Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nanchang (Agenzia Fides) - On 25 August after a lengthy illness, Archbishop Giuseppe WU Shizhen passed away at the age 93. The deceased prelate was the Archbishop of Nanchang (Jiangxi Province, mainland China). Born on 19 January 1921 in Fuzhou city, county of Linchuan, (Jiangxi), to a family of long Catholic tradition, Giuseppe entered the seminary in 1933 at the age of 12. After studies in philosophy and theology from 1942 to 1949 he was ordained a priest by the then Bishop of Yujiang, Bishop William Charles Quinn, C.M., on 6 November 1949.
After his priestly ordination Rev. Wu had to return to his homeland and take up farming. Later he learned the practice of traditional Chinese medicine, serving in various hospitals in the county of Linchuan until the 1980s. In 1982 he returned to his diocese and engaged in pastoral care for Catholics in Linchuan, Jiujiang and Lushan.
Bishop Wu ministered during difficult times. He sought to provide sound human and spiritual formation for the seminarians and Religious Sisters in his archdiocese, he had several churches repaired and re-opened and led the local communities with pastoral zeal.
His funeral was held on 30 August, at Immaculate Conception of Mary Cathedral in Songbaixiang (Nanchang). The diocesan community prays the Lord may welcome the Bishop’s soul into his Kingdom. (Agenzia Fides 16/09/2014)
