Macao News

Rev. Deacon Stephen Morgan

Catarina Brites Soares — Thu, 28 May 2020 15:11:42 +0800

The Rev. Deacon Stephen Morgan is the new rector of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), succeeding from the former USJ rector Father Peter Stilwell in 2020. He previously served in the Royal Navy and worked in the financial sector before dedicating himself to the Church and to teaching, which brought him to this part of the world. He arrived, or rather, returned to Asia about two years ago. Having never lived in Macao, he still knew the city from the years he spent in Hong Kong in the 1990s, leaving shortly before the transfer of administration in 1997. Macao again appeared on his horizon after he met a priest from the city’s diocese, who became his friend and eventually introduced him to Bishop Lee Bun Sang and to Peter Stilwell, the rector since 2012. They invited him to become dean of the Faculty of Religious Studies, where he has also given classes since September 2018. His family remains in UK, where he spent most of his life; he returns often to see them. Stephen Morgan was born in Wales on 4 August 1965, though part of his childhood was also spent in England, due to his father’s work as an engineer. In 1982, when he was 18 years old, he joined the Royal Navy, thereby fulfilling a childhood dream (his grandfather served in the military). “I felt it was what I ought to do. I like sailing a lot, the sea; I was quite good at maths, so navigation was a natural choice,” he says. Although he doesn’t regret serving, he admits that the choices one makes at such an age would be different if made later. The Cold War (1947–1991) was then in full swing, he explains, and the Royal Navy’s main task was to locate Russian submarines in the North Atlantic, while at the same time the UK was also recovering from another conflict with Argentina over the Falkland Islands. “So there were some major issues in the Atlantic,” he observes. It was an incident in the Mediteranean, though, that especially marked Morgan. It was in 1984, when the UN sought to base troops in Lebanon to help keep peace in that country. “Witnessing the bombardments by US warships in Lebanon was a powerful image that made me realise what war was – it was no joke,” he recalls sadly.

Duty

His memorable experience in the navy led him to the next stage. “I had a Catholic education; I grew up in a home where Christianity was important. The question of whether I should become a priest eventually arose. I ended up thinking probably not, though I did feel I was ready to be tested.” [caption id="attachment_25906" align="alignnone" width="4500"] Installation as the Fourth Rector of the USJ in May 2020 - Photo courtesy of USJ Macao[/caption] Morgan spent the years from 1987 to 1990 as a student for the priesthood for the Diocese of Clifton, at St. Mary’s College, Oscott in Birmingham. “It gave me the opportunity to think seriously about what my aims were. The relevant question is not what we want to do, but rather what we can and should do with our talents: the sense of duty,” he affirms. He decided to leave the diocese for a year to reflect on things. He met his wife six days later, and two-and-a-half months after that they were engaged to be married. “In the last 25 years or so, that [sense of] duty has been to be a husband and father of three children.” That’s why, despite his devotion to the Church, Morgan shifted course. In 1990 and 1991, he worked as a tax manager for Smith and Williamson, Chartered Accountants, in London and Salisbury. It was a challenge, though he says the decision was made for other reasons. “I needed to earn money. The economy wasn’t going well. I had to go where there was work.”

