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Herald Malaysia
6 hours ago
- Herald Malaysia
Vietnam archbishop hails Marian pilgrimage as ‘event of love, faith'
It also served to prepare for the Solemnity of Pentecost, and celebrated Mary as the 'Woman of Pentecost' Jun 05, 2025 Pilgrims are seen seated during a Holy Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Tra Kieu, Vietnam, on May 31. (Photo: Fides) HANOI: A Catholic archbishop in Vietnam has termed a recently concluded pilgrimage to a famed Marian shrine as an 'event of love, faith, commitment, and service.' The journey to the Marian shrine in Tra Kieu, a Catholic village located in Quang Nam province, was undertaken by more than 10,000 pilgrims. It was an 'opportunity to profess one's faith in the face of the challenges of the present time," said Archbishop Joseph Dang Duc Ngan of Hue in his remarks at a Holy Mass on May 31, the Vatican's missionary news service Fides reported on June 3. People from across Da Nang Diocese, which covers some 10,000 square kilometers, attended Mass at the culmination of the pilgrimage at the end of the Marian month of May. Traditionally, May is known as the "month of flowers," dedicated in Vietnam to the devotion to Mary. The pilgrimage to the Marian shrine in Tra Kieu 'is not only an individual act, but a communal act to renew our vocation and mission,' Archbishop Ngan said. Vietnamese Catholics believe Mother Mary appeared at the top of the church in Tra Kieu in September 1885 to help parishioners defeat royal soldiers who were trying to exterminate the village's Christians. Archbishop Ngan warned that all activities — community gatherings, liturgies, and pilgrimages — without the grace of the Holy Spirit, 'will be purely social gatherings.' During the Marian month of May, Catholics observe prayer vigils, open-air Masses, and community rosaries at Marian shrines, where fresh flowers are offered as a sign of love and devotion to the Mother Mary. The pilgrims also used the event to prepare for the Solemnity of Pentecost, which falls on June 8. The pilgrimage was also a celebration of Mary as the "Woman of Pentecost." The Da Nang Diocese has been the cradle of Catholicism in southern Vietnam. Evangelization efforts began in the area in 1615 when three Jesuit missionaries landed in Hoi An. An estimated 130,000-300,000 Christians were killed during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, accused of joining the false religion of Westerners and working with foreign forces to invade the country, Church records say. Many were executed by beheading, suffocation, or flaying, while others, including priests, were hanged in cages. The first Vietnamese martyr, Blessed Andrew of Phu Yen, a catechist beatified in 2000 by Pope Saint John Paul II, was the result of the preaching efforts by these Jesuit missionaries, Fides reported. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Da Nang was a leading center of the erstwhile Diocese of Cochinchina (in southern Vietnam). Pope John XXIII created the Diocese of Da Nang on Jan. 18, 1963. The diocese, which spans the city of Da Nang and the province of Quang Nam, has approximately 73,000 Catholics (2.7 percent) in a population of 2.7 million across 51 parishes. It is estimated that Vietnam has approximately seven million Catholics, accounting for around seven percent of the country's 101.5 million
Euronews
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Pope Leo XIV completes last ceremonial steps as new Bishop of Rome
Pope Leo XIV declared himself a Roman on Sunday, completing the final ceremonial steps in his role as the bishop of Rome. Wearing his formal red papal cape and brocaded stole, Pope Leo XIV recalled the words he had uttered from the loggia of St Peter's Basilica on the night of his election. The pontiff quoted St Augustine in saying, 'With you I am Christian, and for you, bishop.' 'By special title, today I can say that for you and with you I am Roman,' Leo said. Rome's Mayor Roberto Gualtieri welcomed Pope Leo XIV first at the steps to City Hall, noting that his May 8 election fell during a Holy Jubilee year, an event occurring every 25 years to invite pilgrims to Rome. The city underwent two years of traffic-clogging public works projects to prepare and expects to welcome upward of 30 million people in 2025. Pope Leo XIV felt a 'serious but passionate responsibility' to serve all Romans during the Holy Year and beyond. The first US-born pontiff formally took possession of the St John Lateran Basilica, which is Rome's cathedral and seat of the diocese, with an evening Mass attended by Roman priests and faithful. He then took the popemobile for a visit to St Mary Major, where he prayed before Pope Francis' tomb and an icon of the Virgin Mary beloved to many Roman faithful. Last week, the pontiff visited the St Paul Outside the Walls basilica. In