Society

100,000 annually convert to Catholicism in China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-12-10 06:37

BEIJING - During the past six years, more than 100,000 people were converted to Catholicism each year, according to a report approved at the 8th national congress of Chinese Catholics on Thursday.

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The report noted that China now has more than six million Catholics across the country.

The congress concluded in Beijing Thursday following three days of meetings in which a new leadership of the Chinese Catholics was elected.

The conference also approved the report submitted by the Patriotic Association (CCPA) and Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC) on their work during the past six years.

According to the report, 25 bishops were consecrated in China since 2004, and nearly 300 new Catholic churches were built across the country. Currently, the number of Catholic churches in China has reached 6,300.

The congress began on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by 341 representatives from across China.