Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tian Jin (Agenzia Fides) - There are 179 extraordinary ministers of communion at Kai Xi Cathedral of the Diocese of Tian Jin, who received the mandate during the solemn liturgy on November 19, presided by the pastor Don Zhang Liang. According to reports from Faith of He Bei, the rite of the mandate of extraordinary ministers on the day of the Solemnity of Christ the King, on the eve of the new liturgical year has been celebrated in the cathedral of Tian Jin for 8years. Those who receive the mandate follow a formation course, during which the Popes teachings have always been cited stressing the importance of the Eucharist in the life of the faithful.
During the mandate, the priest gave everyone the Cross and the identification card. In his homily, the priest acknowledged the merits of the previous extraordinary ministers, because "they fulfilled the mission of evangelization through this pastoral committment, after an intense personal spiritual life, nourished by the reading of the Holy Scripture, the spiritual retreat and adoration" . In the past 7 years, the extraordinary ministers have given the communion to 14,256 sick parishioners, they have accompanied the priests for confessions at home 1,617 times and 1,882 times for the anointing of the sick. Finally, they have driven 212 vigils for the dead.
The Cathedral of Kai Xi , dedicated to St. Joseph, of the Diocese of Tian Jin, was built in 1914 in Romanesque style and can accommodate over 2,000 people. The mission of the Vincentians, was called "the French church" by locals. The parish now has more than 30,000 people, it is very lively and also uses modern technology and mass media to promote evangelization. It was among the first parishes to open a website and, recently, has also opened a blog on evangelization. The Diocese of Tian Jing is a large Catholic community, where Catholicism has had a remarkable development. And it is one of the most important Chinese cities under the direct administration of the central government, such as Beijing, Shang Hai and Chong Qing. According to the Guide to the Catholic Church in China 2008, the diocesan community has over 100,000 faithful, thirty priests and forty Sisters of the Community of Charity, as well as a few dozen seminarians. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 01/12/2011)
