Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Ningbo (Agenzia Fides) - "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith," writes Saint Paul in his second letter to Timothy. The parishioners of the newly inaugurated church in the diocese of Ningbo also feel that they have fought the good fight and completed the long race. The new church dedicated to the Apostle Paul in the coastal province of Zhejiang in mainland China took a good 16 years to build. A "long march" that ended with the "reward" of being able to celebrate the sacraments in the new church.
On Monday, October 28, the new church was solemnly inaugurated. A goal that was achieved thanks to the prayers and dedication of the parishioners, who also contributed to its realization with their donations. The celebrations before and after the consecration lasted three days. During the vigil on the eve of the solemn consecration, 40 catechumens were baptized and nine others received the sacrament of confirmation.
After the consecration on October 29, a mass was celebrated for the deceased of the parish, many of whom had actively participated in the construction of the new church.
At the beginning of the mass, the former parish priest Bai Shuping repeated the three prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord, to the Blessed Mother and to all those whom the Lord loves, for "you are God's temple" (1 Cor. 3:16).
The priest also recalled the courage of the late Bishop Matthew Hu Xiande and the entire parish in embarking on the construction of the church without having the funds to complete the project secured from the outset. Most of the total cost (49.51 million yuan, equivalent to 7 million 100 thousand euros) was covered by donations from parishioners (about 27.60 million yuan, equivalent to 4 million euros). The rest was provided by the diocese and other institutions.
On the day of its inauguration, the new parish church dedicated to St. Paul ha already welcomed pilgrims from Xiangshan.
(Agenzia Fides, 1/11/2024)
