ASIA/CHINA - The importance of the religious life of the Church in China

Beijing (Agenzia Fides) – On the occasion of the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, November 21, which is so dear to Chinese Catholics, religious sisters of various congregations in mainland China named after Our Lady paid tribute to Madonna and placed their religious life under her protection, making their vows this day. According to information received by Fides, the diocesan congregation of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Diocese of Xu Zhou, in the Province of Jiang Su, celebrated the solemn vows of 9 religious and renewal of vows of other 7.
Three Sisters of the Congregation of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary of the Diocese of Shang Hai took their perpetual vows during the solemn celebration presided over by Bishop Joseph Xing Zhi Wen, Auxiliary of the Diocese, in a Mass concelebrated by 21 priests, and attended by two deacons, a large group of major seminarians, all their sisters, and about 7,000 faithful. 16 other religious renewed their vows on the same occasion. According to one of these, "during a moment of crisis in vocations, this celebration is a great comfort and encouragement for the Church and a call for young people, that they respond to God's call, following their example."
The sisters are now a vital strength for the mission of the Church in mainland China, engaged in pastoral work, evangelization, social service, medical care .... The service they render, with generosity and humility, becomes the most convincing of evangelization, offering a good image of the Catholic community in Chinese civil society. The sisters know how to take advantage of any initiative to launch the mission. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 25/11/2009)