ROME (UCAN) -- Pope Benedict XVI has composed a prayer to be used during the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China on May 24, the feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians, who is venerated at the Marian Shrine in the Shanghai suburb of Sheshan.

The Vatican Press Office released the text of the prayer on May 16, in Chinese, English and other languages.

In his Letter to Catholics in the People's Republic of China, which was released on June 30, 2007, Pope Benedict asked that May 24 be set aside as a special day of prayer for the Church in China in Catholic Churches throughout the world and inside China itself. That day would be "an occasion for the Catholics of the whole world to be united in prayer with the Church which is in China," he said.

In that letter, the Holy Father encouraged Catholics in China to observe the day "by renewing your communion of faith in Jesus our Lord and of faithfulness to the Pope, and by praying that the unity among you may become ever deeper and more visible." He added: "I remind you, moreover, of the commandment that Jesus gave us, to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us."

The pope also encouraged Catholics worldwide and "in particular those who are of Chinese origin" to "demonstrate their fraternal solidarity and solicitude" for Catholics on the mainland by "asking the Lord of history for the gift of perseverance in witness, in the certainty that your sufferings past and present for the Holy Name of Jesus and your intrepid loyalty to his Vicar on earth will be rewarded, even if at times everything can seem a failure."

Pope Benedict and Vatican officials are aware of the difficulties and obstacles that some entities linked to the mainland government have placed in the way of Chinese Catholics who wanted to go on pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine in Sheshan during the month of May, and especially on May 24 this year.

UCA News has learned that Vatican officials were surprised by this but chose to make no public statement on the matter. They hope the authorities will gradually come to understand that spiritual initiatives are not manifestations against public security or against the government, but are moments for believers to deepen their own faith, generosity and love of neighbor.

Some observers in Rome think that in composing this special prayer for the occasion, the pope has that situation in mind, but his prayer has a much broader scope. The official English text follows:

Prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan

Virgin Most Holy, Mother of the Incarnate Word and our Mother,

venerated in the Shrine of Sheshan under the title "Help of Christians",

the entire Church in China looks to you with devout affection.

We come before you today to implore your protection.

Look upon the People of God and, with a mother's care, guide them

along the paths of truth and love, so that they may always be

a leaven of harmonious coexistence among all citizens.

When you obediently said "yes" in the house of Nazareth,

you allowed God's eternal Son to take flesh in your virginal womb

and thus to begin in history the work of our redemption.

You willingly and generously cooperated in that work,

allowing the sword of pain to pierce your soul,

until the supreme hour of the Cross, when you kept watch on Calvary,

standing beside your Son, who died that we might live.

From that moment, you became, in a new way,

the Mother of all those who receive your Son Jesus in faith

and choose to follow in his footsteps by taking up his Cross.

Mother of hope, in the darkness of Holy Saturday you journeyed

with unfailing trust towards the dawn of Easter.

Grant that your children may discern at all times,

even those that are darkest, the signs of God's loving presence.

Our Lady of Sheshan, sustain all those in China,

who, amid their daily trials, continue to believe, to hope, to love.

May they never be afraid to speak of Jesus to the world,

and of the world to Jesus.

In the statue overlooking the Shrine you lift your Son on high,

offering him to the world with open arms in a gesture of love.

Help Catholics always to be credible witnesses to this love,

ever clinging to the rock of Peter on which the Church is built.

Mother of China and all Asia, pray for us, now and for ever. Amen!

END