By Father Paul Kam Po-wai
The Diocese of Hong Kong is filled with joyful events during the 2025 Jubilee Year, as if it were a season of abundant vocations. Many brothers have been ordained this year: in June, Cardinal Stephen Chow S.J. ordained seven priests, including two from the diocese, two from the Divine Word Missionaries, two from the Dominicans, and one from the Salesians. Additionally, one Jesuit was ordained a deacon.
Having eight brothers ordained as clergy within a month is truly a matter of great gratitude. These brothers underwent seven to 10 years of formation, plus discernment time, meaning it takes about 10 to 15 years to respond to a call to the priesthood.
Responding to God’s call, a lifelong commitment, is a call of love and a response of love, requiring a long period to experience and build a deep relationship with the Lord. It is not easy but filled with grace, making each ordination ceremony deeply moving. On July 1, a Franciscan friar also made his perpetual vows, which is truly a cause for celebration.
Moreover, two diocesan seminarians will be ordained deacons this September and one religious brother will be ordained a priest in December. Thus, in this Jubilee Year, there will be a total of eight new priests and three new deacons. Of these 11, four are from the diocesan clergy and seven are religious missionaries.
Thanks be to God and praise be to him—this is truly a great blessing from God for our diocese in this Jubilee Year, echoing the theme of “Pilgrims of Hope” that gives us immense hope amid the current shortage of vocations.
The above joyful news all pertains to young men responding to their vocations. But what about young women? Are there none responding to vocations?
In the past three to four years, the Vocations Committee has held a monthly “Listen to the Spirit, Rejoice in Prayer” one-day spiritual retreat, typically attended by only eight to 10 participants, with more young men who are very clear and proactive in discerning their vocations. Indeed, over the past decade, apart from rare news of nuns making vows, there has been little news of young women joining religious orders, which is concerning.
Faced with such a severe vocation crisis, how should we respond? We truly need more young men and women to answer the call to priesthood and religious life to spread the gospel, bear witness, and serve the Church.
We encourage young people to attend the “Listen to the Spirit, Rejoice in Prayer” day-long spiritual gathering held by the Vocations Committee on the fourth Saturday of each month, from 10.00am to 9.00pm, at St. Jude’s Mass Centre in Kam Tin.
Dear brothers and sisters, cultivating vocations is not only the mission of priests, monks, and nuns, but also the mission of each Christian. Let us always have faith and hope, pray diligently, and encourage and support young people to bravely respond to God’s call of love and respond to their vocation.
