HONG KONG (UCAN) -- The openness the Chinese government has shown concerning earthquake relief work bodes well for human rights in China, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong said after a special Mass for Sichuan quake victims.

More than 1,000 Catholics attended the June 2 Mass at Hong Kong diocese's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to pray for the dead and missing, the survivors and those who are helping in relief and rebuilding efforts.

Earlier, on May 18, the Catholic diocese also held a Mass to pray for those affected by the disaster.

Cardinal Zen said in his homily that amid the suffering caused by the tragedy, God has revealed human magnanimity through love for the affected people. "Do not easily forget the victims of Sichuan, as rendering relief aid for them should be a long-lasting work," he reminded those present.

"A new China has been born out of the quake," he said.

Elaborating on this after Mass, he told the press that he appreciated the Chinese leaders' openness to journalists reporting on the disaster and acceptance of foreign aid, which he said shows they really want to help the people.

However, conflicts still exist between the Vatican and China, he pointed out. Despite the goodwill shown in the concert a mainland orchestra gave in the Vatican on May 7 and Pope Benedict XVI's prayers for the quake victims, many mainland Catholics were kept from praying at the popular Sheshan Marian shrine on May 24 or making cross-province pilgrimages during May, he said.

The Marian month is peak season for pilgrimages in mainland China, and the pope designated May 24 as a day of prayer for the China Church.

Cardinal Zen added that some priests from the "underground" Church community had been warned against traveling or were watched during the month.

Such "pessimistic response to the pope's call for prayers for the China Church" could be the work of some officials who are not willing to see China-Vatican relations improve, he suggested. However, he said he believes the top Chinese leaders are sincere in their desire to dialogue.

To provide assistance to the devastated areas in Sichuan, he said, Caritas-Hong Kong has raised HK$11 million (US$1.58 million) from Catholics and Catholic schools since mid-May. He said the fundraising campaign will last until May 2009, adding that local Catholics are also mindful of the cyclone victims in Myanmar.

The Vatican, through Caritas Internationalis, the worldwide confederation of charity and relief organizations set up by local Churches, has also offered funds to help the quake victims, expressing its sincerity toward China, the cardinal said.

According to the June 1 issue of the diocesan Chinese weekly, Kung Kao Po, Father Michael Yeung Ming-cheung, director of Caritas-Hong Kong, said that apart from emergency relief, Caritas will also assist with mid- to long-term rehabilitation programs. It has sent three teams to the mainland to help with the training of people in trauma counseling and to assess long-term needs, he said.

UCA News has learned that some Catholic doctors, nurses and other parishioners from Hong Kong have been giving relief aid or working as volunteers in quake-hit areas of Sichuan.

According to Father Yeung, people in those areas need professional trauma counselors as well as assistance in education and family care. He told the diocesan weekly that as rehabilitation and development work could take decades, Caritas-Hong Kong will give appropriate help to the victims.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Zen said he would participate in a prayer meeting on June 4 at Victoria Park to commemorate the June 4 crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Beijing in 1989, but will not attend the candlelight vigil afterward.

The cardinal said people should not forget the suffering caused by the crackdown, but he also said he hopes those wounds would be healed, and that this year could be the time for such healing to take place.

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