List of Roman Catholic bishops of Hong Kong explained

Border:catholic
Bishopric:Hong Kong
Incumbent:Stephen Chow
Province:Directly subject to the Holy See (de facto)
Guangzhou (de jure)
Cathedral:Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Date:1841 (apostolic prefecture)
1946 (bishopric)

The Bishop of Hong Kong is the head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, who is responsible for looking after its spiritual and administrative needs. The Diocese of Hong Kong is nominally part of the ecclesiastical province of Canton and thus is a suffragan of that archdiocese.[1] [2] However, it has been exempt in practice since 1951, when the People's Republic of China severed diplomatic relations with the Holy See.[3] As a Crown colony of the United Kingdom at the time,[4] Hong Kong was unaffected by this and relations with the Vatican continued unabated. Consequently, the bishop of Hong Kong answers "directly to the Holy See".[1] The current bishop is Stephen Chow.

The diocese began as the Apostolic Prefecture of Hong Kong, which was created on 22 April 1841.[5] Theodore Joset was appointed its first ordinary, and under his reign, the city's first Catholic church was built on Wellington Street.[6] On 2 September 1890, the prefecture was elevated to the status of apostolic vicariate. It was raised to the level of diocese on 11 April 1946,[5] as part of the establishment of the ecclesiastical hierarchy in China under the papal bull Quotidie Nos by Pope Pius XII.[7] [8]

Nine men have been Bishop of Hong Kong; another six were heads of its antecedent jurisdictions. Four bishops – John Baptist Wu, Joseph Zen, John Tong Hon, and Chow – were elevated to the College of Cardinals.[9] Francis Hsu, the ninth ordinary of the diocese, was the first ethnically Chinese bishop of Hong Kong.[10] Tong, whose episcopacy spanned from 2009 to 2017, was the first bishop born in Hong Kong.[11] Wu had the longest tenure as Bishop of Hong Kong, serving for 27 years from 1975 to 2002, while his immediate predecessor Peter Lei held the position for seven months (1973–1974), marking the shortest episcopacy.[12]

List of ordinaries

Denotes bishop who was elevated to the College of Cardinals
MEM
PIME		Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions
OFMOrder of Friars Minor (Franciscan Order)
SDBSalesians of Don Bosco
SJSociety of Jesus

Apostolic Prefects of Hong Kong

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UntilIncumbentNotesRef(s)
18411842Appointed on 22 April 1841. Arrived in Hong Kong on 3 March 1842. Died on 5 August 1842.[13]
18501855, Appointed on 24 August 1850. Resigned on 20 June 1855. Died on 17 March 1866.[14]
18551867Appointed on 20 June 1855. Died on 10 March 1867.[15]
18681874, Appointed on 27 December 1868.[16]

Apostolic Vicars of Hong Kong

From!scope="col" style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 7%"
UntilIncumbentNotesRef(s)
18741894, Became the first Apostolic Vicar of Hong Kong on 4 October 1874. Died on 27 September 1894.
18951904, Appointed on 11 January 1895. Returned to Italy on 4 August 1904. Died on 26 December 1904.[17] [18]
19051924, Appointed on 12 July 1905. Died on 20 February 1924.[19]
19261946, Appointed on 8 March 1926.[20]

Bishops of Hong Kong

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UntilIncumbentNotesRef(s)
19461951, Became the first Bishop of Hong Kong on 11 April 1946. Installed on 31 October 1948. Died on 3 September 1951.
19511968, Coadjutor bishop from 1949 to 1951. Installed on 26 October 1952, after his release from prison in mainland China. Resigned on 30 November 1968. Died on 14 February 1983.[21]
19691973Auxiliary bishop from 1967 to 1968. Apostolic administrator from 1968 to 1969. First Chinese bishop of the diocese. Died on 23 May 1973.[22]
19731974Auxiliary bishop from 1971 to 1973. Appointed on 21 December 1973. Died on 23 July 1974.
19752002Appointed on 5 April 1975. Elevated to cardinal on 28 June 1988. Died on 23 September 2002.[23] [24]
20022009, Coadjutor bishop from 1996 to 2002. Elevated to cardinal on 24 March 2006. Retired on 15 April 2009, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.[25] [26] [27]
20092017Auxiliary bishop from 1996 to 2008. Coadjutor bishop from 2008 to 2009. First bishop born in Hong Kong. Elevated to cardinal on 18 February 2012. Retired on 1 August 2017, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. Apostolic administrator from 2019 to 2021 following the death of his successor, Michael Yeung.[28] [29] [30] [31]
20172019Auxiliary bishop from 2014 to 2016. Coadjutor bishop from 2016 to 2017. Died on 3 January 2019.[32] [33]
2021present, Appointed on 17 May 2021. Elevated to cardinal on 30 September 2023.[34] [35]

