Father Anthonius Reynolds Balubun, a Divine Word missionary, has been serving as the dean of East Kowloon for over a year. The parish priest of St. Edward’s, Lam Tin has observed that the majority of the population in the region are elderly citizens whose children have moved out after getting married. As a result, the elderly residents live alone and often wish for someone to spend time with them and listen to them.
During the deanery meetings, representatives from the six parishes shared their experiences on how to assist senior citizens. They discussed how to incorporate their needs while organising carnivals and distributing daily necessities.
One of the annual activities organised by the deanery is a retreat for the elderly to help them strengthen their faith and cope with life’s daily challenges. This year, the retreat will be held on March 15 at St. Andrew’s Parish in Tseung Kwan O.
Father Balubun visits the elderly in hospitals periodically, accompanied by parishioners. Additionally, the parish has an annual tradition of visiting the homes of senior citizens nearby, a significant event for them. According to him, some elderly people even tell their children to visit them later, as the parish priest would visit them. This event took place on January 6.
“We have to reach out not only to the laypeople but also to the surrounding community outside. This is one of the contributions of the Church,” he said.
He continued by saying that during the visit, they would be able to share a lot of experiences happening in their daily lives and that an hour would pass by quickly. The visit was beneficial as they planned activities for them. He was concerned that many senior citizens lived in crowded, subdivided flats.
Last year, on December 26, a large Christmas carnival was held at St. Edward’s. The event was organised in collaboration with Caritas, St. Edward’s Catholic Primary School, and St. Paul’s School (Lam Tin) — the event aimed to spread the message of the Gospel among the students and their parents. The carnival invited lay people, catechumens, and old people living nearby. The event allowed them to interact, chat, and receive gifts. Approximately 400 people attended the event.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong Kong faced several challenges. However, the parish in Lam Tin became more conscious of the community’s requirements, particularly the underprivileged. The parishioners came together and organised themselves to assist those in need.
Father Balubun often walks from his Sceneway Garden residence in Lam Tin to the nearby St. Edward’s Parish. During his walk, he takes the opportunity to speak with senior citizens, street cleaners, and homeless individuals he encounters along the way. Through these conversations, he strives to understand their needs and provide them with guidance while also organising activities to continue supporting the community after the pandemic.
He plans to organise free meals for low-income groups in the parish and would need more volunteers to provide additional support.
The Indonesian missionary, who is a member of the Diocesan Youth Commission, led the Hong Kong delegation to the Asian Youth Day in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in 2017. He is happy to accompany young people, encourage them through their difficulties related to faith and social issues, and provide them with space for creativity and involvement in activities.
After being the school supervisor of St. Edward’s Primary School since last September, Father Balubun believes his first priority was to meet the teachers and students more often, as well as join the school activities.
He believes that cooperation between parishes and schools is a great way to demonstrate the unity of the Church. As the East Kowloon deanery prepares to organise a carnival for the upcoming Mission Sunday, the support of schools is particularly crucial.
As the national director of the Chinese-speaking community of Apostleship of Prayer, Father Balubun celebrates Mass on the first Saturday of every month, honouring the Sacred Heart of Mary, after a Eucharistic adoration and confession. Although he knew little about this community before being assigned as the director, he was happy to pray for the pope’s intention every day and could feel the strong unity between the Chinese- and English-speaking communities.
One of his memorable experiences was during the pilgrimage marking the 170th anniversary of the Apostleship of Prayer, where together with the communities worldwide, he was able to meet Pope Francis. During their meeting, the Pope asked him to pray for the Church in China and shook hands with him.
Ordained on January 5 ten years ago, with Father Heribertus Hadiarto and Father Melchor Fuerzas in Hong Kong, Father Balubun said a decade is only a short period compared with missionaries serving Hong Kong for decades and made big contributions.
What supported him whenever he met difficulties was the motto he chose when he was ordained, which was “So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). “Love gives me the momentum to do many things. Before any challenges, I will remember that it is done for the Lord I love,” he said, adding that love also enables him to see the needs of people around. him.SE
