A Mass meant to bring the faithful closer to nature was forced indoors by a looming typhoon, yet the disruption itself became a lesson, Cardinal Stephen Chow S.J. told the faithful.
“The unexpected bad weather today reminds everyone that humanity is a part of the ecosystem of nature, and should not attempt to control it. Nature’s feedback is not a punishment, but a reminder of the wisdom of the Creator,” Cardinal Chow said.
The prelate made the statement during the opening liturgy for the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’, according to Sunday Examiner, the official news service of the Church in Hong Kong.
The Mass, organized by the Diocesan Commission for Integral Human Development, was supposed to be held at Clearwater Bay Country Park on September 7.
But when Typhoon Signal No. 3 was raised, the celebration was moved to the parish hall of St. Andrew’s in Tseung Kwan O.
Even with the storm outside, more than a hundred faithful came together for the Chinese-language Mass, which used the Vatican’s new liturgy for the care of creation.
Commission project officer Debby Chan said future outdoor Masses will still be planned whenever possible. “Indoor events limit participants’ connection with nature,” she explained.
The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year’s Season of Creation — Seeds of Peace and Hope — guided the liturgy, pointing to the connections between war, destruction, and environmental collapse, while affirming that hope can still take root even in harsh conditions.
In his homily, Cardinal Chow recalled his recent trip to Norway, where he was struck by the majesty of glaciers. He urged the faithful to look at the beauty of creation and to ask how they might help heal it.
“When individuals gather, changes can be made; that is the meaning of Laudato Si’: to be united for our environment,” he said.
The cardinal warned that pride is humanity’s “greatest sin,” leading people to believe they can dominate creation.
He said interpretations of Genesis have shifted over the years — from dominion, to stewardship, and now to conversion.
“I pray that there can be a shift in people’s hearts and minds, so that our understanding of God’s creation can be deepened to influence our choices. May it truly impact how we live,” he said.
A longtime vegan, Cardinal Chow urged Catholics to reduce their meat consumption, pointing to the carbon emissions from food production.
He called on participants to share what they learned at the Mass with policymakers and parish communities.
In his English homily, he urged a simpler lifestyle, rooted in the Gospel. Drawing on Matthew 6:24–35, he said that trust in God’s providence can inspire hope and recovery, even amid environmental decline.
He encouraged the faithful not to be paralyzed by the fear that the earth has already reached a “point of no return,” but to live lives of conversion and hope.
The Mass ended with prayers for the care of creation, including excerpts from Laudato Si’. For Timmy So, a member of St. Andrew’s environmental group, the message resonated deeply.
He pointed to three consecutive black rainstorms in early August and increasingly frequent typhoons as reminders of worsening climate conditions. His group recently turned reward points from a green app into supplies for poor families and the elderly.
For 12-year-old Oneki from Peng Chau, the day was a lesson in simplicity. “The Mass reminded me to take action in protecting the environment by minimising material usage and that we often do not need as much as we think,” she said.
