ASIA/CHINA - The intense beginning of Lent for Chinese Catholic communities: Pilgrimages, catechism courses, works of charity

Beijing (Agenzia Fides) – Pilgrimages, Lenten catechism courses, liturgies to confer the “missionary mandate” to catechists and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, works of charity of social importance such as free medical visits offered by volunteer health workers: the liturgical, pastoral and charitable initiatives shared by many Chinese Catholic communities on the occasion of the first Sunday of Lent are many and varied. Thus, the first days of of Lent – which began on Ash Wednesday – have shown once again the intensity of faith and communion with which the Chinese Catholic communities live the most usual gestures and moments of the ecclesial journey, this year also sharing prayers to invoke the healing of Pope Francis, hospitalized at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome for more than three weeks.
On Sunday, March 9, in the Cathedral of Beijing, 29 extraordinary ministers received their missionary mandate during the solemn Eucharistic celebration. They join the group that was formed in 2023 in response to pastoral and social needs that have a strong impact on the life of the ecclesial community, such as the phenomenon of the aging of Chinese society. The extraordinary ministers are responsible for bringing the sacrament of the Eucharist to people who cannot leave their homes. Also in Beijing, accompanied by priests, hundreds of parishioners made a unique pilgrimage that crossed three ancient Beijing churches in the space of 5 hours. In the Church of the Miraculous Medal, the pilgrims listened to the story of the Italian Vincentian Father Teodorico Pedrini, missionary, musician and founder of the church, and also performed the pious practice of the Stations of the Cross. In the church dedicated to the Immaculate Conception founded by the Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci of Macerata, after listening to the presentation of the 420-year history of the church, the pilgrims prayed before the statues of Father Ricci and Saint Francis Xavier, then recited the Rosary before the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes for the health of the Pope. Finally, in the church dedicated to Saint Joseph, to invoke the intercession of the putative father of Jesus and ask for his support in the trials and crosses of each day.
In the diocese of Shanghai, the Catholic Volunteer Group offered free medical visits after Mass on the first Sunday of Lent. The weekly Lenten catechism class was inaugurated with a reflection on the theme "Proclamation of hope: the rite of the imposition of ashes and the message of the Jubilee". Six newly baptized people from the parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who were baptized on Sunday, March 2, were able to live their first experience of Lent. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 10/3/2025)

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