Photos of Fathers Buried at St Michael's Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Photos: Harry Aitken (61 grad)
Report: Wong Hin Shing and Yu Fong-ying (61 grads)
Foreword
There were many Irish Jesuit fathers who considered Hong Kong home. After 1997 some chose to stay and not return to Ireland or be posted to other places like Australia. The latest example is Fr. John Russell, who first came to HK in 1951. Since 1962, he stayed in HK until his passing on September 22, 2023. After a funeral mass at St Ignatius Chapel on October 7, he was buried in St Michael's Catholic Cemetery in Happy Valley, joining the Irish fathers who went before him.
Harry Aitken, 61 grad and resident of England, had visited the cemetery and sent us through Wong Hin Shing's communal broadcast the photos of the fathers buried there. These would be of interest to other Wahyanites and are therefore reported and posted here for a wider audience.
1) Wong Hin Shing and Harry Aitken's emails to all 61 grads (Sept 3, 2023)
Dear All:
Please read the following email and chat messages from Harry: (Thanks, Harry)
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Dear Hin-Shing,
Whenever I return to HK, I always visit the Catholic Cemetry at Happy Valley where my parents are buried.
I also take the opportunity of visiting and paying respects to the Wah Yan Fathers buried there, and on behalf of the 61 Grads, lay a flower.
I have taken a photograph of their resting place, and thought that members of the 61Grads may wish to see them, as most of you have not been back to HK for some time.
Our fore-teachers, Irish Jesuits Priests have left their home country, Ireland, and spent their entire lives dedicated to the Catholic faith, and in particular for the education at the two Wah Yan Colleges. Those of us at Wah Yan Kowloon are especially grateful to them for our education and up-bring.
In furtherance of your continued effort Hin-Shing, of maintaining our 61 Grads bondage for the past 62 years, and for remembering our teachers, Ho Sir, Fathers who have past away, I am enclosing the photographs of their resting place in HK.
May they rest in Peace!
Feel free to circulate to the 61 Grads.
I wish you and your families well.
Best regards,
Harry
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2) Harry Aitken's emails to and chats with Hin Shing:
Dear Hin-Shing,
That's all the photos I have taken at the cemetery. May they rest in Peace, and looking down with satisfaction of all the students they taught at Wah Yan Kowloon in particularly.
Best,
Harry
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These photos are taken at the entrance of the St Michael Cemetry. Yes, it is Jesus Christ, and an Angel. The Chinese captons are also engraved on the walls at the entrance of the Cemetry.
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That completes my mission. Something which has been on my mind for a good number of years, a desire to share our respects for our former teachers and Fathers at Wah Yan Kowloon. I am grateful to you in particular for your immense effort and dedication in maintaining the bondage of the 61 Grads, in particular.
Thank you Hin-Shing, and take good care of yourself.
Best regards,
Harry
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Good night Hin-Shing.
I am grateful for your patience.
Our former Teachers and Fathers are Gone, but not Forgotten.
May they rest in eternal peace.
Harry
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3) Wong Hin Shing:
Harry has sent me many photos, in two groups:
(a) The Catholic Cemetery (6 photos)
(b) The graves of WYK Fathers (20 photos)
In this first part of the email, I'm including the 6 photos as Harry enters the Cemetery..
In addition, I'm also including the summary details of the graves of the Fathers.
Thanks again, Harry.
Hin-Shing
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4) Wong Hin Shing's email to 61 grads:
In this second part of the email, I'm including the photos of the 20 WYK Fathers that Harry took while he visited the Catholic Cemetery. (Thanks, Harry.)
Remembering all the WYK Fathers most of whom had taught us while we were studying at WYK from 1955 to 1963.
May they rest in peace!
Hin-Shing