Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kirin (Agenzia Fides) – On July 19, Bishop Damaso Zhang Hanmin of Kirin (Jilin), Administrator of the Diocese of Yenk (Yanji) in the Province of Jilin (mainland China), passed away at the age of 88. The Prelate was born on January 15, 1922 in the village of Xiaobajia into a fervent Catholic family. He entered the minor seminary in Jilin and later passed on to the major seminary in Beijing. In 1953, because of the political situation, he was forced to leave the seminary and work as a foreign language teacher, remaining faithful to his life of celibacy.
On July 24, 1983, at the age of 61, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Jilin and on September 17, 1995 was elected Administrator of the same ecclesiastical circumscription. He was consecrated Diocesan Bishop on May 9, 1999. Bishop Zhang was a man of great vision. He worked hard for the unity of the Church from the moment he was ordained a Bishop. He showed particular care for the formation of the clergy, sending several of his priests to other countries to earn degrees in theology. He was very loved by his faithful. He spoke Latin, Russian, Japanese, and French fluently.
The funeral of the beloved Prelate was celebrated on July 23 at the Cathedral of Saint Teresa in Changchun (Jilin) and was attended by many faithful. The Mass was presided by Archbishop Paul Pei Junmin of Shenyang.
The Diocese of Jilin (Kirin) has 80,000 Catholics, some 60 priests, nearly all of them of young ages, 17 parishes, and 47 churches, as well as cultural activity centers. There are 28 major seminarians and 14 minor seminarians. There are 100 religious sisters of the Congregation of the Holy Family. The Diocese runs a Catholic hospital, a home for the elderly (capacity: 100), and various children's care centers.
Bishop Zhang left behind an authentic testimony of faith lived in complete obedience to the Pope and the Catholic Church, in the midst of many pressures. (Agenzia Fides 29/7/2009)
