Cardinal says pope's letter to Chinese will be sent at Easter time

Published: 2007-03-01

ROME (CNS)-- Pope Benedict XVI's letter to Chinese Catholics will be released at Easter time and will encourage the faithful, clarify issues of doctrine and call for full religious freedom, said China's cardinal. Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong told Catholic News Service in Rome March 1 that he has seen drafts of the pope's letter. After a two-day meeting in January on the status of the Catholic community in mainland China, the Vatican had announced that the pope would be writing the letter. "On issues regarding the divine position of the church and freedom of religion, the Holy Father will seek to clarify the truth," Cardinal Zen said. The cardinal, a Salesian, was in Rome to give a speech and preside at a liturgy at the Pontifical Salesian University. Cardinal Zen said that as a diplomatic courtesy Pope Benedict's letter will be translated into Chinese and will be sent to the government of China several days before it is released to the public.

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