HONG KONG June 23, 2014 --Nobody who keeps an eye on international news
could haqve missed at least two facts affecting life in Hong
Kong - and Macau: it has been the hottest June on recent
record, and June 22 saw a massive turnout for the People's
referendum for Democracy. Earlier in June witnessed a huge
turnout to commemorate the Tienanmen Square massacre.
Perhaps not hitting the headlines though, was the ordination
to the diaconate of a Macau boy - Carlos Cheung sdb. But it
too is important.
...
In Hong Kong and Macau, we have been living historic days
during this hot month of June. Hot in more than one sense.
Climatically hot, since this June 2014 is one of the hottest
Junes recorded in our not-so-long history. Socially hot, since
this June 2014 has seen a revival of youth’s interest in
social affairs. The lead this time was taken by Macau youth
who already in mid-May rose by the thousands in protest
against a self-serving law project proposed by the Government.
Next, in both Hong Kong and Macau, we had June 4th Candle
Light Vigil in memory of the victims of the Tiananmen massacre
25 years ago. It saw the largest participation ever. In Hong
Kong’s Victoria Park there were 180,000. Among them, as for
every year, there were also several Salesians. For the first
time the retired Bishop of Hong Kong, our Cardinal Joseph Zen
Ze Kiun, took part in the Candle Light Vigil from 8:00 p.m. to
10:00 p.m., as distinct from the preceding Prayer Service from
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., organized in the Park Pavilion by the
local Justice and Peace Commission and faithfully attended, if
at all possible, by Cardinal Zen every year. This time, at the
end of the Prayer Service, Cardinal Zen invited all to support
the popularly organized June 22 People’s Referendum for
Democracy in Hong Kong.
To further promote participation in the Democracy Referendum,
Card. Joseph Zen and others (among them, the “father” of Hong
Kong’s democratic movement Mr. Martin Lee, a Catholic)
organized a 7-day, 84 hour “Exodus for Democracy”. “Exodus” is
meant here in the sense intended by Pope Francis, that is,
“getting out into the streets”. From 14 to 20 June, for 7
days, for 12 hours a day, Cardinal Joseph Zen and his fellow
walkers covered some 20 kilometres a day along the streets of
the city, calling on people to support the People’s
Referendum. At times the walking party grew to 800-strong. The
promotion appears to have been effective, since on 22 June,
the voters have been estimated as being more than 1/2 a
million, practically 10% of the population of Hong Kong.
22 June was not only Referendum Day. It is was also the Feast
of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Cardinal Joseph Zen
presided over the Solemn Mass and Eucharistic Procession in
the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Park on the Northern shore of Hong Kong
Island. The procession stopped several times on the shore-line
to allow the Cardinal to bless this great city that has sprung
up on both sides of the wonderful Hong Kong Harbour. May His
Kingdom of love, justice, and peace come to this beloved city!
Meanwhile, on 21 June, Carlos Cheung was ordained deacon
by Joseph Cardinal Zen at St. Anthony’s parish in Sai
Wan. Born in Macau in 1983, Cheung’s family had migrated to
the then-Portuguese colony from Hainan province in mainland
China.
