Roman Catholicism in Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
The Catholic Church in Hong Kong (Chinese: 天主教香港教區), established in 1841, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
and Curia
in Rome
. All Catholics in Hong Kong are under the Diocese of Hong Kong - officially under the Ecclesiastical Province
of Guangzhou
. The five other dioceses under this Ecclesiastical Province are Beihai, Jiangmen, Jiaying, Shantou and Shaozhou.
There are approximately 350,000 Catholics in Hong Kong
- around 5% of the total population - most being Latin Rite Catholics. The majority of the Hong Kong Catholics are Chinese. However, there are various national groups of Filipino, Korean, Japanese, Indian, French and German active Catholics. Sunday religious services are offered in 99 places, and there are 317 Catholic schools and 71 various social service centers.
The Bishop emeritus of Hong Kong is Joseph Cardinal Zen
Ze-kiun, SDB (Chinese:陳日君). He is regarded by some to be politically 'controversial' due to his 'anti-PRC' views. However, Zen has constantly personally maintained that he is very patriotic to his country, and that he has been upset that he has been denied the right to return to China
.
The current Bishop
of Hong Kong is John Tong Hon
, who has been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong in 2009.
The Cathedral of the Diocese
of Hong Kong is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, located on Caine Road, Mid Levels.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. All Catholics in Hong Kong are under the Diocese of Hong Kong - officially under the Ecclesiastical Province
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
of Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
. The five other dioceses under this Ecclesiastical Province are Beihai, Jiangmen, Jiaying, Shantou and Shaozhou.
There are approximately 350,000 Catholics in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
- around 5% of the total population - most being Latin Rite Catholics. The majority of the Hong Kong Catholics are Chinese. However, there are various national groups of Filipino, Korean, Japanese, Indian, French and German active Catholics. Sunday religious services are offered in 99 places, and there are 317 Catholic schools and 71 various social service centers.
The Bishop emeritus of Hong Kong is Joseph Cardinal Zen
Joseph Cardinal Zen
Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, S.D.B. is a Chinese Cardinal of the Catholic Church, who served as the sixth Bishop of Hong Kong. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 2006, and is famous for his outspoken disposition on issues regarding human rights, political freedom, and religious liberty, often attracting...
Ze-kiun, SDB (Chinese:陳日君). He is regarded by some to be politically 'controversial' due to his 'anti-PRC' views. However, Zen has constantly personally maintained that he is very patriotic to his country, and that he has been upset that he has been denied the right to return to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The current Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Hong Kong is John Tong Hon
John Tong Hon
John Tong Hon is a bishop of the Catholic Church. In his youth, he spent ten years living in Huadu, Guangzhou before returning to Hong Kong. He earned a master's degree in philosophy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong before going on to doctoral studies at the Pontifical Urbaniana...
, who has been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong in 2009.
The Cathedral of the Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Hong Kong is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, located on Caine Road, Mid Levels.
See also
- Catholic Diocese of Hong KongCatholic Diocese of Hong KongThe Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is a Latin Rite ordinary diocese of the Catholic Church headed by Bishop John Tong Hon. Though the bishop is subject to the Roman Pontiff, he is not the vicar of the latter: he governs it in his own name. The diocese takes its name from the see city, the community...
- Roman Catholicism in ChinaRoman Catholicism in ChinaRoman Catholicism in China has a long and complicated history...
- List of Catholic Churches in Hong Kong