austraLasia #2148
Pope's
prayer for China
ROME: 16th May 2008 -- Observant readers who follow both
ANS and www.sdb.org will have noted the Rector Major's plea for
Salesians to follow up Pope Benedict XVI's request for prayer for
China, leading up to the Feast of MHC on 24th. This request of the pope
accompanied his letter one year ago to the Chinese Faithful. He
marked out the Shrine at Sheshan, dedicated to Mary Help of Christians,
as the focal point. Of course, recent events have brought China
very much to the fore in the world press, especially the tragic events
of the Sechuan earthquake. Yet another motive for prayer for
China. The daily intentions can be easily reached on sdb.org home
page where they are renewed for each day of the novena.
Now we have the official version of the prayer for
China in English, composed by the Pope. It reads thus:
Virgin Most Holy, Mother of the Incarnate Word and our Mother,
venerated in the Shrine of Sheshan under the title 'Help of
Christians', the entire Church in China looks to you with devout
affection. We come before you today to implore your protection.
Look upon the People of God and, with a mother's care, guide them along
the paths of truth and love so that they may always be a leaven of
harmonious co-existence among all citizens.
When you obediently said 'yes' in the house of Nazareth, you allowed
God's eternal Son to take flesh in your virginal womb and thus begin in
history the work of our redemption. You willingly and generously
co-operated in that work, allowing the sword of pain to pierce your
soul, until the supreme hour of the Cross, when you kept watch on
Calvary, standing beside your Son, Who died that we might live.
From that moment, you became, in a new way, the Mother of all those who
receive your Son Jesus in faith and choose to follow in His footsteps
by taking up His Cross. Mother of hope, in the darkness of Holy
Saturday you journeyed with unfailing trust towards the dawn of Easter.
Grant that your children may discern at all times, even those that are
darkest, the signs of God's loving presence.
Our Lady of Sheshan, sustain all those in China who, amid their daily
trials, continue to believe, to hope, to love. May they never be afraid
to speak of Jesus to the world, and of the world to Jesus. In the
statue overlooking the Shrine you lift your Son on high, offering him
to the world with open arms in a gesture of love. Help Catholics always
to be credible witnesses to this love, ever clinging to the rock of
Peter on which the Church is built. Mother of China and all Asia, pray
for us now and forever. Amen!
_________________
AustraLasia is an
email
service
for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions
as an
agency for ANS based in
Rome.
For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com
.
Use Bosconet-wiki
to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia
2008 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser
address bar - add it from there. Avail yourself of the Salesian
Digital
Library
at at http://sdl.sdb.org
Title: australasia 2148
Subject and key words: China
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2148
