ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY
Saints celebrated on the 4th of February
JOHN BAPTIST LUI JINGSHAN, BISHOP
Bishop John Baptist Lui Jingshan of the People’s Republic of China recently died at the age of 99 years. He was born in 1913 in inland Mongolia to a Catholic family. At the age of 16 he began studying for the priesthood, completing his studies during the Japanese occupation.
HE WAS SENT TO A LABOUR CAMP
After his ordination as a priest he served as a parish priest until 1951, when he was imprisoned and sent to a labour camp, where he was forced to herd pigs for almost 20 years. Bishop John Baptist was freed in 1970 and for several years worked as a farmer.
In 1979 he was allowed to take up his priestly work again but in 1983, considered a political prisoner, he was made to relocate at the age of 70 years to Yinchaun, where he said, “I must still do something for the Lord, and find a way to build the church”.
"I MUST STILL DO SOMETHING FOR THE LORD"
Three years later he had built a Cathedral. Then in 1993, at the age of 80 years, John Baptist was ordained a Bishop. He travelled widely around his vast Diocese on his bicycle to serve his people, trying to spiritually rebuild the Catholic Church in an area where it had been almost wiped out by persecution. Today in his Diocese there are 15,000 Catholics with 14 Catholic Churches, 12 priests and 20 nuns.
Bishop John Baptist is regarded as the true father of his Diocese and is remembered for his steadfast work in rebuilding the Church in very hard times following the Cultural Revolution. Bishop John Baptist said, "Even though I spent 19 years in prison, I love my homeland. And not only my homeland but also my Church."
(From: Spiritual Thought from Fr Chris)
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