Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Sao Paulo (Agenzia Fides) - 50 years ago Fr Chen Qi Ming, of the diocese of Zheng Ding, He Bei province, after taking part in the 36th International Eucharistic Congress, in 1995 landed in Brazil sent by the Holy See. So the Catholic community, the Chinese community at last had a priest to care for its pastoral needs. Today the Chinese Catholic community in Brazil wished to recall that important date “when a shepherd came to care for the flock”. In the church of the Chinese community in Sao Paulo on Sunday 2 July a solemn Mass was concelebrated by 3 eighty year old priests to thank God for fifty years of pastoral service of immigrants, from sowing to reaping abundantly. Over 300 faithful took part in the Mass recalling the first steps of the community. The difficult path in this half a century is documented by a photograph exhibition opened for the occasion.
50 years ago when Fr Chen arrived to serve the community the immigrants were finding life difficult having to adapt to a new language and new customs. When in Indonesia an anti-Chinese campaign started, many Chinese immigrants fled to Brazil and Fr Chen and the other priests took it in turns to go to the port to meet the immigrants, help them to find a place to live and acquire the necessary identity papers. The priests’ dedication drew great admiration and soon resident Chinese immigrants offered to help in this solidarity race writing a magnificent page in the history of the community. In 1965, since the community had grown, the priests collected the funds necessary to build a larger parish church. Three years later the church which seats 3,000 people was completed. Today there is also a parish school attended by 400 pupils, a library with 50,000 volumes including many of great value. The priests also helped solve healthcare difficulties for 4,000 faithful, they started a monthly magazine the Voice of the Heart, organised activities of evangelisation, pastoral and charity works and contributed to improving the image of the Catholic community in Brazil. (Agenzia Fides 3/7/2006 Righe: 29 Parole: 384)
