Bishop Yeung Speaks at Installation Mass
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Bishop Yeung speaks at installation Mass Homily of the Most Reverend Michael Yeung at the Eucharistic Celebration on the Commencement of his Episcopal Ministry as Bishop of Hong Kong Do Not Be Afraid accompany with love those in need, staying especially close to Arise and Let Us Go Forth From Here! the poor and the sick, the lone- (cf. Matthew 17:7 and John 14:31) ly and the elderly, the disenfran- chised and the marginalised, The Your Eminences Cardinal Tong and Cardinal Zen Last, the Least and the Lost. Your Excellency Bishop Lee from Macau Pastors must be so close to their My brother Bishop Ha flock that, in the words of Pope Francis, they become 'shepherds Monsignor Javier Herrera Corona with the smell of sheep'r My brother priests and deacons Members of Religious and Lay Organisations Allow me, then, to share with you Distinguished Guests just afew thoughts regarding some pastoral priorities Dear Brothers and Sisters is first and foremost the age of the in Christ Cross... "t There is an insidious form of In short, the way of glory pass- : poverty called relational poverty thankthe Holy Father Pope es through the Cross. As Pope . which has rapidly spread and is Francis for entrusting me with Francis says in his first homily often, but not necessarily linked Ithe office of the Bishop of the after becoming Pope, "When we with other forms of poverty-spir- Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong walk without the Cross, when we itual, physical, material, economic Kong in succession to Your Emi- build without the Cross and when or intellectual. nence Cardinal Tong. we proclaim Christ without the Relational poverty consists not On my own behalf and that of Cross, we are not disciples of the simply in a lack of resources, but the Diocese, I thank Your Emi- Lord. in a lack of recourse to relational nences Cardinal Tong and Car- "We are worldly. We may be support and love and in the pain, dinal Zen for having so selflessly bishops, priests, cardinals, popes, loneliness, hopelessness and sense devoted your lives in faithful and all of this, but we are not disciples of alienation that are often associ- fruitful service to the Church. of the Lord."2 ated with a lack of or a breakdown May I also say how deeply I in loving or meaningful relation- appreciate and share the ecumeni- So I ask myself as a Pastor: ships. cal spirit shown by the presence 'How can I truly be a here today of our distinguished disciple of the Lord?' Relationships are at the guests and friends from other heart of everything' Churches, and I sincerely ask all I must listen to the Father's of you to pray to the Lord our God voice as heard at the Transfigura- They include our relationships to have mercy on me, unworthy tion and have the faith that drives The official photograph of Bishop Yeung as the eighth bishop with God, with one another and servant as I am. out fear, taking courage from what of the diocese of Hong Kong. with all of Nature. Indeed the Chi- The Feast of the Transfigura- Jesus says: 'Rise, do not be afraid' nese term for ethics (ftjQJ:1Il.) means tion is an important Feast which (Matthew 17:7). I link those words Bishop Yeung's coat of arms with its motto, the principles of relationships. is celebrated not only by Roman to what He says after the Last Sup- Arise and let us go forth from here! They impact on human ecolo- Catholics but also by Anglicans, per which I have adopted as my gy as well as the body politics and Lutherans, Orthodox and many episcopal motto: 'Arise, let us go the unity or harmony of 'Heaven, other Christians. forth from here!' (John 14:31). Earth and Man'. If good or mean- In the Gospel reading, the St. Matthew tells us that upon ingful relationships are lacking or opening words 'After six days' are hearing the voice from Heaven, : break down, all sorts of problems pointing to the sixth day after Peter, James and John were 'very . abound. Peter has confessed Jesus' divinity afraid', but that 'Jesus came and on the Day of Atonement (Leviti- touched them' (Matthew 17:7). The pastoral priorities 0/ the cus 23:27,34). This is the saving touch of the Diocese include ministry in the Jesus and the apostles travel Word made flesh. In the words of healing of relationships, particu- south for six days before reaching St. John's Gospel, He has 'pitched larly with regard to problems Mount Tabor, with the Transfigu- his tent among us' (John 1:14). affecting families, the broken and ration occurring during the Feast He continues to accompany us the wounded. of Tabernacles (Matthew 16:13). with compassion, giving