HONG KONG (CNS) One Anglican and two Catholic bishops from Hong Kong and Macau have accepted invitations from the Chinese government to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on August 8. Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong told the Asian church news agency UCA News in early June that Coadjutor Bishop John Tong Hon was invited from the diocese, but that he was not.
Bishop Tong was quoted in the June 15 issue of the Hong Kong diocesan English weekly, the Sunday Examiner, as saying that Cardinal Zen had given his blessing for the two-day trip after consulting the Vatican.
The bishop said he wants "to witness the success of the Olympics, as wished for by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, earlier this year."
On June 4, Bishop Jose Lai Hung-seng of Macau confirmed with UCA News that he, too, had received an invitation to the opening ceremony. He said he would represent the Catholic Church in Macau and join a Macau government delegation and other religious leaders at the ceremony.
Anthony Lam Sui-ki, senior researcher of the Hong Kong Diocese’s Holy Spirit Study Center, refused to speculate on the Chinese government’s motive for inviting Bishop Tong, saying it was the decision of the Beijing Olympics organizers.
Lam told UCA News June 12 that he believed Bishop Tong’s visit would have no impact on Chinese-Vatican relations, and the prelate might not have time to visit the Beijing Diocese during his two-day trip.
Anglican Archbishop Paul Kwong of Hong Kong also will attend the opening ceremony, his secretary confirmed to UCA News June 12.
A spokesperson for the Liaison Office of the central government in Hong Kong, which forwarded the invitations, explained to UCA News that the leaders of the six major religious communities in Hong Kong were invited to the ceremony. The other four leaders are from the Buddhist, Confucian, Muslim and Taoist communities.
The spokesperson said they have to cover their own travel, accommodation and other costs.