ASIA/CHINA - Advent season of the Chinese Catholic communities in the sign of Saint Francis Xavier

Nanjing (Agenzia Fides) - The Chinese Catholic communities celebrated the new ecclesiastical year and the first Sunday of Advent on December 3rd in the spirit of St. Francis Xavier, the day on which the feast of the great Jesuit missionary is celebrated. On the eve of the feast of St. Francis Xavier, the Diocese of Nanjing celebrated the ordination of two new deacons and prayed that they too may experience from the Patron Saint of Missions the passion to carry the Gospel to every corner of the diocese and China. The consecration mass was held at the Parish of Saint Francis Xavier, which was consecrated on December 3, 2018 to meet the pastoral needs of more than 3,000 Catholics. The consecration was also attended by about 30 priests, the sisters of the diocese and more than 500 lay people, as well as some representatives of the local political authorities. At the beginning of Advent, in Holy Trinity Parish in Jiangxi, believers and priests shared the beginning of Advent with the common purpose of "always remembering to pray, do good deeds and read the Bible, so that the people who live with us may, through our words and deeds experience the love of Christ". After the liturgy, the priests and nuns made their way to the local communities to administer the sacraments to the sick and needy. On December 7, the eve of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the Archdiocese of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province also celebrated the ordination of two deacons. In the Cathedral dedicated to the Sacred Heart, Bishop Joseph Gan Junqiu presided over the liturgical celebration, which was attended by dozens of priests and nuns and hundreds of lay faithful. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 9/12/2023)

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