ASIA/CHINA - During the Marian month, new workers in the "most isolated vineyards of the Lord"

Wednesday, 16 May 2018 marian devotion   priests   consecrated life   evangelization  

Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - By entrusting themselves to the maternal intercession and protection of the heavenly Mother, new priests were ordained in mainland China in the Marian month: we are talking about "new workers in the most isolated and difficult vineyards of the Lord" like the provinces of Gui Zhou and Hai Nan. According to the information reported on the website of two Chinese dioceses, consulted by Agenzia Fides, for the province of Hai Nan, an island of 33,920 km with 9 million inhabitants, including about 6,000 Catholics, this is the third ordination of a priest in its history. The province of Gui Zhou, which is the poorest in the country, has welcomed as many as 4 new priests.
Over 20 priests, some seminarians and dozens of nuns from mainland celebrated the historic moment with the faithful of the Catholic community of Hai Nan: the third priest in the history of the community is a young man from the Archdiocese of Xian, in the province of Shaanxi, but incardinated at the Apostolic Prefecture of Hai Kou, the capital of Hai Nan. The community of Hai Nan is young, small but fervent in faith and apostolic activity and in evangelization, thanks to the presence of "basic communities".
"The one to priesthood is a call that requires to dedicate one’s whole life", said Mgr. Paolo Xiao Ze Jiang Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Gui Yang, capital of the province of Gui Zhou before thousands of faithful present at the ordination of the priesthood. In the province of Gui Zhou there is the Archdiocese of Gui Yang, the Diocese of An Long and the Apostolic Prefecture of Shi Qian with over 155,000 faithful and 37 priests in all. Now, as the Archbishop said, "these new fruits of the Word of God will bring new lifeblood to the whole body". At the end of the celebration, the newly consecrated thanked for their spiritual and material support, declaring "to live this new journey as a path to holiness". (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2018)


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