进德公益创办人张士江神父讲话

各位领导、各位嘉宾、各位朋友：

Dear Friends,

今天，我们举行“进德公益”揭牌、“圣召暨教育基金会成立十周年”庆祝大会以及社会公益研讨会。同时，三个培训班“进德安老服务培训班”、“进德06司铎培训班”和“进德第二届大学生‘关爱生命、体悟信仰’培训班”一起在这里举行开幕式。 首先，我谨代表进德公益，向在百忙中莅临庆祝大会中国天主教社会服务委员会刘德申主任、刘元龙秘书长一行，省委统战部刘青副部长、省民宗厅马宇骏副厅长一行，向各位学者专家，各位会员朋友、各位学员朋友表示热烈的欢迎！

进德公益今年能成功地注册登记，能够不断举办一些有益于社会人群的培训班；过去十多年来，圣召暨教育基金会得以资助一批批大中小学生完成学业，这些都离不开政府各级领导、全国各地神长教友和社会各界朋友们的理解、信任和支持！ 藉此机会，谨向长期关心我们的各位领导、各位嘉宾、广大神长教友、各位会员朋友表示衷心的感谢！

现在，我就“庆祝和研讨两个会议”以及“三个培训班”向大家汇报说明。

一、 进德公益的注册登记

1997年5月，北方进德――天主教社会服务中心在石家庄成立，成为中国天主教第一家非赢利的民间机构。主要从事：紧急人道主义援助（个人紧急援助和赈灾）、社会发展、教育培训、提供助学金、艾滋病防治与关怀、反拐卖、安老等八项服务。1998年春，北方进德即为张家口抗震救灾投入首笔大额救灾款260万元。1998年8月北方进德获政府批准。我们原计划将北方进德注册为可以向社会公众公开募捐的“进德基金会”，然而由于国务院新修订的《基金会管理条例》对注册资金作了最低400―800万元的限制，我们一时难于筹集到这个数额，就决定注册为“民办非企业”性机构。2006年4月11日，北方进德在河北省民政厅正式登记注册为“河北省进德公益事业服务中心”，简称“进德公益”，注册号码为110007。

这次登记注册的意义在于，首先，进德公益终于获得了一个法律上的正式身份，并将享受国家一系列的优惠政策，包括免税政策。第二，进德公益已经办理机构代码，并将依法在银行开办帐号。第三，进德公益可以依法招聘职员，并为他们提供各种社会保障。进德公益的注册登记是其发展史上的一个重要转折点，它标志着进德公益将以更加专业化、制度化、透明化的方式服务社会人群。总之，这次注册登记对于保证进德公益服务与发展的经常性、持续性、规范性，必将起到积极的促进作用，更多的弱势群体也将得到受助的机会。

这次庆祝注册揭牌，也是我们改变“北方进德――天主教社会服务中心”称呼的好机会。显然，“进德公益”这一名称减少了教会自身色彩，突出了社会公益服务，并与“笃行仁爱、践行信仰”的宗旨一致。我相信，“进德公益”这一简洁明了、寓意深刻的名称将逐渐成为进德同仁、进德合作伙伴、进德会员以及进德所有朋友们一致认同的良好品牌！

二、圣召暨教育基金会成立十周年纪念

1996年初，我在菲律宾求学时，在马尼拉为我邢台老家的孩子们成立了“圣召暨教育基金会”。成立初期，几位义工只能用一万元人民币的本金利息资助一些男女修生和贫困孩子的学杂费。1998年，我们将圣召暨教育基金会从邢台教区迁到了石家庄，资助对象从省内扩展到省外。目前，我们资助学生的范围已经扩展到全国24个省、市、自治区，资助对象也由度奉献生活的男女学生，发展到资助大、中、小学生，其中包括16个少数民族的学生。

三年前，在石家庄等地神长教友们的大力支持下，圣召暨教育基金会开始试行“会员制”，现在我们在全国各地已经拥有600多名会员，这批会员朋友以及其他合作伙伴和爱心人士成为了基金会的坚强后盾，每年可保证四、五十万元的捐款数额，圆了一大批孩子们的读书梦。