To the Far East

After London, Morgan accepted the post of senior international tax manager at Grant Thornton Hong Kong in 1991. He recalls the time spent in the former British colony as “a strange period”, due to the upcoming transition. The eventful times, however, did not prevent him from being happy. Only a short time had passed since China’s policy of openness and reform was advocated by Deng Xiaoping and Hong Kong was visibly growing. “It was definitely the place to be,” he says. But once again, more important matters intervened. “As our children grew up, there was the question of where we wanted them to study. We ended up deciding to return home.” Morgan wouldn’t live overseas for another 22 years. From 1996 to 2004, he was a partner at Morison Stoneham, Chartered Accountants, in the City of London, as well as head of personal tax and corporate finance. His shift back towards the Church began in 2004 with his appointment as Oeconomus of the Diocese of Portsmouth, a position that combined that of chief operating officer and responsibility for all financial management, legal compliance and administrative support for the institution’s activities, encompassing 156 churches and 73 schools and academies. The next year, he was named chairman of the National Conference of Diocesan Financial Secretaries, serving until 2009. He also became a member of the Insurance Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of England and Wales and Scotland, a position he still holds and in 2006, he was appointment non-executive director of Catholic National Mutual, the Church’s insurer in Great Britain, which he still holds. Meanwhile, he earned a bachelor’s in divinity from Maryvale Institute in 2007, before continuing his studies at Oxford, where he completed a master’s degree and then a doctorate at St. Benet’s Hall in 2013. “In my forties,” Morgan reflects, “I realised that my schoolteachers had been right. My vocation was to be an academic.” He was still studying himself when he began lecturing, first at Maryvale in Birmingham then Oxford. He continues to lecture on sacramental and liturgical theology at Maryvale and, since 2014, has been a member of the Academic Board of the Quarterdeck Series, an educational programme under the UK Defence Academy. Even as Morgan juggled education and teaching, he was also attached to a number of parishes in the New Forest area of southern England: Lyndhurst from 2007 to 2013 and New Milton from 2013 to 2017, as well as Lymington and Brockenhurst for the entire period from 2007 to 2017. He was attached to Holy Family, Southampton from 2017 until he came to Macao. “There was never a specific moment when I decided I didn’t want to be a priest. A priest can’t get married and have a family, and I realised I wanted to [have that]. Becoming a deacon was my way of bridging the two worlds,” he explains. “If the Church changed its position, might I then want to be a priest? I don’t know; it’s a hypothetical question, so I don’t waste time thinking about it.” Another area is writing. This year, he will publish a book on John Henry Newman's theology of development – though the exact publishing date is yet to be set due to the effect of COVID-19 – adding to the many chapters, articles and other publications he’s already written. He spends his free time listening to music and to “interesting people”, a hobby he especially appreciates when accompanied by a tasty dish and good wine or beer. He also likes to hunt and fish, spending 1997 to 2000 as a trustee of the Wild Trout Society which then worked to improve trout habitats across the UK. Morgan enjoys rugby and is a fan of his hometown Cardiff Blues and Bath Rugby, besides being a member of the Hampshire County Cricket Club and supporter of the Boston Red Sox baseball team. And if he tires of balls and bats, there’s always his old childhood passion: sailing.

Father Aidan Conroy

Rafelle Allego — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 13:10:25 +0800

Known and beloved by many of the faithful in Macao, Father Aidan Conroy has been serving as a priest in the city for over 40 years and has been in Asia for nearly 60 years. Born 1 February 1939 in Cork City, Ireland, to a family of eight as the fifth child, Conroy had always wanted to become a priest. But initially, it was actually his elder brother’s ambition, one that Conroy himself considered for all the “wrong” reasons. Having lived near a golf course throughout his childhood, he frequently glimpsed past its fence when heading home from school every day and saw priests playing golf. This had a young Conroy pondering becoming a priest someday – to get to play golf. “Of course, it was a wrong reason for becoming a priest, but the idea was planted,” he adds. He also admired his elder brother – who wanted to be a priest – as a good footballer and, wanting to be good at the sport himself, priesthood yet again piqued Conroy’s interest. “Another wrong reason!” Whatever his early reasoning, Conroy’s parents were happy with his choice and he entered Salesian Secondary College in Pallaskenry, County Limerick in Ireland for his junior cycle of secondary education in 1952. “All of us aspired to be priests and missionaries,” he says. “But not all persevered.” He was happy there and went forward to the next stage, the novitiate year, a period of deep reflection and preparation before taking his first vows. Conroy then completed two years of philosophy and academic studies, followed by two years of practical training in Ireland. During his novitiate, the Salesians of Don Bosco Society had asked for volunteers for Hong Kong. “I think we all volunteered,” he recalls. He would not make the journey east, however, until after he completed his training in 1962. Conroy taught at Hong Kong’s Tang King Po School, a secondary school founded by the Salesians in 1953, from 1962 to 1969. Before being assigned to Macao, he returned to Ireland for theological studies at Maynooth College, in north County Kildare of Ireland, known as the “national seminary” of Ireland, and remained there for four years. Ordained on December 17, 1972, Conroy returned to Hong Kong in 1973. Conroy made the move to Macao in 1975, taking an official teaching position at Instituto Salesiano (IS), one of the city’s oldest educational institutions, founded in 1906 by Fr Louis Versiglia near the end of the Qing dynasty. He taught English at IS, then a vocational school for boys. As Conroy shares, in the early years – before students could aspire to university education – it was their mission to make their graduates easily employable once they left IS. He stopped teaching five years ago, but still does some composition work with pupils who volunteer for some extra work. “Of course, as a priest,” he says, “I will never retire until someone tells me I am past my ‘sell by date’!" With extra time on his hands – and if he’s not in Ireland for his biannual trip to visit family – he likes to read for relaxation. Conroy says that he’d always enjoy a Robert Ludlum book. Aside from that, his favourite spiritual writer is Fr. Jack McArdle: “I like his simple, homely, down-to-earth style.” A quote he’d like to share is this: “Always try to see the best in people; we all have good points, even though no one is perfect, and we are equally loved by God.”

