I hope that the new Pope can one day come to China received by all as father and pastor

A remembrance by the Bishop of Shanghai

by Aloysius Jin Luxian

Bishop Jin Luxian and a group of priests and deacons in the Cathedral of Saint Ignatius in Shanghai

The news of the death of the Holy Father left me in grief and in mourning. I never had the good fortune to meet him personally; notwithstanding that I know he knew me and was interested in my person; he let me know that he was close to me in prayer, particularly in recent months when I suffered serious health problems.
An archbishop of Lyons, my friend Monsignor Albert, Cardinal Decourtray, who died in 1994, told me that once, during a conversation, the Holy Father had asked for news of his «Chinese friend» and, after being told that my health was good, the Pope recommended him to cultivate ever more deeply this friendship because it was precious. For this I am deeply grateful to him.
When I was in Europe, I was sometimes visited by cardinals or archbishops come from Rome, sent by the Holy Father to visit me and bring me his greetings. I always asked these bishop friends to return my greetings to the Holy Father and tell him of my love for him. Something they assured me they did.
I know that once the Pope asked why, while I went to visit some European country, I didn’t take the occasion to go also to Rome to meet him. Because of his concern for me and his death I am the saddest of Chinese Catholics.
We Chinese Catholics have always had a great respect and a great love for this indefatigable pastor who guided, sustained and encouraged his flock throughout these long years of pontificate. He reached his “flock” in every part of the world, traveling almost 1,200,000 kilometers; he visited more than a hundred countries; a Pope had never traveled so much! And he left us his teaching, apart from his innumerable speeches, in 14 encyclicals and in 44 apostolic letters. Never have so many documents been left by a Pope!
He was a Pope who had the courage to officially ask forgiveness for the errors committed throughout the centuries by the Church towards mankind, including the Chinese people. He greatly desired to come to China and it is truly a shame that it was not possible.
Now, in Paradise, he receives from the Lord the joy and the peace reserved to the faithful servants.
I pray and hope that the Holy Spirit enlighten the cardinals who will meet in the next conclave to elect his successor and that the new Pope can one day come among us, received by all as father and pastor.