Image: CBCEW
Source: CBCEW
This Easter, 246 people from Hong Kong, residing in the United Kingdom, were formally initiated into the Catholic Church. The group comprised adults, young people, and children – with children under 11 and adults aged 36-45 representing a significant 82% of the total.
During the Easter Vigil, godparents passed them the light of the Paschal Candle, symbolising a commitment to passing on the flame of faith. Congregations greeted their newest brothers and sisters with warm applause, looking forward to seeing these roots of faith grow deep within their families.
The fact that a substantial proportion of the new Catholics are children under the age of 11, reflects the profound importance Hong Kong parents place on spiritual formation, seeking for their children the guidance of faith and Christian values within their new and unfamiliar surroundings.
Equally, it is also encouraging that adults aged between 36-45 formed a significant percentage of the total number. Many in this age group noted that the transitions and challenges of migration led them to make new friends, creating fresh opportunities to seek God. They have chosen to embark on this journey of faith alongside their children.
One of the new Catholics shared: “Living in the UK, I have made new friends who are Catholics. Through their companionship, I realised I’d grown distant from Our Heavenly Father. This sparked a desire to know Him again, leading me to join the RCIA programme.”
Another said: “I attended Christian schools as a child and knew the scriptures well, but my busy work life caused me to lose touch with my faith. Since moving to the UK, my life has taken a different path, and I often experienced anxiety. By chance, I learned that a friend had been baptised last year and felt ‘reborn,’ possessing a profound peace through the strength of the Lord. I felt a sudden calling to return to God. Through the RCIA, I learned that prayer, the Mass, and Baptism are vital links to the Lord and have made it my habit to pray and attend Mass regularly.”
The statistics cover 10 cities, demonstrating that the Hong Kong Catholic diaspora has spread across the United Kingdom. Several dioceses, such as Westminster and Southwark in London, as well as Salford and Glasgow, have established Cantonese-speaking Catholic communities, providing a familiar linguistic environment for celebrating Mass and running the RCIA programme.
In response to these pastoral needs, several local priests have also made dedicated efforts to learn Cantonese to celebrate Mass for the Hong Kong community. Notable examples include Rev Philip Sumner in Manchester and Rev Canon John Minh in Cambridge.
This Lent, Rev Hugh Donleavy, from the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, also learned Cantonese to celebrate a Cantonese Mass for approximately 120 Hong Kong Catholics – a gesture that deeply moved the faithful.
Mr Kwok, a catechist leading the Cantonese RCIA programme in Manchester, recalled that nearly 50 people submitted applications when registration opened. He admitted to initial trepidation regarding how to manage such numbers:
“I thank God for sending so many ‘angels’ to assist me, providing substitute catechists and a dedicated team of sponsors. When I was concerned about how to accommodate children during the in-person sessions, experienced Sunday School tutors volunteered to help. Throughout the process, the enquirers kept introducing their friends. Believing that God never turns anyone away, we welcomed them all. Ultimately, 148 candidates were baptised. This experience has reaffirmed for me that nothing is impossible for God.”
To the new Catholics, Mr Kwok expressed his hope that they would one day say, as in the Gospel of the Samaritan woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.”
Since being established in 2024, the Hong Kong Catholic Migrants Pastoral Coordination Group (UKHKCC) has been dedicated to synchronising activities for the community, including arranging priest visitations, facilitating exchanges between Cantonese catechists, and producing evangelisation materials to encourage integration into local British parishes. UKHKCC is greatly heartened by more than 200 individuals welcomed into the Church this year.
Bishop Paul McAleenan, the Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees for the Bishops’ Conference, said: “An outstanding feature of the Hong Kong Catholic community who have settled in England and Wales in recent years is their attachment to their faith. I pay tribute to them. In imaginative ways they seek the means to strengthen and practice their Catholic faith. Their joy, fervour and enthusiasm are an inspiration. I thank them for their witness, and I welcome those from Hong Kong who were received and baptised into the Catholic Church at Easter.
“I also thank the priests and people in parishes throughout our countries who have generously opened doors to the Hong Kong community, accommodating them and welcoming them in local parishes. The growth and influence of the Hong Kong Catholic community is another example of the positive contribution migrants make to the Church in England and Wales.”
Francis Law, Convener of UKHKCC, said: “Over the past two years, we have dedicated ourselves to coordinating the efforts of Hong Kong Catholic faithful across the United Kingdom. Currently, there are Hong Kong Catholic communities in more than 25 cities nationwide. By leveraging their unique charisms, these individuals have established small Christian communities that offer mutual support and a shared life of faith, while also fostering deeper integration into their local parishes. Moving forward, we remain committed to deepening our pastoral care and outreach.”