Chow's five-day trip, to start on April 17, follows an invitation last year by the Bishop of Beijing, Joseph Li Shan, the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese said in a statement on Thursday.

It cited Chow saying the visit "underscores the mission of the Diocese of Hong Kong to be a bridge....and promote exchanges and interactions between the two sides".

A Diocese spokesperson on Friday confirmed to Reuters that it will be the first time since 1994 - when Hong Kong was still a British colony - that a Hong Kong bishop has officially visited Beijing.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that China was not aware of Chow's upcoming visit.

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Bishop Stephen Chow commented in the Sunday Examiner that these plants "are proofs of the amazing power of life that comes from the Creator. How can they grow up in such a tight and awkward environment?

"I can feel that Hong Kong, including our church, is becoming more like an existence within cracks," Chow said.

"We used to enjoy much space and freedom of expression when we could express our opinions in any way we like."

Hong Kong's new national security law came into effect in June 2020, imposing strict punishments for those accused of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign or external forces.

After the arrest of several high-profile pro-democracy activists including Cardinal Joseph Zen, Chow has urged the faithful to refrain from "reactive" instincts. Instead, followers should search for God amid the changing social landscape.

The Cardinal's arrest in May was connected to his work at the former entity, the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. The fund used to provide financial assistance to pro-democracy campaigners to help cover their legal costs and medical bills.

Cardinal Zen was released on bail but his arrest sparked an international outcry from governments and human rights groups.

While some have opted to leave Hong Kong, others have stayed, Chow said, saying he made his own choice when he decided to accept his appointment as bishop of the territory.

"I want to share with you that the love and light of God can be found in all things, even cracks," he said, pointing to the image of flowers, trees, and shrubs that have grown up through cracks.

"They have demonstrated that nothing can prevent life from flourishing, adding colours, beauty and hope to our world," he said. "The tougher the condition, the more resilient life will be. Cracks can even widen in some cases."

Amid these circumstances, faith can be "an amazing engine that empowers our lives, individually and collectively, if we positively live out our faith," he said.

"However, if we only want to stick to the past, not ready to find God's guidance in the changing context, our lives will become bitter and sour. Darkness will take hold of us."

Chow insisted that accepting the changing reality and social situation "does not mean endorsing it" but rather finding a way forward by "learning to discern new possibilities with a creative mindset amid tensions from the changing context."

Sources

• Crux Now
• Christian Today

During his homily at the Hong Kong diocesan Chrism Mass, Bishop Chow said he had "turned to English, just to address our ordained brothers, and I hope one day maybe ordained sister[s] too."

The bishop's homily did not focus on the topic, instead calling priests and deacons to "synodality through our own ministries in collaboration with the different capacities, or different roles, among the People of God… discerning the direction in which the Spirit wants us to move as a body."

With an allusion to the language of Pope Francis, the bishop also called his clergy to be "shepherds…realistic yet transcending, not stuck in a specific time or space, and not being shepherds without the smell of the sheep."

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"Due to the government's new measures to curtail social interactions, the diocese temporary closed all churches and chapels for public worship. The authorities have banned even conducting online Mass at churches. Regrettably, this was our first time to adopt such a stringent approach" the bishop said.

Bishop Chow said his "heart was heavy" when he announced the closure of churches on February 8.

"I could feel the disappointment of Catholics because of their inability to pray in the soothing tranquillity of their churches during such a worrisome time" he said.

"I could also feel the mounting anxiety with a deepening sense of helplessness in the people around me. When would this come to an end? When could we reclaim our ‘normal' lives back, if ever".

The highly transmissible omicron variant has affected healthcare facilities and proved hard to control. On February 27 Hong Kong reported a record 26,026 infections with 83 deaths. More than 67 deaths were reported at nursing homes.

Bishop Chow, who was appointed by the Holy See in May last year, said Hong Kong has many elderly people who are yet to be vaccinated against Covid-19. As a result, they have become jobless and are dying.

"Besides the government, we have to render them the essential protection, assistance and hope" the 63-year-old prelate said in his letter to the city's 400,000 catholics.

For two years, Hong Kong successfully insulated most of its residents from COVID-19. The population often went months without a single locally spread case. Then the omicron variant emerged.

The fast-spreading mutation breached Hong Kong's defences and has been spreading rapidly. The infected are overflowing hospitals and isolation wards, prompting testing of the entire 7.4 million population. The city is hurriedly building six isolation and treatment centres to cope with the surge in cases.

The surge shows what happens when COVID-19 strikes a population unprotected by immunity from previous infections. It has exposed a low vaccination rate among elderly citizens who are bearing the brunt of the crisis.

Only about 30% of Hong Kong residents over the age of 80 and around 58% of those in their 70s are fully vaccinated, lagging younger populations by a large margin. This is despite the fact that vaccines have been widely available in Hong Kong since early 2021.

Sources

UCA News

AP News