Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
Sunday, 25 May 2025
Vatican (Agenzia Fides) – Also this year, on the Day of Prayer for the Church in China, established by Pope Benedict XVI, “in churches and shrines throughout China and around the world, prayers were offered to God as a sign of concern and affection for Chinese Catholics and their communion with the universal Church”. Pope Leo XIV recalled this today after reciting the Regina Coeli prayer for the first time from the window of his study in the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square, referring to the special Day of Prayer for the Church in China celebrated yesterday, Saturday, May 24, on the liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians.”May the intercession of Mary Most Holy” added Pope Leo “obtain for them, and for us, the grace to be strong and joyful witnesses of the Gospel, even in the midst of trials, so that we may always promote peace and harmony. With these sentiments – added the Bishop of Rome – our prayer embraces all those peoples suffering because of war. Let us implore courage and perseverance for those engaged in dialogue and in the sincere search for peace”.In the Letter to Chinese Catholics, signed on May 27, 2007, the Solemnity of Pentecost, Pope Benedict XVI suggested that 24 May, the day dedicated to the liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians – venerated “with great devotion at the Marian Shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai” – could become “an occasion for the Catholics of the whole world to be united in prayer with the Church in China”. The reigning Pontiff at the time established this date as the “Day of Prayer for the Church in China”, to be celebrated in all Catholic communities worldwide.Before beginning the Marian prayer, and after greeting and thanking the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo read a few reflections inspired by the Gospel of John, proclaimed in today’s Sunday liturgy.”In whatever the Lord calls us to do, in both our daily lives and our journey of faith,” the Pontiff began, “there are times when we feel inadeguate. Yet this Sunday’s Gospel tells us not to rely on our own abilities but on the mercy of the Lord who has chosen us, and to be certain that the Holy Spirit guides us and teaches us all things.”The Gospel of the Day describes the Apostles who, “on the eve of the Master’s death, in their bewilderment and distress, wondered how they were to continue to bear witness to the kingdom of God.” But “Jesus spoke to them of the gift of the Holy Spirit. He made this wonderful promise: ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them’.” In this way, Pope Leo explained, “Jesus freed the disciples from their anxiety, telling them: ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid’. For if we remain in his love,” the Bishop of Rome continued, “he comes to dwell in us and our life will become a temple of God. His love enlightens us, influences the way we think and act, spreads outwards to others and embraces every situation in our lives”.This “dwelling of God within us,” Pope Prevost explained, “is precisely the gift of the Holy Spirit, who takes us by the hand and enables us to experience God’s presence and closeness amid our daily lives, for he makes us his home.” And “it is wonderful to think that, when we consider our individual calling, the situations we encounter and the people entrusted to our care, our commitments and responsibilities, and our service in the Church, each of us can say with confidence: Despite my weakness, the Lord is not ashamed of my humanity. Instead, he comes to dwell within me. He accompanies me with his Spirit; he enlightens me and makes me an instrument of his love for others, for society and for the world”.On the basis of that promise – the Successor of Peter exhorted – “let us walk in the joy born of faith, in order to become a holy temple of the Lord. Let us resolve to bring his love everywhere, never forgetting that each of our sisters and brothers is a dwelling place of God and that his presence is manifested above all in the little ones, in the poor and the suffering, who ask us to be thoughtful and compassionate Christians”.After the Regina Coeli prayer, Pope Leo also mentioned Polish priest Stanislaus Kostka Streich, “beatified yesterday in Poznań”, who was “killed in hatred of the faith in 1938, because his work on behalf of the poor and workers irritated followers of the Communist ideology”. The Pontiff also recalled that exactly ten years ago “Pope Francis signed the Encyclical Laudato Sì, dedicated to the care of our common home. It, the Pontiff emphasized “has had an extraordinary impact, inspiring countless initiatives and teaching everyone to listen to the twofold cry of the Earth and of the poor”. (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 25/5/2025)
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