HONG KONG (SE): “Sister Emilia is always a joyful sister. She has been efficient and experienced in administration, especially in accounting. She would try her best to meet the requests of whoever knocked at the door of the Bishop’s Office of the diocese,” John Cardinal Tong Hon said in appreciation of Sister Emilia Marcelo of Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception [MIC], who celebrated the golden jubilee of her religious profession and her birthday at Good Hope Convent on July 2.
In his homily during the Mass, Cardinal Tong thanked sister Marcelo for serving the Church and Hong Kong for 41 years. She had served the Bishop’s Office for 34 years and four months as executive secretary, including five years with the former vicar general, Father John Baptist Tsang Hing-man, and 29 years with the cardinal.
At the start of the Mass, Sister Rossetti Lau Wai-lan, regional superior of the congregation, expressed her gratitude to all the participants for joining the celebrations despite the bad weather, as Typhoon Signal No.8 had been hoisted. She also greeted Sister Marcelo’s family members who joined online from around the world as pandemic travel restrictions kept them from coming to Hong Kong.
Sister Lau, recounted that Sister Marcelo was born so sick that the nurse baptised her immediately for fear that she would not survive. “Let us join Sister Emilia to give thanks to God for the gift of life and the great gift of faith, which is very significant in the life of Sister Emilia,” she said.
It would be difficult sometimes. However, none of these difficulties has prevented her from offering dedicated service to the Lord and the Church
Cardinal Tong
Cardinal Tong thanked the sister for travelling from Clear Water Bay Road, Kowloon, to the Diocesan Centre in Central to work for him despite her health concerns. “It would be difficult sometimes. However, none of these difficulties has prevented her from offering dedicated service to the Lord and the Church,” he said. In addition to handling official communications from the Bishop’s Office, she provided pastoral advice on migrant issues and arranged logistics for the cardinal’s travels.
“May God continue to bless you abundantly and grant you peace, joy, good health and wisdom. May you be an inspiration to the young people, particularly those present here in this celebration,” the cardinal said and also wished her a happy birthday.
Sister Marcelo renewed her vows of chastity, poverty and obedience in her commitment to God before the Church and the MIC Sisters. She thanked Cardinal Tong, the Mass concelebrants, her family, the MIC Sisters and those who helped to organise the celebration for their support.
“Fifty years of commitment to religious life has been a long, enriching and rewarding experience. It was not a promise with a bed of roses. It was saturated with a lot of challenges and a great deal of joy,” she reflected.
She said it was a beautiful gift from God that she could celebrate her golden anniversary with all the people present: “You have been invited here because you have walked the journey with me at one point or another,” she noted, adding that she had shared love in different ways and received it in double portion from God and the people around her.
Fifty years of commitment to religious life has been a long, enriching and rewarding experience. It was not a promise with a bed of roses. It was saturated with a lot of challenges and a great deal of joy
Sister Emilia Marcelo
During her 41 years in Hong Kong, she participated in different ministries. Early on, she worked with the International Young Christian Workers, then was on the Executive Committee of the Association of Major Superiors of Religious Women in Hong Kong for several years. She spent 10 years with the Walk to Emmaus, an ecumenical group of dedicated, God-loving men and women. Over the past 28 years, she has been the pastoral adviser to the Hong Kong district of the Bukas Loob sa Diyos Covenant Community. She also called it a privilege to serve as a spiritual adviser for some Filipino groups at the Catholic Centre. She has also served the MIC Schools in Hong Kong as their manager [Sunday Examiner, May 29].
The livestreamed Mass was concelebrated by vicars general, Father Peter Choy Wai-man and Father Joseph Chan Wing-chiu; chaplain to Filipinos, Father Jay Flandez; Father Jun Jacobe; Father Gregoire Vignola; Father Johnson Dhos; and Father Benedict Lam Cho-Ming.
During the felicitation programme, people from the different communities with whom Sister Marcelo has journeyed expressed their appreciation and love through different presentations. Overseas family members congratulated her via video messages.
