I would like to extend my sincere greetings to you all under the shadow of the raging pandemic. I hope the COVID situation would ease as soon as possible, and everyone can return to their normal everyday life. May the merciful heavenly father lead us out of this predicament so that we will be able to glorify God with our prayers in patience.

As of 10^th February, due to the escalated COVID situation, the Diocese, at the request of the Government, has suspended the opening of churches, chapels, and mass centres where public masses are regularly held, and while any other physical religious gatherings are temporarily suspended. Although we have to maintain social distancing with each other during the pandemic, our communion with Jesus and our brothers and sisters in Christ has not been affected. We can even better experience our dependence on God, as well as our care for each other. Through mutual prayers and caring, we can better perform our mission of being "salt and light of the world".

While "Home among Homes Fund-raising Concert" has to be postponed, donations from faithful and passionate donors never cease. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their enthusiastic support. Meanwhile, the organising committee is still diligently preparing for this event. Once the venue and new date are confirmed, we will make every effort in presenting the most meaningful concert and we look forward to your continuous support.

Ever since the pandemic, the works of the Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development has never been slacked off. We are making every effort to use various information platforms to maintain close contact with the faithful and report on our work progress. We are going to implement various columns on this website to publish news and information regularly. We have also established our social media platforms in Facebook, IG and YouTube to foster closer contacts with you all. Other than that, the Commission is planning more online fund-raising events as well as creative ideas to compensate the inadequacy of physical campaigns due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic measures and we are soliciting your continuous support.

Riding on the success of "Thy Kingdom Come - Online Exhibition & Charity Bidding" in 2020 and upon robust demand, another phase of "Thy Kingdom Come – Online Exhibition & Charity Bidding 2.0" is preliminarily scheduled in the fourth quarter of this year. Please stay tuned. In the meantime, the Commission has concluded various short and mid-term projects on the drawing board and hope to work with you all in our church building and development works.

On behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, I would like to thank all our donors for their contributions to our Diocesan Church Building and Development Fund. All proceeds will go towards the funding of church building and parish development projects. We are hoping to raise HK$500 million in the first phase to support the construction of Fanling St Joseph Church, the planning works of the new Tung Chung parish and expansion of niches in the cemeteries. Thanks to the generous donations, we have so far raised HK$60 million, which is 12.5% of our target. As the superstructure and most of the internal works of Fanling new church are already completed, we expect to obtain the occupation permit in the third quarter of the year to start interior decoration. Part of the early phase construction fee has been covered by the funds raised. We are working closely with the government on the land purchase for our Tung Chung project and we expect to incur considerable fees in the short future. As such, there is enormous pressure to raise funds to cover the necessary cash expenditure imminently. May I therefore appeal to your support to complete this challenging yet divine mission together.

We are actively promoting regular periodical contributions to establish recurrent income source for our fund. At the moment, there are 152 faithful signed for periodical donations. I would like to express my gratitude to their generous support and hope their participation can motivate more faithful to join the pool so as to enable a more stable growth of the development fund.

In the meantime, let me invite you all to pray together for God's guidance to accomplish this meaningful task together. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35) May God bless you with an abundance of grace, peace and happiness.

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

The fifth wave of the pandemic shows no sign of abating, with as many as 200 brothers & sisters dying as well as tens of thousands infected every day. Facing such catastrophic situation, medical practitioners are adhering to their duties faithfully. I would like to pay my tribute to all the frontline staff from every distract, especially the sanitary workers, who are all working diligently at their posts. I am convinced that the merciful Lord will lead us out of this gloomy situation. While encountering brothers and sisters who are in desperate need of assistance, we must remember to take practical actions in offering the necessary help. Because the Lord Jesus taught us, “Whatever you did to one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt. 25:40); so, let us pray for the medical staff and their families, all those infected, those providing anti-pandemic services, the deceased and their family; asking our Heavenly Father to protect them and let His love endure forever.

