HONG KONG (KKP/SE): A bronze sculpture by Canadian Catholic artist, Timothy Schmalz, titled, When I Was Hungry and Thirsty, was blessed on August 2 at St. Joseph’s Church in Fanling, as part of the Diocese’s Jubilee Year celebrations.
Presiding over the ceremony, Father Joseph Chan Wing-chiu, vicar general, expressed gratitude to parishioners of Fanling and Sheung Shui for their active outreach to those in need.
“May we always recognise the presence of Jesus in the lives of the impoverished and famished,” Father Chan said, inviting the faithful to see the suffering Christ in the hungry and thirsty of today.
The sculpture depicts Jesus seated on the ground, extending his pierced hand in a gesture of plea for food and water. Positioned at the base of the staircase linking the church’s old and new wings, it symbolically calls attention to those who live in society’s overlooked and hidden places.
Photo: KKP
Following the blessing, the diocesan preparatory committee for the Jubilee organised sharing sessions focusing on the needs of the elderly. Members of a parish pastoral care group, formed last year, shared their experiences encouraging senior parishioners to take an active part in community life. They expressed appreciation to Caritas for helping build connections between the parish and the wider neighbourhood.
A representative from the Caritas Ning An Scheme also addressed the gathering, highlighting that the elderly not only require physical support but also long for appreciation, love, and reconciliation at different stages of life, and farewell before they die.
The day concluded with a Jubilee Mass celebrated by Father Chan and assistant parish priest Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions Father Fernando Cagnin.
When I Was Hungry and Thirsty is the fifth Schmalz sculpture blessed by the diocese during the Jubilee Year. Previous installations include Be Welcoming in Tseung Kwan O, Sheltering in Tsing Yi, When I Was in Prison in Stanley, and Hold it Together in Shek Kip Mei.
