Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Huesca (Agenzia Fides) - On Saturday, May 24, at the Shrine of Torreciudad, a small Chinese Catholic community in Spain celebrated the Day of Prayer for the Church in China, in response to the general appeal made by the Holy Father Benedict XVI, in fraternal support of the faithful of the Asian continent.
A group of immigrants living in Spain made a pilgrimage similar to that of the Shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan (China) to the Shrine of Torreciudad (Huesca), where there is an image of this Chinese patroness enthroned. The statue portrays the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus in her arms, with His arms outstretched in a gesture of blessing, evoking the image of a cross over all China. The encounter at this pilgrimage site was led by Fr. Jose Zheng, who has been carrying out pastoral ministry in the city of Salamanca for three years now, while he finishes his Theology studies, and the Shrine’s Rector, Fr. Javier Mora-Figueroa. Among the participants were several Asian families from Madrid, Barcelona, and Zaragoza, theology students, and many other pilgrims visiting the Shrine. Some of those present of Asian descent has recently entered the Catholic Church, like young Zhao (meaning “morning sun”), who was baptized in the Cathedral of Barcelona last year, or his friend Lan, who entered the Church in Rome this past Holy Week.
The celebration began with a procession outside the Shrine, in which the Chinese faithful carried an image of Our Lady, Empress of China on their shoulders. The image had been donated by students from a school in Hong Kong and it later was present throughout the day, presiding all the events. Once they entered inside the Church, Fr. Shen celebrated the Mass in the Mandarin language, at an altar in one of the chapels inside the crypt. Fr. Mora-Figueroa spoke briefly, assuring that “with your presence and prayer, we are more united than ever to all the families in your country, as well as to its priests and bishops.” Afterwards, the prayer written by the Holy Father on the occasion was recited.
In the afternoon as well, there was another moving moment as the pilgrims connected via telephone with their compatriots in Taipei (Taiwan) and in a Chinese diocese, in order to pray the Holy Rosary together, even with the six-hour time difference. The first sorrowful mystery was led by the faithful from the Taiwanese capital who had gathered at midnight, their time; the next three were recited from Torreciudad, and the last, the “Resurrection of the Lord,” was prayed by the Catholics in China. The day’s festivities ended with the Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament.
Other places within Spain also celebrated this special day of prayer for China. Bishop Joan Enric Vives of Urgel asked priests to add a special prayer for the Church in China in all their Masses and keep this intention in mind in their personal and communal prayers. In Burgos, the Cathedral also prayed for the Church in China at 7:30am. In Santander, Bishop Vicente Jimenez encouraged the faithful to read the Pope’s Letter to Catholics in China and asked that “moments of prayer be organized” for those faithful. In Madrid, during the Vigil for Corpus Christi in the Cathedral of the Almudena, a special prayer was recited for the Church in China. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 26/5/2008; righe 41, parole 554)
