Union of Catholic Asian News
April 15, 2009
http://www.ucanews.com/2009/04/15/china-church-expert-succeeds-cardinal-zen-as-new-hong-kong-bishop/
HONG KONG (UCAN) -- The Vatican on April 15 announced that Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, 77, from the pastoral governance of the diocese of Hong Kong, and that Coadjutor Bishop John Tong Hon succeeds him.
The announcement cited conformity with Canon 401, section 1, of the Code of Canon Law, which directs a bishop to request retirement upon reaching the age of 75.
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| Bishop John Tong Hon of Hong Kong |
The diocese will celebrate a solemn Mass on April 30 for Bishop Tong on the commencement of his episcopal ministry as bishop of Hong Kong.
Bishop Tong, 69, a Church-in-China expert, thanked Cardinal Zen for his service in the diocese, where they have been working closely since 1996.
In a recent interview with UCA News, Bishop Tong also said he would use four words to describe Cardinal Zen's handling of Hong Kong and mainland Church affairs, and his fight for human rights and religious freedom: "wisdom, benevolence, courage and determination."
As a person of foresight, Cardinal Zen's prophetic voice has alerted and inspired the people, Bishop Tong added. In contrast, he described himself as a person who needs more time to observe and think over how to express his views in a wise way.
Bishop Tong said he has invited Cardinal Zen to stay in the diocese and reside at Holy Spirit Seminary during retirement, where he will continue to teach philosophy and focus his concern more directly on the China Church.
Besides managing local Church affairs, Bishop Tong will continue his concern with the mainland Church and direct the diocese's Holy Spirit Study Centre, which researches on and documents Church life in mainland China.
Hong Kong diocese has 450,000 Chinese and foreign Catholics, with 70 diocesan priests and 232 Religious priests of 16 congregations.
Born in Hong Kong in 1939, Bishop Tong lived with his family in Guangzhou and elsewhere in Guangdong province, which neighbors Hong Kong, during and after the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. He pursued his seminary studies in Macau and Hong Kong, and at Pontifical Urban University in the Vatican, where he was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI in 1966.
He obtained a doctoral degree in sacred theology in Rome in 1969, and then studied 1977-1979 at Chinese University of Hong Kong, from which he received a master's degree in philosophy.
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| Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun (second right) and his successor Bishop John Tong Hon of Hong Kong (fourth right) exchange the sign of peace with their priests during the Chrism Mass on April 9, Holy Thursday |
He has taught dogmatic theology and Chinese philosophy at Holy Spirit Seminary College and served as dean of theology there 1973-1979. He has been seminary rector since 1999.
He has also served as vicar general of Hong Kong and has been responsible for the administration of the Bishop's Office since 1992. He was ordained auxiliary bishop in December 1996, about six months before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule, at the same time Cardinal Zen was ordained coadjutor bishop of Hong Kong. He later assisted Cardinal Zen, who became bishop of Hong Kong in 2002.
According to the 2009 Annuario Pontificio, the Vatican yearbook, Bishop Tong is a consultor to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. He has also served as a standing committee member of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences and a member of its Office of Social Communication.
Cardinal Zen, before turning 75, had asked the Pope more than once to accept his retirement so that he could concentrate his efforts on the China Church. In January 2008, the Pope appointed Bishop Tong as coadjutor bishop of Hong Kong, placing him in line to succeed as diocesan bishop upon the cardinal's retirement.
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