Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Fides Service) – The Catholic community in Beijing has always had good relations with the diplomats and international organisations personnel stationed in Beijing.
Many foreign citizens attend Sunday Mass in English at Nan Tang Immaculate Conception church the oldest Catholic church in Beijing built 300 years ago. Besides Masses in English there is also a Bible Study prayer Group attended by foreigners and young Chinese Catholic students.
Recently the group organised an International Friendship Day in aid of charity. Following midday Sunday Mass in English, embassy staff and their families from 13 countries, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Japan, Germany, United States, Uruguay, Argentina, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Gabon and Chile shared a buffet “pot luck lunch”. Each person brought a typical national dish to share the members of the prayer group and other Catholic foreign workers.
At least 200 people came to the buffet lunch held in the church gardens and the sum collected was 51,000 Yuan (about 6.000 Euro). The funds will help to build a church in Chi Feng, inner Mongolia and pay studies for 90 poor students whose parents cannot afford university fees: 70 in Yuan Nan province and 20 in Shan Xi province. (NZ) (Fides Service 19/11/2003 lines 28 words 304)
