LINTUNG, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE of. - In western Manchuria. It was erected on 18 May 1937, with 7 civil subprefectures, detached from the apostolic vicariate of Szepinghai (now a diocese) and entrusted to the Society for Foreign Missions of the province of Québec (Pont-Viau).
The first missionaries from Pont-Viau, numbering three, arrived in Manchuria in 1925; in 1936 there were 36, 42 in 1937, to whom were added three clerics of S. Vlatore of Montréal (Canada). The missionaries of the Congregation of Scheut, coming from the apostolic vicariate of Jehol, had established there several villages of Catholic tenant farmers; at Tsingse first, and then at Ounioutai and Haobatu, considerable groups of Chinese Catholics established their residence. Thus three stations of the faithful had arisen with resident missionaries and a population of more than 4,000 Catholics. The Mongols of this region—the men commonly, the women ra-
rely—speak the Chinese language. It should be noted that the Mongol, once converted, remains faithful and fervent.