Fr Joseph Tham and Fr Mattias Kim stand before the Hong Kong skyline.

In November and December, Fathers Joseph Tham, Alex Yeung, and Mattias Kim visited Hong Kong, China, for the priestly ordination of one of Father Joseph’s cousins. The priests took Chinese language lessons to brush up in preparation for their trip, and stayed in Hong Kong for several weeks, carrying out various apostolic activities.

Since 1997, Hong Kong has had the status of a Special Administrative Region of China, which allows the city to maintain autonomy in almost all areas. It is a business city with close to 7 million inhabitants, 5% of whom are Catholic. About 25% of the primary and secondary education is imparted by Catholic institutions. There are many foreigners in the city, so English is also spoken

	A moment during the priestly ordination of Father Michael Tham, who is a cousin of Father Joseph Tham, LC

as a second language.

The Legionary priests began their trip by attending the priestly ordination of Father Michael Tham, who is a cousin of Father Joseph Tham, LC. They also attended his first Mass and spent some time in fellowship with the diocesan priests of the city.

During their stay, they were able to work alongside priests and bishops in pastoral ministry, lending a hand with various tasks: 

• In several parishes, they helped with catechesis, Sunday Masses, confessions, Gospel reflections, a spiritual retreat, blessing homes, and more.

• They attended a conference given by Cardinal Zen to the priests of the diocese about the important role of ecclesial movements in the Church.

• They were invited to tell their vocation stories to the members of the Serra Club, a group of Catholics committed to helping the Church find vocations.

• They visited Holy Spirit seminary, where 10 seminarians are currently in formation.

• The Hong Kong

	Father Joseph Tham, LC, gives a talk to the students of St. Joseph School, where he studied.

diocesan newspaper interviewed Father Joseph on topics of bioethics, his vocation story (he was a medical doctor before he entered religious life), and his current work in the Regina Apostolorum College in Rome.

• Father Joseph visited St Joseph’s College, where he once studied, said Mass, and gave a talk to the students. Father Alex also visited La Salle College, where his father had once studied.

The priests also had the opportunity to give some talks and participate in events organized by Catholic institutions in Hong Kong:

• Father Joseph spoke on the topic “Secular Challenges to Human Dignity” during the

	Participants of the congress of the Association of Catholic Doctors of Asia. Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán is in the center front row. Father Joseph Tham, LC, is on the far right of the front row. Fr Alex and Fr Mattias are in the second row.

congress of the Asian Federation of Catholic Medical Associations. Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Ministry, gave the inaugural lecture.

• Father Joseph also gave a talk on “Cloning and Stem Cells” in the Center for Catholic Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He gave the same talk afterwards to the priests of the diocese. Also present were Cardinal Joseph Ze-Kiun Zen, S.D.B., the bishop of Hong Kong, and Bishop John Hon Tong, who is the coadjutor bishop of the same diocese.

• Father Alex was invited to give a talk on Christian Corporate Social Responsibility to a group of Catholic businessmen to explain the document “The Values of Profit” of the International Christian Union of Business Executives (UNIAPAC). 

• In the city of

	Father Alex Yeung, LC, gives a talk to a group of Catholic businessmen in Hong Kong.

Macau, Father Joseph gave three talks, both in English and in Chinese, on “The Theology of the Body and Chastity.” Macau is one hour from Hong Kong. It is a former Portuguese colony with many Catholic schools. 

This recent trip to Hong Kong was the Legion’s first pastoral contact with the Chinese culture. It was also an opportunity for Legionaries to work alongside the local priests and bishops, to support them in their work and build the Church together.