Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Shang Hai (Agenzia Fides) – In the Pastoral Letter on the Year of St. Paul, written by Bishop Jin Lu Xian of Shang Hai (92 years of age) and dated this past August 30, also his 70th anniversary as a Jesuit, the Bishop invites the faithful to deepen in their knowledge of Saint Paul, imitating his missionary zeal. The Pauline Year coincides with the 400th anniversary of the evangelization of the Diocese of Shang Hai and thus, the Bishops sees it his pastoral duty to address his faithful on the mission and the Apostle par excellence, in the 15-page letter with 14,680 Chinese characters, divided in 8 parts. As the Bishop writes, “in 1950, our diocese had over 390 churches, but only one was dedicated to Saint Paul. Thus, I see the need to help you in getting to know the Apostle Paul more closely.”
The Bishop presents the figure of Saint Paul in 8 parts: Who is Saint Paul?; the physical aspects of Paul; Paul’s character; chosen by the Lord; the patrimony of Saint Paul; the theological thought of St. Paul; the heart of Pauline thought; Paul and Christ. Bishop Jin also explained the close link between Saint Paul and modern diocesan life. Paul had so many challenges, and yet life in Shang Hai is not much different: “walking down the street, you are overwhelmed by the amount of temptations; you walk in your house, and turning on the television, you are impressed by the violence and the negative content; you go on-line, to the blogs, the video games and you think that there must not be anything better than this”... “We are besieged by our enemies from within and from outside, who make us give in so easily. Thus, those who wish to be conquered by Christ must face many challenges,” just like Paul did.
Describing this situation, which is in urgent need of evangelization, in the conclusive part of his Letter, Bishop Jin presents three images of Paul: Paul as an older man, Paul as a youth, and Paul as an adult. With the first image of Paul as an elderly man, the Bishop shows his nobility of soul and great missionary spirit in spite of being deprived of freedom. In the image of Paul as a youth, he presents the great love of Paul that has wished to conquer all people for Christ. In Paul as an adult, he shows what is at the center of Paul’s mission: “woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16). Thus, the Bishops asks that all priests and faithful imprint these three images of Paul in their minds and hearts, so as to imitate him all their lives. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 23/9/2008)
