Catholic volunteers get ready to serve athletes at Beijing Olympics

Published: 2008-05-15

BEIJING (CNS) -- Mainland Catholic volunteers are getting ready to serve athletes from around the world who will compete in the Beijing Olympics in August. The Beijing Diocese has designated 16 people -- seven priests, five nuns and four seminarians -- to join the religious volunteer service group and work alongside Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim and Protestant volunteers, reported the Asian church news agency UCA News. The Beijing Summer Olympics and the Paralympic Games will be Aug. 8-24 and Sept. 6-17, respectively. A religious service center will operate in the Olympic Village during the events. Father Joseph Zhao Qinglong, leader of the Catholic team, said the religious volunteers attended three training courses last year -- the longest one lasted two months, with sessions twice a week. "Our participation as volunteers can be a concrete service the church offers to society," he told UCA News recently.

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