Chinese Catholics pray for Olympics as torch arrives in Hong Kong

By Catholic News Service

BEIJING (CNS) – Catholics in China prayed for God's blessing on the Olympic Games as the Olympic torch arrived in Hong Kong en route to the capital Beijing.

In the capital, where the games are scheduled to begin Aug. 8, Catholics marked the 100-day countdown with a Mass April 30 at Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also known as Nantang or South Church. Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing and about 20 priests concelebrated the Mass, a Beijing diocesan source told the Asian church news agency UCA News the same day.

The estimated 1,000 people at the Mass included a dozen seminarians and about 20 nuns. The diocese also invited officials from the municipal government and the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games to attend the liturgy.

Earlier, Father Zhao Qinglong of the Diocese of Beijing, the leader of the Catholic volunteer team set up to serve in the Olympic Village, told UCA News the diocese would pray at the Mass that the games would proceed smoothly and successfully. He said he wished all athletes good results.

As the countdown began April 30, the Olympic torch arrived in Hong Kong. The torch was to be taken to Macau May 2 before being taken to Sanya on Hainan Island, in southern China.

The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the government-sanctioned Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China had issued a notice asking all mainland dioceses to celebrate a special Mass for the Olympics around April 30, Anthony Liu Bainian, patriotic association vice chairman, told UCA News April 29. The patriotic association acts as a liaison between registered Catholics and the Chinese government.

In support of the "Blessing the Beijing Olympic Games" initiative, Quanzhou Church of the Xiamen Diocese in southeastern China's Fujian province started 100 days of prayer April 27, reported the Hebei-based Faith Press, a Catholic newspaper.

Father Joseph Lin Yongquan of Xiamen presided at the prayer service with more than 200 Catholics. The daily prayers are aimed at encouraging Catholics to imbibe the spirit of peace and unity, as well as the sportsmanship of the games, and live these out in their daily lives, the priest said.

Also April 27, Catholics in Yan'an, a city in Shaanxi province, celebrated a Mass and prayer meeting calling for unity among Catholics, reported Faith Press. At the event, participants urged Catholics to do their best in their work and offer their effort to God for the success of the games.

Father Zhang Fengming, a diocesan parish priest, told Faith Press the Beijing Olympics are God's special grace to the Chinese people.

As the opening of the Summer Olympics draws closer, Yan'an, a former revolutionary base of the Communist Party of China and one of the Olympic torch relay locations, has a vital role to play in creating a harmonious and tranquil environment, he said.

"We Catholics, like all other Chinese, feel joyful for China. As people of faith, we would like to contribute through religious activities to pray for the success of the games in our country," he added.