What position did Michael Yeung take from Aug 2017 to Aug 2018?
Michael Yeung Michael Yeung Ming-cheung ( ; 1 December 1945 – 3 January 2019 ) was the eighth Roman Catholic bishop of Hong Kong . He was consecrated on 30 August 2014 . Early life . Yeung Ming-cheung was born in Shanghai in 1945 . He completed his primary and secondary schooling and began working for an import-export company in Hong Kong . In 1972 at the age of 26 he entered the Pontifical Urban University to study theology and philosophy and graduated in 1978 . Priest . He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Hong Kong on 10 June 1978 . After his ordination he took a variety of pastoral and administrative roles . From 1978 to 1980 he was vicar in Ha Kwai Chung District , New Territories ; from 1980 to 1982 he earned an MA in social communications from Syracuse University in the United States . In 1982 he returned to Hong Kong and was appointed director of the office of Social Communications for the diocese . He held this post until 1986 . He was then appointed parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes parish , where he served until 1989 when he was appointed chaplain at Yu C.K . Memorial College . He returned to the United States to study at Harvard University where in 1990 he earned a Masters in Education ( Ed.M. ) . He returned to Hong Kong in 1990 and held the post of director of the office of education until 2013 . He was the head of Caritas Hong Kong and was appointed vicar general of the diocese in 2009 . He was later appointed a member of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum . Bishop . On 11 July 2014 , Pope Francis appointed him Titular Bishop of Mons in Numidia and named him one of three Auxiliary Bishops of Hong Kong along with Joseph Ha Chi-shing , O.F.M . and Stephen Lee Bun-sang . Consecrated on 30 August 2014 , Yeung was appointed the coadjutor bishop of the diocese on 13 November 2016 , and succeeded Cardinal John Tong Hon as the Bishop of Hong Kong on 1 August 2017 . On 27 June 2018 , AsiaNews reported that Yeung had tendered his resignation to Pope Francis in order to dedicate himself to Caritas . Yeung said he had only suggested that he would like to work for Caritas when he retired from his Hong Kong position . He received two honorary doctorates : one in Social Science from the Open University of Hong Kong , and another one from the Australian Catholic University . Illness and death . Yeung reportedly tripped over his alb and injured himself when stepping upstairs before celebrating a Mass in December 2018 . He made his last public appearance when he celebrated the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception the same month . Beginning 27 December 2018 , Yeung underwent treatment for liver failure brought on by cirrhosis at the Canossa Hospital . He died at 1:30pm ( Hong Kong time ) on 3 January 2019 from the illness . Following Yeungs death , Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Tong apostolic administrator to lead the diocese until an appointment of a new bishop . Public stances . Throughout his career as a Catholic clergyman , Yeung was at the center of various controversies . Yeung was criticized for comparing participants of the 2014 Hong Kong protests , as well as homosexuals , to those who use drugs . Yeungs close ties with Carrie Lam , the 5th Chief Executive of Hong Kong , were also a source of controversy . Yeung said Lam is a Catholic , and he had good ties with Lam for years . Yeung also said he knew Lam on a professional level , during her time as the Director of the Social Welfare Department , and that he has no reasons to reject her , and sever ties . Yeungs cosy ties with the rich and powerful in Hong Kong has also been a source of criticism . Yeung was also criticized for allegedly defending mainland Chinese authorities during a news conference over controversies concerning the removal of crucifixes from church buildings or demolition of churches . He also said that , since China has regulations on religion , he will respect their rules .