ASIA/CHINA - During the Annunciation of the Lord many religious congregations renewed vows and missionary spirit

Beijing (Agenzia Fides) – The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, 25 March, was an opportunity to renew religious vows and missionary spirit for many women religious congregations dedicated to Our Lady, active on the Chinese continent. According to information received by Fides, on the day of the celebration, the sisters of the Congregation of the Annunciation of the Lord from the Diocese of Yi Bin, Si Chuan province, renewed their vows at the hands of the 95 year old Bishop Chen Shi Zhong, after a four day retreat. All the diocesan priests and hundreds of the faithful took part in the solemn celebration.
Bishop Pietro Feng Xin Mao of Jing Xian (today Heng Shui) in He Bei province, presided at the rite of entrance into the novitiate, of the profession of first vows and the renewal of temporary vows by the religious sisters of the diocesan Congregation of Our Lady of Good Counsel. The Bishop said he hoped that the missionary spirit would always with the sisters, in their consecrated life and in their mission. Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Feng were 23 diocesan priests.
Sister Wang Bao Li, from the Franciscan Congregation of Mary, active in the Diocese of San Yuan of Shaan Xi Province, made her perpetual vows in the hands of the diocesan Bishop, Bishop Zong Huai De. 48 sisters shared this moment of joy with her, along with more than 500 faithful. Immediately after making her perpetual vows, the religious received her missionary mandate from the hands of her superior, and she is heading for a parish in the Diocese of Zhou Zhi. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 29/03/2011)