Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Shai Jia Zhuang (Agenzia Fides) – In anticipation of Chinese New Year, which is a very important traditional celebration marked by family unity and given the many challenges that today's society poses to the family and the Church, such as divorce, separation ... He Bei Catholic communities are promoting several initiatives in relation to the family and Christian marriage, news of which has also been sent to Agenzia Fides.
Aware of the needs of the rural area, where couples live long periods of time separated by migration for employment purposes, the Center for Social Services of the Diocese of Heng Shui led courses to promote the family and marriage in several villages, taking advantage of the return of migrant workers for the celebration of the New Year. The priests and 5 volunteers of the Center, along with a psychologist and priest, Fr. Hu Qiu Cheng, led a meeting of 2 hours in each village to explain the meaning of life, marriage, and family life. In each of the places that hosted the meeting, there were not only hundreds of local faithful in attendance, but there were also several from nearby villages, including several non-Catholics.
Another initiative is taking place at the parish of Wu An in the Diocese of Han Dan, which has established a prize for the "Model Couple" who promote Christian family life and marriage in society, especially among young people today. "The real, live witness is the best sermon," said the priest. The parish is always celebrating wedding anniversaries together, to remind everyone of "the indissolubility and the importance of family harmony, built on a solid foundation, i.e. the Christian one." (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 05/02/2010)
