This is the picture of Governor Chris Patten swearing on the Bible, witnessed
by Dr. the Hon. Ti-liang Yang. In the background is the Governor’s
wife and daughter.
The story runs like this.
When the last colonial Governor of Hong Kong, Mr. Chris Patten, was to be sworn in he enquired whether his favourite version of the Bible, the Douai version, was available. The Government officials began the search but failed to unearth the quarry, even from the judiciary or the Franciscan Order! One official, however, the Director of Administration, Nicolas Ng Wing Fui, thought of his old school and the Brothers. He telephoned Brother Patrick Tierney and relayed the request of Mr. Patten.
Brother Patrick asked many Brothers and searched the house to no avail. As a last resort he inspected old Brother Austin’s room and lo and behold there was a copy of the Douai version.
The cover was somewhat dog-eared, so Nicholas Ng had the Government printer rebind it in stately black, exactly to its original state. Chris Patten swore on this Bible in the ceremony appointing him Governor of Hong Kong.
Brother Austin has since passed to his reward. We pray he will put in a kind word with the Almighty on our behalf.