HONG KONG (SE): The Lok Yung Yung Catechism Class of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre for the Disabled kicked off with a class re-opening Mass on October 17 at Mother of Good Counsel parish, San Po Kong.
Around 40 people, including young people with special needs, their parents and catechists gathered to celebrate the re-opening of catechism classes. The Mass, celebrated by Father Benedict Lam Cho-ming, was livestreamed for the benefit of homebound catechumens.
Father Lam encouraged those present to deepen their faith specially in these testing times of the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and feel the presence of Jesus with them even though they may not be able to go to church. At the end of the Mass, a commissioning ceremony was held for the catechists of the class.
Tang Chi-wai, a mentally-disadvantaged and autistic catechumen, chose to stay in class after he received his confirmation last year. His mother, Tang Sin Yuk-ling, said he cannot communicate well with others, but he managed to make a few good friends in class and would repeatedly ask about them if they were absent.
The mother said her son has learned to love music as the class invites the children to pray through song. Her son is now able to play a hymn on the piano.
Kan Yuet-ying, a catechist of the class, said she needs to spend time gathering pictures and YouTube videos about the Gospel to draw the attention of the catechumens. The biblical stories told in the class have to be short and interesting.
“The mentally-disadvantaged children may not be able to properly answer questions and we catechists need to communicate with them patiently,” she added, saying, “They also need to be given attention like an eye contact or a hug from time to time.”
“My daughter has a short attention span, but she has high concentration in the class as she learns about God through drawing.”
Kan Yuet-ying
Kan, herself a mother of a daughter with special needs, at first did not believe that her daughter could take catechism class. But her daughter’s godmother, who worked at a special school, suggested that she could join the Lok Yung Yung Catechism Class. “My daughter has a short attention span, but she has high concentration in the class as she learns about God through drawing.”
Leung Ka-man, another catechist said the class enabled special children to share their thoughts and receive comfort. She recalled that a catechumen tearfully shared his worries about a good friend who was in hospital and needed some support from the class to relieve his stress.
The pastoral centre runs two regular catechism classes for the children and young people with special needs at St. Louis School, Sai Ying Pun, and Ng Wah Catholic Primary School, Kowloon City.
Classes are scheduled to resume in November.
The pastoral centre recently opened two catechism classes in the residential care homes of Fu Hong Society for residents who cannot not go out because of pandemic restrictions.
