Jan 2014
What better way to honour a loving person’s memory than to set up a scholarship in his name?
Fr Alvaro Ribeiro, former warden of Ricci Hall, passed away last year, having touched many lives while he was with us. Everyone who knew Fr Alvaro has nothing but fond memories of him. His compassion, humour, generosity, passion and talent in the arts live long in their hearts.
Daniel Souza and John Tan, Riccians who have known Fr Alvaro for many decades, decided to honour their beloved friend by initiating a scholarship in his name for English major students. English had always been Fr Alvaro’s great love; he had taught and conducted research into it at different prestigious institutions including HKU, Oxford, Yale and Georgetown Universities.
The scholarship campaign turned out to be a great success with $1.5 million raised. Over 50 contemporaries, friends and students of Fr Alvaro from Hong Kong, the U.S. and the U.K. contributed. It was a fitting tribute to this big-hearted man.
The Scholarship was formally established at Fr Alvaro’s memorial mass held at Ricci Hall on the 6th of April, 2014 around the first anniversary of his passing. Fr Jeffrey von Arx, SJ, one of Fr Alvaro’s closest friends and president of Fairfield University in Connecticut, USA came to Hong Kong especially to be the main celebrant of the mass. Many of Fr Alvaro’s fellow Riccians, friends and senior HKU academic staff attended and reminisced about their good old days with him.
It is hoped that this Scholarship will not only recognise academically outstanding students at HKU but also inspire them to follow Fr Alvaro’s example of treasuring some of the finer things in life such as friendship, the arts, nature and cross-cultural exchanges.
If you wish to support this Scholarship or pay tribute to Fr Alvaro, please click here.