While our mood is inevitably affected by the pandemic, yet we dare not let go of the tremendous responsibility of raising funds for church building and development. All committee members are working hard at their posts in addressing current urgent tasks as well as formulating short and medium plans to support the development of the evangelisation ministry of our diocese. “Home among Homes Fund-raising Concert” was originally scheduled to be held on February 25; however, due to closure of the venue during the pandemic, the concert must be postponed. The organising committee applied twice for re-scheduling and recently got the confirmation to rent Queen Elizabeth Stadium for November 2, 2022. We hope that all performers would continue to perform for you as originally planned. Those who have booked tickets can rest assured that the sequence of their orders remains unchanged. We will now proceed with ticket sale according to the new concert date. With the uninterrupted and continual support of our brothers and sisters in Christ, it is indeed gratifying to note that “Home among Homes Fund-raising Concert” has raised to date HK$6 million. We thank and praise God for all His merciful arrangements. We look forward to having more members of our diocese take part in the “Faith, Hope & Love” donation scheme as well as other forms of support. “Never fail to perform a good deed deemed as petty”, donations, no matter how much, are sincerely appreciated. Auxiliary Bishop Rev Joseph Ha recently published an article on our website teaching us about “Giving as a Practice of Spirituality”. I sincerely hope everyone would read it in detail to have a deeper understanding of the close relation between selfless donation and our spiritual formation.

While the superstructure and internal works of the new church in Fanling are more or less completed and we anticipate obtaining the occupation permit in the third quarter of the year to start interior decorations; it is unfortunate that due to the ongoing pandemic, such works will likely be delayed, and various costs increased as a result of unavailability of supplies. The campanile is a symbolic structure of the new church and the five bells we purchased from Italy have been cast and delivered. According to Rev. David Chan, the five bells were precisely cast in fine details. They will certainly produce the sacred tintinnabulation in drawing all nations to our Heavenly Father.

Social media for “Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development” such as Facebook and IG have been established to provide updated information to the general public in a timely manner. Please feel free to browse through and promote at your convenience.

Remember “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”(Acts 20:35) May the Lord bless you with grace, peace and happiness.

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

We are grateful the fifth wave of the pandemic has finally eased. It is indeed exciting that parish life is generally returning to normal with the allowed capacity of liturgical congregation increased to 80 percent as of May 21^st. Members of the Diocesan Fund-raising Commission have immediately carried out various physical fund-raising activities. They first visited St. Thomas Apostle Church in Tsing Yi on May 14^th and 15^th, followed by visiting the Cathedral on Caine Road on June 4^th and 5^th. Before the end of the Eucharistic celebration, various members of the Commission asked for contributions from parishioners by introducing their goals and tasks. They have received encouraging support from priests and faithful both in cash and periodic donations, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude for their support. I also salute the parishioners of Transfiguration Chapel in North Point who have been selling face masks to support the Diocese during three consecutive Sundays on May 22^nd, 29^th and June 5^th.

Catholic Education Office and the Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan Schools Council will hold a unique “Joint School Rope-Skipping Fun Day” on July 25^th at St. Joseph’s College to raise fund for our Commission. Riding on the success of the first Joint-school Rope Skipping Charity Rally in 2021, the Catholic Religious Schools Council and Hong Kong Caritas Vocational Training & Educational Services Department will join force in inviting all Catholic schools, seminaries as well as Caritas Schools, including all secondary schools, primary schools, and kindergartens, to participate in this exercise with the hope that all students can participate and experience the joy of the virtue of charity and serving others. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the students, parents, teachers, and staff for their contributions and pray that they will all be blessed with God’s grace.

Meanwhile, members of the Commission are actively preparing for the “Home Among Homes Fund-raising Concert” to be held on November 2^nd. We will accept pre-booking of tickets in August while the box office will open in early October via the Urbtix network. The “The "Hearts Connected Online Donation” scheme to support our guest performers and teams will be launched online in October as well. Please follow our future announcements for details.

To build on the success of “Thy Kingdom Come 1.0” online auction, “Thy Kingdom Come 2.0 - Online Charity Sale of Pastoral Literary and Artistic Works" will also take place in December this year. Priests and nuns have already prepared exquisite works in anticipation of your full support. We look forward to receiving your contribution to the development works of the Diocese while bidding for your favorite artworks.

