Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - A group of sixty university students in the diocese of Chang Sha, in the south Chinese province of Hu spent a week taking part in prayers, pilgrimages, Mass and sharing under the guidance of three diocesan priests. At the end the participants agreed: “We have re-charged our spiritual energies with the celebration of the Sacraments, prayers, faith experience sharing in this week. We are young members of the Church and of society and missionary and social duties await us. Our duty as Christians is to live and share God's love for all human persons”.
Summer catechism for children is now a customary summer occupation for young Catholic seminarians in China. A priest in Beijing said “the Summer holiday time is an opportunity to strengthen the faith of the children and to help working parents who cannot care for their children all day. Besides catechism classes we take the children to help elderly people, or the sick or the needy, or to cheer up the inmates at a Centre for the Disabled…this teaches the children to live their faith as part of daily life and to put into practice what they learn at catechism. It is a double re-charging of the faith”. The local Church says this formation which was only organised in the Summer holidays is now offered in other holiday times, such as May 1st holiday week and Lunar New Year vacation. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 12/7/2007 - righe 19, parole 271)
