China: Catholic charities collect aid for victims of snowstorms

The Chinese Catholic community is in the frontline in the battle against the ice and snow, helping victims of the natural disasters, in the spirit of Pope's Message for Lent 2008. Included among them is Jinde Charities (Beifang Jinde Catholic Social Service Centre). The Chinese Catholic charitable association that coordinates all the Catholic aid groups has made a universal appeal for help on behalf of the victims of the snowstorms. The text of the appeal reads: "In recent years, with the cooperation and support of you yourself and the faithful in your area, and of both the domestic and overseas Church communities and organisations as well, Jinde Charities, adhering to the principle of "Practicing Charity and Witnessing Faith," helped many disaster victims in the name of Jesus and the Catholic Church everywhere in China, establishing the new image of the Catholic Church. "This Lunar New Year happens to be the beginning of the Lenten Season In his message for Lent 2008, Pope Benedict XVI invites all the clergy and faithful all over the world to be 'armed with prayer, fasting and the practice of almsgiving, so as to arrive at the celebration of the Easter Feasts, renewed in spirit.' Let us follow the Pope's teaching, offering the gifts that we have received, those which we want to give to others, to the people who are suffering from cold, from hunger Let us offer our fasting for them. The resources from only one parish, or only one diocese are limited, but when we unite the resources of all the priests and faithful, problems can be solved, at least for a certain specific area." Concluding his message, the priest heading up the campaign told Chinese Catholics: "Let us do as the Pope has asked!" Source: Fides