Leaders of six religions in Hong Kong send their greetings for the Year of the Pig

Young people, the elderly and the poor are at the centre of the Lunar New Year message issued by some religious leaders. "May all ethnic groups co-exist in harmony, religions develop in concord and humanism is put into practice,”

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) – Many Asian communities around the world are celebrating the Lunar New Year, which last night saw the start of the Year of the Pig. Below we propose the greetings issued by the Colloquium of Six Religious Leaders of Hong Kong, with representatives from Buddhism, Catholicism, Confucianism, Islam, Protestantism and Taoism.

2019, Jihai, the Year of the Pig is ever-thriving and full of vitality

In the advent of spring, with all ailments gone, all things flourish

In robust health with hearts’ desires granted, follow Heaven’s Dao

With modesty, deference and prudence, rid all grudges

Nurture wisdom and a peace of mind. Great virtue is magnetic

All religions have one heart with no strife or rivalry

In harmony and mutual help, discover the Truth, testify the value

Serve the community, unite in one heart

Families enjoy peace, mother country prospers

Peace to Tian Xia (the world)

On the occasion of the start of the Chinese New Year (the Year of the Pig) in the midst of economic uncertainties and instabilities, the Colloquium of Six Religious Leaders of Hong Kong sincerely offers our blessings and prayers to the people of Hong Kong. We cordially reach out our hands and with you all, walk together, live out the great love and overcome adversities.

Our strongest wish is to nurture the young and help them to cultivate virtue and wisdom for their loving hearts to become the light that illuminates people’s souls. We want to help our young students to develop clear goals so that they can adapt to their life path and walk on a broad and stately avenue in darkness without fear. We also want to help them to build a blessed life and inject hope into their future; and fill their lives with benevolence and love, mercy and compassion, justice and righteousness, and, truth and wisdom. Moreover, we pray that the government of the Hong Kong SAR and members of the Executive Council and Legislative Council, at the start of the Chinese New Year, will find a balanced approach to land use and land tenure, and to give concern to people’s livelihood especially the problems of elderly services, housing, and welfare for the underprivileged. It is also our wish that policy on education and internet discipline and the ethics of the mass media can be affirmed so that people’s mind can be put at ease.

It is great jubilation that this year is the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China as well as the 40th Anniversary of the Reform and Opening up of China and we, the Colloquium of Six Religious Leaders of Hong Kong would like to give our mother country our heartfelt blessings: ‘May our country enjoy prosperity and stability and may virtue spread over our land of sublimity. May the elderly be given the best of care, the children be well looked after and the young be nurtured. May people enjoy the fruit of economic growth and wealth and households move out of poverty. May all ethnic groups co-exist in harmony, religions develop in concord and humanism is put into practice.’ We, the descendants of the Chinese nation, being sheltered in the virtue of our ancestors, are benevolent and genuine, peace-loving and amicable. We tread in the way of Dao and cultivate virtue which we use to transform Tian Xia and benefit the world.

We, the Colloquium of Six Religious Leaders of Hong Kong, embracing our national and societal spirit of ‘mercy, love and compassion’ and the immortal spirit of ‘cultivating virtue, doing meritorious deeds and speaking words of wisdom’, take the auspicious occasion of the Chinese New Year to make our declaration of intent and ask the Providence to give us inspiration and blessedness, to give our mother country and the Hong Kong SAR the blessings of prosperity and peace. We earnestly pray that everyone would enjoy good health, peace and happiness as well as realize their wishers and fulfil their aspirations.

The Most Ven. Kuan Yun, President, The Hong Kong Buddhist Association

John Cardinal Tong Hon, Apostolic Administration, Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong

Dr. Tong Yun Kai, President, The Confucian Academy

Mr. Sat Che Sang, Ibrahim, Chairman, The Chinese Muslim Cultural and Fraternal Association

Rev. Dr. So Shing Yit, Eric, Chairperson, Hong Kong Christian Council

Mr. Leung Tak Wah, Chairman, The Hong Kong Taoist Association