ASIA/HONG KONG - Church movements confront various forms of service for ecclesial communion and call for collaborators in parishes and Diocese

Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) – How can the lay faithful serve the Church? This is the question that led 6 large movements in the Church, working in the Diocese of Hong Kong, to come together and enter into discussion. According to a report from the Kong Ko Bao (the Chinese version of the diocesan bulletin), the theme of the encounter, which took place on May 28, along with over 300 participants including priests, religious, and laity was “The New Ecclesial Movements, Testimony of the Church's Communion.” The event was attended by members of the Community of Sant'Egidio, the Focolare Movement, the Neocatechumenal Way, Charismatic Renewal, the Faith and Light Movement, of the Catholic Community of the Beatitudes, and representatives from various Ecclesial Base Communities in Hong Kong.
Fr. Pierre Lam Minh, MEP, newly-appointed Vicar General of the Diocese, participated in the encounter, reflecting on the need to “establish ecclesial communion among the various charisms,” and said he hoped that “we can hold future encounters of this kind, to bear witness to the internal communion of the Church and various types of service.” He also welcomed the movements' proposal to take a more active role in the Diocese.
According to Fr. Edward Hsueh Kwan Ho, Director of the Focolare Movement in Hong Kong and Macao, “the active participation of the laity in the life of the Church is a dynamic force for the New Evangelization.” He also revealed that “many young people, thanks to this experience, have discovered their vocation.” According to one of the members of the Community of Sant'Egidio, “we have differing charisms, but we are united in the same desire to care for those most in need in our services. We also need the support of the parish and the diocese, which allow us to carry out a more active role, and let the faithful get to know us, as well.” (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 08/06/2009)