Pope Benedict Addresses Chinese Bishops Denied Exit Visas

The Cardinal from Hong Kong, the Bishop of Macau, and the Bishop of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, represented the Chinese Church at the Synod of bishops.  But the Communist government would allow no bishop from mainland China to attend the synod. Zenit news agency has a brief article about this detention, which gives a decent overview of the situation.

The Holy Father said:
“I want to here give voice to, and give thanks to God for, their love for Christ, their communion with the universal Church and their fidelity to the Successor of the Apostle Peter,” he said. “They are present in our prayer, together with the faithful entrusted to their pastoral care.

“Let us ask the ‘supreme Shepherd of the flock’ to give them joy, strength and apostolic zeal to guide with wisdom and with their sights set on the future the Catholic community in China, so beloved by all of us.”

The world needs to know about the clergy still suffering in prison camps, priests and bishops, and thousands of Catholic laymen.  Asia News usually keeps abreast of the persecution, but Catholic papers in the U.S. devote no space to our persecuted brothers and sisters.  This is a travesty. We buy all their products and turn a deaf ear to the cries of the martyrs and the slave laborers in the camps.   More here.