On the eve of Chinese New Year, the Pope Expresses His Closeness to China
By Tom McGuire, Board Member
Pope Francis greeted all who celebrate the Spring Festival that begins Saturday, February 10, 2024. His greeting expressed a feeling of closeness in his heart for all in China, Southeast Asia, and around the world who observe the celebration as “an opportunity to experience relationships of affection and gestures of attention, which contribute to creating a supportive and fraternal society, where every person is recognized and welcomed in their inalienable dignity.”
In this Lunar New Year of 2024, let us pray:
May we discover the deepest desires in our hearts.
May we make choices that support good health.
May we recognize the inalienable dignity of each person.
May we discover the Joy of the Gospel
May we be witnesses to the Good News of Jesus Christ.
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Churches in China Care for the Needy Before Spring Festival in the China Christian Daily
The Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year or the Chinese New Year, is a holiday in China that kicks off what is expected to be the busiest annual celebration in history; there may be a record 9 billion domestic trips made during the 40-day travel period, along with winter weather that will not make travel difficult.
(Photo from Catholic News Agency)
This article by Serena Tse, Churches in China Care for the Needy Before Spring Festival in the China Christian Daily, February 6, 2024, reports the way Christians are giving witness to a fraternal society by including people in need in their preparations for the Spring Festival celebration.
As the 2024 Chinese New Year approaches, churches in Hubei, Fujian, and Shaanxi provinces carry out caring visitation activities. According to the Hunan Provincial TSPM, on January 31, St. James Church in Yichang, along with three local
St James, along with three local communities, provided 120 needy families with
essential foods in Yichang City, Hunan Province, on January 31, 2024, communities provided 120 needy families with essential foods.
For more than 20 years, St. James Church and the local communities have co-organized the "Three Supports and One Assistance" event (supporting students, the elderly,
and the disabled; assisting the underprivileged), with the assistance aim increasing from one to three communities recently, a visiting team of pastoral staff, and co-workers at
distinct meeting points, and group leaders from Shashi Church in Jingzhou paid visits and sent warmth to the elderly and sick," said Jingzhou Municipal CC. A church in Jianli City (a county-level city affiliated with Zhangzhou City City) visited aged co-workers, the elderly, those who live alone, and those in need.
Recently, a visiting team of pastoral staff and co-workers at distinct meeting points and group leaders from Shashi Church in Jingzhou paid visits and "sent warmth to the elderly and the sick," said Jingzhou Municipal CC. Achurch in Jianli City (a county-level city affiliated with Jingzhou City) embarked on a visit to aged co-workers,
the elderly, those who live alone, and those in need.
On January 31, leaders of the Shaanxi Christian community extended a visit to the retired leaders of the provincial TSPM with money. Furthermore, the visiting
team provided financial support to 120 pastoral staff members from grassroots churches who were experiencing living challenges, with encouragement for their
Service to the church.
The charity organization of Wenfeng Church in Dongshan County, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, distributed food to the impoverished and disabled on February 3, reported the church.
~ Translated by Poppy Chan
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