Card Zen: The Hong Kong government is driving young people to despair, to the point of letting themselves be shot

In his homily, Card Joseph Zen, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, spoke about yesterday's protests against a draft extradition bill.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) – The government is pushing young people to desperate measures, to the point of letting the police shoot at them, not listening to their requests, said Card Joseph Zen, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, in his homily yesterday noon, as protests filled the central area of the city, near the Legislative Council (LegCo), where the extradition law to China is being discussed.

In the afternoon and the evening, police and protesters clashed as the latter tried to get inside Hong Kong’s legislature. Yesterday, the Diocese of Hong Kong issued a statement asking the government to delay the approval of the law until it has allayed the fears and concerns of the people of Hong Kong.

In it the Diocese calls on the parties to seek a solution to problems of the territory through peaceful means. Here are some excerpts from Card Zen’s homily (translation by AsiaNews).

Awake! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Rise up! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide your face; why forget our pain and misery? For our soul has been humiliated in the dust; our belly is pressed to the earth. Rise up, help us! Redeem us in your mercy. (Psalm 44: 24-27)

They say that someone is driving young people forward to commit violent actions. Who is driving them forward? It's our government, it's the policemen who harm society. We have never driven them forward; in particular, we who have faith have never done so.

But we heard young people say: "All of what we do is useless! It is better to end our life by letting them shoot us." We do not encourage them to do so; that would be too much. We should not sacrifice life too easily.

Let us pray that the Lord may give us peace and take care of us, wisely showing what we must do, and giving us the courage to sacrifice other things.

Let us pray for the people of Hong Kong, that everything may proceed safely, and let us pursue the objective set by the Lord.

Let us pray that the Lord may convert the hearts of those who do not listen to the voice of conscience, those who betray their neighbour for their own interests. Such is God’s true victory.

• hong kong
• china
• extradition bill
• political activists
• dissidents
• lawyers
• diocese of hong kong
• joseph zen
• rule of law