ASIA/CHINA - With deep devotion Zhou Zhi diocese and the Chinese communities everywhere celebrate Feast of St John the Baptist; on the same day Fr. John Baptist Zhang Yong Shan, “exemplary worker in the Lord's vineyard ” died at the age of 93.

Zhou Zhi (Agenzia Fides) – Prayers for all priests in this Year of the Priesthood called by the Holy Father Benedict XVI, prayers for all who bear the name of John Baptist, prayers for all the faithful that “following St John the Baptist they may continually convert their hearts and bear witness to the presence of Christ in their lives, and sanctify their lives awaiting the return of the Lord Jesus”. In the many Catholic communities all over mainland China these were some of the most popular prayer intentions expressed on the feast of St John the Baptist, first witness of Jesus and of the faith, a feast celebrated with deep devotion by Chinese Catholics.
According to reports sent to Fides in the diocese of Zhou Zhi, Shaan Xi province to meet the needs of the workers, the first masses were celebrated at 6am. A priest in Beijing told Fides, “in the Year of the Priesthood the figure of St John the Baptist assumes special significance because, as the precursor of Christ, he urges us to become ourselves precursors of Christ ”.
On this important feast day an elderly priest, Fr. John Baptist Zhang Yong Shan, loved and esteemed by Chinese Catholics, died at the age of 93. The priest was a member of the Congregation for the Missions CM. For some years, Fr. Zhang, ordained on Trinity Sunday in 1947, had lived a retired life in the village of Xiao Han Cun , diocese of Tian Jin, but even there he continued his priestly mission. He built a church, converted many people, and consolidated the faith of numerous faithful. When he was to weak to walk he held his rosary continually, praying for the missions, the Church, the faithful, for the works of God. His people say of him “he suffered imprisonment and persecution but never wavered in the faith. With his human and Christian virtues, he was an exemplary workers in the Lord's vineyard. On his feast day the Lord called him to Himself and this was a reward ”. His young priest collaborators say, “in the Year of the Priesthood we have Jean Marie Vianney as an example and close to us we have also Fr. Zhang”. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 25/06/2009 - righe 32, parole 394)