The episcopal ordination of Bishop Stephen Chau Sau-yan, as the ninth bishop of the Diocese Hong Kong on 4 December, releases John Cardinal Tong Hon from the responsibility of the administration of the local Catholic Church. His period both as bishop from 2009 to 2017 and as apostolic administrator since 2019, turned out to be a very challenging time.
During the past decades, the most eminent figures on the stage of both the Catholic Church and of Hong Kong society have undoubtedly been Joseph Cardinal Zen Zi-kiun and Cardinal Tong.
Two very different personalities who could complement each other, Cardinal Zen with his charismatic and outspoken attitude, Cardinal Tong with his kind and soft approach. This was especially evident during the episcopate of Cardinal Zen from 2002 to 2009, with Bishop Tong as his auxiliary. Both were ordained bishops on 9 December 1996, to assist John Baptist Cardinal Wu Cheng-chung.
Bishop Tong’s gentle, smiling and scholarly figure has become a popular image, especially for the Catholic population, since he succeeded Cardinal Zen on 15 April 2009. According to several people, the succession could have been rather difficult due to the difference of personality and character.
At his first press conference, he admitted that there would be a move away from the confrontational style of Cardinal Zen. On his installation day as the new bishop, he made a pledge to be faithful to Church principles as well as to strengthen the local Church and its role as a bridge with China, straddling the middle path. These have been the main concerns of Cardinal Tong.
Since the start, Cardinal Tong has been keen to listen to and consult others before making any decision. “I will work closely with people,” he promised, “from every stratum in society to promote the common good of our Church and our society.” Moreover, having being teacher and rector of the local seminary, he knew and trusted the local clergy and his close cooperators. He also was quite familiar with the pastoral priorities of the diocese since he had served as vicar general since December 1992. He soon started to implement them in order to improve the life of the Church.
In fact, as his first initiative, he took advantage of the Year of Priestly Vocations the diocese had chosen as its pastoral priority for the year 2009 from 2010, calling on every parish to establish a special committee for this purpose. He also showed other concerns such as the formation of the laity in 2011 to 2012, the deepening of the faith and the commitment to evangelisation, especially in the Year of the Faith and of the Family from 2013 to 2014, through pastoral letters and various initiatives, especially during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (December 2015 to November 2016).
Concerning the commitment to evangelisation, he stated: “If we want to keep our faith alive and refreshed, we have to receive from and to give to others at the same time,” and feel proud to have sent local missionaries to other countries. “Although we do not have many local priests, we still encourage this missionary spirit within our community.” He was convinced, however, that the Church in Hong Kong still needed the positive contribution of missionaries coming from abroad. “They have brough us many charisms, treasures and shared cultures that are not only different, but can also be a positive model for us.” This is the reason why he welcomed new congregations to Hong Kong and showed deep concern for the foreign Catholic groups present in the diocese.
His formation was primarily academic. Cardinal Tong was born on 31 July 1939 in Hong Kong. At two years of age, due to the Japanese occupation, his family moved to Macau and then to Guangzhou, where he remained until 1951. During these years he discerned his priestly vocation and, with the help of Maryknoll Fathers with whom he always kept a close relationship, he returned to Macau and entered the local St. Joseph Seminary.
In 1957 he joined the Holy Spirit Seminary in Hong Kong for the philosophical and theological studies. In 1964 he was sent to Rome to study at the Pontifical Urbaniana University where he earned a licentiate and a doctorate in dogmatic theology. He was ordained a priest by Pope St. Paul VI on 6 January 1966, together with 61 other deacons from 23 countries.
Back in Hong Kong, he taught at the Holy Spirit Seminary College, becoming dean of theology and then rector of the seminary in 1999. At the same time, he attained a Master’s in Philosophy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
His academic studies created in him a strong interest in teaching and in formation, turning him into a good professor and rector of the diocesan seminary, as well as a writer and a researcher in collaboration with the theological review Concilium.
