In 1840, the Catholic Church in Hong Kong started its missionary work outside Hong Kong Island. Schools and mission stations were initially set up along the Tsuen Wan shoreline, and later extended to the Tai Po area. From Tai Po, it extended along Lam Tsuen to the plains of Yuen Long.
Fr. Richard S. Brookes, PIME (1892-1980) was a pioneer missionary in Yuen Long. In 1926 he was appointed Parish Priest of New Territories West, which included Tai Po, Yuen Long and Tai O and Shek Pik on Lantau Island. At that time, there were one male and one female Catechists and five male and female teachers to assist in the evangelization work. Later in 1926-27, the missionary work was extended to Yuen Long Town.
On 29 June 1927, a new chapel was built in Tung Tau Village, Yuen Long, being Saints Peter and Paul the Patron Saints. Subsequently, a total of five schools were opened in various villages in the area, and one male and one female catechist were employed to assist in the missionary work. On 24 June 1928, the church at Cheung Po, Pat Heung, was consecrated. One year later, there were already 43 Catholic families, 133 Catholics and 39 catechumens in Yuen Long, showing that the missionary work was making steady progress.
In 1932, Fr. Valva Didacus D’Ayala, PIME (1900-1989) succeeded Fr. Gou as Parish Priest of New Territories West until 1940. At that time, there were about 150 parishioners in Yuen Long, 99 in Yuen Long Town, 35 in Sheung Che, 3 in Ha Che, 2 in Wang Tai Shan, 5 in Shui Lau Tin and 25 in Cheung Po. Fr D’Ayala left Yuen Long during the Japanese invasion of China.
Following Fr. D’Ayala, Fr. Joseph Yeung (1878-1945) became Parish Priest of New Territories West for over a year after Christmas 1940, and requested to be transferred out of Yuen Long in mid-1941 due to illness.
On 18 August 1942, Fr. Philip Lo (1889-1970), in his capacity as Parish Priest of Yuen Long, reported that only a few Catholics had been baptised and received the Sacrament of Matrimony during the year, and that there were no catechists to assist in the work, so that the Church’s work had come to a near standstill. In view of this, Fr. Beneficus Chan (1897-1967) was stationed in Tai Po in 1943-45 and took care of the missionary work in Yuen Long. After that, Fr. Au Hung-chi returned to Yuen Long in 1945-50, but his area of responsibility was only from Yuen Long to Tsuen Wan, not Tai Po.
On 30 March 1951, Fr Paul Tsang (1908-1984) took charge of Yuen Long and Fr Ambrose Poletti, PIME (1905-1972) of Tai Po, took charge of the whole district, and in 1952, when the Bishop set aside Tsuen Wan to form a single district, the southern part of the missionary district of Yuen Long was assigned to Tuen Mun.
A new milestone for the Yuen Long Mission began in 1953, when Fr John B. Wong (1919-1971) took charge of the whole district.
In addition to planning the construction of the new church, he set up the Shung Tak English College, Catholic Fellowship, Choir, the Legion of Mary and the Altar Servers. He employed catechists to assist in the teaching of the Catechism and proclaim the Word of God at Sunday Masses.
Fr. Wong was a musician, specialising in composing music and playing the piano, and he made many achievements during his term of office. On 8 May of the same year, the Yuen Long Catholic Fellowship Association was established with the approval of Bishop Lawrence Bianchi, and the first President of the Association was Mr. Eric Tsui, the then District Officer of Yuen Long. “The Yuen Long Catholic Fellowship Association aims to liaise with the parishioners and to promote the welfare of the parishioners. The Association organised a bazaar to raise funds for the renovation of the Church and for the purchase of audio equipment and altar rugs.
In 1955, Fr Wong rented two barracks-style tin half-round huts in Tan Kwai Tsuen for use as a sanctuary, named “Rosary Chapel”. On 16 September 1958, Shung Tak English College was established, and on 18 December 1958, the new church in Yuen Long, Shui Pin Tsuen, was Consecrated by Cardinal Agagianian, Prefect of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith.
The wooden Gothic altar at the front of the church is a gift from the Paris Foreign Mission Society, which moved it from the Nazareth Printing House Chapel at Pokfulam Road.
At that time, there were about 1,400 Catholics in Yuen Long District and only 200 Catholics in Yuen Long Town, with the rest living in about 40 villages. As most of the parishioners in the villages were farmers and were busy with farming, they usually came to the Church only once a week. Pastoral care was also difficult as only about one-third of the parishioners attended Sunday Mass.
In 1960, Fr Wong King-yin was involved in a traffic accident when the motorcycle he was driving collided with a lorry and his health was seriously affected. Soon after his recovery, he was transferred to St. Pius X Chapel in Chuk Yuen, Kowloon.
In 1960 Tuen Mun and Yuen Long where separated, the former eventually becoming Holy Redeemer Parish.
In 1963 Fr. Thomas Yu (1914-1987) became the head of the Yuen Long District Church. During his six years in office, he made many achievements.