Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) – Two pilgrimages, in Italy and Hong Kong, are at the center of the celebrations being held by the Third Order Canossians, in honor of the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Daughters of Charity (FdCC, Canossian Sisters) and the 20th anniversary of the canonization of their foundress, Saint Maddalena di Canossa (1774-1835), who was canonized on October 2, 1988 in Saint Peter's Square. They have been present in Hong Kong for over 148 years now, carrying out their service of “Humility in Charity.”
According to a report from the Kong Ko Bao (the Chinese version of the diocesan bulletin), during this past summer thirty members of the Third Order, accompanied by their family members, took a 15-day pilgrimage to Italy, entitled “Following in the footsteps of the Foundress,” during which they also celebrated the Year of Saint Paul. On November 1, the pilgrimage visited the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul in Hong Kong, where they were joined by Canossian Sisters. During the pilgrimage, they were also able to view two documentaries: one on the history of the Canossians and the Foundress, and the other on the Pauline mission and how to rekindle the missionary flame. The Canossians of Hong Kong have also carried out various other initiatives, centered on the theme: “Getting to know the Canossians, their history, and their evolution in Hong Kong.”
The Canossian Order was founded in 1808 in Italy, when Maddalena of Canossa, in overcoming the resistance placed by her family who was rich and of noble class, began working in the poorest slums of Verona (Italy), following what she understood was the Lord's will: “to serve those most in need, with the heart of Christ.” “Making Jesus Christ known” was the great passion of Maddalena and it is the inheritance that today the Sons and Daughters of Charity are called to live. The Daughters of Charity now number about 4,000, present in the five Continents; the Sons of Charity are now about 200 and are working in Italy and Oceania. There are also various lay groups associated to the Canossian spirituality. In 1860, upon the request of the then Apostolic Prefect of Hong Kong, the Superior General of the Daughters of Charity sent 6 young Italian sisters to Hong Kong, and in 1874, to Macao. Passing a long trip and a great many difficulties, the first Canossian missionaries opened the house in Hong Kong, from whence they began to expand across the Asian continent. Today, following the charism of their Foundress, they work in the areas of education, pastoral work, healthcare, and social needs, and are highly esteemed by the people there. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 5/11/2008)
