ASIA/CHINA - Catholics in Shi Jia Zhuang diocese are deeply devoted to Adoration of Jesus in the Eucharistic and to his Sacred Heart

Shi Jia Zhuang (Agenzia Fides) - A call to set aside an “an hour a week to keep Jesus company in the Blessed Sacrament during the month of the Sacred Heart" launched in various parishes in the diocese of Shi Jia Zhuang, He Bei province, brought an unexpected response from numerous faithful, taking the priests by surprise that they decided to prolong the initiative for the rest of the year. At the beginning of the month of June dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to whom Chinese Catholics are deeply devoted, each parish arranged a special chapel for continual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, prayer meetings, readings from Sacred Scripture. Dozens of faithful “keep Jesus company” and ask Jesus to accompany their spiritual life. When the numbers are few, priests and religious are always ready to fill in. Despite a hot humid month almost, very many elderly people and young people spent an hour a week in intimate prayer with Jesus in devotion to his Sacred Heart.
According to the priests “this is the first time this initiative has been organised and it was so successful we have decided to continue all year round. We see the faithful wish to approach Jesus and speak with Him and tell Him of their joys and sufferings. We think this is a gift from the Sacred Heart. As we see the faithful coming and going we see hope for the community”. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 25/6/2007 - righe 23, parole 263)