ASIA/CHINA - Take up the mission of evangelization that Christ has entrusted to us, accompany the catechumens, perform works of charity so as to become “a new Paul”: the Lenten exhortation from Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing

Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - Take up the mission of evangelization that Christ has entrusted to us, accompany the catechumens, perform works of charity so as to become “a new Paul”...these were the main points in the “2009 Lenten Message for the Diocese of Beijing” written by Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing, dated February 25, 2009, Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent).
The text reads: “Every year, Lent offers a great opportunity that allows us to intensify our prayer, make sacrifices, practice charity, opening our hearts and accepting the Will of God with docility.” “The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the II Vatican Council has showed us that Lent should be a time of fervent listening to the Word of God and concentration on prayer, to prepare for the celebration of the Paschal Mystery through the remembrance of our Baptism or preparation for Baptism, through sacrifices.”
The Bishop of Beijing highlighted that “last year, the Church in Beijing had over 2,000 newly baptized Catholics. During Easter this year, we will have another large number of newly baptized.” Thus, he encourages the priests and faithful of each parish to “make a maximum effort in preparing the rite of the catechumens, helping them to enter into an authentic interior conversion towards Christ, through our accompaniment and their preparation; making them unite their lives more and more to the death and resurrection of Christ, on the path of adhesion to the Church, to strip themselves of the 'old self' and put on a 'new self' in Christ.”
“The Apostle Saint Paul says: 'woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!' (1 Cor 9:16). This phrase exhorts us once more in this Year of Saint Paul. The Universal Church is ardently celebrating the Year of Saint Paul, in honor of the 2,000th anniversary of his birth.” The Bishop continued: “I hope that every parish in our diocese can begin a new wave of evangelization and pastoral commitment in these final months of the Year of St. Paul. Every parish should organize catechism classes, Bible studies, making the parish more active. Thus, our life will more readily adhere to the task of evangelization and the faith. The parishes that can, should organize a course for training catechists, in order to form a greater number of the faithful who participate in the pastoral and evangelization commitments, so that more faithful can become 'new Pauls'.” “Evangelization is the mission that Christ has entrusted to us, accompanying the catechumens is our duty and responsibility, and Charity is the basis for all that. And this is the theme that I wish to present to you for meditating on this Lent. I hope that each one of you can intensify their prayer, sacrifices, works of charity, listening to the Word of God and opening your heart to receive the will of God with docility during this sacred time, with the help of God's Grace.”
Lastly, “we invoke Our Lady, Help of Christians, excellent model of disciple and bright star of the evangelization, so that through her intercession and our effort, we can live Lent well.” (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 03/03/2009)