Savio Hon

Savio Hon Tai-fai SDB (traditional Chinese: 韓大輝; simplified Chinese: 韩大辉; pinyin: Hán Dàhuī; Jyutping: Hon⁴ Daai⁶fai¹; born 21 October 1950) is a Roman Catholic archbishop and the nuncio of the Holy See to Greece. He served as secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples from 2010 to 2017. Before that he was professor of theology at the Holy Spirit Seminary of Hong Kong.

His Grace, The Most Reverend Savio Hon Tai-fai S.D.B.
Apostolic Nuncio to Greece
Native name	韓大輝 (Hon Tai-fai)
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Appointed	28 September 2017
Predecessor	Edward Joseph Adams
Other posts	Titular Archbishop of Sila
Orders
Ordination	17 July 1982 by John Baptist Wu
Consecration	5 February 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI
Personal details
Born	21 October 1950 Hong Kong
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post	Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (2010–2017) Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Agaña (2016)
Alma mater	University of London Pontifical Salesian University
Motto	Hilarem Datorem Diligit Deus 歡欣交付，主愛常存 ("God loves a cheerful giver", from 2 Corinthians 9:7)
Coat of arms

Ordination history of Savio Hon
History Priestly ordination Ordained by John Baptist Wu (Hong Kong) Date 17 July 1982 Episcopal consecration Principal consecrator Pope Benedict XVI Co-consecrators Angelo Sodano (Dec. Col. S. R. E. Card.) Tarcisio Bertone (Sec. Stat.) Date 5 February 2011 Place St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
Episcopal succession Bishops consecrated by Savio Hon as principal consecrator Ryan Jimenez 14 August 2016

Styles of Savio Hon Tai-fai
Reference style	His Grace The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Grace Your Excellency
Religious style	Archbishop

Biography

Hon was born in Hong Kong. After studying at a Salesian school, he made his first religious profession on 15 August 1969. He made perpetual vows on 15 August 1975 and was ordained a priest in Hong Kong on 17 July 1982. He received his B.A. in philosophy from the University of London and a doctorate in theology at Rome's Pontifical Salesian University.[1]

Hon was a visiting professor at various seminaries in China and as professor of theology at the seminary of Hong Kong. His research has appeared in a variety of journals, especially those devoted to theology.[1] He was responsible for the translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church into Chinese.[1] He belongs to the Salesian Province of China which encompasses mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Hon became a member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology in 1999. He was named to a five-year term as a member of the International Theological Commission in 2004[2] and his appointment was renewed in 2009.[3]

On 23 December 2010 Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Titular Archbishop of Sila and secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.[1] Hon Tai Fai had known the pope for many years, since Benedict was president of the International Theological Commission during most of Hon's tenure on the Commission.[4]

Hon was consecrated in Rome on 5 February 2011 by Pope Benedict, with Cardinals Angelo Sodano and Tarcisio Bertone as co-consecrators. He said of his consecration: "I could feel an airstream when the pope laid his hands with strength on my head".[5]

In March 2011, Hon said the planned ordination of priests by the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association meant "division ... causes great pain to the entire body ... [the] whole body is scarred and bleeding", because no bishop can be validly appointed without a papal mandate. He added that those who have resisted the will of the party, such as Monsignor Li Lianghui (Cangzhou, Hebei) are now in isolation, forced to undergo political re-education classes. He said that Chinese priests and bishops must show "some backbone" and resist government pressure out of love for Church unity and the memory of the many heroic witnesses to the faith of the past decades. Hon has sought without success to win the release from prison of two imprisoned bishops, James Su Zhimin of Baoding and Cosma Shi Enxiang of Yixian.[6]

In July 2011, Archbishop Hon, while addressing hundreds of delegates during the 17th plenary assembly of Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) in Nairobi, stressed the ever-increasing role of the lay faithful in evangelization. He said "Given that between 70%-80% of our church collaborators are women, AMECEA should make the effort to increase room for them in decision making processes". He warned against the culture of death especially abortion and other "ideological poisons from abroad", which are leading to the erosion of certain African values whose sense of family the church supports. "AMECEA as a community of Christians has been useful in promoting the family beyond the limits of blood relationship and tribal allegiance", he said, in reference to the many inter-ethnic conflicts engulfing the region.[7]

On 7 March 2012 he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Committee for the International Euchrastic Congresses.[8] On 12 June 2012, he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.[9]

Archbishop Hon served as the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Agana, Guam, from 6 June 2016[10] until 31 October 2016 when Michael J. Byrnes was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of the archdiocese.[11]

On 28 September 2017 Pope Francis named him Apostolic Nuncio to Greece,[12] his first position in the diplomatic service.

References

1. "Rinunce e Nomine, 23.12.2010" (Press release). Press Office of the Holy See. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
2. "Rinunce e Nomine, 06.03.2004" (Press release). Press Office of the Holy See. 6 March 2004. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
3. "Rinunce e Nomine, 25.07.2009" (Press release). Press Office of the Holy See. 25 July 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
4. "Pope appoints Chinese to senior Vatican role". Union of Catholic Asian News. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
5. "Pope ordains Hong Kong Salesian as archbishop". Union of Catholic Asian News. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
6. Chinese bishops should have no fear and say no to Beijing's demands, says Mgr Savio Hon, asianews.it
7. "Vatican urges African Church to involve more women in decision making". Independent Catholic News. 3 July 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
8. "Rinunce e Nomine, 07.03.2012" (Press release). Press Office of the Holy See. 7 March 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
9. "Rinunce e Nomine, 12.06.2012" (Press release). Press Office of the Holy See. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
10. "Vatican overseer arrives in Guam amid sex abuse investigation". CRUX. Associated Press. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
11. Glatz, Carol (1 November 2016). "Pope sends Detroit bishop to Guam archdiocese hit by abuse allegations". National Catholic Reporter. Catholic News Service. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
12. "Rinunce e Nomine, 28.09.2017" (Press release). Press Office of the Holy See. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.