Due to the impact of the pandemic, the construction of St. Joseph’s Church in Fanling is inevitably delayed. The Diocesan Commission for Church Building and Development is working closely with the contractors to hopefully receive the occupation permit before the end of the year to start interior works. With the enthusiastic support of our parishioners, $70 million has been raised so far; however, there is still a long way to reach our goal of raising $500 million in this initial phase. Let us continue to strive towards our goal and offer our fruits to the glory of God. May our merciful Heavenly Father continue to bless and guide us.

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

Various members of the Diocesan Fund-raising Commission visited the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception on 25^th & 26^th May, presenting to our parishioners our latest development, fund raising for our ongoing projects, and conducting charity sale at the same time. They were assisted by the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and members of Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and supported by the Pastoral Council and other charitable associations & organisations. I would like to extend my gratitude to all the staff members for their hard efforts. With the generous donation from faithful of the Cathedral, over $155,000 was raised in two days. Meanwhile, with the charity sale of face masks at St. Jude Church in North Point, $60,000 was raised and the whole sum was donated to our Commission towards the building of churches. I am truly grateful!

"Rope Skipping for Health, Church Building for Manifestation of God's Love" – A project involving the students and parents from all Diocesan, Catholic and Caritas schools, this joint school fund-raiser for our Commission through the sport of rope skipping was officially kicked off on 6^th June. From 6^th June until 1^st July, teachers, students as well as parents from all schools actively participated and generously donated to our cause. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all those who contributed. We are still in the process of counting the donations received and will report to you in due course. Meanwhile, the organiser will hold a unique "725 Rope Skipping Fun Day" at St. Joseph's Anglo-Chinese School on 25^th July which will be broadcasted live. The QR Code link will be published on our website and you are cordially invited to watch online.

Among the various fund-raising events in preparation is the "School Hymn Bel Canto" Heart-to-Heart online campaign, which I trust, will bring us much unexpected excitement. While reminiscing on our past school life, we can return to the embrace of our alma mater and witness her development over the years. This will surely be an event not to be missed; as we pay tribute to the contributions of our predecessors, we cherish the blessings we enjoy today. I sincerely hope we continue giving back to society, enabling a brighter future for the next generation. "Thy Kingdom Come 2.0 - Online Charity Sale of Pastoral Literary and Artistic Works" by the pastoral community will take place in December this year. We have already collected many exquisite works by priests and nuns, and I hope you will be able to bring home your favourite piece. We have also started organising a charity walk next year, and we welcome all Catholics to participate in this large-scale event. Meanwhile, "A Home Among Homes – Fund-raising Concert" will be held on 2^nd November. All performers are rehearsing in full swing to bring the best entertainment to our audience. Pre-sale of tickets will resume in August while the URBTIX box office will be rescheduled to 30^th September. "Hearts Connected Online Donation" will be launched in October for you to show support to your favourite performers. Details of the scheme will be announced in due course.

May we continue to work hard to support the works of our Commission and strive to build a parish centre befitting a "Home among Homes" for our brothers and sisters in developing districts.

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

The long anticipated "Home among Homes Fund-raising Concert" has entered its countdown stage! The 12 performing teams are rehearsing diligently with the hope of bringing the audience a warm and unforgettable evening on 2^nd November. Have you purchased your tickets to support our Diocesan Fund-raising Commission? I sincerely invite everyone to procure your tickets on the URBTIX network without delay in order not to miss out this opportunity of enjoying the wonderful performance by members of our parish pastoral team, parishioners, musicians, and students.

Below is the list of performing teams (in no particular order)

1. The Chancery Group: Bishop Stephen Chow, Cardinal John Tong, Rev Joseph Ha Auxiliary Bishop; Rev Peter Choy VG; Rev Kam Po Wai VG; Rev Joseph Chan VG, Rev Paul Tam, AMDG Carl Chung, Good Hope Orchestra and Kowloon Wah Yan Choir
2. H.K. Diocesan Chinese Priests Association Reps: Rev Peter Leung (Tenor) Rev Paul Tam (Flute) & Velda (Piano)
3. Male Missionary Group: St Joseph Freinademetz's Family
4. Female Missionary Group: Maryknoll Sisters Sr Esther Warioba MM and Team, Rev Paul Kam VG and Rev Phongphan Wongarsa
5. Female Missionary Group: Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception & Good Hope School Choir
6. Diocesan Diaconate Group: Permanent Diaconate of the Hong Kong Diocese and Emmanuel Music
7. Diocesan Secondary School Reps: Raimondi String Orchestra
8. Diocesan Primary School Reps: Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan Schools Council (Primary Section)
9. Diocesan Kindergarten Reps: St Margaret Mary's Catholic Kindergarten
10. Musical Faithful Group: AMDG & Friends
11. Musical Faithful Group: FreeUp Music
12. Hong Kong Diocesan Priests Group

