Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-yan was ordained a bishop in Hong Kong’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday, December 4, 2021.
Cardinal John Tong Hon, the apostolic administrator of Hong Kong, presided over the Mass. Cardinal Joseph Zen and auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha co-presided.
Reflecting on his duties, Bishop Chow said, “As a successor to the Apostles by the grace of Almighty God, I request your constant prayers that I may always be loyal to God’s will as a shepherd to the People of God in Hong Kong, and faithfully carry out my duties.”
Bishop Chow is the first Jesuit bishop of Hong Kong. Prior to the role of bishop, he served as the provincial superior of the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus.
We offer our congratulations to Bishop Chow and appreciate that while he has challenges ahead of him in a tense situation, we trust that he will guide the church with wisdom and integrity.
In a brief speech at the end of the Mass, Bishop Chow said that he wanted to help “foster healing and connections” in the Catholic community in his "beloved hometown." “As the bishop, it is my desire to be a bridge between the government and the church in Hong Kong and between the Catholic Church, fellow Christian denominations, and other religions,” he said.
Born in Hong Kong in 1959, Chow went on to study in the United States, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota. He entered the Society of Jesus in Dublin, Ireland at the age of 25. He continued his studies at Loyola University in Chicago, where he earned a master’s degree in organizational development in 1995. Bishop Chow also attended Harvard University from 2000 to 2006, where he studied developmental psychology and earned a Doctorate in Education.
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