Pope prays for Chinese Catholics
Listen to the story (Australian accent)
Pope Leo XIV recently asked people to pray for Catholics in China. He hopes they can be united with the main Catholic Church in Rome. This was his first time talking publicly about this difficult issue.
Pope Leo is the first Pope from the USA. He reminded people that the Church had a special day to pray for the Church in China. Pope Benedict XVI started this prayer day. He wanted to help unite the 12 million Catholics in China.
These Catholics were split into two groups. One group is an official church controlled by the Chinese government. This church does not accept the Pope's authority. The other group was a secret "underground" church that followed the Pope.
Pope Leo said that the prayers showed care for Chinese Catholics and their connection to the worldwide Church. He prayed that Catholics in China be strong and happy, even during hard times, and always work for peace.
Before Pope Leo, Pope Francis tried to improve the situation. In 2018, he made an agreement with China about choosing bishops. The details of this agreement are not public. It allows the government-controlled church to help decide when choosing leaders.
Some people criticized this agreement. They said it gave too much power to the Chinese government. The Vatican, the Pope’s government, said it was the best agreement they could get.
Now, Pope Leo must decide if he will continue this agreement. China sometimes chooses bishops without the Pope's approval.
Cardinal Stephen Chow from Hong Kong asked Pope Leo to remember the Church in China, and the Pope agreed.
The Vatican’s relationship with China officially ended over 70 years ago.
Vocabulary33 words
- Pope
- The main leader/boss of the Catholic Church
- Recently
- Not long ago
- Pray
- To talk to God; ?
- Catholics
- People who are part of the Catholic Church
- Hope
- something good that you want to happen in the future; a confident feeling about what will happen in the future; wish
- United
- Together as one; working together as one; all together
- Main
- the most important or the biggest;
- Publicly
- Doing something where everyone can see or know about it; In a way that can be seen by everyone
- Issue
- a subject or problem that people are thinking and/or talking about; matter; topic; problem
- Church
- A group of people who share the same religious beliefs; the building where Christians meet: ⛪
- Million
- 1,000,000 = one-million
- Split
- to divide into two or more parts; break something into several parts
- Official
- permitted, accepted, and/or approved by the government;
- Control
- to have power over something; to rule; to regulate
- Government
- the group of people who have the authority to make and enforce laws and manage a country or region; the people/group that manage and operate a country
- Accept
- To agree to something; to say OK
- Authority
- a government organization that controls and manages activities in a certain field or type of work
- Secret
- information that is kept hidden or unknown; confidential; classified; information you shouldn’t tell other people
- Underground
- done in secret because it might not be allowed; secret and illegal activities
- Show
- To display or present something; to share; to let people see something
- Care
- To want something or think it's important
- Worldwide
- all around the world; everywhere in the world
- Peace
- When there is no war or fighting; When everyone is happy
- Situation
- What is happening at a certain place/time; circumstance; state of affairs; the way it is; event; occurrence
- Agreement
- an understanding; a plan or contract made between two or more people/groups
- Details
- specific and important information about something
- Allow
- permit; let; to give permission; OK
- Decide
- to choose something; make a choice from many different options; select
- Leader
- someone who is in charge of a group, organization or country; a boss or manager; a person who guides, directs, or commands a group
- Criticize
- to judge; to find mistakes or problems with something; to complain or say bad things about
- Approval
- the action of approving; acceptance; to give the OK; agreement
- Relationship
- The way two people or things are connected to each other; connection; the way in which two or more people feel and behave towards each other
- Over
- more than;
Quiz
Answer key
1. Pope Benedict XVI 2. They are not public. 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Pope Leo XIV _____ asked people to pray for Catholics in China. He _____they can be united with the main Catholic Church in _____. This was his first time talking publicly about this _____issue.
Pope Leo is the first Pope from the _____. He reminded people that the Church had a _____day to pray for the Church in China. Pope Benedict XVI _____this prayer day. He wanted to help unite the _____million Catholics in China.
These Catholics _____split into two groups. One group is an official _____controlled by the Chinese government. This church _____not accept the Pope's authority. The _____group was a secret "underground" church that followed the _____.
Pope Leo said that the prayers _____care for Chinese Catholics and their connection to the _____Church. He prayed that Catholics in China be _____and happy, even during hard times, and always work for _____.
Before Pope Leo, Pope Francis _____to improve the situation. In _____, he made an agreement with China about choosing bishops. The _____of this agreement are not public. It allows the _____-controlled church to help decide when _____leaders.
Some people criticized this _____. They said it gave too much power to the _____government. The Vatican, the Pope’s government, said it _____the best agreement they could get.
_____, Pope Leo must decide if he will continue this agreement. _____sometimes chooses bishops without the Pope's _____.
Cardinal Stephen Chow from Hong Kong _____Pope Leo to remember the Church in China, and the Pope _____.
The Vatican’s relationship with China officially ended over _____ years ago.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think being united is important for a religious group, like the Catholic Church in China?
- The text mentions an "underground" church. What challenges do you think people in such a church might have?
- Do you think it's good for a government to have control over religious leaders? Why or why not?
- Why do you think the Vatican said the 2018 agreement was "the best agreement they could get"? What does this tell us about the situation?
- How important do you think prayer is in solving difficult international problems like this one?
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