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RELIGION

In 1867, the Prefecture of Hong Kong was entrusted by the Holy See to the Pontifical Institute of Foreign Missions (PIME), whose Fathers have worked in the Colony since. The first Bishop, Msgr Timoleon Raimondi, was consecrated in 1874 when the Pre- fecture was raised to an Apostolic Vicariat. Under Bishop Raimondi, the work of the Church was extended in the New Territories and in South China proper as far as Waichow. He built St Joseph's Church on Garden Road and the present Cathedral on Caine Road, and brought to Hong Kong the La Salle Brothers who established St Joseph's College in 1875. The Catholic Centre was established after the Second World War and now houses the Catholic Press Bureau with its three weekly newspapers, the Catholic Truth Society, the Catholic Club, a lending library, a book centre and a chapel.

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On 11th April 1946, the Vicariat of Hong Kong was raised to the status of a diocese by Pope Pius XII, with Msgr Henry Valtorta, PIME, as the first Diocesan Bishop. Bishop Valtorta was succeeded by Msgr Lawrence Bianchi, PIME, in 1951. Under Bishop Bianchi's administration, the Catholic population has risen from some 43,000 to 220,000 today, over 90 per cent of them Chinese, spread out in 24 parishes on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon and in 14 rural districts of the New Territories. Chinese and non-Chinese active in pastoral, educational and welfare work in Hong Kong include 325 priests, 130 Religious Brothers and 700 Religious Sisters representing 33 Orders and Congregations and 30 nationalities. Simultaneously with spiritual service, the Catholic Church has since the war notably expanded its educational and social activities. There are at present 192 Catholic primary and secondary schools with an aggregated enrolment of 132,000 pupils.

Hong Kong's Jewish community worship at the synagogue in Robinson Road which was constructed in 1901 on land given by Mr Joseph Sassoon and his family. Mr Sassoon built the synagogue in memory of his mother Leah and it is therefore known as the Synagogue 'Ohel Leah'. The Jewish Recreation Club and the resident rabbi's apartments are on the same site. There are about 300 people in the congregation and they belong to families who originally came from the United Kingdom, China, India, Eastern and Western Europe, and the United States as well as people born in Hong Kong.