Dominic Pozzoni

Born in Paderno d’Adda, Italy. Pozzoni was a pioneer missionary in the inland districts of the Hong Kong Vicariate and one of its most diligent bishops. He joined the Lombardy Seminary for Foreign Missions (later, the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) in 1882 and arrived in Hong Kong in 1885. In early 1886 he was assigned to the inland districts, with Saikung as its center, first to help and then to succeed L. Piazzoli when the latter was recalled to the city in 1892.

Being assigned to a large area, he had to travel almost continuously within the Po On, Kwei Hsin (later Waiyeung), and Hoi Fung Districts. In May 1904 he was summoned to the city to assist Msgr. Piazzoli, who was seriously ill, and to accompany him back to Italy. After the death of the latter, Pozzoni returned to Hong Kong in Jan 1905, where he was appointed vicar apostolic and was consecrated bishop in the following October.

As bishop, he took care of his flock with diligence, making several pastoral visits even to the remotest parts of the vicariate, as well as fostering spiritual life among the urban Catholic communities and associations. He played an important role in setting up Hong Kong University in 1912 and carefully led the church through the difficult years of World War I.

After a final pastoral visit to the Saikung District in Dec 1923, Pozzoni suffered a heart attack, the aftereffects of which resulted in his death the following February. His funeral represented a solemn show of respect and affection for him by the whole colony of Hong Kong.