HONG KONG (SE): “Through love, God will give us wisdom … as long as you insist on holding on hand of God and each other’s hands, no storms or trials can block your way out” Bishop Chow Sau Yan, sj, exhorted families gathered for a Mass marking the end of the Year of Amoris Laetitia Family, celebrated at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Caine Road, on June 25.
Organised by the Diocesan Commission for Marriage and the Family, the Mass also marked the conclusion of the 10th World Meeting of Families held in Rome from June 22 to 26.
A total of 63 couples and individuals from 14 parishes with different family statuses were invited to join the Mass and receive the blessing from the bishop.
Among them were newlyweds and couples married for over 50 years, Catholic couples, couples about to start a catechism class, mixed marriages, interreligious marriages, couples of different nationalities, along with singles and divorcees.
Among the couples blessed were Rebecca and Lennon Lo from St. Anthony’s Church, Pokfulam. Married for two years, they were happy to receive blessing and encouragement from the bishop. They believe that God’s blessings will help them face the daily trials caused by the different habits of their families of origin.
In his homily, the bishop said family life would not bring about happiness every day, but we can find support when necessary, which is why it is different from other relationships
Dominic Ng Wing-ho, who has been married to his wife for 50 years said, “There can be lots of challenges in a family in many aspects, such as financial management and parenting. Without the help of God, it would have been very difficult for us to overcome,” he said.
At the start of the Mass, Bishop Chow urged people to pray for the World Meeting of Families. As the family is a gift from God, he urged people to pray for more blessings to nurture more understanding and forgiveness within it.
In his homily, the bishop said family life would not bring about happiness every day, but we can find support when necessary, which is why it is different from other relationships.
He understands that family can be a source of pain for different reasons, but only after the trials can we have more wisdom and lead a more sanctified life.
Referring to the gospel story in which Jesus stayed in the temple without the knowledge of Mary and Joseph [Luke 2:41-51], Bishop Chow said the reading of the day shows life even in the Holy Family could have tensions and was not always smooth.
“Parents may not have the wisdom to understand their children … but they can follow the example of Mary, who pondered the event in her heart instead of venting her anger,” he observed. He invited people to think more about their family problems and to live in the joy of love instead of making quick criticisms.
[Bishop Chow] invited people to think more about their family problems and to live in the joy of love instead of making quick criticisms.
At the end of the Mass, the choir sang the Cantonese version of the theme song of the year, which was arranged by Anthony Cheng Yu-sum. The song’s title, We believe in Love, expressed the willingness of couples to believe in love despite various difficulties. The music video of the theme song was posted on the Facebook page of the commission, showing happy images of couples, children and grandparents.
Kevin Lai Yuk-ching, executive secretary of the commission, said it had organised different activities in the whole month of June in response to the World Meeting of Families theme this year, which is Family Love: A Vocation and Path to Holiness.
The commission held three talks in June. Vicar general, Father Joseph Chan Wing-chiu, spoke about the joy of the vocation of married life in the first talk on June 4. In the second one on June 16, Father Thomas Kwan Tsun-tong spoke of how the example of the Holy Family can inspire families. On June 22, Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing explained how we could lead a sanctified life through family life.
From June 27 to 30, four couples, two from Hong Kong and two from Canada, were invited by the commission and the Fountain of Love in Canada to share their reflections online on the official image of the World Meeting of Families, painted by artist and theologian Father Marko Ivan Rupnik titled, This Mystery is Great.
There can be lots of challenges in a family in many aspects, such as financial management and parenting. Without the help of God, it would have been very difficult for us to overcome,
Dominic Ng
Using the Wedding at Cana as its background, the image shows that the sacramental love between man and woman reflects the indissoluble love and unity between Christ and the Church.
Lai said that while all the activities organised in June showed the beauty of marriage, it is essential not to forget the children and the grandparents in a family, which is why World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly is celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of July.
Pope Francis launched the Year of Amoris Laetitia Family on 19 March 2021, on the fifth anniversary of his apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia [Joy of Love]. The year ended on June 26, the concluding day of the World Meeting of Families in Rome.
The three-yearly meeting was supposed to be held last year but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Organised by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, the event was celebrated in all dioceses with local bishops for a customised, local experience of formation, prayer and fellowship instead of a worldwide public gathering this year.
However, delegations from across the globe were present in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, representing Catholic families worldwide [Sunday Examiner, July 3].
