HOLY FATHER'S MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH WHICH IS IN CHINA

VATICAN CITY, DEC 3, 1996 (VIS) - Today, the feast of St. Francis Xavier, John Paul II celebrated Mass, praying for the Church which is in China, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the ordination of the first group of Chinese bishops on October 28, 1926, in Rome, and the 50th anniversary of the institution of the ecclesiastical hierarchy in China.

A group of faithful of the Chinese community in Rome was present. The Pope addressed a Message to the Church which is in China

John Paul II writes the Church there had already been evangelized "in the 7th century, in the times of John of Montecorvino, first archbishop of Khambaliq, now Beijing; and from that moment she has always stood out for her catholicity and her exemplary fidelity to the Roman Pontiff. Chinese Catholics, in communion with the Church throughout the world, are marked by their fidelity to Christ, to the Pope and to the reality of a universal Church, united like a family of peoples. ... Even in difficult times, the faithfulness of the Catholic Church in China was never lacking."

"Even today," the Pope continues, "all Chinese Catholics are called to remain constant to the faith received and communicated, not giving in to concepts of a Church which does not respond either to the will of the Lord Jesus, nor to the Catholic faith, nor to the sentiment and convictions of the great majority of Chinese Catholics."

The Holy Father says that he knows "that the Church in the People's Republic of China wants to be truly Catholic. ... Therefore it must remain joined to Christ, to the Successor of Peter and to the entire universal Church, also and especially through the ministry of the bishops, in communion with the Apostolic See."

He reminds the bishops that "you are called in a special way to express and favor full reconciliation among the faithful. Be men of communion." And he adds that in order to reconcile everyone - pastors and faithful - it is necessary "to establish a dialogue in truth and charity even with those who, as a consequence of the grave and lasting difficulties, have moved away, in some aspects, from the fullness of Catholic truth."

John Paul II reminds the bishops of the importance of preparing their faithful spiritually for the celebration of the Holy Year 2000. "So then," he asks, "could this intense work for full communion and visible unity not be our and your particular gift to Christ the Lord in the light and special strength of the Jubilee?"

Later the Pope says: "In order to make progress along the path toward full unity ... one of the fundamental tasks of the episcopal ministry is to guarantee an adequate and serious formation of candidates to the priesthood."

He refers to the civil authorities of the People's Republic of China, whom the Holy Father encourages "not to be afraid of God or of His Church. Moreover, I ask them, with a sense of deference that, in respect for a genuine freedom that is a natural right of each man and woman, even believers in Christ be able to contribute more and more - with their energies and talents - to the development of the country. The Chinese nation has an important role to play in the community of nations. Catholics will be able to contribute notably to this; and they will do so with enthusiasm and dedication."

John Paul II concludes the message by reminding all Chinese Catholics that the Church of Rome "follows your history with sympathy and wishes for the moment of full and total communion visible among all, pastors and faithful, around the Pope, to arrive. ... The entire Church also hopes to see fully expressed the witness of faith of all Chinese Catholics and their contribution to preaching and to the witnessing of the Gospel, on the threshold of the Third Millennium."
MESS/CATHOLICS/CHINA VIS 961293 (660)