We thank God for the opportunity to restart all of our Hong Kong WTE events. Having recently held the best walk ever for the Men, we now eagerly await the Women’s Walk WTE #83, which will be held 7-10 December, 2023.
With ever increasing costs in Hong Kong, we are finding that there are both team members and pilgrims who need financial help to be able to attend the walk.
As a community, we are confident that we would not want finances to be a reason to limit someone from joining the walk. In the past, we have informally asked sponsors to help with this, but we also do not want such a financial burden to deter anyone from sponsoring a new pilgrim in our community.
The WTE Board would like to give our community the opportunity to help others in this way and to help support our renewed season in Hong Kong. Therefore, we are asking for your generosity through donations to support scholarships for WTE #83 and future walks.
Each scholarship will provide a 50% reduction in the WTE fees for those whom the Board and its delegates find eligible to receive them, such as those experiencing financial hardships, those in full time Christian ministry, and NGO workers.
We may periodically ask for donations to top up the fund, which will be managed by the WTE Board and its delegates.
If you are able, would you consider giving a small contribution in order to help someone else have the experience of the Walk that you have already had? A donation of HK$950 will currently provide one scholarship, but any amount is welcomed and would be most helpful.
It’s a time to rejoice as the Women’s Walk to Emmaus will be happening, after a long break, on 7th – 10th December, at Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre, Sha Tin.
Our Father encourages us, and the verse for this walk, which has been laid on my heart, is Ephesians 3 v20-21:
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
We are joyful to be part of this walk and in welcoming new generations of pilgrims to journey with us on this weekend. This verse helps us to see that we worship an amazing God and can rely on Him to provide the help, leaders, pilgrims and direction for Walk#83.
We are counting on you for your expressions of agape love and support through prayer, gifts and food, and to help our Agape team before and throughout the Walk. Please offer help in any way you can, it is most welcome. Please let us know if you can come and assist during the weekend. We look to the community to sponsor and encourage new pilgrims to attend the walk and care for them into their 4th Days.
We hope that many of you can join us for the Saturday evening Community Service on 9th December and for the Closing Community Service on Sunday 10th December. Let’s celebrate God’s love for each of us and our love for one another.
Please pray for Walk#83 and the team throughout the planning and team formation. Please pray for and boldly ask the pilgrims who God has made known to us to join this walk. We pray that we may serve God and the pilgrims with joy and peace on the Walk and in the future, and that we may all know God’s power at work within us.
Please join the HK Emmaus Community at our upcoming Community Gathering for a night of fellowship, praise and worship, food and sharing.
This will be our first post-covid gathering and it is shaping up to be a great evening. Come help us to celebrate our recent Men’s Walk to Emmaus Retreat #82, which was a tremendous success!
Walk to Emmaus Community Gathering
on
Saturday, 3 June 2023
from
6:00PM to 9:00 PM
Schedule of Events:
6:00PM (5th Floor): Community Gathering and Fellowship, followed by Pot-Luck Dinner
7:15PM (Sky Chapel): Worship, Fourth Day Talk, and Community Communion Service
Community Gatherings are open to all, including those who have not (yet!) experienced their own Walk to Emmaus.
Please invite prospective pilgrims and supportive spouses/friends – all are welcome!
We ask that you please click the button below to confirm your attendance so that we can make appropriate arrangements.
The Hong Kong Walk to Emmaus Community mourns the passing of our beloved brother in Christ, friend, and fellow traveler, Dr. Hans Schrader, who passed from this world on 3 July, 2022, survived by his wife, Pascale Schrader-Litmaath, and four children, Christopher, Nicholas, Benjamin, and Fleur.
May his soul, through the grace of God, rest in peace.
Please join the Hong Kong community in a Memorial Mass on 15 October, 2022 at 10:00AM.
