China: Construction of a convent in northern China

This sign in a church in China reads: "To heal the world, we must be ready to suffer and die.".
This sign in a church in China reads: "To heal the world, we must be ready to suffer and die.".

In China there is a new generation of younger sisters, who have entered the religious congregations since 1980. This young generation is now taking over from the older one, whose training dates back to before the communist era. In almost all the convents today responsibility now rests in the hands of younger women. Very few of the sisters are over 40 years old, and many of the religious congregations are actively engaged in the social field, in addition to their regular pastoral duties.

The sisters of the congregation of St Joseph have contributed greatly to the pastoral and mission work of their diocese in northern China, ever since their foundation in the late 1980s. Every day, the sisters of the congregation, who now number around 60 sisters, go into the parishes and support the work of the priests. Until recently, however, this congregation did not have a Mother House, since their whole energies were devoted to the pastoral and social work of the diocese. Instead, they lodged with Christian families and depended on the support of the ordinary faithful. But this way of living has created considerable problems, both for their common life and for their training. Their Superior explains:

"Since our congregation was founded, because of the necessary parish work we did, we never had any income. We had no convent of our own and lived among the faithful, which gave rise to many difficulties. Our prayers were often interrupted, and we sometimes had to change our place of living. Now that many of the sisters have become old and sick, there is an urgent need for a permanent convent." All the sisters want is a house where they can live according to the Rule of the congregation, and above all, live in community. They have received many enquiries from young women who are interested in joining the congregation, but they have no possibility of accepting them or providing them with a training, since they do not have a central house for the congregation.

Two years ago a member of the parish came to the aid of the sisters, offering them a plot of land in the middle of his fields and vegetable gardens. Here, with the help of local donations, the sisters began to build a convent, with a chapel, a formation room, offices and living quarters. The sisters themselves had managed to collect some money, but they were still some way short of the total they needed. When they turned to ACN for help, they were already in real difficulties, for the money had run out and they had had to suspend the building work. Now, thanks to the generous response of our benefactors, ACN was able to give €20,000 so that the convent could be completed. So at last this long-standing dream of the St Joseph Sisters has finally become reality, and their Superior has written to us in great joy to thank the benefactors. "We don't know how to express our gratitude to you", she writes. "We can only enfold you in our prayers and pray that all your work may go smoothly and that God may give you the grace to happily and joyfully fulfil the special mission that Our Lord Jesus Christ has entrusted to you. May the Kingdom of the Lord grow strong and healthy, thanks to your contribution. Many, many thanks for your support. We will most certainly enfold you in our prayers. Thank you!"

The Sisters of St Joseph have a host of new ideas and projects, which they can at last tackle and day by day make reality, now that the great worry of having no Mother House has been finally lifted from their shoulders.

To know about this and many other similar projects in favour of the pastoral needs of the suffering Church, please contact our national offices.