In Mongolia, the Pope urges the Chinese to be ‘good citizens’

In Mongolia, the Pope urges the Chinese to be ‘good citizens’

Pope Francis surprised this Sunday (3) and launched an appeal to Chinese Catholics to be “good citizens”, in what appears to be yet another attempt to improve relations between the Vatican and Beijing.

Accompanied by Cardinal John Tong Hon, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, and by cardinal designate Stephen Chow and current bishop of Hong Kong, the Pontiff addressed a “warm greeting to the noble Chinese people” during the mass celebrated in Ulan Bator, on his visit to Mongolian.

“I wish all the people the best, always go forward, progress. And I wish the Chinese Catholics to be good Christians and good citizens”, declared the Argentine.

Hand in hand with the two bishops, the Pope strengthened his gesture of greeting to the Chinese people, accompanied by the applause of the approximately 2,000 participants gathered in the Steppe Arena, including members of the Catholic community in China.

The appeal comes after Francis sent a telegram of “good congratulations” to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese people as he crossed the country’s airspace.

In response, Beijing said it wanted to “strengthen mutual trust” with the Vatican and that the pope’s words “reflect friendship and goodwill”.

However, the Chinese government has banned Catholic bishops from traveling to Mongolia to accompany Francis’ visit to the country, with the exception of the bishops of Hong Kong and Macao, where the Church operates with more freedom.

Last April, China shocked the Vatican by appointing a Catholic bishop in absentia of the Pope, violating a bilateral agreement signed in 2018 and renewed last year until 2024.

The two countries severed formal diplomatic relations in 1951, when the Holy See recognized the independence of the island of Taiwan, which is still seen today by Beijing as a “rebel province”.

Previously, the religious also received the Argentine ambassador to China, Sabino Vaca Narvaja, at the Apostolic Prefecture of Ulan Bator, according to local sources. .

Source: Terra

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