In addition to such exciting performance line-up, we are honoured to have Prof. James Mark as production consultant of our concert. Prof. Mark has been working intensely and rigorously in producing this concert. Do not miss out on the opportunity of appreciating Prof. Mark's works that have been known to be meaningful and of the highest calibre.

Kindly also surf our website and visit the "Hearts Connected Online Donation" page under "Fund-raising Events" where you can receive more information on the performing teams and view videos of their rehearsals. Don’t forget to show your support with your online donations!

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

We are indeed grateful for God’s wonderful arrangement. Due to the typhoon, the "Home among Homes Fund-raising Concert" on November 2 had to be cancelled. Whilst we were worrying about the re-scheduling, the Queen Elizabeth Stadium fortunately provided a slot for us on Dec 12. The spirit and morale of the entire organizing committee and the performing teams were lifted, and we immediately gathered our strength for the best performance.

I would like to thank all the team members for their continuous hard work. In fact everything was ready before the typhoon. In my last report, I was saying the preparations are "all set to go". However, good things come with challenges, and the once-in-a-decade typhoon hit Hong Kong in November. Yet the committee kept calm and relaxed, entrusting everything to the good arrangement of our heavenly father and nightly video conferences were held to discuss countermeasures. In the end, a contingency plan was decided. The venue would be set up for rehearsals on November 1 and the morning of November 2 as originally planned. On the other hand, a "deadline" was set at 3:00 p.m. on November 2, to decide if postponement was needed. Meanwhile, all necessary documentation and arrangements were made ready on hand. APPLAUSE! On November 2, the Hong Kong Observatory announced that No. 8 Signal would be hoisted at 1:40 p.m. The committee decided on the spot to "clear" the venue with staff members of the stadium and the production company so that the activities of other organizations would not be affected the following morning. We experience how with the loving care of God around us; a task can be well done.

The program of the December 12 concert remains basically unchanged, and the tickets for November 2 remain valid with no change in seating. A limited number of tickets are still available at the URBTIX box office, so don't miss out on this family-friendly music event. To support and encourage our performing teams, the Hearts Connected Online Donation platform is still operating as usual until December 16. We hope that you will continue to support us enthusiastically and celebrate God's grace together.

Opening ceremony for the “Thy Kingdom Come 2.0” Exhibition of Pastoral Art Pieces and the Online Charity Bidding will be held in the afternoon of December 17 at the Cathedral by Bishop Stephen Chow. We are happy to see many more pastoral staff participating in this year's charity sale with an abundance of unique master pieces, including Chinese painting and calligraphy, holy icon paintings, oil paintings, wood cravings and pyrography, representing the different talents that God has given to them in ministry. Please visit our website for more information and further details.

Let us pray that the Lord will bless the "Home among Homes Fund-raising Concert" on December 12 with every success.

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

Thanks to God's wonderful providence and guidance, the “Home Among Homes” Fundraising Concert was finally completed on 12^th December 2022, after a series of delays and further delays. The concert also raised over $14,000,000 for the Diocesan Church Building and Development Fund. We would like to thank all those who donated and attended the concert; and we are confident that your donations will meet God's grace and favour. I would also like to thank the performing groups for their excellent and hard-working participation, which made the evening a warm and memorable one for all our brothers and sisters present. We are grateful for the unity of the Church, from the Bishop and the pastoral team, the diocesan primary, secondary and kindergarten school teams, to the elite musicians of the laity. They all worked together to demonstrate the joy and communion of the Church family, the "Home Among Homes". I would also like to express my gratitude to Mr. James Mak, the programme director, and Mr. Phoebus Chan, the production director. You and your team are the credit behind the scenes and your contributions will be remembered always. Of course, I would like to send my best wishes and gratitude to the entire "Home Among Homes Fundraising Concert Organizing Committee", especially to WestcomZivo Ltd and their colleagues for sponsoring the production of the publicity leaflets and the programme. They have kindly contributed their money and efforts to complete the challenges for the event under the tight timeline to achieve a near-perfect "Home Among Homes Fundraising Concert". All your efforts will be rewarded a hundredfold, thank you! I would also like to apologise to our brothers and sisters who have been affected by the postponement, as the organising committee has no experience in dealing with postponement of concerts in such a scale. Kindly excuse them for any inconvenience caused.

