Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Shi Jia Zhuang (Agenzia Fides) – The priestly ordinations, the inauguration of a new mission station, a procession under the snow with the statue of St. Joseph: are some celebrations that marked the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Patron of the Church in China in the Catholic community, which has a great devotion for Him According to Fides by Faith of He Bei, the diocese of Shang Hai lived with great joy the ordination of seven priests (celebrated on Sunday, March 18 because March 19 is a working day in China) that mark "the continuity of the mission in China." After 9 years of study and 2 years of pastoral activity in the parishes, the seven deacons received their priestly ordaination by the ordinary Bishop, the 90-year-old Bishop Jin Lu Xian. The diocese of Ning Xiang, which is located in a remote area in the northwestern part of the continent, lived the ordination of a priest the day before the feast of St. Joseph, which was attended by over 800 faithful. So the number of priests of the diocese, which has 12 thousand faithful has reached 16.
Instead, for the faithful of the community of Hou Shan district, inhabited by the minority ethnic group belonging to the Diocese of Chong Qing, the days when they were forced to travel dozens of miles to attend Mass finally came to an end. On 19 March the new mission station in the district of Shan Hou was inaugurated: more than 200 faithful attended the blessing and the solemn Eucharist. Finally, the community of the parish of Zhao Zhuang, dedicated to St. Joseph, in the town of Xing Tai of the province of He Bei, celebrated its patron saint with a solemn procession that took place under a heavy snowfall. Over a thousand faithful attended, regardless of the weather, bringing during the procession a huge statue of St. Joseph. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 20/3/2012)
