Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Agenzia Fides) – “We are deeply touched and cannot express our immense gratitude to the Holy Father and the universal Church that he represents, that has been always so near us in prayer and with concrete works. The words, the prayers, and now the personal gift of the Pope to our humanitarian aid efforts show that we are not alone. The Pope is with us; the universal Church is with us! The only thing we should do to worthily receive this great gesture of the Pope, is continue on carrying out our service with improved effort, bearing witness to Christ, even under the tents and amidst the wreckage...” These were the words from a statement made to Agenzia Fides by the head of Jinde Charities, the Chinese Catholic entity that is coordinating the aid services in the earthquake disaster area, together with Caritas Germany and other European Caritas groups.
Chinese Catholics working on the front line in the aid effort since the beginning of the earthquake tragedy in Sichuan, with support from the international Catholic community, are moved and encouraged in their arduous work because once more, the Holy Father Benedict XVI has wished to remember them with a public invitation to the world to pray for China, and has also sent his own personal donation. In fact, before reciting the Angelus yesterday, June 1, the Holy Father once again invoked the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary for “the people of China and Myanmar, stricken by natural disasters.”
According to declarations made to Agenzia Fides by the head of Jinde Charities, “on May 29, along with Caritas Germany, we distributed 4,050 tents at a total value of 89, 000 Euros to the population affected. The Pope’s personal donation will be sent to the most needy area. Many churches have been destroyed, however our trust is becoming stronger because we know that the Pope is always thinking of us. Priests, religious, and laity are all encouraged by the Pope’s gesture. It is not the quantity that matters, but the great gesture made by our Holy Father.”
“The German and Chinese television reporters, as well as the Chinese newspaper reporters, are all waiting in line to interview our Sisters, because of the example the give in their manner of working in the earthquake zone. The authorities are asking us to intensify our work in the area of moral support. They say we do it well, especially the Sisters. Also, every volunteer group that we have sent to the site has received an official mandate from their own diocese itself, with a solemn rite of missionary sending presided by the Bishop. Thus, it is not only a matter of humanitarian aid, but for us it has become a mission, a mission to bear witness to the faith in every circumstance, an evangelization underneath tents and in the midst of desperate people, trying to offer moral and spiritual comfort. We have been able to respond to this demand with the support of the Pope and the universal Church.” (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 2/6/2008)
