A Missionary Journey to Fragrant Harbour
October 2015 – October 2022
In April of 2017, on the occasion of my 40thAnniversary of priestly ordination, I wrote a 2-page piece with photos about the “Journey of a Vocation” that brought me from my own young formation and call, largely inspired by a Hungarian Jesuit who had been expelled from China in the early 1950’s and was given shelter in my home parish (St. Joseph’s Church, Garden City, NY). I was a young altar server, and I had an immediate rapport to this kindly young priest who barely could speak in English, but who struck me by his holiness and simplicity each time I was privileged to serve his Masses. It was because of Father Ladislaus Cser, S.J. that I applied to a Jesuit High School (Brooklyn Preparatory), and later on his continued example led me ultimately to apply to join the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America (the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers), desiring even back then to serve the Church not just as a priest but as a missionary.
Another small story of my vocation came in 2ndgrade when we were being prepared for First Communion. The nun who taught us began asking us about what we wanted to be in the future. When it came to my turn, I apparently shocked her with my response, “I want to be a priest!” Not satisfied with that, she asked me, “What kind of priest?” I had no idea there were different kinds, but again, the image of Father Cser came to mind, so I said, “I want to be a missionary!” Sister was still not satisfied, and pushed further asking me, “Well, where do you want to go to be a missionary?” I felt cornered. I knew Father Cser went to China; I also knew a small but about Russia – it was the time of the Cold War. So, I blurted out, “I want to go to China or Russia!”
To my surprise, God seemed even then to have a hand in this as, eventually, my missionary journey that began from 1974-1976 as a seminarian and then from 1977-1990 in Tanzania, then led me to ten years’ service to the Holy See (the Vatican) as a minutante in the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, and then… to seven years in Russia (2001-2007), followed by nearly three more years back in Rome at the Holy See (2007-2009). In late 2009, I was recalled to the US for what we call “Society Service” assigned to preach in parishes throughout the USA about our missionary work. However, in 2012 when an opportunity to go to Surinam to open a new mission had to be tabled, I was asked to return to studies and get a decree in Canon Law at the Catholic University of America, where I graduated in May of 2015. It was exactly a week before my graduation that I was informed by my General Council that they wanted me to consider being assigned to Hong Kong! One evening shortly after this request, as I knelt in quiet prayer in our chapel at Maryknoll, I looked up and over me hung two flags. One was the flag of China, but the other was a flag I had never seen before, a 5-petal flower on a red background. Yes, it was the flag of Hong Kong. I finally agreed to the assignment and that brought me to this wonderful parish on late October 2015.
In these last seven years, I have been privileged, humbled, and blessed to serve primarily the English community at St. Margaret’s. Not only has it been a honour to preside at the weekly Sunday Masses, but also, over the years, to teach and form adult catechumens number now well over 100 people in the baptism classes of 2016 through 2022. I have also prepared over 50 couples for marriage, and presided at an almost equal number of marriages here and at other churches in Hong Kong. Presiding at marriages later brought invitations to preside at the baptism of the children of these couples, and then soon enough seeing children from both these families and our English CCD programme receive First Communion and Confirmation. Some of these young children have later become altar servers for our Masses, and today they join the senior altar servers I first met when I came in 2015 – Justin, Francis, Martin, Gabriel, Matthew and Mark and many others who joined in more recent years (such as Curtis, Jason, Damien, Jaden, Eugene and Nicholas) as well as older servers from the wider parish community who have assisted us through these seven years.
We began forming a small parish council to serve our English community and bringing together volunteers to assist as Lectors and Choir members – while representing our own plans and views to the wider parish council of St. Margaret’s.
Aside from parish activities that revolve around a very lively sacramental ministry, I organized updating courses for adults on the Life of St. Paul, and on other pertinent questions. In the midst of our worst dark times of the pandemic and lock-downs, I was able – spurred on my so many – to begin taking weekly Masses in our chapel, then later in a classroom, while also in this past year organizing a Spiritual Retreat for every Monday, Wednesday and Friday of Lent, while also taping my entire RCIA program so that many others could follow the classes on-line.
Back in 2018, a small group of parishioners travelled with me to Italy for a small pilgrimage that led to a much wider Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of St. Paul in late 2019.
Throughout these seven years, I have appreciated the support and assistance of Fathers John B. KWAN, Joseph TAN Lei-Tao, SVD, Edward CHAU, and of course are eminent Father Francis LI Yu-Ming, and then joined by Fathers Wong Kwan-Yau, Xavier, and now our pastor, Father Andrew KIM, K.M.S. and our newest Associate, Father Francis ZHAO, C.I.C.M. together with Deacon Nestor Kwan and our entire pastoral team and parish staff. One could not ask for a more supportive and competent group of people.
After seven very fruitful years, I am now called to serve my community in the US, but I carry back with me many happy and blessed memories of the time God has given me to serve the Church here in Fragrant Harbour (Hong Kong). I leave with many new friends, with ample new pastoral experiences to help my missionary priesthood, but above all with the grace and blessings that have come from being able to serve in this parish.
我衷心感謝你。願天主繼續祝福你們每一個人，就像上帝繼續祝福香港人一樣。
Fr. Joseph V. McCabe M.M.