严格地讲，过去十多年，虽然圣召暨教育基金会帮助了大批学生，但名称并不合适，也不符合国家新基金会管理条例规定。因此，从2004年开始，我们将圣召教育基金会合并到了进德公益助学金部。这样，我们就节省了人力，但一些神长教友仍然喜欢使用“圣召暨教育基金会”这个名称，进德公益助学金部的同仁希望暂时保留一段时间这个名称，以方便与各地会员联系合作。（我想，圣召暨教育基金会可以改为“专项教育基金”或“专项助学金”，以纪念一位重视培养人才的老前辈。明天的座谈会上，大家可以把名称作为一个题目加以讨论研究。）当然，名称并不重要，重要的是如何帮助各地的学子，管理和分配好大家的爱心奉献，将捐助者和受助者用爱心桥梁连接起来。

三．从庆祝会到社会公益研讨会再到三个培训班

去年我们就着手准备圣召暨教育基金会的庆祝活动，以感谢那些长期奉献爱心的恩人朋友，邀请一些捐助会员和受助学生代表见面交流。期间，进德公益又成功登记注册，有必要举行一个揭牌仪式。这样，我们就将这两个庆祝活动一起来举行了。考虑到时间关系，我们决定不到进德公益临时办公地点举行挂牌仪式，而是在庆祝会现场举行揭牌仪式。

为搞好这次庆祝活动，我们特别邀请了几位国内著名的学者专家，举办 “社会公益研讨会”。 我们希望研讨会可以为捐助人和受助学生代表以及嘉宾朋友们，尤其为三个培训班的学员提供一个了解当前天主教会与中国社会以及中国公益事业发展状况的良好机会。把一个庆祝会延伸到一个与公益事业有关的研讨会，我想，这为我们今后搞好社会服务工作更有实际意义。因此，这次研讨会也是进德公益奉献给大家的一份特别的礼物！

朋友们、同学们，今天的一系列庆祝活动，也是“进德安老服务培训班”（7月10―20日）、“进德06司铎培训班”（7月10―18日）和“进德第二届大学生‘关爱生命、体悟信仰’培训班”（7月10―15日）三个培训班的开幕式。省两会在年初就把这三个班纳入2006年的工作计划，委托进德公益培训部承办的。虽然三个培训班不再分别举行开幕式了，但这个集体开幕式是整整一天的时间，希望同学们珍惜这样的一个学习机会。三个培训班的负责人要带领各自的会务组，耐心细致照顾好我们学员和同学们。

大家知道，多数神父一直忙碌在牧灵福传第一线；中国各地修女们的社会服务非常出色，一些修女服务在社会的第一线；同学们则一直在大学校园内刻苦读书。 这次研讨会的各个讲座和分享给大家提供了一个了解当代中国社会和中国教会，强化社会公益意识，重视志愿活动，宏扬基督博爱精神，见证福音信仰的大好机会。当然，一些大学生已经是我们的义工、志愿者，参与了防艾和下乡支教活动。我希望各位学员要充分利用好这次学习机会，积极参与，认真听讲，关心社会，服务社会。

四．在加强社会服务工作力度的同时，中国天主教会要保持平衡发展

从耶稣的时代开始，博爱精神、人道主义、公益慈善事业始终都是教会的关注，是教会的强项和优良传统。今天，我国正处于一个快速发展的转型时期，中国天主教会应该关注中国社会的需要，尤其社会弱势群体的需要，重视公益慈善事业，加强社会服务工作力度。比如，北京、上海、天津、重庆、深圳、西安、沈阳、山西、广西、河北等地都在社会服务方面做了大量的工作。在中国天主教社会服务委员会的大力支持下，进德公益在全国各地的赈灾、防艾、助学金、安老服务和社会发展项目等方面，也做了一些工作。

在加强社会服务，重视公益事业发展的同时，我认为中国天主教会还需在牧灵福传、高等教育、学术研究和文化艺术等方面保持平衡发展，突出自身特色，见证福音信仰。中国天主教会的平衡发展将对社会稳定有所裨益。

五．加强与海内外社会各界的合作，为构建和谐小康社会做贡献

今天，中国天主教社会服务委员会主任和副主任和我们一起来举行进德公益揭牌仪式。显然，这是中国教会加强和重视社会服务的标志。这次庆祝活动，上海、西安和辽宁等教区社会服务中心或委员会都派代表参加，现在我们地方教会公益组织之间已经有机会、有时间、有人力加强交流与合作。这种合作对地方教会和整个中国教会的发展非常重要。进德公益每次赈灾时，我们都推动当地教会成立自己的社会服务机构。在中国天主教社会服务委员会的领导下，我们希望全国各个教区都成立社会服务机构或办公室。这是一个地方教会走向成熟的标志。中国教会不是只知道接受，而是也要不断给予，建设社会，贡献社会，见证信仰，活出信仰。

