HONG KONG (SE): During Advent, the Diocesan Vocation Commission invited people to organise walks to promote vocations and design their own routes. People actively participated as details of different journeys undertaking by various communities were posted in social media during the four weeks of Advent.
In recent years, the commission has organised an annual, large-scale walk to the Holy Spirit Seminary in Aberdeen, each December 26 in which hundreds of people take part. However in 2020, in light of social gathering restrictions imposed in light of the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, it was not possible.
Participants were asked to map out a route of no less than three kilometres from one parish to another. They were also encouraged to pray the Rosary as they walked, recite the Prayer for Vocations at the destination and finally, to post pictures on social media forums to show their support for the event.
The first team that posted on Facebook included Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing and three seminarians. Their hour-long 5.3 kilometre journey, made on November 25, began at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Pokfulam, stopping at St. Peter’s Church, Aberdeen, and finally arriving at the Holy Spirit Seminary, Aberdeen.
In an interview posted on the Facebook page of Youth Boiling Point, Bishop Ha said as he recited the rosary, he prayed for Hong Kong society as well. He believes the walk is a good way to show the importance of being awake at Advent, living out our faith and reaching our goals in Christian life step by step.
The bishop also said the walk could lessen the distance between people through sharing on social media. “During the pandemic, we feel especially lonely… but in the walk for vocation, we know others are joining the event with us as we can see their pictures in online forums. We may not be (physically) together but our hearts are connected,” Bishop Ha said.
Eight-five-year old-Father Carlo Tei of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, a resident of the parish, also joined the team, walking five kilometres from Kam Tin to Yuen Long.
Seminarians on the team said their routes were not long as their examinations were close, but that they would be happy if more could spend time and effort to walk and support vocations so that more young people might respond to the call of God.
The campaign saw active participation for both the laity and religious from different parts of Hong Kong. In the first week of Advent, Youth Boiling Point recorded seven journeys including the longest one of 22.64 kilometres from the Holy Redeemer Church, Tuen Mun, to the Annunciation Church, Tsuen Wan.
In the same week, the Catholic Society of the Immaculate Heart of Mary College, Shatin, together with the sisters of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows finished a journey of 7.2 kilometres from the school to St. Francis Parish, Ma On Shan.
On December 19, Father Joseph Liu Ah-lun, parish priest of Holy Redeemer Church, together some members of the parish council journeyed from St. Jude’s Mass Centre, Kam Tin, stopping over at St. Peter and Paul Church, Yuen Long and St. Jerome’s Church, Tin Shui Wai, and ended their journey in the Tuen Mun parish. The 17.5 kilometre route took around five hours.
Eight-five-year old-Father Carlo Tei of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, a resident of the parish, also joined the team, walking five kilometres from Kam Tin to Yuen Long.
Father Liu said as the team prayed while walking, they hoped to bring blessings to the Hong Kong and the diocese. He said that although the walk for vocations could not be held in usual way, participating in small groups has its advantages as participants could quietly share about their own vocations during the journey.
As the spiritual director of the Hong Kong Central Council of Catholic Laity, Father Liu also took part in the walk made by the council on December 8 from Holy Cross Parish, Shau Kei Wan to St. Jude’s parish, North Point.
The campaign ended with an online Eucharistic Adoration and a Mass celebrated by Bishop Ha on December 26. The Mass also marked the Feast of the Holy Family, which fell on the next day.
Using the example in the gospel in which Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (Luke 2:22), Bishop Ha said that every life belongs to God and we should follow the example of the Holy Family by seeking the will of God for our family.
