Hong Kong (SE): Caritas Hong-Kong hosted is annual spring reception on February 15 in the Community Hall of Caritas House, Caine Road, to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Over 200 benefactors, government representatives and well-wishers, together with John Cardinal Tong Hon, the apostolic administrator, of the Diocese of Hong Kong; Father Joseph Yim Tak-lung, the chief executive officer of Caritas; and Father Peter Choi Wai-man attended the reception.
 
Students of Caritas Chai Wan Marden Foundation Secondary School entertained the gathering with a lion dance and showered tiny images of pigs into the crowd, to celebrate the Year of the Pig. Members of the Caritas Hugs Centre gave a musical performance, sharing the message of encouragement and support.  
 
While addressing the gathering, Cardinal Tong described pig as an animal whose image has changed with times. In an agricultural society, it used to be an image of food, good luck and good harvest, which are the important elements of building up a family. Because of the popularity of piggy banks in modern times, it then became a symbol of savings, which offer support to oneself and people around when necessary. With a touch of humour, the cardinal said the pig now carries a new image of being cute and smart, as many well-loved cartoon characters are pigs, like McDull and McMug. 
 
He said the pig can also symbolise effort as captured by the expression, “go the whole hog,” meaning ‘to do something as entirely or completely as possible; to reserve or hold back nothing.” 
 
The cardinal encouraged those present to learn from the different images of the pig and work hard with simplicity, gentleness as well as awareness of the trend. He wished them abundant blessings in the New Year. 
 
Speaking to the Sunday Examiner Father Yim said the focus of Caritas for the coming year would be to address the three Ls: the last, the least and the lost—a concern which the late Bishop Michael Yeung Ming-cheung held close to his heart. 
 
“It is not easy to fill the gap left by Bishop Yeung”, Father Yim said.