Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Agenzia Fides) – Here are some of the activities being carried out by Catholics in China, in preparation for World Mission Sunday: invocation for the help and protection of the Blessed Mother, through the Rosary and the Prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan written by the Holy Father Benedict XVI, petitions for the special intercession of Saint Paul, asking that he grant us his spirit and missionary capacity...etc. In addition to all these are the personal prayers, the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Eucharist, pilgrimages, spiritual retreats, encounters for sharing pastoral and missionary experiences.
According to a report made to Agenzia Fides from a priest of Beijing, “the month of October is special, as not only is it the month of the Rosary, which is very intensely lived in China, but it is also the missionary month. This year, it also coincides with the year of Saint Paul, during the Synod on the Word of God, which is our spiritual daily bread. Therefore, you can just imagine the importance all this has for the Catholic community in China, which is seeking to live always in communion with the Holy Father and the Universal Church, following in the footsteps of the Chinese saints and martyrs.”
The Catholic community is hosting various activities. The faithful of the Diocese of Liu Cheng made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Verbita missionary Saint Joseph Freinademetz, and those of Beijing, to the tomb of Fr. Matteo Ricci. The Third Order Franciscans of the Diocese of Tai Yuan, along with the Rosary Association, did a spiritual retreat together October 7-11. The Diocese of Xin Zhou celebrated the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7, with a special celebration, as “the Rosary allows us to meditate and lift our gaze towards Christ with the heart and eyes of Mary. It allows us to climb the stairs to holiness,” the priest said in his homily.
During the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, the faithful of the Diocese of Tai Yuan consecrated all the families of the world and the missions of China to the Virgin Mary. The youth of the parish of Xu Shan, in the Diocese of Ning Bo, took a pilgrimage to the parish of Saint Paul, “to reflect on the Letters of St. Paul, imitating his example and committing themselves to the evangelization of the world.” During this month, six religious from the Congregation of the Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary took their perpetual vows, and many dioceses held ordinations to the diaconate and priesthood.
In addition, in harmony with the Universal Church, the Chinese faithful have increased their study of Sacred Scripture. The community of Nan Yang organized a Bible Study program every three months, for various groups of faithful (youth, elderly, children, married couples...). The parish of Luo Zhuang, in the city of Deng Zhou, printed 2,000 copies of the book “Golden Words from Sacred Scripture,” to hand out to parishioners, encouraging them to make the Word of God the source of guidance in their lives. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 17/10/2008)