References

General

Specific

Notes and References

  1. Ha. Louis. Lam. Anthony. Winter 2016. Hong Kong and the Chinese Catholic Hierarchy. Tripod. 36. 183. Holy Spirit Study Centre. Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20190908183436/http://hsstudyc.org.hk/en/tripod_en/en_tripod_183_03.html. 8 September 2019. dead. [W]hen the Chinese Catholic hierarchy came under attack on mainland China, although Hong Kong was a suffragan diocese of the Canton Archdiocese, it was not involved in those problems. Today, Hong Kong does not belong to any ecclesiastical province, nor to any Bishops’ Conference. It is an entity belonging directly to the Holy See..
  2. News: Beijing targets Hong Kong media, is church next?. Michael. Sainsbury. 19 October 2018. 14 January 2020. La Croix. Paris. https://web.archive.org/web/20181019150509/https://international.la-croix.com/news/beijing-targets-hong-kong-media-is-church-next/8671. 19 October 2018. [Hong Kong] is a de jure suffragan diocese under the Archdiocese of Guangzhou in South China but in practice it also reports to Rome..
  3. News: China Catholic bishops: Historic deal with Vatican reached. BBC News. BBC. 22 September 2018. 14 January 2020.
  4. Encyclopedia: Steven. Levine. Encyclopedia Britannica. Hong Kong's Return To China. 8 October 1998. 19 January 2019. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc..
  5. News: Bishop Michael Yeung Takes Over the Reins – Hong Kong Diocese Change of Guard. 11 August 2017. 12 January 2019. O Clarim. Macau. https://web.archive.org/web/20190111191006/http://www.oclarim.com.mo/en/2017/08/11/bishop-michael-yeung-takes-over-the-reins-hong-kong-diocese-change-of-guard/. 11 January 2019.
  6. Web site: Leading Events in 1840s. 12 January 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20161130190100/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Leading%20Events/E-1840s.htm. 30 November 2016.
  7. Book: Barrett, William E.. The Red Lacquered Gate: The early days of the Columban Fathers and the courage and faith of its founder, Fr. Edward Galvin. Xlibris Corporation. 15 July 2014. 348. 9781499027273.
  8. Web site: Erection of the Diocese of Chengde. 22 September 2018. 15 January 2019. Holy See Press Office. Holy See. https://web.archive.org/web/20191204075117/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2018/09/22/180922h.pdf. live. 4 December 2019.
  9. News: Hong Kong’s top Catholic priest Stephen Chow made a cardinal by Pope Francis, calling role important bridge between ‘China and universal church’. Wynna. Wong. 30 September 2023. 30 September 2023. South China Morning Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20230930174144/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3236400/hong-kongs-top-catholic-priest-stephen-chow-made-cardinal-pope-francis-calling-role-important-bridge. 30 September 2023.
  10. Web site: Religion and Custom. 2003. 12 January 2019. Hong Kong Yearbook 2003. Government of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20181025152341/https://www.yearbook.gov.hk/2003/english/chapter18/18_04.html. 25 October 2018.
  11. News: Bishop John Tong of Hong Kong, 'man of dialogue,' but with 'non-negotiable principles'. Gianni. Criveller. 30 April 2009. 12 January 2019. AsiaNews. Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions. https://web.archive.org/web/20190111230020/http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Bishop-John-Tong-of-Hong-Kong,-man-of-dialogue,-but-with-non-negotiable-principles-15126.html. 11 January 2019.
  12. News: Top officials join Hong Kong Catholics in packed cathedral for Bishop Michael Yeung's funeral mass. 11 January 2019. Xinqi. Su. 12 January 2019. South China Morning Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20191220104927/https://www.scmp.com/print/news/hong-kong/society/article/2181639/top-officials-join-hong-kong-catholics-packed-cathedral. 20 December 2019.
  13. Web site: Rev. Joset, Theodore. 14 January 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20160806033125/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Succession%20Line/T-Joset.htm. 6 August 2016.
  14. Web site: Rev. Feliciani, Antonio OFM. 14 January 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20160805220500/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Succession%20Line/A-Feliciani.htm. 5 August 2016.
  15. Web site: Rev. Ambrosi, Luigi. 14 January 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20190114031642/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Succession%20Line/L-Ambrosi.htm. 14 January 2019.
  16. Web site: Bishop Raimondi, Giovanni Timoleone MEM. 14 January 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20190112230401/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Succession%20Line/E-Valtorta.htm. 12 January 2019.
  17. Web site: Bishop Piazzoli, Luigi MEM. 13 January 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20190112230057/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Succession%20Line/L-Piazzoli.htm. 12 January 2019.
