Vatican City, Jul 1, 2007 / 09:41 am
On Saturday at noon, the Holy Father released his letter to all Catholics in China. His intention in writing to them was to express his deep affection for them and “to offer some guidelines concerning the life of the Church and the task of evangelization in China, in order to help you discover what the Lord and Master Jesus Christ wants from you."
The Pope began his letter by mentioning the history of Chinese Catholicism over the last 50 years. “The Catholic community in China has lived the past fifty years in an intense way, undertaking a difficult and painful journey, which not only has deeply marked it but has also caused it to take on particular characteristics which continue to mark it today.”
The different forms of oppression that the government used to try and control the Church were also detailed by the pontiff. The appointment and consecration of bishops without the approval of the Holy Father, the requirement that churches be registered with the Patriotic Association, and the killing of Catholics who refused to cooperate with the government were all mentioned in the letter.
While expressing great joy for the fidelity demonstrated by the faithful in China over the past fifty years, Benedict XVI reaffirmed the inestimable value of their sufferings and of the persecution endured for the Gospel and directed to all an earnest appeal for unity and reconciliation.