Churches, convents and homes under water but the faithful remain strong in faith and hope

Shi Jia Zhuang (Agenzia Fides) – Due to burst dams in southern China because of torrential rains on 13 June in 10 provinces of China, churches, chapels, mission stations and other places of worship as well as homes, are inundated. Priests, religious and lay faithful contacted by Jinde Charities, China's Catholic Charity, have asked for prayers for the suffering people. Several communities have called a day of prayer for flood victims next Sunday 27 June, to pray to the Lord to fill the stricken people with faith, hope, consolation and give them the strength to overcome this difficult moment. Jinde Charities is working with many other Catholic groups to provide assistance with maximum collaboration from the local Church.

According to information sent to Fides by the director and workers of Jinde Charities, floods caused serious damage in the local Catholic community, but the people are resisting with faith and hope, working first to save inundated churches rather than homes.

Fr Xhang Guan Xiong of Gan Zhou, in Jiang Xi Province, said “the burst dam caused panic among the people. But the faithful ran first to the church to save the sacred vessels and sweep out the water”. Fr Cao Xiao Xian, parish priest at Lin Chuan, in Fu Zhou province, the most affected area, visited by China's premier Wen Jia Bao, told Fides: “many village halls used for Mass are under water. However the priests went all the same to visit basic ecclesial communities. In places impossible to reach we have assured the faithful of our prayers and keep in contact by telephone. In some churches, priest's homes and convents flood water is over one metre deep. Contact has been lost with Rev Ai Sheng and his community, we are still searching for them, please pray for him, for his people and for all of us ”.

Don Yu Peng Fei says sadly: “our centuries old church suffered serious damage, and we are heart-broken”. The Catholic community in Nan Ping, Fu Jian province are mourning the death of one of the faithful, 4 others are seriously injured and the harvest has been lost. “The Lord is our only hope and refuge. We continue to pray with confidence that our brothers and sisters in the Lord will as always give us spiritual and material help ”. Rev Yao Shi Wei of the parish of De Jiang, diocese of Gui Yangha, ordained a priest only 20 days ago, said the 800 year old church is inundated and many chapels have cracks in supporting walls.

In the meantime China's civil affairs minister has raised the state of emergency to grade 2. According to a statement issued by the same Ministry at 4pm local time, 23 June, floods in 10 provinces of southern China had affected 29,395 people, causing 211 dead, 119 missing, 2,408 evacuated and damage for about 5 billion euro. Furthermore, 3 motorways, 3 national roads and 9 provincial roads are closed, and train services from Beijing to the south have been suspended. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 24/06/2010 - righe 42; parole 534)