ABSTRACT
The contemporary Catholic Church advocates a government with limited power, while China's communist officials pursue an authoritarian state with all political power in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its state apparatus. In the public arena, the Catholic Church works to give people the greatest leeway for individual action, while mindful that public safety and the rights of others must be protected. The Catholic Church in Hong Kong measures progress by its success in spreading the Gospel and providing educational and other services to the community. Although the Catholic Church has aired its concern regarding Hong Kong's electoral practices, skeptics question how genuine the church's voice can be as a counter witness since the government subsidizes Catholic schools, the vital contact point for spreading Catholic influence in the community. Because the Catholic Church runs more schools in Hong Kong than any other school-sponsoring body (SSB), it places a major lifeline to the church's influence in Hong Kong.
