CHURCHES
(Continuation)
Previous articles have referred to the rapid growth of Roman Catholicism in the Colony, aided doubtless by the influence of Macao. Hongkong was made a Bishopric quite early in its history and for a time, a little church in Wellington Street, served as the Cathedral. It was not until 1884, however, that an edifice worthy of the name was opened here. It stood where the present fine Cathedral is now situated.
Much interesting information about the history of Roman Catholicism in Hongkong is contained in a speech made by Bishop Raimondi at the laying of the foundation stone on December 9, 1883. An imposing religious ceremony was witnessed on that day. Fifteen hundred people attended. They included: His Excellency the Governor, and Lady Bowen and the Misses Bowen; Admiral Meyer, French Commander-in-chief, and Capt. De la Batie, Commander of the Victorieuse; the Hon. W. H. Marsh, Colonial Secretary and Mrs. Marsh, and Miss Thornton; Mr. Jas Russel, Puisne Judge; the Hon. E. L. O'Malley, Attorney General; Capt. Dempster, Acting Superintendent of Police; Deputy Assistant Commissary General Fincham, Ordnance Store Department; Lieutenant Vyvyan, Aide-de-camp to the Governor; Dr. Drew, R.N.; Mr. J.M. Fleming, Surveyor, Royal Engineers Department and Mrs. Fleming; M. de Jardin, French Consul, and Mme. de Jardin; Mr. Mencarini, Spanish Consul; Mr. Loureiro, Portuguese Consul; Mr. Romano, Brazilian Consul; Mr. Mosby, Vice-Consul for the United States; Dr. and Mrs. Fisher; Mr. Stephens, solicitor; Mr. N.J. Ede; Mr. Maguire, Private Secretary to the Governor; Mr. G. S. Coxon; Mr. J. H. dos Remedios and Mrs. Remedios; Mr. J. P. da Costa.
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After the foundation stone had been laid and blessed, Bishop Raimondi addressed the gathering. It was only a few years ago, he said, when there was but one Roman Catholic Church in the Colony, in Wellington Street, and that a small one indeed. It was subsequently enlarged, but soon after the necessity of having another Church for the Chinese was felt, and a second one was built in Wanchai.
Not long afterwards, a third church was built in Garden Road for the English-speaking Catholics, and later a small chapel was opened at West Point.
This did little to ease congestion, however. In the Wellington Street Church on Sundays, no less than four successive services were held, and at the most imposing service, a large portion of the Catholic community could not be admitted for want of room. Moreover, the neighbourhood of Wellington Street had changed of late for the worse, and experience had taught them more than once the danger the Cathedral was exposed to of being burnt down by fires originating in or reaching the vicinity. They had therefore secured a large piece of ground upon which to build a cathedral sufficiently large to meet the wants of the present Catholic community. The ground was purchased from Messrs. Gibb, Livingston & Co., being at that time very uneven. The place, perhaps, might be thought too far away from the centre of the town, but it would probably take them by surprise to learn that it was more conveniently situated for the Catholic community than the Cathedral in Wellington Street, and His Lordship made bold to say that when the Church was built, dwelling houses would spring up around as if by enchantment, in the place which, some years ago, people used to frequent for picnics.
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