Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - In view of the IV World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which will be celebrated on Sunday 28 July 2024, with the theme chosen by the Holy Father, "In old age do not abandon me" (cf. Ps 71:9), the Chinese Catholic community has mobilized, as always, to live this Day in the light of the Gospel and the traditional Confucian values that are part of Chinese culture.
On the morning of 26 July, the pastoral group of the parish of Nantang, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and founded by Matteo Ricci, went to the Diocese's Nursing Home and made a pilgrimage to the parish of Yongni, in the district of Mentougou.
In Shishi Cathedral in the Diocese of Guangzhou, Mass was held early for the elderly and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was administered. This reflects the Church in China's commitment to care not only for the material aspects, but also for the spiritual life of the elderly. Likewise, the parish of Longwan in the Diocese of Wenzhou organized a series of initiatives to celebrate the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, thus responding to Pope Francis' call.
On July 23, young university students on summer vacation joined deacons, nuns and lay people to bring communion and the sacraments (confession, anointing of the sick) to the elderly in various villages under the scorching sun, devoting their time especially to the lonely and sick elderly, aged between 70 and 90. The visits were moving moments for both the elderly, who felt the warmth and love of the Church, and for the young people, who experienced first-hand the loneliness of old age and the physical and emotional difficulties. They were deeply moved because “this activity, more than any other, touched our hearts. The emotion and compassion for elderly people with so many difficulties touches the heart more directly than theories in books,” the young people confessed.
The following day, July 24, the mass for the Day was celebrated in the parish, attended by about 200 elderly parishioners. Various parish groups (choir, Caritas, youth, etc.) donated gifts made by them for the elderly, such as handmade rosaries, or fans (to encourage the elderly with their zeal and wisdom to continue to fan the missionary flame).
Four faithful shared with the community the Pope’s message for the IV World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. The parish priest, Father Guo Wenwu, stressed three points: firstly, paying attention to, caring for and loving the elderly, who are lonely and without support, and to fully understand their emotional needs; secondly, continuously promoting visits to the elderly, bringing God's blessings and love; and thirdly, involving young people to participate in these initiatives, in order to deeply understand the Lord's witness in the Church and promote the development of the Church in a concrete way.
In Chinese tradition, in fact, the elderly are the symbol of wisdom, ability, experience, self-denial, authority and love, all of which are values that are often found in the Holy Scriptures and in Christian teaching. In its long history spanning thousands of years, Chinese culture annually dedicates a feast to the elderly, according to the lunar calendar, in autumn. The Catholic community in mainland China has always organized numerous initiatives to celebrate the elderly enriched with Christian values in the light of the Bible.
The ecclesial life of all Catholic communities in China treasures the important contribution of the elderly: faithful collaborators of priests and nuns, passionate catechists and volunteers, always available to meet everyone's needs. At the same time, the Church concretely attends to their needs, both material and spiritual, the Sacraments (such as Communion and Anointing of the Sick) are regularly administered door to door, making them participants in the life of faith. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 27/7/2024)
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