On a Wing and a Prayer in China

UCA News ^ | 9/10/19

[marshmallow]

Churches and gathering points in Shenyang have been sealed off as Catholics fear for the underground church's future

Zhao, an underground church member in northeast China, is over 70 years old and has difficulty walking. To attend Mass, she sometimes has to get up very early and leave home without breakfast to catch three buses to reach the gathering point.

"When I get up, I simply grab some food and eat on the way. If I finish eating before going out, I’ll be late. If I eat only after Mass, I would faint from hunger," Zhao told ucanews.com.

This does not stop her from going to Mass, however. She looks around for new gathering points and encourages other church members to go with her to receive sacraments.

"The conditions are difficult but we can't do anything about it. The government doesn’t allow any party or individual to rent a house to the church for us to attend Mass," she said.

The church in Xintaizi town where Zhao used to attend Mass was sealed off by the Chinese government before last Christmas as part of a clampdown that has caused many Catholics in Shenyang Diocese in Liaoning province to fear that its underground church will slowly disappear.

Several underground churches and gathering points have been sealed off, forcing many church members to trudge a long distance at a moment's notice to attend Mass elsewhere.

Church member Paul Jia told ucanews.com that a new church was built in Xintaizi more than a decade ago. With nearly 1,000 members, faith activities were held regularly until the church was sealed off before last Christmas.

[MarMema]

Most likely eats dog or cat boiled alive. Shenyang is hugely known for cooking dogs alive, stolen pets from elsewhere.

[Truthoverpower]

Believers in the ever lasting truth are taking over godless Communist China