Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Fides Service) - Catholics in Beijing celebrated Easter with joy and deep emotion. "Joy because after so much suffering in his passion Christ is risen and this reflects on our own faith life and gives us new hope. Emotion was aroused by the presence of numerous new members welcomed into the Catholic community. The zeal of the new faithful was a spur to continue efforts of new evangelisation", said a local Catholic priest whose voice betrayed the fatigue of the strenuous Easter Liturgies. "I like the other priests lost my voice, hearing confessions, preparing and celebrating Mass, but the fruits of evangelisation thanks to the Risen Lord are a great reward". In some rural parishes the Easter vigil Mass lasted up to 5 or 6 hours: "but the joy was so great that no one noticed the passing time. After Mass there were refreshments, decorated Easter eggs, sometimes a meal. Some more elderly parishioners preferred to remain in the church to wait for the early morning Mass on Easter Sunday. The Liturgies were attended by faithful of all ages, churches were filled to capacity. People greeted and helped one another. Some with baggage were clearly immigrant workers.
"The strong faith of our people is encouragement for us" the priest said. “Our catechumens and newly baptised Catholics are ever more numerous, better formed, whole families are baptised, and their faith is founded because they have been well prepared and many have sought at length for a truly spiritual life. They have at last discovered in Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and Life and their faith is firm. This is a new challenge for the clergy. Well prepared faithful demand more from priests, first of all a life style consistent with the Gospel”. The priest concluded: “Baptisms were so numerous this year, 150 in Holy Saviour parish alone. This enables us to look to the future with the joy of the Risen Lord and of the Holy Spirit, and we look forward to receiving a letter from Pope Benedict XVI ”. (NZ)(Agenzia Fides 11/04/2007 Righe: 41 Parole: 516)