Father Luís Sequeira

Macao News — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 10:54:29 +0800

Born in Lisbon, Portugal, on 20 April 1949, Father Luís Sequeira is the eldest in a family of eight children. He has dedicated his life to helping individuals through the love of God. Since the beginning of his priestly ministry, the friendship and kindness of Mother Teresa has also always been discretely present throughout his journey. At three years old, Luís Sequeira was enrolled in the kindergarten run by the Sisters Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. He was introduced, as a little altar boy, to the Liturgical Ceremonies, concretely to Mass and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, under the care and devoted responsibility of the same Sisters. Today, it is the Socialist Party headquarters. At half-past six one rainy morning, Luís slipped on his little cloak on the way to weekday mass with his parents. A caring nudge from them to keep going is the most touching moment he remembers from his childhood; to have both mother and father send him to church. Little did his parents know that that special morning would represent the first steps taken towards a lifetime of consecration by the young Luís Sequeira. He began his secondary education in the centre of Lisbon at the public school, Liceu Pedro Nunes (now known as Escola Secundária Pedro Nunes). At that time, the Portuguese President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also attended.

An unexpected turn

Luís Sequeira never expected to become a priest. Filled with a passion for knowledge, school never failed to excite him. When an uncle, himself a Jesuit priest, and a pious but very disciplinarian aunt offered to send him to the Jesuit school nearby Coimbra, he embraced the opportunity to learn. The boarding schools were considered, in general, places of excellent integral or holistic education, especially if oriented by Jesuits. “My father never, never, never accepted that I enter a Jesuit school and he never accepted I would become a Jesuit priest,” Luis Sequeira explained, noting that while his father didn’t welcome it, he not once actively showed opposition towards his son studying there and later entering priesthood. His interest in joining the Jesuit order developed gradually, the desire growing stronger each year. Meanwhile aside from his studies, Luís Sequeira was also an excellent sportsman on the field – an impressive track athlete and star footballer. Winning a track championship with a national record to take home the gold, as well as being invited to play for Benfica, are only a couple of the many highlights from his cherished sports days. Later, already studying law at the Classic University of Lisbon, he was also a member of the soccer team representing Lisbon’s University students. One summer, his natural footwork ability even caught the attention of famed Portuguese football player and manager Fernando Caiado, assisted by the well-known coach Fernando Cabrita. He offered an appealing athletic contract, but Luís Sequeira kindly turned it down to remain focused on his education. He continued onward to study one year of law at the Classic University in Lisbon before indefinitely switching his orientation in life by entering the Novitiate of Society of Jesus to become a Jesuit at ‘Solar da Torre’, Soutelo. Two years later, his educational formation focused on Humanities and Philosophy at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, in the so-called ‘City of the Archbishops’, Braga. Fast-forward to the year 1976, the 27-year-old Luís Sequeira was sent to Macao by his superiors to further his practice as a Jesuit. Already a talented polyglot – speaking Portuguese, French, Spanish, Italian, and English – he soon added a sixth language: Cantonese. Having learned Cantonese at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, he remained in the city while completing his preparations for priesthood, specifically the first cycle of Theology. On 24 June 1982, Luís Sequeira was ordained a priest by the Jesuit Bishop Domingos Tang, assisted by both the Bishop Arquimínio Rodrigues da Costa, who at that time was Bishop of Macao (1976-1988), and Fr. Domingos Lam, who shortly after became the first Chinese Bishop of Macao (1988-2003). Thereafter, Father Luís Sequeira travelled abroad to Rome for his second cycle of Theology and to obtain a degree. To his surprise, he had “the most beautiful experience there…living in a community of more than 100 Jesuits, from 35 different nationalities, and sometimes speaking to them in six different languages throughout a single day.” It was during this magical time in Rome that Luís Sequeira was exposed to a deep psychotherapeutic experience conducive towards understanding his inner sense of self and humanity. Three years later, in Québec, Canada, another more spiritual experience took place at the so-called ‘Long Retreat’, lasting one month. This is typical of the Jesuit formation path after becoming a priest; all are obliged to go through this spiritual journey, at the end of Studies and Formation and before his Solemn Vows as a professed Jesuit. The combination of these two moments constituted an extraordinary personal experience. It produced such a deep and touching transformation that shaped him into the wise man he is today.

