Rorate Caeli

The Pope to Chinese Catholics

Today, May 24, liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians -- who is venerated with great devotion at the shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai -- we celebrate the Day of Prayer for the Church in China. My thoughts turn to all the people of China. In particular I greet the Catholics of China with great affection and I exhort them to renew on this day their communion of faith in Christ and of fidelity to the Successor of Peter. May our common prayer obtain an effusion of gifts of the Holy Spirit, so that unity of all Christians, the catholicity and the universality of the Church always will be deeper and more visible.

Benedict XVI
May 24, 2009


Please refer also to our earlier post on the Compendium of the Pope's 2007 Letter to Chinese Catholics. Picture comes from the New Liturgical Movement