Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Agenzia Fides) – Upon hearing the news of the earthquake and the tsunami that hit Japan hard, the Chinese Catholic world immediately mobilised with prayers and concrete gestures of solidarity to help the victims. According to information received by Fides, in Taiwan and Hong Kong, the Bishops and faithful, Catholic organisations and bodies alike are all responding to the appeal for solidarity renewed yesterday by the Pope at the Angelus: “I encourage those who, with commendable promptness, are working to bring assistance. We remain united in prayer”.
On the same night as the earthquake, Jinde Charities immediately sent a telegram to Bishop Isao Kikuchi, President of Caritas Japan, to express the absolute solidarity and closeness of Catholics in China, assuring him of their prayers and their fund raising to help the victims. Jinde Charities also launched an appeal on their website, inviting everyone to mobilise in prayer for the Japanese people in serious difficulty, indicating the various ways in which they can make their contribution.
Bishop John Tong of Hong Kong, issued an invitation to all priests, men and women religious and seminarians, for the evening of 11 March, “to pray for the people struck by earthquake and the tsunami in the zone of Yun Nan, on mainland China (hit on 10 March), in Japan and in Indonesia, invoking God's mercy to have pity on the victims.” The Diocese of Hong Kong will issue concrete ways to donate funds as soon as possible.
The Taiwanese Diocese of Tai Chung also urges all the faithful to make a short prayer before a meal for all the people who have been affected by natural disasters (the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the earthquake in New Zealand, and the eruption of the volcano in Indonesia...) and make a charitable gesture every day during Lent, from 11 March to 17 April. In addition, the diocese has indicated three sites for the collection of offerings, destined for Japan, New Zealand and the Chinese mainland region of Yun Nan. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 14/03/2011)
