Chinese Catholic officials offer advice on May pilgrimages, devotions

Published: 2008-05-02

BEIJING (CNS) -- Catholic authorities in mainland China have taken the unprecedented step of advising Catholics on how to conduct Marian devotions and make pilgrimage arrangements. The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China have urged all dioceses in China to organize pilgrimages locally rather than in other provinces or municipalities, reported the Asian church news agency UCA News. The five-point notice from the two government-approved bodies also asks the dioceses to implement security measures to ensure pilgrims' safety. Anthony Liu Bainian, a vice chairman of the patriotic association, confirmed to UCA News April 29 that the two administrative organizations had not previously issued instructions on devotions during the Marian month of May. They decided to do so this year because they "estimated the number of pilgrims would increase and wanted to ease the pressure on Shanghai," he explained. Pope Benedict XVI has asked Catholics worldwide to pray for the Chinese Catholic Church May 24, the feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians.

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