同时，进德公益今后也将进一步加强与个人、团体、企业等社会各界的合作，开展好海内外的公益活动交流。同时，努力提高资金使用透明度，使捐助者清楚资金去向，了解救助成效，严格按照财会制度管理慈善基金，接受社会各界和审计部门的监督，保证慈善基金用于社会慈善事业。我们将进一步加强自身建设，不断提高管理和服务水平， 努力完善各项管理制度，充实人力资源，逐步使我们的管理工作做到科学化、规范化。

朋友们，公益事业是为国分忧、为民解愁的神圣而又崇高的事业，也是天主教会的优良传统。当前，胡锦涛主席为我们国家提出了构建和谐社会的目标。这一宏伟目标的实现，需要社会各种力量的参与。其中，从事公益事业的民间力量的参与尤为重要，因为，我们通过自己的工作，可以唤起更多的善良人士，能够帮助他们以更好的方式实现他们的慈悲和仁爱之心。从这一意义上说，我们是在以另一种方式为国家做贡献。

我们也希望在奔小康，构建和谐社会的进程中，我们的国家能够有更多的这样的组织和机构参与到这一工作中来，以促进、加快和谐社会的建立。中国古人在《礼记?礼运篇》中表达了人类大同社会的构想：“大道之行也，天下为公……使老有所终，壮有所用，幼有所长，鳏寡孤独废疾者，皆有所养。”我们相信，只要唤起善良人士的心，我们就可接近这一目标。

我相信，进德公益的全体同仁决不会辜负大家的期望，经过勤奋、扎实、有力的工作，一定能使进德公益事业再上一个新的台阶。同时，我们也诚恳希望各级领导和社会各界热情关注、积极参与、大力支持进德公益事业，为帮助困难群众和弱势群体，构建和谐社会，不断谱写新的篇章，做出更大贡献！ 谢谢大家！

Dear Friends,

Today, we celebrate the unveiling of the Name-tablet of Jinde Charities, 10th Anniversary of Vocation and Education Fund and Seminar on Social Service. At the same time, we have the official opening of the three training courses: “Basic Nursing Care for the Elderly”, “2006 On-going Formation for Priests” and the second training course for University students “Love Life, Live Faith” which run concurrently here.

First, on behalf of Jinde Charities I welcome Mr. Liu Deshen, director of the China Catholic Social Service Committee, Mr. Liu Yuanlong, Secretary General, Mr Liu Qing, Vice Minister of the Provincial United Front, Mr. Ma Yujun, Vice Director of the Provincial Department of Religious Affairs, who despite their busy schedule honor us with their presence. We extend our warm welcome also to our learned friends, members and students of the Fund.

That Jinde Charities managed to register itself, to continue to organize training courses which are beneficial to society; that in the past 10 years, the Vocation and Education Fund succeeded to give financial help to numerous primary, secondary and university students, we owe it to the understanding, trust and support of the leaders of the different government departments, clergy and Catholics of the Church and friends of society. I take this opportunity to thank our leaders, guests, clergy and Catholics，members and friends.

Now, let me explain briefly the “celebration and seminar” and the three “training courses”

I． Registration of Jinde Charities.

On May 1997, Beifang Jinde, Catholic Social Service Centre was established in Shijiazhuang and became the first Catholic Non-profit Organization in China. The eight main services were: Emergency Aid (individual and disaster relief), social development, education and training, scholarship, HIV/AIDS awareness/prevention/care, anti-trafficking and care for the elderly. In Spring 1998, Beifang Jinde spent the first big sum of 2,600,000 yuan on the disaster relief in Zhangjiakou. In August 1998 Beifang Jinde received the government’s approval. Our original plan was to have Beifang Jinde registered as “Jinde Foundation” which would enable us to solicit public donations. However China’s State Council’s newly revised regulation on “Foundation management” requires a minimum of 4-8 million yuan.. We could not raise such an amount at once so we decided to register as a Non-Profit Organization. On 11 April 2006, Beifang Jinde was registered officially in Hebei Civil Affairs Department as Jinde Charities. The registration number is 110007.

