Bishop POZZONI, Domenico MEM
師多敏主教

師多敏 (POZZONI, Domenico 1861-1924)
一 八 六 一 年 十 二 月 廿 二 日 在 意 大 利 Como 出 生 ， 其 後 加 入 米 蘭  St Petri M. 教 區 修 院 ， 一 八 八 二 年 七 月 加 入 米 蘭 傳 教 會 ， 並 於 一 八 八 五 年 三 月 一 日 晉 鐸 。 一 八 八 五 年 十 二 月 十 九 日 抵 港 。 其 後 二 十 年 間 ， 先 後 在 寶 安 藍 頭 ， 惠 陽 和 海 豐 等 地 傳 教 。 一 九 ０ 五 年 七 月 十 二 日 ， 被 委 任 為 香 港 代 牧 區 第 三 位 代 牧 ， 同 年 十 月 一 日 祝 聖 為 主 教 。 一 九 二 四 年 二 月 二 十 日 逝 世 。

It is our sad duty to chronicle the death, which took place at the French Hospital, Causeway Bay, last night, of the Right Rev. Dr. Dominico Pozzoni, Roman Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong. Several weeks ago the, deceased prelate suffered a series of heart attacks, the first being on the occasion of the Catholic Press celebration in the early part of the year, which the late Bishop attended. This attack, however, passed over, but about a week later he had a further relapse. In spite of doctor’s orders, he moved about as usual following this second attack, busying himself in the affairs of the Diocese. On 16 January, heart trouble was again experienced, and the late Bishop’s condition became so serious that for a time all hope of recovery was given up. However, his wonderful constitution saw him through, and some days later he was able to be moved to the French Hospital. Since that time, he had one further relapse, and complications were feared, but he again rallied and yesterday he appeared to be much better. However, he was again suddenly seized with illness last night and passed away at about 11p.m. Bishop Pozzoni’s demise will be mourned not only by the whole Catholic community, but also by all who, during his naughty stay in the Colony, have been brought into personal touch with him, for he was on whom to know was to love.

The end came quite unexpectedly, without the least warning. The Bishop was lying in bed when he experienced a sudden attack, He placed his hand to his heart, exclaiming “What is this?” and immediately passed away. He had felt much better during yesterday, so much so that he had begun to arrange certain matters in connection with the Diocese.

THE FUNERAL
The deceased Bishop’s body was removed from the hospital to the Roman Catholic Cathedral this morning, and will remain there lying in state until tomorrow morning. At 9 O’clock tomorrow morning, there will be a solemn Requiem Mass, which will last for about an hour, and at its close the funeral will leave for the Roman Catholic Cemetery, being due to pass the Monument at 10:45a.m.

THE DECEASED'S CAREER
The Right Rev. Dr. Pozzoni, whose full title was Bishop of Tavia and Vicar-Apostolic of Hong Kong, was born at Padermo d’Adda, in the Province of Como, Milan Diocese, on 22 December 1861. He studied for the priesthood in the celebrated Milanese Seminary for Foreign Missions and was ordained on 1 March 1885. He arrived in Hong Kong on 19 December 1885, and for twenty years he laboured as a missionary entirely among the Hakkas in the interior until his election as Bishop in 1905, in succession to the late Mons. Piazzoni, being consecrated on 1 October of that year. In connection with his election to the Bishopric, it is related that when the names of the three candidates for Episcopal honours were submitted to His Holiness Pope Pius X, the Holy Father is reputed to have asked: “Which has worked entirely among the Chinese?” He was told Father Pozzoni, “Then he is the one I elect”, the Pontiff is reported to have said.

WORK IN INTERIOR
On his leaving Milan for the foreign mission field, Father Pozzoni was sent to work with the Mission to the Interior, and spent several years in the Hoi Fung and Waichow districts; and became extremely popular with the natives. His devotion to the Waichow Mission was so great that even after his appointment as Titular Bishop of Tavia and Vicar Apostolic of Hong Kong he never failed each year to pay his pastoral visit to Waichow. His solicitude for that district was responsible for the erection last year of the hospital and orphanage at Waichow, now under the spiritual charge of Father Grampa. The funds for this institution were raised principally in Italy, and the premises will be enlarged as funds permit.

Bishop Pozzoni soon became exceedingly popular in Hong Kong, where he entered actively and prominently into promoting the social and other activities of the Catholics. Under no other Bishop have the Catholic organisations and associations here been promoted to the extent he assisted in doing. He was patron of all these activities, and attended and assisted all these function.

INTEREST IN EDUCATION
In educational matters, though he did not pretend to be an authority on education, he was just as active, and the Catholic schools of the Colony have developed a great deal during the past twenty-five years very largely with the assistance of the Bishop’s late friend and Procurator, the Rev. Father Peter de Maria, who saw to it that in practically every district in the Colony there was a Catholic school for boys and girls. The newest of these is the one at Taipo, in the New Territories. The Bishop was an ex-officio member of the Court of Hong Kong University (representing the Catholic School) since its founding.

