Antonio Riganti

The Very Reverend Antonio Riganti VG, PIME
Vicar General of the Diocese of Hong Kong
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Hong Kong
Other post(s)	Vicar Delegate of Hong Kong (1934-1942) Diocesan Administrator of Hong Kong (1951) Rector of St. Joseph's Church (1927-1932, 1934-1942) Rector of St. Margaret's Church (1950-1961) Procurator of PIME (1950, 1961-1965)
Orders
Ordination	March 18, 1916
Personal details
Born	October 27, 1893 Sesto Calende, Varese, Italy
Died	July 20, 1965(1965-07-20) (aged 71) St. Paul's Hospital, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Buried	St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Nationality	Italy
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	戴遐齡
Simplified Chinese	戴遐龄
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Dài, Xiá Líng Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Daai3, Haa4 Ling4

Ordination history of Antonio Riganti
History Priestly ordination Date March 18, 1916

Styles of Antonio Riganti
Reference style	The Very Reverend
Informal style	Father

Antonio Riganti, PIME (Chinese: 戴遐齡, 21 October 1893 – 20 July 1965) was a Italian Roman Catholic Priest of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions who has served as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Hong Kong.

Biography

Early life

On 27 October 1893, Antonio Riganti was born in Sesto Calende, Varese, a town near Milan, Italy.

Priestly ministry

He first entered the Milan Archdiocesan seminary in 1905, and later joined the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions in 1913, he was ordained priest on 18 March 1916.

He was first sent to Albania to serve as the Military Chaplain during the World War I.

Riganti arrived in Hong Kong in January 1920, his first assignment in Hong Kong is the choir master to the Cathedral, then in 1923, he was assigned to teach in the seminary in Hong Kong.

He was made Rector of St. Joseph's Church in Garden Road in 1927, which he held this post for over 21 years.

Riganti was recalled back to Milan as the Assistant of the PIME Superior General in September 1948, but he was permitted to return to Hong Kong in November of the same year, where he became the Rector of St. Margaret's Church in Happy Valley, and the Procurator of PIME in Hong Kong.

Vicar General and Diocesan Administrator

After the death of the Bishop of Hong Kong, Enrico Valtorta, on 4 September 1951, while the Coadjutor Bishop of Hong Kong, Lorenzo Bianchi, was being under arrest by the Communist Government in China, Antonio Riganti was appointed the Diocesan Administrator of Hong Kong, with the full authority and power which is equivalent to a Diocesan Bishop by the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith.

When Bianchi was released in December 1952, he confirmed the appointment of Riganti as the Vicar General of Hong Kong.

Music

Riganti wad endowed with his musical talent since his childhood, he has composed serval liturgical hymns, aside from his composing work, he also frequently consulted by other composers in Hong Kong.

Later years and Death

In September 1959, Riganti obtained leave to resign his position as Vicar General, on grounds of declining health.

Two years later, in September 1961, he resigned as the Rector of St. Margaret’s Church due to his serious illness.

Riganti died on 20 July 1965 in St. Paul’s Hospital, Causeway Bay, due to lung cancer. He was 71 year old.

His remains were buried in St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley, Hong Kong.