The reasons for the registration are: Firstly, Jinde Charities received finally a legal status which enables it to enjoy a series of the national preferential policies which include tax exemption. Secondly, Jinde Charities has already the registration number of an organization which enables it to open a bank account according to the law. Thirdly, Jinde Charities can lawfully advertise for and employ staff, and also offer them different social securities. Jinde Charities’ registration is an important turning point in the history of its development. It signifies that Jinde Charities will be more specialized, systematic and transparent in its services for society. In sum, this registration guarantees the constancy, continuity and standard of the services and development of Jinde Charities, and will promote the positive advancement; as a result, more marginalized people will be helped.

This celebration of the unveiling of the Name-tablet is also a good opportunity for us to change the name of “Beifang Jinde Catholic Social Service Centre. Obviously, Jinde Charities decreases the luster of the Church itself, gives prominence to social service, and is consistent with “Practicing Charity, Witnessing Faith”. I believe, “Jinde Charities”, simple and clear, a name full of deep meaning will slowly become a good and unanimous brand name for Jinde colleagues, Jinde partners, Jinde members and all Jinde’s friends.

II． 10th anniversary of Vocation and Education Fund.

At the beginning of 1996, while I was studying in the Philippines, I started the “Vocation and Education Fund” for the children of my hometown Xingtai. At the initial stage, a few volunteers, with the interest of a capital of 10,000 yuan could only help a few seminarians, sisters and poor children with the miscellaneous fees. In 1998, we moved the Vocation and Education Fund from Xingtai to Shijiazhuang, and the target of our assistance extended from within the province to outside the province. At present, the confines of our assistance to students has already expanded to the 24 provinces, cities, and autonomous regions; our assistance has expanded from seminarians and novices to students of Universities, Secondary and Primary schools, among whom were 16 students from the minorities.

Three years ago, with the great support of clergy and Catholics of places like Shijiazhuang, the Vocation and Education Fund has experimented with “membership” policy Now we have 600 members from different parts of the country. These members and other partners and caring people became the backbone of the Fund. Every year 400,000-500,000 yuan of donation is guaranteed, which fulfills the dream of schooling for a big group of children.

Strictly speaking, in the past 10 over years, even though Vocation and Education fund helped a lot of students, the name is not very suitable and also does not comply with the regulatory norms of the country. So from 2004, we integrated Vocation and Education fund with the Scholarship fund of Jinde Charities. Thus, we save manpower. However many clergy and Catholics still like to use the name Vocation and Education Fund. So Jinde Charities Scholarship Fund maintains the name temporarily to facilitate cooperation and contact with members from different places. (I think, Vocation and Education Fund can be changed to “Special Education Fund” or “Special Scholarship Fund” to remember an elder who attached great importance to the development of talents. Tomorrow in the symposium, we can take the name as a topic for discussion). Of course, name is not important, important is how to help students from different places, how to manage and distribute well everyone’s love offering, and how to connect donors and beneficiaries with a bridge of love.

III． Celebration， Seminar on Social Service, and Three Training Courses

We started to make preparations for the celebration of the Vocation and Education Fund, to express our gratitude to all those benefactors for their loving support and use it as an occasion for the donors and the representatives of the students who were helped to meet and communicate with each other. In the meantime, Jinde Charities was successfully registered, so it is necessary to hold the unveiling of the name-tablet ceremony. Thus, we decided to combine the two celebrations into one. Considering the question of time, we decided not to hold the ceremony where the temporary office of Jinde Charities is, but at the site of the celebration.

In order to make this celebration a success, we especially invited several scholars and experts well known in China to participate in the Seminar on Social Service. We hope that this seminar will provide a good opportunity for the donors, representatives of the beneficiaries, and the specially invited guests, particularly the participants of the three training courses, to get to know the present day Catholic Church, the Chinese society and the development of social service in China. I think that to include a seminar related to social service in the celebration has a greater practical significance for the improvement of our future social service.

Friends，students, the series of celebrations today, is also the opening ceremony of “Jinde Care for the Elderly training course” (10-20 July), “Jinde 2006 training course for priests” (10-18 July) and “Jinde’s second ‘Love Life, Live Faith’ training course for University students. At the beginning of this year, the provincial leaders of the Chinese Catholic Church have already included the three training courses in the 2006 year plan and delegated Jinde Charities to organize. Even though the three training courses will not have the opening ceremony separately, this combined opening ceremony is a whole day affair; I hope participants will treasure this learning opportunity. The responsible for the respective training course must lead their own group and take good care of our participants.