In his relations with the civil administration of the Colony, Bishop Pozzoni most cordially co-operated with the government. Only recently, a large tract of land at Bonham Road, including the site of the Church of St. Anthony, was surrendered, in exchange for another site elsewhere, to enable the Government to purse its scheme in connection with Hong Kong University.

LOVED BY ALL
He was so active and full of energy in the performance of his multifarious duties that few released that he had passed three score years. The devotion of all Catholics to their Bishop has often been demonstrated during the period of Dr. Pozzoni’s episcopacy. His unremitting labours in the interior, his extreme simplicity and approachableness, together with his sincere and zealous devotion to the interests of his people, endeared him to all.

It is interesting to record that the Vicariate of Hong Kong comprises, besides the Colony of Hong Kong, the three Chinese districts of Weiyung, Po On and Hoi Fung. During the eighteen years of the late Bishop’s episcopate the Catholic population of the Vicariate has considerably increased, and is reckoned to be about 21,000 of whom over 15,000 are Chinese.
21 February 1924

師 主 教 諱 多 敏 聖 名 多 明 我 原 籍 義 大 利 人 生 於 一 千 八 百 六 十 一 年 十 二 月 廿 二 日 於 一 千 八 百 八 十 五 年 三 月 一 日 晉 陞 神 父 即 於 是 年 十 二 月 十 九 日 到 香 港 旋 奉 命 主 持 惠 陽 海 豐 寶 安 等 縣 教 務 復 於 一 千 九 百 零 五 年 陞 任 主 教 一 生 謹 慎 勤 勞 事 事 躬 親 待 人 接 物 一 視 同 仁 固 甚 得 中 外 人 士 之 愛 戴 乃 致 積 勞 成 疾 醫 藥 無 效 遂 於 一 千 九 百 二 十 四 年 二 月 二 十 日 在 法 國 醫 院 棄 世 享 年 六 十 三 歲 噫 主 教 已 矣 然 其 聖 德 實 足 為 後 人 取 法 也 茲 仰 各 方 教 友 為 彼 煉 靈 祈 求 上 主 仁 慈 賜 他 早 登 天 國 是 所 切 禱
天主降生一千九百二十四年二月廿二日香港大堂印發
1924 年 2 月 22 日

去 月 二 十 日 ， 為 師 多 敏 主 教 逝 世 十 四 週 年 紀 念 日 ， 本 港 大 堂 ， 特 為 之 舉 行 追 思 大 彌 撒 ， 是 日 清 晨 由 戴 遐 齡 副 主 教 在 大 堂 內 舉 行 追 思 大 彌 撒 ， 次 由 恩 理 覺 主 教 舉 行 安 所 禮 ， 到 堂 瞻 禮 之 教 友 ， 頗 為 擠 擁 ， 彌 撒 中 備 極 嚴 肅 ， 按 師 故 主 教 為 意 國 人 ， 生 於 一 八 六 一 年 十 二 月 廿 二 日 ， 一 八 八 五 年 三 月 一 日 晉 陞 司 鐸 ， 即 奉 命 來 華 ， 抵 港 後 ， 即 赴 內 地 傳 教 ， 為 人 勤 勉 異 常 ， 當 時 內 地 教 區 如 惠 陽 寶 安 等 十 數 處 ， 僅 由 師 故 主 教 與 另 三 數 同 僚 主 持 ， 雖 異 常 勞 苦 ， 然 艱 辛 罔 越 ， 有 條 不 紊 ， 故 教 務 異 常 發 達 ， 大 得 當 地 教 友 歡 迎 ， 旋 以 功 擢 陞 主 教 ， 事 事 躬 親 ， 宵 旰 勤 勞 ， 待 人 接 物 ， 一 視 同 仁 ， 溫 良 恭 儉 ， 和 藹 可 親 ， 數 十 年 如 一 日 ， 後 以 積 勞 成 疾 ， 藥 石 無 靈 ， 遂 於 一 九 二 四 年 安 然 而 逝 ， 享 壽 六 十 有 一 ， 今 年 為 其 逝 世 後 十 四 週 年 紀 念 云 。
1938 年 3 月 1 日


◆ Domenico Pozzoni, by Ferdinando Germani, Pontificio Istituto Missioni Estere, 1991.
◆ From Milan to Hong Kong 150 Years of Mission, by Gianni Criveller, Vox Amica Press, 2008.
◆ 從米蘭到香港150年傳教使命, 柯毅霖著, 良友之聲出版社, 2008.
◆ 先賢錄－－香港天主教神職及男女修會會士 (1841-2010), 天主教香港教區檔案處, 2010.
◆ 先賢錄－－香港天主教神職及男女修會會士 (1841-2016), 天主教香港教區檔案處, 2016.


POZZONI Domenico.pdf