Miracle moment

Returning to Macao in 1985, Luís Sequeira began making his mark, shaping the religious, civic, and educational facets of the city through leadership and personal example. Most notably, he served as the Superior of the Society of Jesus in Macao, and later, as the Delegate of the Superior Provincial in Macao, and finally, as the Legal Representative of the Society of Jesus (1986–2006). He was also the Principal of Colégio Mateus Ricci (1989–2015), founder and first Director of Macau Ricci Institute (1999–2007), the pro-rector at the University of Saint Joseph (2004–2008), in addition to numerous declarations and recognitions from the government. Even so, the impact Luís Sequeira continues to make in Macao represents only a fraction of his good works. For two decades, 1987–2007, he went on guiding regular retreats around the world to the Sisters Missionaries of Charity, a religious Congregation founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. He humbly forewent the comforts, companionship, and love of family and friends at home, in exchange for service around the world - Asia, Oceania, Europe, Africa, and America. In 2007, during a Macau Ricci Institute Symposium, just after the Opening Ceremony of the ‘Cultural Night’, a sudden sense of unease served as a prelude for disaster: at 58-years-old, Luís Sequeira suffered a brain stem stroke. His doctors made it clear that for most – 80 per cent – this type of stroke is ultimately fatal, while the remaining 20 per cent are left paralysed or bedridden. With the haemorrhage in his brain nearing a point of no return, Sequeira vehemently shouted in his heart for his dear friend, the late Mother Teresa, asking her to bless him with a gift: life itself. She answered his prayers that day. The bleeding stabilised enough for him to eventually be moved to a different hospital and the scan taken upon his arrival showed no bleeding at all. In his darkest hour, the devoted Jesuit made his first intimate connection directly with the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. Their connection lived on, buoying him through the long, difficult months of mental and physical recovery. Her blessing enabled him to continue his work,

A half-century of devotion

Luís Sequeira, having weathered such difficulty, eagerly re-committed himself to guiding those around him. Each person he accompanies on their journey leaves a lasting impact, motivating him to continue his work. Once an individual reveals the drama and violence from within, he thinks to himself, ‘Who I am to accompany this person?’ By acknowledging the sense of self through layers of spirituality and humanity, Luís Sequeira is there to accompany individuals through the anguish. The changes occur in their own time, varying from person to person, but evolve into the same relationship with God. The intimacy he shares with those in need reminds him of the richness that lies at the core of our souls. Next year, Father Luís Sequeira will celebrate his 50th anniversary as a faithful Jesuit. He moves forward with stronger fervour each passing day. His fellow followers have encouraged him to write a book exploring his experiences, beliefs, and the path to God. He intends to do so given time, foreseeing the title to be ‘The Inner Journey: From the Fire of Anguish to the Fire of Divine Love.’ “I continue to be convinced that the inner journey is necessary for any human being; but also, deep self-knowledge is a tremendous demand of our Society and our world to face their present challenges. Independently, this I believe, whether you are open to God or not. The deeper sense of humanity is inside of ourselves,” he asserts. “If all the excess such as money, power, glory, and desire of influence over the others commands you, we don’t give true happiness to mankind. We must find real happiness of a person, first, within our own self. Then we can share it with the others with the proper attitudes.”

