Oral History Research of the Hong Kong Federation of Catholic Students

Established in 1962, the Hong Kong Federation of Catholic Students (HKFCS), in its early days, was aimed to unite tertiary Catholic students for enhancing their studies and faith together. In the early 70s, the Federation had been transformed into a student movement standing with the poor and fighting for justice and peace.

HKFCS, burgeoning in the era of reform in the 60s, was not only struggling amid the ideological trend in the local student community but also breathing the fresh air blowing through the universal Catholic Church. The Catholic students were driven to enthusiastically examine and build up the identity and mission of the Federation. The identity and mission of HKFCS had been realized to the peak in the 70s.

The Oral History Project covers the history of the HKFCS from its beginning to 1980. It attempts to knit together the experiences of involvement and individual development of former Executive Committee members and Chaplains so as to delineate the journey of this Catholic student community in the two decades, and thereby:

1.  Study the experience of the HKFCS growing together with the Hong Kong Catholic Church and society;

2.  Reshape the development path of the Church and Society of Hong Kong.

3.  Explore the relationship and mutual influence between faith and social engagement.

First Phase of Study:

• Collect documents, publications, photos, and newspaper clippings related to the HKFCS.
• Set the scope and direction of the study.
• Visit and interview former Chaplains and Executive Committee members.
  
  

Second Phase of Study:

• Write Oral History stories and related articles.
• Develop an online archive to share HKFCS publications and information for public access.
  
  

The research part, in collaboration with the “HKFCS Oral History Team“, is expected to be completed in the summer of 2021, and the fruits will be shared in print. The materials that we have been collecting so far are still incomplete. If you have relevant historical materials, please contact us at chingwong@cuhk.edu.hk / 3943-9254.