ASIA/CHINA -Children’s summer pastoral: formation and experience of faith as well as fun

Tian Jin (Agenzia Fides) - As every year the Catholic community in mainland China is intensifying the children’s summer pastoral with the organization of summer camps, meetings and catechism with many other initiatives to increase formation and experience of faith of the young people, the sense of belonging to the Church and their missionary awareness, through moments of relaxation and enjoyment.
According to what was reported to Fides by Faith of He Bei, about sixty high school children of the parish of Fei Xiang of the Diocese of Han Dan, in the province of He Bei, gave birth to the "Community of St. Luigi Gonzaga." Their first summer formation session was held from July 5 to 12, under the guidance of priests and nuns, during which they deepened their knowledge of catechism, formation, liturgy, scripture.
The seminarians of the Diocese of Wen Zhou, in the province of Zhe Jiang organized a summer camping for children in the parish, as every year. About seventy children, the majority of whom followed or are following the course of catechism, attended the camping which this year had the theme "Experience faith in love, share the Love of God in faith." At the closure of the camping, on Sunday, July 15, eight children were baptized and two received their First Communion. All the children at the end of the camping received the missionary mandate by the priest.
The "Camping of the life of faith" of the parish of Xi Zhong Ying of Xing Tai, in the province of He Bei, was a real missionary experience for 32 children, led by priests, women religious and university volunteers. In the end, along with 18 adults of the parish, they received the sacrament of confirmation by the Apostolic Administrator of Xing Tai, so that they may walk in the footsteps of the Seven Saints of Xing Tai, witnessing faith with life.
Instead pre-school children of the parish of Yi Xing Fu of the Diocese of Tian Jin made a pilgrimage to the cemetery of the Belgian CICM Missionary martyrs (Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, missionaries of Scheut) remembering how many offered their lives for the proclamation of the Gospel in this land. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 17/7/2012)