  18. News: The ashes of two former PIME bishops return to Hong Kong cathedral. 7 April 2015. 13 January 2019. AsiaNews. Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions. https://web.archive.org/web/20190112225422/http://www.asianews.it/news-en/The-ashes-of-two-former-PIME-bishops-return-to-Hong-Kong-cathedral-33907.html. 12 January 2019.
  19. Web site: Bishop Pozzoni, Dominico MEM. 13 January 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20190112230717/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Succession%20Line/D-Pozzoni.htm. 12 January 2019.
  20. Web site: Bishop Valtorta, Enrico PIME. 13 January 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20190112230401/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Succession%20Line/E-Valtorta.htm. 12 January 2019.
  21. Web site: Bishop Bianchi, Lorenzo PIME. 13 January 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20190112231342/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Succession%20Line/L-Bianchi.htm. 12 January 2019.
  22. Web site: Bishop Hsu, Chen-Ping Francis Xavier. 13 January 2019. Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. https://web.archive.org/web/20190112233901/https://archives.catholic.org.hk/Succession%20Line/F-Hsu.htm. 12 January 2019.
  23. News: Obituary: Cardinal John Baptist Wu. 27 September 2002. Peter. Stanford. 12 January 2019. The Guardian. London. https://web.archive.org/web/20190111220351/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/sep/27/guardianobituaries.religion. 11 January 2019.
  24. Web site: Wu Cheng-chung Card. John Baptist. 12 January 2019. Holy See Press Office. Holy See. https://web.archive.org/web/20190112024259/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_wu-cheng-chung_jb.html. 12 January 2019.
  25. Web site: Zen Ze-kiun Card. Joseph, S.D.B.. 12 January 2019. Holy See Press Office. Holy See. https://web.archive.org/web/20190112025055/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_zen-se-kiun_j.html. 12 January 2019.
  26. News: Cardinal Joseph Zen a Longtime, Vocal Critic of China's Policies. Matthew E.. Bunson. 21 February 2018. 12 January 2019. National Catholic Register. https://web.archive.org/web/20180706181604/http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/cardinal-joseph-zen-a-longtime-vocal-critic-of-chinas-policies. 6 July 2018.
  27. News: Bishop Zen poised to become cardinal. Ambrose. Leung. 14 February 2006. 12 January 2019. South China Morning Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20200507121545/https://www.scmp.com/print/article/536434/bishop-zen-poised-become-cardinal. 7 May 2020.
  28. Web site: Tong Hon Card. John. 12 January 2019. 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.
  29. News: Cardinal Zen resigns as head of diocese of Hong Kong. 15 April 2009. 12 January 2019. AsiaNews. Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions. https://web.archive.org/web/20190111222932/http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Cardinal-Zen-resigns-as-head-of-diocese-of-Hong-Kong-14993.html. 11 January 2019.
  30. News: Bishop Tong joins Zen as HK cardinal. 7 January 2012. 12 January 2019. South China Morning Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20200507115728/https://www.scmp.com/print/article/989426/bishop-tong-joins-zen-hk-cardinal. 7 May 2020.
  31. News: Shock as Vatican brings Cardinal John Tong out of retirement to be acting head of Hong Kong diocese after death of bishop – blocking Occupy supporter Joseph Ha Chi-shing. 7 January 2019. Shirley. Zhao. Kang-chung. Ng. 12 January 2019. South China Morning Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20200507120728/https://www.scmp.com/print/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2181079/shock-vatican-brings-cardinal-john-tong-out-retirement-serve. 7 May 2020.
  32. News: Michael Yeung named new Hong Kong Catholic leader as John Tong retires. 1 August 2017. Danny. Mok. Tony. Cheung. 12 January 2019. South China Morning Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20200507121110/https://www.scmp.com/print/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2104856/leadership-change-works-catholic-churchs-hong. 7 May 2020.
  33. News: Hong Kong Catholics mourn their leader Michael Yeung Ming-cheung who died at age 73. 3 January 2019. Tony. Cheung. Danny. Mok. Elizabeth. Cheung. 12 January 2019. South China Morning Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20200507121430/https://www.scmp.com/print/news/hong-kong/society/article/2180459/hong-kong-catholic-leader-michael-yeung-ming-cheung-73-stable. 7 May 2020.
  34. Web site: Chow Sau-yan Card. Stephen, S.I.. 30 September 2023. Holy See Press Office. Holy See.
  35. Web site: Resignations and Appointments. 17 May 2021. 18 May 2021. Holy See Press Office. Holy See.

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