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RTHK
09-05-2025
- Politics
- RTHK
HK Catholic Church rallies around new pope
HK Catholic Church rallies around new pope The Hong Kong Catholic Church said Pope Leo emphasises "bridge building and a church for the poor". File photo: RTHK Shue Yan University assistant professor Anthony Lam says Pope Leo's experience in working for the poor in South America means he will adopt a very practical approach to truly help people. Photo RTHK Cardinal Stephen Chow has called on the faithful in Hong Kong to join in praying for and blessing the newly elected Pope Leo XIV who has emphasised a need for people throughout the world to show love through dialogue and compassion and build a church that can help the poor. Chow's call came after the 69-year-old Augustinian priest, whose name is Robert Francis Prevost, became the first of 267 popes in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church to be elected from the United States. Speaking in a statement on behalf of the Hong Kong Catholic Church, Chow said the new pope emphasises "bridge building, a synodal church and a church for the poor". "He urges the faithful all over the world to make a collective effort in creating a more harmonious world with love and inclusivity," Chow said in the statement. "Together with the faithful, Cardinal Stephen Chow, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, gives thanks to God for choosing Pope Leo XIV. "They pray that God will bless him abundantly in his future ministry as the Supreme Pastor of the Roman Catholic Church." The diocese's remarks were echoed by a local scholar, who also noted that the new pope could assist socially-disadvantaged communities around the world in a very practical manner given the high regard in which he is held by cardinals from around the world in electing him. Shue Yan University's Anthony Lam said the American was a favourite as his election only required four rounds of voting held over a relatively short period, indicating that the cardinals reached a consensus quickly. Lam, an assistant professor in the department of journalism and communication, added that Pope Leo's more than 20 years of work in Peru as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo means he has a good understanding about the plight facing socially-advantaged communities. "He was working for the poor in South America, and it must have been a hard experience," he told RTHK. "He would have encountered issues of hunger or poverty, or individuals who did not get the opportunity to develop themselves, as well as the plight brought by such deprivation. "These problems are very real; they are real difficulties in life, so I believe if he tries to solve such issues, he will adopt a very practical approach to truly help those in difficult situations." For years, there had long been a taboo against electing a US pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere, and Lam believes the new pope's election can bring back balance to the bias. Lam said Pope Leo's choice in settling on his papal name is a tribute paid to the last pope who took the name, Pope Leo XIII, who focused much of his papacy on labour rights as well as social justice. "I think his election will help bring balance back to the United States to counter the current hegemonic US President Donald Trump." Pope Leo XIV was born in 1955 in Chicago. He was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru in 2015, before becoming a cardinal in 2023. From 2023 until his election as pontiff, he served as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under the Holy See.
RTHK
09-05-2025
- Politics
- RTHK
HK Catholic Church rallies around new pope
HK Catholic Church rallies around new pope The Hong Kong Catholic Church said Pope Leo emphasises "bridge building and a church for the poor". File photo: RTHK Shue Yan University assistant professor Anthony Lam says Pope Leo's experience in working for the poor in South America means he will adopt a very practical approach to truly help people. Photo RTHK Cardinal Stephen Chow has called on the faithful in Hong Kong to join in praying for and blessing the newly elected Pope Leo XIV who has emphasised a need for people throughout the world to show love through dialogue and compassion and build a church that can help the poor. Chow's call came after the 69-year-old Augustinian priest, whose name is Robert Francis Prevost, became the first of 267 popes in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church to be elected from the United States. Speaking in a statement on behalf of the Hong Kong Catholic Church, Chow said the new pope emphasises "bridge building, a synodal church and a church for the poor". "He urges the faithful all over the world to make a collective effort in creating a more harmonious world with love and inclusivity," Chow said in the statement. "Together with the faithful, Cardinal Stephen Chow, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, gives thanks to God for choosing Pope Leo XIV. "They pray that God will bless him abundantly in his future ministry as the Supreme Pastor of the Roman Catholic Church." The diocese's remarks were echoed by a local scholar, who also noted that the new pope could assist socially-disadvantaged communities around the world in a very practical manner given the high regard in which he is held by cardinals from around the world in electing him. Shue Yan University's