Opinion | With the appointment of a new bishop, let the healing begin in Hong Kong
- Hong Kong’s new bishop was reluctant to accept the role, but a reluctant leader may be the best kind. In a divided city, he can serve a bigger purpose and play a transformative role
The 62-year-old is one of the youngest priests to be promoted to bishop in Hong Kong since the Vatican began appointing Chinese bishops in the city almost half a century ago.
A Jesuit, Chow currently heads the Society of Jesus, Chinese Province in Hong Kong and supervises its two Wah Yan College campuses. He had initially turned down the promotion to bishop, believing the position should be filled by a diocesan priest.
Jesuits, unlike diocesan priests, are not ordained to a particular geographical diocese to serve the local bishop. It has even been said that Jesuit priests are explicitly discouraged from becoming bishops – which explains Chow’s reluctance to accept the role, and some Roman Catholics’ surprise at his appointment.
But a reluctant leader may be the best kind: someone who is stepping into a leadership role neither because he has an ambition to fulfil, nor because he is on some career track. Rather, Chow is accepting the role to serve a bigger purpose than himself.