In 1980, Cardinal Wu asked him to establish a centre which could express the diocese’s concern for the Church in China; to be a bridge between them. It was an important step in the life of then-Father Tong. From then on, he worked as director of the Holy Spirit Study Centre, paid many visits to China and frequently published articles in Tripod.
He admitted: “This appointment was a turning point because I had to travel to China and abroad, to participate in more international meetings. I started to be known by many people around the world who were interested in China.”
In 1957 he joined the Holy Spirit Seminary in Hong Kong for the philosophical and theological studies. In 1964 he was sent to Rome to study at the Pontifical Urbaniana University where he earned a licentiate and a doctorate in dogmatic theology. He was ordained a priest by Pope St. Paul VI on 6 January 1966, together with 61 other deacons from 23 countries.
He built up a vast network of relationships and information on the situation of both the two sections of the Church in China. In doing so, he made an important contribution in facilitating the process of rapprochement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China.
He has always been supportive of the dialogue between the Vatican and China and consequently, he contributed to the signing of the 2018 Sino-Vatican Provisional Agreement which, in his opinion, favoured reconciliation and communion. He always saw Hong Kong as a bridge Church.
Due to his attitude of faithful obedience, the Holy See had full trust in him and asked him to work as a member of the Commission for the Church in China in 2007. He was created a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI on 18 February 2012.
Pope Francis appointed him head of two synods and a member of the Congregation of Evangelisation of Peoples, the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the Council for the Economy.
He showed strong social concern and prudence in dealing with critical events the occured in his time. Cardinal Tong has always shown a positive attitude, strongly insisting that any meaningful progress in human relationships should come from dialogue, a topic about which he wrote extensively.
He soon had occasions to deal with local Chinese authorities: in 2009, the issue of the drug-testing in the schools; from 2010 to 2011, the dispute about the Incorporated Management Committee in schools; in 2011, the response to the introduction of the course on Moral and National Education; in 2012, his position on the Sexual
Orientation Discrimination Ordinance; in 2013, his concern for the future of Hong Kong, with the Urgent Call for Earnest Dialogue and Responsible Action: Regarding Universal Suffrage and Civil Disobedience in answer to the proposal of the campaign Occupy Central with Love and Peace civil disobedience.
Occupy Central—or the Umbrella Movement—paralysed sections of Hong Kong with mass protests from 26 September to 15 December 2014. Since it involved Catholic leaders and students, it also left the Catholic community divided and torn. Cardinal Tong worried since he was pulled in opposite directions and was deeply sad at the results.
Because the protests were related to the electoral system, he tried his best to provide directives on this line, showing that he was still hopeful for the democratisation of Hong Kong.
He urged the authorities to address the real causes behind the polarised situation. He has always been a supporter of the dialogical and democratic way.
Early January 2019, the Holy See, following the death of Bishop Michael Yeung Ming-cheung, called him out of retirement and appointed him Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese. At a press conference, he admitted feeling surprised at the choice: “But I know, it will be a short-term role.” Unfortunately, it turned out to last almost three years. Worse still, he had to face, again, a time full of disturbing events.
In April 2019, the local government proposed the introduction of amendments to the extradition law that would allow criminal suspects to be extradited to China. On June 9, opponents in their hundreds of thousands, marched through central Hong Kong to protest against the move.
The confrontation continued and turned violent. The protesters made their demands clear, but received no response. Therefore, they continued the demonstrations until Beijing imposed the Security Law in June 2020.
All these protests increased the division within the Catholic community. Cardinal Tong again felt upset and worried, being pulled by opposing initiatives. He tried his best to repropose principles of dialogue and cooperation, avoiding violence and recently, after the imposition of the Security Law, to infuse optimism in the future of Hong Kong.
Now, at last, Cardinal Tong can relax have more time to enjoy music, to engage in physical exercise and, mainly, to carry on praying for the Church in Hong Kong and China. SE
