Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Dong Po (Agenzia Fides) – Knowing Christ through Sacred Scripture...to evangelize all those who have not yet known Jesus: this is the absolute priority for the Church. With this conviction, inspired by Saint Paul's words “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel,” the parish of Dong Po, in the province of Si Chuan organized its first Scripture Reading Contest, for the celebrating of the Year of St. Paul. The initiative was a success in spite of the insecure living conditions of the majority of the population, which is still feeling the affects of the tragic earthquake that hit the area in May 2008.
Over 200 faithful participated in reading Bible passages, and sharing their reflections and testimonies. They also had quizes, to test their familiarity with the Bible and a festival, which took place on January 14. According to the organizers, “evangelization is not just a task for the priests and the religious, but for all the baptized. However, it requires the proper preparation, and the Bible is the most important medium. Only when we have understood the Bible's message, can we transmit it well to others.” It was especially impressive to see those who lost everything in the earthquake and have been living in tents since May, give their testimony of how they lived the consequences of the earthquake, in relation to the Bible.
This kind of “Bible Contest” is widespread among the Chinese Catholic communities. According to the Chinese priests, “it is an efficient means to help the common people, like our faithful, to understand and penetrate into the Bible. And once they have understood the Bible correctly, they will be able to transmit it to others.” (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 27/1/2009)
