The Diocese of Hong Kong blessed a bronze sculpture by Canadian Catholic artist Timothy Schmalz this month at St. Joseph’s Church in Fanling, marking another highlight of its Jubilee Year celebrations.
According to a report by Sunday Examiner, the work titled “When I Was Hungry and Thirsty” was unveiled in a ceremony led by Father Joseph Chan Wing-chiu, vicar general, who thanked parishioners of Fanling and Sheung Shui for their outreach to those in need.
“May we always recognise the presence of Jesus in the lives of the impoverished and famished,” Father Chan said, urging the faithful to see the suffering Christ in today’s hungry and thirsty.
The sculpture depicts Jesus seated on the ground with his pierced hand extended in plea for food and water.
Placed at the base of the staircase linking the church’s old and new wings, it serves as a symbolic reminder of those often overlooked in society.
Schmalz is internationally known for his powerful religious artworks, including the widely recognized Homeless Jesus installed in cities around the world.
Despite a black rainstorm warning earlier in the day, more than a hundred people attended the blessing. The diocesan preparatory committee for the Jubilee then organized sharing sessions on the needs of the elderly.
Members of a parish pastoral care group, formed last year, spoke of encouraging seniors to remain active in parish life and thanked Caritas for building stronger ties between the church and the wider community.
A representative from the Caritas Ning An Scheme told the gathering that the elderly “not only require physical support but also long for appreciation, love, and reconciliation at different stages of life, and farewell before they die.”
The day concluded with a Jubilee Mass celebrated by Father Chan and assistant parish priest Father Fernando Cagnin of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.
When I Was Hungry and Thirsty is the fifth Schmalz sculpture blessed by the Diocese of Hong Kong during the Jubilee Year.
Previous installations include Be Welcoming in Tseung Kwan O, Sheltering in Tsing Yi, When I Was in Prison in Stanley, and Hold it Together in Shek Kip Mei.