Himself Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhor- During the Feast, the people to us in the Holy Eucharist and tation, The Joy of Love (Amor- live in tents to recall the time of sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in is Laetitia), challenges pastors to Israel in the desert and to look for- the tabernacles of our hearts. start with people, in their present ward to the age of the Messiah. So realities, and to go forth from when Peter suggests making three The watchword/or pas- there, accompanying them step by tents, he is expressing the fulfil- toral action is therefore step, with discernment and com- ment of the messianic expectation. accompaniment-compas- passion, towards the fullness of Pope Benedict points out that sionate accompaniment life and helping them to experi- "it is only as they go down from ence the merciful love and tender the mountain that Peter has to I must therefore walk with healing touch of the Lord. learn once again the messianic age the Lord, take up the Cross and The Exhortation forms part of It would be a sad day for Hong Kong if it were true to say that people here cared only for economic growth. Hong Kong's well-being calls for a wide range of values to be fostered, including education and appropriate action, to strive for integral human development the Diocese's continuing cateche- I must listen to the sis in Catholic Social Teaching on such topics as human life and dig- Father's voice as nity, marriage and family, human rights and civic responsibilities heard at the Transfig- (including the rights of the child, uration and have the the disabled and the aged) and human ecology." faith that drives out The Gospel of the Family must be both faithfully proclaimed and fear, taking courage truly lived. from what Jesus says: So when we speak of taber- : nacles, let us also remember the . Rise, do not be afraid people who still live in tiny cubi- : cles, often no bigger than a cof- : fin, or even worse conditions in : Hong Kong. time drawn attention to many live- They include many elderly peo- : lihood and other important issues, pie in this rapidly-ageing city." including political reform, affect- Their relational health is of : ing Hong Kong's well-being which particular concern. They need, : still need to be addressed. apart from practical help, that gen- : Where necessary it will in tie loving touch from caregivers, : appropriate ways continue to call especially family members. for action, although the Church is Alas, many caregivers, such as : not-and sees its role differently spouses, are themselves elderly ~ from that of-a political party.s and lack relational and other sup- : It would be a sad day for Hong port. Kong if it were true to say that I therefore welcome the news : people here cared only for eco- that the Government will be con- : nomic growth. sidering various initiatives to pro- ~ Hong Kong's well-being calls vide, among other things, more for a wide range of values to be flexible home care and day care : fostered, including education and centre services, including "elder- : appropriate action, to strive for ly sitter services" to allow more . integral human development." elderly people to age in place? At the same time I have 'Do not be afraid, Arise and observed from real examples in As regards young people 'Lord, give me a listening heart' let us go forth from here!' my pastoral experience that many in Hong Kong (1 Kings 3:9) of the elderly, despite their age, are May the Good Shepherd who still physically fit, energetic and The Diocese has been intensi- Without discernment, one can- gave Peter the mandate to feed active, are eager to receive recog- : fying its Youth programmes and not really get to and help tackle His lambs and care for His sheep nition as still being needed and are : has already started to involve them the root causes of the frustrations, (John 21:51-18) teach us how to willing to share their invaluable : in preparing for the Synod gather- discontent, helplessness, distrust look after the more vulnerable experience, including any relevant ing next October in Rome on the of authority and even anger expe- members of the flock first with- expertise they may have with the theme: Young People, Faith and rienced by many of our young peo- out excluding others from our love younger generation. Vocational Discernment. ple, or other problems which are and care. It would be ideal if we could But much more is required, often not of their own making. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, encourage and provide platforms including engaging them in heart- who became the Lord's living Tab- for them to do so.