A new bishop has taken over the Diocese of Hong Kong in continental China, reports Vatican Radio.
Coadjutor Bishop Michael Yeung Ming-cheung of Hong Kong becomes bishop as Pope Francis accepts the resignation of Cardinal John Tong Hon, who submitted his resignation upon reaching the canonical retirement age of 75 three years ago.
Pope Francis appointed Bishop Yeung, 71, as Auxiliary Bishop of Hong Kong in July 2014, and he was then nominated Coadjutor Bishop of Hong Kong in November last year.
Unlike an auxiliary bishop, a coadjutor bishop has the right to succession in the case of the retirement, resignation or death of the current bishop.
Bishop Yeung was born into a Catholic family in Shanghai in 1945 and arrived in Hong Kong when he was four. He worked for an import-export firm before entering the seminary in Hong Kong at the age of 26. He was ordained a priest in 1978, and completed studies in communication (Syracuse, USA) and in philosophy and education (Harvard, USA). He has headed the local Caritas since 2003, and he has served as Vicar General since 2009.
Cardinal Tong, who has retired, was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Hong Kong by Pope St John Paul II in 1996, and Coadjutor Bishop in 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI. He succeeded Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun as Bishop of Hong Kong in 2009, and he was elevated to the rank of cardinal under Pope Benedict in 2012.
