BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing municipal government announced Sunday a plan to restore 12 churches, mosques and temples in the city to offer religious people better environments for worship.

    "Beijing is in need of more places of worship. The number of Catholics in Beijing is 50,000 to 60,000, but we have only 20 Catholic churches, eight in downtown and 12 in the suburbs," Father Matthew Zhen Xuebin, secretary-general of the Catholic church of the Beijing Diocese, was quoted by China Daily as saying.

    Zhen added, the number of Catholics is growing as people enjoy more freedom to choose their religions and more foreigners are coming to Beijing.

    According to Yang Xiaodong, an official with the Beijing Religion Bureau, one of the project was located in Changxindian in southwest Beijing. The city's government plans 12 million yuan (about 1.76 million US dollars) for its reconstruction.

    The Changxindian Church, built about a century ago, was turned into a warehouse around 1950s.

    About 200 Catholics reside in the Changxindian Township. Once the church is rebuilt, Catholics from Fengtai, Fangshan and Shijingshan districts in southwest Beijing can also attend mass there instead of going all the way to the Xuanwumen Catholic Church in downtown.

    Two mosques are also part of the rebuild plan, said an official who is in charge of Islamic affairs in the Beijing Religion Bureau.