Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) – Exactly one year ago, on May 12, 2008, in the southwest region of mainland China, an extremely violent earthquake was felt, causing great human and material losses, with 68,712 deaths and 17,921 missing and assumed dead. From the moment of the quake, the Catholic community, led by the Jinde Charities, along with the Sheng Jing Caritas of the Diocese of Liao Ning and the Catholic Social Service Center of the Diocese of Xi An, with the aid from the Holy Father and the entire Universal Church (especially Caritas of Germany, France, Spain, and Portugal...), has been present in the area offering moral, psychological, and material help with an estimated value of 100 million Yuan.
One year later, Jinde Charities is one of the few Catholic organizations that has remained with the earthquake victims. To this day, one year after the tragic event, its volunteers are with the victims and those in need, just like they have been in the past 365 days. The leaders of the Catholic charity are, on this day, meeting with local authorities to discuss the next phase of reconstruction.
Here are several initial statistics from Jinde Charities: the Holy Father Benedict XVI has personally donated, on several occasions, a sum of nearly 1 million Yuan (one Euro is nearly 8 Yuan); Caritas and dozens of other Catholic groups from around the world have donated 7,550 quality tents worth nearly 16 million Yuan. The Catholic communities in China have sent priests, religious, and laity to offer material and moral support. The images of the religious sisters working amidst the wreckage are surprising to many. Catholics have also donated cooking oil, blankets, rice (in addition to the rice sent by the Holy Father), fertilizer, seeds, school desks, computers...In response to the 119 churches that have been destroyed, Jinde Charities has set up three makeshift churches amidst the tents. Today, thanks to the contributions of Catholics, reconstruction has begun on the homes for the elderly, schools and churches, and scholarships have been offered for children to attend school. Jinde Charities has helped 56 grammar school students and 3 university students to finish their studies, and is currently supporting another 107 students. The fifth group of sisters from the congregations in He Bei and other dioceses has been sent to work in the area, offering moral support.
According to the Diocese of Cheng Du, located in the most heavily hit area, as of April 2009 they received aid thanks to parishes who “adopted” other parishes in the Diocese and 16 other dioceses who sent aid to the Diocese, for a total of 743,158.89 Yuan. The Diocese of Cheng Du also received 292,424 Yuan from individual Catholic donors worldwide and 1,592,655.14 Yuan from communities and organizations in China and worldwide.
Chinese Catholics living in the diaspora have lived the catastrophic event of the earthquake in Si Chuan with their prayer and sending material support. This tragic experience, which has left many still living in tents, has also led to solidarity with other victims of similar crises, such as those of the earthquake in Abruzzo. According to “Il Tempo Europa Cina,” run by Chinese Catholics living outside their homeland, during a meeting of the Chinese community in Naples (Italy) on May 10, 10,080 Euros sere sent to the earthquake victims of Abruzzo in the presence of the Archdiocese of Naples, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, and the Chinese Ambassador in Italy, Sun Yu Xi. The Italian earthquake victims have also joined in praying for the Chinese earthquake victims, calling upon the Lord's strength as they continue on. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 12/5/2009)
