His Eminence John Cardinal Tong Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Hong Kong Christmas Message 2019

Dear Friends,

Each year at Christmas, we recall the birth of the Infant Jesus into our human family. He ultimately died on the cross, redeeming us all from sin and opening the way to salvation.

Let us imitate Jesus, who set us an example of humility, poverty and simplicity. Let us respond

to His call for repentance, by reconciling ourselves with God, with humanity and with creation. Let us also imitate Jesus in caring for the poor and the needy.

Protests against the “Extradition Bill” proposed by the government last June have led to a socio-

political turmoil rocking the city over the past six months. As we approach Christmas, we earnestly appeal to all people to stop acts of violence. Let us have a cooling-off period for an in-depth

reflection on our social turmoil and find a way to resolve the current impasse in a humane manner,

restoring peace with healing of body, mind and spirit.

Once again, we urge the government to listen to the voice of the people and conduct an

independent inquiry into the violent confrontations between protesters and the police. This can help

to re-establish mutual trust between the government and the people and pave the way for a dialogue of

reconciliation.

We earnestly hope that our beloved city of Hong Kong will always uphold the core values of

democracy, freedom and the rule of law, and that the gap between rich and poor will be narrowed, conflicts resolved, and justice and peace prevail.

May the Love and Peace of the Lord be with you at Christmas and throughout the coming Year!