EUROPE/POLAND - The Church in Poland celebrates the Day of Prayer for the Church in China

Warsaw (Agenzia Fides) – The Church in Poland gladly responded to the appeal of the Holy Father Benedict XVI and that of Bishop Wiktor Skworc of Tarnów and President of the Polish Bishops’ Commission for the Missions and worked to promote the celebrations of May 24, feast of Our Lady Help of Christians and Day of Prayer for the Church in China. The Missions Commission prepared and distributed informational material on the Catholic Church in China and texts of the Prayer. The Commission also prepared an initiative for children and youth to make a Chinese lantern as a sign of their own participation in the prayer.
In the area of animation and information on the Church in China, several entities participated, especially the Catholic weekly “Gość Niedzielny” and other Catholic weekly journals and magazines of Poland. The Day of Prayer was also an opportunity to present the reality of the Church in China on Polish public television. Other themes linked to that of China were also made known through Catholic mass media and various other public broadcasting stations. A magazine based on the one called “China Haute” and entitled, “Chiny Dzisiaj,” began publishing shortly over a year ago, in collaboration with “Monumenta Serica.” Various initiatives are being undertaken by the Commission in the area of collaboration with the “Fu Szenfu Center for Immigrants” and the “Verbiti” Fathers have always seen it as their goal to reach all believers. The necessary information and material for celebrating the Day were sent to the parishes so that awareness of the Church in China may penetrate the hearts of all Polish faithful. (CN/SL) (Agenzia Fides 29/5/2008)