HONG KONG (SE): Oblate Father John Wotherspoon, founder of Mercy HK, and three of his confreres: Father Rodolfo Jacobe, Father Rey Emmanuel Amancio and Father Roy Sabales Paciente, baptised 23 children of single mothers on July 27 at the MercyHK Centre on Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei.
Father Wotherspoon said the mothers had been unable to obtain the necessary documents for infant baptism, making the normal procedure difficult. So Father Stephen Ip Ting-kwok, parish priest of St. Paul’s Church, Yau Ma Tei, granted special permission for the baptisms.
“It was a beautiful occasion; some of the families had lost contact with the Church. With the baptism, we hope they can remain in contact,” Father Wotherspoon said.
According to him, the single mothers are Filipino asylum seekers who have difficulty attending Church due to the need to care for their young children, many of whom are hyperactive or have other issues such as autism or attention deficit disorder.
The asylum seekers’ community coordinator, Marilyn Bohol, said she was thrilled for the chance to baptise her four-year-old son on that day, as the baptismal certificate would be essential for him in the Philippines.
Bohol said the community has been a great help to her. “We also receive support from other non-government organisations, but they cannot teach our children about the Bible. Our children need to learn about the Bible,” she explained.
The centre hosts a worship session and Bible sharing every Thursday for around 60 asylum seeker single mothers. Once a month, Father Jacobe gives catechism talks in Tagalog.
It was a beautiful occasion; some of the families had lost contact with the Church. With the baptism, we hope they can remain in contact
Father Wotherspoon
Lucia Leung Mei-ling, a social worker with Mercy HK, who is in charge of the community, said that due to the difficulties facing single mothers, it is important for them to support one another in the community. She further explained that the centre offers rent subsidies to those who prove financial difficulty to the International Social Service, an active service provider that assists families facing complex social problems due to migration.
Eddie Chan Chi-kong, director of MercyHK Limited, said the centre’s activity room regularly holds gatherings for people in need, such as asylum seekers, released prisoners, drug addicts and low-income families. “Hopefully they will come to know God better and lead a better life through our services”, Chan said.
MercyHK also operates the Doctor Jesus Centre at 187 Temple Street, for small group meetings, especially for cancer patients for whom there is a gathering every Saturday afternoon.
Nearby, at 191 Temple Street, MercyHK’s former secondhand shop, which became a community distribution centre for the needy during Covid, is now being converted into a canteen and is expected to open in mid-September.
