The 13-day “Pilgrims of Hope” relic pilgrimage, organised by the Catholic Education Office and the Diocesan Commission for Marriage and the Family, has successfully concluded. With 26 sessions and over 5,000 participants, it offered a profound opportunity to reflect on and emulate the exemplary lives of the saints through the veneration of relics.
Despite torrential rain on some days, the fervent spirit of the participants remained undampened as they journeyed forth. Upon arriving at the venue, participants first watched a pre-recorded talk by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing, followed by sessions where representatives of religious congregations shared stories of saints or their own vocational experiences, or laypeople led contemplative prayer with sacred images and music. Finally, participants entered the exhibition hall for personal veneration of the relics, in some sessions there were priests available to administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
This relic pilgrimage, now in its third year, showcased over 100 relics, with special contributions from various religious congregations and the Coptic Orthodox Church, fostering ecumenical unity among Christian denominations. Through the Catholic Education Office, teachers and students from Catholic schools were invited to participate. Schools affiliated with religious congregations also organised student visits to deepen their understanding of the founding charisms and spiritualities of their institutions, enhancing their sense of belonging to their schools and the Catholic Church while immersing them in the prayerful atmosphere.
This was an excellent evangelisation opportunity. There were relics of young saints and patrons of young people such as Blessed Carlo Acutis, who will be canonised on September 7, St. Dominic Savio, and Pope St. John Paul II. Young people encountered these holy figures and seeds of faith were planted in their hearts that will gradually sprout and grow.
Participants drew closer to God and looke upward to their heavenly home. This event was not merely an exhibition but a pilgrim journey: participants venerated the saints’ relics, prayed before them, and experienced their real companionship, helping them rely on God to face and overcome daily challenges with courage, in hope of one day reuniting with all the saints.
Let us live each day with faith, becoming “Pilgrims of Hope.” SE
