Pope Francis expressed his support for Catholics in China during his weekly audience, acknowledging their suffering and emphasizing solidarity with them in light of the strict control exerted by China’s Communist Party over religious institutions.
Pope Francis supported Catholics in China on Wednesday, sharing with his weekly audience “a special thought to all those who suffer, pastors and the faithful.”
Marking the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China—an event instituted by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007—, Francis said he wished to emphasize his closeness with “our brothers and sisters in China, sharing their joys and hopes”.
Speaking at the Vatican, the 86-year-old pontiff continued: zI address a particular thought to all those who suffer, pastors and the faithful, so that they may experience consolation and encouragement in the communion and solidarity of the universal Church.”
China’s Communist Party is officially atheist and strictly controls all recognized religious institutions, including vetting sermons.
Francis led a years-long effort to build ties with Beijing, and in 2018, the Holy See reached a two-year agreement on the thorny issue of the appointment of bishops.
The accord was renewed for two years in October against a backdrop of tensions over the place of the country’s estimated 10 million or so Catholics.
But at the end of November, the Vatican expressed “surprise” and “regret” at the appointment of a bishop in a diocese in China not recognized by the Holy See, which violated the accord.
The deal, whose contents have not been made public, aims to reunite Chinese Catholics split between the official and underground churches while giving the pope the final say in appointing bishops.
Miroslava Salazar with AFP
