Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nan Chong (Fides Service) - Catholics in the dioceses of Nan Chong and Shan Tou are looking forward to having two new churches; one of them (13.9 Mt long, 29 Mt wide and 17.5 Mt. high, and it cost 360.000 Yuan) dedicated to the Holy and Immaculate Heart of Mary is for the Catholic community in Nan Chong, south west province of Si Chuan (1,400 km from Beijing). It will seat about 1000 and was designed by the parish priest, Rev. Sun Fu Jia. The parish has 580 members. Nan Chong diocese has 70,000 Catholics assisted by 15 priests and a few dozen churches.
Another new church dedicated to the Holy Family will be built in Shan Tou, Guang Dong province. The foundation stone was laid last November by Rev. Huang Bing Zhang, the local priest in front of 400 Catholics. The church, Gothic style, area 4,000 sq. mt. will cost about 10 million Yuan and work has been accelerated. Shan Tou diocese in the province of Guang Dong has developed from a mission opened by the missionaries of the Foreign Missions Paris MEP. Today there are 120,000 Catholics assisted by about 20 priests and 24 women religious, 11 novices and 3 retired nuns. (Agenzia Fides 02/05/2006 Righe: 25 Parole: 284)
