HONG KONG (SE): On July 9, Pope Francis announced that he would hold a consistory to create 21 new cardinals, 18 of whom would be electors with the right to vote in the next conclave. This is the ninth consistory called by the pope in less than 10 years .
According to AsiaNews, Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, SJ, of Hong Kong, who is among the newly-named cardinals is “a bridge to mainland China, a land and people dear to the pontiff’s heart.”
The second week of July has been one of surprises for Bishop Chow. He found his name among the delegates whom the pope nominated for the upcoming Synod in Rome on Synodality, which the Vatican published on July 7.
From the Asian continent, 30 bishops from at least 18 countries will participate in the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October. Twenty-eight were designated by the collegial bodies of each region of Asia. Pope Francis added only one more to the list: Bishop Chow.
The bigger surprise came two days later, on July 9 when Pope Francis named him a cardinal.
Bishop Chow told the media on July 10 that he had no prior information about the appointment, so he couldn’t believe it at first. “But I feel I have a responsibility for this new mission that God has assigned to me through the pope,” the bishop said. According to a statement from the Diocesan Press Office, Bishop Chow asked the faithful to “keep praying for him and for the diocese.” He will be the fourth cardinal of Hong Kong.
From the Asian continent, 30 bishops from at least 18 countries will participate in the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October. Twenty-eight were designated by the collegial bodies of each region of Asia. Pope Francis added only one more to the list: Bishop Chow
In response to a media question, he said reconciliation is still his top priority for imprisoned young people. “I wish that more hope can be given for the young, especially for those convicted; I hope there will be a better future for them. This is very important,” he said.
“Hong Kong people need a chance to rest, seek reconciliation, and calm down. Of course, there are many aspects to be considered, but I believe the One-in-charge of History will assist us,” he said. He said it is unclear what assignments he will receive from the Vatican, but he will continue working hard to serve as Hong Kong’s bishop.
Father Gianni Criveller of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, a sinologist with over 30 years of teaching experience in China, commented on the appointment saying, “The news of Stephen Chow’s appointment as a cardinal is important because the city and the Diocese of Hong Kong are experiencing one of their most challenging periods. This appointment, therefore, states that the pope and the Holy See are close and alert to the bishop, the diocese and the people of Hong Kong.”
According to Father Criveller, “With this gesture, the pope reiterates that Hong Kong occupies an important position among his concerns. With Bishop Chow’s elevation, Hong Kong becomes a city with three cardinals.”
Last April, Bishop Chow travelled to Beijing, where he met Bishop Joseph Li Shan and the Catholic community in memory of Venerable Matteo Ricci. This prompted Father Criveller to express his hopes that the pope may also want the bishop of Hong Kong, who moves with great prudence and always with moderate words, to play a role as a bridge between the universal Church, the Holy See, and the Church in China with the new appointment.
I feel I have a responsibility for this new mission that God has assigned to me through the pope
Cardinal-elect Chow
Bishop Chow, called to be part of the College of Cardinals, will be 64-years-old in less than a month. He was installed as the ninth bishop of Hong Kong on 4 December 2021. In recent months, through his pastoral letters and monthly columns in the diocesan weeklies, the bishop has been exposing the difficulties that the metropolis is experiencing today.
In an article in the Sunday Examiner on 5 June 2022,acknowledging the changing situation of our society, the bishop encouraged the faithful to “flourish” through the cracks. And in his last Easter message, recalling the more than 6,000 who were arrested because of the demonstrations of 2019 and waiting to be charged, he courageously asked: “When will they see the light?”
In announcing the September 30 consistory, Pope Francis said of the cardinals-elect: “Where they come from illustrates the universality of the Church, which continues to proclaim God’s merciful love to all people.” He added, “The insertion of the new cardinals into the Diocese of Rome signifies the inseparability between the See of Peter and local Churches spread across the globe.”
AsiaNews also reported that the website of Xinde, a Catholic Charity in the mainland and a point of reference for China’s Catholic communities, reported the appointment of Bishop Chow with a headline that described the decision as “double happiness” as only a few days previous, Pope Francis had named Bishop Chow a member of the synod.
In addition to a photograph of Bishop Chow from his recent trip to Beijing, Xinde also posted two file photos of the cardinal-elect, taken years before he was appointed bishop of Hong Kong, a sign that, as a Jesuit provincial, he was always close to the Church in China.
