HONG KONG (SE): On June 8, vicar general, Father Paul Kam Po-wai, officiated the blessing of a bronze sculpture by Timothy Schmalz, titled, “When I Was in Prison,” highlighting empathy for incarcerated individuals through prayer and community support.
The event featured a spiritual pilgrimage focused on helping the imprisoned and rehabilitated young people, with about a hundred participants engaging in music and discussions about prison ministry and support services.
Father Kam also sang a song composed by Christian prisoners and introduced the work of Light Up Fund set up by the diocese in 2023.
The fund has provided various pre-release and post-release support programmes for incarcerated youth, including a career expo aimed at enhancing their job prospects through employer interactions and mock interviews, a narrative-based group for rebuilding family relationships, and a career development support group focusing on sharing life experiences and aspirations.
The scultpure is the third piece by Schmalz blessed by the diocese and installed in different pilgrimage churches in the Jubilee Year, after “Sheltering” at St Thomas the Apostle Church,Tsing YI, and “Be Welcoming” at St. Andrew’s Church, Tseung Kwan O.
