In 2014 Pope Francis condemned priests and lay people who turned their parishes into businesses by charging for such things as baptisms, blessings, and Mass intentions, calling it a scandal that is hard to forgive. “There are two things that the people of God cannot forgive: a priest attached to money and a priest who mistreats people,” he said in the homily.
 

A couple of months ago, an immigrant family, including a year old girl, approached a shelter home in Hong Kong. They had lost their travel documents and had served jail terms for couple of weeks and were helpless in the city. A priest offered them shelter, but not long after they decided to leave because they couldn’t abide by the regulations at the shelter home and were back on the streets with their kid. 
 

Alleluia! The Lord is Risen! Easter proclamation at the climax of the Service of Light during the vigil is perhaps the strangest and most radical message ever given, reminding the faithful of the victory of Christ over the powers of darkness and death: “Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.” We repeat the words too often that we’ve perhaps forgotten how weird and how wonderful they truly are.
 

Holy Week invites Christians to reflect on the Passion of Jesus Christ and relive the mystery of faith, suffering and resurrection, and examine their own conversion.
Holy Week begins with Passion Sunday, which takes its first reading from the Book of Isaiah. It narrates the Song of the Suffering Servant: “And I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced...” (Isaiah 50:5-8).

Fifteen years ago, in March 2003, the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a serious form of pneumonia, claimed nearly 300 lives in the Hong Kong. With a concerted effort by medical staff and citizens, the deadly epidemic was brought under control. Many in Hong Kong still cherish the memories of sacrifices of medical staff who died on duty and the cleaning workers who performed their duties faithfully. 
 

The 13th of March will mark the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ pontificate. Over the past five years, he has brought the Catholic Church new life. In particular, his concern for the poor and the disadvantaged in words and deeds, and his commitment to the promotion of peace have greatly impressed people within and outside the Church.
 
What is most impressive is that he stresses on the Church to “go out” to care for the poor and to practise social teaching.
 

Starting this Sunday, March 4, the diocese will celebrate the Scrutinies and the Rite of Anointing for catechumens over three successive Sundays. Preliminary statistics show that around 2,800 people will be baptised into the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil Mass on March 31. Each one of the faithful is called upon to accompany these new family members and to help keep their faith lighted.
 

This year, in an unusual occurrence, Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine’s Day—February 14 and the first day of Chinese New Year falls on the first Friday of Lent on February 16. Catholic youngsters in particular are in a quandary: is it okay to celebrate Valentine’s Day on Ash Wednesday? 
 

A month to go and the Church will enter into the sixth year of the papacy of Pope Francis. But has he earned more critics than friends in the past five years? 
 

Celebrating the Year of the Youth is a lovely way to honour the young people of the Church and also recognise them as leaders of not just tomorrow, but today. This should be a big year for the Catholic youth of Hong Kong and they need to capitalise on it and make the Church visible in this city.