SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1984
SPEECH BY CHIEF SECRETARY AT CARITAS BAZAAR
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FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, AT THE CARITAS BAZAAR THIS (SUNDAY) MORNING:
+MY LORD BISHOP, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
+TODAY'S BAZAAR IS THE PRACTICAL EXPRESSION OF ONE OF THE GREAT TRADITIONS WHICH UNDERPIN HONG KONG'S COMMUNITY LIFE, THAT OF SERVICE BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY VOLUNTARILY GIVEN ON BEHALF OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS A TRADITION WHICH IS FIRMLY ANCHORED IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AND WHICH HAS BEEN SUSTAINED IN HONG KONG BY THE FACT OF FREEDOM, UNDER THE LAW, OF WORSHIP, OF BELIEF AND OF ASSEMBLY. IN THE CASE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN PARTICULAR, IT IS A TRADITION WHICH HAS BEEN FURTHER NOURISHED BY ITS LINKS WITH THE CHURCH OVERSEAS AND BY THE DEDICATED SERVICE OF THOSE IN HONG KONG WHO WORK IN THE CHURCH'S MANY SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND WELFARE ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS CARITAS.
+ IT MUST BE A SOURCE OF GRATIFICATION TO US ALL THAT THE DRAFT SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG CONTAINS SPECIFIC AND DETAILED COMMITMENTS BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO THE MAINTENANCE OF THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS WHICH SUSTAIN THIS TRADITION AND TO THE CONTINUING ROLE OF SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND WELFARE ORGANISATIONS RUN BY RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS.
+ IT IS EQUALLY GRATIFYING THAT THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS IN THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND THOSE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL BE BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF NON-SUBORDINATION, NON-INTERFERENCE AND MUTUAL RESPECT.
+BUT THE COMMITMENTS OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT MUST BE MATCHEL BY COMMITMENTS BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THIS IS WHERE THE TEACHING CHURCH AND ITS AGENCIES OF GOOD WORKS COME INTO PLAY. THE TEACHING CHURCH MUST STAND READY TO OFFER RELEVANT SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE TO CHRISTIANS AND NON-CHRISTIANS ALIKE; AND THE CHURCH'S AGENCIES OF GOOD WORKS MUST CONTINUE TO SET AN EXAMPLE OF SELFLESS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. HONG KONG IN OTHER WORDS, LOOKS TO THE CHURCH TO INSTIL A SENSE OF QUIET SELF-CONFIDENCE TO SEE US SAFELY THROUGH THE NEXT 13 YEARS AND BEYOND.+
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