Pope authorizes indulgences for Hong Kong Catholics praying for China

Published: 2008-05-13

HONG KONG (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI has authorized the granting of a plenary indulgence to Catholics in the Hong Kong Diocese who pray a novena to Our Lady, Help of Christians or say special prayers for the church in China. The diocesan vicar general, Father Dominic Chan Chi-ming, told the Asian church news agency UCA News that Pope Benedict, at the request of Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong, has offered the indulgence to those who participate in the diocese's May 15-23 novena. Those who join in activities marking the feasts of Our Lady, Help of Christians May 24 and Corpus Christi May 25 also are eligible. UCA News did not indicate when the pope authorized the plenary indulgence, which is a remission of the temporal punishment a person is due for sins that have been forgiven. The novena is a response to Pope Benedict's call for a world day of prayer for the church in China May 24. The pope announced this in his June 2007 letter to mainland Catholics.

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