HONG KONG (UCAN): Several parishes in China have taken up an initiative to offer a free pickup service for Catholic students who have recently arrived at university.

Li Yaneng belongs to a youth group in Chengdu that offers a pickup service from the railway station or airport to the university where the new students are enrolled. On the way, the driver shows them where they can find a church that is convenient to the campus.

“There are Catholic students coming to Chengdu for their university study every year,” Li, who is from northwestern Shaanxi province, said.

“Our youth group wants to let them to feel the warmth of local Catholics through the pickup service and know where the nearest church is located near the campus,” she said.

“Being new to a place, their faith may fade away gradually if they can’t find a church to maintain their religious life,” she explained.

The group spreads news about their service via the popular WeChat social media outlet.

A charity group in Kunming in southwestern Yunnan province publicised a similar service for newly-arriving Catholic students.