Anthony Lam said the American was a favourite as his election only required four rounds of voting held over a relatively short period, indicating that the cardinals reached a consensus quickly. Lam, an assistant professor in the department of journalism and communication, added that Pope Leo's more than 20 years of work in Peru as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo means he has a good understanding about the plight facing socially-advantaged communities. "He was working for the poor in South America, and it must have been a hard experience," he told RTHK. "He would have encountered issues of hunger or poverty, or individuals who did not get the opportunity to develop themselves, as well as the plight brought by such deprivation. "These problems are very real; they are real difficulties in life, so I believe if he tries to solve such issues, he will adopt a very practical approach to truly help those in difficult situations." For years, Lam said, there had long been a taboo against electing a US pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere. He believes the new pope's election can bring balance to the bias. Lam said Pope Leo's choice in settling on his papal name is a tribute paid to the last pope who took the name, Pope Leo XIII, who focused much of his papacy on labour rights as well as social justice. "I think his election will help bring balance back to the United States to counter the current hegemonic US President Donald Trump." Pope Leo XIV was born in 1955 in Chicago. He was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru in 2015, before becoming a cardinal in 2023. From 2023 until his election as pontiff, he served as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under the Holy See.
South China Morning Post
06-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong should cast the education net wider than mainland China
More mainlanders are studying at places offering tertiary education in Hong Kong since the admission quota for non-local students was raised. While the influx may underline the quality of education, there are good reasons to limit numbers to ensure local students will not become the minority. Advertisement It is shocking that some self-financing institutions have an intake of mainland students exceeding 60 per cent of their total enrolment, nearly six times the limit. The violations have prompted Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin to issue warnings that they could negatively affect their academic accreditation. 'We have also alerted the Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications and this will be taken into account when the council looks into the institutions' academic and quality accreditation in its regular review,' Choi said. Currently, the mainland student quota for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Shue Yan University and Hang Seng University stands at 20 per cent of their total enrolment. Chu Hai College of Higher Education, Tung Wah College and the Technological and Higher Education Institute have a quota of 10 per cent. Official data shows the percentage of mainland students at Chu Hai College hit 62.6 per cent in 2024-25, up 42.7 per cent on 2023-24 and 21.6 per cent on 2022-23. Shue Yan University also exceeded the limit with a rate of 23.3 per cent this year. Authorities are right to send warning letters to the institutions concerned, and to adopt a pragmatic approach in the hope that such intakes may return to the desired threshold. Advertisement To raise the city's status as an international education and talent hub, the non-local admission quota at the eight publicly funded universities has recently been doubled to 40 per cent. While there is probably room to raise the quota among self-financing institutions as well, concerns are growing that the 'Study in Hong Kong' brand has drawn more mainland students rather than those from elsewhere. Officials should review the situation from time to time to ensure the goal of an international education hub can be achieved.
South China Morning Post
06-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong gas usage remains below pre-pandemic level for sixth straight year
Gas consumption in Hong Kong stayed below the pre-pandemic level for a sixth straight year in 2024, with the supplier expecting the pattern to persist due to what economists said was a 'structural decline' in usage linked to lifestyle changes, including increased travel to mainland China. Advertisement The city's sole gas supplier, the Hong Kong and China Gas Company, better known as Towngas, also linked its forecast to the warm weather expected this year. Professor Lee Shu-kam, the head of Shue Yan University's department of economics and finance, pointed to 'a structural decline in sales' of gas in the city. 'A very important factor is the poor economy. When there are fewer tourists, shops will use less [gas],' Lee said. 'What's more important is that after the pandemic, many people have shifted to consuming more on the mainland.' For instance, those aged 60 or above can travel by rail free of charge in Shenzhen by presenting their Home Return Permits, passports or other identity documents issued by the local government, according to a website of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau. Advertisement The waived transport fares were 'very attractive' Lee said. 'But when you are up there, you definitely need to have meals.'
