Agenzia Fides

Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - In view of the opening of the Year of Faith and taking advantage of the long holiday for the national holiday (from the 1st to 8th October), priests, women religious, seminarians and lay people of the continent mobilized by promoting several initiatives to live this event in communion with the universal Church. According to the information Fides Agency received, the Diocese of Feng Xiang of Shaan Xi province, organized a three-day formation for catechists, from October 3 to 5, on the theme "consolidate the spirituality to be a worthy catechist in the Year of the Faith." 128 catechists of the diocese took part in the formation sessions led by five priests, who studied the Apostolic Letter "Porta fidei", the Pope's Message for World Mission Day and the Bishop Lucas Li Jing Feng’s pastoral Letter. In addition, each parish posted out a poster with the words: "the discovery of faith, faith formation, the testimony of faith and the announcement of faith" to "always remember faith, and to be a leaven of evangelization in society." Over 300 members of the congregation of the Cathedral also participated in a course on evangelism.
From the first to October 4, the parish of the Diocese of Tai Yuan of Shan Xi Province organized a formation course to "reflect on faith with our gaze fixed on Christ and a personal encounter with Christ in faith." 13 courses are scheduled to be held throughout the Year of Faith. The faithful of the parish of Ping Yang in the province of He Nan, to prepare to start this year, went on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Cross, from October 2 to 4. The Diocese of Tai Zhou, in the province of Zhe Jiang, chose to prepare the faithful to the Year of Faith through a spiritual retreat, held from October 1 to 6. The faithful of Huang Shi, of the province of Hu Bei, linked the theme of faith to the Chinese cultural tradition, welcoming the Year of Faith with charitable initiatives towards the weakest: since mid-September, when the feast of the elderly was celebrated, the local community has begun visiting the homes of the elderly, orphanages and hospitals. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 08/10/2012)