HONG KONG (SE): “We estimate we need to raise over $1 billion in development funds to meet the needs in the coming decade,” Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, SJ, said in a video message released on May 17 on the website of the Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development.
“To meet evangelisation and pastoral needs, the diocese needs to raise much-needed funds for the construction of new churches, additional cemetery niches and the maintenance of various parish churches. There is an urgent need in Hong Kong to develop new towns to satisfy the ever-increasing population and improve our housing situation. In response to the rapid development of these new districts, the Diocese of Hong Kong will construct parish centres and churches to provide physical and spiritual services accordingly,” the bishop explained.
As the Covid-19 pandemic is presently subsiding, the commission is beginning to organise a series of events, including a rope-skipping rally in July and a concert in November, to raise funds.
The bishop continued, saying that the 52 parishes established in Hong Kong are the bases to spread the gospel, provide services addressing different community needs, and act as the cradle for the formation of younger generations. He expressed his thankfulness for the farsightedness of his predecessors in developing these facilities in the past.
“Let us now grab this opportunity to give back to the Church, thank God for his graces, and give full support to the construction of new churches and diocesan developmental works. While I understand we are all facing difficulties brought about by the pandemic, the pressure of economic downturn, and other challenges, there are always more solutions than the problems,” Bishop Chow said.
Let us now grab this opportunity to give back to the Church, thank God for his graces, and give full support to the construction of new churches and diocesan developmental works.
Quoting Psalm 112, the bishop said, “It is well with those who deal generously and lend. God will certainly make up for our lack if we try our best to offer.”
In another video message posted earlier this year, Father Dominic Chan Chi-ming, chairperson of the commission, said the extension of the Church in Fanling and the new church building in Tung Chung are much-needed as the diocese can foresee considerable population growth in the Northern New Territories and Northern Lantau. The building up of additional urn niches is also a must for the next generations. Father Chan appealed for support and donations from all the faithful in different ways, such as monthly autopay, credit cards, and cheques.
Father Chan told the Sunday Examiner that the commission has raised around $70 million to date. When the commission was set up in 2019, it aimed to raise $500 million in three years time.
With a successful execution of the event last year, a second rope-skipping charity rally will be organised by Catholic Education Office and the Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan Schools Council to raise funds this year. With the participation of more schools set up by Caritas and religious institutes, it is expected to raise more funds to support church development.
However, he believes the participation of students, parents and schools is already a sign of support, and the amount raised by different schools should not be compared
The “Joint-school Rope Skipping Charity Rally” will run from June 6 to July 1. A highlight event will be held at St. Joseph’s Anglo-Chinese School, Kwun Tong, on July 25, in which students from 99 diocesan secondary, primary schools and kindergartens will jump rope in different styles following the beat of the music. Bishop Chow will officiate at the opening ceremony.
According to John Siu Sze-chuen, chairperson of the executive committee of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan Schools Council and principal of the Tuen Mun Catholic Secondary School, said that besides raising funds, the purpose of the event is to give students a chance to learn the basic rope-skipping skills and promote the hobby to others.
Even though the final examinations of some schools will take place at the same time, Siu said the target of the fund-raising is five million dollars, which is a bit higher than the 3.5 million raised at the same event last year. He pointed out that the event in June this year was supported by the Caritas Religious Schools Council and Vocational Training and Education of the Caritas Hong Kong.
However, he believes the participation of students, parents and schools is already a sign of support, and the amount raised by different schools should not be compared. “The amount raised in the event is not most important; the message is to let people know that the Church needs our help,” he said.
Siu, a member of the commission, said that although most fund-raising activities organised by the commission have been successful, a more effective way of raising funds is inviting regular donations through autopay every month. He encouraged more people to join the monthly donation scheme through the Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development’s website.
The commission is preparing for a “House among Houses Fund-raising Concert” scheduled for November 2 at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. The concert was supposed to be held on February 25 this year but had to be rescheduled due to the fifth wave of the pandemic.
The concert will highlight the performance of the whole Church as a family. John Cardinal Tong Hon will play the violin. Other performers include parish priests, priests and sisters from religious institutes, such as the Oblate priests and Divine Word missionaries, permanent deacons with families, students from Catholic secondary, primary schools and even kindergartens, as well as music bands formed by the laity [Sunday Examiner, January 26].
Father Chan said it is God’s blessing, as the concert aimed to raise five million at the beginning of the year but now has raised $10 million, thanks to the generosity of the donors.
