No_6_1955 — Page 57

SAINT

FRANCIS

D'ASSISI

CHURCH

KOWLOON

Architect:

N. J. CHIEN

At

Two photographs of the new Church, illustrating its imposing size and balanced proportions.

the Midnight Mass of Christmas 1955. a new church dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi was opened in the Shek Kip Mei area of Kowloon.

The church building is a very outstand- ing one, both in size and appearance, the exterior being finished in stone colour em- phasized by the white vertical mullions and surrounds of the windows, and the colour contrast of the roof. The roof lines produce a different kind of contrast as well, for it sets the theme of the de- corative element in Chinese architecture which is superimposed on the traditional Western design on which the building is developed.

The whole external appearance of the structure is so pleasing because of the harmonious combination of modern eccle- siastical design, and Chinese motifs work- ed in purely for their decorative touches.

A distinctive feature of design is that the church itself is on the first floor reach- ed by a wide double staircase in the cen- tre of the building on Shek Kip Mei Street, leaving the entire ground floor free for a school and a covered auditorium with a

FOS DE MA

was reduced to

At the end of March 1955, at the open- greatest part of those shelters, built of ing ceremony of the laying of the corner inflammable materials, stone by His Lordship Bishop Bianchi, ashes in a few hours. Msgr. A. Riganti, Vicar-General of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, said in part:

"On that occasion, the response of the public to appeals for assistance was most praise-worthy and generous. Special praise "Newcomers to Hongkong or residents, is certainly due to Government Authorities length of 112 feet and a width of 38 feet, who did not visit Shek Kip Mei in past who, with enlightened policy and within and a stage 38 feet wide and 25 feet deep. years, could never imagine how this loca- a short time, built on the place where lity looked two years ago, when hundreds those huts existed, decent quarters to In the new school, which is part of the of unsightly and unhealthy wooden huts, acommodate the thousands made homeless Church building, there are 12 classrooms built, of course, contrary to all regula- by the fire. 50 that two sessions will give primary tions, covered this ground and the ad- education for almost 1,500 pupils resident jacent area. in this area in Kowloon. This school was opened in time for the fall term of 1955. A large playground is situated in the rear

"Today, His Lordship Bishop Bianchi is happy and proud to be here at Shek "Such conditions, besides showing the Kip Mei to lay the cornerstone of premises, con- whose urgent need has been felt for many state of poverty of the dwellers, stituted a continuous danger of fire. In years: a church and a school; a beautiful fact, a terrifying and disastrous conflagra- temple where the faithful will assemble to The plan also includes a clinic for the tion started on the very evening of Christ- praise God and to fulfil their religious Shek Kip Mei area.

mas 1953 and spread so rapidly that the duties: a new seat of learning, a modern

of the school.

55