True conversion is realized through the works of charity towards each
other, as taught by Pope Francis in his Lenten message, "Scripture is a
gift.
Other persons are a gift", is how Catholics in mainland China have
begun the Lenten journey in communion with the universal Church.
In all
communities, the rite of Ashes was solemnly celebrated on Wednesday,
March 1.
Among the various initiatives of this period we point out that the
Immaculate Conception parish and the parish of Christ the King, of the
Diocese of Su Zhou, took the message of the Pope as a reference point
for the Lenten reflection.
According to the priests who celebrated Ash
Wednesday, "the Pope has invited us to conversion, starting from our
heart, towards the needy, the sick, the elderly, the lonely, abandoned
.... He does not ask us to go far, but asks us the ability to recognize
the other and our neighbor. A converted heart makes us return to our
faith".
In the end, the priests also administered the sacrament of
anointing of the sick to the elderly present.
In view of Lent, the diocese of Su Zhou organized a three-day spiritual
retreat for diocesan priests, to reflect on three themes: "My
relationship with God", "my relationship with Catholics", "my
relationship with non-Christians".
The parish of the Sacred Heart of Zheng Zhou, of He Nan province, began
the journey of Lent in the Year of spirituality organized by the
Diocese. Several church groups shared the experience of faith and
evangelization on the theme "open your hearts to the Church".
The Diocese of Beijing, together with other dioceses of the province of
He Bei, has launched the joint initiative to collect offerings during
Lent that will be donated to the poor on the occasion of the "Concert of
mercy" to be held in May.