Hong Kong’s Article 23 law: Catholic diocese to preserve integrity of confession, city’s top cleric says

Cardinal Stephen Chow pledges not to give up on confessions, after new law requires public to report treasonous acts ‘as soon as reasonably practicable’

‘Under the requirements of national security, we all need to adjust pastoral ways … [But] what has not changed is insistence on love taught by Lord Jesus,’ he says

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Hong Kong’s Catholic diocese will not give up on the confessional needs of the community, its top cleric has said. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 3:37pm, 29 Mar 2024Updated: 5:25pm, 29 Mar 2024

Hong Kong’s Catholic diocese will do whatever it can to preserve the integrity of confession, the faith’s top local cleric has said following the enactment of the city’s domestic national security law.

The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance took effect last week and requires residents who learn someone has committed or is about to commit treason to inform police “as soon as reasonably practicable” or risk up to 14 years in prison.

Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan, head of the city’s Catholic diocese, also said the community might need to adjust to the new legislation, but pledged not to give up on adherents who needed companions.

“Under the requirements of national security, we all need to adjust the pastoral ways. This may sometimes make us feel unsmooth, but what has not changed is the insistence on love taught by Lord Jesus,” he said at a service on Thursday.

He said the diocese under such circumstances would not give up on the confessional needs of the community.

In an Easter message, Cardinal Stephen Chow has urged the public not to underestimate the power of sharing and togetherness. Photo: Jelly Tse

“We will preserve the integrity [of the confessions] uncompromised, regardless of the cost,” he said.