(The Pillar. LUKE COPPEN).
In a May 30 column in the Sunday Examiner, the Diocese of Hong Kong’s weekly newspaper, Chow reflected on what he called “the life-sapping event that took place 35 years ago in the capital city.” On June 4, 1989, Chinese communist authorities sent troops to crack down on pro-democracy protesters occupying Tiananmen Square in Beijing, resulting in hundreds of deaths. The massacre is known as the June Fourth Incident in China, where discussion of the event is heavily censored. Chow did not use the words “Tiananmen Square” or “massacre” in the column, referring only to the “event” 35 years ago. “What happened 35 years ago has left a deep wound in parts of our psyche, though it has been buried and scarred over,” wrote Chow, who was named Bishop of Hong Kong in 2021. “Yet, it remains a sore spot that requires proper attention for healing. And I am praying for that closure to happen.” “Having said that, I understand that we must not wait but to move on. A healthy life should not be stuck in a dark space of unending sorrows and resentment.”