{"id":414,"date":"2009-07-16T17:40:00","date_gmt":"2009-07-16T17:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/deaconsbench\/2009\/07\/made-in-hong-kong-the-budding-diaconate-of-the-east.html"},"modified":"2009-07-16T17:40:00","modified_gmt":"2009-07-16T17:40:00","slug":"made-in-hong-kong-the-budding-diaconate-of-the-east","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/deaconsbench\/2009\/07\/made-in-hong-kong-the-budding-diaconate-of-the-east.html","title":{"rendered":"Made in Hong Kong: the budding diaconate of the East"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>With diaconate ordinations booming in this of the world, it’s useful (and sobering) to see what’s happening in Asia. (H\/T to Deacon Chick<\/a>) <\/p>\n

Take a look-see: <\/p>\n

Three permanent deacons have been ordained here as the diocese prays for more priestly and religious vocations during the Year for Priests.<\/p>\n

Francis Cheung Ka-wai, Francis Fung Sze-chung and Peter Leung Shing-kwok, all married men above the age of 55, were part of a group of five ordained as deacons on July 11.<\/p>\n

With their ordinations, the number of permanent deacons in Hong Kong now stands at 11.<\/p>\n

Deacon Fung, a retired school principal, told UCA News that he was \u201cinspired\u201d by the examples of three other permanent deacons in Hong Kong to pursue the seven-year diaconate formation program.<\/p>\n

As a member of the Diocesan Commission of Interreligious Dialogue for some years, Fung said he \u201csees God\u2019s love in various religions, whose believers are brothers and sisters in a global village.\u201d He has represented the diocese at interreligious seminars and his eldest daughter is a Canossian nun.<\/p>\n

Deacon Leung not only serves as the deputy editor of diocesan Chinese weekly \u201cKung Kao Po,\u201d but also heads the 300-member Hong Kong Central Council of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul, an international Catholic charity.<\/p>\n

He admitted that he found theological studies hard. \u201cWith prayers and faith, I gradually deepened my understanding,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Leung added that he would now become the SSVP\u2019s spiritual director, and do pastoral work in his parish and at hospitals.<\/p>\n

Deacon Cheung served in the government\u2019s Department of Justice until 1989 and is now a solicitor in a law firm. He is a member of the Dominican Laity and is the first Dominican deacon in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n

He said he would like to help lead the lay organization, the formation of seminarians and his congregation\u2019s development in mainland China.<\/p>\n

Hong Kong, where priestly vocations have been few in recent decades, has been the only Chinese diocese since 1997 to ordain permanent deacons.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And yes, you read that correctly. Formation lasts seven<\/i> years. <\/p>\n

You can find more details at the link. Congratulations, brothers! Ad multos annos!<\/i><\/p>\n

PHOTO: <\/span><\/b>Bishop John Tong Hon of Hong Kong and concelebrants at the ordination Mass pose for a photo. First row (from left) : Deacon Francis Cheung Ka-wai, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, Bishop Tong, Deacons Francis Fung Sze-chung and Peter Leung Shing-kwok.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With diaconate ordinations booming in this of the world, it’s useful (and sobering) to see what’s happening in Asia. (H\/T to Deacon Chick) Take a look-see: Three permanent deacons have been ordained here as the diocese prays for more priestly and religious vocations during the Year for Priests. Francis Cheung Ka-wai, Francis Fung Sze-chung and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":365,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deacons"],"yoast_head":"\nMade in Hong Kong: the budding diaconate of the East - The Deacon's Bench<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/deaconsbench\/2009\/07\/made-in-hong-kong-the-budding-diaconate-of-the-east.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Made in Hong Kong: the budding diaconate of the East - The Deacon's Bench\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With diaconate ordinations booming in this of the world, it’s useful (and sobering) to see what’s happening in Asia. (H\/T to Deacon Chick) Take a look-see: Three permanent deacons have been ordained here as the diocese prays for more priestly and religious vocations during the Year for Priests. Francis Cheung Ka-wai, Francis Fung Sze-chung and…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/deaconsbench\/2009\/07\/made-in-hong-kong-the-budding-diaconate-of-the-east.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Deacon's Bench\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2009-07-16T17:40:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/_0DySLTT4PWo\/Sl-gZqEcoqI\/AAAAAAAAF6k\/EDsifewYofA\/s400\/HK117_1.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"deacon greg kandra\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Made in Hong Kong: the budding diaconate of the East - The Deacon's Bench","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/deaconsbench\/2009\/07\/made-in-hong-kong-the-budding-diaconate-of-the-east.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Made in Hong Kong: the budding diaconate of the East - The Deacon's Bench","og_description":"With diaconate ordinations booming in this of the world, it’s useful (and sobering) to see what’s happening in Asia. 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