By Father Sergio Ticozzi, PIME
Bishop John Baptist Wu Cheng-Chung was connected to mainland China by birth: he was born on 26 March 1925 in Ng-Wa [Wuhua] County, in the Diocese of Kaying [now Meizhou], in Guangdong. He studied at the local minor seminary until 1946 when he joined the South China Regional Seminary in Hong Kong. He kept always a special emotional link with his native place, but could not keep direct contacts until he became bishop of Hong Kong in 1975. From then on, he was very concerned about the Church in his native diocese. He used to receive priests and nuns from Meizhou who visited Hong Kong, inquiring about his relatives and the people there.
As bishop of Hong Kong since 1975, he soon realised the possibility for that the Hong Kong Church could become a bridge between China and the Church in China, and the outside world and the universal Church.
As soon as China opened up with Deng Xiaoping’s liberalisation policy at the end of 1978, and the Church could revive after decade of repression, Bishop Wu showed his concern and vision for the Church in China by establishing the Holy Spirit Study Centre in 1980, entrusting its direction to then Father John Tong Hon. He spelled out its mission as understanding the China Church, supporting its development and learning from it in order to become a channel of dialogue and information on the situation of the Church in China.
When, at the beginning of January 1985, he received the official and personal invitation from the Chinese authorities, through the Xinhua News Agency, to visit mainland China, he accepted willingly in view of the bridge role. And during the first visit, according to the report, when the issue of the future of Hong Kong was raised, he asked the officials three questions:
First, regarding the great task of reunification to the motherland, what bridge-role can the Hong Kong Catholic Church play? How can we make more foreign friends for China and increase her international reputation? Second, faced with a changing situation in Hong Kong, beside the present work, what further contribution can the Hong Kong Catholic Church make to promote the integral development of society as a whole in all its material, spiritual and religious aspects? And third, under the principle of the ‘three mutualities’ [non-subordination, non- interference and mutual respect], how can we increase contacts between Catholics inside and outside of Chin? And within our present relationship and in communion with the universal Catholic Church, how can we best work in building a better society for the benefit of the whole mankind?
During the second visit in January 1986 to Guangdong province, Bishop Wu showed the same concern. In an official speech he reiterated:
I see Hong Kong as a bridge between east and west, an important centre of exchange between China and the rest of the world. In recent years our mother land has opened herself more widely to accept and learn from the world outside. The results have indeed been more gratifying. And while living in Hong Kong, I still feel a deep desire to do the best I can, according to my limited ability, to make a contribution to the welfare of our country and to the material and spiritual prosperity of our people.”
Cardinal Wu visited mainland China three times, in 1985, 1986 and 1994.
I had the honour to accompany him and thus witnessed his way of being neither overbearing nor servile as shown by his open and sincere talks with the Chinese government. He strove diligently to foster unity between the unofficial Church and the Church that was sanctioned by the Chinese government. He also worked hard to ensure the ultimate goal of unity with the Holy See and with the universal Church
John Cardinal Tong Hon
The first visit started on 25 March 1985 and lasted a week. Bishop Wu led an official delegation of five members to Beijing and Shanghai, the first visit by a Hong Kong bishop since 1949. Both in Beijing and Shanghai, he met officials of the Religious Affairs Bureau and of the United Front Department, as well as leaders of the Catholic Patriotic Association. He also visited the national seminary and the tomb of Father Matteo Ricci in Beijing, the East China Regional Seminary and the basilica of Our Lady of Sheshan in Shanghai. He was always treated with kindness. However, his request to meet Bishop Gong Pinmei, then still under detention, was refused.
“I had the honour to accompany him and thus witnessed his way of being neither overbearing nor servile as shown by his open and sincere talks with the Chinese government. He strove diligently to foster unity between the unofficial Church and the Church that was sanctioned by the Chinese government. He also worked hard to ensure the ultimate goal of unity with the Holy See and with the universal Church.”
The second visit, in January 1986 to Guangdong province, can be considered a continuation of the first one, with the same purpose of promoting mutual understanding and free exchange of views. But since the members had increased to seven, some other purposes were added: support for cooperative contacts between Caritas-Hong Kong and Guangdong with its more than 100 training courses, as well as an exchange of experience for the formation of religious sisters.
A highlight of the 1986 trip was a visit to the tomb of Bishop Wu’s father and to his mother in his native village of Ng-Wa. The visit was filled with emotions since it was the first time, he had seen her in 40 years.
The Catholic Church of Hong Kong will continue to the best of our ability to show our concern and give them support in the area of religious formation and education
The third visit, on invitation of the Director of the Religious Affairs Bureau, happened from 10 to 17 November 1994. Together with six other members, the delegation visited Beijing, Wuhan and Xi’an. The atmosphere was friendly and the meetings with the officials of the Religious Affairs Bureau, the United Front Department and the National and Provincial Political Consultive Conferences enhanced mutual understanding. Cardinal Wu and the members also visited seminaries and convents. They especially brought up the worries of Hong Kong Catholics about the religious freedom and religious commitments after the return of Hong Kong to China.
With regard to seminaries and convents—the official report informed—both the Chinese government and the local Church leaders stated that they are given special attention to them. They care very much about the formation of the next generation of priests and young sisters, and are making every effort to improve the quality of the teaching staff. The Catholic Church of Hong Kong will continue to the best of our ability to show our concern and give them support in the area of religious formation and education.
Cardinal Wu, in fact, was supporting Hong Kong clergy, nuns and lay Catholics in their various exchanges with the mainland Church. He encouraged the diocese to send theologians and experts to teach in mainland seminaries, greatly contributing to a better formation of local priests and sisters. He also encouraged helping the Church in China by mailing books and teaching material, as well as raising funds to build churches and convents.
Soon after he was elevated to the College of Cardinals, Pope St. John Paul II requested that Cardinal Wu help in improving Vatican ties with mainland China. Being Chinese and being from Hong Kong, he considered himself in a better position to give advice and willingly accepted the invitation. He always felt optimistic about the development of the relationship.
Although there were points of disagreement with the Chinese authorities, the cardinal believed that many issues could be discussed and even compromised, such as the historical burdens left from the past state-religion relations, liturgies and localisation issues. He always maintained a friendly attitude of peaceful and yet sincere dialogue.
