Pope Francis in China
It was a highly symbolic gesture that the Pope Francis made at the end of the mass that he presided over on Sunday afternoon at the Steppe Arena in Ulan Bator. The current Bishop of Hong Kong, Mgr Stephen Chow Sau-yan, and his predecessor, Cardinal John Tong Hon, approached the Pope to shake his hand.
«I would like to take advantage of your presence to warmly greet the noble Chinese people» The Holy Father told the assembly, «I wish all the people the best, and always to move forward, always to progress. And I ask Chinese Catholics to be good Christians and good citizens» Around 200 Chinese Catholics made the trip to Mongolia, from mainland China as well as Hong Kong and Macau.
Mass in Ulan Bator: The Lord won’t let us run out of water
«His heart is close to China, but the future depends on the will of God and the Chinese government» said Cardinal John Tong Hon, Archbishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, before the interfaith meeting on Sunday morning. «I think they know what the Holy Father wants, he has always said that he wants to visit China» he continued.
«If the Chinese really know our hearts and Catholic doctrine, they will be able to see that we are open, because Jesus taught us to love everyone, even our enemies» explained Cardinal Hon.
The Holy See always open to dialogue
On Saturday, when he met the Catholic community in Ulaanbaatar cathedral, Pope Francis reiterated that «secular institutions have nothing to fear from the Church’s evangelising action, because the Church has no political agenda to pursue»
Pope Francis prays for the Church in China
Despite the obstacles, the Holy See wants to show its good disposition to continue its relations with the Chinese authorities, in accordance with the agreement signed in 2018 on the appointment of bishops and renewed several times.
As he flew over Chinese territory on his way to Ulan Bator last Thursday, Pope Francis sent a telegram to the civil authorities, as is tradition. In it, the Pope said he was praying «for the prosperity of the nation and invoked the divine blessings of unity and peace» The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman replied to the telegram. «China is ready to continue to work with the Vatican to engage in constructive dialogue, improve understanding and strengthen mutual trust, so as to improve relations between the two countries» it read.
