Loading...
Catholic News ServiceSeptember 23, 2020
Cardinal John Tong Hon of Hong Kong is pictured in a file photo. Differences in viewpoints must not give way to a division in the church, Cardinal Tong said in a pastoral letter made public Sept. 22. (CNS photo/Tony Gentile, Reuters)    

HONG KONG (CNS) -- The social unrest and divisions in general Hong Kong society have carried over to the Catholic community, said Cardinal John Tong Hon, who encouraged Catholics instead to follow what Jesus taught in the beatitudes.

"Every member of the faithful is free to adopt a stance in regard to social or political issues by following the dictates of his/her conscience and in the light of the Gospel and the social teaching of the church," Cardinal Tong said in a pastoral letter released Sept. 21. "Naturally, as among common people, there will be different views even among the faithful, granted that social and political issues are often complex and do not admit of simple or ready answers. Nevertheless, differences in viewpoints must not give way to a division in the church."

"We must bear in mind the teaching of Vatican II that all the faithful are to strive to preserve church communion, and they are to take account of the common good of the church even when exercising their own rights," the cardinal added. His letter was published in Sunday Examiner, newspaper of the Diocese of Hong Kong.

Earlier in September, the cardinal warned priests to avoid "slanderous and offensive statements which insinuate or incite hatred, cause social unrest, are contrary to the Christian spirit and are never appropriate in the liturgy."

In his pastoral letter, the cardinal said "priests should enlighten the faithful and form their consciences with the social teaching of the church, so that they can adopt a balanced approach and take the right course of action while engaging themselves in social concern activities. Priests, however, should not exert their influence in those areas."

He noted that while the Second Vatican Council urged pastors to encourage laypeople to take an active part in the church and in society, "the same council equally emphasizes that laypeople are to obey and duly respect their pastors."

"Catholics who arrogantly challenge or criticize the church, or even slander church leaders, are simply setting a bad example and creating a split in the church. Only by preserving their communion with the hierarchy can Catholics truly manifest the 'sense of faith' ('sensus fidelium') as advocated by Vatican II," he said.

Cardinal Tong, apostolic administrator of the diocese, also addressed concerns about Hong Kong's security law, which was rushed through the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress June 30. He said the Catholic Church supports democracy, and Catholics have a right to expect the local government to act to support their aspirations for justice.

However, he said, many local Catholics "bear a gloomy outlook about the future of Hong Kong. They have based their views on the uncertainties about the rule of law and the political reform, and the almost unbearable impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our local economy and livelihood. I earnestly call on these Catholics to place an unwavering hope in Jesus Christ."

"The social turmoil last year and the current pandemic have made great impacts on Hong Kong, and we can foresee new challenges to our evangelizing mission in the years to come. Therefore, entrusting ourselves to our Lord's fatherly care and with one mind and one heart, let us equip ourselves for the mission ahead," he urged.

We don’t have comments turned on everywhere anymore. We have recently relaunched the commenting experience at America and are aiming for a more focused commenting experience with better moderation by opening comments on a select number of articles each day.

But we still want your feedback. You can join the conversation about this article with us in social media on Twitter or Facebook, or in one of our Facebook discussion groups for various topics.

Or send us feedback on this article with one of the options below:

The latest from america

Throughout his life, William Stringfellow was the modern incarnation of an Old Testament prophet, calling out lies and hypocrisy and demanding fidelity to the commandments of God.
James T. KeaneFebruary 25, 2025
Areas for possible dialogue between the church and the Trump administration included anti-human-trafficking efforts, the status of Dreamers and the right of a nation to control its borders.
J. Kevin ApplebyFebruary 25, 2025
Pope Francis introduced a new option for receiving an indulgence this Jubilee Year: fasting from the internet and social media.
Heidi A. CampbellFebruary 25, 2025
Canon law states that a pope can resign, but it stipulates that the papal resignation must be “made freely and properly manifested”—conditions that would be difficult to ascertain if a pope were already incapacitated.