Divine Love in Combating COVID-19

Ven. Shenbin
Deputy Secretary-General of China Committee on Religion and Peace
Vice President of Bishops’ Conference of Catholic Church in China, and Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, as a response to the Chinese government’s call, China’s catholic circles have taken fighting against COVID-19 in a scientific way as a critical job and taken a series of necessary measures, such as closing holy places, pausing all collective religious activities, delaying the opening of catholic schools, etc, which all have helped to prevent the spreading of COVID-19.

Bishops’ Conference of Catholic Church in China, and Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association have issued timely directions to all local catholic churches to start with convincing believers by explaining the Bible of stopping Sunday Mass for the moment accords also with the Bible and praying at home is also worshiping God. Meanwhile, we also guided all believers to treat the pandemic in the right way, to believe medical science, and to see doctors on time when feeling ill.

To ease the shortage of medical equipment in the epicenters of Wuhan city of Hubei Province, we appeal as ” whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” of Matthew 25:40, all priests and believers to collect donations, total up to about 30 million RMB. We have donated all funds through Catholic charity institutions (Jinde Charities) to buy surgical masks, protective clothing, ventilators in urgent needs.

In the early period of battle with COVID-19, charity institutions of China’s catholic churches received successively aids from overseas Chinese organizations and religious communities in regions of Vatican, Italy, Germany, United States, Canada, Austria, Belgium, South Korea, India, and China, Macau, and provided hospitals in the forefront with 50, 000 surgical masks, 4, 000 protective suits and goggles, face shields, hand gloves, forehead thermometers. It is especially worth mentioning that, Pope Francis not only prayed for the Chinese people many times and donated in his own name 100, 000 euros through China’s catholic charities for China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping ever stated that human beings are a community with a shared future, and to overcome the pandemic concerning the health security of people from each nation, solidarity, and cooperation is the best weapon. Facing the worldwide spreading of the pandemic, China Catholic circles collected funds and protective equipment to donate to catholic institutions in South Korea, Vatican/Italy, Bangladesh, Spain, Belgium, Germany, United States, Philippine, etc.

COVID-19 is important testing for human beings. When facing difficulties and crises, All priests, fathers, brothers, and sisters from China Catholic churches, with Chinese people of all ethnic groups, have played an active role in winning the battle against COVID-19 by overcoming challenges in joint hands, showing our spirits of love, responsibility and dedication.

Nowadays, the pandemic is still threatening the whole world. We human beings can only stop the pandemic by helping each other and restore the tranquility and peace of the world.

God bless all.