(May 22, 2013) Pope Francis has called Christians worldwide to pray this Friday for
our brothers and sisters in China. Speaking at the end of his general audience in
Italian, the Holy Father noted that Friday, May 24th, is the day dedicated to the
liturgical memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, who is venerated
with great devotion at the Shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai. Pope Francis said :
“I urge all Catholics around the world to join in prayer with our brothers and sisters
who are in China, to implore from God the grace to proclaim with humility and joy
Christ, who died and rose again; to be faithful to His Church and the Successor of
Peter and to live everyday life in service to their country and their fellow citizens
in a way that is consistent with the faith they profess. Making our own a few
words of prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan, together with you I would like to invoke Mary
: " 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". Mary, Virgin most faithful, support Chinese
Catholics, render their commitments, which are not easy, more and more precious in
the eyes of the Lord, and nurture the affection and the participation of the Church
in China in the journey of the Universal Church”. In May 2008 Pope-emeritus, Benedict
XVI, composed a special prayer for the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians (May 24),
venerated at the shrine of Sheshan, near Shanghai. He also designated May 24 as the
yearly World Day of Prayer for China and asked that the faithful recite this prayer. Source
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