Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) – Recently the Hong Kong Ricci Heritage Society was inaugurated by the Jesuits in Hong Kong with priests and faithful of the diocese, to mark the 4th hundredth anniversary of the death of the great Italian Jesuit missionary Fr. Matteo Ricci. According to the diocesan bulletin Kong Ko Bao, during the inauguration ceremony held at Matteo Ricci College, Jesuit regional Superior Fr. A. Deignan, explained the purpose of the new society: “make known the life and work of Matteo Ricci and his contribution towards cultural exchange between the Far East and the West”. Dr Stephan Rothlin, secretary general of the Centre International Business Ethics (CIBE) in Beijing, spoke of how Fr. Ricci's work influenced the existing relationship between the continent and the Territory of Hong Kong.
Fr. Deignan recalled how “from Taiwan, Macao and Paris, the Jesuit fathers opened several institutes named after Matteo Ricci. The University of San Francisco, in the United States, has a Matteo Ricci Institute of Cultural Historical Research between China and the West. However the goal of this new Hong Kong Ricci Heritage Society is mainly to promote greater knowledge about the life of Fr Ricci”. The Regional Superior pointed out that many present and former students of the San Francisco Institute have no general knowledge of the life of Fr. Matteo Ricci. To respond to this lack of knowledge the Hong Kong Ricci Heritage Society will organise regular courses, exhibitions and meetings on the great missionary. “Learning from him, we need to study China's culture and philosophy in order to bring the two civilisations, Chinese and European, closer together” Fr Deignan concluded. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 12/06/2010 - righe 24; parole 265)
