As Hong Kong, along with the rest of world, slips deeper and deeper into political and social polarisation, calls from Churches and other community groups for reconciliation have become both more numerous and louder.

But reconciliation can be slippery and even within the ranks of those who are calling for it, polarisation and division can proliferate.

Advent is a time to ask how Christians can respond to the increasingly polarised situation of politics across the world and especially at home in Hong Kong, as new challenges, such as the further division caused by the interpretation by Beijing of the Basic Law, present themselves.

The nomination period for the Election Committee, which will choose the next chief executive of Hong Kong, ended on November 14.

While the Catholic Church is allocated 10 of the 60 seats for the religious sector, Pan-Democrats are running in other sub-sectors in the hope of making an impact on public opinion, setting an election agenda and even affecting a directional change.

The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, inaugurated by Pope Francis on the feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) last year, will be completed when he closes the holy door in St. Peter’s Basilica on the feast of Christ the King (November 20).

In Hong Kong, the diocese is celebrating closing Masses for the Jubilee at the seven designated churches or chapels between November 6 and November 13.

To remind people to pray for the dead, the Church dedicates November as the Month for the Souls in Purgatory.

All Souls Day is celebrated on November 2, a day on which priests may celebrate three Masses for the dead. This tradition dates back to the 15th century Spanish Dominicans. In 1749, Pope Benedict XIV recognised the practice and granted the permission to clergy in Spain, Portugal and Latin America.

“EVERYONE HAS THE right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance,” Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says.

“EVERYONE HAS THE right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance,” Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says.

In mid-September the South China Morning Post ran a story entitled the Silver Tsunami, which looked at worrying statistics of aging that will place extremely severe pressures on medical and social services in Hong Kong.

The celebration of the Jubilee of Mercy draws to a close in two months’ time. However, the celebratory spirit of the universal Church is not winding down. This Sunday has been designated as the Year of Mercy Jubilee for Catechists. The Diocesan Ad Hoc Committee for the Jubilee of Mercy has invited catechists to celebrate together and reflect on this special day for which we all have much to be thankful.

Mother Teresa of Kolkata is scheduled to be canonised in Rome on September 4, which will give the liturgical calendar three saints with similar names, the others being two Carmelites, St. Teresa of Ávila, later declared a doctor of the Church, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.