Cardinal Rigali leads prayers for Church in China
By Lou Baldwin
Special to The CS&T
Last year Pope Benedict XVI set aside May 24, the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, as a worldwide time of special prayer for the often-persecuted Church in China. The feast was fitting because Chinese Catholics venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This year, as a mostly Chinese congregation filled Philadelphia’s Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic Church on Vine Street to join Cardinal Rigali at a special Mass on this feast, their prayers took on a special urgency. A devastating earthquake May 12 in China’s Sichuan Province has killed up to 80,000 people and left millions homeless.
“At a time like this we must do what we can to assist the people of China,” Cardinal Rigali said before the Mass. He mentioned the Gospel of the day, which speaks of Mary at the foot of the Cross.
“The story touches our hearts as we contemplate a mother helplessly watching her Son dying in final agony. One of the titles in which we honor Mary is ‘Mother of Sorrows.’ As we watch television coverage of the earthquake in China we see many ‘mothers of sorrow’ in grief over lost ones,” Cardinal Rigali said.
Many of the congregants at the Mass were born in China, but not necessarily Catholic. Tikki Tsang, who came from Hong Kong 10 years ago, had no religious affiliation when he arrived.
“I came to this church and saw how close the people were and decided to join,” he said. “It is very spiritual, very meaningful. We are all grateful the Cardinal came here today to acknowledge the Chinese Catholic Community.”
In his homily Cardinal Rigali noted that when Holy Redeemer was established as a mission in 1941, Philadelphia’s Chinatown had only one Chinese Catholic family.
“I’m a member of that family,” said Cecelia Yep, the founder and director emeritus of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corp. “We have always prayed for the Church in China. We have a special prayer Cardinal (Dennis) Dougherty wrote for us. The earthquake brings it into focus for everybody in the world. Today is special because it gives us the opportunity to express our sorrow.”
Although the resident Chinese Catholic community was nonexistent before Yep’s family arrived, it has experienced steady growth. Newly arrived Chinese Catholics remain faithful, according to Yep. “They are excited that they can practice their faith openly,” she said.
Capuchin Franciscan Father Thomas Betz, who has coordinated the Chinese Apostolate at Holy Redeemer for 17 years, concelebrated at the altar with Cardinal Rigali, along with Father Joseph G. Watson, director of the archdiocesan Office for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees.
Pope Benedict’s request was particularly to pray for unity among Catholics in China and that the Chinese government would grant full religious freedom, Father Betz explained.
“It almost seems providential that the Pope was asking for prayers for China at a time when there would be an incredible need for assistance to the people of China, including prayer,” he said.
In the past the Chinese Communist government sought to stifle the Catholic Church through the creation of the Patriotic Church, with bishops not sanctioned by Rome. Yet many Chinese Catholics remained steadfast to the loyal bishops and simply practiced their faith underground.
“Things are improving, but it is still not there yet,” Father Betz said. “Catholics are persecuted if they don’t do what the government permits. The Church in China is definitely growing and the people are growing in unity. If the government would get out of the way, things would happen a lot faster.”
Lou Baldwin is a member of St. Leo Parish and a freelance writer.