Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - "Open your heart to welcome God's Love" was the theme of the second day "open doors" sponsored by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Diocese of Beijing. Given last year’s great spiritual and vocational success, on June 3 the nuns opened again the doors of their convent in Beijing to those who wanted to visit and learn more about the consecrated life. According to information Fides received, the day started with the warm hospitality of the nuns in the parish courtyard of Ss.mo Saviour, which is also the mother house of the religious institute. Here participants were able to hear the history and ongoing development of the congregation presented by the superior general, Sister Dong. The visit to the convent and a roundtable with the nuns followed, to exchange experiences about the life of faith and religious life. Finally they all prayed together in the convent chapel. According to rumors, 4 girls returned to the convent in the following days to express their desire to pursue the path of consecrated life.
Founded in 1872 by Bishop Louis-Gabriel Delaplace, CM, then Apostolic Vicar of Beijing, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph is one of the first Chinese diocesan congregations. The charism of the religious is to teach catechism to children and women. It reopened in 1986, the congregation now has 50 women religious. They are active in pastoral care and evangelism and service in the parishes of the diocese. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 15/6/2012)
