Pope Francis urged all Catholics to pray for the Church in China this Friday

by FLL Editorial Team
2013-05-22

ourladyofSheShan
教宗方濟各於週三呼籲所有天主教徒今個星期五為中國教會祈禱。榮休教宗本篤十六世於二零零七年將每年五月二十四日訂作為中國教會祈禱日。

他說:「我敦促世界各地的天主教徒為我們在中國的兄弟姊妹祈禱,懇求天主賜恩寵去宣揚基督;對教會和伯多祿的繼承人忠誠,以一個跟他們宣認的信仰相稱的方式,每天為他們的國家和國民貢獻。」

他特別向佘山聖母祈禱,求在中國的人能在困難中繼續相信,繼續有希望,繼續愛。

在二零零八年五月,榮休教宗本篤十六世特別撰寫了向佘山聖母頌:

至聖童貞瑪利亞,
降生聖言聖母,又是我們的母親,
您在佘山聖殿被尊稱爲「進教之佑」,
整個在中國的教會滿懷熱愛瞻仰您,
今天我們投奔您台前,求您護佑。
請垂顧這天主子民,幷以母親的關懷
帶領他們,走上真理與愛的道路,
使他們在任何情况下,
都成爲促進全體人民和諧共處的酵素。

您在納匝肋順從主旨,說了「是」,
讓永生天主子在您貞潔的母胎中取得肉軀,
使救贖工程從此在歷史中展開,
您又懇摯地奉獻自己協助這工程,
讓痛苦的利刃刺透您的心靈,
直到最後的重要時刻,在加爾瓦略山上,十字架下,
當您聖子犧牲自己,使世人獲得生命時,
您佇立在祂身旁。

從那時開始,爲一切在信仰中追隨您聖子耶穌
幷跟著她背起十字架的人,
您以一種嶄新的形式,成了他們的母親。
希望之母,您在聖周六的黑暗中,
仍懷著堅定不移的信心,迎接復活節的黎明,
請將這分辯的能力賞給您的子女,
使他們在任何處境中,即使是最黑暗的時刻,
仍能見到天主親臨的標記。

佘山聖母,請援助那些在日常勞苦中,
仍繼續相信、希望、和實踐愛德的中國教友,
使他們永不懼怕向世界宣講耶穌,
幷在耶穌跟前爲世界祈禱。
您以塑像的形態,矗立在佘山聖殿頂,高舉張開雙臂的聖子,
向世界展示他對世人的深愛。
請幫助天主教友常作這大愛的可信見證人,
幷使他們與教會的磐石伯多祿結合在一起。
中國之母,亞洲之母,請常爲我們祈求,現在直到永遠。亞孟。

Pope Francis has called Christians worldwide to prayer 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.

He 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 we recite this prayer.

The prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan:

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 coexistence 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 to begin in history the work of our redemption.
You willingly and generously cooperated 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 for ever. Amen!

資料來源 Source:
Pope Francis: Call to prayer for the Church in China

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