(Jan. 16, 2013) A concert entitled "Light of Faith" was held on Sunday, the Feast
of the Baptism of the Lord, in the parish of the Miraculous Medal in Beijing, China.
The event was dedicated to the promotion of vocations, as well as a celebration of
the first hundred days of the Year of Faith. In an interview with Fides News Agency,
Fr. Zhang Hong Bo, a priest of the parish, said that seminarians and teachers of the
Seminary of Beijing were invited to the concert because "a close contact between the
parishioners and seminarians helps to understand that every vocation is a gift and
sacrifice of a Christian family, and the parish is their support." "We want to encourage
the faithful to participate in the promotion of vocations with actions and practical
support," he added. On the occasion of the concert, the parishioners offered 10,000
Yuan (equivalent to 1,500 euro) to create the Foundation for Vocational Promotion
of the Parish of Xi Tang. "This concert is part of our initiative for the Year of
Faith, which we called 'three hundred days of the Year of Faith'," Fr. Zhang said.
For the one hundred days since the start of the Year of Faith we have sponsored the
concert for vocations. In two hundred days, around Easter, the main theme will be
the promotion of the Sisters' consecrated life. The third appointment will cover parish
life, and we would like to celebrate it in collaboration with other parishes, he said.