The social role of Catholics in Hong Kong society

Hong Kong is experiencing significant social and political changes. The Catholic Church in Hong Kong is reorienting its social role, particularly as concerns its prophetic role in society and its relationship with the Socialist Chinese government, which has just resumed sovereignty after over 150 years of British rule. The Catholic Church has been an important contributor to the provision of education and social services but it was much less involved in social and political action. Hong Kong people are now learning slowly to publicly express their opinions. They are also learning to live with pluralism in moral and political principles. The Catholic Church is undergoing the same difficult learning process. It will be interesting to see how the Church can break new ground in its search for a new social role in present-day Hong Kong.