St. Joseph’s Church
37 Garden Road, Hong Kong
10:00 AM on Saturday, 15th October 2022
Please remember in your prayers the repose of the soul of Rev. Elmer P. Wurth, M.M. who passed away on October 4, 2021, in Kalida, Ohio. Father Wurth was 92 years old and a Maryknoll priest for 65 years.
Fr. Elmer served as Pastor of St. Anne’s Church in Stanley from 1988 to 2011 and was one of the earliest and strongest supporters of the Walk To Emmaus Community here in Hong Kong.
Memorial Mass: Wednesday, November 3, 2021 11:00 A.M. (11:00PM HKG Time) Queen of Apostles Chapel, Maryknoll, New York
FATHER ELMER P. WURTH, M.M. (1929 – 2021)
Father Elmer P. Wurth died on October 4, 2021 at Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima, Ohio. He was 92 years old and a Maryknoll priest for 65 years.
Elmer Paul Wurth was born on a farm outside the small town of Kalida, Ohio in the diocese of Toledo, Ohio on the Feast of St. Michael, September 29, 1929, son of Edward and Clara Brinkman Wurth. He grew up with two sisters, Alice and Rita, and two brothers, James and Virgil, who are all deceased. Elmer attended St. Michael’s Elementary School in Kalida, where he was taught by the Sisters of Divine Providence of Covington, Kentucky. Upon graduation from Kalida High School in 1947, he went to the University of Notre Dame to prepare to coach and teach. While there he learned about Maryknoll, and was attracted by the assurance that upon ordination he would be assigned to one of the Society’s missions.
He entered Maryknoll in June 1948, studying in Maryknoll’s seminaries in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania; Lakewood, New Jersey; Glen Ellyn, Illinois; Bedford, Massachusetts and Maryknoll, New York. He was ordained on June 9, 1956. After ordination, Father Wurth was assigned to summer studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where, in 1959, he obtained an M.A. in Latin and Greek. He also taught in Maryknoll seminaries in Clarks Summit and Glen Ellyn.
In 1960, Father Wurth received his first overseas assignment to Taiwan, where he worked among the mountain tribal people until 1966 when he was recalled to the United States. He spent the next 13 years on vocational recruitment, fund-raising and mission awareness talks from offices in Cincinnati, Los Angeles, New York City and Maryknoll, New York.
As a member of the U.S. Region, Father Wurth returned to Asia in 1979, but this time to Hong Kong to join others in opening a research center for the study of religion in China. He made many trips to China as the country was reopening after many years behind the Bamboo Curtain. He visited church personnel, most of whom had spent many years in prisons and labor camps for their religious beliefs. He was officially assigned to Hong Kong in December 1982.
In 1988 Father Wurth began another chapter in his life, when Cardinal John Baptist Wu, Bishop of Hong Kong, asked him to become pastor of St. Anne’s Church in Stanley, an international parish with more than 50 nationalities among its parishioners. While pastor of St. Anne’s, he also served as chaplain to four prisons in the parish, and managed two Chinese schools. He spent one day a week at his research office and published two volumes entitled “Papal Documents Relating to China.” Father Wurth continued as pastor of St. Anne’s until November 2011 when he moved to the Stanley Village House in Hong Kong. He helped out at three local parishes, and in June 2013 was assigned to the Senior Missioner Community.
Father Wurth returned to the United States in January 2014 and moved to Kalida, Ohio, where he assisted at St. Michael’s Parish. In 2019 he celebrated his 90th birthday in Kalida surrounded by hundreds of parishioners, family members and friends.
A Memorial Mass was held at 10:30 a.m. on October 12, 2021 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Kalida, Ohio. Father Mark Hoying officiated. Burial followed in St. Michael’s Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio.
A Memorial Mass was held on October 15, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Anne’s Church in Hong Kong, with Cardinal John Tong presiding.
A Memorial Mass was celebrated at Maryknoll, New York on November 3, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. in Queen of Apostles Chapel. Father John McAuley was Principal Celebrant and Father Peter Barry was homilist. Father John Moran read the biography and Father Cuong Nguyen read the Oath.
