Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Peng Zhou (Agenzia Fides) – Among the tents in the earthquake disaster area, in the midst of the damp freezing cold of winter, one can hear the sounds of people praying the Hail Mary's on their Rosary beads, singing sacred hymns, and above all, one notes the optimism that moves them all. They are the Catholics from the parish of Bai Lu and Ma Sang Ba, in the city of Peng Zhou, near the epicenter of the earthquake that took place on May 12, 2008 and heavily damaged various Catholic buildings of the Diocese of Cheng Du, in the province of Si Chuan.
In spite of the unstable living conditions and the fact that many of the rescue workers have now moved on to other emergencies, a large part of the earthquake victims are still living here, inspired by a strong hope, as the Holy Father has taught us, nourishing themselves with the Word of God. This was also the theme in the formation course on Sacred Scripture which was held February 7-14, with the goal of relaunching a renewed evangelization effort in the local community. The priests, religious, and seminarians welcomed the youth who are on vacation from school, the farmers who took time off from their tasks, and many others who were interested in going to the modest tent that serves as a chapel and place of gathering for the community. There, they explained several passages of the Bible verse by verse. There were also religious hymns sung and the recitation of prayers with gestures, to help forget the frigid cold.
The parish of Bai Lu was built by missionaries from the Paris Foreign Missions Society (MEP) in 1908, one hundred years ago. In the quake in May 2008, in just 8 seconds it was leveled to the ground. In that moment, there was a newly wed couple taking photos. Thus, the fall of the church was caught on film and the images have been seen all over the world, moving the hearts of many – Catholics and non-Catholics alike. It was not long before the faithful began setting up a modest chapel under a tent, thanks to the help of Jinde Charities, in the name of the Universal Church, where they can attend Mass, recite the Rosary before images of Our Lady and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and study the Bible. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 20/02/2009)
