Advertisement
Catholic Church
Hong KongSociety

Vatican appoints Stephen Chow as new bishop of Hong Kong

  • The 62-year-old is one of the youngest priests promoted to the job since the Vatican began appointing Chinese bishops in the city
  • Hong Kong Catholics have been without a permanent leader for more than two years and observers say Chow is a prudent choice

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
12
Bishop-elect Stephen Chow, 62, is seen as a prudent choice to lead Hong Kong’s polarised Catholic community. Photo: Nora Tam
Mimi Lau

The Vatican has named Stephen Chow Sau-yan as the bishop of Hong Kong, the Holy See said on Monday, an appointment made at a tumultuous time for the city as its political and religious freedoms are tested.

Hong Kong’s Catholics have been without a permanent leader for more than two years since the death of Bishop Michael Yeung Ming-cheung in January 2019. The Vatican brought 82-year-old former bishop John Tong Hon out of retirement to serve as the apostolic administrator, a role he will remain in until Chow has been consecrated as bishop.

At 62, Chow is one of the youngest priests to be promoted to full bishop in Hong Kong since the Vatican began appointing Chinese bishops in the city nearly five decades ago. Observers called the appointment a prudent choice for the city’s polarised Catholic community since Chow “has not displayed any obvious political leanings”.

Reverend Joseph Ha Chi-shing, a pro-democracy advocate, remains the auxiliary bishop of the diocese, according to church sources.

An educational psychologist and theologian, Chow has headed the Society of Jesus, Chinese Province in Hong Kong since 2018 and is supervisor of its two Wah Yan College campuses, a Catholic secondary school for boys.

Reverend Joseph Ha Chi-shing remains the auxiliary bishop of the diocese. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
Reverend Joseph Ha Chi-shing remains the auxiliary bishop of the diocese. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
Advertisement