HONG KONG (SE): “The College of Cardinals is called to resemble a symphony orchestra, representing the harmony and synodality of the Church,” said Pope Francis as he presided at the consistory for the creation of 21 new cardinals, including Stephen Cardinal Chow, sj, in St. Peter’s Square on September 30.
In his homily, addressed to the College of Cardinals, the pope reflected on the story of Pentecost, in which the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and experienced the gift of tongues as they preached the gospel to Jews of different nationalities in Jerusalem [Acts 2, 1-11]. Remarking that “Pentecost is not a thing of the past but a creative act that God continually renews”, and that “the Church, and every baptised member, lives the today of God, through the action of the Holy Spirit,” Pope Francis reminded the cardinals receiving the biretta that their new role renews in them their “vocation and mission in and for the Church.”
He clarified this mission with the image of an orchestra, which embodies simultaneous diversity and unity, representing the harmony and synodality of the Church. “Diversity is necessary; it is indispensable. However, each sound must contribute to the common design. This is why mutual listening is essential”, the pope said.
The newly created Cardinal Chow, reiterated the role of the Church in Hong Kong as a “bridging Church” in conveying the love of God and of the pope to the people of China during an interview on September 30 with the Kung Kao Po in the Paul VI Audience Hall.
“In order to be a bridge, one must be able to listen well, and in this synodal Church, being willing to listen is what makes us a bridge, as without listening one cannot communicate with or understand one another.” The cardinal repeatedly emphasised the need for the laity to grow in empathy: “Whether the other party has empathy or not, we need to have empathy for ourselves before we can convince them of our situation and hope.”
The College of Cardinals is called to resemble a symphony orchestra, representing the harmony and synodality of the Church
Pope Francis
Cardinal Chow expressed his wish that the faithful in Mainland China and Hong Kong will never give up their spirit and mission “to spread the beautiful message of the gospel, which is so good and so full of love and life, throughout our land of God”.
Asked how he would respond to the pope’s mandate to proclaim the merciful love of God to all peoples, Cardinal Chow replied, “There are some brothers and sisters in the Church who have been pushed to the periphery of the Church. They include divorced and remarried people, sexual minorities, etc., who may not necessarily follow the mainstream view [of the Church] … Since Jesus is the Lord of mercy, we need to think deeply about how to invite them back and make them realise that they have a definite place in the Church.”
The colour of the tassels on his coat of arms has changed to red, but the pastoral philosophy of the emblem remains unchanged, testifying that he strives to uphold the unity of the Church in plurality.
Cardinal Chow emphasised that he is still the shepherd of the laity in Hong Kong, despite taking on greater responsibility in the universal Church: “My vocation has always been to serve Christ and his people, and what has changed is only the form.”
He recalled that prior to his appointment as bishop, he was often engaged in frontline pastoral work and after his appointment in 2021, he continues to respond to the world’s different philosophies by various means, such as writing from a pastoral perspective. He emphasised that he will keep working hard in this respect.
