HONG KONG (SE): The annual diocesan study camp for clergy was held at the Holy Spirit Seminary in Aberdeen from January 6 to 8. The camp brought together priests and deacons serving in Hong Kong to deepen their understanding of holistic pastoral care for the elderly.
Centred on the theme of healthy ageing, the programme explored the wide-ranging needs of older people, including their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.
Each day began with a reflective morning prayer, followed by expert-led sessions. Clinical psychologist Dr Valda Cho addressed key mental health challenges faced by older adults, such as geriatric depression and loneliness. Permanent Deacon Dr Francis Mok Chun-keung discussed issues related to cognitive impairment and the challenge of maintaining autonomy in later life, while Father Philip Chan Tak-hung facilitated discussions on how religious brothers respond to the realities of ageing.
On January 7, Caritas social work supervisors Jenny Yip and Ivy Lui shared insights from their work with elderly people, particularly those without family support at the end of life. Drawing on their experience with the Caritas Ning An Scheme, they explained how the programme helps seniors articulate unspoken feelings of love and gratitude, seek forgiveness, and say meaningful farewells while fulfilling their final wishes.
“While the physical pain of the elderly requires medical attention, psychological and spiritual pain call for deeper engagement,” Yip said.
…the programme explored the wide-ranging needs of older people, including their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being
Lui presented a moving case study of an 85-year-old man who took active steps to plan his end-of-life arrangements and found emotional healing through pastoral interventions. His depression stemmed from the loss of his wife, the migration of his children, and guilt over believing he had neglected his wife during her battle with cancer. Through life review exercises and writing a letter of apology, he gradually rediscovered a sense of self-worth and purpose.
Representatives from the Diocesan Pastoral Commission for Marriage and Family, the Diocesan Commission for Integral Human Development, and the Diocesan Commission for Hospital Pastoral Care also shared their ongoing efforts to support caregivers in their vital roles.
Father Dominic Chan Chi-ming, parish priest of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, offered reflections on how clergy can more effectively accompany elderly parishioners by addressing their complex and interconnected needs.
The study camp took on added significance in light of the planned implementation of the Advance Decision on Life-sustaining Treatment Bill in May 2026, which has raised ethical questions for clergy serving Hong Kong’s ageing population.
Participants were introduced to end-of-life care options and medical directives through presentations by Father Dominic Lui Chi-man and Dr Daniel Wong of the Diocesan Committee for Bioethics, who addressed both practical considerations and the ethical dimensions of medical decision-making at the end of life.
