By CIN SocCom

Hong Kong, China, 20 September 2024 -- At 23:35 hours on 18 September 2024, in Hong Kong's Wong Chuk Hang Hospital, assisted by the former CIN Provincial Fr Joseph Ng Chi Yuen, the oldest Priest Salesian of the China Province of Mary Help of Christians (CIN), revered and dear Fr. Joseph Lau Tsing Hung, died, aged 95. Only three or four hours before, he had been visited by the CIN Provincial and Vice-Provincial. Fr Joseph Lau was the oldest priest of CIN, but not the oldest Salesian, because the oldest CIN Salesian is a Brother Salesian, revered and dear Bro. Arnold de Groot is now in his 100th year of age. As the oldest Salesian Priest, he was one of the few remaining witnesses of the early history of the Province. Just imagine that he was present at the diaconal and priestly ordination of the Angel of Hansen Disease sufferers, Fr Gaetano Nicosia in 1946!

Fr Joseph Lau had been in hospital on the verge of death for three weeks. He had been admitted to Hong Kong's Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on 29 August, because of a severe headache. He was diagnosed with a massive loss of blood in the brain. Even though this would eventually cause his death, the doctors, given his age, excluded the prospect of operating on him, since this would have probably caused immediate death. Given the desperateness of his case, from Pamela Youde Hospital he was transferred for the last week to the Wong Chuk Hang Hospital.

For all the last three weeks Fr Joseph Lau has been conscious, up to the last day. After receiving the Anointing of the Sick on entering the hospital, he was able to receive Holy Communion almost every day, thanks also to the motherly care of an Extraordinary Minister of Communion coming every day from St Anthony's Parish where he last served, to give him holy communion. Yesterday, the last day of his life, he was given Holy Communion as Viaticum by his Rector. Throughout these three weeks, confreres, relatives, Don Bosco Past Pupils, Cooperator Salesians, and Volunteers of Don Bosco, kept visiting him. He had been their assistant, their teacher, their fellow football and basketball player, their principal, their rector, their spiritual director, their confessor, their assistant priest in the parish. They chatted, prayed, and sang at his bedside. In the first week, Fr Joseph could still say a few words. In the last two weeks, he was no longer able to speak, but expressed himself with his eyes, with his hands, and with nods of the head.

Fr Joseph Lau had been pastorally fully active until May this year when he had to be admitted to Braga House in Salesian Missionary House, Shau Kei Wan. But even there he continued his work as spiritual director. The last meeting of Cooperator Salesians he took part in was just three days before his hospitalization. The Cooperator Salesians of the St. Anthony's Centre had come to hold their monthly meeting in Braga House with Fr Joseph. As usual, he gave the spiritual instruction, sitting in his wheelchair. It was 25 August. On 29 August he was admitted to hospital. Truly, Fr Joseph has been a "Salesian Family man". The affection shown to him these days by Don Bosco Past Pupils, Cooperator Salesians, and Volunteers of Don Bosco proves this. Rest in peace, dear Fr Joseph! From Heaven, please, continue to intercede for the whole CIN Salesian Family! Thank you!

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