Agenzia Fides

Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) - Cardinal John Tong Hon, Bishop of Hong Kong, presided, at the Cathedral on the evening of October 3, the solemn Mass for the repose of the 38 victims of the collision between the two ships, on October 1. In his homily, Cardinal Tong invoked the mercy of the Lord to receive the soul of the victims; so that their relatives and all those injured can receive comfort, and that the Lord may assist rescuers involved. A ship with 130 passengers, all employees of the electricity company in Hong Kong, accompanied by their relatives, was heading on 1 October to the island of Lamma to watch the fireworks on the occasion of the national holiday in China, when, at 8.30 pm near Hong Kong, it collided with a ferry service carrying passengers from Lamma to Kowloon. 38 people were killed, the wounded are a hundred. According to the Kong Ko Bao (the Chinese version of the diocesan bulletin), the diocese immediately made available all its resources, both at a human and spiritual level, for the disaster. In addition to taking part in the mourning of 4 October with a memorial Mass celebrated in all 50 parishes, the diocese has also invited to pray for the victims and for the speedy recovery of the wounded during Masses next Sunday, October 7. Caritas has also opened two "green lines", active 24 hours a day, to provide moral and psychological support to citizens, especially to the families of those killed and injured. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 05/10/2012)