HONG KONG (SE): Father Francisco de Assis Lau and Father Lawrence Yao Weiming of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Hong Kong, and formier Salesian who was incardinated to the Diocese of Portland, Father Michael Lau Kiayong, passed away in late December and January.
On December 30, Father Lau passed away at St. Teresa’s Hospital at the age of 94. Born in Macau in 1929, Father Lau was ordained priest in Italy on 29 June 1959. Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun officiated a requiem Mass on January 5 at St. Anthony Church, Pokfulam. The funeral Mass was celebrated the next day by Father Joseph Ng, provincial superior of the Salesians of China Province, and the burial was at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley.
In his homily at the funeral Mass, Father Ng recalled Father Lau’s rewarding mission as a school chaplain for 21 years, and for nurturing many students at Aberdeen Technical School and Yuet Wah College in Macau. He also served in several parishes in Hong Kong, Canada, the United States, and Australia. Many seeds of faith were sown during his catechism teachings. Father Lau also helped to organise the construction of kindergartens with the aim of giving a good Catholic education to young children in the last decades.
Ninety-two-year-old Father Yao died on January 8 at St. Teresa’s Hospital, Kowloon. Born in Zhejiang, China, in 1932, Father Yao made his first profession in Hong Kong in 1952. He suffered from infantile paralysis during his novitiate formation and had not been able to walk properly since then. With the approval of Pope Paul VI, he was finally ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Lorenzo Bianchi at St Anthony’s Church, Pokfulam, on 29 January 1968.
Father Yao was responsible for the translation and proofreading of the congregation’s documents. Among his accomplishments are the five volumes of the biography of St. John Bosco, which have been recognised by the congregation and the laity.
A requiem Mass was celebrated on January 12 at St. Anthony Church, Pokfulam, officiated by Cardinal Zen. The funeral services were officiated by Father Ng and he was buried on January 13 at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley.
Former Salesian Father Michael Lau Kiayong passed away in Hong Kong on January 12 at the age of 94. Born in Shanghai in 1930, Father Lau was ordained in Italy in 1961. He was then assigned to teach, first at Tang King Po School, Kowloon, from 1961 to 1969 and later at the Salesian School, Shau Kei Wan, until 1972.
In 1976, he became a diocesan priest, incardinated to the Diocese of Portland in the United States. He returned to Hong Kong in 2003 to take better care of his health.
His funeral Mass is scheduled to be celebrated at 10:00am on January 19 at St. Raphael’s Cemetery Chapel, Cheung Sha Wan, and will be officiated by Cardinal Zen.
