HONG KONG (SE): A Mass on June 26, anticipating the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul, the apostles of Rome, was celebrated as a time to pray for Pope Francis at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception at Caine Road. The feast was on June 29.
Organised by the Holy See Study Mission and the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, and celebrated by Bishop Stephen Chow Sai-Yan, sj, the Mass highlighted a message of hope for the world.
The Mass was accompanied by a repertoire of the Church’s treasury of sacred music depicting a rich heritage and sharing the universal language that communicates faith.
The faithful attending were able to pray and experience the symphony of voices from the collaboration among the Francis Choristers and Vox Antiqua singing pieces from the 15th to the 20th centuries, including Missa de Angelis, often sung at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Bishop Chow expressed his deep gratitude to Pope Francis for his continued work, tirelessly guiding the lives of the people across the world through his apostolic exhortations and leading the Church along the path of synodality.
He is certainly faithful to his mission given by God and the Church to bring her closer to the intended orientation and missions of the Second Vatican Council. ‘Synodality’ is a clear case in point
Bishop Chow
Bishop Chow was joined by concelebrants, John Cardinal Tong Hon, Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun, Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing, Monsignor Alvaro Izurieta y Sea and the clergy of the diocese.
In his homily, the bishop addressed and refuted recent rumours about the possible abdication of the pope as erroneous media speculations. Quoting one of his good friends at the Vatican, he conveyed that although the pope suffers from some painful mobility issues, he has no intention of resigning at this point in time and is in fact doing well.
“He is not gravely ill as some news articles have speculated. In fact, he is making plans for his upcoming missions,” Bishop Chow said, adding that “no one will live forever and Francis has no illusion of that either!”
The bishop continued, “He is certainly faithful to his mission given by God and the Church to bring her closer to the intended orientation and missions of the Second Vatican Council. ‘Synodality’ is a clear case in point.”
In most cases, Pope Francis is compassionate to his critics because he respects the spirit of synodality and Christian candour
Bishop Chow
Bishop Chow thanked and recognised Pope Francis for his hard work in helping the Church become more relevant to the world through his teachings and writings.
He added that although not everyone in the Church always welcomed the pope’s writings, his apostolic exhortations such as Evangelii Gaudium [The Joy of the Gospel], Laudato Si’ [Praise be to you], Amoris Laetitia [The Joy of Love], and Fratelli Tutti [All Brothers] have helped the Church reach out to the world in a significant way.
When resistance and rejection brings disappointment, Pope Francis remains hopeful in God who has always accompanied him.
“In most cases, Pope Francis is compassionate to his critics because he respects the spirit of synodality and Christian candour,” Bishop Chow remarked, adding that while it is right to respect the office of the Holy Father, it is also desirable to provide criticism on matters of substance and to do so with respect.
“Pope Francis encourages intentional or spiritual listening, dialogue and discernment, which constitute the ground and dynamics for a synodal Church,” the bishop said.
This is a sign of unity and our communion with the pope and the universal Church
Monsignor Izurieta
Concluding his homily, the bishop said, “This seems to be the faith of our Papa, who is always willing and eager to have dialogue and walk with the people of God and the world, including China. Let us remember his health, wisdom, and his arduous mission in our prayers!”
Monsignor Izurieta of the Study Mission thanked all those present for gathering around the table of the Lord to pray for the Holy Father. He recalled that on many occasions, Pope Francis expressed his spiritual closeness to the Church in this part of the world. Stressing the special place the pope gives us in his heart, Monsignor Izurieta said that the life and the matters of the faithful and the pastors here, which are often complex, are among the intentions of the pope’s daily prayers.
The Study Mission, in cooperation with the Diocese of Hong Kong, has been showing love and closeness to the pope through an annual concert and Mass since 2014. “This is a sign of unity and our communion with the pope and the universal Church,” said the monsignor.
Calling to mind the pope’s words: “Praying for others is the first way to love them,” the monsignor encouraged people to pray for the pope and one another so that we can be witnesses of the gospel in all situations.
The monsignor and Bishop Chow led a prayer for Pope Francis in English and Cantonese for the Lord’s care to be upon Peter’s successor to make him a visible source and foundation of unity in faith and communion.
The joint choirs, Francis Choristers and Vox Antiqua, not only sang the well known 15th century Gregorian chant Missa de Angelis, they also sung Peter Latona’s arrangement of the Gloria which was writted for Pope Francis and debuted in 2015.
Other highlights of the sacred music repertoire included motets by three renowned Italian priests and who were also composers from the 20th and 19th centuries. Organ music included pieces from Bach and Pierre de Mage. The responsorial psalm for the Mass was written by Andrew Leung, artistic director of Vox Antiqua. The congregation joined in one voice during the chant antiphonal from the Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul and sang hymns in Chinese and English. The cathedral was filled with a renewal of joy and hope.
A concert to honour the pope Hope of the World: Art and Faith United was held a week before on June 18 at Christ the King Chapel, Causeway Bay, featuring a performance by the Hong Kong Youth Choir. (Sunday Examiner, June 26).
With input from María Luisa Beatriz
