恩保德神父
1934年3月31日於意大利出生，2023年6月11日安逝於香港，享年89歲。
恩師父，再見
(羅國輝 2023年6月18日)
不能寫，不能寫，我怎可以寫……
恩師父所見證天主的「大」和「豐富」，我怎能描寫呢？
天主賜恩師父的生命多麼豐盛，恩師父的生命也豐富了我們的生命。
恩師父正如他自己說：「他是義大利籍香港人。」他在香港生活65年。
恩師父熱愛本地文化、熱愛香港人。例如他常說：「子曰：『未知生，焉知死』，基督徒話：『未知死，焉知生』」。又例如，他能引述禪語：「竹影掃階塵不動⋯⋯」來講道。
恩師父不單是神父，更是傳教士，正如他對國內的神父說：「你們是人類的神父。你們不單是哪一位主教的神父，或哪一個教區的神父，你們去到世界任何一個地方，你們都是神父，是天主揀選你們做人類的神父。」
為我，恩師父固然是禮儀大師，但他關心的不是聖堂、儀式，而是天主所愛的人。
恩神父1958年來港，服務聖瑪加利大堂。我見過恩神父在聖瑪加利大堂時所辦的義學，教導窮人的孩子。我聽過他的道理，當年我只不過是個少年。
當我青年時，正是求知的年齡，又是梵二禮儀更新的時刻，恩神父是教區禮儀委員會的負責人。他推動翻譯中文禮書，編寫參考資料，舉辦禮儀更新的講座、訓練禮儀人員，使我在禮儀中經驗到天主，並體味教會的使命……（其實我今日亦只不過是蕭規曹循，跟從恩師父所做的而已。）
我參與的第一台梵二中文彌撒，就是由恩神父講解，曾慶霖神父主禮。恩神父曾分享：感恩、全頼當時有一位國籍主教（徐誠斌主教），一本中文聖經（思高聖經），使香港禮儀更新得以落實。
恩神父吸引我走向基督，尤其通過教會的禮儀祈禱。恩神父的講座、與「示」編輯室出版的書籍，例如：《臨恩》、《憧憬》、《苗》、《微風細雨》等，都陶成我完整地、有意識地、主動地參與禮儀《禮儀憲章14》，且走入信仰生活。他教曉我：禮儀不一定要讀神學才能明白；禮儀是屬於每一位教友的，所以培育全體教友享受禮儀，栽培各類禮儀服務人員是必須的，好使禮儀能滋養教友每日的生活。這也是梵二禮儀憲章的教導。
恩師父使我愛上愛我的天主，愛上禮儀生活，且孕育我的聖召，通過禮儀生活，為教友服務。
恩師父是香港教會梵二禮儀的推手，但他把禮儀生活的內容，具體起來；怎樣祈禱，怎樣相信，怎樣生活；他走進人群，往越南福傳，走入工廠。他培育教友福傳。他關心不同背景、年齡、興趣的人士，團結他們，發揮各人的天賦和熱忱去傳揚福音，例如：他有份參與「示」編輯室原創的歌曲《山外山》、《越之悅》、《耆英頌》、《我們都是蒲公英》等，確實感染很多不同年齡層的人，使人體會到天主的愛在人間。
恩師父的講道精簡貼地。他傳揚福音喜訊，先知先覺，無孔不入，無遠弗屆：書籍、錄音帶、CD、VCD、DVD、Youtube。他與時並進，在1992年教會頒佈《天主教教理》後，他編寫了家庭教理《道在家中》，並發起「齊家運動」。1999年，他組成「逾越知音」福傳團體，每年多次到海外福傳。又辦網上福傳學校。在梵二50年之際，他出版了《憶念梵二》系列。2019年，教宗頒佈「天主聖言主日」，他舉辦「網上研習救恩史」。他更以原創音樂劇「流芳濟世」（2013）、「利瑪竇」（2019）傳遞福音精神。他真是永不言惓，在疫情期間，他以網上「主日五分鐘」，陪伴教友反省主日讀經。（他最後一次「主日五分鐘」，正好是上主日聖體聖血節，亦是他去世的日子。）
不得不提，恩師父的著作《基督》、《慕道再慕道》及《救恩史》等已經可以在網上下載。（http://catholic-dlc.org.hk/frYan-links1.html 及 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Uw5C5cntLmI9JjmuQI1vsFvtBHFZbPu4）
恩師父為教會禮儀生活服務直到最後。他一直與教區禮儀委員會結下不解之緣。他經常來電詢問禮儀文件的落實情況，又協助經文的翻譯。在候洗者的培育，代父母的培育，他都親力親為。他是教區建築及發展委員會的成員。我與恩師父合作，學習他的踏實。他經常關心新聖堂能坐多少教友；他強調聖堂是為人的。他更重視聖堂的設計，能否幫助人更深入體驗信仰。他尤其關心聖堂的音響，一絲不苟，精益求精，無非是他愛教友，想他們完整地、有意識地、主動地參與禮儀，從而走進天主的生命，參與教會的福傳生活。
最後一次恩師父與我通電話，也只不過是上月之事，他問我粉嶺聖堂的進度，我給他報告了我所見的，欣賞的，擔心的；他最後三次問我：「你開心嗎？」我很感動，他可能是說「你滿意嗎？」但他用的是「關心」的話：「你開心嗎？」正如，恩神父曾對Laura說：「服務禮儀最重要是喜樂。」（其實，我和他最後一次的通話，是我欠他的：我在過馬路，他打電話來問我事情，我聽得不清楚，便說我回頭再覆，結果我忘記了……）
