Oblates of Mary Immaculate: First priest from Hong Kong

35 year old Fr. Dominic Fung King-ho, will minister in St. Alfred parish. The new priest's homage to Cardinal Zen "who showed me how to love the least". The OMI have been present in the former British colony since 1966 where they are active in educational institutions and in serving the poor. Since 2001 they have also had some form of presence in mainland China.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - The congregation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate recently celebrated the priestly ordination of its first missionary from Hong Kong.

Father Dominic Fung King-ho, 35, was ordained a priest by Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan on 3 December at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

It was an important moment for the Chinese OMI community present in Hong Kong since 1966 - where it is active in educational institutions and service to the poor - and since 2001 also in mainland China in Beijing and Gunagzhou.

Together with Bishop Chow, Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun, former Bishop of Hong Kong, Fr Christian Fini, Provincial Superior of the Oblates of the Australian Province, and Fr Slawomir Kalisz, Delegate Superior for China, presided over the ordination.

"Love God's people and let the poor be the compass of your path as a priest. With these two things, you will never go wrong,' his superior Fr Fini told the newly ordained, reports the Hong Kong diocesan weekly Sunday Examiner.

"My hands anointed with chrism belong to God and to each of you," Fr Fung said. "Let me serve all of you, this is my mission. Let us accept this grace together and serve the Church in our positions. I am not afraid to show my weaknesses, because that is where we can see the power of God'.

The new priest also expressly thanked Cardinal Zen for showing him how to love the least by his example. He also recalled an incident that had occurred years earlier during a formation camp: he had returned from an excursion with swollen feet and was moved when, after dinner, he found the then Bishop of Hong Kong who had brought him hot water and medicine to cure him.

Fr. Fung, who grew up in a Catholic family, started attending youth group activities promoted by the Oblates in 2006. He also attended small vocation groups in the diocese to strengthen his prayer life and discern his vocation.

After graduating, he worked for six years in the Oblates' primary school, thus having the opportunity to encounter the spirit of the congregation more deeply. He entered the novitiate in 2014 and did his formation in the Philippines. Returning to Hong Kong in 2018, he made his perpetual vows in September last year, prior to his ordination as a deacon.

He celebrated his first Mass on Sunday, 4 December at St. Alfred, the Hong Kong parish to which he was destined.

In recent years, other young Hong Kong men like Fr. Fung have also responded to their vocation by joining the Oblates. One of them will take perpetual vows next year, while two other seminarians are in training in the Philippines.

The Oblate superior delegate for China, Fr. Kalisz, confirmed during the brother's ordination that the Oblates will continue to encourage young men to respond to their vocations with good examples, cultivating a sense of belonging to the Church and serving the poor. 

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