his homily, Pope Leo XIV said he wanted to listen to them 'in order to learn, understand and decide things together.' One of the many titles that Pope Leo XIV assumed when he was elected 8 May was bishop of Rome — an honorific derived from the pontiff's role as the apostolic successor to Saint Peter, the founder of the Church. The symbolic possession of the four papal basilicas completes his inauguration as the Church's supreme pontiff. Given his responsibilities running the 1.4 billion-strong universal Catholic Church, the pontiff will likely delegate the day-to-day governance of the diocese of Rome to a vicar. On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV asked for prayers for China's Catholics to be in communion with the Holy See, as he made his first public remarks about one of the thorniest foreign policy issues facing his new pontificate. The pope recalled that the Catholic Church marked a special feast day on Saturday to pray for the church in China. Pope Leo XIV noted that on the feast day, 'in the churches and shrines in China and throughout the world, prayers have been raised to God as a sign of the solicitude and affection for Chinese Catholics and their communion with the universal church.' Speaking from his window during his noontime blessing, Leo prayed that Catholics in China and elsewhere 'obtain the grace to be strong and joyful witnesses of the Gospel, even in the midst of trials, to always promote peace and harmony.' Pope Leo XIV told the archbishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Stephen Chow, that he had 'visited China several times and got to know the Chinese culture and reality,' according to the Fides missionary news agency, citing comments Chow made in his diocesan weekly newsletter after the conclave. Chow added that he expected Pope Leo XIV to follow Pope Francis' direction for the church in China. He said he had given Pope Leo XIV a small statue of Our Lady of Sheshan, a statue of the Madonna that is particularly venerated by Chinese faithful and is celebrated on the feast day, 24 May. Chow, a Jesuit, said he had implored Pope Leo XIV 'to not forget the church in China and the Chinese people,' according to the newsletter. The Vatican has been working for years to try to improve relations with China that were officially severed over seven decades ago when the Communist Party came into power under Mao Zedong. Relations had long been stymied over China's insistence on its exclusive right to name bishops as a matter of national sovereignty, while the Vatican insisted on the pope's exclusive right to name them as the supreme pontiff of the Church.
Rhyl Journal
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Pope prays for China's Catholics to be in communion with Rome
The Pope recalled that on Saturday the Catholic Church marked a special feast day to pray for the church in China. Pope Benedict XVI had initiated the feast day as part of his efforts to unify China's estimated 12 million Catholics who were divided between an official, state-controlled church that did not recognise papal authority, and an underground church that remained loyal to Rome through decades of persecution. Leo noted that on the feast day, 'in the churches and shrines in China and throughout the world, prayers have been raised to God as a sign of the solicitude and affection for Chinese Catholics and their communion with the universal church'. Speaking from his studio window during his noon blessing on Sunday, Leo prayed that Catholics in China and elsewhere 'obtain the grace to be strong and joyful witnesses of the Gospel, even in the midst of trials, to always promote peace and harmony'. Pope Francis took Benedict's unifying efforts further by approving a controversial deal in 2018 over bishop nominations. The details of the deal were never released, but it affords the state-controlled church a say in its church leaders, though Francis insisted he retained veto power over the ultimate choice. The deal has been criticised by some, especially on the Catholic right, for having caved to Beijing's demands and sold out the underground faithful in China. The Vatican has said it was the best deal it could get and it has been renewed periodically since then. Leo will have to decide whether to continue renewing the accord. There have been some apparent violations on the Beijing side with some unilateral appointments that occurred without papal consent. The issue came to a head just before the conclave that elected Leo as Pope, when the Chinese church proceeded with the preliminary election of two bishops, a step that comes before official consecration. Leo told the archbishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Stephen Chow, that he had 'visited China several times and got to know the Chinese culture and reality', according to the Fides missionary news agency, citing comments Cardinal Chow made in his diocesan weekly newsletter after the conclave. Cardinal Chow added that he expects Leo would follow Francis's direction for the church in China. He said he had given Leo a small statue of Our Lady of Sheshan, a statue of the Madonna that is particularly venerated by Chinese faithful and is celebrated on the feast day, May 24. Cardinal Chow, a Jesuit, said he had implored Leo 'to not forget the church in China and the Chinese people', according to the newsletter. 