Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - The church doors always open for any snow stranded travellers; prayer and fasting to face difficulties together; offerings of objects and money and participation in rescue work: this activity has marked the life of the Chinese Catholic community in recent days. According to information collected by Fides, the Chinese Catholic community is facing the bad weather in the light of the teaching contained in the Holy Father's Message for Lent 2008 “Christ became poor for you”. As usual Jin De Charities China (a Catholic charity association) is in front line to coordinate rescue efforts on the part of the Catholic community: launching appeals, opening an e-mail address, (info@jinde.org) and updating the official web site. We read in their appeals to parish priests: “we wish to continue working with your parishioners to overcome difficulties as we have always done for the Lunar New Year and the beginning of Lent in the light of the teaching of the Pope. In fact the Pope urged Catholics to practice ‘prayer, fasting and almsgiving…. In order to celebrate Easter with a new heart. We offer our contribution, our fasting, our rosary for all our brothers and sisters in difficulty”. Catholics in Shen Zhen collected 6,000 Euro in 3 days and thousands of blankets and clothes, handed to the competent authorities. They have planned a supper in the churches for Lunar New Year on February 6, to welcome immigrant workers with no where to go. Recognising the contribution of the religious community in the field of social service, the local authorities made an official appeal to believers on 2 February. The President of the Chinese Consultative Council, Jia Qing Lin, asked the religious community “to exercise its famous tradition of social service to help overcome the natural disaster”. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 4/2/2008 - righe 23, parole 321)
