HONG KONG (SE): The Caritas Charity TV Show, organised by the Friends of Caritas, was telecast on July 16 on the TVB Jade channel. As of July 18, the donations received had reached nearly 10 million Hong Kong dollars.
Caritas–Hong Kong was founded in July 1953 by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. The primary purpose of its establishment was to offer relief and rehabilitation services to the poor and the distressed.
In the spirit of Love in the Service of Hope, Caritas strives to serve the Last, the Least and the Lost. Throughout its 69 years of existence in the community, Caritas has grown from a small outfit, mainly looking after the poor and the sick, into a non-government organisation providing quality services in the fields of social work, education and medical care to meet the needs of people at different stages of life.
Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, SJ, officiated the lighting ceremony for the event, together with Addy Wong Wai-hung, JP, chairperson and chief executive officer of Asia Pacific of Centaline Property; Francis Law Sau-fai, director of Toyo Mall Limited; Peter Leung Ming-hym, chairperson of the Caritas Fund Raising Committee and the deputy chief executive of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China [Asia] and Andrew Chan Tak-kuen, the chairperson of Friends of Caritas.
Caritas-Hong Kong is a bridge filled with care and love helping the underprivileged. It aims to create a family for all, including the old, the children and the disadvantaged. I sincerely invite you all to show great love with small good deeds
Bishop Chow
Since 1996, the Caritas Charity TV Show, has been an effective platform to inform the public about the various services of Caritas-Hong Kong.
The services were presented to illustrate how Caritas helps the needy overcome their trials and brings them hope. They included a Chinese opera workshop for the mentally disadvantaged at Caritas Lok Yi School. In addition, different programmes for children with reading disorders, street cleaners and old people living alone were introduced.
“Caritas-Hong Kong is a bridge filled with care and love helping the underprivileged. It aims to create a family for all, including the old, the children and the disadvantaged. I sincerely invite you all to show great love with small good deeds,” Bishop Chow said in his appeal for donations.
Tribute was paid to philanthropist, Christina Lee Look Ngan-kwan, who passed away in February this year. She had been active in the fund-raising work for Caritas since the 1970s.
Popular singers, including Liza Wang Ming-chuen, Agnes Chan Mei-ling and Maria Cordero, together with pianist Zhang Shengliang and Great Bay Philharmonic Orchestra, were invited to bring positive messages to the audience through professional music performances.
A total of 68 donation hotlines were sponsored by AMTD Foundation. Moreover, Lo Siu Tong Charity Fund contributed a matching donation for the show, meaning the fund will donate one dollar for every two dollars raised from the public. The donation channels are still open until the end of September.
