Pope Prays for the Church in China

Following his catechesis on 1 December general audience, Benedict XVI made some remarks concerning the situation of the Church in China.

"To your prayers", he told the faithful gathered in the Paul VI Hall, "and to those of Catholics all over the world, I entrust the Church in China which, as you know, is experiencing particularly difficult moments. Let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, to support all Chinese bishops, who are so dear to me, that they may bear courageous witness to their faith, placing all their hope in the Saviour Whom we await. Let us also entrust to the Virgin all the Catholics of that beloved country so that, through her intercession, they may live a truly Christian existence in communion with the universal Church, thus also contributing to the harmony and common good of their noble people".

Pope Benedict XVI today prayed for the Church in China as the “open” community scheduled the eighth national congress to be convened in Beijing Dec. 7-9.

The pope invited all Catholics, including a group of 40 Chinese sitting in the front rows, to pray with him during the general audience at the Vatican city. “I commend to your prayers and to those of Catholics throughout the world, the Church in China, which, as you know, is going through a particularly difficult time,” the pope said.

“We ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, to sustain all the Chinese Bishops, who are so dear to me, so that they may courageously bear witness to their faith, placing all their hope in the Saviour whom we are awaiting.”

“We also entrust to the Virgin Mary all the Catholics of that beloved country that, through her intercession, they may be able to live an authentic Christian life in communion with the universal Church, contributing in this way also to the harmony and common good of their noble people.”

- UCAN News