A privilege to serve
30 September 2002

Last week, the Catholic community in Hong Kong mourned the quiet passage into eternal glory of their spiritual leader Cardinal John Baptist Wu Cheng Chung, Bishop of Hong Kong for 27 years. Cardinal Wu died on 23 September 2002.

Special Memorial Masses were celebrated on Sunday 29 September during which friends and the faithful said farewell to a long time friend in prayers, many in rather emotive moods. Cardinal Wu was remembered by most as a quiet man doing God's work quietly. China experts, including the Catholic Church-in-China praised his quiet leadership in building bridges between the church in China and the universal church. The Cardinal had issued documents in 1989 in which he highlighted the special role of the Hong Kong diocese in a historical mission of reconciliation with China and the Church in China.

Pope John Paul II wrote to Bishop Joseph Zen expressing his heartfelt condolences, commending the late Cardinal's life-long and dedicated service of the Church as Priest and Bishop, and offering his immense gratitude for his fruitful and untiring cooperation with the Holy See and with him personally throughout his pontificate, adding that he is certain that his memory will live on in the community he so faithfully served, inspiring all to ever greater generosity in christian living. The Pope went on to impart his apostolic blessing to all who mourn the Cardinal in the hope of the resurrection.

The Church issued a special prayer in memory of the Cardinal in which the faithful are reminded of his open-mindedness and readiness to accept new ideas, his efforts in promoting a spirit of communion and solidarity among his associates, allowing them to use their own talents in the best possible way. He had also encouraged the faithful to love their country and to walk hand in hand with the people of Hong Kong. The prayer also mentioned that Cardinal Wu had firm conviction that, by virtue of Baptism, every Christian is an evangelizer, not as a duty but as a privilege.

Fellow Rotarians, does that remind us something? The Cardinal had led a life of service: serving God, serving his diocese, serving China and serving Mankind. But most importantly, the Cardinal had accepted his vocation as a privilege rather than a duty. He has certainly set an outstanding example for anyone interested in servicing others, hopefully all Rotarians.

I had the opportunity of discussing leadership and service with RI Director Toshio Itabashi when he was RI President's Personal Representative to our District Conference two years ago. Among other things, we agreed that a position of leadership in Rotary means an opportunity to offer more and better service to one's fellow human beings. Looking back, what we meant was that, it is a privilege to serve.