HONG KONG (SE/KKP): Three seminarians of the diocese, Francis Choi Chor-fung, John Vianney Chu Yen-tsung and Benedict Sham Hin-ho, will be ordained deacons by Cardinal Stephen Chow S.J., bishop of Hong Kong, at the Christ the King Chapel, St. Paul’s Convent, Causeway Bay, at 3.00pm on September 14.
Choi was born to a Catholic family in 1994 and has a younger sister. He was baptised and grew up at Holy Redeemer Church, Tuen Mun, since childhood. After his First Communion, he served as an altar boy in the parish until he entered the seminary. He graduated from the Hong Kong Shue Yan University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and worked for the Kowloon Motor Bus Company after graduation.
He entered the Holy Spirit Seminary in 2017. During his formation, he underwent training at St. Mary’s Home for the Aged, the Diocesan Pastoral Centre for Workers [New Territories], the Missionaries of Charity, the Cape Collinson Correctional Institution, and the chaplaincy of St. Paul’s Hospital, among others. He underwent pastoral training at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ma On Shan, in the year 2020, and, from September 2022 onwards, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Caine Road.
Born in 1991, Chu was introduced to the Catholic faith by his father, Deacon Charles Chu Nientsu, and was baptised at St. Ignatius Chapel, Wah Yan College in Kowloon, during his first year of university. At his father’s invitation, he joined the Legion of Mary at St. Teresa’s Church, Kowloon, to deepen his faith. After finishing his masters degree programme, Chu worked in a laboratory while discerning God’s call before joining the Holy Spirit Seminary in 2017. He first underwent pastoral training at St. Benedict Church, Shatin, and is now at Ss. Cosmas and Damian Church, Tsuen Wan.
Sham was baptised at his alma mater, Yau Ma Tei Catholic Primary School [St. Paul’s Church], in 2014. The path to his vocation started when he often passed by the Rosary Church in Tsim Sha Tsui as a child, and came into contact with the priests while he was in primary and secondary school.
He appreciated the words of the priests in the morning assembly, their zealousness in praying, their conscientiousness in preparing for the liturgy. He often chatted with them at school and in the parish to clarify questions of faith. After completing his secondary education, he decided to join the seminary.
Sham underwent summer training at the Caritas Community Centre-Ngau Tau Kok, the Youth Outreach, and had pastoral training at Mother of Good Counsel Church, San Po Kong and St. Benedict Church, Shatin, and is currently training at St. Margaret’s Church, Happy Valley.
