HONG KONG (SE): The Italian missionary Father Gianni Giampietro of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions [PIME], who died on June 11, was buried at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley, following a concelebrated funeral Mass at Christ the King Chapel, Causeway Bay, on June 19.
Over 1,300 faithful and friends of Father Giampietro from different parts of Hong Kong participated in the service presided over by Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, sj, and concelebrated by 54 priests.
Venerable Matteo Ricci, the 17th century Jesuit Missionary to China, was his hero and like Ricci, Father Giampietro immersed himself in the land and its culture during his 65 years of missionary life in Hong Kong.
“He was married to the Church in Hong Kong. Despite some quarrels in this marriage, it is evident from his understanding of the Church’s local culture, its evangelising mission, and its own renewal that he has succeeded in his marriage to the Church in Hong Kong,” Father Franco Bellati, the representative of the PIMEs in Hong Kong, commented during his homily.
A vigil Mass on June 18 was also celebrated at the same venue, officiated by John Cardinal Tong Hon and concelebrated by 46 priests.
In an emotional homily, Father Bellati, who lived with Father Giampietro in St. John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong, recalled the life and mission of the late priest. “We are not here to praise a celebrity, rather we are here to thank God for an evangeliser,” said Father Bellati.
“Celebrities leave behind their grieving fans, but an evangliser leaves behind more evangelisers and the power of love,” he added. “He had the ability to grab people to join the mission of the Church; whoever encountered Father Giampietro would come to believe that ‘I too can become an instrument in God’s hands.’”
Two years ago, he expressed concern over the unity of the Church in Hong Kong and wanted to gather all believers from different ideologies and political positions to pray for the city. And he wished to preside over that liturgy.
Addressing the 1300-strong congregation from across Hong Kong, an emotionally moved Father Bellati said, “he is presiding over this liturgy.”
“Father Yan [Yan Po-dak was Father Giampietro’s name in Chinese] always loved to use the phrase, You are commissioned…” said Father Ballati, “that by participating in today’s liturgy, we are participating in a commissioning liturgy to be ‘prophets to the nations.’”
A representative of the Hong Kong Catholic Lay Missionary Association, Philomena Lau Kwok-pik, recalled Father Giampietro’s assertion that lay missionaries must be commissioned from Hong Kong to share God’s gifts selflessly in a mature Church, and that missionaries must integrate into the culture in which they serve.
Father Yan [Yan Po-dak was Father Giampietro’s name in Chinese] always loved to use the phrase, You are commissioned… that by participating in today’s liturgy, we are participating in a commissioning liturgy to be ‘prophets to the nations’
Father Ballati
Father Phongphan Wongarsa, on behalf of the PIME fathers in Hong Kong, thanked all those present at the Mass, including Bishop Chow; vicar general, Father Joseph Chan; concelebrants; diocesan commissions; parishioners of St. John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong; and people from other communities, and expressed thankfulness to God for the services of Father Giampietro in Hong Kong.
Father Bellati, together with the vicars general Father Paul Kam and Joseph Chan presided over the rites of committal at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery.
Father Thomas Law Kwok-fai, the chairperson of the Diocesan Liturgy Commission, delivered the homily during the vigil Mass on June 18, exclaiming, “How can I describe the magnificence and richness of God that Master Yan has witnessed?”
Father Law recalled: “When Father Yan was in charge of the Diocesan Liturgy Committee during my youth, the liturgy had been renewed after the Vatican II. He promoted the translation of liturgical books into Chinese, compiled reference materials, held liturgical renewal lectures, and trained liturgical personnel, so that I could experience God in the liturgy and appreciate the mission of the Church.”
He said, “It was Father Yan who explained the first Vatican II Chinese Mass I attended. The benevolent Master made me fall in love with God who loves me, fall in love with the liturgical life, and gave birth to my vocation to serve the faithful through the liturgical life.”
It was Father Yan who explained the first Vatican II Chinese Mass I attended. The benevolent Master made me fall in love with God who loves me, fall in love with the liturgical life, and gave birth to my vocation to serve the faithful through the liturgical life
Father Thomas Law
Father Law recalled that Master Yan taught the Church in Hong Kong how to pray, to believe, and to live according to the Vatican II liturgy. As he walked into the crowd, into factories, he promoted the evangelisation of the laity. As a pastor, he cared for people from different backgrounds, ages, and interests in order to unite them and make the gospel a reality through their talents and enthusiasm.
The vigil Mass on June 18 was also an occasion for testimonials from various people who were touched by Father Giampietro’s witness to life. Father Law invited several lay people who worked with or were associated with the late priest to share their experiences.
Peter Poon Kwok-chung of St. John the Baptist Parish recalled that when Father Giampietro was assigned to the parish, the parish council invited him to a meal. But he declined this suggestion. The parish then arranged a prayer service to welcome the new priest, and he was very happy to work with a prayerful parish.
The son of newly ordained deacon, Gamaliel Cheng Tak-lit, was an altar server who worked with Father Giampietro for years. He recalled how friendly and kind he was to altar servers, and he witnessed his growth and that of many others. He lamented that Father Giampietro’s wish to celebrate a Mass assisted by his dad after his diaconate ordination could not be realised. However, Deacon Cheng assisted at the vigil Mass on June 18.
One young person who joined the Family Movement with his parents in childhood, and now lives in Australia, said that he was in Hong Kong to invite Father Giampietro to officiate at his wedding, and the news of his passing was so unexpected.
He believes that Father Giampietro is in heaven now and will bless him and the families in Hong Kong.
