Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) – Help the laity who wish to dedicate themselves to qualified formation or studies in Catholicism, solving concrete problems of daily life or domestic management from an economic standpoint: this is the main motivation that has led the Chinese University of Hong Kong's Center for Catholic Studies to serious consider the possibility of opening a Doctorate Program. According to Fr. Louis Ha Ke Loon, Director of the Center, in a report from the Chinese verision of the diocesan bulletin (Kong Ko Bao), “at present, Hong Kong has hundreds of scholars in Christian Studies with doctorates, but there are not even 20 that are Catholic. This comes as the result of several factors. In fact, there are many laymen who would like to dedicate themselves to studies but because of economic problems, or because they are far from their family, or because there are limited resources at the Catholic higher learning institutes, they have been discouraged from doing do. With the current system, a doctorate program lasts 3 years (going full time) with an annual expenditure of 160,000 HK dollars (20,000 Euros). With the opening of the Doctorate Program here in the Diocese of Hong Kong, we can facilitate and satisfy their desire, contributing to the study of Catholicism and helping local Catholics. We are working intensely along with the Diocese and Holy Spirit Center, on this possibility.”
This has already come as good news to many. Wang Bao Long, a Catholic architect who is finishing studies for a Licentiate in Catholic Studies, says: “Continue on with the doctorate full time, giving up my work as an architect, is not realistic at all. But I have a great desire to study more and dedicate myself to research in the historical patrimony of the Church from the religious and cultural point of view.”
The Catholic Studies Center of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, founded in 2005, is an initiative that was the result of a joint effort between the Diocese of Hong Kong and the university, in an effort to promote Catholic academic studies. The diocese has contributed 7 million HK dollars (about 700,000 Euros) to establish the Center. In addition, two delegates from the Diocese form a part of the consultive group, formed by experts and academics of the university, who assume the responsibility of guaranteeing seriousness and competency of the studies proposed. The contribution of the Church is also used to contract researchers and scholars, to award scholarships, to promote publications, and to offer support for foreign students. The initiative has opened a new phase of collaboration between the Church and the academic world, offering hopeful prospects for promoting Catholicism. (NZ) (7/5/2009)
