ASIA/CHINA - First parish in China dedicated to "Saint Teresa of Calcutta", to follow her footsteps in charity

Monday, 12 September 2016 local churches  

Faith

Cang Zhou (Agenzia Fides) - On Sunday, September 4 the first parish dedicated to "Saint" Teresa of Calcutta was consecrated in China on the same day of her canonization, at the Vatican. In fact, several other parishes in China were dedicated to Mother Teresa in the past.
According to information gathered by Agenzia Fides, His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Li Lian Gui, Bishop of the diocese of Xian Xian (today Cang Zhou) in He Bei province, presided the solemn Mass for the consecration of the parish church of Jiao He Kou, in the village of Hao Cun, with 15 concelebrating priests and 500 faithful who took part.
This small Catholic community, located in a remote farming village, fully reflects the figure of the Saint: humble, simple, pious and zealous. Many years ago Catholicism in these places was almost non-existent: there was only one Catholic family. With the transfer of peasants to cities, there was the conversion of three families who, returning to their country of origin, began evangelization with the reading of the Sacred Scripture, sharing, inviting priests for catechism, preparing the celebration of the sacraments ....
The group of evangelization of charity was formed in 2011. In the last three years the community has grown and now has about 300 faithful.
During the consecration of the church, Mgr. Li administered the sacraments of Christian initiation to 11 adult catechumens.
The parish priest, Father Li Sheng Qun, said: "we want to continue to follow Mother Teresa’s footsteps of charity. Because without concrete works, faith dies, as St. James says. Verbal announcement and charitable activity are living faith and evangelization". (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 12/09/2016)


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