'He nodded his head to indicate that he will not forget,' according to Fides. The Vatican has been working for years to try to improve relations with China that were officially severed over seven decades ago when the Communists came to power. Relations had long been stymied over China's insistence on its exclusive right to name bishops as a matter of national sovereignty, while the Vatican insisted on the Pope's exclusive right to name the successors of the original Apostles. The 2018 deal was aimed at uniting the flock, regularising the status of seven bishops who were not recognised by Rome, and thawing decades of estrangement between China and the Vatican.
Los Angeles Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Pope Leo prays for Chinese Catholics to be in communion with Rome in first comments on thorny issue
ROME — Pope Leo XIV asked Sunday for prayers for China's Catholics to be in communion with the Holy See, as he made his first public remarks about one of the thorniest foreign policy issues facing his new pontificate. History's first American pope recalled that the Roman Catholic Church on Saturday marked a special feast day to pray for the church in China. Pope Benedict XVI had initiated the feast day as part of his efforts to unify China's estimated 12 million Catholics who were divided between an official, state-controlled church that didn't recognize papal authority and an underground church that remained loyal to Rome through decades of persecution. Leo noted that on the feast day 'in the churches and shrines in China and throughout the world, prayers have been raised to God as a sign of the solicitude and affection for Chinese Catholics and their communion with the universal church.' Speaking from his studio window during his noontime blessing, Leo prayed that Catholics in China and elsewhere 'obtain the grace to be strong and joyful witnesses of the Gospel, even in the midst of trials, to always promote peace and harmony.' Pope Francis took Benedict's unifying efforts further by approving a controversial deal in 2018 over bishop nominations. The details of the deal were never released, but it affords the state-controlled church a say in its church leaders, though Francis insisted he retained veto power over the ultimate choice. The deal has been criticized by some, especially on the Catholic right, who argue that it acquiesced to Beijing's demands and sold out the underground faithful in China. The Vatican has said it was the best deal it could get, and it has been renewed periodically since then. Leo will have to decide whether to continue renewing the accord. There have been some apparent violations on the Beijing side with some unilateral appointments that occurred without papal consent. The issue came to a head just before the conclave that elected Leo pope this month, when the Chinese church proceeded with the preliminary election of two bishops, a step that comes before official consecration. Leo told the archbishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Stephen Chow, that he had 'visited China several times and got to know the Chinese culture and reality,' according to the Fides missionary news agency, citing comments Chow made in his diocesan weekly newsletter after the conclave. Chow added that he expected Leo would follow Francis' direction for the church in China. He said he had given Leo a small statue of Our Lady of Sheshan, a figure of the Madonna that is particularly venerated by Chinese faithful and is celebrated on the annual feast day, May 24. Chow, a Jesuit, said he had implored Leo 'to not forget the church in China and the Chinese people,' according to the newsletter. 'He nodded his head to indicate that he will not forget,' according to Fides. The Vatican has been working for years to try to improve relations with China that were officially severed more than seven decades ago when the Communists came to power. Relations had long been stymied over China's insistence on its exclusive right to name bishops as a matter of national sovereignty, while the Vatican insisted on the pope's exclusive right to name the successors of the original Apostles. The 2018 deal was aimed at uniting the flock, regularizing the status of seven bishops who weren't recognized by Rome and thawing decades of estrangement between China and the Vatican. Winfield writes for the Associated Press.