The fund-raising concert was followed suit by another online charity sale of pastoral artworks at the Cathedral, “Thy Kingdom Come 2.0”. In the afternoon of 17^th December, Bishop Stephen Chow officiated at the opening ceremony and the exhibition of the artworks. This year, the number of pastoral staff participating in the exhibition is even greater than last year, and the exhibits are much more diverse, including Chinese artworks, wood carvings, icon paintings, oil paintings and wood burning, which demonstrates the different talents that God has given to our brothers and sisters in ministry. In view of the relaxation of pandemic prevention measures, we have extended the bidding and the exhibition in the Cathedral until 31^st January 2023 while the handover ceremony will be held in the afternoon of Saturday, 11^th February 2023. Please visit our website under "Thy Kingdom Come 2.0" and lend your active support!

Meanwhile, we invite you to join us on Sunday, 23^rd April 2023, when the Diocese will hold a walkathon, “Together We Stride”, to raise funds for the Church Building and Development Fund. The walk will start at 3pm at the Amphitheatre of the Science Park in Tai Po, officiated by Bishop Stephen Chow, and will take about 1.5 hours to reach Yuen Chau Tsai Park in Tai Po, a distance of about 5 kilometres. We welcome all Catholics in Hong Kong to join us for a walk to get fit, enjoy the beautiful scenery and family outings along the road, and of course, contribute to the Church Building and Development Fund.

With best wishes for the lunar new year!

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

Thanks be to God, the online charity sale of pastoral artworks for "Thy Kingdom Come 2.0" has been successfully completed. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the pastoral staff who contributed to the exhibition by selflessly sharing their God-given talents with the faithful in donating their artistic creations of Chinese artworks, wood carvings, icon paintings, oil paintings and wood burning, and so on. All the works of art were handed over to the benefactors on 11 February, and the project raised $825,500 for the Church Building and Development Fund.

The Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development will organise a fundraising walkathon, "Together We Stride", on Sunday, 23^rd April 2023 from 2pm to 6pm. The walk will start from the Science Park Amphitheatre in Shatin, continue along the Waterfront Promenade up to its far end, and then return on the same route to end at Pak Shek Kok Park in Shatin. The entire journey is about 3 km in length and takes about one hour to complete.

Our Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan has kindly accepted our invitation to officiate at the event. The kick-off ceremony will be held at 3pm at the Science Park Amphitheatre. After the ceremony, participants are invited to walk along the promenade and enjoy the beautiful view of Pat Sin Leng on the opposite bank in the pleasant company of friends and family members while enjoying a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

Before and after the opening ceremony, we have also arranged for a number of choirs and bands from different parishes to perform for those who will be arriving early, and to entertain those who chose to start late.

Apart from raising funds for the building of churches and development of the Diocese, the aim of the event is to unite all parishes, Catholic schools, diocesan committees/institutions, and other Catholic organisations in the spirit of the Diocesan’s "Home among Homes": unity, sharing and communion.

Therefore, I would like to appeal once again to all parishes, Catholic schools and diocesan organisations to strongly encourage your parishioners, students and members of different organisations to join force in participating in this fund-raising walkathon and to actively seek sponsorship.

I look forward to seeing you all at the event and may the Lord bless you!

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

Stride with a heart!

Our outdoor fundraising activity, "Together We Stride" walkathon, was successfully completed on 23rd April, 2023 under the beautiful weather that our good God provided. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all brothers and sisters who participated in this event and the generosity of all sponsors and participants. Thank you for showing your love every step of the way!

