Hong Kong Diocese cancels pilgrimage after China cites inconvenience

Published: 2008-04-09

HONG KONG (CNS) -- The Diocese of Hong Kong has canceled a plan to send organized pilgrimages to China's most prominent Marian shrine May 24, a special prayer day for Chinese Catholics, after Shanghai government authorities said it would be inconvenient. Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong told the Asian church news agency UCA News April 5 that the diocese planned the pilgrimages and a local novena in response to the call Pope Benedict XVI made last June in his letter to Catholics in China. Shortly after the papal letter was released, Cardinal Zen led three sessions introducing it to local parishioners. The Shanghai-born prelate initially told them he wanted to take 1,000 pilgrims to Sheshan for the prayer day, scheduled on the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, the name of the parish at the Sheshan shrine. Over the past months, however, Chinese authorities have conveyed concerns to the Vatican about the Hong Kong pilgrimage, Cardinal Zen said. To ease their worries, the cardinal said he decided not to go on the pilgrimage and to have it organized on a smaller scale.

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