HONG KONG (SE): Diocesan priest, Father Francis Lau Tak-kwong, passed away at the age of 75 at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on April 10.
Born into a Catholic family on 3 October 1949, in Shantou, Guangdong, China, he was influenced by his parents and his uncle, the late Father Vincent Lau Wang-sun. He began his formation in 1959 at the minor seminary in Pok Fu Lam when he was only 11 years old.
He studied at the Holy Spirit Seminary from 1966 to 1973 and was the among the first batch of graduates of the theology programme of the seminary which began in 1970. In 1969, he, together with four other seminarians, were assigned to study theology at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan. A year later they were told by Bishop Francis Hsu Cheng-ping to return to the Holy Spirit Seminary to support the local programme.
He was ordained priest on 30 June 1973 by Bishop Peter Lei Wang-kei.
Father Lau was appointed to various diocesan positions, including the Diocesan Liturgy Commission from 1975 to 1995, as the chairperson and later the coordinator; the Council of Priests from 1988 to 1997; Board of Diocesan Consultors from 1996 to 1997; Diocesan Youth Commission from 2000 to 2001; as well as the Diocesan Committee for the Formation of the Laity from 1993 to 1998.
He was also appointed spiritual director of Hong Kong Central Council of Catholic Laity in 2005 and served for 15 years. In an interview with the Kung Kao Po in 2020, he said he was happy to see that more parish communities had invited the council to organise evangelisation activities and that the council had served as a supportive resource for parishes.
He was assigned to various parishes during his five decades of service, including Our Lady of China Church, Tai Kok Tsui, in 1973; St. Margaret’s Church, Happy Valley, in 1978, as the assistant parish priest; and later to St. Lawrence’s Church, Cheung Sha Wan, as its parish priest in the same year.
He was assigned to Rosary Church, Tsim Sha Tsui, in 1987, St. Benedict Church; Shatin in 2000 and the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in 2009; Holy Cross Church, Shau Kei Wan, in 2012, and Star of the Sea Church, Chai Wan in 2018.
He also served in the Hospital Chaplains and Pastoral Care Units in the Military Hospital in Kowloon for nearly a decade from 1988 to 1997.
There will be a requiem Mass on April 23, to be celebrated by Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing, at 8.00pm, Christ the King Chapel, Causeway Bay.
Cardinal Stephen Chow S.J. will celebrate Father Lau’s funeral Mass on April 24 at 10.00am, also at Christ the King Chapel.
Burial will follow at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley, to be presided over by Cardinal Stephen.
May he rest in peace.
