Dominic Chan Explained

Type:Priest
Honorific-Prefix:The Very Reverend
Dominic Chan Chi-ming
Roman Catholic priest
Vicar General of the Diocese of Hong Kong
Church:Roman Catholic Church
See:Hong Kong
Appointed:8 December 1992[1]
Ended:3 January 2019
Other Post:Parish priest of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (2000–present)
Ordination:1979
Ordained By:John Baptist Wu
Birth Place:Yim Tin Tsai, Sai Kung, British Hong Kong
Nationality:Chinese
Religion:Roman Catholic
Residence:Hong Kong
Alma Mater:Holy Spirit Seminary
Pontifical Urbaniana University
Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas
Dominic Chan Chi-ming
Reference:The Very Reverend
Informal:Father

Dominic Chan Chi-ming (Chinese: 陳志明; born 1952) is the former vicar general of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. He also serves as parish priest of the city's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Early life

Chan was born in Yim Tin Tsai, Sai Kung District, New Territories, Hong Kong in 1952. Chan is of A Hakka ancestry. He was ordained priest by Cardinal John Baptist Wu in 1979.

Chan later led funds to restore a chapel on Yim Tin Tsai Island in compliance with a UNESCO restoration project in 2016.[2]

Vicar General

Chan served as vicar general of the Diocese of Hong Kong[3] from December 1992 until January 2019.[1] He was chosen together with John Tong Hon, and served with him until the latter's appointment as coadjutor bishop of Hong Kong in 2008.[4] [5] Chan has also served as vicar general alongside Michael Yeung (from 2009 until 2016, when Yeung was appointed coadjutor bishop),[6] Pierre Lam (2009–2014),[7] [8] Joseph Ha (2014–2019), Peter Choy, and Benedict Lam (both 2017–2019). The office of vicar general became vacant upon the death of Michael Yeung on 3 January 2019.[9] [10] [11]

In this office, Chan serves as Chairperson of the Diocesan Pastoral Commission for Marriage and the Family, the Diocesan Commission for Laity Formation, the Committee for Promoting the Cardinal's Pastoral Exhortation, the Diocesan Board of Catholic Cemeteries and the Diocesan Committee for the Permanent Diaconate. He is also an Ex-officio Member of the Council of Priests, the Diocesan Personnel Commission, the Hong Kong Catholic Board of Education, the Hong Kong Catholic Education Development Committee, the Central Management Committee for Diocesan Schools and the Diocesan Building and Development Commission. While Chan has been the Vicar General, Hong Kong has recruited more married men to become deacons (Hong Kong was the first Catholic diocese in Asia to ordain married men as deacons).[12] [13] Chan visited former Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang while Tsang's trials were ongoing.[14]

In 2017, Chan presided over the ceremonies in which the Our Lady of Fatima Statue passed through the territory on its first stop en route to Portugal to celebrate the centennial of the Marian apparition.[15]

Parish priest

Chan has been the Parish Priest of the Hong Kong Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception[16] since 2000.

View on the elevation of Bishop Zen

On 13 February 2006, Chan expressed his view on the then possibility of the elevation of Joseph Zen, the Bishop of Hong Kong, to Cardinal. He said although he was still waiting for a formal announcement, he expected Zen to be elevated to cardinal in the next consistory. He believed that his elevation will show how important the Holy See values the church in China, and that it would be an honour to have a cardinal once again to head the diocese. Zen eventually became a Cardinal.[17]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Leading Events in 1990s. 19 February 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20190219104134/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Leading%20Events/E-1990s.htm. 19 February 2019.
  2. Web site: Abandoned Hong Kong island gets new life as heritage site and ecotourism destination . South China Morning Post . February 2016 . 19 August 2018.
  3. Web site: Disgraced Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang's brief return to public life ends with failed court appeal . Scmp . 20 July 2018 . 19 August 2018.
  4. Web site: TONG HON Card. John. 20 January 2020. Holy See Press Office. Holy See. https://web.archive.org/web/20190112025620/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_tong-hon_j.html. 12 January 2019.
  5. Web site: The Pope appoints Bishop John Tong Hon as Coadjutor Bishop of Hong Kong. 20 January 2020. Hong Kong Catholic Social Communications Office. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20160402144745/http://www.hkdavc.com/coadbishop_eng.html. 2 April 2016.
  6. News: Pope names new bishop of Hong Kong. 2 August 2017. 20 January 2020. Catholic Herald. London. https://web.archive.org/web/20200120212750/https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/08/02/pope-names-new-bishop-of-hong-kong/. 20 January 2020.
  7. News: Church movements confront various forms of service for ecclesial communion and call for collaborators in parishes and Diocese. Gianni. Criveller. 8 June 2009. 23 January 2020. Agenzia Fides. Society for the Propagation of the Faith. https://web.archive.org/web/20200123102915/http://www.fides.org/en/news/24422-ASIA_HONG_KONG_Church_movements_confront_various_forms_of_service_for_ecclesial_communion_and_call_for_collaborators_in_parishes_and_Diocese. 23 January 2020.
  8. Web site: Mass Booklet for the Episcopal Ordination of Michael Yeung, Stephen Lee, and Joseph Ha as Auxiliary Bishops of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. 23 January 2020. 14. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20200123105909/https://musicasacra.org.hk/activities/AuxiliusBishopsMMXIVaugPDF/AuxiliusBishopsBooklet.pdf. 23 January 2020.
  9. Encyclopedia: Fanning. William. 1912. Vicar-General. Catholic Encyclopedia. 15. Robert Appleton Company. New York. 19 February 2020.
  10. Web site: https://www.buffalodiocese.org/documents/Communique/ApostolicAdministratorSedeVacante1219[2.pdf Authority and Responsibilities of an Apostolic Administrator in a diocese in a time of "sede vacante" ("the seat being vacant")]. 4 December 2019. 5 April 2020. Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. https://web.archive.org/web/20200406001702/https://www.buffalodiocese.org/documents/Communique/ApostolicAdministratorSedeVacante1219%5B2%5D.pdf. 6 April 2020. [O]ffices that exercise general or specific authority granted directly by the diocesan bishop cease since their authority derives from the diocesan bishop, such as the Vicars General ….
  11. News: Duluth's Bishop Paul Sirba dies unexpectedly at 59. 1 December 2019. 19 February 2020. Christine. Rousselle. Catholic News Agency. EWTN. https://web.archive.org/web/20191222110041/https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/duluths-bishop-paul-sirba-dies-unexpectedly-at-59-15815. December 22, 2019. live. The office of the vicar general ceases upon the death of the diocesan bishop..
  12. Web site: Hong Kong Catholic Church aims to recruit more married men to serve as deacons . Christian Times . 19 August 2018.
  13. Web site: Catholic Church in Hong Kong to recruit more married men to serve needy, top leader says . South China Morning Post . 10 December 2017 . 19 August 2018.
  14. Web site: Faith, family and friends brought Donald Tsang comfort through his many trials . South China Morning Post . 3 November 2017 . 19 August 2018.
  15. Web site: Hong Kong Catholics welcome Our Lady of Fatima statue . Herald Malaysia . 19 August 2018.
  16. Web site: Hong Kong Catholic priest allowed anti-gay speech to be delivered to congregation . South China Morning Post . 20 October 2014 . 19 August 2018.
  17. Web site: Card. Zen ends hunger strike for freedom of Hong Kong Catholic schools". . Asia News . 19 August 2018.