Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Fides Service) - Fides sources in Beijing say people welcomed the fact that the Chinese government has openly expressed concern for the health of Pope John Paul II and expressed best wishes for a speedy recovery. Christians and non Christians said were pleased when the foreign minister spokesman said the government was “following with apprehension the news of the Pope’s illness”, and hoped he would make “a speedy recovery”. This is the first message the Chinese government has sent to the Holy See since the crisis in bilateral relations in the 1950s.
A member of the Catholic community in Hong Kong told Fides that Catholics in the Special Administrated Region are united with the faithful in the mainland in prayers for the Pope. Hong Kong’s Auxiliary Catholic Bishop John Tong Hon, who just returned from a visit to the mainland region of Guang Dong with Bishop Joseph Zen and leaders of six religious communities, told Fides that officials of the provincial Bureau for Religious Affairs voiced solidarity with the Catholic representatives showing great respect and esteem for the Pope.
Chinese media is following news of the Pope’s condition constantly and a Chinese Catholic web-site has produced dossier on the Pope’s activity, pontifical, writings and speeches.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 1/4/2005 righe 18 parole 189)
