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RELIGION AND CUSTOM

1969. Almost two years later, on September 8, 1971, the Most Reverend Peter Wang-kei Lei was consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Hong Kong. The Church in Hong Kong suffered a sad loss when Bishop Hsu died on May 23, 1973, at the age of 52. Bishop Peter Wang-kei Lei was appointed as his successor in the see of Hong Kong on December 21, 1973.

Health, education and diversified social welfare works have been maintained and in some cases extended during the past year. In education, expansion continued and there are now 189 Catholic primary and secondary schools with a total enrolment of 243,857.

Social services include six vocational centres, six social centres, 13 hostels for students and working people, six hospitals, one maternity home, 20 general clinics, five dental clinics, two mobile clinics, four residential homes for children and 19 day nurseries, two homes for the aged, two for the blind and two training centres for the disabled.

In their Christian social commitment, the Catholic clergy and laity have, during the past year, increasingly engaged in joint activities related to contemporary con- ditions in Hong Kong with other Christian groups. In general the social dimension of education has been more stressed in the schools.

In February 1973 the first meeting of the central committee of the newly formed Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences took place in Hong Kong. It was presided over by Stephen Cardinal Kim of Korea with Bishop Hsu as executive secretary. This was an historic occasion--for the first time representatives of various Catholic hierarchies in Asia officially met to see in what ways they could co-operate.

Today, Church personnel engaged in pastoral, educational and welfare work in Hong Kong include 333 priests, 117 religious brothers and 797 religious sisters, 34 religious orders and congregations representing 32 nationalities. Catholics, at September 1973, numbered 257,713, more than 90 per cent of them Chinese, spread out in 53 parishes on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and 15 rural districts of the New Territories.

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With more than 8,000 members the Hindu community, which can trace its ties with Hong Kong back to early settlement, centres its religious and social activities round its temple at Happy Valley. This temple is frequently visited by swamis and learned men from overseas who give spiritual lectures to the community. A number of festivals are also observed, the more important being the Holi Festival, the Birth of Lord Krishna, Shivaratri, Dessahara and Diwali.

The Hindu Association of Hong Kong is responsible for the upkeep of the temple, which is also used for meditation periods, yoga classes and teaching Hindi to the Indian community. During 1973, the association sponsored several seminars on the ancient Hindu teachings of Bhagwat Gita and Upanshads which were given by Hindu scholars invited from India. The seminars were held in English and were open to all nationalities. Religious music recitals are also held periodically at the temple.