Sister Juliana Devoy

Macao News — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 15:00:12 +0800

Sister Juliana Devoy was a missionary and late executive coordinator of the Good Shepherd Centre in Macao. At the age of 80, she still went up and down the stairs of the shelter she founded with the energy of a high schooler. Known throughout Macao for her tireless work in women’s rights, she was always drawn to fight another round in the pursuit of a better society. She spoke English and Cantonese. Born 7 February 1937, in Norfolk, Nebraska, in the heartland of America, Devoy grew up with six siblings. Her family moved around the country following her father who was in the Air Force. Ambitious at an early age, Devoy was born to be a leader. She ran for vice president of the student body of her high school in her last year. Choosing a catchy and clever slogan, her campaign posters read “Sue for Vice.” And passed out cigarettes to the students. When she didn’t get elected, Devoy joined the drama club to practice her presentation skills for the next challenge. After she graduated, she was certain that her path was to serve God. “It was a matter of love.” On 12 September 1954, she joined the Good Shepherd Sisters in Los Angeles, which she’d only heard about through a brochure passed around school. “I was attracted by the pictures of sisters at prayer. When I made the decision to join the Good Shepherd Sisters, people told me that the “semi-contemplative” aspect of their lives included time in the cloister which would limit my experiences, but I’ve actually travelled the world with my service.” After spending a year to complete her formation at the Motherhouse in Angers, France, Sister Juliana Devoy took her final vows in 1960. In 1963, she moved to Hong Kong on a mission to work with teenage girls in a residential home. Her missionary life took her to Taiwan, mainland China, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea and Myanmar. She arrived in Macao in 1988. At first, she wasn’t so keen on her new assignment, wondering what she would do in this city but it soon became her favourite and the place where she would devote the rest of her life’s work to improving women’s living conditions. “Macao is full of opportunities to innovate in areas that would be more difficult to accomplish in other places,” she asserted. In 1990, she founded the Good Shepherd Crisis Centre, a shelter for women in crisis situations. Sister Juliana’s philosophy is to run a “home rather than an institution,” where the Centre offers free accommodation and food to women and their children. “Macao is such a small place; today, whenever I go anywhere, I’m sure to meet someone who was once in our centre. Some I don’t even recognise because it’s been many years, and they were mere children who came with their mothers. Now they’re young adults, but they recognise me and always come to greet me,” she said. Sister Juliana used to wake up every day at 5 am to pray for the grace of God. “God is always sending us love letters from heaven.” She believed steadfastly that she had been blessed throughout the years and treats everything as a gift from God, living by the words of Mother Theresa:

“If you want to do something good, do it. God has plenty of money.”

Sister Juliana followed politics and policy closely. She worked on a long-awaited government bill to prevent and combat domestic violence and when the law went into effect in June 2016, she organised a city-wide celebratory march. In December 2013, she received the Medal of Altruistic Merit from the Macao government for all she has done for the city over the years. Sister Juliana may be seen as someone who has accomplished a lot for women in Macao, but she is still human and candidly admits to having a quick temper and may often react before fully understanding a situation. However, she is “always willing to apologise” and recalls the teachings of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication to guide her. At the end of our interview, she told us that if she could have dinner with anyone of her choosing, she would sit down with her good friend Marie McCloud. Sister Juliana passed away in December 2020.

