On September 10, the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong formally inaugurated the Diocesan Office for the Protection of Minors, St. Maria Goretti Center, with a solemn blessing ceremony led by Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan, Bishop of Hong Kong, according to a report from Kung Kao Po, the official Catholic weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Hong Kong.
Cardinal Chow, in his address, encouraged the Center’s members and stakeholders to be “the salt of the earth and the light of the world” in safeguarding children and vulnerable persons. He underscored the importance of fostering a community rooted in truth, love, and justice, while also highlighting the need for collaboration with church service units, other Christian denominations, and civic organizations.
The St. Maria Goretti Center has been established to promote education and formation to prevent abuse, while also providing pastoral accompaniment and support to victims. The opening ceremony gathered representatives from the Diocesan Curia, Catholic institutions, schools, Caritas, and the Anglican Church.
During the blessing, Cardinal Chow sprinkled holy water on the facilities and on the statue of St. Maria Goretti, patron saint of victims of sexual violence. He also commissioned four lay faithful as ambassadors to assist in safeguarding initiatives at the parish level. “To uphold justice,” Cardinal Chow stated, “means helping sinners to repent, acknowledge how they have harmed others, accept appropriate punishment, and seek reconciliation with both the victims and God.”
Reflecting on the experience of overseas dioceses that have declared bankruptcy due to abuse-related lawsuits, the cardinal noted that even such painful realities could bear fruit by teaching the Church humility in confronting these issues.
The ceremony concluded with Cardinal Chow and members of the Curia signing a Commitment and Declaration on the Protection of Minors, a gesture symbolizing the Church’s firm resolve to safeguard the vulnerable. The Diocese of Hong Kong also announced that parish and institutional volunteers working with children will soon be invited to sign the same commitment, in line with upcoming legal requirements.
Fr. Louis Lui Chi-man, Director of the St. Maria Goretti Center, stressed that safeguarding children and vulnerable communities is “an essential mission of the Church.” He recalled that years before this formal inauguration, the Diocesan Secretariat had already formed a working group to respond to complaints of child sexual abuse in diocesan organizations.
As Kung Kao Po reported, the creation of the St. Maria Goretti Center marks a significant step in the Diocese of Hong Kong’s continuing commitment to protection, prevention, and pastoral care.
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