Pastor peter rub and pastoral advisor chrsitof barhausen are currently on pilgrimage in israel. The representation in the parish community "im lauertal" has taken over for the month of september the chinese parish priest thomas pei, who was appointed by the pastoral chairman
Erhard lerdermann at the sunday eve service in the st.Was buried in the church of st. Laurence. Father thomas then introduced himself.
"My name is pei dong and I am from china", the clergyman told the congregation. His homeland is inner mongolia, which is located in the north of china and comprises a grassy steppe landscape and dry desert. The yellow river and long stretches along the chinese wall are also part of it. Since the 19. The region of the belgian order of the "immaculate heart of mary" in the 21st century have been missionized. "My whole family is imbued with this christian faith", said pastor pei.
Born in 1981, he was given the baptismal name "thomas". His mother taught him to pray the rosary, and his grandfather passed on bible stories to him. On sunday, he said, he went to church with my cousins. As an altar boy and in the summer he participated in the faith seminar led by the sisters. "So I grew up in such a strong faith milieu", he paid.
Pastor in the country
In 2000, pastor pei graduated from high school. He then entered the seminary in beijng. There he studied philosophy for two years and theology for four years. After completing his studies, he first did an internship, and in 2007 he was ordained as a priest in the cathedral in beijing. "After that I was appointed pastor by my bishop and was active in a village church with about 300 believers", he said.
The church in beijing is very lively, he says. To date, the archdiocese has 80 priests, 55 sisters, 75 churches, 20 prayer houses, approx. 100.000 catholics, a seminary, a diozesan order of sisters, an old people’s home, a church publishing house and three outpatient clinics. "Every year 1500 to 2000 adults and children are baptized", the clergyman reported from his home country.
Study in germany because of political resistance
However, because of the communist ideology in china, no university was allowed to establish a theological faculty. "Our seminary still lacks lecturers and professors. That is why the bishop has sent some priests abroad to study further." So pei at the svd st philosophical-theological high school could. Augustin studies in the missionary seminary of the steyl missionaries in st. Augustin near bonn.
After his training, the bishop called him back to lecture at the seminary in beijng. So on weekdays, the pastor teaches theology; on weekends, he goes to surrounding churches where pastoral help is needed. The clergyman considers this division between theory and practice to be profitable for him. Now he even has the opportunity to earn a doctorate in liturgical science.
That’s why he’s been living in germany for two years now. He is currently writing his doctoral dissertation on the topic of "inculturation of the liturgy in china after the second vatican council" at the steyl seminary of father wesolowski. Now father thomas is looking forward to the four weeks in lauertal and many nice meetings, conversations and invitations.
9 parishes belong to the parish community "im lauertal.