In an interview with the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus, Pope Francis says China is a “great people” that “must not waste its heritage”, and repeats his desire to make an apostolic journey to the country. The heart of the interview given by Pope Francis to Father Pedro Chia, director of the press office of the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus, is “a message of hope” and a blessing for the entire Chinese people. It is an interview with a strong spiritual focus, punctuated by the Pope’s personal memories and his reflections on the future of the Church.
The Pope does not hide his desire to visit China, particularly the Shrine of Sheshan in the Songjiang District, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians. In the Asian country, he says, he would like to meet with local bishops and “the people of God who are so faithful”. “It is a faithful people”, he continues. “They have gone through many things and remained faithful”. To young Chinese Catholics, in particular, the Pope emphasizes the concept of hope, even though—he notes— “it seems tautological to me to give a message of hope to a people who are masters of hope” and “of patience in waiting”. And this, he highlights, “is a very beautiful thing”. The people of China are “a great people” who “must not waste their heritage”, Francis adds; on the contrary, “they must patiently carry forward their legacy”.