Father Dominique Mukonda, CICM
Superior, CICM-HK
The World Day for Consecrated Life on February 2 is an opportunity to celebrate the gift of consecrated life and pray for men and women discerning a consecrated vocation with the global Catholic Church. Here in Hong Kong, a beautiful celebration was held at Christ the King Chapel in Causeway Bay, and it was the first to be held after a long time due to restrictions linked to the ongoing pandemic. One can imagine the joy of getting back together again as a community to celebrate the Lord.
Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, sj, the bishop of Hong Kong, graced us with his presence and served as the homilist as well. Our bishop emeritus, John Cardinal Tong, was also among the concelebrants.
The bishop started his homily with the meaning of the light, an example taken directly from the different candles that joyously beautified the liturgy. Noting the different colours of the candles, the bishop commented that we too, coming from different races and backgrounds, are to shine in the world and bring the light of Jesus to the others.
A light is meant to illuminate the other or to mutually enlighten each other so that darkness is expelled from our lives. He continued by sharing about the importance of our mission, which cannot be dissociated from our presence. The latter is important, but we are to share the gospel with the others, far beyond the maintenance of our presence, our parishes and the like.
Our mission is to go out, to reach out to others as we share in the mission Dei—the “mission of God”—every day. The mission is God’s mission and we are God’s instruments in that mission.
… it is through the witness of our community life, the efforts we put into living a joyful religious life, our little contributions to our shared vocation and charisms that our presence will make an impact not only on ourselves, but also on those who are living around us
As instruments in that mission, we are to always bear in mind that we are loved and forgiven sinners. It is the grace of the Lord that gives us the strength to bear witness to his Holy Name. “Love is difficult”, said Bishop Chow.
However, it is through the witness of our community life, the efforts we put into living a joyful religious life, our little contributions to our shared vocation and charisms that our presence will make an impact not only on ourselves, but also on those who are living around us.
The bishop acknowledged the importance of accompaniment as well. As we [probably] know, accompaniment is the act of providing emotional, physical, and spiritual support to people in need as well as walking in their shoes. As such, we are true to our vocation when we allow ourselves to journey with people with love and compassion as well.
Furthermore, we celebrate this day for the consecrated life in a time when the Church is talking about Synodality. Our homilist did not fail to mention the importance of togetherness—an approach that cultivates the sense of thinking and working together as brothers and sisters of a Church that respects and values each and every one of its members.
Bishop Chow finished his sharing by recalling something he heard last year in Rome, during the formation programme for newly appointed bishops. Some of the bishops saw the religious only as dedicated people, focused on their works and services, doing their own thing in total disconnect from the diocese where they serve. But our presence has meaning when we remember to assist and cooperate with the diocese in its work of evangelisation.
It was in this spirit that he thanked the missionaries and religious people in Hong Kong, people without whom the diocese would be seriously handicapped.
After the homily came another meaningful moment of the celebration. Three superiors, standing on behalf of the different congregations and religious orders, renewed their commitment to serve the Lord in the spirit of the consecrated life, totally entrusting themselves to the One without whom mission leads to nothing.
They reconfirmed their pledge to live soberly and with austerity, to conquer the anxiety of possession with the joy of giving, to use the things of the world for the cause of the gospel and human promotion; they joyfully renewed the vow to keep their bodies chaste and the hearts pure, to live with undivided love for the glory of God and the salvation of humankind; they reaffirmed their will to live in total obedience to the gospel, to the voice of the Church and to the rule of the religious life.
That beautiful moment culminated with the bishop’s prayer for them to be a reflection of God’s light, an instrument of God’s Spirit of peace, and an extension among men and women of the presence of Jesus.
Bishop Chow recommended that we pray for the consecrated people in the mainland China as well, that they too may serve the Lord with hearts full of love and joy. This kind of unity makes us all one body and one spirit in Christ.
Before the final blessing, Sister Joanna Maria Cheung, spc, the chairperson of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of Women in Hong Kong, delivered a speech in which she thanked God and everyone involved in the success of the celebration. The bishop, too, hoped to see more religious men joining the celebration in the future. It was a beautiful celebration.
