to us if we do not thank people who worked for us or helped us, woe to us if we do not pray for the missionaries who struggled for us, woe to us if we do not remember them and thank them,’ he said, adding that real gratitude has to be combined with prayers.
Ida Cheung Ping-sze, choir leader, said the Chinese choir members looked good in their kimona dresses and barongs. They were happy to sing in Tagalog, even though they were unfamiliar with the language.
A video presentation highlighted the historic moments of the Church in the Philippines, recalling the first Mass and the planting of the cross in Cebu by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, the martyrdom of St. Lorenzo Ruiz in 1637, the martyrdom of St. Pedro Calungsod in 1672, the People Power Movement supported by Jaime Cardinal Sin in 1986, World Youth Day in Manila in 1995, the visits of popes in different decades and other important events.
Father Manohar expressed his deep gratitude to the people who, throughout history, contributed to the Church in the Philippines. “‘Woe to me if I do not preach,’ said St. Paul. I would like to change this a little bit and say, woe to us if we do not thank people who worked for us or helped us, woe to us if we do not pray for the missionaries who struggled for us, woe to us if we do not remember them and thank them,” he said, adding that real gratitude has to be combined with prayers.
He thanked the celebrants, the Chinese- as well as the English-speaking communities of the parish, consulate officials, religious sisters and the Filipino community members who joined the Mass.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
Cardinal Tong then blessed the congregation who held anniversary flags emblazoned with the words: Gifted to give.
Maria Sheila Monedero Arnesto, a consul from the Philippine consulate; and Catherine Joy Dimaranan-Gamo, an attaché, were among the participants of the Anniversary Mass.
Good Shepherd Sister Corazon Demetillo told the Sunday Examiner that she was touched by the Mass and all who contributed showed their love for the Church. “We are in deep gratitude for the first and present missionaries,” she said.
The St. Francis English-speaking community performed a liturgical dance when the Lord’s Prayer was sung. Bernadette Mendoza, one of the dancers, said she was grateful to the parish for organising the Mass as the pandemic made it hard for them to celebrate the anniversary in the Philippines.
Cecila Golez, of the Filipino community in St. Joseph’s Church, Fanling, said that as a Filipino in Hong Kong, she felt welcomed by the people of Hong Kong. “This Mass also showed that we are never forgotten,” she said.
St. Joseph’s Church, Garden Road, also organised a thanksgiving Mass and a presentation on the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines on June 14. Father Joseph Tan Leitao concelebrated the Mass with Father Flandez and Father Joseph Houston.