恩師父，你的一生應驗了羅馬書所說的：「傳布福音者的腳步，是多麼美麗啊」。今後，在世上，我們失去了你先知先覺的提點，但我們有你在天上為我們代禱。你是傳教士，你是我們的神父、我們的朋友和我們的恩師，請幫助我們步武你的芳蹤。
恩師父，你與我們分享過，你母親的去世是為你到天上打掃好房間，等待歡迎你。正如今日耶穌在福音中對我們說：「我去，是為你們準備地方，然後，我來，接你們到我那裡去。」今晚，你也對我們這樣說⋯⋯離別與再見。（https://youtu.be/CHl01pTnda0）
Father Giovanni Giampietro PIME (Yan Po Tak)
Born on March 31, 1934 in Italy, died on June 11, 2023 in Hong Kong.
* Birth in Italy: 31 March 1934
* Ordination in Milan: 21 June 1958
* Arrival in Hong Kong: 2 October 1958
* Death in Hong Kong: 11 June 2023
* St Margaret's Church, Happy Valley: Vic Coop 1959-1968
* Caritas Social Centre, Aberdeen: 1969
* Diocesan Liturgy Commission: Member 1965-1968
* Diocesan Liturgy Commission: Chairman 1969-1974
* St Cecilia Church, Diamond Hill: Assistant 1970-1974
* On Leave: 1975-1976
* Hong Kong Centre for Pastoral Studies: Member 1973-1974
* Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Wan Chai: 1977-1981
* On Leave: 1982
* Our Lady of China, Tai Kok Tsui: 1983-1984
* Ss. Cosmas & Damian Church, Tsuen Wan: Assistant P.P. 1985-1995
* Resurrection Mass Centre, Kwun Tong: Assistant P.P. 1996-2003
* Diocesan Building & Development Commission: Member 1996-2023
* Kwun Tong Pastoral Centre Management Committee: Member 1997-1999
* Diocesan Committee for Mission Sunday Celebration: Member 1997-1999
* Diocesan Liturgy Commission: Advisers 2004-2018, 2023
* Diocesan Pastoral Commission for Marriage and the Family: Member 2004
* St. John the Baptist Parish: Assistant P.P. 2004-2019
* St. John the Baptist Parish: Resident 2019-2023
* Retire 2019
The Church in Hong Kong mourned the loss of Father Giovanni I. Giampietro, of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions [PIME], who passed away on June 11 at the age of 89. For decades he contributed greatly in different aspects, including liturgy, pastoral work and evangelisation in the Diocese of Hong Kong.
