ASIA/CHINA - Summer camp for university students organized by a small rural Catholic parish is attended by 80 youth, half of them non-Christians

Heng Shui (Agenzia Fides) – Although the small rural Catholic community of Wu Qiang, in the Diocese of Jing Xian (present-day Heng Shui) is not one with a great many human and economic resources, it has always been active in evangelization and pastoral care. During summer vacations, three seminarians organized a summer camp for university students, in collaboration with the parish pastor, Fr. Si Zhen Xi and 8 Catholic university students. The reason for the camp was to gather together to praise the Lord. The camp was attended by over 80 youth from various villages who attend this parish. The camp lasted one week and included catechesis, liturgies, and religious song. There were also drawing classes featuring Catholic themes. Nearly half of the participants were not Christian, but they were positively impressed by the camp. In the closing Mass at the end of the camp, the non-Christians shared the joy of their experience with everyone present. The parish priest received the award of “Best Camper.”
The Diocese of Jing Xian (present-day Heng Shui) was once a French Jesuit mission. It became an Apostolic Prefecture in 1939, elevated to a Diocese in 1947. In 1952, the community was made up of 3-4,000 faithful. Today the Diocese of Jing Xian (Heng Shui) has 25,000 Catholics, 31 priests, 26 major seminarians, and 81 minor seminarians, 30 churches, and 5 clinics. The diocesan religious congregation is named Our Lady of Good Counsel, which reopened in January 1987 and today has 78 religious sisters, 12 novices, and 25 postulants. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 3/9/2008)