“My mother, in fact, had already prayed to God that I become a missionary,” Pontifical Foreign Missions Institute (PIME) Father Dino Doimo, recalled as he marked his 60th anniversary of priesthood and missionary life this year.
Born in Sta. Maria di Feletto in northern Italy, Father Doimo joined the seminary at the age of 16 as a diocesan seminarian. Later he responded to the calling of the foreign missions and joined the PIME.
In a feature published by the Kung Kao Po on November 10, he recalled that, when he was young, he read missionary magazines to learn about the life of missionaries in different religious institutes.
Father Doimo said he had not, however, shared his intention of becoming a missionary with anyone until the second year of theological training when he discussed it with his rector. It was only then that he knew he had to seek the approval of his parents for being a missionary.
“I thought my mother did not support my choice of being a missionary. But she had in fact prepared for that already,” he said. His mother told him that she had already been aware of his habit of reading missionary magazines and that she had been for her son to become a missionary.
Father Doimo said he was only 24-years-old when he was ordained priest in 1959 and he was assigned to serve in Hong Kong in the same year. He first needed to learn Chinese in Cheung Chau before being assigned to St. Margaret’s Church, Happy Valley, in early 1960s and later to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel in Central. At the same time, he was the spiritual director of Diocesan Council for the Lay Apostolate (now the Hong Kong Central Council of Catholic Laity).
He recalled that he was happy to see the changes in the Church after the Second Vatican Council, particularly regarding the attire of priests. He said the long robes they wore before Vatican II were inconvenient as he went to hospitals, parishes, factories or school by bicycle or a motorbike.
Father Doimo recalled that the people of Hong Kong in 1960s rarely met a foreigner so they never expected him to know Chinese, which could resulted in humourous situations.
He remembered once having a passport photo taken in a studio and speaking to the photographer in English. He heard someone saying in Cantonese, “He is handsome,” assuming that he did not understand. The words brought a broad smile to his face in front of the camera and no one understood why except himself.
Father Doimo was the first school supervisor of Yaumati Catholic Primary School when it was set up in 1968. He became the first parish priest of St. Paul’s Parish, Yaumati, erected in 1969.
He remembered that as he needed to hire teachers for the school, Father Joseph Carra, supervisor of Raimondi College, recommended two experienced teachers as principals of its AM and PM schools. Together, the team hired new teachers. He wished to employ more fresh graduates as they could bring more new teaching methods and develop the creativity of students.
He was assigned to serve in the PIME House in Clear Water Bay, to support newly-arrived priests. Then he went to the United States to receive training for a year. He then became the parish priest of Mother of Good Counsel parish, San Po Kong, in 1977, then St. Stephen’s parish, Ha Kwai Chung, in 1985.
In 1992, he returned to Italy to become the rector of a theological college. In 1997, he came back to Hong Kong to serve in Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, Tai Po. In 2000 he was appointed the PIME superior in Hong Kong, a position he held for two terms. He then served at St. Joseph’s parish, Kowloon Bay in 2008. In 2018, he became the chaplain of St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged, Choi Hung.
Father Doimo wrote a number of liturgical hymns in 1970s as he believed the songbook for the Mass in Chinese needed more songs and it is easier to use music to teach the gospel.
He never had any formal music training, but he was inspired to play music during his childhood at harvest time in the rural area of Italy, where music is the main entertainment.
A concert of his compositions was held in August as part of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of his missionary life.