There will be another Asian Virtual Gathering this weekend on Saturday morning 23 Oct at 9:00-10:30am for all Walk to Emmaus communities in Asia.
Our own Heather Xie is leading the group of over 200 people in a love feast/communion type session. John Mulligan is leading closing prayers…sooo please pray for both of them!
The ZOOM information and instructions are as follows:
Topic: Asia Fall Gathering Time: 23 Oct 2021 09:00 AM HKT
1) participants are meant to rename themselves immediately by First/Last Name; their country (we are Eng HKWTE ) and preferred language (E= English and C= Chinese). This is for the translation feature using the ZOOM globe for these two languages only.
For example: Heather Xie – Eng HKWTE – E John Mulligan – Eng HKWTE – C
2) Please prepare elements (bread & juice/water) for the LOVE Feast being led by Heather Smith-Xie at the end of the session.
Unfortunately, at this time, we cannot share in food to fill your tummy, but the fellowship, prayer and community worship service will surely fill your soul!!
We look forward to hearing from you, and more importantly, to seeing you face-to-face very soon!!
Blessings and De Colores,
Your HK WTE Board and Steering Committee
The Hong Kong Walk to Emmaus Community mourns the passing of our beloved brother in Christ, friend, and confidant, Charles Lee Schmitt, who died at North Lantau Hospital on Thursday, March 4th due to complications of a Chordoma Tumor.
Born April 19, 1945, at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Hospital in Kittery, Maine, USA, curly-haired ‘Smitty’ enjoyed life as an only child and was not impressed to learn his little brother had been born. The disgruntled four-year-old’s efforts to run away were thwarted by the fact that he wasn’t allowed to cross the street by himself, so he came home, and within weeks, Howie became the first of Charles’ many close friends.
After graduating from Pattonville High School in Maryland Heights, Missouri, Smitty became Chuck and earned a BA in English from the University of Missouri. He loved books and art, and almost pursued a career in art history, however Chuck headed to Georgetown, in Washington DC, for an MSc in Economics. He received his last degree, an MBA in Finance from New York University, while working full time on Wall Street. Thankfully, all that academia was balanced with great times with friends.
His friend, Ted, recalls:
Chuck was more than a social guy. He had an instinct for hospitality that put people at ease, inspired adventures, and energized lethargic weekend afternoons. And everyone was welcome.
Chuck loved throwing dinner parties, wending his way through art museums, attending orchestral recitals, and plotting pranks. His blind date advertisement that went entertainingly amiss stands out as one of his best efforts. His friends, aware of Charles’ red and green colour-blindness, were quick to exact revenge.
Albert N remembers….
Chuck’s youthful friends delighted in switching around his color-coded socks and neckties.
According to son Nicholas, Charles considered marrying Bronwyn Alexander one of the greatest achievements of his life.
He was right.
In 1989, the two wed and moved to Manila, The Philippines, for Bronwyn’s work. With his new, mature married man status, Chuck became Charles. The couple relocated to Hong Kong in 1990, where Charles worked as a senior consultant for a capital market consultancy. They lived on Lower Kennedy Road, and started attending a nearby church. Despite being a two-minute walk from church, the twosome were typically 10 minutes late each Sunday, but they loved their new church family and Union Church loved them in return. And it still does.
In 1993, when now 28-year-old Nicholas was one year old, the family relocated to Discovery Bay. Often called Delivery Bay, Drew, who is now 26 and 23-year-old Mariel joined the family shortly after. Charles dedicated the next years to his company, CSAL, during the day, and evenings and weekends to running the BBQ, playing hide and seek with the kids when he got home from work, attending DB Dragons soccer tournaments, reading in ‘his’; chair, playing (and watching) tennis with the kids, and being the ones the kids would go to for something when they knew that mom would say ‘no’. Charles also developed a diverse repertoire of ways to embarrass the kids – cheesy dad jokes and “weird 70’s dances” topping the list.
