HONG KONG (KKP/SE): The Diocese of Hong Kong held its annual Diocesan Youth Day on September 22 at Ng Wah Catholic Secondary School, San Po Kong, to instil hope in young people and walk alongside them on their journey.
Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J., bishop of Hong Kong, presided over the Mass in the school hall to celebrate the occasion. In his homily, he encouraged the young people to seek inner peace, heed God’s guidance, and courageously confront challenges by stepping outside their comfort zones. Guadalupe Father Tito López Martin, the chairperson of the Youth Commission, vicar general, Father Paul Kam Po-wai, and eight other priests concelebrated the Mass.
The event, organised by the Diocesan Youth Commission, showcased a game titled “The Legend of Light Giver, the Voice of Dawn”. In this game, five volunteers took on the roles of missing villagers and were sought after in various parishes of the Central Kowloon Deanery. The 160 participants, divided into 30 teams, were tasked with locating and bringing the missing villagers back to the Church.
Gary Au Ka-wai, youth pastoral officer, said the game was inspired by computer role-playing games, in which each participant is assigned an avatar acting within the game’s imaginary world. The game was designed to convey the papal message of the 39th World Youth Day: “Those who hope in the Lord will run and not be weary” [Isaiah 40:3], aiming to bring hope and actively reach out to those in need.
Father Tito, who acted as the leader of the “Village of Light” in the game, said the five missing villagers represented individuals grappling with personal challenges, family discord, academic stress, social connections, or health issues and could benefit from the Church’s assistance.
The event also included games stalls and performances by students from differnt Catholic schools, including K-pop dance, guitar performances, and other presentations, all with the goal of conveying messages of hope and faith to the attendees and those requiring support.