Born on 31 March 1934 in Italy, Father Giampietro grew up in Capranica, Viterbo, in the Diocese of Sutri, Italy. After philosophical studies in the diocesan seminary, he studied philosophy with PIME and joined the institute on 28 June 1957.
He was ordained a priest on 21 June 1958 and arrived in Hong Kong on October 2 of the same year. After studying of the English and Cantonese languages, he started his pastoral ministry as parish assistant in St. Margaret’s Church.
In May 1966 he returned to Italy on his first vacation and remained there until July 1967, taking the time to carry out further studies in liturgy and the sociology of religion.
Once back to Hong Kong, he was assigned as acting rector of Tian Wan rectory, Aberdeen, in from 1968 to 1969, moving to St. Cecilia Church, Diamond Hill, as assistant parish priest, from July 1970 to July 1974.
During his second vacation in Italy, from July 1974 to April 1975, he again attended another course on liturgy. On his way back to Hong Kong he went to Saigon, Vietnam, for about a year, doing ministry and manual work.
From September 1977 to 1981, he was assistant parish priest at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Wanchai, combining pastoral ministry with morning part-time manual work in Aberdeen. From January to September 1982 he toured Latin America, visiting and learning about local Christian Basic Communities.
From October 1985 to 1995 Father Giampietro worked as assistant parish priest in Ss. Cosmas and Damian Parish, in Tsuen Wan.
During his leave in 1987, he visited some countries in Africa to visit lay missionaries from Hong Kong working there, whose association he had helped to found, as well as local Catholic communities.
From 1993 to 1995 he helped at St. Stephen’s Church. Then, in October 1995, he was transferred to Resurrection Parish, Kwun Tong, and continued his evangelisation initiatives.
Finally, in 2004 he was assigned to St. John the Baptist Parish as assistant parish priest, and retired in 2019 but remained as resident priest. It was here, on June 7, unfortunately, after falling ill with Covid-19, he fell and hurt his head: he was brought to the United Christian Hospital, then was transferred to Queen Elisabeth Hospital and on Sunday June 11 at 10:15pm he returned to the heavenly Father for his eternal reward.
Endowed with a bright intelligence and a deep love for Chinese people and culture, he mastered the colloquial Cantonese language in a wonderful way. In his sermons and talks, he could entertain and draw the audience’s attention, raising enthusiasm with jokes and witty remarks. He was always a welcome guest because of his clever, original and frank observations.
Within the diocese, he always wanted to work as an assistant parish priest rather than parish priest. He played an important role in the Liturgy and in the Building and Development Commissions in the localisation process of the local Church.
Very concerned about his missionary vocation, Father Giampietro always attracted groups of young people and committed lay cooperators and with them carried out various evangelisation initiatives, among them: the publication of books, mainly, Christ and The Salvation History, the circulation of discs and videos of Cantonese religious songs and music, the broadcasting of a complete online course for evangelisers in 2005, the catechumenate online, the production of two musicals—the first in 2013 on St. Francis Xavier and the second in 2019 on Father Matteo Ricci, the organisation of the apostolate of the family, holding concerts, etc.
Since 1999, together with the members of Friends Of Jesus Passover group, he visited Chinese communities in various countries [more than 40 cities] to learn and share evangelisation experience. One of his last initiatives was his comment of Sunday liturgical texts broadcast online.
A vigil Mass to be celebrated by John Cardinal Tong Hon is scheduled for June 18, at 8.00pm at Christ the King Chapel, Causeway Bay.
Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, sj, will celebrated the funeral Mass on June 19, at 10.30am, also at Christ the King Chapel.
Burial will follow at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley.