Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - “We want the Pope to come!”: this is the pressing call from Chinese Catholics anxious for the Holy Father to visit their country and bewildered by the minority group which prevented Pope Benedict XVI from visiting Rome's main university yesterday. Speaking for Catholics in Beijing and expressing support for the Pope, a priest told Fides: “We gladly answer the call by Cardinal Ruini to take part spiritually in the Sunday Angelus despite the difference in time. Because we would not reject the Pope!”. Saddened by the events the priest said: “Rejection of the Pope is inconceivable for us, difficult to understand and all the more because it comes from intellectuals. Here simple people are firm in their faith. Loyalty and love for the Holy Father are never questioned. The Pope is our reference for daily living and for the life of the Church, especially today since the Pope's Letter to Chinese Catholics. For any difficulty we refer to the Letter and we find an answer”. From He Bei, the heart of Chinese Catholicism the faithful expressed their closeness to the Pope and set an appointment: “at 7pm on Sunday 20 January, midday in Rome, we will be in our chapels to pray the Angelus with our Pope”. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 18/01/2008 - righe 21, parole 222)
