Hong Kong Bishop’s Manchester Visit enriches Catholic Communities
Thursday 25th July 2024On July 19, the diocese played host to Bishop Joseph Ha, the Auxiliary Bishop of Hong Kong who was on a pastoral visit to the UK.
Simon Kwong and Anny Luk of the Manchester Chinese Catholic Community (MCCC) have written the following piece on the Bishop’s visit which we share below.
Bishop Joseph Ha, Auxiliary Bishop of Hong Kong, brought a day of enrichment and spiritual growth to the Catholic community of Hong Kong migrants in Northern England on 20th July 2024.
The Bishop began his UK visit with his arrival at Manchester Airport on the morning of 19th July 2024, where he was warmly received by members of the Provisional Committee of the Manchester Chinese Catholic Community.
During the day, he visited Wardley Hall and met with Bishop John Arnold, Bishop of Salford, Rt. Rev. Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, our Vicars General and our Cantonese Chaplain Fr. Phil Sumner. After sharing a meal together, Bishop Ha was given a tour of the Laudato Si Centre, showcasing how the Diocese of Salford works to engender care for the environment.
The activities with the wider Chinese community commenced the next day at St. Mary’s Church in Eccles with reports from representatives of several districts across Northern England.
Bishop Ha then delivered a talk titled “On Discipleship”, attended by 132 participants from Northern England, Glasgow, and as far as Ireland. He engaged interactively with the audience, clearly outlining the five key characteristics of a disciple of Christ.
Following the talk, Bishop Ha celebrated Mass for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, attended by 347 individuals.
In his homily, he emphasised the importance of rest, explaining that moments of respite allow God to enter our minds and spirits, guiding us back to our origin — God, who in His mercy nurtures our spiritual growth.
The day concluded with a delightful dinner attended by 95 Chinese Catholics, during which Bishop Ha offered a final blessing, marking the end of a truly inspiring and spiritually fulfilling day.
Tagged | Around the Diocese | Events
