Cardinal John Tong Hon is a retired Bishop of Hong Kong whose service to the Church spans five decades.

The cardinal strongly supports the Vatican-China provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops contrary to many critics such as his predecessor, Cardinal Joseph Zen-ZeKiun, who fervently oppose it.

Born on July 31, 1939, in Hong Kong, Tong Hon began his journey to the priesthood by studying at the Seminário de São José in Macau before earning a master’s degree in philosophy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Furthering his education, he obtained both a licentiate and a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University. Tong Hon was ordained priest on January 6, 1966.

He was appointed vicar general of the Diocese of Hong Kong in December 1992 and his ascent through the Church hierarchy continued with his consecration as auxiliary bishop of Hong Kong on December 9, 1996.

In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI named Tong Hon coadjutor bishop of the Hong Kong Diocese, and he assumed the role of Bishop of Hong Kong on April 15, 2009, succeeding Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun.

His influence in the Church grew further when he was created Cardinal-Priest of Regina degli Apostoli alla Montagnola on February 18, 2012. This appointment was met with humility by Tong Hon, who expressed feeling “inadequate yet grateful” and viewed it as both “an honor and a responsibility.”

Throughout his career, Cardinal Tong Hon has held several significant positions within the Church. He served as a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for Inter Religious Dialogue. In 2012, he was one of three Presidents-General of the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization. Notably, he participated in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Cardinal John Tong Hon’s resignation as Bishop of Hong Kong was accepted on August 1, 2017. However, his involvement with the diocese did not end there. In January 2019, he became the apostolic administrator of the diocese in a caretaker role following the death of his successor, Michael Yeung.

Tong Hon strongly supports the Vatican-China negotiations and subsequent accords. He viewed the diplomatic efforts between the Holy See and China as a “win-win situation” for both parties. The Cardinal defended the negotiations against criticism, emphasizing their potential benefits for the Catholic Church in China. In an interview, Cardinal Tong Hon went so far as to state that opposing the Vatican-China deal was “unreasonable.” He firmly believes positive outcomes could result from improved relations between the Vatican and China, despite deep concerns raised by some critics.