Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Roma (Agenzia Fides) - Chinese Catholics were deeply moved by greetings for 'prosperity and wellbeing', pronounced by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday 3 February addressed to all Asian countries celebrating Lunar New Year. Priests in Beijing said: “Thank you Holy Father for your affectionate message. We do our best to preserve our family traditions for the benefit of our country and the world, which needs to discover the value of the family. We carry the Pope's message to everyone we meet. We will make new year celebrations an opportunity for evangelisation so people will realise that Pope Benedict XVI loves the people of China!”.
Many Catholic communities are organising initiatives of evangelisation as part of new year celebrations. The parish communities at Tian Jin Immaculate Conception cathedral and St Michael's parish in the diocese of Qi Qi Ha Er, added a Christian message to the traditional red new year decorations produced for doors: red paper fishes, loaves of bread, crosses, and bible stories are in great demand by Christians and non Christians.
A Chinese priest who cares for Diaspora Catholics said, “Chinese communities are increasingly inculturated. Lunar New Year is a good time for promoting harmonic insertion in society. As Catholics we are aware of our responsibility in this aspect”. In fact in many parts of the world Chinese immigrants and local people take part in Lunar New Year celebrations coordinated by the local authorities. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 5/2/2008 - righe 26, parole 351)
