China: Going Underground
We speak about China’s “Underground” Church – but some seminaries are quite literally underground.
Students spend long periods unable to leave – or even pray aloud – for feat that they will be denounced to the authorities.
Aid to the Church in Need is helping with the training of seminarians living and studying in these dire circumstances.
Despite these difficulties, the country’s crushing restriction on the number of children couples can have and the importance of the male child in the family system, young men are still coming forwards to be priests. They are prepared to give up everything for God.
In a tricky situation, where priests are few, religious and lay people are vital to the Chinese Church. Religious orders help keep the church together through prayer and charity.
Your generosity is helping to provide formation, food and accommodation. In 2014, 42.5% of our aid for China’s suffering Christians, more than £250,000, was devoted to the training of prietss, religious and laity – equipping them for their difficult and dangerous tasks.