Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hong Kong (Fides Service) - Hong Kong’s Catholic communities are preparing to welcome 2,400 new members who will receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion during the Easter Vigil Mass on Easter Saturday 15 April. “It is a great joy and a great gift for the whole Catholic community to embrace new brothers and sisters”, say local Catholics.
The local Catholic newspaper Sunday Examiner reported that the Bishop of Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen and his auxiliary Bishop John Tong and six priests carried out the ritual examination of the catechumens to ascertain their spiritual disposition, free will and familiarity with the faith and the local church community life. “The Ten Commandments are a gift of God’s grace and love for us, the Cardinal told them, we strive to follow them because they help us to live in the love of God”, Cardinal Zen told the catechumens.
The Cardinal described the Church as a “great family” and he said “being a catechumen is like a period of engagement with the Church. The sacrament of Baptism which you will receive at Easter makes you fully members of Christ, Confirmation strengthens you in your faith and in the Eucharist you receive the Body and Blood of Christ as members of the Body of Christ, the universal Church.”
The happy catechumens look forward to Easter and one of them said on behalf of all “Faith in Christ gives new strength to face daily life and it gives peace of heart”. The local Church in Hong Kong encourages lay people to take an ever more active part in church life helping with pastoral work, evangelisation and social assistance. (Agenzia Fides 3/4/2006 righe 25 parole 215)