With an unprecedented number of participants, nearly 4,000 brothers and sisters attended the event, including students and parents from 69 Catholic primary and secondary schools, pastors and faithful from 39 parishes, and representatives from 7 seminaries and parish groups. Many parishioners were forming a military-wise march with their pastors as the standard bearers uniformly completed the 3-kilometer journey; other church members worked in small groups, chatting and taking pictures along the way and greeting priests, nuns and friends. It was a warm and happy gathering, which fully demonstrated the communion and unity of the church family. After the event, we continued to receive photos and thank you messages shared by our church members, fully expressing the joy of the participants and their gratitude for the perfect arrangement of the event.

I especially want to thank the members of the organising committee for their thoughtful arrangements. It had taken a full year from the first inception to implementation with so many struggles to overcome. The walking route alone had to be revised repeatedly according to different requirements! With love and support of all parties, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, everyone was united in overcoming all difficulties to complete this event! I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to the strong "volunteer team" for their support. They are the teachers and students from St. Francis Xavier's College in Fanling and Kwok Tak Shing Catholic Secondary School, volunteers from various branches of the Legion of Mary, Tung Chung Visitation Parish, Fanling St. Joseph's Church, Tai Po Church of the Immaculate Heart and St. Benedict's Church in Sha Tin. There were also a number of catholic artist teams providing performances and entertainment, including the children's choir of St. Benedict's Church in Sha Tin, the choir of Visitation Church in Tung Chung, Free Up Music and Maria & Friends. The vibrancy of their performances had  been receiving overwhelming support. Please excuse me for not being able to thank all other teams and benefactors in detail.

The total amount raised in this event is still being tallied and collected. So far we have received donations of about $6 million and I will report the details in a later stage. Thank you! All in all, "Together We Stride" has fully reflected the Diocese's spirit of "Home Among Homes": unity, sharing and communion. We owe it all to your participation and support. May the Lord bless you and lead us forward!

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

Rope Skipping Day for Love, Health and Fitness

Following the success of the Diocesan Church Building Fundraising Campaign "Together We Stride" walkathon on April 23, 2023, with the full support and participation of all the parishioners, another Church Building Fundraising Campaign "Joint-school Rope Skipping Rally", which involved all the Catholic Schools in Hong Kong, was also held on July 3, 2023, with fruitful results. Thanks to God's grace, we are able to utilize the power of unity and service to the Church to make progress towards the goal of raising HK$1 billion, one project after another! We would also like to thank our co-workers and donors for their selfless contributions to the construction of the new church and the future development of the church!

"Together We Stride" Donation Receipt

Recently, we have received a lot of enquiries on the issue of receipts for donations made to "Together We Stride". We would like to apologise for the delay in issuing the receipts owing to the large number of donors of more than 10 000. We have to rely entirely on manual to processing of the donations, while bank-in of cheques has to be carried out in batches. We understand that there is much room for improvement. We have consolidated the experience of this first large-scale walkathon, and we hope that by the time we organise Together We Stride 2.0 in 2025, we will be able to make use of the e-platform as much as possible in the handling of donations, so as to provide a quick and convenient way of repaying your support.

Rope Skipping for Health and Church Building for Manifestation of God's Love

We would like to share with you how our "Stars of Tomorrow" participated in this annual fundraising event of "love" and "fitness" on 3 July, the "703 Rope Skipping Fun Day". The event was organised by the Catholic Education Office and co-organised by the Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan Schools Council, Catholic Religious Schools Council and the Educational Services Division of Caritas Hong Kong, etc. It was held at the Lai Chi Kok Catholic Primary School with the participation of 111 Catholic primary, secondary and kindergarten schools. The Fun Day was held for the third time this year. Apart from rope skipping activities, booth games and sports activities were also arranged for guests, teachers and students of various schools. As early as early May, they launched a fund-raising campaign in all Catholic schools. Through this fund-raising campaign, parents, alumni and students who are not of the Catholic faith were be able to learn about the contribution of the Catholic Church in Hong Kong at the educational, social and spiritual levels, and were encouraged to join hands in organising the construction of the new Church to serve the community. On the day of the event, students from more than a hundred schools skipped rope together, and the scene was spectacular!