Marjory Vendramini

Macao News — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 12:00:30 +0800

Marjory Vendramini is President of the Cradle of Hope Association. A vivacious woman who laughs just as easily and readily as she cries, she possesses an enormous heart with room for so many children in need. Since moving to Macao in the 90s, she has helped more than 300 children without homes. She speaks Portuguese, English and Cantonese. Born 1 April 1967, in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Vendramini had a happy childhood surrounded by nature, riding horses, climbing trees and exposed to animals of all kinds, including hens and cows. An adventurous girl, she preferred playing with boys rather than girls, although the family moved often because of her father’s work, so she never kept her friends for long. When she was 7 years old, Vendramini attended an Evangelical church and heard a missionary speaking about missions in Africa helping children in need. This pivotal moment changed her life. “That day, I cried so much when I saw the suffering of those children,” she recalls. “From then onwards, I grew up with the idea of becoming a missionary. Vendramini confesses that in her teenage years, she briefly set aside this calling. At the age of 16, she started working in a bank and by 18, she had already been promoted to team manager—a job that could have been the start of a life-long corporate career. But even working in a bank, she was a people’s person, always doing nice things for others, like giving roses to customers on special holidays. She was so popular and well-liked that customers would often wait for her if she was on her lunch break. One day, Vendramini attended a seminar promoted by her church, and the missionary spirit in her was rekindled. “That day, my dream was awakened. I attended the seminar on a Sunday, and on Monday, I quit my job to become a missionary.” She joined “Youth with a Mission” (Jovens com uma Missão), an evangelical inter-denominational, non-profit Christian, missionary organisation founded in the United States. “I felt that administrative work was not what I really wanted, so I got involved preparing for a mission going to Africa. That’s when I met my husband.” As he was already planning on travelling to Macao on a mission, Vendramini changed her plans to join him. When the couple arrived in 1990, they focused on helping drug addicts, but child welfare was always Vendramini’s top priority. Although she was told that the Social Welfare Bureau had a handle on caring for children’s cases, she still felt compelled to help and volunteered to work at the former Fellowship Orphanage. One July morning in 1993 forever changed Vendramini’s life in Macao. She read in a local newspaper that a day-old baby had been found in a trashcan. “It was a God-sent opportunity for us to give back to society and make a difference in this child’s life. That moment I said to myself, finally I know what I’m here for,” she recounts with tears in her eyes. “With the approval of the government, my husband and I kept the baby for six months until he was adopted.” The government’s Social Welfare Bureau, upon seeing the heartwarming success of this child’s rescue, started asking the Vendraminis to look after more of Macao’s needy children. They gladly took up the calling, drawing inspiration from Mother Teresa as well as the founders of Mother’s Choice, a charitable organisation in Hong Kong. “The couple became my really close friends and helped me a lot. They used to send one of their staff so that I could have one day off a week.” In 1994, when she opened Cradle of Hope, Vendramini knew that her mission in Macao was about to extend long past the four years she had already spent in the city. Today, she has 26 years-worth of stories. The children's home has grown exponentially and now staffs 66 employees. “Nowadays, my main job is to make sure that all the staff members are doing right thing for the children. Having 66 employees requires a lot of administrative skills and I need to follow up lots of things which make spend a lot of time traing the staff”, she explains. Vendramini jokes that she is like a Santa Claus to the children. "I also come in to play with the children, give them presents on their birthdays and so on. The care taking and education is taken on by my staff. With time, i learned to let go. I can't be too protective". But she still works more than full-time, because it is not a 9-to-5 job: it requires a full heart around the clock—a message “I pass on to my staff,” she asserts. In 1998, Vendramini completed her bachelor’s degree in Social Work at Macao Polytechnic Institute. She was then invited by University of Saint Joseph to pursue a one-year license's degree programme in Social Work. She also attained a diploma in Child Psychology at the same institution. “At some point, I decided that I needed to know more about education, so I enrolled for a master’s degree in Education. At the last minute, the university decided to cancel the course but told me they had an opening in their MBA programme. I had never thought about studying Administration, but I was convinced and got my MBA,” she says, clearly proud of such an achievement. Her administrative skills have come in handy, helping her navigate the logistics of running a charitable organisation. “Nowadays, Macao is more professional and has laws that didn’t exist when I started the children's home. So now I spend more time with the administrative work than with the kids,” she admits. Nonetheless, Vendramini is happy with her work and encouraged by the help she receives from the community. “Every day I spend an hour a day going through all the donations people make. We always welcome food and vitamins for the children.” She admits that while she has numerous dreams and “wants to do a lot more,” for now, she “has a commitment for life” to the children's home of Macao and doesn’t know when her mission in the territory will be over.

D. Stephen Lee Bun-sang

Macao News — Mon, 02 May 2016 16:22:24 +0800

Bishop of Macao

Stephen Lee Bun-sang is the current Bishop of Macao. He speaks fluent Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and Spanish and intends to learn Portuguese. Born in Hong Kong in 1956, Lee studied architecture in the United Kingdom, first at Oxford Polytechnic (1976–1977) and then at the London School of Architecture, graduating with a BA in 1981. Upon his return to Hong Kong, he started working as an architect, but at the age of 22, he decided to attend the international Opus Dei Prelature seminar in Rome, studying philosophy and theology. He had already joined the Opus Dei Prelature in London as treasurer in 1978. Lee then obtained his Canonical Doctorate at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. His thesis was on "Church-State Relations in the People's Republic of China." Ordained a priest on 20 August 1988, in Spain, Lee returned to Hong Kong where he began his pastoral work as a chaplain for local Opus Dei centres and schools. In 1989, he was named Defender of the Faith in the Diocesan Court of Hong Kong by the Bishop of Hong Kong, and in 1994, he became the supervisor of the Tak Sun School. In 2012, he was appointed regional vicar of the Asia-Pacific region by the Opus Dei Prelature, whilst continuing his pastoral work at retreats teaching Catholic doctrine at the Prelature, the Diocese, in parishes and various religious communities. Lee was nominated auxiliary bishop of Hong Kong by Pope Francis on 11 July 2014, and ordained bishop on 30 August 2014, where his responsibilities included overseeing laymen, schools, communications, liturgy, and construction projects of the diocese of Hong Kong. He was appointed Bishop of Macao, again by Pope Francis, following the resignation of Bishop D. José Lai Hung-seng on 16 January 2016. Lee says that he came to Macao “ready to learn” and with a "missionary spirit."