HONG KONG (SE): The mortal remains of John Baptist Cardinal Wu Cheng-chung were interred at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Caine Road, during a ceremony officiated by Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing, John Cardinal Tong Hon, and parish priest, Father Dominic Chan Chi-ming, on September 28.
Bishop Ha expressed the gratitude of the Church to the cardinal for shepherding the people of God in Hong Kong for 27 years, from 1975 to 2002.
“With his unique wisdom in discerning the signs of the times, he led the Diocese of Hong Kong in the implementation of the many renewals of Vatican II, the formation of clergy, and the development of the lay ministry, laying the foundation for the pastoral care of the diocese of Hong Kong,” the bishop said, adding that Cardinal Wu played a significant role in rallying the faithful and the people of Hong Kong together during the handover in 1997.
The bishop thanked God for granting the diocese a good shepherd and reminded people of the Cardinal Wu’s motto, as seen on his coat of arms: “Truth in Love”, taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: “if we live the truth in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, which is the head” [4:15].
Bishop Ha then led a prayer for the reward of a faithful servant to be granted to Cardinal Wu and his predecessors. He also prayed for the diocese to be united to carry on its mission.
He then administered the rite of blessing over the remains of Cardinal Wu, before they were interred in an underground niche in the Mission Chapel of the Cathedral. The ceremony was attended by the clergy working in the diocese.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, participants bowed three times in the direction of the niche where the cardinal’s remains were lowered. Bishop Ha, Cardinal Tong and Father Chan then laid a floral tribute.
Cardinal Wu passed away on 23 September 2002 at the age of 77. After his requiem Mass on September 28 that year, he was buried at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley.
Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, sj, will celebrate a Mass to mark the 20th anniversary of Cardinal Wu’s death at the Cathedral at 3.00pm on October 4.
