Obituary Notice – Fr. Joseph Hung
Father Hung was born in Sichuan Province, China, on 23rd February, 1925. He was the 4th child from a Catholic family of 5 siblings. Father Hung received his formal education in a Catholic school. One day at age 11, his uncle who once wanted to become a priest told him; “I think you can become a priest. Do you want to become a priest?” Father Hung asked in return, “What good is there to be a priest?” His uncle answered him with a question, “Do you like peanuts?” and Father Hung replied, “Yes!” Then his uncle said, “That’s good! As a priest, you will have plenty of peanuts to eat.” And that was how Father Hung answered God’s call to the priesthood.
Father Hung arrived in Malaysia in 1949 and entered College General in Penang at age 24 and completed his seminary formation in December 1954. On 4th December 1955 at age 30, he was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd Singapore, together with five other compatriots which included the late Rev Father Francis Kou Ieou Yen.
Record of Parishes served since ordination
1960-1968 : St Theresa’s Church, Melaka and St Mary’s Church, Ayer Salak;
1970-1973 : St Theresa’s Church Melaka;
1974-1981 : Church of St Philip, Segamat;
1981-1991 : Church of St Andrew, Muar;
1992-2000 : Assistant Parish Priest of St Theresa’s Church, Melaka until his retirement in 2000. Thereafter, he continued to reside there until his demise.
A demure, humble and unassuming person, Father Hung has served the diocese, especially the Chinese-speaking community with faithfulness and dedication until his retirement. In the past 20 years post retirement, Father Hung has published more than 10 books on the Catholic faith in Chinese.
Details of Wake and Mass
As our country is still under the Movement Control Order, the lay faithful may join in the prayers at the wake and funeral mass via LIVE-STREAMING from Church of St Theresa, Gajah Berang, Melaka as follows:
➢ Live Broadcast via https://www.facebook.com/stc.melaka
Sunday, 19th April 2020 @ 5.00pm – Online Live: Prayer Session in Mandarin.
Monday, 20th April 2020 @ 3.00pm – Online Live: Memorial Wake Service and Mass in Mandarin.
Tuesday, 21st April 2020 @ 10.00am – Online Live: FUNERAL MASS in Mandarin.
(The body of Father Hung will be cremated and his ashes will be interned at St Mary’s Church columbarium, Air Salak.)
His Lordship, Right Reverend Anthony Bernard Paul, D.D., the Bishop of Malacca Johore Diocese and the clergy of the Diocese, extends our deepest condolences to Father Hung’s relatives and especially the parish community of St Theresa’s, Gajah Berang, Melaka, in this time of loss and assures them of our fraternal prayers and support.
