Shanghai bishop asks Catholics to intensify evangelization this year

Published: 2008-01-03

SHANGHAI, China (CNS) -- Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian of Shanghai has asked his flock to intensify evangelization efforts to mark this year's 400th anniversary of the introduction of Catholicism to Shanghai. The Asian church news agency UCA News reported Jan. 3 that in a pastoral letter released Dec. 24, Bishop Jin also urged Catholics to renew themselves spiritually in response to Pope Benedict XVI's call for prayers to Our Lady of Sheshan May 24. The pope made the call in his letter to Catholics in China, released June 30. Noting that May 24 is "dedicated to the liturgical memorial of Our Lady Help of Christians, who is venerated ... at the Marian Shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai," he urged the church throughout the world to pray with Catholics in China on that date. Bishop Jin, 91, a Shanghai native and a Jesuit, started his letter by recounting the story of Catholicism's arrival in Shanghai in 1608. Bishop Jin told Catholics "not to forget the missioners," including Jesuits such as Italian Fathers Matteo Ricci and Julius Aleni and German Father Adam Schall, who contributed to local arts and sciences.

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