Bishop Stephen Chow, SJ, was made a cardinal at the Vatican consistory on September 30—just short of two years as the head of our diocese. When Pope Francis handed him the red hat, it was a sign, perhaps, of the Vatican’s recognition of his efforts to unify and guide the Church in Hong Kong amid its polarisations and, more importantly, for his efforts to create a bridge between mainland China and the global Church.
In response to the pope’s unexpected announcement on July 9 that he and 20 others would be made cardinals, Cardinal Chow stated that the pope’s choice gives him a new mission: one of “bridging” the various Churches in the Chinese world, and, in particular, between Beijing and the Vatican. From the outset of his episcopacy, it was evident that he was committed to being the bridge—as shown by his coat of arms. As though to remind himself of his mission and reinforce his commitment, Cardinal Chow has repeatedly stated that a bridge needs to be crossed.
“The bridging role should be a significant contribution to the Church as a whole. I think the appointment as cardinal will strengthen the role of the Catholic Church in Hong Kong as a bridging Church to promote exchanges and interactions between mainland China and the universal Church,” wrote Cardinal Chow in a written interview in Crux. That was exactly what had happened when he led a delegation to the Diocese of Beijing in the second half of April.
In his monthly column in the Sunday Examiner on August 6 Cardinal Chow wrote that, “As a cardinal, according to the mandate of Pope Francis … I am missioned to assist the Holy Father in realising “the universality of the Church, which continues to proclaim the merciful love of God to all people of the earth … the new mission to proclaim God’s merciful love is particularly meaningful to me. This one is aligned with Pope Francis’ pastoral focus since the early days of his papacy.”
Cardinal Chow’s episcopacy has coincided with the synodal journey of the universal Church during his two years in office. Through his guidance, communities across Hong Kong engaged in spiritual conversation and opinion sharing. Cardinal Chow called for greater reconciliation and hope for young people, especially those who have been in prison, so that they may have a future in a society that has yet to recover from the scars of its recent past.
By conferring a cardinal on Hong Kong, the pope conveys the clear message that the universal Church expects a lot from Hong Kong—the largest Chinese diocese in the world—and its bishops for the accompaniment of our brethren in faith on the mainland. That expectation was put to display when Pope Francis chose to express his appreciation for the two Hong Kong cardinals during his recent trip to Mongolia. He clasped the hands of Bishop Emeritus John Cardinal Tong Hon and Stephen Cardinal Chow and sent his special wishes, not just to the people and faithful of Hong Kong but to all the faithful and the entire “noble people of China.” Jose, CMF
