Lei Shiyin, vice president of China Catholic Patriotic Association: give full play to the positive energy of religion
2022-05-07
"Religion should consciously adapt to the new requirements of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, handle the relationship between tradition and modernity, inheritance and development, and make a new interpretation of religious doctrines that keep pace with the times." Recently, Lei Shiyin, member of the CPPCC National Committee, vice chairman of the China Patriotic Catholic Association and chairman of the Sichuan Patriotic Catholic Association, said in an interview that Catholicism should adhere to the direction of sinicization, give full play to the positive energy of religion and serve the society. Lei Shiyin, 58, was born in an ordinary farmhouse at the foot of Mount Emei. His family has been Catholic for five generations. In 1984, Lei Shiyin entered Sichuan Catholic theological seminary, thus embarking on the path of Catholic clergy. "At first, I was just curious about this identity and treated it as a mysterious career." Lei Shiyin said that later, he regarded this profession as a sacred cause of patriotism and religion, and took the Sinicization of Catholicism as his lifelong goal. "In the past, Catholicism was in China, but today we want to establish Chinese Catholicism. We need to find the blending point of Chinese traditional culture and Christian culture." Lei Shiyin said that the Sinicization of Catholicism should be carried out in three aspects: the Sinicization of ideology, politics and ideology, the Sinicization of gospel and the Sinicization of evangelism. "A good believer must also be a good citizen." This is what Lei Shiyin often says to people. Over the years, following the development law of Catholicism since its introduction into China, he has constantly explored the practical path of Catholicism in China. Combined with his practical experience, he has put forward the fundamental idea that the development of Catholicism in China should adhere to the "eight identities", which has made due contributions to enriching the theoretical treasure house of Catholicism in adhering to the direction of Sinicization. As a CPPCC member from the religious sector, Lei Shiyin always pays attention to the harmonious and stable development and healthy development of the religious sector and the implementation of policies. The Sichuan Catholic theological seminary he attended was built for a long time, with poor buildings, outdated facilities and difficult living and learning conditions for students. Lei Shiyin felt that Sichuan needed an institution with excellent facilities and better teaching resources to better train successors of Catholic clergy. After his proposal on solving the problems of Catholic theological and philosophical colleges in Sichuan was adopted, the CPPCC National Committee included the new Sichuan Catholic theological and philosophical college in the scope of support for religious work in Sichuan. In 2005, with the support of the central government, the new campus of Sichuan Catholic theological seminary, covering an area of nearly 40 mu, was officially unveiled and put into use in Hongguang Town, Pidu District, Chengdu. Today, it has become a base and cradle for cultivating Catholic Patriotic and religious clergy in Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou and Yunnan. "Cultivating talents has always been a centennial plan for the construction and development of the church. The construction and growth of the ranks of clergy is related to the missionary cause of the diocese and the future of China's religion." He actively encouraged and advocated the innovation of school running mode, and launched the training mode of "belief + education + holy call", which alleviated the enrollment problem for many years. After becoming the bishop of Leshan diocese, he successfully trained and consecrated five young priests in the diocese; Through negotiation, three priests and seven nuns were introduced to enrich and expand the clergy. "I am the first batch of students trained by Sichuan Catholic theological seminary since the reform and opening up. I have witnessed and participated in the whole process of the development of Catholicism in Sichuan." Lei Shiyin said that in the past, Catholic Patriotic organizations at all levels lacked personnel, money and office conditions. Today, the construction of bishops and parishes where the five dioceses are located has made great progress in the construction of patriotic organizations at all levels. The church also plays an important role in poverty alleviation and disaster relief, public services and group exchanges. According to him, Catholic Patriotic organizations at all levels in Sichuan Province have long insisted on providing support to people living in difficulties such as poverty, illness and out of school, and transmitting positive religious energy. After the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the Catholic church carried out a series of earthquake relief work. Lei Shiyin led a team to the earthquake area for many times to deliver disaster relief materials and condolences. When the Lushan earthquake occurred in Ya'an in 2013, Lei Shiyin organized a team to rush to Ya'an for disaster relief at the first time. Under his initiative, Hebei Jinde public welfare foundation and other public welfare organizations actively provided relief materials for the Lushan earthquake area. In addition to actively guiding the diocese to carry out donation activities for students, Lei Shiyin often goes to nursing homes, hospitals and other places with his parishioners to offer condolences to the orphaned and widowed elderly, patients, poor families and left behind children, and send them condolences or consolation funds. "Some of our parishes and patriotic organizations have also established assistance groups to provide 'one-to-one' production and living assistance to needy families, and clarify the source of assistance funds - 40% invested by priests, 30% raised by the church and 30% raised by members, so as to effectively ensure the real implementation of assistance." Lei Shiyin said. "In the future, I will do a good job in self-cultivation and love, participate in politics and continue to promote the development of Catholicism in China." Lei Shiyin said that he would encourage churches, patriotic organizations and religious believers in Sichuan to actively participate in local economic and social development and make due contributions to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the maintenance of world peace. (outlook new era)
Edit：Yuanqi Tang Responsible editor：Xiao Yu
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