As Bishop Stephen Chow said in his opening speech at the Fun Day, "Supporting the Diocese's church building programme is not only for the pastoral needs of the developing Church, but also for the sake of Hong Kong, so that Hong Kong can continue to develop, and so that people can have healthy physical, mental and spiritual development. On the one hand, the rope skipping activity encourages students to exercise regularly and cultivate a healthy lifestyle; on the other hand, through this Rope Skipping Fun Day, we can unite different stakeholders in the Catholic schools and contribute our individual strengths, so that more people will be aware of this good deed."

As the title suggests, Rope Skipping Fun Day is truly a meaningful programme that combines love and fitness, and is one that everyone should support every year!

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

Rev. Pietro Paolo Dossi, PIME, Parish Priest of St. Joseph's Church in Fanling has written a letter to all brothers and sisters in Christ, which is available on this webpage. The content was about their preparations for the forthcoming completion of the new church, their personal journey of self-renewal, their plans to relocate to their "old home," and their enthusiastic efforts in carrying out evangelization activities. I highly encourage everyone to read Father Dossi's letter, to share in their joy, and to collectively bring glory to God!

The committee is honored to have visited the new St. Joseph's Church in Fanling on September 5, 2023. Despite the ongoing interior renovation work, the overall design was already perceived as perfect. We are delighted to celebrate the imminent completion and upcoming inauguration of this sacred place of worship, which will serve as a new "home" for our brothers and sisters in northern New Territories. On that day, we had the opportunity to share with Father Dossi their preparations for the "homecoming," which encompassed both spiritual and practical aspects. We deeply felt their profound dedication and thorough preparations. In our conversations, we also witnessed their joy and expressed endless gratitude towards the brothers and sisters who generously contributed to the construction of the new church.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Ms. Jennifer Yu for serving as the ambassador for our clothing charity sale event, "Dress for Hope," held from October 4th to 8th, 2023. Her participation has certainly added a vibrant touch to the project. We are especially grateful to the generous donors who contributed high-quality clothing for this worthy cause. The enthusiastic participation of the faithful in selecting and purchasing items, along with the dedication of the committee members and volunteers, played a significant role in making this project a resounding success. We extend our sincerest thanks to all those involved. A preliminary estimate indicates that the event has raised an impressive amount of over HKD 400,000, the results are truly fulfilling.

In order to improve communication with different parishes, the committee has formed a "Parish Liaison Officer" team. This team is dedicated to improving and facilitating contact between the committee and the parishes. They also assist the committee in promoting fundraising activities at the parish level and provide valuable feedback to optimize their work. The inaugural meeting took place on October 14, 2023, at Caritas Restaurant on Caine Road. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the support and participation of all the parishes.

The committee has taken on the responsibility of raising HKD 1 billion for the Church Building and Development Fund. As of now, we have successfully raised HKD One Hundred and Thirty-seven million. We encourage everyone to contribute to the best of their abilities, as we work together to build a strong and united Catholic community.

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

Thanks be to God, the new wing of St. Joseph's Church, Fanling, which was built with great effort by the Diocese, was consecrated by Cardinal Stephen Chow, Bishop of Hong Kong, on January 6 this year. The total construction cost was HK$350 million. Thanks to the donations of our brothers and sisters in Christ, the Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development raised a total of HK$140 million in the past few years, i.e. 40% of the construction cost. With the opening of the new wing of St. Joseph's Church, we are confident that the new church in Fanling will become a base of evangelization for the glory of God and love of mankind, and that it will be able to provide impetus for all of us to donate to the church and to accomplish the remaining fund-raising goal. We are now offering a fund-raising campaign called “Together We Build our Home” for the naming of the kneeling benches in the new wing of St. Joseph's Church. For a donation of HK$30,000 or above, you can have your name, or that of a saint, engraved on the kneeling benches of the new sanctuary, with details to be announced later.

The Fourth joint school rope skipping charity campaign commenced since May 13. On June 28, a number of Catholic schools had taken the lead in organizing the Fun Day to raise funds and successfully broken the SDG Rope Skipping World Record (Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations) with their slogan“Hundreds Schools Rope Skipping in One Accord, Church Building to Glorify God”. The Committee will make extra efforts to launch innovative fund-raising programs so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of cultural and recreational activities whilst participating the charity. Among our plans this year is a large-scale walkathon in Tung Chung and next spring, a mega, concerted diocesan schools marathon variety show, please stay tuned and join us. Of course, we will continue to visit different parishes on a regular basis for publicity and fund-raising, and we look forward to your generous donations.

