New Bishop Hopes To Mend Social Divisions

The new head of Hong Kong's Catholic diocese, Stephen Chow, said on Saturday the church is willing to serve as a bridge for people to come together and mend their differences.

Pope Francis named Chow as bishop in May to replace Cardinal John Tong, who had held the post in a caretaker capacity following the death of the previous bishop, Michael Yeung, in January 2019.

Chow made the comment when speaking to reporters after his ordination at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday.

When asked how the city could mend its divisions two years since the 2019 social unrest, the bishop said sincerity is key to communication, adding that he hopes people from all sides could leave aside their strongly-held beliefs.

He noted that the situation in Hong Kong is complex but said he'll continue to look for ways to foster communication.

Chow added that while there were events in Hong Kong which made people feel unhappy and uncomfortable, he said people should look further into the future.

He also said he has a lot of confidence in young people, and he believes young people would do well as long as they could find the space to express themselves and have a vision for the future.