Euronews
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Pope prays for Chinese Catholics to be in communion with Rome
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday asked for prayers for China's Catholics to be in communion with the Holy See, as he made his first public remarks about one of the thorniest foreign policy issues facing his new pontificate. The pope recalled that the Catholic Church marked a special feast day on Saturday to pray for the church in China. Pope Benedict XVI had initiated the feast day as part of his efforts to unify China's estimated 12 million Catholics, who were divided between an official, state-controlled church that didn't recognise papal authority and an underground church that remained loyal to Rome through decades of persecution. Leo noted that on the feast day, 'in the churches and shrines in China and throughout the world, prayers have been raised to God as a sign of the solicitude and affection for Chinese Catholics and their communion with the universal church.' Speaking from his studio window during his noontime blessing, Leo prayed that Catholics in China and elsewhere 'obtain the grace to be strong and joyful witnesses of the Gospel, even in the midst of trials, to always promote peace and harmony.' Pope Francis took Benedict's unifying efforts further by approving a controversial deal in 2018 over bishop nominations. The details of the deal were never released, but it affords the state-controlled church a say in its church leaders, though Francis insisted he retained veto power over the ultimate choice. The deal has been criticised by some, especially on the Catholic right, for having caved to Beijing's demands and sold out the underground faithful in China. The Vatican has said it was the best deal it could get, and it has been renewed periodically since then. Leo will have to decide whether to continue renewing the accord. There have been some apparent violations on the Beijing side with some unilateral appointments that occurred without papal consent. The issue came to a head just before the conclave that elected Pope Leo, when the Chinese church proceeded with the preliminary election of two bishops, a step that comes before official consecration. Leo told the archbishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Stephen Chow, that he had 'visited China several times and got to know the Chinese culture and reality,' according to the Fides missionary news agency, citing comments Chow made in his diocesan weekly newsletter after the conclave. Chow added that he expected Leo would follow Francis' direction for the church in China. He said he had given Leo a small statue of Our Lady of Sheshan, a statue of the Madonna that is particularly venerated by Chinese faithful and is celebrated on the feast day, 24 May. Chow, a Jesuit, said he had implored Leo 'to not forget the church in China and the Chinese people,' according to the newsletter. 'He nodded his head to indicate that he would not forget,' according to Fides. The Vatican has been working for years to try to improve relations with China that were officially severed over seven decades ago when the Communists came to power. Relations had long been stymied over China's insistence on its exclusive right to name bishops as a matter of national sovereignty, while the Vatican insisted on the pope's exclusive right to name the successors of the original Apostles. Russia and Ukraine on Sunday completed the exchange of 1,000 prisoners each, with the handover of the last 303 prisoners. The three-day swap, which started on Friday, was the largest since the war began three years ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the completion of the exchange, saying on X on Sunday that '303 Ukrainian defenders are home". The swap was agreed on in Istanbul earlier this month during the first face-to-face talks between the two sides since the war began. The prisoner exchange, which included civilians, has been the only concrete step towards peace to emerge from the meeting. Just hours before the last handover, Russia hit Ukraine with a massive drone and missile assault which Ukrainian officials described as the largest aerial attack of the war. Officials said at least 12 people were killed and dozens others injured in what they described as the largest aerial assault since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the strikes. Russia's Defence Ministry said meanwhile that its air defences shot down 110 Ukrainian drones overnight. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged his country's Western partners to ramp up sanctions against Russia. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday said Moscow would present Ukraine with a draft peace agreement once the exchange was completed. Posting on X on Sunday, President Zelenskyy reiterated the urgent need for a ceasefire and promised to bring every Ukrainian home. The prisoner exchange was the latest of dozens of swaps since the war began but also the biggest involving Ukrainian civilians. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides, and tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, are believed to have been wounded or killed during the war.
