Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Yan An (Agenzia Fides) - There were over a thousand faithful of the diocese of Yan An, in the province of Shaa Xi, who attended the ordination of three new diocesan priests on October 3. The solemn ceremony was presided by Bishop Coadjutor of the diocese, His Exc. Mgr. Giovanni Battista Yang: it was the first priestly ordination after the consecration of the bishops. According to what was reported by Faith and sent to Fides, all the three new priests come from very devout Catholic families, and were educated in the faith since childhood.
The current ecclesiastical district of Yan'an (Yulin), which covers an area of 80,000 sq km in the countryside of north Shaanxi, has about 60,000 faithful, two Bishops, 27 between priests and religious who are not priests, 8 seminarians, 33 religious women belonging to the two Congregations of the Sisters of Our Lady of China and the Missionaries of Mary. There are 20 churches, about 20 other other places of worship, three rural health clinics and a Catholic elementary school.
Archbishop Giovanni Battista Yang Xiaoting, 46 years years old and 19 years of priesthood was consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of Yan'an (Yulin) on July 15, 2010, and took office on March 25, 2011, solemnity of the Annunciation. The Holy See approved the episcopate and the government authorities allowed his ordination. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 06/10/2011)