Everyone knows, most of the priests are busy doing pastoral work and evangelization in the front line; the social services of the sisters from the different parts of China are very outstanding, some of the sisters are serving the front line of society; students all this while are studying hard in their universities. The different talks and sharing of this seminar provide everyone with an opportunity to understand the society and Church in China, strengthen the knowledge of social service, attach great importance to services of volunteers, spread Christ’s spirit of universal love, witness Good News. Of course, some university students are already our volunteers, they participate in HIV/AIDS awareness/prevention and educational activities in the rural areas. I hope every participant will make full use of this learning opportunity, participate with enthusiasm, listen attentively to the talks, care for society and serve society.

IV． The Church in China must maintain a balanced development while reinforcing the dynamics of its social service activities.

Since the time of Jesus, the Church has been paying great attention to the spirit of universal love, humanitarianism and charitable works. This has always been the advantage and fine tradition of the Church. Today, our country is in a transitional phase of rapid development. The Church in China should concern itself with the needs of the Chinese society, especially the needs of the marginalized in society. Therefore we must lay emphasis on charitable works, and reinforce the dynamics of our social work. For example, a lot of work has been done in the area of social service in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Xi’an, Shenyang, Shanxi, Guangxi, Hebei, etc. Jinde Charities has also done some work in disaster relief, prevention and awareness of HIV/ AIDS, scholarship, care of the elderly, and social development in many places in China。

I think that, while strengthening social service and laying emphasis on the development of charitable works, the Church in China also needs to maintain a balanced development in the areas of pastoral ministry, evangelization, higher education, academic research, culture, arts, and so on, living out its own uniqueness and bearing witness to the faith. The balanced development of the Church in China will benefit the stability of society.

V． Strengthen the cooperation with the whole of society in China and overseas, and make contributions to the construction of a harmonious society

Today, the director and assistant director of the Social Service Committee of the Catholic Church in China have come to attend the ceremony of the unveiling of the name-tablet of Jinde Charities. Obviously, it is a sign that the Church strengthens and lays emphasis on social service. Social service centers or committees of the dioceses of Shanghai, Xi’an, Liaoning and so on have all sent delegates to attend this celebration. Now all the social service organizations of our local Churches have the opportunity, time and personnel to strengthen mutual exchange and cooperation. This cooperation is very important for local Churches and indeed the whole Church in China. Every time when we do disaster relief, we try to help the local Church establish its own social service centre. We hope that, under the leadership of the Social Service Committee of the Church in China, every diocese will set up its own social service centre or office. This is a sign of the maturation of the local Church. The Church in China cannot receive only. It also needs to constantly give, to build up society, to contribute to society, to witness the faith and live out the faith.

At the same time, Jinde Charities will also strengthen its cooperation with all circles of society, including individuals, communities, enterprises, etc, and promote communications between social service activities in China and abroad. Meanwhile, we will enhance the transparency of the use of funds, so that the donors clearly know how the funds are used as well as the result, strictly abiding by the system of finance and accounting, regulating the management of donations. We will accept the the supervision of society and the Audit Department, in order to ensure that the donations are used for charitable works of society. We will make further improvements on ourselves, enhance the level of management and service, and try to perfect the regulatory system, reinforce human resources, so that our management will be more and more scientific and standardized.

Friends, social service is a sacred and noble cause to share the burdens of the nation and meet the needs of the people. It is also a fine tradition in the Catholic Church. At present, President Hu Jintao has put forth the goal of constructing a harmonious society in our country. The realization of this lofty goal depends on the participation of various forces in society, especially of the non-governmental forces. For through our work, we may awaken more and more people of good will so that they may live out their compassion and charity in a better way. In this sense, we are making contributions to the country in another way.

We also hope that, in the process of building up a prosperous and harmonious society, our country may have more such organizations to participate in this work, to speed up the building up of a harmonious society. The idea of a human society of great harmony is expressed in the Book of Rites, which envisages the whole world as one community, in which the old can enjoy their old age, the young can exercise their talents, the children can grow up healthily, and the widows, widowers, and disabled are cared for. We believe that, if we awaken the hearts of benevolent people, we can draw closer to this goal.

I believe: all the colleagues of Jinde Charities will live up to our expectations, and make a giant step forward in the social service of Jinde Charities. At the same time, we sincerely hope that leaders at different levels and all circles of society will pay close attention to, actively take part in and strongly support Jinde Charities, so that we may make greater contribution to helping the masses in need and the marginalized and building up a harmonious society. Thank you!