American Benedictine nuns help women's religious congregations in Jiangsu and Beijing
Beijing (AsiaNews) - Two American Benedictine nuns have made a long journey to China to help some local women's religious congregations renew their lives.
Religious communities in China, which flourished again in various dioceses after the Cultural Revolution, are plagued by several problems, not the least being the need to renew their life in accordance with the reforms of Vatican II, whose slow implementation in China is due to "isolation and government control imposed on the Chinese Church".
In recent decades, many religious figures in the universal Church have offered to help Chinese congregations grow in their spirituality, community life and the sense of virginal gift.
The visit by the two Benedictine nuns in Jiangsu and Beijing took place last May, but was reported only now.
From 12 to 18 May, Sister Mary Catherine Wenstrup from Kentucky and Sister Stefanie Weisgram from Minnesota were guests of Mgr Joseph Shen Bin, at the Bishop's Residence in Haimen.
Here, they have offered biblical and spiritual courses to the nuns of two religious congregations, the Sisters of the Child Jesus in Haimen and the Presentation Sisters in Suzhou.
Between 19 and 23 May, they taught the course to nuns from the Sisters of Charity in Nanjing and the Presentation Sisters in Xuzhou, who were guests of Mgr John Wang Renlei, bishop of Xuzhou.
Finally, from 24 to 31 May, the two Benedictine nuns were in Beijing where they worked with the Sisters of St Joseph helping them draft their first charter, 142 years after their foundation in 1872.
Novices and nuns who made the final vows took part in the course on drafting charters, learning about procedures, rules, structure, content, and Church documents on religious life.
Source: asianews.it