In 2006, Charles was found guilty of false accounting. He served several years in prison in Hong Kong. While it was a painful time, it was in fact, a period of remorse, repentance and restoration through the love of community in Hong Kong and family and friends abroad. Charles corresponded with many during this time and all recall his beautiful handwriting and way with words.
His children remember his joy at seeing them when they would come to visit. He helped his fellow inmates by sharing his food, writing letters to their families, or helping draft their legal documents. He also led Bible studies and became a remote learner with the University of London. Friends kept him exceptionally well-stocked in excellent books. It was during these years that Charles came to believe that ‘we’re all imprisoned by something’.
In a talk, Charles shared:
In prison I had no worldly or financial resources, but God showed me that this was an opportunity to draw closer to Him. I discovered the emptier that I was, and I was very empty, the more God could fill me with His grace and Holy Spirit. I began to understand the meaning of the Bible verse which is now my favourite: In 2 Corinthians 12:9 Jesus tells Paul and us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Charles went on to speak this powerful message to the church youth group, in testimonies, at men’s lunches and in daily conversations for the remainder of his life.
Oldest son Nicholas states:
Dad knew what mattered in life — God, his family, his church, social justice, and his own peace — and he pursued these ends with calm conviction.
After his release, Charles allowed the caring and generous part of his character to guide his life, being an active part of many social justice and caring organisations: at Union Church he was part of the prison ministry team, and the Families in Need committee and represented Union at the city-wide Refugee Ministry Group. Charles was also a long term, faithful member of the Walk to Emmaus Community. At his Monday morning group, Charles showed his deepening faith and shared both his joys and his challenges and provided inspirational support to the other members of the group.
Andy, a fellow member and a very close friend of Charles’ recalls:
Charles was always ready to listen – his gentle and calm support for his fellow group members was an inspiration to all of us and his wry humour was always present even in the most trying circumstances. Ever the teacher at heart he never did get me to understand American Football .
As a tutor, students and adults alike were blessed by Charles’ quick mind, insights, diligence and desire to listen and help. Charles was a man who never judged books by the cover. He knew there can be so much depth beyond the first impressions. The outward appearance may be introspective and seemingly not ‘powerful’, but Charles would listen and wait for the story. He was a man who had time for everyone.
Charles is survived by his family – wife Bronwyn, children Nicholas and his partner Kate, Drew and his partner Ariana, and Mariel and her partner Sammy, Charles’ brother Howard and Howard’s wife Diana. Mia the cat also deserves mention for the hours she spent observing and purring in the sunlight while Charles tutored students online.
Charles is also considered family by many friends and organisations that love and will mourn their dear friend and advocate deeply.
To close, some final words from Charles:
God has used even a sinner like me to show how He can turn a bad situation into good, and how He has helped me pass on His love and the grace I’ve received to others.
God did turn that bad situation into good and so did Charles. His love and ability to look beyond the cover was an example to us all. Charles, you will be dearly missed and always remembered.
The Hong Kong WTE community mourns the passing of Thomas John Young, our dear brother in Christ and fellow traveller on the Walk to Emmaus.
On September 7, 2020, Tom, loving husband of Jennifer and father of Lauren, Connor and Liam, passed away at age 54 in Hong Kong due to complications from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Born February 26, 1966 in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, Tom grew up with hockey sticks and baseball gloves in his hands and jokes on his lips, not always to the delight of his teachers. After graduating from Assumption High School, Tom embraced his maritime roots and headed to St Mary’s University in Halifax, where he majored in Business. After graduating, Tom decided Business could wait…he would travel for a year, and then return to Canada. He made it to two countries before landing and falling in love with Hong Kong in 1991. After meeting and falling in love with Jennifer Leung, Tom knew his Hong Kong would be his second home and busied himself getting involved in the community. Tom was an active member of the Hong Kong Softball and Ice-hockey leagues in the 1990s and 2000’s, and was an enthusiastic field hockey player from his mid-30’s to his early 50’s. He was an integral part of the Hong Kong Walk to Emmaus Community. The devoted dad was a parent coach at the HK Football Club when the children were in the mini-rugby program and followed them into Colts to manage one of the girl’s teams for a few seasons.
