HONG KONG (SE): In a Mass for the dead celebrated at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Caine Road, on April 27, Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, SJ, comforted the bereaved with the message of Christ’s resurrection.
Bishop Chow began the Mass, greeting the bereaved families.
In his bilingual homily, the bishop expressed his sadness over the 9,000 Covid-19 deaths and how this would affect the survivors and the general public. However, he reiterated the message of hope and consolation that the dead are not alone when they pass away, as Jesus comes to accept them to heaven.
“Our prayer is that when the Lord Jesus meets them, they will no longer be attached to earthly people and things, and let themselves follow the Lord Jesus back to their heavenly home. This is the Lord’s promise, and we can have confidence in our prayers,” he said.
“We can be assured that the Risen Christ has opened the door to eternity for those who had faith and hope in him, those who yearned for God, those who had led a life of love, goodness, and honouring truth, and those who died with love and goodness in their hearts and souls. Our God is love and inclusive, and the Risen Lord is the Way, the Truth, and the Life for all of us,” Bishop Chow said.
Our prayer is that when the Lord Jesus meets them, they will no longer be attached to earthly people and things, and let themselves follow the Lord Jesus back to their heavenly home. This is the Lord’s promise, and we can have confidence in our prayers
Bishop Chow
The bishop encouraged survivors and the families of the deceased to keep one another safe and healthy so that we can help rebuild Hong Kong for our deceased loved ones, who had loved and hoped for a better Hong Kong.
The bishop concluded the Mass with a short message, acknowledging the deep pain of the bereaved. Many of them had little chance to see their loved ones before they died because of pandemic restrictions. He reminded them not to let sorrow linger in their hearts, to remember the resurrected life of Jesus and know that the deceased will pray for them in heaven.
The congregation prayed for the departed souls, the recovery of survivors, health workers, and world peace.
Eva Leung, a parishioner of the cathedral, said she came to the Mass because there were too many people who died of Covid-19, and many of them had not yet known God. Xamily Fong said she attended because it is the responsibility of the faithful to pray for the dead, which she wanted to show her daughter, who came with her.
The Mass was concelebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing, along with vicars general, Father Peter Choy Wai-man, Father Paul Kam Po-wai, Father Joseph Chan Wing-chiu and diocesan procurator, Father David Chan Kwok-fai, as well as Father Gregoire Vignola, Father Francis Xavier Wong Kwan-yau, and Father Pietro Galbiati.
