ASIA/CHINA - The Diocese of Hai Men celebrates 85 years of its foundation and the consecration of its first Bishop

Hai Men (Agenzia Fides) - The inauguration of the bronze statue that depicts Mgr. Simon Zhu Kaimin - one of the first Chinese Bishops consecrated by Pope Pius XI in 1926, in St. Peter in the Vatican, who was also the first Bishop of the Diocese of Hai Men - the opening of the Catholic Museum of History, Culture and Art, the publication of the book text "Narrates the story of the Catholic Church of Nantong", the production of the documentary "the Diocese of Hai Men", an exhibition of the Diocese of Hai Men: with these and many other initiatives, the diocese of Hai Men (original Nantong) is celebrating 85 years of its foundation and also the 85 years of the consecration of its first Bishop. More than 800 priests, women religious and lay faithful, together with some representatives of the civil authorities, attended the blessing and inauguration of the bronze statue of the first and Bishop and pioneer of the mission, Mgr. Simon Zhu Kaimin. Thanks to his 30 years of episcopal ministry, he built a total of 156 churches (almost one for every village and district) as well as a hospital, school, home for the elderly, an orphanage and many other social services, as instruments of the mission of evangelization. In July 1931 he also founded the Congregation of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, which now has 23 active women religious in the parishes, in health and social fields. He was called "the apostle of Jesus, a pillar of the Church". The Diocese of Haimen (Nantong) is located in the eastern Province of Jiangsu. Currently, the ecclesiastical district has more than 30,000 faithful, most of whom are farmers or workers, 11 priests, about 20 women religious and three seminarians. There are 24 parishes. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 26/01/2012)