Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nan Chong (Agenzia Fides) - To implement the recommendations contained in the "Note with pastoral guidelines for the Year of Faith" published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Diocese of Nan Chong of the province of Si Chuan organized, on June 9, a study day of the Apostolic Letter "Porta Fidei" of the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI, with which he proclaims the Year of Faith. Thanks to the Chinese translation of the document published by the Regional Episcopal Conference of Taiwan, priests, religious sisters, seminarians and lay people were able to follow the presentation of the Apostolic Letter made by the priests of the Major Seminary of Si Chuan. "The purpose of Porta Fidei and the Holy Father’s intention for the Year of Faith is to help us reflect on our faith, on the life of faith, to rediscover the joy of faith", stressed the speakers, who also indicated The Catechism of the Catholic Church as the most authentic instrument to support faith.
The present Diocese of Nan Chong (originally Shun King) was evangelized since 1746 by Fr. An Li De (1692-1775), very famous Chinese missionary priest of the Society for Foreign Missions of Paris, who after the expulsion of foreign missionaries established by the authorities of the province of Si Chuan, he carried out, for tens of years, the missionary task of evangelizing the whole province on his own. His missionary diary in Latin, of which he was a great connoisseur, is a priceless treasure for the history of the mission. In 1929 the Apostolic Vicar of Shun King was erected, which in 1946, the year of the Chinese hierarchy institution, became the Diocese of Nan Chong. Today the diocese has more than 80 thousand faithful, 43 churches and chapels, 27 mission stations, 12 priests, 6 seminarians, 11 women religious. The Bishop was consecrated on 19 April with the approval of the Holy See. In the diocese there is a famous Trappist monastery dedicated to St. Benedict. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 13/6/2012)
