Pope Francis on Wednesday called on Chinese Catholics to remain their allegiance to Vatican and to stay with the Church in Rome, in a move that is expected a rebuke from the communist Chinese regime.
The Holy Father’s appeal comes ahead of Sunday’s feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians, celebrated throughout the world on May 24. The day is also as a day of prayer for Chinese Catholics, which was established in 2007 by Benedict XVI, said official News.va.
Pope Francis said in his weekly general audience in the Saint Peter’s square, “Ask Mary to help Catholics in China to be ever more credible witnesses of this merciful love in the midst of their people, and to live spiritually united to the rock of Peter on which the Church is built.”
Pope Francis also noted that the statue at the Shrine of Sheshan depicts Mary holding the Child Jesus in the air with his arms outstretched “in a gesture of love and mercy.” The Vatican state has no diplomatic ties with Chine since 1951 since Mao Zedong gained control of the country.
The Vatican state has no diplomatic ties with Chine since 1951 since Mao Zedong gained control of the country. However, Pope Francis called for the normalization of diplomatic relations with China when he visited South Korea in August, reported Agance France Presse. But the pontiff has set conditions, including allowing Chinese Catholics the right to exercise their religion freely. He also called on Beijing to allow the Vatican to appoint bishops there. -
Credit to Gospelherald.com
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