Class 1961
Articles and News of Class 1961
Dear Hin-Shing,
I thought it best to do this memorial article in the form of an email addressed directly to you.
This is the most common form of communication between us. I am not a good telephone chatter, and dreaded your question, “Do you remember…”, for often I did not. We did use the land line not infrequently when there was something suddenly newsy or to exchange moans and groans about health conditions. <read the full article here>
The Life and World of Wong Hin-Shing in His Own Words and Photos
--- a posthumous souvenir to all his friends
Preface by Yu Fong-Ying (’61) May 15, 2024
Wong Hin-Shing had expressed to one of his good friends that he would send out a disc to all his friends as a present to them on his 80th birthday on May 17, 2024. He had earlier compiled a disc delineating Sister Ho-Kok’s life which he distributed to some of his friends who knew them both.
In early 2019, Hin-Shing and I were toying with the idea of compiling our own In Memoriam files to be sent out like the previous over 30 files on deceased fathers, teachers and schoolmates. We, at least I, did not take it seriously. But when Hin Shing passed the file to me it was almost complete, certainly up to the beginning of 2019. It was a plainly, clearly and succinctly written short life of himself and it contains hundreds of photos. It contains not only insights Into his life but also a broad view of ’61 grads and people whose life path crossed his. Unknown gaps are filled. There is a rounded picture of him and his world. There are about 10 letters from Madam Wong Kit Kwan as well as short letters from Madam Lee, Fr Mallin and Mr Hsieh. The Appendixes reveal his favourites – music, literature, movies and serve as a guide to what he often called “low-brow” tastes which to me are middle to high-brow affairs. But there, in all frankness, is the man himself.
Read it and you will know Hin-Shing well: the road he travelled, the forces that shaped him, the things he held dear. Above all, the man himself, a decent, honest, sincere friend. What is missing is the pain and the suffering, and for that, we must be thankful.
Wong Hin Shing and Fong Ying Yu have complied a pictorial list of the reunion gatherings of 61 grads over the past 5 years, an addendum to the original article published in 2018.
October 16, is Roderick Auyang Siu-Lee's date of passing away (born 1944-10-29; passed away 2021-10-16).
Here's his memory file compiled by Fong-ying and me.
May he rest in peace.
Hin-Shing
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.