Catholics in a remote mountain are of South Western China continue to keep their God Given Faith Alive, even though no Catholic Priest has been stationed there for more than 50 Years.
About 5,000 Catholics mainly Drung, Lisu, Nu, and Tibetan Ethnic Minorities in Gongshan Drungzu Nuzu Autonomous County in North Western Yunnan Province pray together daily.
Gongshan County is more than 2,000 Kilometers from Beijing.
Here, Local Catholics have not only maintained their faith but they have also evangelized. When It is Winter, and it is impossible to till the land -- Catholics go in groups of 2 or 3 to visit and to preach to Non - Catholic Villagers at their Homes.
Because of the many different ethnic minority groups in the county it is hard to use the Holy Bible to evangelize because the Holy Bible is available only in Chinese, Tibetan, and Lisu.
This is why Catholics use Hymns to spread the Good News instead.
Father Paul Chen Kaihua of Kunming Diocese in the same province said that after learning about this Catholic Community from the faithful in his diocese he has started visiting them twice a year.
Father Chen said He was impressed by their Catholic Faith.
Despite, The absence of a Catholic Priest He said the number of Catholic Churches has grown to 15 from the 3 established in 1949. The number of Catholics also grew from just 1,000 to more than 5,000 thanks to the Evangelization by Lay People.
French Catholic Missionaries served this area before 1949.
The Priest recounted that the blessing of 2 New Catholic Churches has encouraged the Catholics to continue to expand their community much as they have been doing in recent years.
Father John Fang Ping from Urumqi Diocese visited Gongshan County after a Parishioner working in Yunnan Province told him about these Catholics. Father Fang says it is one of China's Poorest Counties.
The Villagers seldom see a Catholic Priest. Occasionally, Priests from other Dioceses pay short visits but usually it is the Catholics who gather by themselves to pray.
The Villagers had built by themselves two churches and carried every piece of Brick, Wood, and Rock Uphill where the Churches are currently situated.
At the Blessing Ceremony of these Catholic Churches Father Fang recalled that the Catholic Villagers dressed in their ethnic costumes and offered their Farm Produce as well as Chickens, Lambs, and Cows as Gifts to God.
Finally, in Gongshan County Father Fang learned to say the Hail Mary among the Catholic Villagers in Tibetan. This is an important cultural heritage of the Catholic Church in Yunnan Province.
Credits : Asianews
About 5,000 Catholics mainly Drung, Lisu, Nu, and Tibetan Ethnic Minorities in Gongshan Drungzu Nuzu Autonomous County in North Western Yunnan Province pray together daily.
Gongshan County is more than 2,000 Kilometers from Beijing.
Here, Local Catholics have not only maintained their faith but they have also evangelized. When It is Winter, and it is impossible to till the land -- Catholics go in groups of 2 or 3 to visit and to preach to Non - Catholic Villagers at their Homes.
Because of the many different ethnic minority groups in the county it is hard to use the Holy Bible to evangelize because the Holy Bible is available only in Chinese, Tibetan, and Lisu.
This is why Catholics use Hymns to spread the Good News instead.
Father Paul Chen Kaihua of Kunming Diocese in the same province said that after learning about this Catholic Community from the faithful in his diocese he has started visiting them twice a year.
Father Chen said He was impressed by their Catholic Faith.
Despite, The absence of a Catholic Priest He said the number of Catholic Churches has grown to 15 from the 3 established in 1949. The number of Catholics also grew from just 1,000 to more than 5,000 thanks to the Evangelization by Lay People.
French Catholic Missionaries served this area before 1949.
The Priest recounted that the blessing of 2 New Catholic Churches has encouraged the Catholics to continue to expand their community much as they have been doing in recent years.
Father John Fang Ping from Urumqi Diocese visited Gongshan County after a Parishioner working in Yunnan Province told him about these Catholics. Father Fang says it is one of China's Poorest Counties.
The Villagers seldom see a Catholic Priest. Occasionally, Priests from other Dioceses pay short visits but usually it is the Catholics who gather by themselves to pray.
The Villagers had built by themselves two churches and carried every piece of Brick, Wood, and Rock Uphill where the Churches are currently situated.
At the Blessing Ceremony of these Catholic Churches Father Fang recalled that the Catholic Villagers dressed in their ethnic costumes and offered their Farm Produce as well as Chickens, Lambs, and Cows as Gifts to God.
Finally, in Gongshan County Father Fang learned to say the Hail Mary among the Catholic Villagers in Tibetan. This is an important cultural heritage of the Catholic Church in Yunnan Province.
Credits : Asianews
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