Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
xinde.org
Ningbo (Agenzia Fides) – Saint Vincent de Paul bore witness to Christ’s charity by offering food to the hungry and care for the sick in 17th-century France. Today, following in his footsteps, the parishioners of the Longwan Church dedicated to him, in the diocese of Wenzhou, offer a cup of fresh tea to those who must work hours and hours outdoors in the Chinese coastal province of Zhejiang. Food delivery workers, postmen, bricklayers, and messengers of various kinds have had to work even on the so-called “dog days,” the 30 hottest days of the year, when the humid heat becomes oppressive and everything becomes more tiring. The fresh tea offered by the parish community to all those in need of refreshment has become a simple and appreciated sign of how Christian charity recognizes and embraces the needs, even physical needs, of all. In winter, in the same parish, those suffering from the cold can always find a steaming cup of hot tea. The parish of Longwan has become famous for its concern in bearing witness to and proclaiming faith in Jesus, also through many social works. In addition to the distribution of “Vincentian tea,” members of the parish community maintain a service of regular, free medical visits for those most in need.They also organize sacred music concerts, pilgrimages, and social gatherings for groups of the elderly, young people, and children. All of this is also inspired by devotion to the Patron Saint Vincent de Paul, in accordance with the ever-helpful suggestion of the Didache: “Seek the faces of the Saints every day and find rest in their words.” (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 18/7/2025)
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