Our next imminent tasks will be the construction of a new church in Tung Chung and the upgrading of cemetery facilities at an estimated addition of HK$500 million. In the next phase, we would need to raise altogether HK$860 million in order to complete the outstanding works of St Joseph’s Church and to start the above new projects. The sum looks huge, I believe many a mickle makes a muckle. With hundred thousand of Catholic population, each parishioner contributing $2,500 will make our hope come true. Your continuous support will help us achieve our goal soonest to let you all enjoy the new facilities and services of the Diocese. Of course, we also look forward to more regular monthly donations which will provide a steady and predictable income for our development fund.

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

Thanks be to God, after the grand opening of the new wing of St. Joseph's Church in Fanling, a fund-raising activity called “Together We Build Our Home” for the engraving of the kneeling benches in the new wing of St. Joseph's Church was launched in end August. For a donation of HK$30,000 or more, a person's name or a saint's name can be engraved on the kneeling benches of the new St. Joseph's Church. It is a rare opportunity to have your name engraved on the kneeling bench and to leave a legacy of goodwill in the new sanctuary, so please take advantage of this opportunity and join as soon as possible, as there are only a limited number of places available for engraving.

The Island East Deanery's 2024 Mission Festival Musical “Hope for Life” was successfully presented for five performances from October 18 to 20, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from close to 2,500 parishioners attending the performances. Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the Hong Kong East Deanery for donating the proceeds to the Diocesan Fundraising Commission for Church Building and Development. The show was produced by the devout parishioner and renowned director, Mr. Michael Mak, as the Artistic Director and Chief Director, together with more than one hundred parishioners from the eight parishes in the Deanery, each excelling in their own role. We would like to pay tribute to the parishioners of the eight churches for their dedication to the production of the play, as well as the assistant directors, actors, dancers, Cantonese opera singers, and all the talents in front of and behind the scenes!

We are actively planning and widely promoting the Monthly Donation Scheme for the Commission. So far, nearly one million dollars has been collected through this method of donation, and we hope that you can give regular support to the Fund.

The Federation of Catholic Diocesan Schools is actively organizing a “Diocesan School Variety Show and Music Marathon Fundraising Event”, which is expected to be launched in March next year, details of which will be announced in due course. The Committee is also actively organizing a large-scale fund-raising event for the 2025 Walkathon, which will be held in Tung Chung. Of course, we will visit different parishes to publicize and raise funds on a regular basis, and we look forward to your donations.

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development

I wish all brothers and sisters in the Lord a happy New Year with an abundance of the Lord's favour!

We will organise a fundraising walkathon in Tung Chung on 23 February this year. After the announcement of the programme, we have received positive responses and support from various parishes and Catholic schools. At the time of writing, over 7,000 brothers and sisters had signed up to participate. We hope that more people will take part in the fund-raising campaign for the building of churches, especially for the new church in Tung Chung, through this healthy walk for the body and mind. It is also hoped that you will continue to make generous donations to make this great project a success.

In order to facilitate donations, we have set up a new e-payment platform which was officially launched on 16 January, and so far, 449 participants have set up their own webpages. Among them are 171 faithfuls from 33 parishes, 208 from 99 schools and 60 walkers from the public. This platform greatly improves administrative efficiency, and tax-deductible receipts can be sent to donors via email immediately. We hereby urge you to make use of the online e-platform as much as possible to enroll and donate, to reduce the tedious administrative work brought about using physical enrollment forms.

St. Joseph's Church, Fanling has launched a Pew Engraving fund-raising campaign, i.e. donors of HK$30,000 or above can have their names engraved on the kneeling benches of the new Church, and this has received overwhelming support from the public. 96 donors have responded to this fund-raising campaign so far.

On 22-23 March this year, the Catholic Diocesan Schools will be organising a unique fund-raising event, 'Let Talent Shine', which is a variety show and music marathon fund-raising event bringing together the best of the best from Catholic schools. Details will be announced as soon as possible. Do not miss out on this event as you will be raising funds for the building of the Church while enjoying a pleasant surprise!

Rev Dominic Chan
Chairman
Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development