Tom loved deeply. First and foremost, Tom loved his family and was proud of their achievements, personalities, and hobbies. Lauren, 18, will follow in her dad’s footsteps to attend St. Mary’s University next Fall, where she is looking forward to contributing her rugby skills to the Varsity Team. She will no doubt hear Tom’s voice on the sideline pushing her to tackle and ruck and get the other girls! Connor (17) and Liam (14) are also heavily involved with sports including rugby and football at the club and school, where both play hard and fierce like their Dad. Friends were a close second: Tom had a close Hong Kong family, who were privy not only to his spectacular BBQ’s, but his trial recipes, jokes, bear hugs and frank advice. His lifelong love of sports never wavered, particularly if his team won the game! But once the final buzzer went, Tom was the first to shake the opponent’s hands and offer them a beer. His laugh was infectious, particularly when he was in the middle of telling a story and dissolved into giggles.
Tom will also be remembered for his generosity. His big smile was matched with his big heart and he was generous with sharing what he had with everyone around him and reaching out to those in need. He donated food to church parishioners every Christmas. Christmas was also the time when Tom would annually invite children from Po Leung Kuk orphanage to share in the famous Young Family Holiday Feast.
In all his years in Hong Kong, Tom only missed one Rugby 7’s. Especially after starting Young’s Market in 2004, Tom became legendary for the food and drink he was bringing into the stands. While other people had their water bottles confiscated, Tom was shoving bags of Sangria (complete with cut up fruit) into the shoe compartments of his kids backpacks. Bagels and lox, smoked pulled pork wraps with coleslaw, BBQ ribs and even oysters still in their shells…Tom’s buffet helped console the Canucks in the crowd and ensured a steady stream of friends came to visit and say hello.
In May 2019, some troubling symptoms started to manifest in Tom’s left hand. Following a few months of inconclusive tests and growing suspicions, Tom was diagnosed with ALS. Not knowing how quickly his condition would deteriorate, he took every opportunity to enjoy life with his family and friends: he visited London for the first time in October, opened his home to the annual Christmas gathering, and excitedly prepared for his role as the Lay Director to the subsequently-cancelled April Walk to Emmaus. Friends would drop in to offer their support and catch up on old-times. By May 2020, although Tom’s mobility had become seriously challenged, he still attended Lauren’s High School graduation. In June, Tom attended his last party, surrounded by his beloved Hong Kong ‘Family’. Shortly afterwards, he was admitted to Prince of Wales Hospital, where he spent the majority of the summer. Tom’s family was at his side as he left this world.
Tom is survived by his mother Marie O’Toole Young, brother Lawrence (Larry) Joseph Young Jr, wife Jennifer, and children Lauren, Connor and Liam. He is predeceased by his father, Lawrence Joseph Young, Sr.
A celebration of Tom’s life will be held at St. Benedict’s Church in Shatin, on September 29, 2020 at 10am.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to:
The Hong Kong Walk to Emmaus (https://hkwalktoemmaus.org/giving/), where Tom strengthened his Christian faith, which helped him greatly during his short battle with ALS.
Remember Tom by carrying on his legacy. Give a stranger a smile. Reach out to people who need help. Be a friend. Challenge that referee or umpire. BBQ those ribs. Play a sport. Tell a joke. Cheer for the Habs. Laugh loud. Love God and your family, and cherish your life.
In response to the continuing presence of the COVID-19 virus in Hong Kong, the Walk to Emmaus Retreats originally scheduled for 2020 have been postponed.
With the gradual re-opening of Hong Kong and the relaxation of COVID-related social distancing measures, we hope to be in a position to announce new dates in the near future.
