ASIA/CHINA-Reconstruction of the churches, the Mass, prayer meetings: the Catholic community in Si Chuan recalls the three-year journey to rise from the earthquake

Beijing (Agenzia Fides) –To always have a heart full of gratitude to the Lord, forgive and pray, to be ready to welcome the coming of the Lord, have the weak and needy at heart: these are the dominant feelings in the local Catholic community in commemoration of the three years of the Wen Chuan earthquake, which devastated the province of Si Chuan in China on May 12, 2008.
According to information gathered by Fides, on May 12, hundreds of faithful attended the solemn Mass celebrated in the Major Seminary in the province of Si Chuan to "remember the three-year journey of the Church to rise from the rubble with the help of everyone, renewing the will to continue the rebuilding of the Church in all senses, moral and structural. " Furthermore, projects of the churches undergoing reconstruction or will soon begin reconstruction work and the list of the sponsors were also presented. The celebrant priest encouraged the faithful to share those three years of faith, hope and charity, which are also the source of life for the future. At 2.28p.m - the time when the major earthquake happened three years ago - hundreds of people gathered in San Joseph- patron of the Seminary- square, for a moment of silent meditation. A prayer vigil to remember all the victims was held in the evening.
The Diocese of Nan Chong recalled the victims of the earthquake with a prayer meeting, reviewing "those terrible days, which was also a great time to test one`s faith; A three-year reconstruction journey , both for the Churches and society; aid from the Catholic community throughout the world mobilized by the appeal of the Holy Father. " The priest invited the participants to carefully guard this experience of faith.
The parish of Xiao Si Shan of the diocese of Cheng Du, which is the provincial capital, blessed the foundation stone of the new church on May 7, the feast of Our Lady of China. This is the fourth of the 18 churches that have to be rebuilt in the diocese. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 05/14/2011)