Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Gui Zhou (Agenzia Fides) – In honor of the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8, various feminine Congregations of the Chinese dioceses have celebrated profession of vows. According to information sent to Agenzia Fides, five religious of the Congregation of the Holy Family of the Diocese of Gui Zhou made their perpetual vows on August 30. Over a thousand faithful participated in the liturgy, along with 40 religious of the same congregation, in a ceremony presided by Bishop Andrew Wang Chong Yi and concelebrated by 20 priests. As it is an ethnic area, there were also faithful present of Tibetan origin and at the end of the celebration the faithful gave the religious a HaDa, a white sash that symbolizes honor in the Tibetan culture.
Bishop Joseph Li Lian Gui recently presided the profession of perpetual vows of 7 religious sisters of the Congregation of the Holy Hope of the Diocese of Xian Xian. In the same ceremony, 5 postulants entered as novices, 20 religious renewed temporal vows, and another few celebrated the 3 year anniversary of their perpetual vows. The Congregation also invited many priests to come celebrate, in light of the Year for Priests. According to the Congregation's Constitutions, the vocational “process” lasts nearly 10 years, to guarantee the authenticity of the vocation. In spite of a seemingly-long period of formation, there have never lacked vocations. In fact, there is an ever-growing number of them. The Congregation always conserves the tradition of making vows in the days surrounding this Marian feast. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 08/09/2009)
