Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hwalien (Agenzia Fides) - Prayer and vocation formation were the central themes of celebrations on 25 October to mark the 50th anniversary of Our Lady of the Church in China at Cheng Kung, diocese of Hua Lien. According to the bulletin of Tai Pei archdiocese Christian Life Weekly a solemn Mass, presided by the local Bishop Philip Huang Jaw-Ming, and concelebrated by 9 priests, diocesan and religious, was attended by 120 Catholics and Sisters of the Congregation of the Holy Cross and Saint Martha. The celebrations where organised by the parish priest Rev Valerian Chen together with the local Association of Lay Catholics. In his homily Tei Pei auxiliary Bishop John B. Tseng, underlined the importance of the work of missionaries in the foundation and development of the parish, encouraging general mobilisation and vocations pastoral and active participation in parish life.
The diocese of Hua Lien (Hwalien) created on 15 July 1963 today has 56,262 faithful, 2 bishops, 54 priests, 5 brothers, 120 sisters, 16 seminarians (9 major, 7 minor), 25 catechists, 10 deaneries, 45 parishes, 151 mission stations, 17 semi-public churches, 1 professional school with 680 pupils, 1 middle school with 1,572 pupils, 2 professional training centres with 1,166 pupils, 1 elementary school with 590 pupils, 17 infant schools for 1,092 children, 1 college, 1 monthly publication, 1 hospital which admits an average 34,028 patients a year, 2 clinics which care for 6,200 patients a year, 2 homes for the aged with 117 inmates and 2 centres for mentally retarded children with 43 patients. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 06/11/2007 - righe 25, parole 274 )
